From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman: My Hotshot Disciples Are All Grown Up Now, and They Won’t Leave Me Alone - Volume 2 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: An Old Country Bumpkin Meets a Thief

“Sounds like it was quite the ordeal.”

“Yeah. Well, I didn’t really lose anything, but she did get away.”

It was the day after the incident, and I was instructing knights in the order’s training hall. While we swung our swords, I chatted about yesterday’s events with the lieutenant commander, Henbrits Drout. He came to the training hall pretty much every day to devote himself to his improvement, and by now, his muscles were essentially a full stage stronger than they’d been when I’d first met him. He participated in mock battles with the other knights, but he also spent time testing all sorts of attacks, including some that didn’t rely entirely on strength. It was good to see him making progress.

I’m not gonna lose, though! Even if he’s the Liberion Order’s lieutenant commander, I’ve beaten him once already—this old man has his own backbone and vanity to maintain!

“Anyway...” Henbrits turned to look at a petite knight who was swinging an enormous wooden sword. She’d positioned herself in a corner of the hall to avoid getting in anyone’s way. “Kewlny wielding a two-handed sword is a rather wild idea.”

“For now, I think it suits her,” I said.

Kewlny’s movements were plain and utilitarian—she still wasn’t at the stage where she could wield a zweihander brilliantly in battle. But she understood this, so she was repeatedly drilling the basic forms and standard swings. In her expression, I saw no traces of negative emotions like hesitation or anxiety. She probably saw the potential in her new zweihander, yet I still had a sneaking suspicion that the reason she was so energetic was because I’d recommended the blade.

I flicked my eyes back to Henbrits. “I think she has potential to improve drastically in the near future.”

“How promising.” Henbrits smiled affably. “A knight’s growth is always worth celebrating. I can’t go falling behind now.”

There was clear hope in his almond-shaped eyes. He really is a good person. Henbrits was honest when it came to his art, and while he had a strong competitive spirit, he was also upfront with those he acknowledged. He was very helpful too.

It was true that Allusia held tremendous popularity among the populace and the knights, but from what I could see, Henbrits was in no way inferior. Well, maybe that was overstating it a bit—he probably lost to her in terms of pure popularity. Still, in the sense of the knights idolizing him, he stood on equal ground with her. Allusia looked difficult to approach thoughtlessly, whereas Henbrits was candid toward anyone. Not that Allusia was antisocial or anything... It was merely a difference in leadership style.

From my personal perspective, Henbrits was also one of the rare male conversation partners I had. I didn’t dislike women or anything of the sort, but being completely surrounded by them all the time could sometimes feel suffocating. I’ll reiterate—this had nothing to do with hating their company. It was simply more comfortable for this geezer to have another man to talk to.

“So, back to that pickpocket...” Henbrits trailed off. “How did she manage to escape your grasp? Did she possess tremendous dexterity?”

“She used magic,” I answered. “I ended up letting go on reflex.”

For my part, I hadn’t meant to let her go, but with that kind of magical trick up her sleeve, I hadn’t been able to hide my shock.

“Magic, you say?”

That one word caused Henbrits to sink into silence.

“There a problem with that?” I asked.

“Ah, no, not with you, but...”

I thought he’d criticize me for letting someone like that get away, but it turned out he had no intention of scolding me. What a relief. Actually, on second thought, maybe it wasn’t so reassuring. Having a scoundrel with magical abilities hiding away in the capital probably wasn’t something Henbrits could ignore.

“Normally, all those capable of using magic within Liberis are enrolled in the magic institute,” Henbrits elaborated. “They then go on to become adventurers, members of the magic corps, or other such specialists. Something doesn’t feel quite right about this—a person strong enough to ward you off shouldn’t have been reduced to a mere pickpocket.”

“Hmm...”

Well, that made sense. I’d been thinking the same thing. Having magical capability automatically netted you a spot among those with talent. Wizards were rare, so the nation couldn’t ignore them—overlooking a single one had a direct effect on a country’s national influence and military strength. That was why the Liberis Kingdom had established the magic institute and the magic corps.

I didn’t know how other countries handled wizards. Still, taking all factors into consideration, it was hard to imagine any magic users getting a cold reception from the state. Liberis often put out notices not to overlook any who had the talent, and I’d heard that tuition for the magic institute was very fair. If I remembered right, those with a certain level of skill even had the tuition fee waived. After all, Liberis couldn’t let tremendous talent go to waste simply because people couldn’t afford the education.

On a side note, it was apparently a complete mystery how or when magical talent bloomed. There’d been studies investigating specific factors: whether magic was related to bloodlines, or the environment you were raised in, or many other variables. But thus far, no clear cause for magical talent had been identified. Figuring this out would make processes for recruiting wizards more efficient—right now, the only way to find them was to search far and wide. Anyone with awareness of their magic could waltz into the magical institute and practically be set for life, and everyone in Liberis seemed to understand this. Wizards really have it nice.

Anyway, back to the pickpocket—if she was capable of magic, enrolling in the magic institute would be a far more productive career path than petty theft. There was no reason not to do so, and a formal education would negate the need to sneak around in the darkness stealing from others. But yesterday’s pickpocket had done exactly that, and it clearly hadn’t been her first time. Her movements had been far too confident and direct. She’d likely been living off thieving for a while.

“If I had to guess...” Henbrits muttered. “I suppose it’s possible she isn’t a wizard.”

“How so?” I asked. How could someone use magic and not be a wizard?

“Magical equipment. She might have been carrying something to facilitate an emergency escape.”

“Aaah. I see.”

As to be expected of the Liberion Order’s lieutenant commander—he’d sorted through the possibilities in an instant. I hadn’t even considered that she’d used magical equipment instead of raw magic. But it seemed awfully logical. Of course a habitual pickpocket would have some sort of item that allowed for escape from capture. This scenario made far more sense than that of a wizard picking pockets.

“So I guess she really was just a petty crook.”

Henbrits nodded. “Most likely. There is no reason for one with magical talent to resort to theft.”

I was more or less satisfied with that explanation. Still, what need would a pickpocket have for crazy strong offensive magical equipment? And why was she in possession of it in the first place? The logic was sound, but now I was feeling all the more vexed about letting her get away.

I suppose there’s no point in dwelling on it. It has nothing to do with me.

I decided I’d had enough of talking about the thief, so I jumped to something else that had been on my mind.

“Man, the capital sure is different,” I remarked.

“That doesn’t sound like much of a compliment,” Henbrits said. “Well, when so many people gather in one place, you tend to encounter all facets of humanity.”

Sorry, Henbrits, I wasn’t trying to be sarcastic or anything—I was just stating my honest opinion. I didn’t mean anything bad by it.

“Oh, almost forgot. Speaking of pickpockets...” I pulled out the pendant I’d found on the ground yesterday and showed it to Henbrits. Though the pendant wasn’t directly related to the thief, I’d found it right after she’d slipped away—the conversation with Henbrits had jogged my memory.

“That’s...someone’s accessory?”

“Yeah. I found it last night. Don’t know where I can drop it off, though.”

Henbrits stared at the pendant in my hand. Judging by his reaction, he was pretty ignorant about such things. Well, he was the type to spend every day training, and I wasn’t any better. I didn’t have an eye for the finer things in life, so I had no clue whatsoever whether this pendant was really worth anything. Still, I could identify that the pendant had been handled very carefully—from that perspective, it was definitely important to someone. I wanted to see it returned to its owner’s hands.

“The office has a place where you can entrust lost items,” Henbrits said. “I’ll guide you there after training.”

“Thanks, that helps.”

Great, now I can put the pendant out of my mind. It would be impossible for me to find the owner on my own; I was far more likely to succeed by relying on the order.

“Mr. Beryl, may I ask you for a bout?”

“Yeah, sure thing. Let’s do it.”

Our chat had reached a good stopping point, so Henbrits quickly challenged me to a match. It’s wonderful that he’s so passionate about training. I set aside all thoughts of pickpockets and pendants and went back to fulfilling my actual role.

◇

“Very well, we’ll take charge of this item.”

“Please do.”

After finishing the day’s training, I delivered the lost pendant to what looked like a guardroom next to the order’s office. This was a station where security for the office was located, and there was also a service window where people could make inquiries. Several knights were packed inside, looking relatively casual, but once I showed up, they all immediately straightened.

They don’t need to act so tense. I’m just here to drop off a lost item.

Training was going well for all the knights, including those in the station now. Everyone had some room to improve, and even a bumpkin like me had a lot to teach them. Of course, nobody was going to improve their technique drastically in such a short time, but I had already seen marked improvement—being an instructor was an altogether fulfilling experience. Henbrits was getting sharper and sharper too.

In contrast to the young knights, I had already reached my peak. I’d taken pride in how dedicated I’d been to swordplay training in my younger years—much more than the average person—but despite that, I hadn’t been able to become a hero or savior or anything of the like. Age certainly came with limits. My dad was healthy, but setting that aside, getting older meant deteriorating as a swordsman. At the very most, he would only be able to maintain the status quo—getting better as an old man was practically out of the question.

However, from the perspective of the general public, I was a huge success. After all, I’d transitioned from teaching swordplay at a backwater dojo to taking on the (overexaggerated) position of special instructor for the Liberion Order. I honestly couldn’t ask for more. Though frankly, I’d only acquired this status because of Allusia’s inexplicable assertiveness.

I really should cut it out. This line of thinking is pointless—no need to get all sentimental. I did what I could today, so it’s time to kick back and relax at the inn. Yup, that sounds great.

“Okay. Time to head out.”

I’d been staying at the same inn ever since arriving in Baltrain. It was fine for my current needs, but I figured I was about ready to find a proper home. So, whenever I had a little extra time on my hands, I browsed around for housing. As to be expected of the central district, having many conveniences came with a ridiculous price tag. All the homes here were a little out of my price range.

I was receiving wages from the order, so there wasn’t a need for me to move right away. It was probably best to save up for a while, but I also wanted to scout out places just to see what my options were. Since I wasn’t in a hurry, I could simply stay on the lookout for anything nice.

Also, I was really getting along with the innkeeper these days. I did feel a bit indebted to him for taking me under his roof, but this was his business and I was paying him. It wasn’t bad living at the inn, and I was slightly reluctant to leave. However, if Baltrain ended up becoming my permanent residence, having a home didn’t seem like a bad idea.

Well, technically, if I find a wife, I can go back to my actual home in Beaden...but I’m making no progress on that front. It’s foolish to have any hope.

“After all these years, what exactly does that geezer expect out of me?”

I couldn’t help but mutter that part aloud. Seriously, why had he driven me out? I’d gone along with it, caught up in the flow of everything, but I hadn’t actually done anything wrong. And now, I was starting to feel disgruntled about it.

That said, I wasn’t really unhappy with my current lifestyle. One way or another, it was refreshing being in an environment outside the dojo—it didn’t feel bad to teach here.

With such thoughts on my mind, I continued walking the streets of the central district. The sun was still high in the sky, so there were plenty of people out and about in Baltrain. Many shops were bustling too, drawing quite a lively scene around me.

Incidentally, the Liberis Kingdom was, just as its name implied, a monarchy. Tales of the kingdom’s founding reported that the first king, Spokino Ashford Liberis, had set up his own country at the northern edge of the Galean continent. I wasn’t well-versed in history, but I’d at least been taught the first king’s name during my general education. Our kingdom had a lot of fertile land, so agriculture was booming. In fact, even the entire southern district of the capital was dedicated to agriculture. There were few forests and many mountains and plains, leading to a great diversity of wildlife. We also bordered the sea and had access to the plentiful bounties of the ocean. To sum it all up, you could say our nation was blessed.

And that was why, even all the way out in Beaden, famine and crop failures were rarities. Discounting attacks from monsters and wild beasts, it was possible to have a relatively peaceful lifestyle in most parts of our kingdom. However, this didn’t mean that all citizens were prosperous. (This was bound to be true of any country.) Plenty of people fell out of the safety net of national policy, even if there were none in a small village like Beaden. Basically, these people became ruffians like thieves and bandits.

They didn’t really show themselves in public, but there were indeed a number of them in Baltrain. Yesterday’s pickpocket was only one such example. Rumor had it that they gathered in large numbers in a specific district. I wanted to believe that these sorts of people weren’t in the central district, but they seemed like the type who could pop up anywhere.

“Hm?”

As I ruminated over the country and walked the streets of the central district, I spotted a figure on their knees at the side of the road, staring at the ground and moving about restlessly. I wonder what’s going on. They don’t appear to be a beggar or anything. Passersby offered curious glances, but everyone just kept walking, and nobody engaged with the kneeling person.

As I drew closer, I heard a voice.

“Not here... Not here! Where did I drop it?!”

The figure continued creeping along the ground, not paying any attention to the odd looks of onlookers. A ragged robe covered their body, so I couldn’t see their face. That outfit is a pretty poor match for a street in the middle of Baltrain.

Now, I could have easily ignored them. However, I’d noticed something interesting. This person—the voice, the outfit—was identical to yesterday’s pickpocket.

“Looking for something?” I asked. Just in case, I kept my distance.

“Shut up! Leave me al...one?!”

That’s pretty much the reply I expected. In all likelihood, she’d driven off anyone else who’d tried to talk to her. But when she turned around and saw my face, her expression twisted, clearly communicating her thoughts: “Oh crap.”

Hmm. Looks like she recognizes my face. Our encounter had happened at night, but the area hadn’t been completely devoid of light. She’d likely been paying far more attention to me than I had to her. Her expression now was clearly strained, panic seeping from every pore of her face, and I could see dark blue hair peeking out of her hood. She looked to be somewhere in her teens. At the very least, she looked younger than Kewlny and Ficelle.

“What? You want something?”

Within a few blinks, she’d tempered her expression and bluntly forced the conversation along. She was likely gambling that I didn’t remember the details of yesterday’s incident. I decided to act like a kind old man who’d called out to help.

Not that it was ever going to turn out that way.

“Are you, maybe, looking for a pendant?” I asked.

“You son of a—!” Hearing my words, she narrowed her eyes in hatred. “Give it back! Give it back right now!”

“Whoa there.”

The moment I mentioned the pendant, she rose to her feet and tried to grab my collar. I wasn’t going to just stand there and let her, so I ended up dodging to the side. Judging by her movements, she had no experience with combat. At most, she had the specialized dexterity of a pickpocket.

“You little—!” she growled.

“Now, now, calm down. I never said anything about keeping it from you.”

After failing to grab me, she stumbled a couple steps forward from the momentum. She continued glaring, huffing and puffing out of her nose. Oooh, how scary. The bloodlust in her eyes was pretty trivial, but it wasn’t the kind of look a little girl should be able to conjure. It gave me a glimpse into the harsh environments she’d likely been exposed to. Her potentially rough upbringing was far more frightening than the venomous look in her eyes. In a sense, it was inevitable that such social outcasts existed in the shadows of a prospering nation, but the thought still made me feel dispirited. I can’t do much about that, though.

I held up my hands in a soothing gesture. “Look, I don’t really like attracting attention. I’d like for you to settle down.”

I wanted to emphasize that she shouldn’t make a big fuss here, and my words seemed to get through to her. She maintained her intense glare but kept her mouth shut. It wasn’t in her best interest to attract attention anyway—she was plenty guilty, after all.

“Let’s cut to the chase,” I said. “I don’t have that pendant on me right now.”

“What?” Her already severe expression grew even thornier.

“I left it with the Liberion Order. As a lost item.”

“Tch!”

At this point, the girl surely understood the general details of what had gone on. I hadn’t done anything wrong. I’d simply picked up a lost item, had noticed that it’d been treated with care, and had entrusted it to one of Baltrain’s most distinguished organizations. The girl before me had to know it was wrong to criticize my choice of actions. All she could do about her helpless irritation was click her tongue.

“I’m not trying to be mean or anything,” I said. “If I tell them I found the owner, they’ll give it back. However, you have to come with me.”

I was positive that she’d tried to steal my wallet last night, and I was also certain that she was a repeat offender. I had no evidence, though. Her hateful expression, what she was wearing—her whole appearance screamed that she was up to no good. And yet, I hadn’t caught her while she was doing something illegal, so it wouldn’t be realistic to just turn her over to the knights.

That said, I’d feel slightly guilty if I left an assumed criminal at large. She could absolutely try to pick someone’s pocket while I went to get the pendant from the order’s office. Thus, my point of compromise—have her come with me. Maybe I can have Allusia or someone else high up give her a scolding. Though, it is a fairly petty affair for the commander of the Liberion Order to get involved with.

“Dammit... Fine.”

It turned out the girl couldn’t come up with any other great ideas. After a couple seconds of hesitation, she decided to do as I said. I knew she didn’t trust me at all, but the pendant must’ve been important enough to her that she would choose to come along obediently. If that’s the case, she shouldn’t have dropped it in the first place...but there’s no helping that after the fact.

“Shall we?” I asked. “As long as you don’t do anything, I won’t either. Just putting that out there.”

“Tch.”

She clicked her tongue obstinately. Her manners are really lousy. I questioned her upbringing, but I also couldn’t help but associate kids like this with the pupils I’d taught at the dojo. There’d been some utter brats who’d been tossed into our dojo, and the training had given them an outlet for their excessive energy. Being with another troubled child was pretty nostalgic.

“What’s your name?” I asked the girl.

“Shut up. I ain’t telling you nothing, old man.”

Try to strike up a conversation, and this is what I get, huh? Obviously, I was aware that I was an old man, but being called one to my face was a little depressing.

“I-I see. Well, I’m sure you have your own circumstances, and you already know this, but I can’t really applaud doing the things you did last night.”

“Shut up,” she mumbled.

Even if she didn’t want to engage with me, I figured I could at least give her a sermon. All I got, though, was an awkward, blunt reply. Judging by her reaction, she wasn’t picking pockets because she liked doing it. I was curious about her circumstances, but I wasn’t her father or guardian. There was no reason for me to stick my neck into this.

The girl walked a little behind me to the right. No matter how I looked at her, she was exactly as she appeared. She didn’t give off that strange atmosphere Lucy did. Her dark blue hair was just about shoulder length, and her cheeks were somewhat gaunt, so she didn’t appear very healthy. The corners of her eyes were angled sharply, and her irises flashed a mix of green and yellow as she kept a close eye on me. She looked even shorter than the petite Kewlny. I couldn’t tell because of her robe, but her physique was far from womanly. She seemed even thinner than the already slender Ficelle.

To sum it up, she was a scrawny little girl with a really aggressive attitude. If she had to resort to pickpocketing to make ends meet, she probably wasn’t getting her daily nutrition. It made me feel like I’d picked up an abandoned cat by coincidence. But I wasn’t going to raise her or anything—we weren’t likely to get involved beyond this issue.

“We’re here. Well, I’m pretty sure you know the place already.”

She remained silent.

“I’m not thinking of turning you in or anything,” I continued. “Not for now, at least.”

Once we got closer to the order’s office, the girl became far more alert than before. She’d been committing crimes worthy of arrest, so the knights were probably something like her natural enemy. However, as previously mentioned, I had no intention of turning her in. I did plan on getting someone important to scold her, though.

“Excuse me.”

Bringing the girl—who wore such a stiff expression that she looked like she could bolt at any moment—I called out to the knights behind the station’s window.

“Yes? Oh? If it isn’t Mr. Gardinant. Have you brought a lost child this time?”

“No, no, not at all,” I replied. “Turns out that she’s the owner of the pendant I gave you.”

The one who’d responded was the same knight I’d entrusted the pendant to earlier. After looking at the girl, he’d taken her for a lost child. Does the order also look after lost children? The breadth of their activities sure is huge.

“Aaah, I see. I’ll go get it.”

Convinced by my explanation, the knight went to the back.

“Let me tell you this now,” I muttered. “Don’t think you can snatch it away the moment he hands it over.”

“Tch.”

She clicked her tongue at me once again, but that was of no consequence—I’d crushed the possibility of her bolting. Well, if I’d been in her shoes, I would’ve definitely taken off. Unfortunately for her, this old man understood a rowdy kid’s thought process very well.

“Thank you for waiting,” said the knight as he returned from the back. “Is this yours?”

“That’s it!” the girl yelled. “Give it back!”

I nodded. “Seems so. Okay, I’ll be taking it.”

The knight caught on to what I was implying and didn’t hand the pendant to her directly. I took charge of it.

“Hey!” the girl protested. “Ain’t that enough?! Give it back!”

“Umm...Mr. Gardinant?” the knight asked awkwardly. He shot the suddenly lively girl a sidelong glance.

“Ha ha. Sorry. She’s a bit of a rascal.”

I’ll give her the pendant back a little later. First, I have to get Allusia or Henbrits to give her a long sermon.

“What’s this ruckus— Oh, Master.”

I stretched my arm up, smiling wryly as I kept the pendant away from the girl trying to snatch it. “Allusia?” I said, turning toward her. “You came at just the right time.”

In all likelihood, Allusia was done with her duties for the day and was on her way home. She was wearing the same casual leather jacket she’d worn when she’d come to get me in Beaden. This really was perfect timing. It was likely fine to bring this girl to the office, but I’d been wondering whether it was okay to bring her inside without asking.

“Umm... Master, who’s that girl?”

Me, the knight, and the girl—Allusia’s bewildered gaze raked over each of us, then fixed on the girl next to me.

“Ah, umm...” I floundered for a moment. “How do I put this?”

“It can’t be... Your illegitimate child?!” Allusia exclaimed.

“Not at all!” I shouted back. I nearly choked on my words. “Well, to put it briefly, there was a situation. Allusia, could you spare some of your time?”

“I don’t really mind, but...”

For now, I redirected the conversation away from that incomprehensible path. It didn’t feel right to talk about this situation outside, so I wanted to move into the office before we started—that was why I’d asked Allusia for some of her time, and it looked like she had no problem with it. However, the girl didn’t seem like she was going to obediently tag along. Her expression had twisted even more upon seeing Allusia. The commander of the Liberion Order was probably the last person a pickpocket wanted to interact with. I also found it interesting that even these types of people recognized Allusia’s face. The fact that they were so wary of knights showed that the order was fulfilling its duties more than well enough.

At any rate, we weren’t going to get anywhere like this. I wanted to move inside if we could, but was the girl really going to follow us?

“It’s got nothing to do with arresting you,” I said. “And I’ll return this to you right after we talk.”

The girl hesitated for a few seconds, obviously reluctant, but then finally relented. “Tch. Fine. Keep it quick.”

At the very least, she now understood that I meant her no harm. Normally, a pickpocket would’ve taken this chance to run away—nobody had her restrained, and nobody was even wary of her. She looked like nothing more than a girl in ragged clothes accompanied by an old man. The fact that she wasn’t fleeing meant that she was highly incentivized by the pendant.

She had to know that if she handled this encounter poorly, she could get arrested. However, she wanted this pendant back badly enough to take that risk. It was possible it simply had that much monetary value, but somehow, I didn’t think that was quite right—she would’ve sold it already. A pickpocket wouldn’t be walking around with anything of value, not when they could trade it for actual currency. Ultimately, though, I didn’t know what the truth was, nor could I figure it out without more information.

“Very well.” Allusia nodded at both me and the girl. “Shall we use a reception room?”

“Sure.” I turned to the girl. “Come on, this way.”

“Shut up. Don’t treat me like a brat.”

She was very clearly a child—a bratty one—but I kept that retort to myself. I didn’t overlook how Allusia’s brow twitched a little at the girl’s reaction.

That’s good. At this rate, the commander will dish out an excellent scolding.

After walking through the office for a while, the three of us arrived at the reception room—the same place I’d come to when my dad had kicked me out.

Once we were all seated, Allusia turned to me. “So? Who exactly is this girl, Master?”

“I’ll get right to the truth of it—she’s a pickpocket who tried to snatch my wallet yesterday. Immediately after she fled, I found this pendant on the ground. It’s apparently hers, so she’s here to retrieve it.”

“Wha...?”

“I’m not thinking of turning her in or anything,” I added quickly. “Not for now, at least.”

Allusia was speechless for a while. That’s quite a peculiar expression for her. However, perhaps due to her pride as the knight commander, she soon schooled her features into neutrality. When she turned to the girl, her gaze was chilling.

“What?” the girl muttered, even tenser than before. Despite that tension, she was a lot meeker now. I could sympathize with that. She’d gotten dragged along by some unknown old man to a meeting behind closed doors with the Liberion Order’s commander. It would be unreasonable to ask her to relax.

Allusia sighed. “Haaah... If you say so, Master, then we won’t restrain her.”

Even if Allusia wanted to have her arrested, she couldn’t. The laws in this country were rather peaceful—with the exception of very serious crimes, an infraction of the law didn’t really apply unless either a formal complaint was submitted by the victim or the criminal was caught red-handed by the authorities. For this girl to be arrested, her latest victim (me) would need to hand her over. Otherwise, the knights would have to catch her in the act of pickpocketing someone.

Honestly, she was no more than a petty thief. She posed no immediate threat to anyone’s life, so the nation was relatively lax about such things. And frankly, I had a good reason for not turning her in.

“You know, she didn’t actually get anything off me,” I explained. “When I tried to catch her, she hit me with magic.”

“Magic...you say?”

I was sure Allusia understood what I was getting at. During my conversation with Henbrits, he’d concluded that it was unlikely for a person with magical talent to resort to petty thievery. At the time, I’d let myself be convinced of his argument. But while magical equipment wasn’t as versatile or valuable as the powers of a genuine wizard, it was still costly. I’d been forced to confront this fact during my shopping trip in the western district with Kewlny and Ficelle.

In addition, it was extremely rare to find offensive magical equipment that could directly attack others. Not many pieces existed, and the ones that did were high-class items. After all, if such things were common, they would cause a spike in crime. So, knowing this, why would a mere pickpocket have something like that? Had she stolen one? Or maybe someone had given it to her? Something like that would be easier to trace than a more normal item, so it would probably be difficult to sell for money. Thus, it could make sense for her to use it instead.

Had those flames really come from some sort of equipment? My instincts were telling me this was a very important matter. Not that my instincts are always right.

“You can use magic?” Allusia asked the girl.

“I don’t gotta tell you...”

“You do. As one of the kingdom’s knights, I can’t possibly overlook anyone who has the talent for magic. You should know this.”

Oooh, you’re digging into this more than I expected, Allusia. And the girl wasn’t refuting it—maybe she really did have the makings of a wizard. It was still possible she was hiding some equipment under her robes, but from what I could tell, that wasn’t the case.

“If you can use magic, there is no need to hide,” Allusia continued. “Above all else, we cannot shut our eyes to a girl like you living in such miserable circumstances. I don’t know if we can be your ally, but at the very least, we’re not your enemy.”

“Shut up...”

Allusia was on the offensive. She personally had nothing to gain by endorsing this girl to the magic institute, but she was still pushing hard for it. Certainly, this was a display of her earnest personality.

I spoke up next, hoping to provide Allusia with support. “Just as I said from the very beginning, I’m not trying to have you arrested or anything. But we’re connected now—our lives became entangled when you tried to pick my pockets.”

I sensed anxiety and nervousness from the girl sitting beside me, though it seemed like a good amount of her wariness had faded. Anyway, this really was a peculiar connection. I didn’t feel like turning this thief in—I wanted to do something for her. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a hero or a saint, and it was impossible for me to save every child in need. There were, however, those who just happened to be within my reach. It’s human nature to want to help if you have the means to do so.

The girl was silent for a few seconds, and then, with steely resolve, she said, “I don’t got enough.”

“Hm?”

Pain and determination were written clearly on the girl’s face. “I don’t got enough cash to resurrect my big sister.”

Huh? What? That’s the story? Magic makes no sense to this old man. My eyes widened, but I didn’t react much beyond that—I held my tongue. So this is about resurrection? That smells awfully fishy.

Silence enveloped the reception room following the girl’s confession. What did she mean by resurrection? She probably meant it literally...but how did this girl’s sister die? Did resurrection magic even exist? My mind was roiling with possibilities from just that one word. It was a little confusing.

“I don’t got enough money or time, so...”

“You resorted to crime,” Allusia finished.

The outlines of grief were growing clearer and clearer on the girl’s face. She definitely understood that stealing was a crime she should be punished for. It seemed like she didn’t enjoy a life of thievery. Hmm. Personally, I feel like her words present more than enough of an extenuating circumstance, but it’s not my place to interject. I’m just an old man, after all.

“However... No, let’s stop here.” Allusia was about to say something else, but she cut herself off. Her eyes were now largely focused on me.

I knew what she wanted to say: there was no way resurrection magic existed. I’d been doing my best not to mention that too.

This old man was completely ignorant about magic. I didn’t know a single detail about the mechanisms of spells. Even so, I could at least predict that resurrection magic didn’t exist. If it did, the world would work very differently. But emphasizing that to the girl seemed pretty meaningless.

The silence in the room was stifling and awkward, and I couldn’t stand it—I hated this heavy atmosphere. I also had no intention of poking fun at the girl’s predicament. That was why I decided to shift the focus of the conversation a little.

“Out of curiosity,” I said, “how much are you short?”

“I was told...five million dalcs,” she answered quietly, keeping her eyes down.

“That’s quite the sum,” I murmured.

Five million dalcs was more money than most people could save through honest work. The words “I was told” implied that someone had given her that figure. I had a bad premonition—a sour inkling—that the one who’d told her this was manipulating her. Ah, this old man really, really, really hates guys like that. How can you force someone to commit crimes when they’re still too young to make proper judgments? What a disgrace to all adults.

Allusia suddenly stood. “Sorry, please excuse me for a moment.”

“Aaah, hm, sure.”

At that, Allusia withdrew from the reception room. Not that it was my place to mention this, but it was unusual for her to leave without telling me why. Perhaps she’d remembered some important business she needed to attend to. And now here I am, completely silent next to this little girl. Hmm. This is rough. I want to summon Kewlny here right away.

“How did your sister pass away?”

This was the topic I’d chosen to break the awkward silence...and I regretted it immediately. Definitely not the right question for lightening the mood.

“I don’t know. They just told me she died.”

Unlike me, the girl wasn’t further affected by my words. Maybe she didn’t have the composure left to worry about it. I glanced to the side. Her head hung low, and her hands were clenched into fists on her knees. I didn’t know why her sister had died or what kind of situation she was in, so I had no way of comforting her. And if I chose the wrong words, I could emotionally corner her even more.

“I see...”

Our conversation came to another stop. My diversion hardly lasted a few seconds... I want Allusia back already.

In the quiet of the room, I fished in my mind for more conversation and recalled something. “Oh yeah. This is the second time I’m asking, but...”

“What?”

Despite talking to her quite a bit now—though we weren’t exactly on friendly terms—I knew fundamentally nothing about this girl.

“You can at least tell me your name now, right? Oh, I’m Beryl Gardinant.”

“Mui... Mui Freya.”

“So the little lady’s name is Mui, huh? Got it.”

“Cut that out. I’m not a damn brat.”

“Ha ha ha, sorry.”

Contrary to her attitude, her name had a cute ring to it. It seemed she hated being treated like a child, but I was at least going to continue doing that in my head. Unlike Lucy, she was exactly as she appeared. She looked to be somewhere in her mid to early teens. There was no need for me to ask her exact age—she appeared youthful, perhaps even childish, though she was clearly not a little kid. Her language and attitude were far beyond that of a typical teen, though. Probably has something to do with her environment. Unfortunately for her, I was accustomed to handling rascals. After all, kids who had a taste for swordplay also had a tendency to be mischievous.

I was pleased to have finally started a conversation. Mui suddenly took a deep breath, and without prompting, she spoke.

“Hey, old guy.”

“Hm? What is it?” I considered telling her not to refer to me as “old guy,” but I figured I’d let it go. She’s right...

“Ain’t that enough? Give it back already.”

“Ah, right, I still have your pendant. My bad, sorry.” I figured it was probably fine to return it now. “I’ll give it back. However...” I held up the pendant in front of her.

“What?”

“You’re gonna need to stick around just a little longer. I want to try and do something for you.”

“Tch...”

She clicked her tongue again, but it didn’t come off as a refusal. I could tell, somehow or other. Probably. Well, I knew her name now, so it was possible to investigate her if I wanted to. Though, I didn’t know how much effort Allusia was planning to put into this.

Mui took the pendant, and after gently brushing its surface, she tucked it carefully away in her pocket. Her face softened for just an instant before twisting back into that constantly aggressive expression. What a contrast...

“Was that your sister’s?” I asked.

“Yeah...” Her voice was tinged with sorrow. “It’s the only thing I got back.”

Mui was still young. At her age, it was impossible to come to terms with a family member’s death so easily. And, judging by her behavior, she’d adored her sister. I wondered about her parents, but I decided to set that aside for now. There was a bigger issue—someone out there was manipulating Mui to steal five million dalcs. It would be a slightly different matter if resurrection magic really existed, but that was unlikely. The next time I see Lucy or Ficelle, I’ll ask them about it.

Right as my conversation with Mui reached a stopping point, Allusia stepped into the room.

“Forgive me, I’ve returned.”

“Ah, welcome back.”

She took a seat then turned to the girl. “Now then, um...about your circumstances.”

“Oh, her name is Mui,” I interjected.

Allusia nodded. “I see. Then, Mui...”

“What?”

Allusia’s eyes were fixed on Mui. There’d apparently been some kind of development during her absence. What had she done out there?

“Someone from the magic institute is here to confirm your disposition,” Allusia said. “We’ll discuss your future, including whether you’ll be punished or not, after the—”

“I’m here, Allusia!” A person with a lively voice barged into the room, slamming open the door. “I heard you discovered a budding wizard! Hm? You’re here too, Beryl? And would you be the girl in question?!”

The intruder went right for Mui. Her long, platinum-blonde hair flowed behind her.

“Wh-Wh-Who the hell’re you?!”

Mui was clearly shocked by the sudden arrival. I understood her feelings very well. I’d had the exact same question during our first meeting. But you know, Mui, that’s the top dog of the magic corps. Unfortunately.

“Oopsie. Sorry for surprising you. I’m Lucy Diamond. I serve in the commander’s seat of the Liberis Kingdom’s magic corps.”

Lucy somehow managed to calm down a little. She was as tiny as always—a whole head shorter than even Mui. Anyone who didn’t know her would think it impossible for her to hold such a position of power.

“What?” Mui scoffed. “You’re just a brat.”

Lucy balked at her words. “Who’re you calling a brat?! You’re just a squirt yourself!”

“Who you calling a squirt?!”

“Now, now, calm down,” I said.

Obviously, it was going to end up like this. Mui had reacted just as expected, and so had Lucy. I’d had the same exchange with Lucy, so I felt a twinge of nostalgia as I tried to calm them down. It made me feel like their guardian.

“Mui, she’s actually the commander of the magic corps,” I said.

“Seriously?” Mui clearly still had doubts.

To convince me, Lucy had put her magic on display. To be specific, she’d conjured a huge fire without asking...but that would be inappropriate indoors. We weren’t going to get anywhere unless we got Mui to believe us. What to do?

“Here. Do you believe me now?”

“Ah!”

And as I pondered over such things, Lucy created a small fire in her palm. Why didn’t you do that with me?! Why’d you have to start a huge blaze?! This isn’t fair!

“Well... I believe you’re a wizard,” Mui mumbled, slightly revising her image of Lucy.

At the very least, only a wizard could create a fire out of thin air. I was thankful this was enough to convince Mui, but I was still miffed that Lucy hadn’t done the same thing for me. Now wasn’t the time to be bringing that up, though, so I kept my mouth shut.

“So? I assume you’re the one who possesses the foundations to use magic?” Lucy asked cheerfully, putting out the fire. “What wonderful news. No matter the age, there is always a shortage of wizards.”

Allusia promptly cut in. “Before we get to that... Lucy, she has certain extenuating circumstances.”

“Hmm?”

Judging by Lucy’s happy-go-lucky attitude, she hadn’t been informed of Mui’s situation. I didn’t know what Allusia had told her, but since Lucy had gotten here so quickly, things had likely been rather rushed. This conversation would’ve gone differently had Lucy been informed of Mui’s background or the issue of the resurrection magic. Setting aside her habitual behavior, Lucy was thoroughly earnest when it came to magic, so she wasn’t likely to ignore such a topic.

“Lucy, can I ask you something?”

“Hm? What is it?”

I wondered whether it was right to inquire about this in front of Mui, but I decided to go for it—we had to convey the truth to her sooner or later. If resurrection magic existed, that was one thing. However, if it didn’t, Lucy wasn’t going to forgive someone for extorting a child with a rare talent for magic and turning them into a petty thief. Also, if resurrection magic was a farce, I had to be ready to give Mui emotional support. I could only pray that the little girl didn’t go on a rampage.

“Does resurrection magic exist?” I asked.

Lucy’s raucous behavior and movements came to a sudden stop. Her answer was both extremely brief and cruel. “No.”

“L-Lies!!!” Mui screamed. “Don’t lie to me!”

Lucy turned to her, face stern. “I’m not lying. Resurrection magic does not exist in this world. I’ll even stake my life on it.”

Lucy’s expression was dead serious—this wasn’t the look of someone telling a joke. I suppose my impression of her has been totally wrong. As the commander of the magic corps, it was only right to assume she was more knowledgeable about magic than anyone in the country. And here, that same woman was denying the possibility utterly and completely. Perhaps the mechanisms for resurrection just hadn’t been discovered...but if that were the case, Lucy would’ve said so.

“I-It’s gotta be a lie! That can’t be... It just can’t!!!”

“Beryl, Allusia, what exactly is this about?”

Seeing how Mui was in a complete fluster, anybody could tell that we hadn’t brought up resurrection magic as some kind of drawn-out joke. Lucy stared at me, then at Allusia, then focused on me once more. Oh come on, ask Allusia. When you compare an old man and the knight commander, you normally prioritize the latter, yeah? Why me? Allusia noticed Lucy’s gaze on me, but she didn’t step in. Guess she’s gonna let me handle the explanation.

“Aaah, about that...”

I had no choice, so I told Lucy about how I’d met Mui, about her magic, and about the money she believed she needed to resurrect her sister.

“I see...”

After listening to my whole story in silence, Lucy nodded. There was no scorn or pity in her expression. She’d simply listened, absolutely serious the entire time.

“Now then—Mui, was it?” Lucy said.

“Fuck... Why? Why?!”

Mui didn’t respond. She hung her head, her eyes drifting about unsteadily as she continued mumbling to herself. I’d predicted this—the revelation had come as quite a shock to her. Still, she hadn’t given in to despair—this offered us a glimpse of her emotional strength. She was still physically and mentally a child, so just barely hanging in there was more than anyone could ask for.

If someone brought up resurrection magic, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to laugh or refuse to give them the time of day. That was how unrealistic the notion seemed if you had the slightest bit of education. However, things were different for a child. That applied doubly so to one who hadn’t been properly educated. By lying to them and drilling falsehoods into their heads, shady characters could drag immature children down inhuman paths.

I hadn’t gone through such an experience myself, but I knew it was a fairly common story. Children of all types had attended our dojo. We’d had everything from intelligent kids with good upbringings to ignorant ones who seemed to know nothing. A child’s world was surprisingly small—there was a limit to how much knowledge a young mind could acquire. It was only natural for them to believe the lies of an outwardly friendly and logical adult.

That was why I found this situation unforgivable. Swordsmanship wasn’t entirely about learning how to swing a sword—it was a means of studying many things, using a sword as a medium. That was what I believed, at least. I didn’t think everyone had to be a saint, but at the very least, all adults had a responsibility to provide what little guidance they could to children who knew nothing about the world. Sometimes this came from a parent, sometimes from an authority figure, and sometimes from a teacher.

At any rate, the criminal who’d tricked Mui couldn’t be left among the ranks of functioning adults. The one who needed severe punishment wasn’t Mui, but the mastermind who’d influenced her to steal. Not that I could do anything in particular about that myself. It felt like an indescribable gloominess and resentment was building up inside me with nowhere to go.

“Hey, Mui,” Lucy said.

“That just can’t... How can that be?”

“Mui!”

“Ah!”

Lucy practically screamed, her voice echoing in the room. Hearing this, Mui raised her eyes slightly.

“Who’s the one who told you that?” Lucy asked.

“Why...do you wanna know?”

“I’ll beat them up,” Lucy answered, getting right to the point. “If someone is deceiving such a small child and forcing her to commit crimes, we can’t just leave them at large. Besides, it is a grave sin to insult the ways of magic.”

Lucy directed a sincere gaze at Mui. Though it was somewhat rude of me to think so, I found it a bit surprising that Lucy would get angry about such things. I already knew she was stupidly obsessed with magic...but it made sense that she wouldn’t be able to serve as the commander of the magic corps without possessing a proper sense of ethics. Whoever had filled Mui’s head with such lies couldn’t be forgiven. I sympathized greatly with this, even if I had to leave the beating to the order or the magic corps.

“Doing that...won’t bring my big sister back...”

However, Mui wasn’t jumping at the opportunity. She’d been committing crimes under the firm belief that she could resurrect her sister—Lucy’s words had suddenly shattered everything that had been supporting her, reducing her to a stupor. Still, it was good that we’d come to a mutual understanding. Despite being so young, Mui has seriously terrifying mental fortitude.

“Mui.” Lucy took a seat next to the little girl and placed a hand on her clenched fist. “What happened to your elder sister is unfortunate. However, if those who lied to you are left at large, then both you and your sister’s dignity will remain tarnished. Are you fine with that?”

Mui’s gaze remained fixed on the floor. It was difficult to choose the right words at times like these. Sometimes, attempts to comfort a child could have the opposite effect. On that point, Lucy had chosen pretty much the perfect words. Someone had tricked Mui. In the process of doing so, they had used the sister’s death to fabricate a lie, thus showing contempt for not only Mui but for her sister as well.

I wasn’t a hero, a chivalrous thief, or a man of justice. I felt indignation, but I wasn’t carefree enough to leap into action. I’d also only just come to know Mui. Things were different for Lucy, though. It didn’t matter to her—she would act for someone she’d just met, and even for a petty thief. She was spurred by far purer emotions than me. You could say this was the core of who she was. It was the same as our first meeting. She had gotten swept up by such intense emotions, which had led her to test her powers against my skills. However, in this case, her emotions were driving her in a far more righteous direction.

“I’m not... I’m obviously not fine with it,” Mui barely squeezed out.

Lucy responded without hesitation. “That’s right. Your dignity, and that of your sister’s, must be protected. And you’re the only one who can do it.”

Allusia and I had become complete spectators. It’s not really our place to interrupt—we should remain silent. Despite meeting Mui after us, Lucy was definitely the closest to her heart.

The way she’d guided the conversation away from the existence of resurrection magic was also very well done. She’d skillfully shifted Mui’s mental agony to an external factor. I guess that’s an old woman’s wisdom for you. Not that now’s the time and place to tease her about it. Okay, here’s hoping this solves everything.

“I never heard...the name of the guy who told me about resurrection magic,” Mui mumbled. “He only called himself ‘Twilight.’”

“Twilight...”

The word meant nothing to me, naturally. I could guess it was some kind of alias, but that didn’t tell me anything about who he was as a person.

“Twilight,” Allusia muttered. “That’s probably the Dark Hand of Twilight.”

“You know who she’s talking about, Allusia?” This question was about all I could contribute as a spectator.

“Yes. They’re a band of thieves—the name has been coming up recently in the vicinity of the capital. If there’s someone calling himself Twilight, he’s likely the leader.”

“I’ve also heard about them,” Lucy added. “They’re probably nothing more than rats scurrying in the shadows.”

It seemed this Twilight guy wasn’t very noteworthy. Well, if he’d been on the level of the commanders of the Liberion Order and the magic corps, things would’ve probably been far more serious, perhaps even requiring a full subjugation force. But they hadn’t deployed troops like that, so was this organization not actually a big deal? Perhaps they were, at most, thieves in the common sense.

“There is no greater scar to your dignity than being manipulated by such rats,” Lucy said. “Be at ease, child. I shall beat them to a pulp.”

“I believed him. I really believed him...”

Whoops. Lucy had put her foot in her mouth. Belittling this Twilight too much had only led to Mui becoming more depressed. After all, she had sincerely danced to his tune.

“Ah. Right. Sorry about that,” Lucy muttered awkwardly.

It was difficult to handle a young girl whose circumstances had driven her to pickpocketing. If she’d been just some rowdy brat, this would’ve been way easier, but things weren’t so simple.

“Oh yes. Do you not have any parents?” Lucy asked.

Huh? You’re seriously asking that? Now? She definitely has special circumstances. I would wager there are no parents around. If there were, she wouldn’t be a thief. I’m confused, Lucy. Do you know how to read the mood, or don’t you? Pick one!

“I don’t know my parents...” Mui answered. “I’ve had no one but my sister since forever.”

“Are you, perhaps, a resident of the southeastern district?” Lucy asked.

This piqued my curiosity. “The southeastern district?”

Baltrain was composed of a central district surrounded by four other districts to the north, west, east, and south. I’d never heard of a southeastern district. It was unlikely that this was simply a matter of my ignorance. Even discounting the local and foreign tourists, Baltrain saw a tremendous flow of goods and people in and out of the city. Such a major city needed clearly defined geography. Even Kewlny hadn’t mentioned anything of the like during our tour of the western district.

“The land around the border of the eastern and southern districts is cheap and has poor public order,” Allusia explained with an unusually bitter look. “As a matter of convenience, the locals have given it that name and—”

I nodded. “Ah, it’s all right, Allusia. I get it now.”

That was more than enough for me to go on. In short, it was the slums. It must’ve been difficult for the Liberion Order, champions of public order, to acknowledge such a district existing. This was the same as admitting to the public that they weren’t fulfilling their duties. Naturally, the order wasn’t entirely responsible for this—the existence of slums meant that there was an administration problem. When a settlement grew beyond a certain size, there were many more societal fetters to chain people down. Not that this had anything to do with a country bumpkin like me...

“Just so you know, there are wizards from the southeastern district too,” Lucy cut in. Perhaps she thought my exchange with Allusia had been a bit judgmental, so she’d added this (frankly unnecessary) bit of information.

“I didn’t say anything...” It wasn’t my intention to discriminate against people who lived there. Our dojo had taught tons of pupils with weird or unknown backgrounds. “It doesn’t matter where Mui was born or raised—she’s still Mui,” I said. “The only fact that matters is that she’s a girl with the potential to become a wizard, right?”

“That’s right,” Lucy confirmed.

Mui had still committed theft, so it was only appropriate for her to face punishment or take a scolding. If that redeemed her of her crimes, then she would have a clean record and could attend the magic institute without reservations. First, we had to rid her of her regrets and guilt.

“Forgive me, we’ve gone off track,” said Lucy. “Mui, do you know where this Twilight fellow is?”

“I don’t know if he’s there...but we have a base in the central district.”

“The central district?” I muttered.

I hadn’t inspected every corner of the central district, nor was I overly familiar with the area, but I hadn’t seen any signs of such a dangerous group gathering. Or perhaps it was precisely because they were hiding themselves that normal citizens wouldn’t notice them.

“Allusia. How will the order act?” I asked.

“Let’s see... If we intensify our patrols with the intent on gathering information and identify their whereabouts, then storming their base can be considered.”

Allusia’s voice was quiet, but I could sense a strong will fueling her words. As the one responsible for public order in the capital, she couldn’t treat this situation lightly. The organization given so much authority by the nation wasn’t one to sit still and watch when they knew a den of evil was nearby. This was especially the case with Allusia in charge.

On that point, I wasn’t opposed to helping out. I wasn’t sure how much my position as a special instructor could be leveraged, but I wasn’t unrelated to this situation. If my strength could be of use, I wanted to offer aid. I could definitely manage against thieves who didn’t specialize in fighting.

Lucy snapped her eyes to Allusia and sighed. “Why are you taking it so easy? I’ll crush them right now. Mui, lead the way.”

“Now?!” Allusia and I exclaimed in unison.

“Y-You’re seriously going right now?” I asked.

“Of course,” Lucy answered bluntly.

She had a point—it was best to act quickly. But even though she was probably right, it felt like she’d made her decision hastily. This wasn’t something that had to be solved immediately. Still, it also wasn’t the time to kick back and relax. Plucking out an evil sprout was best done early. Regardless, handling it here and now sounded like a rough prospect. This wasn’t going to be a picnic.

“I believe you’re being too impatient,” Allusia said. “We should take time to prepare and gather information.”

“You’re the same stickler as ever, Allusia,” Lucy objected, eyes serious. She had accepted my shock and Allusia’s insistence on making preparations, but her wisdom here was also valid—it made sense to launch a sneak attack and charge in right away.

“First, we need to consider this Twilight fellow’s background.” Lucy held up a finger. “Honestly, I don’t know much about him. Both Allusia and I have heard his name, and yet we haven’t caught him. He must be relatively smart.”

“Then shouldn’t we prepare all the more?” Allusia protested.

I didn’t know what kind of stances the Liberion Order and the magic corps took regarding public order. At the very least, it wasn’t their policy to strike down an enemy at first sight. No matter how much authority was entrusted to them by the nation, that would be far too unhinged. Conversely, they couldn’t just leave villains at large either.

In that sense, the Dark Hand of Twilight was a problem—they were a known, named band of thieves who’d spread their fame but had yet to be caught. You could say they were good at running away. Therefore, Allusia had reasoned that it was best to make careful preparations that could cut off any means of escape.

“You’ve got it backward,” Lucy said. “This is largely the order’s domain, but if you take your time, they’ll get away again. The information Mui brought us will go to waste.”

“I see...”

Lucy definitely had a point—the thieves were sure to have their ears to the ground, so if knights went around asking questions, patrolling more, or taking action in any way, the thieves would pick up on it. They knew they were criminals, and if they sensed the law chasing them, they’d retreat quickly. In fact, they hadn’t been caught yet precisely because they were so quick to react.

So, Lucy’s plan was to round them all up at once without letting them know we were on to them. Normally, we would have to search for their base, but Mui was a hidden card we could play. Since she knew where it was, we could go right there.

“Besides, what are you going to do about Mui while you spend time preparing?” Lucy pointed out. “Even if you take her in for protection, won’t they be suspicious that she’s gone?”

“I can survive fine without the likes of you helping...” Mui protested.

“Without resorting to theft?” Lucy asked.

“Tch...”

Probably not. Perhaps she could get by if she continued stealing, but unfortunately for her, nobody in this room approved of that. The one other way around this problem would be to toss her into the magic institute, but there was a proper protocol to follow and arrangements to be made before that could happen.

Anyway, Mui had recovered far more quickly than expected. She was still a little dejected, but she was back to snapping at people like when I’d first met her. Her circumstances were probably still eating away at her on the inside. But despite her age, she’d probably realized there was nothing she could do about it.

Her dead sister was never coming back. Just maybe, she’d already known this. However, not wanting to accept that reality, she’d continued picking pockets. If we wanted to end this cycle, we had to rake this Twilight guy over the coals. Well, it wasn’t like I was going to be the one doing anything about it, though. Vigilantism was illegal.

“All right. Strike while the iron is hot, so they say,” Lucy said. “Let’s go, Mui, Beryl.”

“Huh? Me?”

Me too? I thought you were going to bring Allusia! I’m not even armed right now! My beloved sword was snapped in two... The only thing I’ve got is made of wood.

“Allusia stands out too much,” Lucy explained. “If the knight commander is seen loitering around an area, that’ll be enough to tip them off and make them scurry.”

I wanted to point out that Lucy stood out a fair bit too. Though, at a distance, she looked like nothing more than a little girl.

“I’m fine with going and all, but...I’m unarmed, you know?”

“Just take a wooden sword,” Lucy said. “Do you plan on killing a bunch of lowly thieves?”

“Waaah...”

Of course I didn’t want to kill anyone, but there was no telling what they were armed with. It sounded somewhat dangerous to go in without steel by my side.

“Don’t worry—you’ll have no problems at all with your strength,” Lucy insisted. “If worse comes to worst, I’ll protect you.”

“Haaah... Fine.”

I was still a little worried, but having someone as strong as Lucy around did make me feel a little better. If things got bad, I could just fall back and focus on protecting Mui. Lucy could take care of herself anyway—the fact that she’d mentioned protecting me meant that these thieves were nothing to a wizard of her level.

Before I’d even realized, Lucy had taken complete control of the situation. She turned to Mui. “Are you fine with that?” Lucy asked her.

“Yeah...” Mui trailed off and lingered in a few seconds of silence. “Fine. I’ll lead you there.”

“I’m sure it won’t be a problem for the two of you, but do be careful,” Allusia said in parting.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

With that, Lucy, Mui, and I left the order’s office.

The sun was setting, just about touching the horizon to the west. I wanted to get this rushed attack over with before complete darkness overtook us.

Mui guided us through the central district, and Lucy seemed bored at having nothing to do. “Oh, yes,” Lucy said, turning to Mui. “How much magic can you use?”

Mui hesitated a little but answered after a moment. “I can whip out some fire...but that’s all.”

“Hmm. Who taught you the basics of magic?”

“Dunno. I could just do it all of a sudden, so I’ve been using it.”

“I see. How talented.”

“Hmph.”

Their short exchanges continued. If you judged only by appearances, they weren’t that different from two little girls having a pleasant chat. Hm, the combination of two little ladies and one old man is truly unbalanced. If someone called out to me and asked what I was doing, it would be rather hard to come up with an excuse. At least Lucy was here—it would probably be okay.

Anyway, Mui had been using magic simply because she could. I thought for a moment about the ways in which a wizard could manifest their talents—the whole process was even more baffling than I’d originally thought. Though, this sort of explained why the nation had to run around all over the place trying to secure magic users. Finding a wizard was like glancing at a roadside pebble, only for it to suddenly turn to gold. Liberis couldn’t overlook a single opportunity.

While we’re on the topic of finding magic users... “By the way, Lucy, how’d you find out about this whole situation?” I asked. I figured Allusia had told her when she’d left the reception room, but I had no idea how that information had gotten to Lucy so quickly.

“I used a magical communication device,” she answered. “They’re installed in major establishments like the order’s office and the magic institute. I have one in my home too, but it’s far too large to carry around.”

“Hmm... How convenient.”

So that kind of thing actually existed. Magic sure had an extensive list of applications. It sounded really handy, but I didn’t need to frequently contact anyone, and there wasn’t anybody who needed to contact me either. Those who wanted to speak with me could generally find me by going to the order’s office. And on the off chance that anything dire happened, I could go to Allusia and get it resolved.

I was curious about how things were going back home—I wondered how my dad and Randrid were doing in Beaden. Now that I thought about it, my social circle seemed awfully small. Well, I was just a country bumpkin. Regardless of how small or large my circle got, I couldn’t imagine a situation where I would need a magical communication device. This was common sense to me, so not having one wasn’t particularly inconvenient.

“Hey, we’re almost there,” Mui said sharply, bringing our idle chatter to an end.

Regardless of the circumstances, she was currently betraying the home she’d been dependent on. I’ll bet she has a lot going through her mind. She’s probably not even a hundred percent confident about this turn of events.

Even if her lifestyle was viewed unfavorably by the public, being a thief had unmistakably become part of her identity. And considering her age, she might’ve been doing this sort of work for the majority of her life. However, for better or worse, she’d met me, Allusia, and Lucy. The connections she’d made through a strange twist of fate were trying to tear a hole in the fabric of her status quo. I could only pray that her new life didn’t bring her misfortune. In my opinion, clearing herself completely of her crimes and attending the magic institute was a far better path than depending on a bunch of thieves. Lucy must’ve known this too, which was why she was lending a hand.

“Looks like they don’t have anyone standing watch,” I remarked.

“We’re in the middle of the central district,” Lucy said. “Having guards would actually be conspicuous.”

We arrived at a place about two blocks off the central district’s main street. It still wasn’t quite evening, so a fair number of people were walking around. Our destination looked no different from any other house, so if Mui hadn’t guided us here, we might’ve missed it.

“Mui, you’re certain it’s this house?” Lucy asked.

“Yeah. I’m sure.”

Now then, how are we going to attack? I didn’t know the interior layout of this house—I didn’t even know how many people were inside. It probably wasn’t packed, but you couldn’t take these things for granted. After all, this hideout was an ideal spot for running their operations. There were many people and shops around, helping them to blend in and providing plenty of prey. It was unlikely a band of thieves would want to let this place go if they could manage it. So, even if they didn’t have any lookouts, they likely had some personnel they could mobilize at a moment’s notice.

I just have to think about this like a dungeon attack: always assume the worst, prepare, and take action to overcome any obstacles.

As I was immersed in thought, Lucy marched toward the house.

“All right. Shall we?”

“Hm?”

She’s not gonna let loose with magic, right? This is the middle of Baltrain’s central district, smack-dab in the center of town. There are houses next to this place. Destroying the hideout from the outside would be ridiculous.

“Pardon meee!” Lucy shouted as she slammed the door open.

Aaah, that’s her plan. Barge in through the front door. I feel like I wasted my time thinking about strategy. But I guess that’s just how Lucy is...

“Wha?! Who’s there?!”

The thieves reacted to their sudden visitor. As if mimicking her, a door farther within slammed open, and someone shouted angrily.

“Huh, it’s just a brat. What’s the matter, little lady? You lost?”

The moment the man saw Lucy, his attitude changed a little. Ultimately, all Lucy had done thus far was open the door in a flashy manner. These guys had set up their base in the central district, and plenty of people were walking around outside, so they probably didn’t want to cause a ruckus and attract attention. It would be unwise for the thieves to do anything truly conspicuous.

But guys...you at least could have locked the door. You’re awfully careless for a bunch of robbers.

Anyway, it seemed Lucy’s face wasn’t very well-known to the public. I’d figured someone like her—the commander of the magic corps—would stand out like crazy. However, the man facing her didn’t seem to recognize her status.

“Hmm... Are you fellows the Dark Hand of Twilight?” Lucy asked.

The man flinched. “Wuh?!”

He instantly grabbed Lucy by the nape of the neck. I just barely heard her mutter, “Oh dear...” before the man tossed her into the building and slammed the door shut.

“Dammit!” I shouted. “You’re such a pain in the ass!” That’s what happens when you barge in without a care in the world! 

I quickly ran up to the door, but apparently, they’d locked it this time. No matter how much I pushed or pulled, it didn’t budge.

“Hmm... Should I kick it down? No...”

It wasn’t very respectable to suddenly break down the door. I strained my ears and heard some sounds from within, but the hustle and bustle of the streets drowned out most of it. My ears just weren’t that good.

“Gyaaaah!”

However, as if mocking me for hesitating, I heard a man screaming inside—it was loud enough that the quality of my hearing didn’t matter in the slightest.

“Aaah! Dammit all!”

I didn’t know what was going on inside. But that screaming voice hadn’t belonged to Lucy, so I doubted anything bad was happening to her. Still, someone was screaming, so I no longer had time for hesitation.

“Mui, stand back!”

“H-Hey?!”

I tensed my thighs and began kicking the door with all my might. If I’d had a real metal sword, I could’ve broken a wooden door easily, but the only weapon I had on me was also made of wood. I had no choice but to do things the primitive way. As I kicked, I grew more and more anxious about the perpetrator behind this whole situation.

It turned out the lock wasn’t all that sturdy. After a few kicks, it started warping a little and emitting jarring creaks.

“It’s open!”

To be precise, the lock broke. Right as I gave it one last hearty kick, I heard the lock snapping with a metallic clang. I flung the door open and rushed inside.

A man was on the floor, writhing in pain. He had both hands to his face and I could see a faint hint of smoke rising from between his fingers. Yup, I bet Lucy did that. She’d probably burned his face. Despite this stranger being a scoundrel, I found myself praying that she’d held back and that her spell wouldn’t leave a major burn. I certainly wouldn’t want that happening to me.

“Wh-Who the hell are you assholes?!”

I didn’t have the full picture yet, but Lucy had definitely done something. Several more nasty-looking people were in the house, and they all seemed really angry. The entranceway opened up into a fairly wide living room. I spied an oval table in the center of the room, its chairs knocked to the floor. From what I could see, including the man writhing on the ground, there were five men and one woman. And since there was a staircase farther inside, I figured there could be more on the upper floor.

In the center of this entire commotion was Lucy.

“Oooh, Beryl. Good work. Anyway, what a rude fellow, throwing me inside all of a sudden!”

She wasn’t panicking at all and didn’t look even the slightest bit guilty. The man on the floor had stopped groaning by now, but he was still rolling about with his hands on his face.

Another man suddenly addressed me, voice raised.

“Aaah? You with this little brat?!”

Criticism and irritation were clear in the man’s voice. However, faced with this sudden and inexplicable event, none of the thieves made a move. Well, this is better than them lunging at us.

“Two weird brats and an old fart...” one of the men muttered as his eyes drifted between us. Then, his gaze settled on Mui. “Hm? Hey, you—brat in the back. Where have I seen you before?” His tone had gradually shifted from bewilderment to conviction. Mui stiffened as he pointed at her.

“Just ignore him,” I said, plopping my hand on her head. “You’re doing the right thing.”

There was no reason whatsoever for Mui to blame herself. Even if what we were doing was wrong, Lucy and I had been the ones to force this on her. It was now up to the adults to take responsibility for this. On a whim, I’d ended up placing my hand on her head, but perhaps the shoulder would’ve been better. I didn’t want the little kid to hate me too much. Not that our relationship right now was particularly good.

“N-No way, you’re—!”

The man’s finger trembled a little. Mui was unable to endure his reproachful gaze, and she directed her eyes at the floor.

“You fucking brat!”

A hostile force had suddenly appeared at their hideout accompanied by a familiar thief—it wasn’t hard to figure out what was going on. In response to this revelation, one of the enraged men threw himself at Mui. But how unfortunate for him. As he reached a hand out, I slammed my wooden sword down on his wrist.

“Guh?!”

“Sorry, but I’m gonna get involved in this.”

“Very good, Beryl. Give them hell,” Lucy said, still acting carefree as she watched our short exchange.

You do some work too, dammit! Isn’t this your job? No, scratch that—maybe hold back a little. Man, I can’t figure out when and where to make use of a wizard.

At any rate, it was difficult to swing a sword around in this cramped room. But judging by the ability of the man who’d lunged at us, this bunch wasn’t particularly skilled at fighting, so it was probably going to work out one way or another.

Immediately after I repelled the attack, a strange silence dominated the area. That hush was only interrupted by the appearance of a large man peeking down from the staircase in the back.

“What’s with all the noise?” he asked.

“B-Boss! Intruders!” the female thief reported in a shrill voice.

Boss, huh? This big man’s probably in charge. If he’s the “Twilight” guy we were after, maybe we can settle things quick.

“Twilight...”

And just as the thought crossed my mind, Mui muttered his name gloomily. Oooh, so this is definitely him. I’d love to just beat him down and get out of here. But things will work out one way or another if we leave the cleanup to the knights.

“Who the hell are you?” asked Twilight. “Quite the fancy greeting you’re giving us. We’re in the middle of the capital, ya know?”

The man descended the stairs, remaining far more calm and collected than I’d imagined, given his frame. He sure was big—taller than me. And despite his clothes, I could tell he had a fit body. I could also hear jangling metal with each step he took, and he seemed to be wearing all sorts of accessories like necklaces and bracelets. His long hair was tied back, and he wore a somewhat small and well-worn shortsword at his hip.

I wanna be sure he’s the right guy. “So you’re Twilight?” I asked.

“I don’t gotta answer that,” the man answered flippantly.

The fact that he didn’t deny it was all the answer I needed. I was positive this was the right guy. His underling had screamed about intruders, so this was a guaranteed den of thieves. And what’s more, she’d called him Boss, so he was obviously in charge here. Even if he wasn’t Twilight, we had more than enough cause to round them all up.

The worst-case scenario would’ve been if Mui had been lying to us, or if she’d misunderstood and had brought us to a normal civilian’s house. I was glad we’d avoided that outcome. It would be bad optics for the order and magic corps to go around treating normal people poorly. And Lucy was really acting up—if she’d hurt someone innocent, it would’ve made things even worse.

“Oh?” The man I assumed to be Twilight let his gaze fall to the girl at my side. “You’re... What was it again?” He ruffled his hair as if searching his memories. “Ah, right. Mui, isn’t it? Yeah, that’s the one. So, what’s up with you? Why’re you bringing such violent people here? Didn’t you want to revive your big sis with ma—”

The moment he spoke those words, the air in the building changed.

Lucy was exuding tremendous bloodlust.

“You dare to desecrate the good name of magic?” she hissed, her penetratingly cold voice resounding in the room.

“Ah? Who’s the squirt? Hang on...you Lucy Diamond?”

The man’s attitude also changed. He apparently recognized who Lucy was, or rather, what she represented. He didn’t sound sure, though. I was honestly a little curious—what had he observed that had given away her identity?

“Hmph. To think that a measly thug would know my name.”

“Ha ha ha! It’s an honor to meet you,” the man said. “So, are you the one who deceived our little Mui?”

“You’re the one who deceived her,” Lucy retorted.

“Oooh, how scary. Aren’t you a cruel one.”

They both remained verbally hostile. Twilight was slowly but surely approaching Lucy, and I could tell that he was testing us, checking to see if he could shoo us away with words alone. Now then, what to do? Should I step forward? I knew very well how strong Lucy was, so there was no need for me to protect her. But we were indoors and lacked the space for a large battle—she probably couldn’t just fling magic all over the place, as that would have too much of an effect on our surroundings. When she’d attacked me under the pretense of a friendly bout, she’d chosen a large, open spot in the central district containing very few people or buildings.

Twilight’s skills were still unknown. There was no telling what he might do. If he was, in fact, a warrior of some kind, then the closer he was, the more advantage he would have. It was a little too dangerous to let him approach.

Even as I pondered this, he’d gotten close to Lucy—close enough that if he took one more step, he’d be able to reach out and touch her.

“Anyway, for now...” Twilight’s eyes glinted sharply. “How ’bout you die?”

He held up his right hand, and the sound of jangling metal resounded throughout the room. The other ruffians loosened up, their expressions a mixture of relief, scorn, and regained composure. They must have significant faith in their boss’s skills. Now then, what are Twilight and Lucy going to do next? All eyes were on them, including mine.

The first to make a move was Lucy Diamond. She let out a small sigh and raised her right hand.

“Hrk...”

In the next instant, Twilight’s eyes rolled back and he collapsed feebly to his knees.

“Haah... How foolish.”

Lucy looked exasperated. She showed no exaltation over winning a battle, nor did she show any of the satisfaction she’d displayed during our bout. All she did was look down at the fallen man coldly as if to express her disappointment.

Hang on. What did she do? Twilight raised his hand, then Lucy raised hers, and then he...toppled over?

“Wh-What was that?” I muttered without realizing it.

Watching from the sidelines, I hadn’t seen anything beyond Twilight falling for no reason. If I hadn’t known that Lucy was a wizard, I would’ve been under the impression that he’d suddenly self-destructed.

“Hm? Beryl, haven’t you seen it before?”

“Huh? Aaaah.”

I racked my brain for a moment, then suddenly, it hit me. That’s what it was...

During my first encounter with Lucy, when she’d forced me into a fight, she’d unleashed some strong magic at the very end—it was like an ace up her sleeve. I’d managed to dodge it only by coincidence. I didn’t know what that magic was called. I only knew that it was difficult to dodge or block and that a direct hit would be fatal.

“Relax, I haven’t killed him,” Lucy added.

“Oh, I see...” It sure didn’t look that way to me, but I had no choice but to trust her words. After all, there was nothing I could do about it.

“One, two, three...six? What a pain.” Lucy’s eyes shifted from the fallen Twilight to his underlings.

“Eek!”

The unimaginable violence in the little girl’s eyes had the thieves gulping. I could sympathize with them there. I never wanted to get hit by magic either.

“Beryl,” Lucy said. “Take care of the rest.”

“Waaah...”

After taking a look at the remaining thieves, Lucy handed everything to me and beckoned Mui over to her. She got two chairs ready, then plopped herself down in one. Mui looked like she had no idea what to do, but she was obviously overwhelmed by Lucy, so she awkwardly took a seat.

Mui’s extremely uneasy expression left quite the impression on me. Take care of the rest, she says. What am I supposed to do about this? We’re not letting them get away, right? It’s physically impossible for me to capture them all. Do I just knock them out so they can’t run?

“Shit... Godddammmiiiiiiit!”

One of the thieves steeled himself and roared, charging me. These people sure didn’t look like they were capable of fighting—they were far slower than the average knight, let alone Allusia or Henbrits. By the looks of it, I’d be fine, even if they all attacked me at once.

“Hup.”

“Ugh?!”

I easily dodged his well-telegraphed punch, raising my wooden sword as I did and slamming it up against his defenseless jaw. It wouldn’t kill him as long as he didn’t bite his tongue. I had mock battles with knights at the Liberion Order all the time, so the difference in skill between me and these thieves was vast.

That one strike was all it took to knock the man out. Even if his body had been trained for fighting, he wouldn’t have been able to stand upright after taking a vicious strike to the jaw like that. I offered a short prayer in my mind. Though I felt sorry for him, I wasn’t enough of a saint to show pity.

“You bastard!” one of the remaining men roared. “Everyone, charge together!” This lit a fire under the others who’d faltered at the sight of their collapsing friend, and they all turned to me at once.

Well, it wasn’t a terrible idea. I couldn’t move very well in this narrow space, so their best chance of eking out an unlikely victory involved dragging me into a chaotic and cramped melee. Mui wasn’t a combatant, and Lucy was acting like a complete spectator, so I was essentially alone against all these assailants. In such situations, numbers were a better weapon than anything else. However, that only really applied to a well-trained team who could coordinate attacks under solid leadership...or maybe to wild beasts that could work together by instinct. I didn’t consider myself weak enough to be taken down by a bunch of thieves who knew nothing about fighting.

“Hmph!”

“Gah?!”

Two of the men charged me almost simultaneously. I took half a step to the side to dodge one’s grasp. The other came for me a beat later, and I slammed my hilt into his face. This second man toppled over, and I swung my sword against the back of the first man’s neck. He fell to the ground silently, not even given the chance to scream.

“Ooooooh!”

“Here.”

“Hrk?!”

Another man lunged, a dagger held high above him, and I thrust at his wide-open neck. I held back a fair bit, but he still passed out immediately. My condolences.

“Damn you!”

Yet another man tried to tackle me, and I brought my elbow down right on top of his skull. Sometimes, the body was better than any other weapon. Specifically, it excelled when speed was of the utmost importance. Swordplay hadn’t been the only thing I’d practiced all these years, though I was, of course, best at it.

“Ugh...”

After taking a hit to the back of his head, the man fell face-first to the floor. I gave him a kick to the neck for good measure. He made a sound like a crushed frog, then stopped moving.

“E-Eeeeek!”

“Whoa there.”

Having witnessed all the men collapse one after the other, the remaining woman took a step back in fear. Hmm, I don’t really like raising my hand against a woman, but she’s a thief and all. Forgive me, but you’re gonna have to go to sleep.

“Sorry ’bout this.”

“Agh!”

I took two steps toward her, then slammed my sword into her belly. I would’ve felt bad hitting her in the face. The impact of my wooden sword lifted her off the ground and she crashed into the wall. Oh, sorry. I might not have held back enough.

“Phew...”

With that last blow, all the thieves were down. What had been a noisy house was now dominated by a strange silence.

“Old guy...you’re really strong...” Mui mumbled, staring at the aftermath.

“Hm? Well, against this lot, yeah.”

If this display had made me appear strong to her, then she’d obviously never been in a fight, had training, or been involved with that world at all. Figured as much. If she’d been revealed as more than a thief—someone who’d gotten involved with violence or even murder—well, I wasn’t sure what the right course of action would be. I didn’t want to do anything to Mui.

“Hwaah... Good work,” Lucy said, stifling a yawn. “Including the ringleader, that’s seven people, right? More than enough for an investigation.”

“What investigation?” I asked, somewhat confused. Wasn’t it over now that we’d captured this Twilight guy and his cronies?

“Take a look at his adornments.”

“Hmm?” I did as Lucy said and looked at the unconscious Twilight, but I didn’t have an eye for finery. “Well, I guess they look flashy.”

“They’re all pieces of magical equipment.”

“Huh?”

Magical equipment? That stuff Ficelle likes? The items that can exhibit all kinds of magical effects? They were just like some of the things I’d seen when I’d visited the magical equipment shop during my tour of the western district with Kewlny and Ficelle.

“He’s doing awfully well for a pickpocket,” I remarked, revising my impressions of Twilight.

Magical equipment was expensive, and Twilight was wearing a ton of accessories. I’d only taken a glance at him, and I wasn’t familiar with these items, but from what I’d seen, his equipment had likely cost a fortune. If all of them were magical (even if their effects were unclear), then he’d definitely thrown a tremendous amount of money out the window to acquire everything.

“In all likelihood, someone has been providing these rats with magical equipment,” Lucy said. “I’m betting that’s the true mastermind.”

“I see...”

So someone was going out of their way to supply petty thieves with expensive magical equipment? That didn’t sound very appealing. What could they be planning? It doesn’t really have much to do with me at this point...

“Very well.” Lucy stood from her chair and looked around the room. “I suppose I’ll call the order to deal with this.”

“I sure can’t carry all the thieves out on my own,” I said.

Having the Liberion Order take over was the safest and most reliable course of action. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the authority to mobilize anyone, so Lucy had to go inform Allusia.

I hadn’t given it much thought, but what exactly was my status within the nation? I wasn’t a knight or anything, but since I was the order’s special instructor, I wasn’t quite a civilian either. Did I actually have the authority to apprehend and pass judgment on criminals? This time around, it wouldn’t be a big problem since the magic corps’s commander was with me. But what if something like this happens while I’m alone? What would be the right move? I had no idea how much I was allowed to do. I’d have to ask Allusia about it. This wouldn’t be much of a problem if all I did was teach swordsmanship at the office, but that clearly wasn’t the case. There was no guarantee I wouldn’t get wrapped up in something like this again, so I was better off asking about my limits.

“Beryl, watch the house for me.”

“Ah, sure. Well, I guess that’s the way it goes.”

Lucy left us behind. Considering who we had available, it was more efficient for me to watch the thieves while Lucy went to deliver a report. Actually, there wasn’t any other choice. I was now alone with Mui.

“What?” the girl asked, noticing my gaze.

“Nothing...”

We didn’t need to talk about anything, but the awkward air in the room was hard for me to handle. We were in the middle of a thieves’ den surrounded by six unconscious men and an unconscious woman. We hadn’t done anything wrong, but I felt a little bad about it. Mui was gazing at Twilight with a complicated expression.

She had to be feeling anger and disappointment. However, without any doubt, he’d been one of those who’d been looking after her. You couldn’t expect a young child to come to terms with those mixed feelings right away. It was probably best to provide her some emotional support. Randrid, who was currently in Beaden, was especially good at that, but I didn’t really know what to do.

“Anyway, we should at least tie them up,” I muttered. It would be troublesome if the men started flailing about on the ground, or if they ran away. I could handle that scenario pretty easily, but if possible, I wanted to avoid getting an earful from Lucy.

“Got it. There should be some rope around.”

Mui started poking around the room. She had worked out of this base, so she seemed to have a basic grasp of where things were. I didn’t know what was going through her mind. I’d gotten involved with her by chance, but had it been selfish of me to want to give her a happier and more fulfilling life? Was I being too presumptuous? I’d lived for quite a few years, but the world was still full of mysteries.

“Found it. Hey, what’s up?” Mui asked, cutting off my gloomy thoughts.

“Hm? No, it’s nothing. Let’s tie them up quickly.”

I couldn’t have a child worrying about me—I’d lose face as an adult. There was no stopping the hands of time, nor was it possible to turn them back. Both Mui and I simply had to accept reality for what it was.

“There we go. Mui, can you bring that to me?”

“Tch. Fine.”

My first group project with Mui ended up being the unhappy task of arresting a bunch of thieves. Unconscious people were ridiculously heavy. Nobody could possibly enjoy doing this. I sure don’t.

After arranging all seven of the tied-up thieves on the ground, I sat down on a nearby chair. “I guess that about does it.”

“I’m beat...” Mui mumbled, plopping down in a chair with a tired look.

“Good job,” I told her. “Guess that kinda sounds weird given the situation.”

“Hmph.” Now then, we’d done everything we could. I couldn’t interrogate the thieves on my own or anything, so we just had to wait for Lucy to return.

Time passed idly for a while. We didn’t have anything to talk about. I didn’t hate talking to children, nor did I hate Mui. I’d taught plenty of pupils her age at the dojo, so I wasn’t particularly bad at handling children either. Nonetheless, this situation was far too lousy. We’d barged into a thieves’ den and knocked everyone out—what more was there to say? So we sat in silence, listening to the occasional groan from the fallen men. Lucy, come back already.

Suddenly, Mui’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“What am I...?”

“Hm?” Lured by her words, I turned to face her. She had a stiff expression and moved only her lips ever so slightly.

“What am I supposed to do after this?”

I didn’t have a proper answer for her, and I couldn’t say anything irresponsible—Mui was still a child. In only a few short years, she’d accumulated experience and had fostered a sense of values. There had to be a choice that could neatly quell her anxieties about her feelings, her future, and her proximity to the public eye. I’d be lying if I said I had no ideas, but nonetheless, this wasn’t a problem I could solve myself.

“Well, it’ll work out one way or another,” I said. “That’s wholly the adults’ responsibility.” Conveying that to her emphatically was the one and only answer I could give.

“Ha ha... That so?”

Mui laughed feebly. Of course she wouldn’t trust such words. We hadn’t established a friendly relationship to begin with, nor had we gotten any time to develop one. Still, my feelings on the matter were exactly as I’d stated—now that a bunch of adults were involved, it was our duty to get her up and running again. It would be devastating to all our consciences if we just abandoned her after sticking our necks into this.

The conversation lapsed into silence. I wasn’t sure how many minutes had passed by the time Lucy popped through the front door.

“I’m back!” Unlike Mui and me, her voice was as carefree as ever.

Behind her was the Liberion Order’s commander as well as several other knights. They were all wearing plate armor and keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings.

“Thank you for the hard work, Master.”

“You too, Allusia.” Things here have pretty much settled down, though...

“Are these the culprits?” Allusia asked, pointing a cold gaze at the men Mui and I had restrained. These were the eyes of the reliable knight commander, and nothing was more reassuring in the event of an emergency. I prayed that she never looked at me like that. This old man wants to live an easy and peaceful life.

“Yeah, I can pretty much guarantee that these are the people you want,” I answered.

“I presume these rats are guilty of other crimes too,” Lucy added. “I have business with them, so I’ll be participating in the interrogation.”

“Understood.”

With that, Lucy secured herself a spot in the order’s investigation. As the magic corps’s commander, she probably had a lot of leeway.

“Take them away,” ordered Allusia.

“Yes, ma’am!”

The knights behind her marched forward and started carrying the thieves away. Some had regained consciousness—they struggled, but even if they hadn’t been tied up, there was no way they could win against trained knights. So, they were all whisked away without any problems. I had no idea what the interrogation would be like, but this was Allusia we were talking about, so it probably wouldn’t involve torture. I couldn’t give the same grace to Lucy, though. She’s liable to do something rather reckless.

“By the way...” Even though I wanted to say that everything was settled, we still had one issue to resolve. I turned to Allusia and Lucy. “What do we do about Mui?”

She no longer had a home. We all knew she’d been using this place as her base. However, Lucy, the order, and I had just ransacked the house. Telling her to live here on her own and figure things out wasn’t an acceptable conclusion; however, kicking her out would be pretty irresponsible too. Now that we adults had gotten involved, we had to see it through to the end. That was only natural.

“The office does have rooms to stay in, but...” Allusia glanced back at the knights hauling the thieves away.

I knew the office pretty well. It technically had places that could be used overnight, but it wasn’t really an appropriate building to live in. I would be uneasy leaving a little girl on her own in that environment. Besides, Mui only knew me, Allusia, and Lucy. Throwing her into the middle of a bunch of knights could cause unnecessary friction.

“I’m currently living out of an inn, so...”

That said, it would also be hard for me to take care of her. Back home in Beaden, I could manage a kid one way or another, but unfortunately, here in Baltrain, I was staying in a single room. Above all else, Mui surely wouldn’t want to live at an inn with an old man. If her staying with me was the only way, then it wasn’t the time to be stubborn...but there was still a limit to how long that situation could hold up. My wallet wasn’t exactly filled to the brim.

Lucy looked at us brightly. “She’s a budding wizard, remember? You may entrust her to me for a while. I have a housekeeper too.”

Things had been looking pretty grim until Lucy spoke up—she sounded as if none of that gloominess had anything to do with her. I hadn’t really thought about it before, but what kind of home did Lucy live in? She’d served as the commander of the magic corps for a long time, so it was probably an upper-class dwelling. She’d mentioned a housekeeper too. What salary do members of the magic corps even make?

To sum up, we couldn’t leave Mui here, the order’s office wasn’t optimal, and it would be difficult for Allusia or me to provide her a place to stay. Naturally, we had no choice but to go with Lucy’s suggestion.

“Hmph.”

Mui snorted as she watched us adults work things out. It was hard to interpret her reaction as welcoming, though it didn’t seem to be a refusal either. At the very least, she understood that the immediate problem could be solved by relying on Lucy. She didn’t seem opposed to it, but she didn’t look happy either.

“I guess it’s time to head back then?”

We’d all fallen silent, and my words seemed to echo strangely around me. It didn’t feel right to call it a day here—I wanted to go someplace where we could all relax a little. The order’s office would be the natural choice.

“Indeed. We can’t stay here forever,” Allusia said.

She gave orders to another knight on standby. The thieves here had been arrested, but others could be using this hideout. Allusia commanded that the place be sealed off and placed under the order’s supervision until they had a better grasp of the situation.

“I put in a lot of work today,” said Lucy. “I should head back too.”

“You’re one to talk...” I retorted.

She was all smiles, but I felt like I’d put in the majority of the work. Even if they were all amateurs, I’d taken on five or six of them. Well, Twilight’s skills remained a mystery, so it was possible he could’ve handed me an embarrassing defeat.

“Tch.”

Perhaps hating this kind of harmonious mood, Mui clicked her tongue. Maybe hate was the wrong word—she simply wasn’t used to it. In a sense, she’d lived the opposite of a peaceful life. I still knew nothing about her circumstances, but if there was anything I could do for her, I wanted to. That was the responsibility of an adult who’d meddled in her affairs. Somehow or other, Mui seemed like the type I simply couldn’t leave alone.

I didn’t think she would go on a rampage or anything, but if someone didn’t keep an eye on her, she seemed liable to break down. That was mostly my intuition talking. I’d watched many children grow up, and even if my experience came from a backcountry dojo, I knew my intuition was reliable.

If I was wrong, that was fine. If I was right, I wanted to work with Allusia and Lucy however I could.

“Shall we?” I asked. Without thinking twice, I held out a hand. Mui acted tough, but she was at an age where she still needed an adult’s guidance. I knew she wasn’t obedient enough to take my hand, but the gesture had practically been a reflex for me.

“Hmph.”

Just as expected, Mui didn’t take my hand. Holding hands with an old man and marching through the streets of Baltrain probably sounded like a horrible experience. Still, by the look on her face, she didn’t seem displeased. Knowing that was enough for me.

Okay then, back to the office.

◇

Allusia, Lucy, Mui, and I walked back to the entrance of the Liberion Order’s office. In the end, some regular knights had been tasked with supervising the thieves’ hideout. Mui and I couldn’t remain there, and as leaders of their respective organizations, Allusia and Lucy couldn’t be tied down either. Luckily, the house was in the middle of the central district, and there were plenty of standard residences around it, so it was unlikely that anything dangerous would happen. And if something did, the knights were used to conflict.

As soon as we stepped inside the office, Allusia called out to one of the knights who’d hauled the thieves in for questioning.

“Where are they?”

“Ma’am. They’ve been confined downstairs.”

Huh. I didn’t know the office had a basement. Guess I’ve never had a reason to venture down there.

The Liberion Order as an organization was more than just a formality, and the knights were used for more than just ceremony. In a city as huge as Baltrain, the knights maintained public order and had squads they could dispatch at a moment’s notice—just as they had for this incident. I wasn’t naive enough to believe that the Liberion Order’s hands were squeaky clean in all dealings, both public and private, but I doubted they were doing anything blatantly illegal. They balanced good and evil, so there were likely facets of gray morality within the organization. Perhaps those facets even applied to this situation...but I wouldn’t worry about that since it had nothing to do with me.

“Very well. I’ll be taking my leave now,” said Lucy. “I’ll come again tomorrow. There’re lots of questions I want to ask.”

“Aaah, mm-hmm.” I nodded. “Thanks for...uh, for today.”

Was it even proper to thank her? I wasn’t really sure. It felt like Lucy had just dragged me around at her whim. But, well, she had immediately surged into action out of concern for Mui, so from that perspective, it was only right that I show my appreciation.

Lucy quickly turned to Mui and grabbed her arm. “Come on—you’re with me.”

“Tch. Fine. I get it already. Let me go.”

I watched as Lucy tugged Mui away. That sight makes me feel like a parent. I hope Lucy’s brashness will help her get along with Mui.

“See you later, Mui,” I called out.

“Hmph.”

My farewell garnered only a snort in return. Mui probably didn’t hate me, but I was in a strange position—I didn’t know how to act around her. Really, I was more than an acquaintance but less than a friend. I knew too much about her circumstances to remain uninvolved, but I was far too old to be called a peer of any kind. The student-teacher relationships I cultivated with my pupils at the dojo were so clear-cut. If I had something like that with Mui, our interactions would probably go differently.

“Okay, then.”

I peered up at the sky. A dazzling red light shone from the horizon as if seeking to dye the entire Galean continent a crimson hue. In a final struggle for the light of day, my shadow stretched far out beneath me, and it would soon be engulfed in darkness.

Somehow, we’d managed to settle things before the day’s end.

I wasn’t physically tired, but because of everything that’d happened, I felt a little mentally worn out. That said, my part in this mess was over. Lucy had mentioned that a mastermind was likely pulling the strings behind the scenes, but it wasn’t my place to look for them. That task definitely exceeded my responsibilities as a special instructor, and frankly, I didn’t want to poke my nose into things.

“I need to work out the frequency of our patrols and their routes,” Allusia said, interrupting my rambling thoughts. “Will you be heading out, Master?”

“Yeah... Guess I’ll go back to the inn for the day.”

This change in patrol routes probably had to do with the thieves we’d apprehended today. Their hideout was located in an unexpected place right in the middle of the central district, and I doubted that we’d caught them all. The knights would need to tighten security.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then, Master.”

“Yeah. Don’t work too hard, Allusia.”

With that, I left the office. Allusia was a very serious person at her core, so I tried to encourage her not to overexert herself. She probably doesn’t need me to say anything—I’m sure she has a good grasp on managing her health. Still, just in case, I figure I can mention it.

“Phew...”

I sighed. One way or another, it really had been an eventful day. I strode down the road back to the inn. All I wanted was to get there quickly, find a nearby tavern, and knock back a drink. Nothing’s better for relieving fatigue. I was still unfamiliar with Baltrain’s overall layout, but since I’d lived here for some time, I’d started to fill my head with local shops and landmarks. Among those, I knew of several nearby taverns—they were close to the inn, weren’t particularly noisy, and they served good food and drinks. These were obviously prime destinations.

For some, breaking into a den of thieves would’ve been a major incident, but I felt awfully at ease. As a man in his late forties, this event hadn’t exactly been a major turning point in my life. I didn’t expect any major developments in the case, nor did I really wish for any.

“Well, I’ll just do what I can.”

There was no point thinking about all this. My idle mumbling vanished into Baltrain’s sky. The Twilight thieves’ interrogation was probably going to take a while. I didn’t know if there was a true mastermind—if there was, the order needed guaranteed information before acting, and such investigations couldn’t be conducted in only a day or two.

So, my daily work as a special instructor would remain as it had been. As always, I simply had to devote myself to training the knights.

Anyway, putting effort into my duties is a matter for tomorrow—I want to reward myself for working hard today.

“If I remember right, it’s down this alley... Ah, there it is.”

I found myself at a tavern one block away from the inn. Even though this place wasn’t on the main street, it wasn’t lagging behind the competition—there were always quite a few customers inside.

After a tiring day, there’s nothing better than a good drink in a tavern like this. I opened the double door, and the sounds of modest hustle and bustle spilled out onto the street. Business must be good. I’m kinda happy to see one of my favorite shops thriving. 

After glancing around the tavern, I stepped inside.

“Excuse me.”

It was time for a good drink and a good sleep. After that, I just had to do my best and carry on as usual. Lucy and Allusia surely had a handle on things.

As the saying goes...tomorrow will take care of itself.