1. Mystic Wizard (2)
‘Sylvie.’
“Huh… .”
Sylvia, the wizard of the 1st warrior party, woke up from a nightmare.
It was nice to see someone I missed, but it was a nightmare because it was a dream, not a reality.
It’s a strange thing.
Do you miss the one you cast out with your own hands?
“ha… .”
I had a headache for a few days that hadn’t stopped.
When I touched my forehead, water was smeared on my fingertips.
It was a tear.
Suddenly, his wide tent came into view.
It was a temporary camp tent, but every corner of it was touched by Ian’s touch.
The arrangement of the furniture, the color of the lighting, and even the herbs that give off their favorite scent.
he’s not here anymore
His smell was everywhere.
It was noisy outside, so I looked in the mirror as I was about to go out.
Hard-to-find full-length mirrors were prepared in each of the four warriors’ tents.
Ian emphasized it again and again.
‘A warrior should be a symbol of hope. It means that you have to pay attention not only to the inside, but also to the outside.’
High quality robes and shoes worth the price of a decent building.
A staff from a thousand-year-old tree coveted even by wizards in the Mage Tower.
An unknown cone hat that cannot be priced.
The beggar girl who used to beg at eye level with the rats has now become a warrior praised by everyone.
Sylvia still remembers the beginning of that day.
‘Are you hungry?’
Ian came to him out of nowhere and led him, and by the time he got used to being full rather than hungry, he had become a warrior.
Since then, he has grown up by meeting his current colleagues one by one, clearing dungeons, and hunting demons.
At the end, she pushed Ian on the back.
‘My heart is strange… .’
It feels like someone is stabbing me in the center of my chest with a needle.
I couldn’t believe it when Penny told me that Ian was a party killer.
When she received the ledger and understood and accepted the explanations, she couldn’t sleep because of the sense of betrayal.
I heard that being in charge of the 1st hero’s party is to use it for one’s own benefit.
When the moment finally came to ask, or rather order, him to leave.
There was something akin to the ecstasy and conquest of taking on someone who had treated him like a child all his life.
There was also a desire to enjoy more freedom with an increased salary.
I was a little surprised when Ian wrinkled his face and lost his temper.
No matter how much I hate it, he never gets angry.
After the embarrassment, there was anger.
I thought it was shameless to get angry in reverse while using us and eating moths.
When Ian, who sat down with a sad expression, finally left.
I felt something was wrong.
It was an anxiety that could not be expressed in specific words.
Beatrice evaluated Sylvia’s anxiety as follows.
‘You’re still young. I’ve been with Ian the longest, and among us, I tend to follow him. It must be hard to accept reality easily. What am I supposed to do because I’m so kind?’
Is it really like that?
Are you still too young and inexperienced to be shaken by a legitimate breakup?
Sylvia was hard to be sure.
It feels like a baby bird leaving the nest.
It’s a funny analogy.
I didn’t leave the nest, I destroyed it with my own hands.
“—!”
A loud laugh from someone outside the tent caught Sylvia’s spirit.
As usual, Sylvia tidied up her clothes and left the tent.
*
Penny looked at Kylie in front of her with a satisfied smile.
She smiled similarly and held a heavy bundle in her hand.
“This is the price we promised. Ian’s share was taken out, and unnecessary expenses were subtracted, and I gave it all to you.”
Kylie smiled lightly and nodded.
“I’m sure it counted.”
The priest next to him, Aria, also smiled softly.
“It seems that I finally got my money’s worth.”
“To make the right money go to the right people. that’s my job It’s because I have a personality that can’t stand injustice.”
Despite Penny’s arrogant words, the atmosphere was warm.
Next, by the time Beatrice took the money, Sylvia also came out of the tent.
“Miss Sylvia. How was your last night?”
“yes… . Why are you all out in the morning?”
Sylvia’s gaze returned to the other warriors.
To be precise, with a bundle the size of a human head in their hands.
“Silvia-sama’s portion is also prepared.”
Penny immediately held out the bundle she had prepared.
Upon receiving it, Sylvia rolled her eyes anxiously.
“Don’t you like it? I’m sorry, but I can’t give you more.”
“Oh, no. It’s not like that. thank you… .”
The weight of the bundle in Silvia’s arms was considerable.
It cannot even be compared to what Ian received.
My mind was complicated.
Ian always calculated and distributed the price of work.
The joy and satisfaction of receiving money for the first time faded as the days went by.
However, the moment I receive this money today.
Thinking that it was the result of chasing Ian himself, he felt a sense of achievement from the past.
Meanwhile, I was anxious.
I wasn’t sure if this was really the right thing to do.
The water had already spilled and seeped into the ground, but Sylvia didn’t know what to do with it.
Should I be happy or should I be sad?
“I can finally go buy earrings with peace of mind.”
“Hmm. I wonder if there are accessories that can be attached to a sword… .”
“Guys, what do you think of the golden arrows?”
Unlike Sylvia, the other three were already excited.
Penny looked at them and smiled happily.
So, Sylvia had no choice but to laugh along with them.
I didn’t want to laugh, but I thought it would make me feel better if I did.
***
It’s been the fourth day since I left to find Vivian.
Finally, the village of Arke began to be seen in the distance.
“Hmm~ It’s a peaceful rural area.”
Mercy, who was sitting on his shoulder, took a deep breath.
Kati is sleeping between piles of luggage.
“As expected, a refreshing fragrance emanates from a place where life sprouts.”
“It only smells like cattle dung.”
“A guy without romance!”
The village was bigger than I expected.
It was fenced in far, and cattle were grazing in the field beyond.
I sat in the coachman’s seat and watched the cows grazing.
There is no coachman who knows the village of Arke, so he is driving it himself.
“It’s been a long time since I haven’t eaten beef.”
“That’s right. If you go to a big city, it would be nice to get a bigger one and cut it up.”
“… Sometimes I forget that you are an elf.”
“Did you mean that you have adapted well to the human gap?”
“If that puts your mind at ease. Let’s call it something like that.”
Elves are basically vegetarians.
It’s not like there aren’t elves who eat meat, but I try to be vegetarian whenever possible.
Mercy is different.
She’s vegetarian, carnivorous, and doesn’t care.
It wasn’t like that originally, back when I was imprisoned by humans… .
“for a moment.”
As soon as we reached the entrance, a guard blocked it.
It’s a big town, so there are guards.
Although the armament is a bit shabby.
“What are you doing?”
“I came to see the aspiring warrior.”
The expressions on the two guards’ faces contorted.
Why are you like that?
“Are you the manager?”
“Yes.”
The two of them made eye contact with stiff faces, then spoke as if ordering me.
“Go back. There are no aspiring warriors here.”
“But you came from the list of aspirants?”
“You’re looking at it wrong.”
It’s strange. Why are you so adamant?
I thought briefly as I got off the wagon.
When a manager visits an inquirer, it is common to welcome him.
Because the value of that village goes up just by the fact that it produced a hero.
But why are they like this?
“Isn’t it Arke Village?”
“you’re right.”
“It must have been here… . Just let me check it out.”
“What was the name of that aspirant?”
“The name… .”
even more strange
Why are you curious about the name when you say there is absolutely no wannabe?
“It’s been a while, so I don’t remember. I guess I’ll find out if I go in and look for it.”
“No… .”
“What’s going on?”
A tall man strode from behind.
“Captain of the guard.”
A guard ran over and announced the situation in a whisper.
I’m sorry, but I can hear you all.
In the previous round, he had grown enough to go to the Demon King’s Castle as an official hero, and at that time his body was inherited as it was.
“They say they came looking for an inquirer. He says he can’t remember the name. Maybe it’s not Vivian… .”
Hearing the story, the head of the guard frowned.
“There’s nothing like that here, so let’s go back.”
not really. I think there is.
Shall we sneak past it?
“there’s nothing we can do. Then I will enter as a passing tourist.”
“Are you kidding me?!”
It doesn’t work.
The head of the guard walked towards me with the momentum to hit me.
When I face him without avoiding it, he bursts out laughing.
“Anyway, all the bastards who claim to be managers are like this. Going around with the dragon, knowing what it was like, and putting strength on their necks.”
Are there any managers like that?
While I was at the border, something happened inside.
In the second round, there was no manager, so there was no memory worth referencing.
“Quick turn it off.”
“Hmm… .”
It’s annoying, but should I just ignore it and go in?
It’s a fairly large town, but it’s not difficult to find aspiring warriors.
The head of the guard became furious as he stood there thinking about it.
“I can’t put it into words… .”
“it.”
The moment he placed the handle on the sword, I said.
“Don’t pull it out.”
“What?”
“Don’t pull it out.”
“Heh, heh, everything climbs up.”
The captain of the guard, who had laughed, pulled out the handle.
Oh, you’re picking gears.
I clearly warned you.
I don’t know anymore.
“this… .”
The moment he opens his mouth
crouched forward
His face fell to the floor, his arms bent behind him.
“Keuk… !”
“Because I don’t pull it out.”
I sighed as I looked at him lying face down.
Above him was a woman with long silver hair who covered her eyes with a black cloth.
Her hair fluttered wildly because she rushed at once.
Her pale skin and matching pink lips were twisted with anger.
She subdued the head of the guard.
I’ve been together for a long time, but I still can’t get used to it… .
Rather, why are you wearing a maid outfit? When did you buy that dress?
Let’s dry it off before it gets too big.
“Kati. stop now.”
“… Yes.”
The white cat, Kati.
This is his humanized form.
To be precise, she is a demon who can polymorph into a cat.
“master.”