After leaving the dormitory, we descended the hill and arrived at the building where the teleportation magic circle we had visited before was located.
“Hey, this is it, right? All we have to do is imagine wanting to go outside the town, right?”
It seems that if there’s a registered location, all we need to do is step onto the magic circle and think of the place we wish to go to, and the teleportation should work.
“Uh… hold on a second. What should we do?”
Frank stopped me and confirmed with Cedric.
“Hmm, it’s a weekday, so we don’t have much time. And this is Tsukasa’s first time, right? Today, just getting a feel for it should be enough, don’t you think?”
“That’s true… Tsukasa, can I have a word with you?”
It appeared the consultation had concluded.
“What’s up?”
“First, there are several safety points outside of town.”
“Save points!”
I know that one!
“There’s no saving in life, but with the magic circle, you can teleport to those locations.”
My attempt at reality-check humor was swept aside…
“Are these safety points… safe?”
“Yeah. There’s a simple protective barrier, and there are wizards on watch.”
“Watchmen… are they skilled?”
“They’re strong. They chase away any monsters that show up. You might consider it for a job in the future when you’re out of options. To be honest, many combat-oriented wizards take up these kinds of roles.”
“I guess I could see myself heading that way too. Probably more suited than being a soldier or spell caster with failed strategies anyway… although, I don’t have the skills for that.”
“Well, I’ll think about it. So, if I step on the magic circle, I can get there, right?”
“That’s correct. This town has gates, but they’re almost never used. Instead, we teleport via the magic circle to go outside. By the way, as I said earlier, there are several of these safety points.”
“So we can choose between different locations?”
Honestly, teleportation tech is something we should totally have in our world.
“Yeah, that’s right. What Frank and I were discussing earlier was about which place to go to. Since this is our first time out and we don’t have all day, should we aim for something simple?”
Looking at the clock, it was 4 PM.
Over there, lunchtime is around 1 PM…
With that in mind, we had a bit less than three hours.
“Considering that, let’s go somewhere simple. I’m new to this, so you guys decide.”
“In that case, let’s head to the lake. It’s beautiful.”
“Really?”
It’s mildly intriguing.
“Alright, head to the magic circle and wish you want to go to the lake outside the city.”
As Frank pointed towards the circle, I moved behind him and gave him a gentle nudge.
“Please. You’re our lead man.”
The pride of a warrior.
“Don’t slack off… Get over here now. No stupid antics.”
Frank acted like he was doing something else as he stepped onto the circle and disappeared with a whoosh.
“……Is he asking us to do something?”
“……You just set up some pretty significant foreshadowing.”
Judging by Cedric’s tone, he felt the same way.
“What should we do? Wait until Frank critiques us?”
The classic waiting game.
“Nah, Frank isn’t one to joke around like that; he’s serious. Tsukasa, leave the rear guard to me and go ahead.”
Since Cedric said so, I stepped onto the circle and focused my thoughts on wanting to go to the lake outside the city. In an instant, my view changed, and I could see the vast plain stretching beyond the lake.
“Wow! This is another world!”
This is exactly what I had imagined.
“Cool, right?”
I was lost in amazement at the sight of the lake and the horizon when Frank’s voice came.
“Amazing! Where’s Odassy?”
He’s definitely not here.
“He’s not here.”
What a shame. He should be.
“Man, it’s been a while since I’ve come here, but it’s still stunning.”
As Frank marveled at the lake and the plains, Cedric arrived via teleportation too. Nearby, I noticed a man wearing a sword. He was probably the lookout.
“You don’t come here often, do you?”
“Only once, around April. It’s not that I dislike fighting, you know.”
“Sorry about that.”
“No, it’s fine if you’re around. Usually, it’s just Frank and me, and when it’s just two of us, I often have to fight too. But with three, it’s more comfortable.”
“Yeah, as long as we have two people who can handle anything.”
“Shouldn’t you take the girls sometimes? Aren’t there strong, confident ones?”
Technically, it was a group of three including Toko.
“Earlier in April, I came with everyone, including the girls. But traveling with the girls tends to get a bit complicated. You have to watch over them…”
“Girls like Ilmera and Yuika will push boundaries anyway.”
Noel, hold it together. And secretly, so does Toko.
“I see… Don’t worry, I won’t push boundaries.”
“That’s true… You may be dense in the head, but when the battle begins, you’re surprisingly calm.”
“Passionate body, cold mind… Unusually, you’ve got the fundamentals of martial arts down.”
That’s kind of normal. Bravery is important, but so is staying calm.
“Yeah, definitely. Anyway, this place is stunning… especially during sunset.”
The lake’s surface sparkled in the sunlight, creating a mysterious sight.
“It’s incredible in the evening. By the way, you shouldn’t come here on Sunday evenings.”
“Why not?”
“On Saturdays, many people work until dark since the next day is a day off, but on Sundays, people are preparing for the next workday, so it’s mostly couples. And due to that, there’s an unspoken rule that only couples should come.”
“I’ve heard that too. You feel completely out of place.”
“Really…?”
“Are there monsters around here?”
“Frank mentioned that this is a safety point, right? There aren’t many monsters around the lake. If any show up, the lookout takes them down.”
After hearing Cedric say this, I looked over at the lookout.
“That must be tough, dealing with all the couples. Don’t you find it rough?”
“On Sunday evenings, special allowance is paid. Otherwise, it’d be unbearable.”
The lookout smiled wryly.
“No way. I definitely don’t want to end up here.”
Hell no.
“Tsukasa might end up coming here someday.”
Cedric chuckled and whispered this to himself.
“Why’d you say that?”
“Keep it in the back of your mind.”
There’s no way I’m coming here among couples. What reason would I have?
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