Episode 2-b. For Freedom and Adventure.
Eileen and I had been staring into each other’s eyes for quite a while.
“…”
“…”
It was a reflection on how to deal with a foolish girl who, despite being underage, had abruptly left her hometown for the duchy.
It was also a moment of self-reflection about how I had tormented and spoken harshly to someone so much younger, not even realizing it until now.
Even though I wouldn’t directly know my own age, it had already been over 13 years since I met Ain as a child, so I was at least a few years older than Eileen.
“…”
“…”
Somehow.
“Always complaining when it’s a chance to criticize.”
“Asha-nim… I think that’s purely baseless criticism unrelated to my age…”
All of my foolish and lacking actions could be explained by the fact that I was young.
“Sneaking into someone else’s bed and drooling on the pajama collar.”
“That’s just… really hurtful, regardless of age…?”
“If it’s because you’re young, I can understand.”
I felt like I hadn’t been as immature when I was younger, but not everyone matures at the same pace.
“Oh, you must have been clumsy and lacking when you were young just like me!”
“No, I wouldn’t say I was specifically…”
To put it simply, I certainly wasn’t like Eileen.
I had audaciously taken off my clothes outside, dropped careless words while wandering the market. I had no idea how to wash myself, and Ain had to clean my body—I even ate food with my hands because I didn’t know how to use utensils. Those memories of making mistakes while working in a grocery store came flooding back.
“Hehe!”
“I didn’t do that, though…”
Well.
It was all due to a lack of common sense.
So.
I was quite mature for my age back then.
I was definitely mature enough… right?
Hmm.
“See! You can’t answer properly, right? You must have been clumsy too!”
“…I’ll just go register as an adventurer.”
“Pfft, dodging the question~”
“…”
Yes.
What was important was registering as an adventurer.
It was wise to put such useless thoughts aside.
I opened the door to the adventurer’s guild without making eye contact with Eileen, who was glued to my side, giggling.
And.
The creaking doors opened to reveal a fortunately quiet and ordinary scene beyond.
Reflecting what Eileen had said about how she thought it would be fine since she had glanced around even while being chased away, the inside was indeed calm and quiet.
It seemed that most of the adventurers were out on requests, as it had already passed a bit beyond lunchtime and was an ambiguous time.
So, I led Eileen, who was tightly gripping my arm, toward the reception window.
“No, noble lady. You can’t come with a guardian. If you keep throwing a fit, I’ll call security again.”
I spoke to the receptionist, who was scratching her head in apparent trouble.
“I want to register as an adventurer, not for her.”
“Oh, is this guardian?”
“I wouldn’t call her a guardian, but she is here for my registration.”
“Oh, alright. Then please submit your ID first and take off that hooded robe.”
Handing over a noble certificate, I casually took off the robe to reveal my face.
“Hmm, a noble certificate instead of an ID? Wow… you’re quite striking. Please put your robe back on quickly. Adventurers tend to be rather perilous around women.”
“Yes.”
She stared at my face in admiration while waving her hand as if to hurry me along.
Is that why I felt this way?
Something.
For some reason, it felt like this was an important matter, yet it was being handled so casually.
It almost made me wonder if this country was not one of freedom and adventure but rather one of carelessness.
So perhaps registering as an adventurer wasn’t something to be worried about at all.
And Eileen, who seemed displeased with the situation, pouted and muttered.
“Well, this person might not be an adult either… why only me…”
“You’re clearly an adult, noble lady. Besides, if we were to carelessly register underage nobles as adventurers, the responsibility would be quite different in case something went wrong.”
Somehow, I was treating Eileen casually without thinking, yet nobles were not people one could approach carelessly.
“I have just a few months until I turn adult…”
“Yes, you can come back in a few months. We have to be cautious with cases involving nobles, so I hope you understand.”
She even adeptly explained that there had been cases where reckless adventurer registrations led to trouble, making Eileen’s complaints go unheard.
“Grr, I should have just said I don’t have an ID!”
“Yes, if that were the case, we probably wouldn’t have accepted you, thinking you were younger~”
She quickly jotted down my registration details while dismissing Eileen’s comments.
Noticing Eileen anxiously bouncing her feet, she curiously glanced up at her, then said with a smile.
“Here, please calm down a bit with this candy, noble lady.”
She pulled out a piece of candy and handed it over the reception counter.
“I’m not a child who can just be soothed with a piece of candy…!”
So I took the candy and popped it into Eileen’s complaining mouth.
“…Mmm, tasty.”
Eileen quieted down, chewing on the candy.
And.
Finally, the receptionist, having nearly finished the paperwork, made eye contact with me and smiled.
“Thank you, beautiful traveler! We’re almost done with the paperwork, but could you provide your name and special skill, please?”
“My name is Asha.”
“Yes~”
“My special skill is magic.”
“Oh my, it’s been a while since a magician registered as an adventurer without entering the Magic Tower first.”
She displayed a clear reaction to my words and filled in the remaining blanks.
“Lastly, if you could place your hand on the crystal ball here for a moment, please. It’s part of the magic measurement process.”
“…”
At that, I hesitated in the thought of nodding and looked at her.
“Don’t worry, it won’t hurt. Just touch it lightly~”
“…Yes.”
I could feel my anxiety creeping up.
I had been thinking that perhaps this whole ordeal felt a bit too casual, but with the mention of measuring magic, my apprehension replaced those thoughts, and anxiety settled in.
What if.
What if this crystal ball detects gray mana?
What if it reveals my hidden nature and colors it darkly?
“Asha-nim…?”
Beside me, Eileen was looking up at me with anxious eyes, gripping the hem of my clothing.
In front of me, the receptionist was smiling and beckoning, and adventurers were resting around the guild.
If my grayness were to be discovered now, what would I do?
Even if I managed to put them to sleep and escape, I would worry about Eileen’s safety.
Naturally, I couldn’t just kill them all without leaving any trace.
So, should I use memory-erasing magic, perhaps?
Unfortunately, that magic was still at a low proficiency, and there was a risk of wiping all memories.
So.
As I pondered, the receptionist’s voice returned.
“Um, is there a problem? Without the magic measurement, registration as an adventurer isn’t possible…”
If I delay any longer, I would raise unnecessary suspicion.
Even if she seemed gentle and kind, she might start looking at me suspiciously and call others.
Therefore, I shook my head and raised my hand.
“…No. I’ll do it now.”
Hoping that the items given to me by the owner, Janssen, would prove effective.
I gently placed my hand on the crystal ball.
A slight tremor is felt.
Vwoooom—
As if vibrating, the crystal ball began to gradually absorb my mana.
“Yes~ If you wait a moment, the results will come out.”
The color in the previously transparent crystal began to fill and change into a soft hue.
I bit my lips, desperately wishing that the color wouldn’t turn dull.
Vwoom— Vwoom—
It was only a matter of seconds, yet it felt like I was suffocating.
Please.
Please let there be no problems right from the start.
I prayed that the efforts I had made over the last three years to conceal the gray dust and the items given by Janssen would be effective.
I wished for nothing more as I stared at the crystal ball.
Tick—
With that sound, the crystal ball stopped its shimmering.
And the receptionist, who had been watching it closely, eventually smiled and spoke to me.
“Hmm, yes! It’s done. Your magic grade isn’t high. Asha-nim’s magic grade is two levels above the lowest at E-grade, which is G-grade.”
“…”
“Phew…”
Relieved that it had ended without any problems, I squeezed my eyes shut as I heard Eileen’s sigh.
The receptionist continued.
“There’s ample potential for mana to grow, so please train hard from now on~ Here’s your adventurer registration certificate. The fee is 2000 Dera.”
“Ugh! It’s expensive!”
“Pfft, noble lady. But we have to make a living too~”
The receptionist smiled once more and handed me my adventurer registration certificate.
It included my name and special skills, adventurer rank, and magic grade.
Additionally, it featured a small ID card with a drawing that closely resembled my face, similar to a newspaper sketch.
Taking it, I bowed my head in gratitude and was able to leave.
Thud—
The heavy door closed.
What had felt light inside me was now obscured by the heavy sound of the door closing, echoing like a heartbeat.
At that moment, I could finally reveal the tremors I had been holding back.
I hid my trembling hands inside my robe and had to take several deep breaths.
“…Huu.”
“Are you okay, Asha-nim?”
“…I’m fine.”
My hands were slick with cold sweat.
Droplets hit the ground, leaving dark stains.
But there were no problems.
Beyond the closed door, the receptionist was organizing some scattered papers.
“Hmph~ Seeing a pretty magician makes me feel good. I should hurry home~”
She was humming a tune while preparing to switch shifts with another receptionist.
The incoming worker entered the reception area, and finally, standing up gracefully, she smiled and greeted her colleague.
Crack—
“Well then, I’m off…? Huh?”
Clatter—
“Eek! What? Why did it suddenly break…?”
As the woman was about to leave the reception area, she was startled by the sudden shattering of the previously still crystal ball.
The crystal ball lay broken into pieces.
“How strange. It couldn’t have reached the end of its lifespan so soon… Did they sell me a defective product?”
Gray dust began to slowly seep out from the shards, but she remained oblivious, frowning in confusion.
“Oh, whatever! I’m off!”
The gray dust.
It evaded the gaze of people as it scattered.
