Kujonin

Author: Hanabokuro

—

The next morning I cured our hangovers with a magic circle in an instant and returned to Elf's Pharmacy.

To Camilla, I told her about Sera and Balzack's situation, and about me going out into the world.

"Why?! I don't get what you're trying to say!! Why? Haa!?"

She was greatly confused, so she switched from her old-person form to her young form.

"I thought I'd travel through this world, see all sorts of towns and sceneries, and then return here."

"Is that so. Then in the end you'll return, right? You must!"

"That's my intentions."

"Intentions? About how many years are you intending to travel?"

"Who knows? For now, I have plans to meet up with Sera in 7 years."

"7 years? If the journey's like that, I'll grow old though?"

"N? It's fine to grow old, isn't it? Or like, Camilla, you're an elf so you won't get that old."

"I'm talking about the feelings! The feelings! Haa~~a, geez. I knew you were this type of guy! Good grief!"

"And so it's like that, so if Balzack gets into trouble with his rent, help him out."

"There's a greater chance of him having to help me out, but I understand."

I go to my room on the 2nd floor and put together my luggage.

While Sera is also putting her own luggage together, she sighs heavily one after another.

"As expected, it's not possible to avoid going to the magic school, huh?"

Sera sulkily grumbled.

"Hm? What is it? Are you uneasy?"

"No, that's not it."

"Don't worry. Even if you drop out of school, in 7 years I'll go to meet you."

"Saying something like that, Naoki-sama will definitely forget, everything about me."

"Y,you're a troublesome one. Right, I got it."

On a pouch, I sewed on a magic circle with thread dipped in magic stone powder dissolved in water.

My Crafts.h.i.+p is 10, so I finished 2 of them in 5 minutes.

"Listen, this is a pouch that, if you put magic power into this, you can talk to me."

"E!?"

"Maa, if you're lonely, if you're upset, contact me. However, you can't do it frequently. At the most, 1 time per month. And, only when I have the free time. With this you'll be able to contact me even during my travels. How about it?"

"If I have this, I can contact Naoki-sama anytime, anywhere!"

As if she was stealing it from me, Sera pounced on the pouch.

"Letters? What about letters?"

"I can send them, but I can't receive them from Sera. My destination isn't fixed, after all. At the times I'll stay somewhere for a while, I'll call you."

"I understand. Definitely! Definitely contact me!"

"I got it."

Sera hung the pouch from her neck by its drawstrings, putting it under her inner wear.

When we had finished preparing for the journey, like that the two of us headed to the town's cemetery.

Next to the cemetery is an adjacent house; that seems to be Balzack's new home.

When I knocked on the door, Balzack appeared with a towel over his face like a mask.

"A, Naoki-sama, and Sera as well, welcome, right now it's a little messy, but come in."

Balzack gladly received me into the house.

The inside of the house is considerably dusty, and the kitchen is also terribly grimy with oil.

I used life magic's Clean Up on the entirety of the house.

The dust and grime were completely wiped clean, but now we need to stop up all the drafts.

I go to close of the gaps in the board and mud walls.

I conveniently had some sticky boards, so I placed them in the corners as countermeasures for insects.

I also made Balzack a callbag and handed it over.

"If you put magic into this callbag and talk, you can contact Sera and me. If you're feeling lonely or upset, please do so."

"Understood. This is different from the one before; there's no time limit."

If I give it to Balzack as well, even Sera would be embarra.s.sed so she probably won't call me that often.

Balzack also hung the pouch from his neck.

"How is it? Do you think you can manage?" (Naoki)

"I'm not sure yet. But I'll manage somehow."

Balzack returned with a grin.

"That's right. Seems like Balzack will be fine. The problem is Sera, huh?"

"Me? I'll be fine."

A sulky Sera said.

"Maa, it's the magic school at the capital at least, so there's probably going to be guys with superior talent as well as nasty types. There may be ikemen, too, probably. It will expand your views. And as for that, I might stop by the capital during my travels."

"Really!? I'll do my best!"

This morning, I asked the Guild instructor to make a recommendation for Sera to go to the magic school.

As long as she goes she'll make it in somehow - is not what I thought.

"A, that's right. Here, Sera."

I handed Sera a pouch with the money I had on hand.

"You'll have expenses, right?"

"E? But I can't take this much. And besides, without this money, won't Naoki-sama be broke?"

"It's fine. Because once I get the reward money from the Guild I'll be set. Buy the things you'll need."

"Thank you very much."

Sera put the pouch in a bigger bag.

"Now then, should I get rid of Sera's slave crest?"

"E? Now?"

"Yeah, show me your shoulder."

Sera blushed and bared her shoulder.

I drew a magic circle that would end the curse of the slave crest, and in an instant it disappeared.

"With this, Sera is no longer my slave. Now you probably won't be hara.s.sed for being a slave at the magic school."

"If I'm free with this, I have the freedom to follow Naoki-sama, right?"

"If you do that, then I won't talk to you for the rest of my life."

"I understand. It was a joke. It seems like I have talent, so I will study magic. But definitely come to meet me."

"Right then, shall we get going?"

We dropped by the Guild and greeted Irene.

It seems that Sera will board a carriage going to the capital tomorrow.

Until then I will stay at Balzack's house or the Elf's Pharmacy.

"Then, I'm going to be the first to set off."

"Where are you going to go first?"

Balzack asked.

"I'm thinking about going to a port town to the south. I'd like a map, though; if I had one that'd be great."

"You're going far away, aren't you?"

Sera said sadly.

"Isn't it fine? You'll be able to call me soon."

"That's true, but…"

Sera began scrubbing at her face; it's a little early, but let's set off.

It looks like if I let it go too long then I'll lose the timing to leave.

At the town entrance, aside from Sera and Balzack, Irene and Camilla also came.

Hearing that I was leaving the town, the sheep beastmen from the ranch also came.

They're all in the same coverall outfit.

"We-ll, you're leaving before winter, aren't you? Take this with you."

The sheep beastment gave me a warm-looking cloak as a present.

I rolled up the cloak and tied it on top of my rucksack.

"Then, I'm off!"

" " " " Take care-!" " " "

Partings are better if they're simple.

Sera's tears are flowing, but I don't want to make it gloomy.

I waved my hand, and after I started walking off I didn't turn around, heading straight along the road.

When I got tired I ate breakfast.

I was exercising caution towards monsters, therefore I activated the Search skill.

From time to time a peddler's horse-drawn wagon pa.s.ses, but there's no chance to get on and I walked onwards with my own feet.

This is the kind of journey I wanted.

Although, there is someone following along behind me.

It's different from being with Sera and Balzack.

The other person doesn't seem to have any intentions of showing himself.

If something happens, I'll deal with it.

Thus ends Part 1.

Part 2, "The Traveling Exterminator" starts next time!>