Lorina didn’t appear even on the day of departure.

I hadn’t seen her once during that time.

Our journey together felt like a dream. It seemed like a lie.

Many thoughts ran through my mind.

I wondered if it was because the Protagonist was the only one she could rely on.

It was just my own misconception.

Perhaps she had no feelings for the Protagonist in the Capital City.

Thinking that made me a little sad.

The Protagonist was nothing to the girl.

My heart felt empty.

I was still going to the Northern Faction.

Even if the girl had no feelings for the Protagonist.

I felt like something would be there if I went to that place.

I didn’t want to stop at the Archives yet.

I wanted to become stronger.

At least, I wanted to become a strong person worthy of the staff I received from the Alchemist.

I had already given the Innkeeper a heads-up.

He asked if his daughter was an option, but I refused.

There was no way he didn’t know his true intentions.

His goal was to somehow tie Protagonist down and make him stay in the Castle. It also seemed like he needed someone to take over the inn.

Fortunately, he didn’t blush. They settled it with a treat the day before.

The Merchant Guild was large.

It was on the same scale as what he had seen when he came from the Viscount’s territory. There seemed to be twenty carriages, and the number of mercenaries in the Capital City was not small. There seemed to be at least thirty.

The Bookkeeper was a relatively young man. He was gnawing on a quill pen.

He knew that checking the goods right before departure was something he had picked up from the trade caravan he had ridden last time.

It was the busiest time. Perhaps that’s why he replied irritably when spoken to.

“What is it?”

“I’ve come to join the trade caravan.”

“A trade caravan? Your identification?”

He pulled out his Mercenary’s tag and handed it over.

The man who appeared to be the Bookkeeper frowned.

“A Mercenary’s tag?”

It was a look that asked if he was a mercenary. There was also a slight look of disdain. This couldn’t be helped, even with the robe he wore.

Protagonist was small in stature and didn’t have a harsh face. It was because he was young. As Dorian said, for his face to become a weapon, he still needed the power of time.

“Okay.”

“If you’ve come for a guard request, no.”

“Why?”

“It’s full. More importantly, I have no intention of hiring a weakling like you.”

“That’s fortunate. I was planning to go as a passenger.”

“A passenger?”

“Yes. You’re going to the Northern Faction, right?”

The Bookkeeper nodded.

“Just hand over two silver coins.”

Rael reached into his robe.

And without hesitation, he handed over the two silver coins he took from his pouch.

If it were my first time, I might have said it was expensive. However, I had already heard that 2 Silver Coins was a fair price in the Viscount’s territory. This was because of the mercenaries.

Still, if it had been higher than 2 Silver Coins, I might have argued. It was a relief that it wasn’t.

The Bookkeeper snatched the 2 Silver Coins. Their attitude was poor.

I didn’t say much.

It’s not right to get angry here.

Adults are magnanimous. As an adult, I should have smiled and let it go.

Even after buying the cloak, those who looked down on me still seemed to do so.

The Bookkeeper was exactly like that. I endured it since I wouldn’t have to see their face again anyway.

I was going to be riding in the carriage for a considerable amount of time, and I didn’t want to make an enemy of the Bookkeeper.

It was at that moment, as I was walking to get into the carriage.

Someone came running.

It was Lorina.

She had two soldiers with her. It seemed she now had a guard.

As soon as I saw her, I thought, ‘Why?’

I couldn’t understand why the girl, who hadn’t shown her face once until now, would suddenly come running.

But more than that, my joy was greater.

“Rael!”

“Lorina!”

“Why didn’t you come to me? It’s the day you’re leaving.”

“That’s…”

I went every day.

I just didn’t go today.

I didn’t go because I felt like I would get depressed if I couldn’t see her face again today.

Strictly speaking, Lorina was at fault.

But to argue would not be appropriate to say to Lorina, who had come all this way to find me.

The girl’s attitude was as affectionate as before.

I was confused about what her true form was.

“Well, whatever. Take this!”

She was holding something wrapped in Lorina’s cloth. The girl held it out.

“What is this?”

“A potion.”

“A potion?”

“Father told me. You’re going to the Northern Faction, right?”

“Okay.”

“So I made this! It was hard because I even failed a few times.”

“Failed?”

“Yeah. Potions are hard to make.”

The girl gloated.

It was as if she wanted the Protagonist to thank her. She was like a child showing off her belongings, and it made me laugh.

“Then why haven’t I seen you?”

“I was busy making this.”

“You could have at least shown your face.”

“Were you disappointed?”

“A little.”

“And now?”

“I’m happy.”

I laughed.

There was a reason she hadn’t been seen.

Lorina had heard from her Father that the Protagonist was going to the Northern Faction.

She probably heard everything.

That the girl had feelings for him. And that he was going to a dangerous place.

So she did what she could for the Protagonist.

Like a true pharmacist, she had made a potion.

“Don’t use too many. Low-quality potions have side effects.”

“Side effects?”

“Your lifespan will be slightly shortened.”

“Then why use them?”

“It’s better than dying.”

I nodded.

Potions could even heal fatal wounds.

If you died, it was over. Even with slight side effects, it was right to use them.

I looked inside.

There wasn’t just one potion.

There were five of them.

Including the failed ones, there were more than could be counted on one’s fingers.

I felt the girl’s sincerity and was suddenly overcome with emotion.

The resentment I had felt melted away at some point.

Lorina spoke.

“…Will you return?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll wait.”

“Okay.”

The trade caravan was about to depart.

I got into the carriage.

Lorina waved her hand.

I waved back in response.

The girl grew smaller and smaller.

The carriage wheels were rolling.

He only looked away after the City Gate was far behind.

He felt strange.

He was alone again. It felt both refreshing and a little sad.

He was experiencing the same feelings he had when he parted ways with Dorian.

It was also a little different from that.

It was an anticipation of what lay ahead.

He felt that he had become a little stronger than the weak boy who used to worry about everything.

Back then, he worried about just making a living.

But now, he felt like he could do anything. It was a huge improvement.

Inside the carriage, people sat lined up on both sides.

Their upper bodies were leaning to one side.

It was where a woman was sitting.

She was conjuring a small fire flower in her hand.

“Oh, wow…!”

“A real flame is coming out!”

Those who saw it each let out gasps of admiration.

Making fire was difficult.

That’s why they even kept embers separately to prevent them from going out.

But the girl conjured fire from her hand with nothing.

It was an amazing feat.

Rael was also surprised.

He was surprised that there were Mages other than the Protagonist.

There was an Alchemist, but he was an exception. Excluding him, she was the first Mage he had met.

He was also surprised by her conjuring a fire flower.

However, he didn’t think it was particularly great.

That was no more than creating a Water Spell, if you compare it to water.

Judging by the mana contained in the Flame, the amount was small.

The larger the amount of mana handled at once, the greater the Mage.

The girl was not a very great Mage.

She seemed much less capable than the Protagonist.

The woman had to properly cast a spell just to create that fire flower.

Rael would have created a larger Water Mass than that with just a few words of a spell.

“It doesn’t look very difficult.”

The Middle-aged man sitting next to him heard that murmur.

“What? Aren’t you surprised?”

“Not really. From how she handles fire, she seems like an Apprentice Mage who has only mastered the basics.”

He shrugged his shoulders.

It was said without much thought. But the inside of the Carriage had become quiet.

The woman was staring at the Protagonist.

Everyone else was too.

Only then did he realize that everyone had heard his murmur.

It was awkward.

It was said without much thought, but the woman was looking at him with a scowl, as if her pride had been hurt.

“What did you say? What kind of talk is that when you don’t even know properly?”

“I apologize if I was wrong.”

He immediately bowed his head.

Perhaps it was because the Protagonist was in the Capital City that he was wrong.

The Protagonist had trained in handling water.

In contrast, the woman in front of him was handling fire.

Since their training was different, what the Protagonist said was not certain.

He didn’t want to argue with the woman in the first place. He hadn’t said it with that intention either.

The woman explained to the people inside the carriage.

“Even though I may seem like this, I am a Mid-level Mage. A Mid-level Mage is better than most Knights. The number of enemies I defeat on the battlefield is overwhelming.”

“Oh… that’s amazing.”

“Stronger than a Knight!”

Everyone focused on the Fire Mage.

Some even clapped.

Everyone was engrossed watching the flame dancing on her hand.

Most of all, it was warm being so close.

Perhaps because of that, they were busy praising the Mage to see it a little more.

He ignored them.

He considered showing them a Water Mass, but that would be picking a fight.

The woman also occasionally glanced his way. She didn’t actually pick a quarrel.

It was then.

It became noisy outside.

It was a monster.

It felt like only half a day had passed since leaving the Castle, but they were under attack.

Everyone’s expressions changed.

Some even cowered on the floor.

Rael poked his head out the back of the carriage. Mercenaries were fighting. The opponents were Orcs. They were scattered, so he didn’t know the exact number.

The carriage procession was quite long.

There were five mercenaries around the carriage the protagonist was in. The five of them were fighting three Orcs, but they were being pushed back.

“Is anyone there? We’re about to be breached here!”

A mercenary shouted. It was an urgent cry.

The Orcs were quite strong. One Orc easily dealt with one mercenary.

There was no one to help.

There were two more Orcs nearby. Four mercenaries, two each, were engaged with one Orc.

The shout spread quite far.

The people hiding in the carriage trembled.

If the mercenaries fell, the orcs might massacre the people.

They might be breached at any moment.

If the orcs approached the carriage, it would be over.

People’s expressions turned pale.

They all looked at the woman.

She was a mage. She should be able to help in battle.

“Why is everyone staring at me?

“You’re a mage, aren’t you! Use that flame to defeat the monster!”

“I don’t fight unless I get paid.”

“To hell with pay, we’re in danger!”

“That’s right! You said you were stronger than a knight!”

Everyone spoke up.

The price for boasting so much was coming due.

The woman stood up.

Then she went out of the carriage. It seemed she was really going to join the fight.

Rael watched her closely.

He had seen others fight, but it was his first time seeing a mage fight. He wanted to see how well she fought.

The woman walked.

She approached the area where the orcs and mercenaries were fighting.

It was about twenty paces away.

The range of her magic seemed very short.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to close the distance like that.

He wondered how powerful her magic would be.

The woman had said the protagonist was stronger than a knight.

She even called herself an intermediate mage. It was impressive.

The protagonist was still at the level of a low-ranking mage.

If the woman’s words were true, it meant she was stronger than the protagonist.

He thought he definitely needed to keep an eye on her.

The woman continued to chant the spell.

She chanted for a long time.

It seemed like thirty seconds. The protagonist took less than half that time.

His anticipation grew even stronger.

Flames erupted from the woman’s hands.

It was a much larger fire flower than before.

But at best, it was just a campfire.