Chapter 9
A summons from Rapiel.
Hearing this, I went straight to Rapiel’s office.
My master is calling for her lovely disciple; how could I be lazy?
It was only right to visit her immediately.
The moment I entered Rapiel’s office.
“Who are you? Bring me my master.”
“Seeing as you have the energy to spout nonsense, you must be feeling a bit better.”
Rapiel, who looked like she had pulled an all-nighter for days on end, was there.
She sat leaning against her chair, looking utterly haggard.
I went inside and opened the curtains and windows to ventilate the room first.
Rapiel’s face looked a little better for it.
I placed a cup of coffee, brewed with skills far superior to these uncivilized This-worlders, in front of her.
“Is work that busy?”
Rapiel had been so busy she hadn’t even been able to witness Shishiroka’s final moments.
I remembered how, despite seeing her every day, she had arrived too late at the very end, swallowing her tears.
“The Magic Tower has been in total chaos lately. Work keeps piling up and getting pushed my way. Despite how I look, I am the Vice Tower Master, after all.”
I knew she was of the Grace Magic Tower Master’s bloodline, but I didn’t know she held the position of Vice Master.
“Anyway, I’m suffering unspeakably because of this recent incident.”
“So, don’t tell me you summoned this unworthy disciple to kick him out because you can’t look after him anymore?”
“Want to leave?”
“I’ve already buried my bones here.”
As if I’d give up a bed free of cockroach friends.
Rapiel’s expression softened a bit, perhaps refreshed by my joke.
I quickly went behind her and massaged her shoulders, causing her face to relax even more.
“I really did take in one good disciple.”
“A capable disciple, indeed.”
“Right. So, I have a favor to ask of that capable disciple.”
“I feel like I should help you with a bath first.”
“D-Do I... do I smell?”
I didn't answer.
Rapiel checked her collar, the tips of her winged ears turning bright red.
So, the Angel Tribe’s winged ears turn red when they’re embarrassed.
That’s new.
“Ahem, hmm. Anyway, the request itself isn’t difficult. It’s a job where you go somewhere, state my name, and bring someone back.”
“Why send me of all people?”
“Right now, among the people who can use my name, there’s no one with free hands.”
I see.
Well, I am Rapiel’s disciple, technically.
It probably means the situation requires someone with the status of her disciple to save face.
“Well, fine. Going somewhere isn’t hard. I could use some fresh air anyway.”
As I spoke, I realized Rapiel’s intention a little better.
Since I’ve been cooped up in the mansion lately, she probably wanted me to get some air.
Rapiel’s love for her disciples is truly something else.
“Great. Since Soun’s disciple said they would go with you, there shouldn’t be any big problems. They’re an acquaintance of Soun’s, too.”
“By disciple, do you mean Sohan?”
“Huh? No.”
I had a bad feeling.
A very bad feeling.
“It’s Aranseol.”
Damn, that fucking racist fox.
I roughly understood the situation.
Aranseol must have hidden her true nature and pretended to be nice in front of Soun and Rapiel.
So she couldn’t possibly refuse Soun’s suggestion.
In the end, I set off on a journey alone with Aranseol. In my hand was the letter Rapiel had given me.
Summer was approaching.
We were standing in the scorching sun, wordlessly waiting for the regular carriage.
Public transport in this world is the carriage.
Not a normal carriage, but a massive wagon capable of carrying thirty people easily.
The thing pulling it wasn’t a horse, but a large animal resembling a rhinoceros.
We would take this regular carriage to the airfield.
From there, we’d take an airship to finally reach our destination.
Since it was quite a long distance, Rapiel must have sent me.
My eyes flicked toward Aranseol.
I heard the Horned Tribe’s country is relatively cold.
The Human realm’s capital has four distinct seasons, so summer is hot.
Perhaps because she was weak to the heat, beads of sweat were forming on her face. Sweat rolled down her cheek, past her white neck, and into her cleavage.
I didn’t want to get caught staring, so I looked away.
Aranseol and I hadn’t exchanged a single word since leaving the mansion.
I don’t negotiate with racists.
Actually, I shouldn’t have pretended to be friendly from the start.
I only bothered because I didn’t want Rapiel to worry, but now the situation is just a headache.
At least if Sohan were here, we could have talked, but Soun took him for some job.
Anyway, that guy is never helpful when it matters.
Maem-maem—
Cicadas exist in this world, too.
They scream annoyingly, desperate to mate.
Still, thanks to them, the awkward silence was filled with cicada cries, making it bearable.
Rustle—
To escape the silence, I unfolded the map.
The place I was heading to for Rapiel’s request was a forest where Fairies lived. The chief of the Fairy Tribe there was the acquaintance Rapiel wanted to ask for help.
Since it was quite a distance, it would take a considerable amount of time.
Just then, I felt a gaze and looked to the side; Aranseol was glancing at the map too. She must be curious about how far we have to go.
I don’t like that she’s a racist, but a companion is a companion.
I handed the map over, and Aranseol took it without a word.
It’s not like we made a bet on who would speak first.
I don’t know what we’re doing.
But I can’t lose.
I won’t even open my mouth.
Aranseol must have had the same thought because she handed the map back silently.
A short while later, the regular carriage arrived.
We paid our fares and boarded.
Since there were many people, there was only one empty seat.
So, I immediately sat in it.
Aranseol glared at me for a moment.
Naturally, I ignored her gaze.
She stands all day during training anyway, so standing again should be fine.
Aranseol eventually decided to grab the handle and stand instead of sitting.
“Regular Carriage 103, departing.”
With the attendant's voice, the carriage kicked up dust and began to move.
The regular carriage had cooling magic, but it wasn’t as cool as air conditioning.
Perhaps because of that, the heat from the people and the summer weather made it quite stuffy.
Can’t these uncivilized This-worlders invent AC first?
There are plenty of Transferees; I wish someone would develop it.
As I was fervently hoping for that, the carriage sped along.
People got on and off along the way, but the number of passengers didn’t decrease much.
I realized it anew: Koreans have very little body odor.
Added to that, these damn This-worlders have hygiene standards far lower than modern society, making it even more extreme.
I just wish I’d get rhinitis and lose my sense of smell.
While I was thinking that, something dripped onto my head.
I tilted my head up, and there was Aranseol, her face covered in sweat.
Her collar was soaked through, revealing glimpses of her skin underneath.
But more than that, her face was a spectacle.
It looked like it was on the verge of melting.
Her face was flushed bright red, and her breathing was ragged.
I knew what it was the moment I saw it.
“Ah, damn it! Here, we’re getting off! Getting off!”
Heatstroke.
Before something worse happened, I shouted, grabbed Aranseol, and hurried out of the regular carriage.
I dragged her to a nearby tea house and sat her down in a cool spot.
Aranseol must have been out of it because she just let herself be dragged along.
Rapiel had given me plenty of money for food on the road. I ordered a random cold drink and activated Holy Magic on Aranseol.
To think the first person I’d heal would be Aranseol.
Once the Holy Magic took effect, she seemed to feel better; her expression relaxed a little. The heat radiating from her face subsided, and the redness faded significantly.
“Shall I bring a fan?”
The employee noticed Aranseol’s condition and brought a fan.
“During this season, the Horned Tribe or Beast Tribes often get heatstroke.”
So that’s why they have them ready.
“Thank you. We’ll use it well.”
As I fanned Aranseol, focus slowly returned to her eyes.
Then, she met my eyes as I fanned her and asked blankly.
“...What are you doing?”
“Saving a person.”
Aranseol slowly looked around.
Realizing it was a tea house, she tried to stand up.
“I’m sure we were on the carriage...”
“It’s heatstroke. Don’t move uselessly and sit. Resting is the answer.”
I fanned her harder, and a question filled Aranseol’s eyes.
A look asking ‘Why are you taking care of me?’
True, Aranseol and I didn’t have a good relationship.
More accurately, Aranseol drew a line with me.
“That kind of stuff doesn’t matter when a person is dying.”
I have no intention of putting my pride over someone dying.
This is a truth I learned after coming to this world.
Dropped into this world with nothing in my hands.
Being killed, having my pockets emptied—living through that, I realized something.
In the end, a person cannot survive alone without the goodwill of others.
The reason I can eat and sleep comfortably today is thanks to Bulldog’s goodwill and Rapiel’s goodwill.
If I survived through goodwill, the answer is to return it with goodwill.
Of course, if someone stabs me, I’ll stab them back.
But at the very least, I don’t intend to ignore a dying person just because we don’t get along.
Because just as I don’t want to die, others probably don’t want to die either.
Aranseol stared at me blankly.
Then, slowly, she opened her lips.
“...Thanks.”
At least she knows how to say thank you.
I’m glad she’s not completely shameless.
“If you’re weak to heat, say so in advance next time. Heatstroke is scarier than you think.”
People don’t die from heatstroke on construction sites in the summer for no reason.
Aranseol seemed to realize she had messed up, as she didn’t say much else.
After that, the conversation between Aranseol and me increased slightly.
It was only to the extent of stating what we needed, but it was a huge development.
Before long, we finally arrived at the airfield.
“This is the airfield. The exit is on the right, so please check before you get off.”
People poured out into the airfield.
Aranseol had a This-world version of a cooling patch stuck to her forehead.
Seeing that stuck on her pretty, expressionless face was a little funny.
“...Don’t laugh.”
She’s sharp.
Seeing the airship in person, it was even more massive than I expected.
After paying and boarding, it soon rose into the sky.
The driving force moving the airship was magic.
Just how far does magic apply in this world?
They say sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic.
Conversely, sufficiently advanced magic was indistinguishable from science.
Of course, even if magic is advanced, civic consciousness is far removed from modern times.
These uncivilized medieval This-worlders remain the same.
Even now, many were glancing at Aranseol.
It was because Aranseol’s appearance stood out so much.
If they knew what she was like inside, they wouldn’t look at her like that.
I glanced at Aranseol and our eyes met.
She held a staring contest for a moment, then shrugged and looked away.
For some reason, she seemed to be gloating, which was a bit annoying.
Well, she probably knows best that she’s pretty.
Still, since I’m annoyed, I won’t tell her she hasn’t taken the cooling patch off her forehead yet.
I should just finish the job quickly and go back.
The airship continued to move forward.
“Oh.”
Following Aranseol’s voice, I looked up and finally saw a dense forest and an exceptionally large tree.
A tree so massive it seemed to touch the clouds in the sky.
The symbol of the Fairy Forest and the home of the Fairy Tribe.
The Breath Tree.
A tree said to hold the breath of the world.
They said the airship would pass over the Fairy Forest and land in a nearby village.
We should be landing soon.
That’s what I thought.
“Uh, isn’t something flying over there?”
Until a child clinging to the airship window pointed something out.
KWA-AAAA-AAANG!
And something that flew in smashed the airship’s power source.