The ruins were located in the big city’s underground waterways.
I planned to take her to the big city anyway as a victory reward, so it worked out well.
We can play around a bit after finishing the ruin exploration.
“Wo-wow…”
Lena’s expression was quite bright after hearing the map’s contents received from Baltin. It’s understandable for her to react like that since it’s her first time going to the big city.
“You’re not going to be too excited to sleep, are you?”
“Ah, no-no I’m not…!”
Why not.
There are cases where you get too excited for a field trip and stay up all night, unable to sleep properly.
In my view, Lena is exactly that type. I feel like she won’t be able to sleep well due to the excitement.
“If you want, I can put you to sleep.”
“Eh, how? Li-like, staying next to me un-until I fall asleep…? Pe-personally, I-I would prefer if you he-held my hand tightly!!”
Snorting, Lena’s eyes sparkled, but I can’t do such a bothersome thing.
“I can knock you out cold until tomorrow morning.”
I swung my fist in the air. Hearing the whoosh of air being hit, Lena’s face turned pale.
“… I-I’ll sleep alone!”
If she got hit properly on the chin just once, she’d be able to sleep soundly until tomorrow morning.
I watched Lena, whose excitement had quickly subsided, enter her room and sit at the table.
“Phew…”
Another long day has ended.
Sipping whiskey purchased from the village, I checked Lena’s growth rate.
The Multiple-Magic Arrow that could be seen even during her time as the Silent Witch was properly manifesting in natural magic, not dark magic.
And the growth rate is also fast enough to be considered almost a bug.
At this rate, I can say that teaching advanced magic will be done within a year.
The problem is what comes next.
My goal ends with teaching advanced magic, but considering Lena’s future, I think it would be better to send her to the Ivory Tower.
The Ivory Tower.
It’s an educational institution that all mages want to attend, and thanks to its magic-specialized education, it’s a place that mages view more favorably than the Academy.
In reality, mages from the Ivory Tower are indeed stronger.
In the main story, there was an event where you interact with exchange students from the Ivory Tower.
It was no easy task to defeat those mages back then.
Anyway, if I think about Lena’s future, putting her in the Ivory Tower would be better for her.
I sipped my whiskey and glanced towards Lena’s room.
The sound of even breathing indicated that she was sleeping well.
If I only think about my greed, it would be better to send Lena to the Academy instead of the Ivory Tower.
If both Sowol and Lena came to the Academy, it would become easier to see the true ending with the help of two powerhouses that couldn’t exist in the original work.
But that’s literally just my greed.
If I think about Lena’s future, sending her to the Ivory Tower would indeed be the right thing.
Yeah. Just grow up strong and healthy.
I stared towards Lena’s room and sipped my whiskey.
.
.
.
There wasn’t much to prepare.
We just needed to move.
As we couldn’t ride horses like when we were in the Eastern Merchant Group, we left the cottage early in the morning.
“Hmm, hmm hmm. Hmm. Hmm hmm hmm~!”
Lena was so excited that she kept humming.
Patting her head, I arrived at the highway and spread out a mat to sit on.
“Wh-why are you doing that he-here?”
“When traveling via the highway, you can just walk, but the best thing is to hitch a ride on someone else’s wagon.”
“Ah. I-is that so?”
“Yeah. Generally, you pay a small amount of money to ride their wagon, but if you’re strong, you often make an escort contract and move together.”
It’s a method often used in the game when going back and forth between different regions.
Of course, if you have a lot of money, you can just purchase a horse or hire a wagon to travel.
I have quite a bit of money from the Eastern Merchant Group, so I could do that, but it would be good for Lena to experience this kind of thing if it’s to help her.
“…Me-meeting other people…?”
“Yeah.”
Perhaps because she might have to travel with unfamiliar people?
Lena’s face, which was already pale, turned even paler.
But this is also an experience. It won’t hurt to do it.
“Ah. There they come.”
Dust was rising in the distance. Looking closely, two wagons were traveling on the highway.
One of the two wagons just passed by. It looked like a nice wagon at a glance, so there seemed to be a noble riding inside.
After the wagon they were riding passed, a large wagon following behind stopped in front of where we were shortly after.
“Travelers?”
“Haha. Yes. We’re going to Greenhild.”
“We happen to be going to Greenhild as well. If you’re skilled, we can take you as escorts, and if not, we can give you a ride for ten copper coins.”
“Our skills aren’t bad. We’re both mages, after all.”
“Mages? We’re honored to have such rare individuals with us. Please get on.”
The coachman, who seemed to be the wagon’s owner, pointed to the back.
When I went with Lena, there were four people who seemed to be a family already riding inside.
“Hello.”
“Oh my. It’s nice to meet you. Hoho.”
A plump, good-natured middle-aged woman greeted us with a smile.
Perhaps because she reminded her of Luceia, Lena’s expression softened a little.
But that was only for a moment.
“Wow~! A pretty big sister!”
“Big sister! Do you want to play dolls with us?!”
Two girls who seemed to be daughters approached Lena with sparkling eyes.
Lena, who is particularly weak to children, especially those who cling to her without holding back, turned pale again and looked at me as if asking what to do.
The meaning contained in her gaze asking for help was evident.
But this is also an experience.
Cheer up. My disciple.
I subtly avoided her gaze and greeted the man who seemed to be the husband.
With a good-natured appearance like the middle-aged woman, he smiled and prepared a seat for us.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Oskal.”
“It’s nice to meet you too. I’m Lee Hyun. This is my disciple, Lena.”
“Ah, uh, um. Ni-nice to meet you.”
I’m proud of Lena, who, despite being frozen stiff, bowed deeply to greet them.
I thought she would just freeze up or hide behind me.
Seeing Lena, who admirably greeted them properly, being led away by the girls, I sat in an empty seat and looked around the wagon.
“Judging by the large amount of luggage, it seems like you’re moving.”
“Haha. That’s right. We decided to open a store in Greenhild.”
“Oh. Is that so? What kind of store are you opening…”
“We’re planning to open a bakery. We went for market research last time, and the taste of the bread there was terrible. The prices were high, too.”
“Is that so? It seems like your wife’s cooking skills are amazing.”
“Hahaha! My wife’s skills are truly outstanding. And I’m also second to none when it comes to making pastries. Ah. Would you like to try one?”
Grinning, he handed me a few cookies.
When I tried them, they were quite delicious, just as he proudly claimed.
If they sold these at the Academy, they would sell well, right?
I should suggest it to them later.
“It-it’s delicious!”
Lena also ate a cookie, and her eyes sparkled.
That reaction must have been good. The couple’s daughters clung to Lena even more affectionately, and Lena once again asked for help.
Naturally, I ignored her this time as well.
“By the way, what business do you mages have in Greenhild? Are you going because of Lord Leven’s summons?”
Huh? Summons? What’s that?
“Ah. It seems you don’t know. I heard that Lord Leven, the lord of Greenhild, is holding an event in connection with the Ivory Tower to cultivate the city’s mages. So he’s summoning mages from nearby cities.”
Saying that, Oskal handed me the paper that was wrapping the cookies.
While munching on the cookies, I saw that they contained information about the event he mentioned.
“Te-teacher. Do you. Know. What it is?”
“It’s an event in connection with the Ivory Tower. I guess they’re holding a magic tournament or something?”
There were quite a few similar events in the game as well.
It’s a tournament that only those with special occupations can participate in, and the prizes are decent, so it was right to participate if possible.
“Uh, is, is there an in-individual match too?!”
Lena’s eyes sparkled after hearing my explanation.
It seems she gained confidence after her recent victory.
Excellent. She’s growing day by day.
“As far as I know, I heard it’s teams of three.”
“…Hnng…”
How can she become so weak? At the mention of having to add people, Lena’s inflated expectations instantly crumbled.
“Ah!”
“You thought it would be me, you, and Sylphid?”
“…Ah. It, it can’t… be?”
How could it be.
Using a spirit was one thing, but me…
“Bu-but with te-teacher’s fri…friendliness, you could at least fi-find one person…!”
“It’s a bit iffy for me to participate there.”
“Huh?! Wh-why?!”
“Since it’s an event aimed at discovering new mages who aren’t registered with the Ivory Tower, it’s a bit awkward for me to participate. I’m already an officially recognized advanced mage of the Ivory Tower, after all.”
“Oh!! You’re an even more amazing person than I thought!”
When Oskal was surprised and hurriedly changed his way of speaking at the mention of being an official mage of the Ivory Tower, Lena tilted her head.
It’s because she still doesn’t have proper knowledge about the Ivory Tower.
“Uh, is, is being an official advanced mage of the Ivory Tower th-that amazing?”
“Isn’t it obvious? It means he’s a powerful mage who can break through a mid-level ruin alone… And official mages of the Ivory Tower receive treatment equivalent to at least a viscount wherever they go, so I’m not sure if we should be acting like this with you…”
“It’s fine. Please be at ease. I’m just a humble learner.”
I acted nonchalant, but the couple’s atmosphere had already shifted.
And that applied to Lena as well.
“Wo-wow… Treatment as a noble… Wow…”
Her gaze towards me contained even more respect.
“But how did you be-become an… official mage of the Ivory Tower?”
“It’s nothing much.”
I shook my head nonchalantly.
“It’s just something I obtained after fighting a great demon for three days and four nights with Ivory Tower mages to save a crown prince, that’s all.”
I just did one event, that’s all.