The purple flowers that grew in the mana pool bloomed for about fifteen days. By counting from the day I’d first climbed Sherzon Mountain with Old Badger and the three other adventurers, I realized there wasn’t much time left. And so, today, we were climbing Sherzon Mountain once again.
At first, I’d thought Liluetta and Yune would refuse because of how exhausting this hike was for them. Thankfully, I didn’t need to worry about that. The girls told me this was a great opportunity to build stamina. They insisted, actually, and I could tell they were determined.
Maybe, just maybe, that place is becoming something special for them too. That thought made me feel all warm inside.
There was one problem, though. Determination didn’t make the climb any easier.
“Let’s take a break here.” I gazed up at the clear blue sky visible through the gaps between the leafy branches of a large and sturdy tree. We’d made good progress since our last break, and the thick roots here formed natural seats beneath the cool shade. In other words, it was an ideal resting spot for us.
Liluetta slumped against the tree trunk and crouched down to catch her breath. “We already climbed this mountain yesterday, but it’s still quite the challenge.”
“Ohhh, my lady, are you all right?” Yune fussed over her. Compared to Liluetta, Yune seemed to have slightly more stamina. But judging by the sweat trickling down her cheeks, she wasn’t holding up much better.
I gripped my spear as I kept watch on our surroundings, then checked the position of the sun. Our pace was about the same as yesterday, but we didn’t need to search for our destination today. We could go straight to the mana pool, gather the herbs, and head back to town. That gave us more time to spare, so there was no real need to rush. The breeze was refreshing, and taking a slightly longer break wouldn’t hurt.
“Oh, right. You two should be careful,” I warned. “Sometimes slimes drop down from the trees.”
“Wha...?!”
“Eek!”
Both of them jumped in surprise the moment they heard what I’d said.
Wow, they jumped really far. I didn’t think they would react like that.
I tried reassuring them a little. “I already checked our surroundings, so we should be fine. But still, we’re in the wilderness. So even when you’re resting, you should always stay alert just in case.”
“I-I’m not afraid of slimes!” Liluetta declared. “I’ll take them down with my magic bullets!”
Magic bullets, huh? The priest back in my village had a book about heroes, and I remembered reading about that kind of magic. It was a spell that shot arrows of pure energy. But was that really the best idea?
“If a slime drops from above, it’ll probably stick to your head or shoulders. Are you sure it’s a good idea to shoot magic bullets in that situation?” I asked. “Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”
Liluetta faltered. “Ugh!” was all she could say.
Yeah, I figured it was a bad idea. Waine had once complained about a slime slipping under his armor, and he’d had a miserable time dealing with it. If a monster latched onto you and you tried to blast it off, you’d probably end up hurting yourself. It was best to spot enemies from a distance and avoid them entirely.
“Kiri-o, have you ever had a slime fall on you?”
I shook my head. “Nope. But I have run into one before.”
“Ooooh!”
Why does she sound impressed?
“I ran away, though,” I told her. “Lucky for me, slimes are slow.”
“You should’ve at least fought it,” Liluetta muttered in exasperation as she made her way back under the tree. After carefully checking above to make sure nothing was lurking, she spread a handkerchief over the exposed roots and sat down. Yune hesitated for a moment before cautiously sitting next to her.
Slimes were weak monsters, so I could understand why she’d say that. But things had been different back when I’d encountered that slime for the first time. Running was the smartest choice when you had no equipment.
I wondered how I’d do against a slime now that I had armor and a real weapon. They moved slowly, and I could probably fight them safely thanks to my spear’s reach. Still, it was a little scary. Could I really take down a slime with just a spear?
“If a slime really did fall from above, I might not be able to use my magic bullets. But if I see one from a distance, I can definitely take it down,” Liluetta said.
I nodded. “Okay, I’ll leave it to you when the time comes.”
Magic bullets could be fired from far away. That had to be safer than fighting with a spear. I didn’t know how powerful the spell was, but Liluetta seemed confident in her abilities. So I figured I could trust her to handle any slimes we encountered.
Also, magic bullets sounded pretty cool. I kind of wanted to see it in action. Maybe I could ask her to demonstrate... But if it made a loud noise, it might attract beasts or monsters.
Probably best to hold off, I thought. So instead, I asked, “What other spells can you use, Liluetta?”
So far, I knew she could use detection and magic bullets. And that made me even more curious. What else did she know? In stories about heroes, there were spells that could do all sorts of things like teleporting someone to another place in an instant, summoning lightning from the sky, and even constructing massive stone ships.
“I can’t use anything too advanced yet,” Liluetta replied. “But I know magic bullets, light, ignition, detection, perception, fear, and magic resistance. Oh, and I’m currently studying weapon enhancement.”
“That’s a lot!” I was shocked. She knew seven spells—eight, if you included the one she was still learning.
“Of course. Magia is all-powerful.” Liluetta lifted her chin proudly.
Magia is all-powerful. That’s the second time she’s said that. If I learn magia, does that mean I’ll be able to do anything?
“I can’t use them yet, but I plan to master water walk and levitation in the future,” Liluetta added.
“You mean walking on water? And flying through the air?!”
“Exactly. If I can go more places, it will give me a huge advantage as an adventurer.”
That sounded amazing. With those skills, she could cross rivers and climb cliffs just like that. She could literally go anywhere. In that case, she could collect herbs from all sorts of places—maybe even places Old Badger had never been to.
“Magia is incredible,” I said.
Liluetta looked pleased. “Of course it is. I’ve spent years training, after all.”
“My lady’s room is filled with thick, heavy books, you know.” Yune puffed out her chest like she was the one who’d studied so hard.
That made me smile. I could tell the two of them were close, and it was honestly kind of cute. And Liluetta really was impressive. Not only had she learned all those spells, something that had to be extremely difficult, but she was still studying and trying to learn more.
A sharp cry resounded from somewhere high above our heads. I looked up and saw a hawk circling in the brilliant blue sky. Not a single cloud was in sight. Against that vast backdrop, the lone hawk spread its wings wide and soared freely through the air.
I glanced at Liluetta and Yune. They, too, were captivated by the hawk.
Liluetta is incredible, and her spells are definitely useful for adventuring. Once she builds up her stamina, I’m sure she’ll take flight just like that hawk. Yune’s a healer, which already makes her an asset to any party. On top of that, her gentle demeanor means she’ll get along with other adventurers.
These two could use magic. Sooner or later, they would go far, far beyond where I could reach. As I watched the hawk carve graceful circles in the sky, I truly felt like that was inevitable.
Magic is really amazing. If I work hard enough, can I learn to use it too?