Chapter 7: Until the Day We Meet Again

"Oifhi! Clarice, eat this too!"

Misha's cheerful voice echoed in the inn's dining hall.

"Yeah! Delicious! I've never eaten anything like this!"

Clarice also smacked her lips at the specially ordered spread Sasha had laid out before us.

"Hey! Misha! Don't stuff so much in your mouth at once! You'll choke! She's usually quieter... sorry about this, you two. Being so noisy in the morning."

Though she made a troubled expression, Sasha's voice was bright as she apologized.

"No, it's fun being with Misha-san. Right? Clarice."

"Yes. I'm happy, it feels like I got a little sister."

Clarice agreed, but Misha, displeased with the honorifics, washed down the food in her mouth with water and puffed out her cheeks.

"Hey Mars! Why are you suddenly acting distant!"

"That's not it. But it would be rude to call you Misha without honorifics in front of Sasha-san, right?"

At my words, Misha looked around for a reaction, asking "Eh? Is that so?"

"Well, I suppose. It depends on the situation and how close Mars-kun and I are. Mars-kun, from now on, please call her Misha without honorifics in front of me too."

When I nodded, Misha broke into a full smile and continued ferrying food into her small mouth.

"Sasha-san, may I ask you something?"

When I asked Sasha, who was watching Misha with a smile, she replied in a slightly good mood without shifting her gaze.

"Yesterday, Cyrus-san was launching slashes. What was that?"

She dodged questions about Cyrus himself, but she might answer this.

"You mean 《Water Blade》. Since you can handle both swords and Wind Magic, Mars-kun, you might be able to use it. That's called a Skill. A swordsman with magical aptitude enchants their weapon with elemental magic to generate it."

That's possible!? I have to start training this immediately!

"Ah, but you need a dedicated weapon. Also, unlike magic, skills can be generated while moving, but the power is lower and you can't fire them in rapid succession. If you try to force rapid-fire, the weapon won't perform properly, or in the worst case, it will shatter. You'll need to ask someone to teach you the nuances."

Magical aptitude and a dedicated weapon, huh... For me, that would be Wind or Lightning Magic, but Lightning is hopeless right now. Still, it's a fact that my list of things to work on has increased. I'll do it steadily without rushing.

"Phew. I'm full. Hey Mom? Can I go play outside with Mars and Clarice?"

Misha, with cream all around her mouth, tapped her slightly bulging tummy and asked.

"You can, but I want to talk a little more with Mars-kun, so you two go back to the room first."

She urged Misha and Clarice to return to the room.

"Okay! Let's go, Clarice!"

She forcibly pulled the hand of Clarice, who had just finished eating and looked like she wanted to relax a bit, back to the room.

After watching the two return to the room, Sasha placed a small hemp bag on the table.

"This is a thank you, though I can't call it a proper reward for this incident. I know this isn't enough... but searching for Misha cost quite a bit of money, so I don't have much on hand right now."

Gold coins peeked out from the hemp bag on the table. There were definitely more than ten.

"A-Are you sure about this much?"

With this much, we'd have a safety margin, but Sasha shook her head.

"For Misha, I'd pay ten times, no, a hundred times this. I'd give everything I own. So please let me thank you properly another time."

Sasha bowed her head apologetically. True, a few dozen gold coins might be cheap for her daughter's life, but we didn't help with that intention.

"No way. This is plenty. Besides, I enjoyed meeting Misha, and we are grateful for this wonderful encounter."

"I'm happy you say that, but I will definitely repay this debt."

Sasha bowed again.

"U-Um, can I ask another question?"

I asked impulsively to change the mood, and Sasha finally raised her head and smiled at me.

I guess that means it's okay.

"We've traveled through several towns, but the atmosphere of the residents and the nature of the adventurers in this town is kinda..."

"Bad?"

Sasha said the word I hesitated to say, so I nodded.

"That's because the history of how this town was built is a bit special."

History of how it was built?

"This is a story from quite a long time ago. Suppose there were people who committed serious crimes in the Kingdom of Barcus. If they could be enslaved, fine, but what about those who found no buyers? They built a town here specifically to bring those people."

"Human shields... is it?"

Since it was closest to the Forest of Magic, I guessed, and Sasha nodded, impressed.

"Sharp. Mars-kun, are you really eight? You grow fast, and you're too calm... If I didn't know you could use such high-level Wind Magic, I would have suspected you were a Holy Magic user."

Sasha said it jokingly, but that was close. Do I need to act a bit more childish?

"The people who originally lived here were, so to speak, criminals, people with shady pasts, or those inconvenient to the country or nobles. Traces of that still remain. Most things that happen here are overlooked. People familiar with the geography around here avoid passing through."

So that's why Count Beetle routed us to avoid it. But if that's the case, he should have routed us to the north of Ganal, not between the Forest of Magic and Ganal. When I thought this and showed Sasha the map I got from Count Beetle, she gave an unexpected reply.

"Even I would choose the same route as this person. Though if Mars-kun and the others were a bit older, I'd choose the route you thought of. From the northeast to the north of this town, kidnapping incidents involving children happen frequently. That's why this route was chosen."

Is that so? I feel ashamed for doubting Count Beetle even a little.

We finished our meal, and the three of us—me, Clarice, and Misha—went outside as planned. Sasha said she would join us after coordinating with the Fuuga members and the other adventurers she brought.

I thought her crisis management was a bit lax, but having sworn not to repeat the same mistake, Sasha apparently secretly assigned guards to us. Sasha herself would constantly monitor with 《Search》, so it should be safe.

Apparently, Misha was kidnapped while she was alone at the inn while Fuuga was on a Dungeon Attack.

When they returned from the Dungeon, they realized Misha, who usually waited quietly, was gone, and frantically issued a request to their adventurer friends. A few days later, they received a report that there was a request to search for an Elf slave at the Adventurer's Guild in Polo, and rushed over.

While I think it couldn't be helped, I'll have to be careful when staying with just Clarice from now on.

A voice out of place rang out in the bleak town with no stalls and no liveliness.

"Hey, hey? Maybe there's a shop over there!?"

Pointing in a direction that clearly had no people and couldn't possibly have shops, she headed that way without hesitation.

"Wait!? Misha!? Not that way!"

Clarice, acting as guardian, pulled the hand of the runaway Misha. Getting kidnapped again might just be a matter of time.

As I was thinking that, a man suddenly blocked our path.

Hands tied behind his back, rope around him, and a gag in his mouth, the man desperately screamed something at us.

"Ah. It's Dameze-san. Long time no see. You seem to have awakened to quite a hobby in the short time we haven't seen you. Well, we're in a hurry, so see you later. Have a good day."

Clarice rarely taunted anyone, but Dameze desperately made eye contact, signaling us to untie him.

"Staring at me like that... Do you perhaps have feelings for me?"

At Clarice's further taunting, Dameze screamed, his face turning bright red.

"I knew it... Face bright red... hit the mark, did I... But I'm only eight..."

It seems Clarice has no intention of forgiving Dameze. Well, he tried to kill us, and Clarice's father Grey was cut by Dameze. Dameze is in the wrong for asking a favor from someone like that.

However, Dameze didn't give up. This time he winked at Clarice, pleading to be untied.

I don't feel sorry for him, but it's gross. While I debated whether to untie him, I heard a voice from behind.

"You seem to be having fun... Is this person an acquaintance?"

Whether she heard the commotion, received a report from our secret guards, or sensed it with 《Search》, I don't know, but Sasha approached with a twitching face.

Dameze looked toward the owner of the voice just as he was trying to wink at Clarice. When Dameze's wink landed on Sasha, she covered her mouth with her hand and retched.

"Y-Yes... well, it's a bit complicated..."

"I see. Then I'll untie him."

Taking my words at face value, Sasha untied Dameze's hands and removed the gag.

I activated my still unfamiliar Vision to see if Dameze would rampage and attack Clarice, but surprisingly, no matter how much time passed, Dameze didn't move from the spot, staring at only one point.

At the end of his gaze was Sasha, looking at him like he was filth.

Despite receiving such a look, Dameze wore an expression of ecstasy.

Eh? Did he really awaken?

Having handed Dameze over to the Fuuga members, Sasha asked us.

"Is that person okay? I feel like he's been looking at me the whole time..."

"No, it's not just a feeling; he is looking."

When I explained the circumstances, Sasha's beautiful face contorted even further.

—And then, noon.

Misha's good mood lasted until the morning ended.

We had to proceed to our next destination.

"Misha, this is goodbye. It's lonely, but let's meet again if fate allows."

"It was fun talking with you, Misha. Let's meet again."

When we said our goodbyes, Misha stomped her feet and cried loudly, "No! I don't want to leave!" If possible, I didn't want to part with Misha either. Clarice probably felt the same.

Unable to watch the crying Misha, Sasha asked for our destination.

She must have seen the destination when I showed her the map regarding Count Beetle's route, so she should know, but it was probably for confirmation.

"If it's that far, it'll be hard to thank you properly..."

Sasha's expression clouded.

"Next time we meet is fine. We received things other than money, too."

If we hadn't met Misha, Clarice wouldn't have learned Barrier Magic. Heavenly Eye had leveled up before that, so Vision probably would have awakened anyway, but I also got to ask about Skills.

However, Sasha seemed desperate to thank us. After tilting her head for a while, she had a flash of inspiration.

"Hmm... Ah! That's it! Are you two going to school!?"

School? Come to think of it, Cyrus said something like that too.

"I wonder? Yesterday Cyrus-san told me to, but the future is still..."

"—Cyrus did!? What were you told!?"

Surprised by Sasha taking the bait so hard, I recalled what I was told yesterday.

"I think he said to come to the Lister National School... and to definitely use Cyrus-san's name when enrolling..."

At my words, Sasha let out a smile, looking like she couldn't help it.

"That guy, really shrewd... Mars-kun. If you'd like, why not do as Cyrus said and come to the Lister National School? You might have heard, but Lister National School is the best school in this world. With your skills, Mars-kun, you'd definitely be a scholarship student. Misha is enrolling the year she turns twelve too."

Misha, who had been crying the whole time, bit onto this topic.

"Eh!? Can we play together again!?"

Misha looked at me with swollen, pleading eyes. I can't refuse heartlessly, and I don't want to. But studying abroad in another country isn't something I can decide alone, and there's Clarice too.

Now it was my turn to worry, but Sasha threw me a lifeline.

"It's impossible to decide right now, right? I intend to understand deeply from this incident that being separated from a child is very painful, so I won't force it. But could you at least ask your parents? You too, Clarice-chan?"

The expression Sasha directed at us was the same one she directed at Misha.

"Understood. I'll try consulting my father and mother. Is that okay with you, Clarice?"

"Of course! If Mars goes, I'm going too! I want to see Misha again too!"

Finding hope that we could meet again, Misha tried her best to smile despite her swollen eyes.

"Well then, thank you for everything."

"See you later. Misha."

As we tried to leave the town with reluctant hearts, Misha's boundlessly bright voice changed the gloomy atmosphere.

"Thank you, both of you! If we meet again, I'll give Mars something special! Look forward to it!"

Turning back, I saw Misha, face messy with tears, sending us wink after wink. Clarice and I laughed aloud involuntarily, but something hot welled up in my chest.

A lake was forming in Clarice's beautiful blue eyes too.

Turning on our heels so Misha wouldn't see, we left the town of Ganal, sent off by Misha and Sasha waving their hands largely above their heads.