Ch. 216
“Were you upset because of me?”
When I asked while dropping down beside him, he flustered.
“……I know I’m a nuisance. I didn’t mean to bother you.”
“Hmm…… I’m going to the Magic Tower now. Want to come with me?”
Ash nodded immediately, as if he’d been waiting.
“I’m going to send letters to my friends. Should I tell you about them? There’s Mia and Iruze.”
He kept nodding. That alone seemed to satisfy him. Seriously, he’s such an easy man.
“Come to think of it, you know Iruze, right? Remember when we were kidnapped together? The one with the pink hair.”
“I remember.”
“Ah, she wanted to be one of your bride candidates…… Do you remember that too?”
“That will never happen.”
“Are you being serious right now?”
“Yes. That wont happen.”
I chuckled as I stroked the hand Ash had wrapped around my waist.
Does he like me that much? Truly, he has good taste in people. That’s an Emperor’s quality.
Though being swayed by me isn’t exactly admirable…… Ash likes being swayed by me! As long as everyone’s happy!
And if he enjoys being swayed, isn’t that a great favor?
[Ah, I feel it. I feel it……!]
[Don’t.]
[I can feel Master’s baseless confidence exploding again!]
[Shut up, you quack!]
Seriously, he never knows how to keep quiet. Maybe he’ll only come to his senses if I shove a Crystal Ball into his mouth.
[You’re really going to die. I told you not to interrupt when Ash and I are in that atmosphere!]
[So when are you getting married? What’s the plan for the second generation? I think a daughter who looks like Ash would be nice. If she looks like Master, then there’d be two Masters, right? Creepy……!]
Not worth responding to.
—
That night, I was sprawled on the bed, eating the snacks I’d bought earlier. Times like this, having a room to myself was perfect.
I dug through the books delivered to the inn, and surprisingly, there were quite a few treasures that caught my eye.
Not enough to spark my adventurous spirit, but with all the money I had, I’d gladly buy them if someone ever found them.
I checked the treasures I liked, and before realizing it, the edges of the pages were full of my markings.
[See! Master is the embodiment of desire!]
“No? I don’t have any greed. Don’t you know Water Spirit Mages are supposed to be pure?”
[Are you licking your lips right now?]
I hadn’t thought much about it before, but the ancients really left behind an astounding number of legacies.
Countless treasures with incredible powers existed, and countless more hadn’t been discovered.
Their existence was recorded, but humans had no way of knowing where they were buried. Frustrating for them, fascinating for me.
Strangely, reading these books was fun. I felt like I understood history buffs a little.
“Ooh…… It says these shoes won’t tire your feet no matter how long you walk! I like this too!”
[You don’t walk enough to get tired anyway, do you?]
“This one is good too. It looks like thin cloth, but they say it’s as soft as a cloud when you lie on it. Heavenly softness! It’d be perfect as a sleeping bag.”
[Huh? How much more do you plan to lie down?]
“Oh my, I have to buy this!”
I spent several days being lazy, flipping through the books like they were a shopping catalog.
I read all night, slept when the sun came up, woke up when it was already high in the sky, did Mana training half-asleep, and felt refreshed afterward.
Then I ate brunch, went back to my room, and rolled around again.
If I had leftover energy, I summoned Undine for a bath, then lay in my underwear and breathed at the ceiling.
After living like this for three days, I definitely felt happier.
“You look like you’re in a good mood today?”
“Chad, you look more handsome than a booger today too.”
“I don’t think that’s a compliment?”
“More importantly, did you get the ticket?”
“Ah, well…… I went to the house written on the introduction letter, but they weren’t home. I’m going to try again today.”
“You know there are three days left until Toomdra, right?”
I’m watching you.
I pointed at my eyes with two fingers, then pointed at Chad’s. A silent warning.
If Chad failed, I’d just buy one from scalpers. Rumor said the premium was fifty times the price, but honestly, money meant nothing to me.
It’s just a number.
“Geez, you’re really pressuring me! I’ll wait all night if I have to, so don’t worry!”
“I’m not worried because if you fail, I’ll stand on your head to watch!”
“You know I’m having dinner with Akia tomorrow, right!”
“I know! I’m a hundred times smarter than you!”
After passing Chad, the next person I ran into in the hallway was Ash. First time I’d seen him in two days, but he looked exactly the same.
“Geenie, what are you doing that you don’t leave your room?”
“I’m not doing anything? And I come out to eat.”
“……What about the medicine? Are you taking it properly?”
I was meeting Akia tomorrow because my medicine was supposed to be almost gone.
But I still had two days’ worth left from the three-day supply she’d given me. I’d stretched one day’s worth over three.
Not because I was saving it. My body felt fine, and honestly, I kept putting it off because it was a hassle.
But if Ash found out I hadn’t taken it, he’d get serious. I’d promised to take it properly, so he’d been leaving me alone.
“Of course, I ate it all!”
“That’s a relief. You look like you’re in good condition too.”
“…….”
“If you don’t have plans today, how about going sightseeing together…….”
“Then I have something to do, so I’ll be going!”
“Going out…… Geenie?”
I ran into my room like fleeing, locked the door, and immediately hid the remaining medicine.
But the bag was too full and wouldn’t close, so I flipped it upside down.
Half the things that spilled out were useless junk. I tossed them aside and buried the medicine at the bottom of the bag, then decided it still wasn’t safe and grabbed the Magic Pouch.
That was also a disaster inside, so I ended up cleaning everything I’d been avoiding for months.
“Rai, take out what I put in you too.”
While sorting, I realized I’d collected quite a few treasures on this trip.
The first was Rubao’s Compass, a gift from Adelaide. Before that was the Dragon Heart, but……
[Why…… Why are you looking at me like that? I didn’t do anything wrong today…….]
A passing Metal Spirit had absorbed it. A true tragedy.
If I ever need to cry on command, I can think of that moment.
I put Rubao’s Compass and the two Spirit Stones Anel gave me together.
“What’s the status of the Spirit Stone restoration?”
[Um, about three-quarters!]
“You said you’d fix it in about three months. It’s been three months.”
[Master made me do a lot of unnecessary things. I couldn’t concentrate…….]
“Crotch protector.”
[I’m sorry. I kept forgetting because I was distracted. I’ve been working hard on restoring it since you put it in my stomach.]
Then it was best to leave it in Rai’s stomach again.
I continued organizing—this goes in Rai, this goes in my luggage, that goes in the Magic Pouch—and then I found something I’d forgotten.
It was tucked in my belongings.
“They said the Scale of Heios only works if you wear it on your body, right?”
[That’s right.]
“I should ask Ash to make it into a necklace.”
I placed the shining Mermaid’s Scale on the bed where I’d easily see it.
Reflecting on all the treasures I’d collected was surprisingly fun.
This bracelet I always wore was also a favorite.
I’d gotten it after saving that Dark Elf, and I wanted more if possible.
Still, if I had to choose the most valuable treasure from this trip, it was unquestionably the ring.
Tears of Truth.
Considering its historical value, it might exceed even the Dragon Heart. It was said to be made by God—what could compare?
I even located the Goblet of the Golden Star, thanks to Ash.
Objectively, my gains this trip were exceptional.
This is the level of this body…….
[Master! Ash is coming! Ash!]
“Ah! No!”
I rushed to hide the remaining medicine. I am not someone who gets scolded for forgetting medicine!
—
The festival started today. And Toomdra, the main event, would take place in exactly three days.
The city was suffocating under the sheer number of people who’d gathered from across the continent.
If not for my dinner appointment with Akia, I would never willingly cross this packed square.
I wanted to roll around in my room, but going out was such a bother.
“I’m serious! I waited almost all night! But what can I do if the homeowner never returns? It’s not my fault!”
Under the bright afternoon sun, our group crossed through the square while Chad defended himself.
The main topic: Chad still hadn’t secured the Toomdra ticket, and he felt wronged.
“What now?”
“I was too naive trusting the introduction letter Lox wrote. Shouldn’t we try a different route?”
“What route? Haven’t you heard scalpers are out of stock and setting whatever price they want?”
“I heard someone bought two tickets for 24 Gold yesterday.”
I clicked my tongue at Gale and Enk’s conversation.
“Crazy, crazy.”
If 24 Gold is roughly a million won per Gold…… yikes.
“And someone spent 100 Gold just to pass through the city gate quickly.”
“……That’s us.”
“Yeah…… Word really spread. The local God of Spending.”
This was not the time to judge others.
I snapped at the four men staring at me with disapproval.
“What are you looking at! Being this popular wherever I go is also a talent!”
“I guess so…….”
“Yes, of course…….”
I saved their lives, so maybe I should take them back. Unfortunately, they were largely useless.
[Master, Master!]
[What?]
Rai, in wolf form, had his ears perked.
He did look cute.
[The compass is reacting. The one you put in my stomach.]
He meant Rubao’s Compass. Yesterday, when I asked Ash to make the Scale of Heios into a necklace, I’d checked to make sure Rubao’s Compass no longer reacted to him.
Which meant it was reacting to someone else who missed me.
[It must be Akia.]
[It’s not pointing in the direction we’re going, though?]
[Then maybe Chad, Enk, Gale?]
[It’s not pointing at them either. I can feel exactly where—it’s in my stomach. Metal senses metal!]
If the person was far, the needle barely moved. If they were close, it reacted violently.
“Geenie, wait.”
Even Ash suddenly stopped, looking unsettled.
He stared in the same direction as Rai, brows furrowed, voice low with uncertainty.
“Someone…… from over there.”
The sharp focus in his eyes was unexpectedly captivating.
He usually behaved like a gentle herbivore, so seeing him like a hunting beast was rare. After a brief silence, he nodded.
“I’m sure of it. Someone is looking for you.”
“Me?”