Volume 2 Chapter 1: Doubt

(Walson)

The days after that, I almost didn't have any conversations with Grace, or to be specific, only the most basic of communications happened between us.

"Good morning", "breakfast is ready", "It's lunchtime", "You can take a shower first", "goodnight"... our relationship was down to the freezing point.

As for the amulet I gifted her, while I cleaned up the campsite the next day, I found a charred wooden trinket decorated with cherry blossom shapes in between the leftovers of the campfire.

Because it was made of [Millennium Fairy Wood], normal fires can't burn it easily, so it wasn't really damaged apart from being smoked and appearing charred, but seeing it thrown in the fire made me feel... something...

It's a pretty valuable material, and I spent a lot of time on carving it.

This made me rethink if I want to finish Grace's staff, if I don't, then months of my hard work will go to waste, falling unconscious and waking up repeatedly, everything I did will be for nothing; but if I did... I don't really want to see the staff all on its lonesome in the dumpster a few days later.

...But this is something I promised Grace, that I will finish a staff and give it to her, and up until now she has only been using a normal beginner staff.

Maybe, maybe... she's waiting for me to finish this staff...

…

...

... Hah, even I feel unsure when saying that.

I held my head and lay down on the driver's seat, looking at the sunny and cloudless sky, I let out a sigh.

Remembering the past, she would always follow me behind my back, letting me show her the view of the mountain; or she'll learn a new magic and excitedly run over and show it to me, hoping to get a compliment or words of support.

...But now... why, Grace, why are you betraying me? What went wrong? Did I do something horrible to her?

If that was the case, why do I have no memory of it whatsoever... wait, perhaps precisely because I couldn't even remember what I did, which makes it horrible?

OMG, I'm mentally forty! Why am I so bad at things relating to relationships? If my life was made into a documentary I bet I can feel the peanut gallery raging at me. - They are probably raging right now, aren't they?

Then, should I go and apologize to Grace? Apologize and then... I don't know what comes after that, some wounds simply can't be healed.

I've said this in the past, that everything in the secret base can't be leaked to anyone. Of course, I've been constantly reminding Grace and Melon, and putting my trust in them, but Grace brought a group of outsiders to conduct a carpet search.

That is basically telling me to die... Thinking of it like that, even the fact that we didn't fight is a miracle, so wanting our relationship to return to what it was before, is pretty much impossible.

Whatever, why am I thinking about it so much? I just need to bring Grace to the capital, then we can part and go our separate ways.

My plans for the future are still unclear. As of now, I want to become a merchant, as for Melon... wait, Melon should also be able to attend school, right?

Hmm... I think the Royal Academy isn't just training [Mages], but [Fighters] as well, so I could consider sending her to school, the money I currently have should be enough to fund her training and studies. If combat training in the academy doesn't work out, at least she gets to study reading and writing.

Although I have taught her quite a bit, Melon has always been lacking in reading and writing, since we live in a rural place, she hasn't had many chances to practice either.

Ahh! Maybe have her become an adventurer instead? She seemed interested in that.

Anyways, no matter if she's going to school or becoming an adventurer, a place to settle down is a must, perhaps I have to consider finding a place to stay in the Capital.

With all these complicated feelings and thoughts swimming in my head, we arrived.

The Capital, City of Tegittan.

Tegittan, also the name of the country, and the name of the royal family, with king Tegittan XIX as the current ruler.

The capital is named after the royal family, and the size of the entire city is at least ten times bigger than Saddin. Apart from regular land transportation, this city also has very convenient and prospering water transport, and the canals flowing throughout has a European feel to it all.

In this city, the canals leading in all directions are the main method of transportation, countless public water transports called "Capinoes" sails amidst them, giving the city of Teggitan the name "City of Water".

This city is said to have been built on top of the [Maze of Aqua], the water flows from the maze using some kind of method of extraction, the minerals in the water also provides for the plentiful crops in villages near it, which in turn, has made the economy great in the Capital.

The entire Teggitan city is divided into five areas, there's the Activity district, Livelihood district, Nobility district, Castle district, and Academy district.

Apart from the various trade guilds in the activity district, institutes similar to governmental administrative departments or Adventurer's Guilds are also set in this place, the branch office of [Eyes of the Night Cat] we'll visit later is also located there.

There are way more things in the livelihood district, other than the houses, there're markets and shops right next to the academy, and you could simply treat this as a mixed pot with a little bit of everything included.

The nobility district is home for the nobles, while the castle is where the royal family lives

Lastly, the academy district. This country values the education of [Fighters] and [Mages], it's evident as they planned an area just for educating, and this is also Grace's destination.

Well, although I explained so much... we're still stuck outside of the city because of the wolf-drawn wagon.

Apart from being asked a lot of questions - borderline interrogation, really - there's also much explaining to do, which I admit, is my fault... I forgot that bringing Rifle would cause many problems, looks like I'll have to visit the Adventurer's Guild to register it as a work-beast.

"Hey, what's happening?" Hearing the commotion, the leader of the soldiers came over.

It was a square-faced bald man with a stubbly chin, and after seeing the wolf wagon, his expression changed.

"Ahh! Might you be the new guy, Walson?"

"Ahh, hello senior Cadan." I helplessly stuck my tongue out.

This was mentioned before, that someone from [Eyes of the Night Cat] joined the army in the Capital, which was this guy right here.

"It's alright, Oi! These people are alright, let them in! Sorry but I'm still on duty, I won't go to the branch office until the end of this month, sorry again! New guy!"

Knowing a lot of people makes everything easier no matter where you are, networking and making connections always benefit business. It's like this in my past life, and it's the same here too. After the four adventurers said goodbye to Cadan, we finally entered the city.

Our new life is about to begin.