Chapter 48: Finding the Crows Part 9

"Do you know how to use magic?"

I turned to Roshanak and asked while we were eating a snack after breakfast.

"…Magic?"

"Yes, magic."

Half-mermaids would inherently possess a vastly greater amount of magical power compared to humans. Though still young, the amount of this energy could increase or decrease depending on how it was managed.

"…Never tried it."

"Hey. Use formal language with Master."

"What's it to you?"

"I came before you…"

Just as a petty squabble was about to erupt, I intervened and pulled the two of them apart before continuing.

"Stop it."

"But Master!"

"But he started it!"

"Enough."

"..."

"..."

When I spoke in a stern voice, silence fell instantly. Ayla who had been lying down while watching over us yawned deeply and stretched out once again.

"Let's return to our original discussion. You said you've never tried using magic before?"

"Mhmm."

As soon as the informal response slipped out again, El glared at Roshanak menacingly.

"…Yes."

"So it seems…"

Did her parents not teach her magic?

Maybe she was separated from her parents as soon as she was born.

Delving into painful pasts could be risky, so it was best not to probe further.

"Well, that's alright. You can start learning now."

"…Magic? Me?"

"Yes, magic."

"How am I supposed to…?"

I couldn't teach magic myself since I was a druid.

Just as one learns language from a language teacher, math from a math teacher, and English from an English teacher, magic should be learned from a magic teacher, right?

"Follow me. There's a place we need to go."

I led Roshanak towards Katharina's guild.

"…Is this child, that child?"

"Yes."

"You're really planning…to do 'that' with this child?"

"She's enough."

"Ha…"

I had already laid out my entire plan to Katharina.

The intention to include Roshanak as a party member in the deep-sea dungeon raid and to teach her magic.

"Having lived as a pirate, her foundational combat skills are already exceptional. Plus, as a half-mermaid… it's certain that she possesses a vastly superior amount of magical power compared to humans. With proper magic training, she'll become an outstanding asset."

"..."

"If you're not convinced, perhaps you could find me a wizard willing to enter the deep-sea dungeon."

"Haah…"

Katharina sighed deeply and then gave a slight nod towards some other direction.

"Iris, come in."

Following her words, a woman with long and beautiful platinum hair made her appearance.

"Hello."

"This is my longtime friend, Iris."

…She was beautiful.

Someone this beautiful should have been talked about a lot back in the game…

I found myself staring at her for a moment before hurriedly adding a greeting.

"Pleased to meet you. My name is Theodore."

Iris gave a graceful bow in response. Following her lead, I bowed slightly and then our eyes met.

"…. Looking forward to working together."

"Th-the pleasure is all mine…"

Iris avoided my gaze and bowed her head again only a bit more deeply this time.

"Iris is an exceptionally talented wizard in water manipulation."

She could be of great help to Roshanak.

"Since we're not at a magic school, rules and precision aren't really important. What matters is drawing out Roshanak's innate talent."

"…. Yes, I'll do my best."

Iris nodded vigorously with a blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Roshanak."

Roshanak appeared tense. I gently patter her shoulders before leading her to Iris.

"This person will be teaching you new things from now on."

"…C-Can't you teach me instead….no, can't master teach me instead?"

"I've told you, I'm not well-versed in magic. I'm a druid."

"B-But…"

"Don't worry. I'm here to protect you."

At those words, Roshanak's face relaxed as she looked at me.

"Learning magic means you'll become stronger."

"..."

"Being stronger means the things that torment you will disappear."

"...."

"So, give it your all."

Roshanak nodded.

"I'll come to pick you up after the lesson."

"Mhmm. I mean, yes…"

After ruffling Roshanak's hair, I watched as she left with Iris. Then I turned to Katharina.

"Did any crazy mercenary willing to venture into the deep-sea dungeon pop up yet?"

"Of course not. At this rate, we might have to buy a battle slave like you did."

"Roshanak is not a battle slave."

"Not a slave, you say?"

"Yes. I've promised the child freedom after this ordeal is over. So it's more of a contractual relationship."

"You truly are an interesting guy."

"In what way do you mean?"

"To buy a slave only to promise them freedom…"

"I told you, she's not a slave."

"..."

Katharina shrugged her shoulders as if to say that she couldn't understand what I was saying.

"Anyway, we need one more person to tackle the dungeon."

"No matter how much compensation is offered, no one seems willing to step forward. We have no choice but to wait."

"Think of it positively. Roshanak needs time to grow as well."

"Isn't that a bit too laid-back?"

"Hahaha. Do you think so?"

"I'm starting to worry."

"Anyway, there's no one you can trust other than me, right?"

After a conversation that hardly felt like small talk with Katharina, I took my leave. It wasn't just Roshanak who needed training; El required it too, and I had to check on my skills and condition as well.

I should return 'it' to El first.

El had grown significantly throughout our journey.

The time seemed right.

Time has flown by.

I returned to the inn while being lost in an unusual fit of sentimentality. Then I took El who had been grooming Ayla's fur to a nearby clearing.

A pleasant sea breeze was blowing. El was familiar with the routine and started preparing for her training.

To think the kid who once wandered the cursed lands has grown so much.

I watched El silently for a moment before calling out to her.

"El, hold on a moment."

I then pulled "it" out from the space ring.

El's face reflected a mix of emotions at the sight of the object I took out. Surprise, joy, sadness, happiness, and longing… A myriad of emotions flitted across her face.

In the end, El clamped one hand over her mouth and was unable to speak for a while.

"I think it's time to give this back to you."

"..."

"Take it."

I handed Grand Duke Reinhardt's Bastard Sword which was called the <Heart of the Lion> to El.

With a flushed face as if tears were about to fall, El stared at the sword for a long time before taking hold of it.

The girl had grown enough to wield her father's sword.

Already…

Time flies.

Or rather, it was El's growth that was astonishingly fast.

Her growth had been especially fast after receiving instruction from Jamil.

"…Thank you, Master."

Eventually, a single tear rolled down El's cheek.

Even without saying anything, I understood her thoughts and gently patted her shoulder in silent support.

"Stronger…. I'll become stronger."

I smiled instead of answering.

If El wanted to grow stronger, if she had the will for such thing, I was more than ready to support her.

I had been preparing a particular skill for El for a long time.

It was called [Weapon Binding].

This skill was something players would learn upon acquiring a high-level weapon.

With this skill, one could fight as if they were one with their weapon.

"El."

"Yes, Master."

"Close your eyes."

"Yes."

"Focus all your mind on the sword."

After El closed her eyes, I could feel the power within her body converging into her hands that were holding the sword.

I drew a large circle around El and inscribed within it a spell that would imbue the circle with the blessing of Beleth, the god of war.

Then, I placed three high-grade magic stones at specific points around the circle.

The magical power emanating from the magic stones flowed along the spell I had inscribed.

When using [Weapon Binding], players typically choose the deity from whom they wish to receive blessings. However, since El wasn't a player, I made the choice for her.

The god of war, Beleth.

It was said that even the sun god Arzan couldn't best Beleth in swordsmanship.

I was confident that El could grow stronger with Beleth's blessing.

"Ugh…"

El let out a small groan as if she was overwhelmed by the influx of magical power. It must be painful. Becoming one with the sword is no easy feat.

"Hang in there, El."

"…. Yes!"

It would take at least half a day until the high-grade magic stones were completely depleted.

That was, if El could withstand the spell properly.

If El failed to endure, both the magic stones and the spell would amount to nothing.

"....."

I watched El struggling in agony.

Until the sun set and the moon rose in its place.

Thud.

And then, El persevered.

The magic stones disintegrated and disappeared, and the spell were erased. Only the sword and El remained, firmly connected to each other. After enduring the pain until the end, El collapsed to the ground but she never let go of her sword.

"…. You did well, El."

I stroked the unconscious El's head, picked up the sword, and helped her back to our lodgings.

I should find her a proper swordsmanship instructor starting tomorrow.

El was now beyond what I could teach.

Just as I had assigned a wizard to teach Roshanak, it seemed fitting to assign a swordsman for El.

After all, there's time until we fill the last spot in our party…

Before we start our assault on the deep-sea dungeon, there will be plenty of time to foster growth in both El and Roshanak.

And for me as well.

***

"...."

A man stood alone in a deserted alley shrouded in darkness. He took out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and read it intently for a long time.

The paper advertised a great reward for mercenaries willing to participate in a deep-sea dungeon raid.

Notices seeking mercenaries for deep-sea dungeon raids were commonly issued by various merchant guilds, making them a frequent sight everywhere.

However, the notice the man held was different.

It specified the need for only one mercenary.

The issuer of the notice must be either a madman or a swindler or perhaps a bit of both.

-Crumple.

The man crumbled the paper again and stuffed it back into his pocket.

Is there something different this time?

He gazed toward the distant glowing mansion of Katharina.

Or is it the same as before…

The man who was stroking his unkempt beard while lost in thought watched the flickering lights for a moment before wrapping his cloak tighter and disappearing back into the darkness.

-Caw. Caw.

The cawing of a crow echoed from afar.