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Translator: Barnnn
◆Anecdote from the Guard at the Eastern Gate of the Royal Castle
Did you feel that wind this morning? I mean REALLY feel it? Where were you — oh, west side, huh. Lucky you.
No, no, it wasn’t just a normal gust.
You’ve heard the stories, right? About the demon stirring up trouble at the training grounds, kicking up those massive winds?
Well, this morning — mark my words — that was no ordinary breeze. That was the demon.
Hey, don’t laugh it off! I saw it with my own eyes! No, I’m serious!
You’re asking what I saw? The demon, obviously! What else could it have been?
The wind hit, right? Dust and pebbles flew everywhere. I squinted, trying to shield my face, and when I opened my eyes again…
There it was, standing at the far end of the path, half-buried in sand — a hunched figure, like some kind of Goblin, with this HUGE hump on its back!
I swear, I’m not imagining things.
But here’s the kicker: it left. The thing’s gone. I’ll bet anything that starting tomorrow, there won’t be any more windstorms at the training grounds.
If I’m wrong? Dinner and drinks are on me!
◆
“Hmmm, when I activate Stealth and Fleet Foot together, my speed gets a little unstable. Still can’t get rid of the shockwaves, too…”
“More importantly, is there no other way for you to carry me besides… you know, piggybacking?”
“This is the safest method for now. What’s your problem with it? We made it out of the castle in one piece, didn’t we?”
“Sure, but being carried by a tiny midget just… feels wrong…”
“Who are you calling a ‘tiny midget’!? And that’s redundant!”
“Maybe I should just try learning some physical enhancement skills myself…”
“HEY!”
********************************************
◆Anecdote from the Adventurers’ Guild Receptionist
Hey, can you cover the front desk for me tomorrow? What? You’re tied up with the shipment inspections? …Ugh, of course. Guess that can’t be helped.
Still, maybe it won’t matter. Who knows if they’ll even show up again. Do you think I’ll be okay handling the reception on my own?
Oh, who am I talking about? Those two brothers who came in earlier to register.
Yeah, the polite older one and the younger one who looks like he could barely hold a sword.
Get this — the younger brother? He’s not as young as he looks. He’s fourteen!
I nearly asked him to come back when he’s older, but the system didn’t flag him, so I guess it checks out. Still, I was shocked.
And the older brother… I’m convinced he’s got some sort of negotiation or persuasion skill. Even with my Weaken skill, I kept giving away more than I meant to — way more. At one point, I almost spilled about the Merchants’ Guild Master’s cross-dressing hobby!
Oh, and there was this moment — the younger brother? For just a second, he wasn’t so innocent anymore.
The older one was steering the conversation into some dangerous territory, asking about confidential stuff. I got suspicious, and suddenly the kid’s whole demeanor changed. His eyes went cold. He looked like an A-rank assassin sizing me up. It was unnerving.
That’s why I didn’t want to work the desk tomorrow, but looks like I don’t have a choice. I doubt they’ll come back, though.
Anyway, I’ll see you later. Good night!
◆
“We gathered some solid intel today. That receptionist was sharper than I expected, though. By the way, did you trigger any skills halfway through?”
“Ah, yes, I activated Perception. It looked like she was starting to grow suspicious — and her marker on the map began flashing.”
“Hmm, maybe I pushed her too far with the questions. So, what now? I was thinking of checking if they’ve got some sort of skill list tomorrow. Should we try a different receptionist?”
“If we avoid her now, won’t that seem even more suspicious? It’d draw attention.”
“Good point. Let’s go back and deal with her again tomorrow.”
********************************************
◆Anecdote from the Daughter of the Tailor in the Southeast Marketplace
Hey, have you heard about the brothers staying at the corner inn lately?
No? Oh, but you must’ve seen them! The older brother just had his Coming-of-Age Ceremony, and the younger one — he’s tiny and adorable. Yes, those two! Haven’t they been by your fruit stand?
Oh, they have? So the little one loves zuzubu fruits, huh? Well, who could blame him — they’re sweet as honey. He was begging his brother to buy some? That’s too cute! I wish I’d seen that.
But wait till you hear this — it’s unbelievable!
You know about the robbery at the general store yesterday? Guess who caught the thief? Those brothers!
I know, I was shocked too.
The older one — he only just came of age that morning — took down the thief with some incredible water magic.
I swear, it looked like something an A-rank adventurer would pull off. The second he cast the spell, the thief flew through the air like a rag doll. I had no idea water magic could do that!
Oh, and the younger brother — he’s a mystery all on his own. My dad says it must’ve been a trick of the eye, but I know what I saw.
What do I mean? Well, one moment he was there, and the next… he wasn’t. He just disappeared! I’m not exaggerating.
The second the thief shoved the old lady aside and started running, the boy was gone.
And before I could even blink, he was right there with the thief, already grappling with him. There’s no way he should’ve been able to catch up that fast! While they were struggling, the older brother came in and knocked the thief clear across the street with that water blast.
Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re descendants of some legendary Hero or Sage or Archmage. I’ve got a feeling we’ll be hearing their names in every tavern soon enough.
◆
“We did a good thing today.”
“A good thing? You just charged in without thinking! My heart nearly stopped when I saw you wrestling with the thief!”
“Yeah, sorry about that. I thought I could catch him easily… At least my extra training helped me run through the city without causing any shockwaves.”
“Well, that’s… something.”
“But your water magic, Hal — wow. You launched that guy like he was on a flyboard!”
“Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be that powerful. I need more practice… Going all out like that is dangerous.”
“Agreed.”
********************************************
Light Novel 1 Bonus – Side Story: Icy Mystery
“So… cold…” Ize murmured as she pulled the thin blanket closer, tucking it under her nose. The quilt, a pitiful excuse for warmth, provided barely any protection against the chill in the modest inn room. She curled herself into a tight ball, mimicking a cat, knees hugged tightly to her chest.
It was late September, but the bite in the morning air was far more severe than it had any right to be. The culprit behind this was clear — none other than Hal. He had been fervently practicing all sorts of magic every single night since his Coming-Of-Age Ceremony.
“Gahhh… cut it out, you edgelord…!”
Her irritation growing unbearable, Ize tossed the blanket aside, throwing herself out of bed with a groan of protest. The sight that greeted her then left her standing in stunned silence. The entire room glistened with shimmering fragments of ice, each chunk nestled carefully into bowls scattered haphazardly across the floor and tabletops. Light filtered weakly through the frost-coated windows, casting an ethereal glow on the frozen scene. It was breathtaking — in a bizarre way.
There was enough ice here to put an air conditioner to shame. No, scratch that — the room felt like a freezer.
“Hal?” She called out, half-hoping he would be around to explain himself. “…Nope, of course he’s not here.”
Rubbing her chilled arms, she activated her detection map, the soft glow revealing a blue dot — the fugitive offender — lingering downstairs on the inn’s first floor.
With a frustrated huff, Ize tore off her pajamas and hurriedly threw on her day clothes. Other than how stiff and scratchy the fabric felt against her skin, it felt oddly brand-new for something she’d bought second-hand at the downtown market.
Just as she was done lacing up her leather boots, a knock resounded at the door.
–Knock, knock.
She paused, glancing quickly at her map again to confirm. Sure enough, it was Hal.
“Occupied!” she called, her voice sharp with irritation.
“The hell is this, a bathroom!?” came Hal’s reply, accompanied by the sound of the door swinging open. He stepped inside and immediately started to shiver. “Whoa, it’s freezing in here!”
“And whose fault do you think that is?” Ize shot back, crossing her arms and glaring at him.
“Mine. No doubt. Sorry ’bout that — I should’ve cleaned up,” Hal said, his voice dripping with the kind of sheepish charm only he — or a con artist — could muster.
Hal proceeded to begin storing the ice-filled bowls into his Magic Bag. The room quickly emptied of its icy clutter, though the cold remained, clinging to the air.
“This mess you made woke me up way sooner than I would have. Now I really need to get out of here before I turn into a human popsicle.”
“Terribly sorry, bro,” Hal said, bowing slightly. “But I did ask the landlady to add warm soup to breakfast — with homemade sausages. And some seasonal fruit jam.”
“Fine. I’ll forgive you this time,” Ize grumbled, while allowing a small smile to slip through.
It was these little considerate gestures that made it so difficult to stay mad at him. Ize swung the window open, letting the crisp morning air sweep through the room, clearing out the last vestiges of cold.
◆
As they descended from their third-floor room to the inn’s dining hall below, the landlady greeted them with a beaming smile.
“Ize, dear! Your brother mentioned you left your stomach exposed and caught a chill last night. Drink some soup to warm yourself up, all right?”
Ize’s face froze, caught in a moment of confusion. She blinked, trying to process the words before forcing a wide, if somewhat strained, smile.
“Ah… thank you, that’s… great!” Her mind reeled as she shot a withering glare at Hal. [You know what? Forget what I said — I’m not forgiving you!]
Hal averted his gaze, his expression betraying a deeper guilt, as if burdened by more unconfessed crimes. Ize flared her nostrils, a fierce determination igniting within her; she would force the truth from him sooner or later.
Seated at the dining table, Ize idly swung her legs, resting her chin on her hand with a half-amused, half-expectant smirk.
“So, did something else happen?”
Hal fidgeted. “Uh, well, it’s a bit–“
“The sooner you spill, the lighter your sentence.”
“Can we at least wait until after breakfast?”
Ize shrugged. “In case you’re worried, I did NOT, in fact, expose my stomach last night. My appetite is fine.”
“Ouch.” Hal clutched his chest, feigning hurt.
Ize responded with a flat, unamused stare before turning her attention to the soup. Despite her feigned indifference, the lingering chill in her body urged her to warm up as quickly as possible.
The broth, brimming with tender summer vegetables, offered a delicate, soothing flavor that seemed to melt into her, spreading warmth from within.
“Ahh… so warm. So delicious. I can feel my fingers again.”
“I really am sorry,” Hal said, bowing deeply with genuine remorse.
Ize stared at the back of his bowed head for a moment before sighing. “Fine, fine. I forgive you,” she said, finally deciding to relent. “Be grateful for the generosity of Ize the Great and Powerful!”
“Yes! I am so deeply honored!”
At his exaggerated response, Ize couldn’t help but chuckle. Hal’s face lit up with a grin, but as he was about to reach for some bread, he hesitated, his expression turning sheepish once more.
“Sooo… I DO have another thing I need to apologize for, but… let’s, uh, talk back in the room.”
Ize narrowed her eyes like a suspicious cat. “Now I’m even more curious.”
She tore off a piece of her bread with a sharp bite, the crunch echoing loudly.
The bread was so tough it felt as though it might shred the inside of her mouth, but she could almost sense her jaw strengthening. Surely, this would prove useful one day — perhaps when she’d have to sink her teeth into a comically massive slab of Mystic Beast meat. Training was vital for the future — framing it as such added a degree of satisfaction to the taste, making the bread’s toughness more palatable.
“So, any progress with your magic?” Ize proceeded to ask.
After witnessing Hal conjure so much ice night after night, surely there had to be some kind of advancement. Her gaze drifted to him, half-expectant, and his grin grew wider than she’d anticipated.
“Of course.”
With a deliberate slowness, Hal placed his spoon beside his bowl. Then, with the flourish of a man preparing to launch into a long-winded speech, he raised a single finger.
“First off,” he began, his voice dropping to a tone of solemn reverence, “it’s obvious I’m still lightyears away from the skill level of my master.”
[Here we go again… what will his rant be about this time?] Ize inwardly groaned as she reached for the jar of seasonal fruit jam. She gestured for him to continue, the twitching of her eyebrows communicating what her words did not.
“Creating artistic sculptures with ice generated through magic — now that is a feat! My master is incredible beyond words!”
His voice wavered with emotion, and then, with dramatic force, Hal slammed both hands on the table, his shoulders trembling as if overwhelmed by the sheer weight of admiration he felt for his ‘master’ — the protagonist of one of his favorite light novels.
Ize, on the other hand, found herself utterly bewildered by his enthusiasm.
“Could you, I don’t know, explain this in terms normal people can understand?”
“You never mince your words, huh?” Hal shot her a wounded look. “Okay, so… to put it simply: even if you’re given ‘infinity’ level magic by the Goddess herself, there are still limitations. Some things just can’t be done.”
“It’s not only about how strong your magic is — you need to also work on your proficiency to achieve what you want, right?”
“Exactly… But there’s more to it. This world isn’t like my master’s world. Just imagining something doesn’t always make it possible here.”
He punctuated his point by raising two fingers now, waving them dramatically in Ize’s direction.
“Now, on to number two — another thing I’ve figured out while trying to mimic my master. Once I create something with magic, I can’t change it. I can tweak the size, speed, or direction when I summon the ice, but if I make a spear, it’s staying a spear — no turning it into a sword afterward. I can re-freeze water if it melts, though.”
“So no ‘this isn’t even my final form’ moment for you, huh?”
“¡Exactamente!”
“Uh… what?”
“Oh, it means ‘exactly’ in Spanish.”
“I didn’t learn that in school…”
Or perhaps she had; small fragments of her memory seemed to have blurred when she crossed into this world — a pity, but hardly a significant loss.
“Anyway… number three.”
Hal raised a third finger now, wiggling it as if preparing for the grand finale. Ize, only half-listening, chewed thoughtfully on her bread, wiping a smudge of jam from the corner of her mouth with her thumb.
“The secret to magic” Hal continued, “isn’t just about knowing the skill. It’s a blend of imagination — and science.”
Ize paused mid-chew, raising an eyebrow in skepticism. “Those sound like opposites.”
Hal’s lips curled into a smug grin. “That’s where my master really shines. You know how lots of light novels these days portray magic as purely imaginative? You visualize, you cast — bada bing. But my master and those who inspired him went further; they integrated scientific knowledge into their magic. Efficiency, power — all enhanced by an understanding of the laws of nature!”
With a flourish, Hal raised his hands to the ceiling, his eyes gleaming with reverence for the unseen gods. It was no secret that Hal had fallen further into his delusions ever since his Coming-Of-Age Ceremony bestowed upon him his magic. He was a terminal case, the kind of nerd who would never be cured.
Once he got excited, it was nearly impossible to rein him in. His fervent speech flowed on unabated.
“Water magic, though incredibly convenient, has long been underestimated — always relegated to a supporting role. One of the famed punishers in the name of the moon wielded exceptional water powers, but she mostly functioned as a strategist in battle, never fully realizing her destructive potential. In children’s shows, manga, novels — water magic has always been pushed to the background…”
By now, Ize’s focus had shifted almost entirely to her soup; it would go cold if she didn’t finish it soon. She grabbed her fork and speared one of the sausages at the bottom of the bowl. Even after sitting in the broth for so long, it maintained its perfect shape — an almost artistic achievement in itself.
“However! The tides are turning!” Hal’s voice suddenly boomed, causing Ize to glance up just as he pointed dramatically at her, his three fingers still held together in a symbolic gesture of triumph.
At that very moment, Ize bit into the sausage, savoring its rich, hearty flavor as it burst in her mouth.
“My master, the greatest water magician ever, appeared like a comet blazing through cyberspace! And then! The boy who fought demons with concentrated breathing techniques brought water’s power to the forefront of public consciousness…”
Hal’s impassioned lecture on water magic continued — and it persisted long after Ize had finished her breakfast.
◆
After a breakfast that had stretched far longer than usual, the two made their way back to their room. As Ize stepped inside, a vague memory tugged at her — then she recalled Hal had promised to apologize for something once they were alone again.
“So,” Ize began, her eyes narrowing as she shut the door behind them, “what was it that you had to confess?”
“Gah, you didn’t forget?” he asked, visibly wincing.
“Unfortunately for you, I didn’t,” Ize replied dryly, crossing her arms.
Expecting her to forget had been a low blow. Ize pursed her lips in a way that made Hal more nervous. She studied his reaction, noting the way he fidgeted with his overgrown bangs, clearly stalling for time.
“It’s just…” Hal finally muttered, “last night, I was testing some magic…”
“You’ve been doing that every single night.”
“No need to point that out….” Hal’s shoulders slumped. “Anyway, the thing is, I might’ve gone a little overboard with the ice and water.”
Ize raised an eyebrow. “What water? There was nothing but ice this morning.”
The look Hal gave her in response was anything but reassuring. He shuffled awkwardly, his eyes darted away from hers.
“W-well… the water… happened.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It, uh… may have gotten some of your stuff wet.”
“Huh?” Ize’s eyes widened in surprise.
Most of her belongings were safe inside her Magic Bag. Had she left something out?
As she puzzled over what he might have ruined, Hal hesitantly gestured toward the shelf.
Ize followed his gaze and spotted something spread out on a towel, likely placed there with great care to dry.
“My book!” she gasped, rushing over to retrieve the damaged item.
It was a children’s picture book she had stumbled upon in a bookstore not long ago. It told the tale of a Hero battling Mystic Beasts within a Dungeon. The illustrations were vivid, full of motion and life. She had bought it on a whim, enchanted by the sheer intensity of combat it depicted.
Now, as she carefully flipped through the pages, her heart sank.
“Oh no…” she muttered, frowning deeply. “The colors are bleeding… This was the scene where the Hero was fighting a Cerberus-like Mystic Beast, but now all three heads are just… blurred together.”
“I’m really sorry. I’ll make it up to you, I swear. Should we go buy another copy today?”
“Sounds good. And while we’re at it, let’s check if they have any other books in the ‘Great Adventures of a Hero and His Servant’ series.”
Ize flipped through a few more pages to assess the damage before tucking the book into her Magic Bag.
As Hal picked up the towel, he tilted his head, considering her words.
“That book’s part of a series?”
“Yep. When I bought it, the shopkeeper told me the same author wrote a bunch of others. Parents apparently use them to teach their kids about Heroes, Dungeons, and Mystic Beasts.”
“Huh…” Hal murmured, nodding thoughtfully, though a slight furrow creased his brow. For a children’s picture book, it seemed rather intense — the monsters in the illustrations weren’t at all softened for young eyes. Perhaps this world favored more realistic artwork over cutesy, stylized designs. Either way, it struck him as a compelling way to impart foundational knowledge about history and culture.
“All right, then… let’s head to the bookstore first, then make our way around from there.”
Ize’s face lit up at the suggestion. She nodded eagerly, excitement bubbling in her chest.
Hal’s Coming-of-Age ceremony was behind them now — the day they were to leave the capital inched ever closer. Soon, they would embark on a journey far beyond the city’s walls, knowing they might never return to this place. They couldn’t afford to leave with regrets, with things left undone or forgotten.
“Yeah! Let’s go!”
With renewed energy, Ize swung the door open and darted into the hallway. Hal followed close behind.
Replacing them, a gust of autumn wind rushed in, swirling through the room that still clung to a lingering chill.
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