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Translator: Barnnn
Returning to her seat, Ize blew her nose into a napkin before muttering under her breath, irritation creeping into her voice.
“…The food’s all gone cold. This is your fault, Hal.”
Hal blinked, startled. “Huh? How’s it my fault!?”
“It’s because you were careless that Fieda figured out we’re carrying Magic Bags with Internal Stasis — the kind only Sages are supposed to have. That’s why.”
“But you were eating from them too, right? And you’re the one who insisted on buying all those sweets at the shop,” Hal countered, sounding both defensive and amused.
Although Ize had managed to calm Fieda down, he had slumped to the floor as if the weight of their revelation had physically drained him. For a long moment, he sat there, his legs refusing to support him, staring into the distance in a daze.
Seeing his almost pitiful state, Ize and Hal exchanged glances. The two shrugged and returned to their meal, reasoning that since there was no immediate danger, there was no need for further worry.
Yet, as luck would have it, the food had cooled considerably by the time they resumed eating.
By the time they were nearing the end of the main course, Fieda slowly pulled himself to his feet and awkwardly approached the table.
“I-I’d like to eat as well,” he stammered, “If you don’t mind sharing the table with me.”
“Pfft–” Hal let out a poorly suppressed snort.
“S-stop it, Fieda. Just talk normally. You don’t need to sound so formal.”
“B-but… It wouldn’t feel right…”
“Well, the way you’re talking now doesn’t feel right to me,” Hal chimed in with a wry smile.
Ize nodded in agreement. “I think so too. I get it, though — I feel awkward not speaking politely, except when I’m doing a bit. But seriously, stop. It doesn’t suit you.”
“A… bit?” Fieda’s brow furrowed as he struggled to understand.
“Like, a roleplay. You know, pretending to be something you’re not? The way I act now — that’s the real me, but people often think I’m putting on an act because it doesn’t match how I look. So that whole ‘cheerful, innocent kid’ vibe? That’s just a front.”
“I see… yes, I think I understand. Still, there may be some things about my manners that won’t return to how they were for a good while… so please bear with me.”
“Sure thing, old man,” Hal replied simply, her voice light, almost teasing.
As the tension finally lifted, Fieda relaxed, the stiffness in his shoulders melting away. He reached for the food, hunger momentarily overtaking his concerns.
Yet, as they ate, the need to talk quickly persisted. Ize’s Stealth had cloaked them in silence for almost too long now, making their apparent lack of conversation seem suspicious to anyone outside the room. Between bites, Ize and Hal recounted their journey, sharing with Fieda the strange truth of how they came to this world.
Each revelation seemed to strike Fieda with more force than the last, his reactions a mixture of shock, awe, and disbelief. At one point, upon learning that Hal was over thirty years old, Fieda nearly choked, his food threatening to escape as he stifled a laugh.
But the lighthearted atmosphere darkened when they revealed the true reason for their departure from the Kingdom: their mistrust of their summoner, the Queen of Lazulseed. The air around Fieda seemed to grow heavy, and a palpable hostility radiated from him, as if he could ward off a Mystic Beast with sheer force of will.
Ize noticed it immediately and raised an eyebrow. “Whoa, check out Fieda’s aura! He’s about to turn Super Sa–”
“AHEM!” Hal interrupted, clearing his throat to stop her joke. “Now, Fieda, you don’t have to worry about the four others. They’re capable of handling themselves. As long as they’re happy where they are, there’s no need for them to know the full truth behind their summoning. Sometimes, ignorance isn’t exactly a bad thing. Besides, this world DOES need them, so it falls to the summoner’s side to treat them properly and reckon with the consequences of calling them here.”
Ize nodded in agreement. “There are people who enjoy the fame that comes with being a Hero or a Sage. They like the fancy clothes, the wealth, the attention. That’s just not for me — well, I do have a soft spot for good food, though.”
“And I’m not interested in being paraded around. I’d rather be on the road, discovering the world — and the food in it.”
“Heh, now we’re talking,” Ize chuckled.
Fieda listened quietly before speaking again, his voice low and earnest. “If that’s how you both feel, then I won’t say anything more. But… I do want to thank you. For coming to this world. I’ve always admired the Heroes and Sages who contributed their knowledge and power to help others, but now that I’ve met you… I feel it even more strongly. So, thank you.”
With that, he bowed deeply in his chair, his shy smile and narrowed eyes shining. The sight was so dissonant with the man’s usual demeanor that it almost felt comical.
“–Stop right there, Fieda. An old man’s bashful face isn’t what this story’s audience signed up for.”
“Huh?” Fieda blinked, confused.
“…Never mind.” She shook her head, her tone softening. “I guess we’ll leave the rest of the heavy stuff for later. Is it okay to drop the Stealth now?”
“Should be fine, yeah,” Hal agreed.
With a small nod, Ize disengaged her skill. Perhaps sensing the subtle shift in the atmosphere, Fieda glanced around, his eyes narrowing in curiosity.
“You know, Ize, this barrier of yours… it’s something else. I’ve never seen one being erected without any chanting,” he remarked.
Ize blinked, surprised by the observation. “It’s a barrier…? I didn’t even know that. And I don’t know any incantations, so…”
Fieda chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Heh, you really are out of the ordinary, aren’t you?”
“Why don’t you teach me some incantations, then?” Ize asked, her eyes lighting up with interest. “It might be useful for when I’m on a quest with other adventurers around. If I’m going to use my skills in front of them, it’d probably be good to have a cover — something that looks more, like, normal?”
“That’s a smart idea,” Hal agreed, nodding thoughtfully. “You should definitely learn a few. I know some basic ones myself. They don’t have to be perfect. Incantations vary from person to person anyway, so as long as you get the general vibe right, it’ll work out.”
“Hehehe… Hal, your inner nerd is showing again. I bet you’re the type to shout ‘Arise!’ or ‘Come forth!’ when you cast your spells.”
“You’ve got some nerve, Ize, especially for someone who just broke the fourth wall…”
As the conversation wound down and the final details of their discussion were settled, the trio stood from the table and stepped back into the bustling streets.
Fieda recommended a few sightseeing spots before parting ways, agreeing to meet again the following evening to teach them incantations.
◆
As they strolled side by side, threading their way through a bustling market, Hal’s gaze caught on a peculiar, eerie ornament. With a sly grin, he grabbed it, playfully holding it up to obscure Ize’s view.
“Hey, Ize. Thanks, by the way,” he said suddenly.
“Huh? For what?”.
“For stopping Fieda from treating us like Sage Candidates back there.”
Ize tilted her head, puzzled. “Why thank me for that? It wasn’t anything special. Honestly, I thought you’d be able to handle it quicker. You froze up for a bit — how come? I was waiting for you to snap out of it.”
“Yeah, that was my bad… Thing is, at that moment, I didn’t know what to think. It kind of hit me all at once, you know? What it means to be a Sage in this world, how we otherworlders are perceived… We’re not even full Sages yet, but we’re definitely not from here. We’ve met the Goddess and gotten these crazy strong skills, and it’s all still sinking in. And then there’s Fieda — he’s from this world, you see? Once we leave this city, we might never see him again. He won’t gain anything from us burdening him with all of our baggage… And while I was spinning in circles with all that in my head, trying to make sense of it, you just… did your thing. Suddenly, you were all calm and cool like a queen, and I was just like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa!’ and you had the situation down. There was nothing I could add by then.”
Ize’s face flushed slightly. “W-what do you mean, like a queen!?”
Hal grinned, struck a pose, and began to mimic her from earlier, imitating her voice with an exaggeratedly regal tone. “Fieda! Stand up! Now!”
Ize couldn’t help herself — she let out a weak laugh and lightly smacked his back with her fists.
“Like, seriously,” Hal continued, dropping the act and lowering his voice, “you were really, really cool.”
“…Mm-hmm.” Ize glanced away, her voice barely above a whisper.
“…Anyway, what are we having next?” Hal said after a beat of silence between them, pointing at a nearby stall. “Huh, wait, that’s… sweet potato juice? It doesn’t sound all that appetizing, but I dunno… wanna give it a try?”
“Oh, I heard about that from the lady at the inn,” Ize said, perking up as they approached the stall. “It used to be popular in the winter months. She said it’s made with a mix of medicinal herbs — kind of like masala chai, with cinnamon and cardamom.”
“I see. I’m more of a coffee guy myself, but I used to drink chai every now and then. The kind you get from that no-logo minimalist retailer — comes in tea bags.”
“Not from the place with the green twin-tailed mermaid logo?”
“Nah, that one’s too pricey. Besides, with the tea bags, you can easily adjust the sweetness however you like. I always liked that.”
“Oh, wow… I didn’t think of that.”
They continued to chatter lazily, their conversation weaving in and out of lighthearted topics as they hopped from one shop to the next.
Eventually, they made their way back to the inn, both of them groaning slightly from overeating. However, as they stepped inside, the innkeeper met them with a smile and a tray of fresh pancake-like potato pasties, asking if they’d like to try some.
Ize and Hal exchanged a glance, their resolve wavering. They were already far too full, but the sweet aroma was impossible to resist. Their eyes darted back to the pastries, lingering for just a moment too long.
Before they knew it, they had accepted the pastries, thanking the innkeeper profusely. But instead of eating them right away, they discreetly stashed the treats into their Magic Bags.
◆
And so, with the new day dawning, their minds had shifted from the sugary indulgence of the previous day to something far more savory — meat.
The moment he was up, Hal was already energized, letting out an exaggerated battle cry. Soon enough, other patrons and inn staff began offering recommendations for the finest local restaurants. The most tempting among them was a place that specialized in dishes made from the cows raised in the Kingdom’s western regions.
Since all the places they had tried the previous day had met their expectations, today promised to be another hit.
The region they were currently in had no Dungeons, which meant that meat here was primarily sourced from livestock or, on occasion, hunted Mystic Beasts that roamed the outskirts. However, as the supply of Mystic Beast meat was notoriously inconsistent, beef was the more reliable staple around here.
As they wandered toward the restaurant, Ize glanced at Hal. “When do you think we’ll finally get to eat some skewers of Mystic Beast meat?” she asked.
“Probably when we reach a border town or during one of our stops along the way. There’s a Rank 4 Dungeon near the border, just beyond our last stop.”
“Guess we’ll have to make do with beef until then.”
“Not that that’s a bad thing. Pretty sure beef is something many people would consider a luxury.”
“Yeah, yeah. But come on, it’s like the fantasy adventure intro we were supposed to have is taking forever to kick in…”
Hal smirked. “Oh yeah? Who’s the nerd now, huh?”
“Maybe your tendencies are starting to rub off on me.”
“No way that’s true,” Hal said, though his tone suggested he was secretly pleased by the idea.
They continued bantering as they arrived at the restaurant.
With plans to meet Fieda later that evening, they knew they shouldn’t overindulge — yet, faced with such tempting options, it was nearly impossible to resist.
Caught between appetite and restraint, they ordered just one of each dish, pretending to share them as they discreetly tucked everything into their Magic Bags. Their hesitation barely lingered a heartbeat.
Needless to say, the warnings Fieda had given them were going completely unheeded.
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