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Translator: Lizz
After finishing their meal and having a rest, the two and the livestock walked along the road.
During the journey, Edward, despite thinking it was better not to ask, ended up hearing Sylvia’s life story.
And then, he regretted having asked.
(I was framed and reduced to a commoner. It was a terrible situation.
But Sylvia’s situation was even worse. I mean, she could have died, right? If that mysterious livelihood magic of hers hadn’t manifested, she would have starved to death without anyone noticing.
Sylvia’s livelihood magic is a useful magic that, if her parents knew its full extent, they would never have ordered her to go to the fortress to die on the road. The Knights would definitely want it if they knew about it. I would want it too.
When Sylvia taps the ground with the long stick she uses for walking, a simple stove somehow appears. When she taps it again, small twigs pile up and a fire starts.
When she taps the stove, a pot appears. When she taps it the second time, a wooden spoon appears, and when she stirs the pot with the spoon, the contents somehow appear. It’s incomprehensible.
…The contents are just shitty bland food though.
Everything, including the utensils, appears with a tap and disappears or changes into something else when tapped again. It all depends on Sylvia herself, I suppose.
Moreover… Sylvia can easily defeat magical beasts.
Although I’ve been with her only for a short time, and it is during the day so no bandits appear, we’ve encountered magical beasts a few times.
And it wasn’t me who defeated them, it was Sylvia.
Sylvia’s weapon is a slingshot. It’s puzzling how a young girl can have such power, with the shots going right through the beasts. When I asked, she said it was one of her livelihood magic, [Extermination]. Yeah, I have no idea what she’s talking about.
“Is it possible that we haven’t encountered any bandits because of some magic?”, I asked.
“I’m using a spell I learned while traveling with everyone, [Security].”, she replied. She has a spell for everything!
Seriously, what were her parents thinking when they cast her out?)
While thinking this to himself, Edward looked at Sylvia, who had finished speaking without showing any emotion.
As evening approached, they veered off the road and into the grass.
It seemed like they would be camping, but Edward wondered if they would really do it somewhere so empty – or rather, somewhere seemingly not suitable for resting. Sylvia, however, used her mysterious magic to create a resting spot again.
Muttering something under her breath and striking the ground with her walking stick, she made a decent-sized area of weeds disappear, creating a flat surface.
“…What’s that spell?”
Edward asked in disbelief, and Sylvia replied.
“[Rest Area].”
“Aren’t you just making up random names?”
Edward thought that such a spell probably didn’t exist at all.
Edward watched silently to see what Sylvia could do, and it was absurd. Her magic, that was.
When she tapped the wagon, the reins came off on their own, freeing the horse, and the wagon transformed into a simple tent with a canopy. It was just enough to keep the rain out, but it was more than sufficient.
He thought that was it, but she scattered something on the ground, and with a tap, sprouts quickly emerged and leaves grew thick.
The livestock ate them.
And then, when she tapped again, a watering hole appeared. Water quietly welled up from a hollow at the top of a stone, which seemed to have sprung up from nowhere, and the overflowing water collected in the hollow of a stone closer to the ground. The livestock drank from it.
And as usual, a stove was created, a fire was lit, and a pot was placed on it.
“…Well, this is almost like mocking the hardships of camping, but I understand now how you managed to get this far alone. I’ll take over from here, so you can rest.”
Sylvia looked at Edward with eyes shining in a way he had never seen before, which surprised him.
“Edward, you’re a genius.”
“…I know. I’ll make you a delicious meal.”
Edward smiled wryly, thinking he might have just tamed her.
Edward had butchered the magical beast Sylvia taken down today and put some parts into a magic bag.
There were the non-perishable magic stone and the most delicious parts of the meat.
If they kept them hanging up and well-ventilated during their walk, they would dry out and become jerky in a few days.
The portions to be eaten today and tomorrow had been wrapped in oiled paper and placed in the magic bag, while the rest had been hung on the wagon to become jerky.
When the wagon transformed, Edward wondered what would happen to the jerky, but they were still properly hung.
Edward grilled the meat in a saucepan, seasoning it with herbs and salt.
He washed the wild herbs picked along the way with the water Sylvia had summoned and tore them into pieces. He then added some wine, vinegar, and salt to the saucepan and mixed well before adding the herbs.
He added water, dried meat, and dried vegetables to a pot Sylvia had brought out, seasoning it with salt.
“Alright, that should do it. …Can you make some bowls?”
Sylvia, flustered, tapped repeatedly while saying ‘bowls, bowls,’ and with a clatter, some tablewares appeared.
“Wait! We don’t need this many!”
He took a plate and a bowl, served the food, and handed it over.
“There are only hard biscuits, is that okay?”
“Edward, you’re a genius.”
“Alright, I get it. But that’s not an answer.”
Edward said, exasperated by Sylvia’s repeated praise.
The livestock slept close together in the tent near Sylvia.
Usually, Sylvia would sleep nestled with the livestock, but today was different.
She was sleeping with her head on Edward’s lap.
Edward looked up at the sky, troubled.
He regretted that she had grown attached to him.
In the wild, one could not sleep soundly. You never knew when something might attack.
However… with Sylvia’s magic, they probably wouldn’t be attacked unless something extraordinary happened.
If she had managed to come this far in this manner, it was more convincing to think that this [Security] magic was quite advanced rather than just her being lucky.
Edward noticed that he was unconsciously stroking Sylvia’s hair, and he clicked his tongue.
“…What am I going to do with this?”
He couldn’t take responsibility. He had no obligation to protect her, nor any obligation to follow her.
She didn’t seem to have any money; since she was kicked out to die in the streets, she must be penniless.
“…But, it’s quite a useful magic. Yeah, that’s right. It’s for the magic. With this magic, the journey will be easier, and there might be something valuable in the fortress. Yeah, that’s the reason.”
He made up an excuse to convince himself.
He had nowhere to go. So, he could say goodbye at the next town, or, on a whim, followed her to the fortress, stole something valuable as a reward, and sold it. With that, he finally managed to suppress his confusion and looked at Sylvia.
“Hey, don’t drool on someone else’s pants.”
Edward said with disgust, taking out a towel and placing it under Sylvia’s face.
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