Water Magician

Chapter 28: Two-person Journey

Extra chapter sponsored by TM! Enjoy~

Volume 1, Part 2, Two-person Journey

“Now then, shall we depart?”

After Ryo made a final check to ensure he didn’t forget anything, he announced to Abel.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

The two of them were lightly equipped.

In the first place, Abel was shipwrecked so he didn’t have any luggage.

He only had his clothes, wallet, light armor, and sword.

Ryo only had the robe he received from the Dullahan, loincloth, sandals, knife, Murasame, and seasonings.

Since they were crossing through a forest, having fewer luggage was better.

“Basically all our food will have to be procured. I have salt and pepper seasoning and I can produce water so there are no issues there but we will be hunting animals and monsters and eating wild fruits. Well, this forest has many living organisms so I believe there won’t be any problems.”

“Understood.”

“After heading north for some time, we will come across a fairly large wetland. I have traveled up to that point before so I know the situation. For now, there won’t be any significant monster encounters until we reach that point.”

While saying that, his first encounter with the one-eyed Assassin Hawk came to Ryo’s mind.

At that time, he encountered it in this north forest.

“I see. Then let’s head for the wetland for now.”

After leaving the barrier, the two of them were silent for a while.

Ryo was thinking of the house he lived in for a long time while Abel was worried about Ryo.

Abel finally couldn’t endure it and asked.

“Hey, Ryo. I have something I wish to ask.”

“Hn? What’s that?”

“Um … this might be a brash question so it is okay to not answer if you don’t want to … but where did you go last night?”

Abel hesitated as he couldn’t help but to feel curious regarding the matter that he shouldn’t pry into …

“Ah, that’s fine. Yesterday I went to my master’s place to let them know that I would be away for a while.”

“Master? Did that master give you that robe?”

“Yes, you’re right. I received it as a farewell gift.”

At a glance, it looked to be of good quality but appeared to be a regular robe.

But Abel felt something was different about it.

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Abel had grown up surrounded by quality and beautiful products.

Therefore, he had an eye for such items. That eye was telling him.

(That isn’t something ordinary.)

But he didn’t know what was extraordinary about it.

“Um … does that robe have any special effects?”

Normally it would be taboo to ask such a question but it wasn’t taboo to ask someone within the party.

Without knowing the weapons, armor, or special skills of party members, they would not be able to cooperate during an emergency.

However, Abel asked Ryo simply because he wanted to know the true reason for the sense of incongruity he felt.

“Hn~ I don’t think there is anything in particular. Because master didn’t say anything.”

The Dullahan had never spoken before.

Well, that was expected given that it didn’t have anything above its neck.

“I see …”

If the owner didn’t know about it, there was nothing he could do.

Abel wasn’t convinced but there wasn’t anything else he could do.

In the meantime, they arrived at the northern wetlands.

“For this wetland, we will detour to the left toward the west and then head north. I don’t know much about what lies beyond there so I think we should be more cautious.”

“Ou, all right.”

Abel nodded.

“I wonder if most magicians speak in coherent manners. My companion, a magician I have known from my hometown, speaks as Ryo does.”

“Is that so … I have not met other magicians before so I can’t comment on that …”

(Not to mention other magicians, Abel is the first human being I have met.)

Ryo thought to himself and smiled wryly.

They bypassed the northern wetlands and did not encounter any monsters even after leaving the wetlands northward.

After proceeding further north, about mid-afternoon going to evening, they finally encountered a monster.

“That’s a Lesser Boar.”

“Like mentioned yesterday, I’ll do it. Ryo, please watch from behind.”

Saying that, Abel drew his sword.

Ryo did as he was asked and stood back.

In Ryo’s mind, the scene of his first battle after coming to 『Phi』 was being revived.

(Right, the opponent for my first battle was a Lesser Boar too. I was exposed to murderous intent for the first time in my life and got rooted. In the end, I defeated it by piercing it with Ice Bahn and Icicle Lance … so nostalgic.)

While Ryo was remembering, the battle began.

The Lesser Boar charged at Abel.

“Combat Art: Side Step.”

Abel avoided the Lesser Boar’s charge by side-stepping to the side with minimal movement just before it reached him.

And while dodging,

“Combat Art: Perfect Pierce”

The blade pierced into the left ear of the Lesser Boar. The sword reached its brain and the Lesser Boar was killed without achieving anything.

Ryo was surprised. Not by that skillful execution … but by that 『thing』 he just learned.

(Combat Art!? What is that? That side-step to the side and that final pierce through the ear. So 『Phi』 has such things too.)

“Phew, this will be dinner for tonight. Hn? What’s wrong, Ryo.”

“Ah, no, that was the first time I’ve seen Combat Art so …”

“Ah, I see. Magicians can’t use it after all. It is unique to those who use weapons to fight such as swordsmen … something like a skill?”

“I see …”

Ryo was thinking about something.

“More importantly, it is going to be evening soon so perhaps we should prepare for camp. I pierced the Lesser Boar through its ear so blood would flow out naturally but …”

“Ah, that’s right. I recall a large tree beside a cave a little way back so we can set up camp in front of that. There should be enough space for a bonfire.”

Ryo set his thoughts aside for now and started thinking about what was more important.

Yes, right now the most important matter was having a meal.

“You have a keen eye. Then, shall we just disassemble and bring the parts where we will be eating there?”

Abel took out a knife to disassemble the corpse there.

“Then I’ll gather dead branches and travel back to start the fire.”

Ryo was a Water Attribute Magician who was good at starting a fire.

The roasted Lesser Boar thigh meat was delicious.

The combination with salt and black pepper was supreme.

But unfortunately, there was no rice.

Even though there was a certain amount of satisfaction, Ryo felt that something was missing.

On the other hand, Abel didn’t feel any of that and seemed quite happy.

That might have been the difference between those who stayed in one place until yesterday and those who have spent their time as adventurers.

He had only left his home for half a day and he was already feeling reluctant …

The importance of 『rice』 in the diet … could only be understood after it was lost.

(If this was the case, I should have brought rice even if it was a burden …)

Ryo was convinced even though he didn’t have an idea of how he could bring it.

Rice was important.

When he returns home, he’ll take good care of it.

“Then, I’ll take a nap first. I don’t think I will sleep deeply but feel free to wake me up if anything happens.”

After saying that, Abel entered the cave beside the large tree.

The plan was for Ryo to wake Abel when the moon reached the middle of the sky.

(Now then, I have free time so I guess I can train my magic control.)

He had walked all day today and didn’t get to fight too so he had a lot of magical power remaining.

He didn’t know how much magical power he could recover by sleeping after this but he should recover the magical power consumed if it is limited to magic control training … Ryo somewhat thought to himself.

In the past, he used to train magic control by making huge five-story pagodas and Tokyo Sky Tree in his garden but recently he had taken a liking to making miniature Tokyo Towers.

As with most things, it was extremely difficult to make a large object small.

Even if the word 『miniature』 could be easily said, various techniques were required and it was necessary to pay close attention to everything from designing to manufacturing.

That 『close attention』 was 『control』 in magic so to speak.

Building a large Tokyo Sky Tree required a lot of magical power.

However, in terms of magic control, Ryo felt that producing a tiny Tokyo Tower could train it better …

Well, either way, both were training that he liked so he wasn’t particularly dissatisfied.

He slowly built a Tokyo Tower with a line of ice that was thinner than thread.

Right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot, four towers all at the same time.

It was no longer training with just one tower.

Training has to be tough.

Isn’t it important to create a training menu that is fun but also challenging?

While Ryo was building Tokyo Towers on his palms and in front of his toes, a few monsters caught Ryo and Abel’s scent and were approaching.

Abel told him to ‘wake me up if monsters come’ but he still has to walk a long distance tomorrow so it would probably be better to let him sleep.

Ryo thought to himself and decided to settle it on his own.

That said, as long as it was not a particularly strong monster, he didn’t even have to move.

He just had to pierce the monster from its right ear to its left ear with a Water Jet …

Earlier, Abel also pierced the Lesser Boar’s ear.

Ryo knew from experience that it was easier to penetrate through the ears.

That meant that he could defeat the monsters without making any loud noises, that is, without disturbing Abel’s sleep.

Even if he left the defeated monsters there, other monsters would quickly drag them away.

Although the blood from the monsters would gather other monsters … they would die before reaching anywhere near Ryo.

The night forest was such a place.

As such, he kept only one Lesser Rabbit for the next morning’s meal and left the others to the providence of the forest.

If they were full, they probably won’t bother to attack Ryo and Abel either.