Water Magician

Editor: Tseirp

That day, the Free City was peaceful. In the morning, at least.

But around noon, an uneasy atmosphere began to settle in…

“Ah, wasn’t it called the ‘Tiger’s Fang’? Their report should be ready soon, right? I’m excited! I wonder what delicious places to eat they’ll have found in this city.”

“We still have a few days, right? But yes, I am looking forward to it.”

“How about today we go to ‘Happy Eats’? Once the kids finish that dining guide, we’ll probably be visiting the spots they list, so maybe we should go now.”

‘Happy Eats’ that Ryo suggested was a formidable restaurant where they had eaten on their first and second day in the Free City, leaving both thoroughly stuffed.

Each meal was substantial… probably just the right amount for an adult doing manual labor.

It wasn’t excessively large by any means.

Who decided that one meal per person was enough?!

Spouting lines fit for big eaters, the two stepped through the doors of ‘Happy Eats’.

But… they immediately noticed something strange.

“There are no customers…”

“It’s usually packed around lunch.”

Ryo murmured suspiciously, and Abel nodded in agreement.

They always made sure to arrive before the lunch crowd to secure a seat.

Today was no different.

But for there to be no other customers—this was a first.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have anything to serve today.”

From the back of the store came the owner.

They didn’t know his name, but they knew he ran the kitchen.

His wife and a young man and woman, likely staff, handled the floor and the washing.

But today, only the owner was there.

“You don’t have anything to serve…?”

“We couldn’t get our ingredients. I apologize.”

When Ryo asked, looking disappointed, the owner grimaced in response.

Indeed, there was none of the usual delicious aroma.

The food hadn’t been prepared.

“I see. We’ll come back another time.”

With heavy hearts, they left the store.

“What does it mean, they couldn’t get ingredients?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe he got pickpocketed?”

“What… Well, that’s possible, but if that’s the case, I swear I’ll freeze every pickpocket in this city!”

“Hey, stop that, idiot.”

Ryo’s intent to imprison all the thieves was promptly curbed by Abel.

But…

Their next stop, the ‘Eat Till You Drop Restaurant’, was also…

“Huh? It’s closed here too…”

“There’s a closed sign on the door.”

Ryo and Abel looked at the ‘Closed’ sign hanging on the entrance door.

“This is definitely strange.”

“Agreed. Let’s check the nearby restaurants too.”

They hadn’t been to them, but they knew there were other dining places around.

They decided to check them all.

And they soon discovered:

“Every restaurant…”

“None of them are open…”

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The two were plunged into the depths of despair.

At noon, citizens who had just finished their morning work came out for lunch, only to fall into the same pit of despair as Ryo and Abel.

Seeing the citizens’ saddened faces mirror their own, the two headed back to their inn.

The inn’s dining area, the ‘Freedom Breeze Inn’, was open for lunch, although they hadn’t used it much.

They usually dined elsewhere at noon… and reserved the inn’s dining for the evening.

“We don’t have any other choice.”

“The food at the ‘Freedom Breeze Inn’ is good too.”

It was just a matter of not wanting to eat in the same place for both lunch and dinner.

But with a rotating menu, it wasn’t much of an issue.

Talking over these things, the two headed back to the ‘Freedom Breeze Inn’.

At the reception desk…

“There is a letter for you from the Adventurers’ Mutual Aid Society.”

“From the Mutual Aid Society?”

“A letter?”

The receptionist, who had a dignified look, handed over the letter, and Abel and Ryo exchanged puzzled looks.

It was too soon for the restaurant guide to be ready.

What could this be?

Abel opened the letter, and Ryo peeked over his shoulder.

Upon reading it, Ryo took off running.

“Hey, wait!”

Abel shouted, chasing after Ryo.

The townsfolk they passed by must have been surprised.

By the look on Ryo’s face.

Abel struggled to keep up.

“Is he really a magician…?”

The stamina-loving swordsman couldn’t catch up to the magician.

But Abel quickly remembered.

“It’s Ryo, after all…”

A few minutes later. They arrived in front of the Adventurers’ Mutual Aid Society.

Abel arrived a bit later, but Ryo hadn’t entered the building yet.

He was standing outside, catching his breath.

Seeing this, Abel was surprised.

Knowing Ryo, he would have stormed in. Shouting something like “What’s going on here?!”.

Ryo calmed his breathing, nodded a few times, and entered surprisingly cheerful.

“Hello~.”

There wasn’t a hint of the despair he felt while reading the letter.

“Ryo-dono… Abel-dono, sorry to trouble you.”

The president of the Adventurers’ Mutual Aid Society greeted them.

Inside were only the president and three members of the ‘Tiger’s Fang’ who had taken on their request.

Upon closer look, it seemed like… the three’s eyes were red and swollen.

They must have been crying until just recently.

“I read the letter. You wish to cancel… to terminate the request?”

Ryo asked in as calm a voice as he could muster.

Abel noticed a slight tremble in Ryo’s voice.

Though probably no one else did, their long friendship allowed him to pick up on it…

“Yes…”

The president said and offered them seats.

After taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she began.

“Actually, we can no longer continue the investigation.”

“And the reason?”

Ryo asked, just barely maintaining his composure.

“The investigation of dining establishments in this free city revealed that most of the shops are closed.”

“Yes, we experienced that ourselves just a while ago.”

“Furthermore, it’s not a temporary situation; they’re likely to remain closed for a while.”

“What…?”

The president’s words left Ryo speechless.

And Abel listened in silence, too.

The news that they would remain closed for a while was beyond his expectations.

“Why is it that… they’re expected to stay closed for a while?”

Ryo asked.

His voice trembling slightly.

Enough that not only Abel but even the president noticed.

“You both experienced that the stores were closed, but do you know why they were closed?”

“Well… the owner of a place we frequent said they couldn’t get ingredients…”

“Yes. That’s true for every shop.”

“Why…?”

“Because the Grand Duchy bought up everything.”

At that moment, Ryo stood up.

Abel saw it.

The surge of emotion across Ryo’s face.

But Ryo quickly regained his composure.

Through sheer force of will.

Only then did Abel understand.

Why Ryo had restored his expression so quickly.

Why he had maintained calm since they’d entered.

And why he’d made an effort to calm himself repeatedly before coming in.

It was for the sake of the three young adventurers.

For Ryo and Abel, and the President as well, those three looked on anxiously.

The three who had failed the task and cried over it.

For these three children, not yet adults, Ryo kept his cool.

Children watch adults carefully.

And they understand more than adults think.

They might struggle to logically explain what they understand, but they do understand.

And they remember it, both in their minds and hearts.

Even years, decades later, that memory stays.

Whether the influence is good or bad, that memory remains.

That’s why adults must always be mindful of how children are watching them…

And that’s incredibly hard to do.

But at the very least, Ryo acted with that intention.

Imperfect as he was, within his limits.

Yet even that iron will was cracked by this truth.

The Grand Duchy’s hoarding.

“So… because further investigation isn’t possible… you want to call off the commission?”

Ryo sat back down and, as if to calm himself, spoke slowly.

“Yes. Unfortunately, as long as the shops remain closed…”

The president’s expression was full of regret.

Naturally so.

If this task were completed, the three members of ‘Tiger’s Fang’ would be able to advance to level eight.

At level eight, they could be entrusted with various commissions.

But at their current level nine, there are none to give them.

Requests may come in eventually, but… with the Grand Duchy’s forces occupying the area, who knows when…

Mara, Nikos, and Rosa from ‘Tiger’s Fang’ understood this in their minds.

They listened in without saying a word.

Looking down in frustration.

Their heads understood, but emotionally, it was difficult.

“I had requested that you cover ten establishments. How many have you managed to document?”

“We’ve completed six. I have the information from the three, and I’m compiling it into a report now. I can hand it over tomorrow.”

“If it’s canceled now, the task is treated as a failure, right?”

“Yes… that’s how the guild’s regulations work.”

The president nodded at Ryo’s confirmation.

The three of “Tiger’s Fang” trembled with frustration.

And Rosa was beginning to cry again.

With Nikos by her side comforting her.

“What if… I say that six establishments are enough? Would that make this commission a success?”

At Ryo’s words, Mara’s head snapped up.

Rosa, who was crying, and Nikos, who had been comforting her, looked at Ryo, too.

“Yes… if the client says so, it’ll be considered a success. Are you sure?”

“Of the ten requested, they managed to gather information on more than half, six. And the reason they had to halt the investigation had nothing to do with them or the guild. As the client, I’d like to consider it a success based on the information for six.”

As soon as Ryo said this, the three’s gazes shifted to the president.

The president smiled slightly and gave a small nod.

“The client’s word is final. I’ll consider this task a success.”

“Yay!”

The three jumped out of their chairs, elated.

Watching them, Ryo smiled as well.

But Abel knew the truth.

That Ryo was angry.

No, he was furious…

After completing the formalities to close the task, Ryo and Abel left the guild’s building.

The president, as well as the three from ‘Tiger’s Fang’, thanked them repeatedly and saw them off at the door.

For a while, Ryo and Abel walked in silence.

Once they were far enough from the guild, Ryo finally spoke.

“Abel, I’m angry.”

“I know.”

“Of course, not at those kids or the guild’s President.”

“Right.”

“I’m furious with the free city’s government for letting its people starve, but there’s an even bigger target for my anger.”

“Yeah…”

“I’m going to have a word with them. Don’t stop me.”

“I won’t.”

Normally, Abel would stop Ryo’s more radical actions, but this time, he promised not to.

He knew where Ryo was going.

And that it would lead to an undesirable outcome.

But Abel thought he shouldn’t stop him.

Breaking the spirit of those you wish to conquer is a sound strategy.

But this wasn’t about strategy.

Not as a king.

But as a person, Abel decided not to stop Ryo.

And so, the two of them headed for the Grand Duchy’s embassy.

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