The Celebration and the Beginning of the Wind (2)
Tyrsie Armasunas is an alchemist. Just as medicine branches into orthopedics, plastic surgery, dentistry, veterinary science, and other fields, alchemy has many specialties too. From metal-refining alchemists who specialize in smelting and processing to bio-alchemists (a provisional name) who conduct biological research, the field splits into countless categories. So which branch of alchemy is the most mainstream and profitable? Potion alchemy, obviously. Water is the correct answer, and potions mean money. Magic-infused, genuine potions are difficult to learn, but once mastered, they bring stable, high returns. That’s why the investment costs are steep and the old-timers run the place like a military barracks. You could call it the civil-service exam of the alchemy world.
“So where the hell is this alchemy school building anyway?” I muttered after getting hopelessly lost.
It’s so damn big I can’t tell one place from another. I thought I’d be fine since I’d followed Tyrsie here before, but that was dead wrong. Every building looked the same, and I had no idea where I was.
—Rustle, rustle.
While wandering, I ended up on the lawn outside one of the buildings. A neatly trimmed grass field stretched out before me.
“Coo-coo! (Sex!)”
There was a birdcage on the lawn. The pigeons inside were ridiculously pretty. Maybe mages cared about looks first? Or perhaps they weren’t carrier pigeons at all, but familiars. I paused to catch my breath and watch the white birds. Their blood-red eyes were oddly charming.
“Coo-coo. (Idiot.)”
“What the fuck?”
Did that feathered little shit just call me an idiot? The sudden verbal ambush left me speechless for a second. Still, I wasn’t about to take it lying down. I pointed dramatically at the pigeon inside the cage.
“Coo-coo-coo-coo-coo! (You’re the idiot trapped in there.)”
“Coo-coo? (What the fuck?)”
The pigeon looked genuinely shocked, as if it had been hit by a slingshot. How dare a mere bird talk back to a human! I cackled and kept pressing the attack.
“Coo-coo-coo! Coo-coo-coo-coo-coo! (Trapped! You’re trapped because you’re an idiot!)”
“Coo-coo-coo!! Coo-coo-coo!!!! (You fucking bastard!! You fucking bastard!!!!)”
The pigeon went berserk, thrashing like someone had smeared hot sauce on its balls. But what could it do while stuck behind wire mesh?
“Heh. Coo-coo. (Heh. Idiot.)”
After one final teabag, I finished the argument by quoting a revolutionary from Earth.
“I will never be slaves. But I will be conquerors.”
“……Excuse me, what exactly are you doing?”
A voice spoke from behind me. A female mage was staring at me like I was some kind of lunatic. Well, to be brutally honest, she wasn’t wrong.
“Ah. Sorry. I got lost looking for the alchemy school building.”
“The alchemy school is on the other side.”
“Oh, thank you! You’ll be blessed for this!”
—Dash!
I bolted, overacting like an idiot. She should’ve said something earlier if she was watching. Guess the distance was too far for her to bother. How embarrassing.
“Excuse me. Is Tyrsie Armasunas here?”
I ran straight to the building where Tyrsie worked, stated my business, and waited for her in the reception room.
“Nord! Were you waiting long?”
She appeared almost immediately—either she had no backlog of work, or Cromwell’s endorsement carried real weight. Tyrsie was wearing her usual pink nurse uniform with a doctor’s coat over it. So that was her work outfit. I shook my head.
“No, you came quickly. I didn’t get to greet you properly last time, so I just stopped by to show my face.”
“I’m glad. You really didn’t have to come all this way, though.”
“Oh. Did I bother you?”
“What? No! Not at all!”
—Flustered!
Tyrsie’s eyes widened as she waved her hands frantically. Good. I hadn’t interrupted anything important. She might have been in the middle of urgent work.
“So, how did things go after the last fight? Did you make it back safely? How’s the arm?”
“Yes. I had a lot to sort out, so I barely slipped through the gates before they closed. The wound on my arm healed cleanly, though. Look.”
—Rustle.
Tyrsie slipped off her doctor’s coat and raised her arm, probably to show the healed spot. Instead, her completely smooth, hairless armpit was laid bare. I froze. The pink sleeveless nurse uniform paired with white gloves gave off a weird fetish vibe. Whoever designated that as a research uniform was 100% a pervert.
“……Ah! Eek!”
When I looked away, Tyrsie finally noticed and lowered her arm. An awkward silence settled between us. It wasn’t my fault, but I probably shouldn’t have asked in the first place.
“H-ha-ha…… Th-that was embarrassing……”
Her face bright red, Tyrsie hugged her arms to her chest. To keep things from getting weird the next time we met, I changed the subject.
“Ah, by the way, Cromwell gave me this the other day.”
I pulled out the identification document Cromwell had handed me. Quick on the uptake, Tyrsie played along.
“Yes, yes! That’s right. Are you looking to learn a particular spell?”
“Yeah. I’m lacking when it comes to fighting multiple enemies at once.”
I was thinking of the time I got swarmed by dozens of golems. I’d felt it for a while now—taking on a whole pack of those crazy bastards who only think “kill or be killed” was insanely difficult when you were alone. Back in the ruins, I’d fought the otherworlder greenhorns with a party. The Walking-Gorani had been low-level and hadn’t been willing to risk their lives to kill me. But what about the Great Big Locust in the sewers or the earth golems? Those fights had been pure “run or get crushed.”
My weakness is fighting multiple opponents. The battle against the black mage had driven that home. My combat ability probably sat somewhere between high Silver Class and the very bottom of Gold Class. I hadn’t been able to break through a black mage whose mana was nearly depleted, so I wasn’t exactly impressive. I could probably win against a Gold Class opponent by finding an opening and combining the Munge-Munge Gun with other techniques, since I had high-power attacks that worked even against real heavy hitters like Tabula or the black mage. Still, if I take down the boss only to get swarmed by the minions afterward, I’m screwed.
What I urgently needed was a skill that could turn the tide in a one-versus-many fight. Even the Demon-Grinding Mist that gave me an edge in chaotic battles ultimately came down to me swinging my own fists. It would be a waste to let this identification document rot when I finally had the chance to learn magic. Who knew when Cromwell might cut ties and revoke it?
“If you want a spell that can strike multiple enemies at once, you’ll probably have to go for high-level magic that requires long incantations,” Tyrsie said, answering enthusiastically as if trying to forget the armpit incident. “But you’re a ‘warrior who can use magic,’ right? Someone fighting on the front line won’t have the luxury to focus on chanting, will they?”
“Well, yeah. That’s what I’m worried about too.”
How much could I concentrate on a spell with enemies swinging weapons right in front of me? The higher the tier of magic, the steeper the difficulty. I could probably do two-digit multiplication while bench-pressing, but calculus? Not a chance.
If I fall back to fight, Franc will be in danger. Larilura might not stay in the party forever, so I decided not to count on her for now. Ring Ring the metal puppet was probably as tough as me if she counted as the third member.
“Um…… If it’s all right, I……”
Tyrsie started to say something, then clamped her mouth shut when our eyes met. Her face flushed again as she shook her head and muttered.
“There’s a spell I’d like to recommend. It doesn’t have to be an especially powerful one.”
“Huh?”
Not necessarily powerful? I thought about what that could mean, then clapped my hands.
“Ah! Something that binds the enemy’s feet, right?”
Game terms: crowd control or buffs. You know, the kind of Greek magic that always shows up at least once in old fantasy novels. The protagonist lowering the friction coefficient of the floor to trip a charging mob and strolling away was a 2000s fantasy novel staple. If I could stop enemies from moving, I could take them down one by one even when outnumbered. Tyrsie nodded.
“That’s part of it, but not all. This spell can also be used offensively. The problem is magical aptitude.”
“Heh. You’re pretty good at building up expectations, Tyrsie.”
Aptitude issues followed you everywhere, so I wasn’t particularly bothered. When I praised her, Tyrsie looked away and spoke in a rush.
“Ah, well, it’s ! Among arrow-type spells, it has the greatest power and additional effects!”
“? Isn’t the spell you usually use?”
She had used every time we fought together. A spell that gathered cold air and fired it, if I remembered right.
“Yes! It’s the spell I’m most confident with! I didn’t know many offensive spells, so I practiced until I could cast it without chanting, and I even figured out how to push real ice with the cold to make actual arrows!”
Tyrsie waved her hands as she spoke. She seemed flustered, just like when she had given that presentation in front of the guild masters.
“So works on the same principle, except it gathers lightning instead of cold air! It’s not as fast as real lightning, though!”
“Lightning, huh. It could electrocute them or numb their bodies for a paralysis effect.”
No matter how tough someone was, electricity coursing through their body would definitely make them twitch and spasm.
Not bad. Actually, it sounded pretty good. I asked Tyrsie, “Sounds useful. Does the guild sell the grimoire for ?”
“Well, they do sell it, but…… since we’re already talking about it, would it be all right if I taught you the spell instead?”
“Huh?”
“Th-this spell carries a risk of electric shock and is difficult to learn! The mages’ guild even recommends having a direct instructor who can teach magic systematically!”
—Fidget, fidget.
After blurting that out, Tyrsie rubbed her fingers together and glanced at me nervously. What was with this atmosphere? It felt kind of suggestive.
……Don’t tell me Tyrsie’s interested in me? I was a guy, so the thought popped up on its own. It might have been my ego talking, but the vibe from Tyrsie was definitely unusual. While I was trying to figure out how to respond, she spoke again.
“In exchange……! Could I join your party?!”
“……What?”
Party?
“Actually, I’ve finally managed to clear some time to focus on adventurer work. Once you reach Bronze Class or higher, most people form teams and move together.”
Tyrsie let out a breath as if she had finally said what she needed to say.
“Mages who can actually fight are highly valued by the guild and receive better treatment. At Gold Class or above, you can even get recommendations for six-star quests.”
“Oh, right.”
“I want to form a team with people I can trust in both skill and character, but I don’t know anyone…… Would that be all right?”
“Oh, yeah—no, I mean, sure. I’ll ask the others.”
“Really?!”
Tyrsie’s eyes sparkled at my answer. She leaned across the table, looking overjoyed. Wow. I’d never seen her this happy before.
“Then I’ll visit the inn where you’re staying later! Ah! I’m also attending the lord’s celebration banquet, so please talk it over with everyone by then and let me know!”
“Y-yeah……”
“If you give me permission, I’ll come greet your companions and teach you as much magic as you want! It’s a promise, Nord!”
“Sure……”
—Thud!
After finishing our goodbyes, I closed the door behind me.
“……Yeeeah.”
I covered my face with both hands. This was mortifying. The moment a girl showed a little kindness or the atmosphere got nice, I immediately got full of myself and started thinking she might like me. I was only slightly better than back when I was a total loser who started planning baby names after one tiny interaction with a woman.
So I’m still mentally a pseudo-loser after all.
While shame and emptiness swirled in my head, the pigeon I’d seen earlier flew overhead and shrieked.
“Coo-coo! Coo-coo! (Idiot! Idiot!)”
This fucking otherworld sometimes stabbed me right in the heart.
“Shit.”
Dragging my exhausted body, I picked up the core and headed back. The thing was as big as my head and ridiculously heavy.
