Field Training (2)
The interior of the shop, which I was visiting for the first time in a long while, had almost the same atmosphere as before my imprisonment.
Mana Stones, Magic Devices, and various materials were piled up simply around the shop.
In the first place, the owner of this place needed a quiet location, so she had no particular need for wealth or fame.
Because all she wanted was to practice the magic she enjoyed.
'There's no reason for an elf like that to welcome me so warmly.'
I couldn't figure out the ulterior motives of the dark elf commonly called Madam, whose exact name was Tersia.
Even among her regular customers, she had never gone this far to welcome me.
"Did she run out of money or something...."
"In my opinion, running out of money isn't something that would happen."
Flora abruptly chimed in on my absent-minded muttering.
While Ayla, Camilla, and Gilbert looked around, Flora and I had a moment alone.
We exchanged a few words while leaving Madam aside for the moment.
"Have there been any strange signs around here lately?"
"None at all. It's been too peaceful."
"Hmm...."
The elven race was so stubborn and difficult to predict that I genuinely couldn't tell.
Looking back, even our first meeting had happened by chance.
I had met her while training Alcyone in the Northern Region of the Continent.
It was truly fascinating to encounter an elf, a race that had vanished from sight due to past civil wars both large and small.
Dark Elves in particular tended to live alone or in very small groups, so seeing one in person was extremely rare.
If I found her unusual, she must have found it just as strange to see a human walking around unharmed on land saturated with Demonic Energy. She approached me first.
Leaving Alcyone, who was busily struggling alongside the demons, I conversed with her.
The dark elf, who revealed her name was Tersia, told me that she was looking for a settlement to rest comfortably after her long travels.
So, after some deliberation, I helped her settle in the Empire by arranging a new identity and residence.
Of course, I didn't stupidly do it for free.
I valued her outstanding mana manipulation ability highly.
Among the mages I knew, she could perceive Mana Circuits with the greatest delicacy.
That kind of ability was rare, which made helping her a worthwhile investment in the future.
I finished the deal by setting the condition that she help when needed.
After that, I made good use of her help whenever I needed it and stayed busy...
This time, it seemed like a slightly special case.
We had looked around enough, so it was time to meet Madam.
I called Ayla, who was absorbed in the Mana Stones.
"Everyone, you've seen enough. Let's go."
"Yes!"
Starting with Ayla, Gilbert and Camilla also followed along quickly.
We passed the familiar store counter and headed toward the back.
Creeeak.
When we entered the staff-only room, a man sitting by the light of a small lamp came into view.
He had been watching this way from the darkness.
"I wondered what brought so many customers...."
He was a Level 5 swordsman hired by Madam, acting as both clerk and security guard.
He sprang up from his seat and approached with a nod.
Even if he didn't look burly or threatening, being Level 5 was sufficient to guard the store.
But wasn't it a bit disappointing that his Level remained the same even though I was visiting after so long?
'I understand that going from Level 5 to 6 is difficult, but is it to that extent?'
With some effort, Level 6 should at least have been within reach eventually. I couldn't tell whether he simply didn't realize it or knew and was content where he was.
Well, the choice was always his own.
Anyway, even on his day off the clerk was dutifully blocking the way and doing his real job, so I told him why I was there.
"I came to see Madam— I mean, I’ve come to see Madam."
"You mean Madam?"
For a moment, I almost dropped the act of the academy instructor and spoke casually.
Thankfully, I calmly steadied my breathing and finished the sentence properly.
At this, the clerk glanced at me briefly and then waved his hands in refusal.
"Teacher, even if you do have permission to enter, this isn’t a place to bring kids. Please turn back before I have to throw you out."
A small question arose at those words.
Previously, when I entered the room, he would recognize me and get out of the way. What had changed?
I tilted my head and thought it over. The difference was probably the brooch.
This single item was a means to show who I was.
To meet Madam, I needed to show the brooch—the surest proof of who I was.
Fortunately, the lamp cast enough shadow over my face to keep it hidden.
"Well, we came for field training."
"Excuse me? Field training?"
I fiddled with the brooch I kept carefully inside my coat.
Drawing his gaze, I subtly affixed the brooch to my chest.
I made sure he noticed it, letting the brooch announce that someone important had arrived.
Seeing it, the security guard stumbled backward with a terrified expression.
"A-A-Apo...!"
"Apo?"
I gave him a pointed glare: if he said the epithet out loud, he could deal with what came next.
I tilted my head, signaling him to think of the students behind me.
"Mmph!"
Realizing his mistake, he hastily covered his mouth with both hands.
Shaking his head furiously, he emphasized it was nothing.
Surely, Flora must have been radiating tremendous killing intent by this point.
"A-apologies! I meant I’d escort you! Forgive my rudeness."
"Aha."
Not bad. He was quick on his feet.
Having verified my identity, the path to Madam was now open.
The clerk bent into a rigid ninety-degree bow. I patted him on the shoulder.
"You're working hard."
"Th, thank you!"
After quickly passing the clerk, I hurriedly stowed the brooch away lest anyone see.
Then, I returned to being an academy instructor and acted as if nothing had happened.
"I’m going ahead. If you just stand there, I can’t take you with me."
"Instructor, wait a moment!"
Turning around here would mean showing my face to the clerk, so I continued onward.
I heard the sound of them scrambling after me like ducklings from behind.
When I entered Madam’s room, a pair of intense golden eyes greeted me from within the dark violet-black skin.
Madam was unchanged, just as she had always been.
"Karon, it's been a while."
She rested her chin in her hand, a faint smile on her lips.
For someone who had welcomed me so enthusiastically, she looked remarkably relaxed.
"What business brings you here?"
"I have a request for you, Madam."
At that, Madam gave me a sly smile, produced a glass, and set it on the table.
"Oh my. Here for a drink after so long? If you want, I could clear my entire schedule."
A barrage of stares hit my back hard enough to make it prickle.
Especially, Flora's glare, which I could feel even without looking, was likely the sharpest of all.
If I let her keep going, Madam was obviously going to say something even more misleading, so I drew a line before anyone got the wrong idea.
"Haha. You’re still as fond of teasing as ever."
I let out a deep sigh and sat down.
I pushed the glass back toward Madam to make my refusal clear.
"The children standing behind me are students I'm in charge of at the academy. We came for field training, and I'm hoping to get some cooperation."
Madam’s eyes widened in surprise, then immediately began sizing up the situation.
"Field training? What could you possibly do in a place like this?"
"If you could simply touch them for about one minute each, that will be enough."
"Requests are fine anytime, but what do you plan to do with that?"
Rather than giving a long explanation, I answered with action by placing a Resistance Stone on the table.
Seeing it, Madam tapped her lips irregularly and spoke.
"Your educational methods are different from back then."
"There's always a method that suits each individual."
"I agree."
Her gaze shifted to the four students hanging back behind me, unsure what to do.
She seemed quite interested, her eyes half-lidded as she observed them for a long while.
"Hmm."
Silence settled softly over the room.
Madam brought the glass to her lips, and with the clear sound of ice clinking, she lightly sipped her whiskey.
"Alright. I like it."
The glass that had left my hand was refilled at her fingertips.
The whiskey in the transparent glass rippled faintly.
She nudged the glass with her fingertip and pushed it back toward me.
"One glass per person, so a total of four glasses. How about it?"
Instead of money, her price was having me keep her company over a drink.
Separate from our original deal over helping her settle, it was a small favor Madam sometimes asked of me.
That's why I'd occasionally visit and talk with her, but it seemed the three-year gap had left her feeling quite lonely.
She was clearly planning to use the occasion to drink whiskey while treating stories about my life since release as the accompaniment.
"So there was a reason you welcomed me from the entrance."
"Well, I did wait three years. There's also another meaning, but I'll tell you that later."
Madam wanted time alone with me.
I could feel her being as cautious as possible so our conversation wouldn't leak out.
It was probably the kind of story that crossed between the shadows and the public world.
I decided to show Madam only the cards I could safely reveal without causing trouble with the Empire, and accepted her offer.
"Where did you get liquor like this?"
"Since you disappeared, I suppose. This one’s an expensive friend."
Hmm, an expensive friend, I mused.
Without hesitation, I lifted the glass and downed it in one gulp.
The strong whiskey slid down my throat.
As my insides warmed, the scent of wood belatedly reached the tip of my nose.
Clack.
I placed the empty glass lightly on the table.
"Let's get started."
Madam’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.
"That glass just now was to commemorate meeting again after so long. There are still four glasses left."
She rose from her seat with a fluid motion and then pointed at Ayla, who was holding her breath behind me.
"You there—the student lucky enough to find a good teacher. Come with me."
"Huh? Yes!"
Madam, who was heading toward the inner room draped with red curtains, suddenly stopped her steps.
"Oh, right!"
As if she had remembered something important, Madam slowly turned back and met Ayla’s frozen stare.
"It's nothing special, so don't be nervous. Okay?"
Madam gave her characteristic sly smile.
At that, the awkward atmosphere that had been lingering around disappeared completely.
Madam vanished beyond the curtain first, and Ayla followed behind her.
Just as the situation seemed to be settling down, Madam popped only her head back out as if she had one last thing to add and pointed at the liquor bottle.
"It’s expensive, so don’t drink all of it, okay?"
"What do you take me for, Madam? I won’t."
At my reply, Madam giggled and then completely vanished from sight.
During the three years I was gone, this dark elf must have been terribly bored.