Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Luck Amulet (4)
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"For now, let's hop in the carriage and talk things over. Your precious time has already been wasted enough, hasn't it?"
"Ah, in that case, I'll gladly accept your kind offer—"
"Hold on a moment, Sir Dares? Could Rishir and I have a quick word alone?"
"No reason why not. Take your time."
"Fienne?"
Come on, no arguing.
Fienne grabbed Rishir's sleeve and pulled him away from the carriage, under a nearby tree.
"Fienne, what's this about?"
"Just in case. I had to ask—you're not seriously planning to just hitch a ride with them and call it a day, are you?"
"...Isn't hitching a ride exactly what we need?"
"Hah. Knew it."
Fienne let out an exaggerated sigh, just for show.
"Listen up, Mr. Idiot."
"Yes, milady?"
"Tell me what you actually did back there."
"What I did? Helped take down the black mage?"
Whoosh!
Fienne jabbed her index finger toward Rishir like a sword thrust.
"Wrong. What you did wasn't helping take down the black mage."
"If you say so, then sure."
"Ugh! Just shut up and listen! What you did was lead the takedown of the black mage. Lead? Who am I kidding—you basically did it all yourself."
"..."
Rishir scratched the back of his head with a sheepish look—whoosh!
Fienne pointed at him again.
"And that reaction! I know exactly what's going through your head. Want me to spell it out?"
"Let's hear it."
"What, it wasn't even that big a deal—"
Fienne mimicked Rishir's casual tone in a ridiculous falsetto.
"Am I under Fienne's thrall right now? Mental domination in progress?"
"Hmph. As if. I don't even need that to read your empty little head."
"You really live rent-free in there, huh."
"Don't get creepy. I wouldn't dream of squatting in that ugly mess."
She said it with a disgusted grimace, but her next words carried an oddly excited lilt.
"No helping it, then. Since you're such an idiot, I'll spell out exactly what you accomplished."
First. Fienne raised her pale, slender index finger.
"You sniffed out the black mage hiding among them."
Second. She added her middle finger.
"Then you protected them from that black mage. On top of that, you captured her alive and handed her over."
Poke! Poke!
Her index finger prodded Rishir's arm.
"Know what the key point here is?"
"...Saved their lives?"
"Nope. Anyone with power could've done that. Your mentor could've pulled it off if she were here. But sniffing out that hidden black mage? Breaking her spells and curses?"
Poke!
"You heard the healer yourself, right? They'd tried every trick in the book for months and got nowhere. What does that tell you?"
Poke!
"It was something only you could do. In other words, you saddled them with a debt worth more than they can measure."
"..."
Truth be told, Rishir knew it already.
He knew how special his power was.
How much special help it had given them.
But he couldn't show it—
Because it was a power he'd been handed, not earned.
"Innate talent" fit better, maybe. At least, that's how it felt to him.
As the bastard who'd spent his life clawing for what others were born with.
No matter how hard he tried or sacrificed, recognition always slipped away.
But with this power? Even the tiniest effort earned massive praise.
Rishir likened the feeling to this:
Doing basic addition and subtraction, only for everyone around you to scream in awe.
Buying someone vending machine coffee, and having them weep in gratitude.
Taking credit felt cheap and tacky.
Perfect timing, then.
With the topic already out there, Rishir asked Fienne for advice on his little dilemma.
She'd enjoyed "innate specialness" far longer than he had, after all.
"Worrying over that? Well, it's on-brand for you, I guess."
Fienne snorted a laugh.
Her answer was refreshingly straightforward.
"Don't overthink it. Just enjoy it."
"Enjoy it?"
"If even we special types can't embrace our innate gifts, who will?"
"..."
"Even brain-dead nobles strut around flaunting theirs."
As she spoke, Fienne slipped into her true ancestor mode.
A being lording over inferiors from on high.
"I guarantee it—we're several times more special than those noble clowns. Their so-called 'specialness' is a delusion. Ours is the real deal. So enjoy it boldly. Beings like us need to get used to special treatment."
Rishir wondered if he'd picked the wrong person to ask.
This went beyond enjoying innate gifts—it was something else entirely.
But that's what made it helpful, in a way.
It left no room for overthinking.
Lona, who'd been listening in, nodded along.
"I think I get it."
"?"
Fienne blinked at her.
How do you get it?
She looked genuinely shocked.
"..."
Hurt, Lona slunk off to the corner and sulked.
Rishir gathered his thoughts.
Fienne waited a beat before speaking up.
"So, got it now?"
"I get it, but... ouch."
"Yeah, wouldn't expect much from a normie like you."
"Weren't you just calling me special?"
"Special by average standards. Anyway, don't sweat it too much? You've got me around."
What are you scheming?
Rishir couldn't hold back at Fienne's smug strut.
"It's all set. I'll stand in for the ordinary, frail, pathetic you who can't do a thing without me? I'll claim your rights for you. Very important business. Just the value of that 'holy relic' you sacrificed for them—"
"Fienne. For the record, that wasn't a real holy relic. I whipped it up as a stopgap."
"Yeah, figured as much. Not surprised anymore."
"...You figured? You were just going on about its value."
"What we gave them doesn't matter. What matters is what they think they got."
"...!"
Rishir had a grand epiphany.
Her mindset's on another level!
Inside the rumbling carriage.
Todina and Dares sat across from Rishir and Fienne, chatting amiably as the mood warmed up.
Fienne smoothly broached the subject.
"Oh, right, Rishir? What happened with that thing?"
"That thing?"
"You know, your lucky coin."
"Ah, the lucky coin—"
Rishir's response was a bit stiff, but they didn't notice.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The air around Dares's group grew heavy.
Fienne's words had jogged their memories all at once.
The lucky coin destroyed by the black mage Gusra.
And the value hidden within that lucky coin.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it."
"How can we not? That was hugely important."
"Important?"
Todina asked in surprise.
Fienne smiled brightly and said it casually.
"Yes. Truth is, that lucky coin was a gift from your mentor, Rishir."
It wasn't a lie.
Pamon had funded part of his travel money, after all.
"Rishir...! Such a treasured item, sacrificed for my sake—"
Todina's eyes welled up with gratitude and guilt.
"Dares told me. My chronic illness got cured thanks to that coin—right, Dares?"
Dares nodded gravely and addressed Rishir solemnly.
"Rishir. Let me say it again: thank you. I swear on the name of Durayeg and my magic that I'll repay this debt."
Todina reacted the same way.
Seeing it, Rishir recalled Fienne's words.
Know how self-serving nobles can be?
They preached honor and pride above all—until it suited them to toss both aside.
It was vicious when dealing with social inferiors.
So when bargaining promises with highborn nobles, you always needed ironclad proof.
Rishir and Fienne exchanged glances.
Nothing but a ride so far. That's what bugged me.
From Dares and Todina's reactions, Rishir and Fienne were convinced.
These two weren't the pathetic sort who twisted words on a whim.
"Speaking of—Rishir, what's your business in Bondalles?"
Dares brought it up seriously, right on cue.
"Hoping to broaden my magical horizons. And scout for new work on the side."
"Work? A job, you mean?"
"Yes. I'm starting from scratch here—no base, nothing. Figure I'll set up a place to live, build some foundations, then slowly expand my magical knowledge. Truth is, I got into magic to make ends meet in the first place—"
"...Hah! Starting down the path of magic just to survive."
"Too flippant?"
"Not at all! How could anyone take talk of livelihood and future lightly?"
Dares seemed struck by something in Rishir's words. He pulled a notepad and pen from his coat.
Leaning it against the carriage wall, he scribbled away.
Riiip.
Dares tore out the page and handed it to Rishir.
"What's this?"
"Ideally, I'd invite you to the family estate for a proper thank-you. But when this carriage reaches home, there'll be a huge fuss. A black mage meddling in a marriage between two great houses? If you're tangled up in it, it'll eat your time. Maybe tie you down for over a month, even as a guest."
As far as Rishir knew, Durayeg territory was far from Bondalles.
"Yeah, that could be a hassle."
"So for now, this informal token of thanks."
Apologetic tone.
"Informal."
Those two words tempered Rishir and Fienne's expectations a bit.
But it wasn't the worst.
If a high noble like Dares stiffed them outright, they'd have no recourse.
They decided to take the reward itself as a win and checked the paper.
"Kodar Merchant House specializes in magical goods in Bondalles. Show them that, and they'll hand over goods matching the listed amount."
Straightforward contents.
But the amount...
Is this for real?
Rishir's jaw dropped.
He got Dares's definition of "informal."
Dares was the type to gift his parents fat stacks of cash on holidays.
Just then, Fienne's gaze drifted somewhere.
"..."
To Tophin, who'd stared silently out the window since boarding.
Truth was, Tophin was Fienne's real target.
She hadn't forgotten how he'd dismissed Rishir as a bastard.
A mischievous smile curled her lips.
She deliberately read the reward aloud from the paper.
Praising Durayeg's generosity.
Prodding Tophin's pride.
Durayeg shows proper thanks for favors—but what about certain other nobles?
"...!"
Tophin's body jerked.
His head slowly turned toward Rishir, then dipped at an angle.
"I... owe you... Allow me... to express my gratitude..."
The stuffy noble's face burned beet red.
Fienne beamed like her own honor had been restored and eyed Rishir's reaction.
Rishir watched her antics with an amused grin.
"...!"
Fienne hastily schooled her features and looked away.
Didn't forget the haughty sniff, either.
A few days into their companionship.
Dares's carriage—way off its original route—stubbornly carried them right to Bondalles's doorstep.
"Rishir. I look forward to crossing paths again someday."
"Rishir, sir. Stay well."
"...Ahem. Safe travels."
After parting with Dares's group, they headed straight for Bondalles entry procedures.
The checkpoint at the main gate. A crushing line that made your chest tighten just looking at it.
Endless waiting.
At its end: Bondalles, bathed in sunset glow.
No time to savor the view.
"Bath..."
"Huff... huff..."
Slumped-shouldered Fienne and sweat-drenched Lona gazed at him pleadingly.
Right. Fatigue first.
They set off to find lodging.
"That one."
Excited at the prospect of a real bed after so long?
Fienne pointed at an inn, buzzing with energy.
Impressively, she'd zeroed in on what looked like the fanciest in the area.
"One night in a place like that costs what you'd pay for two nights in a nice inn. And two nights in a nice inn covers—"
"Ugh, shut up."
Fienne cut him off in horror.
She pouted for a second—
"Rishir, how about this? I thought of a way to save on lodging."
"...You, saving money?"
"You said it yourself—one night there equals two nights at a step down."
"Yeah."
"Got inspired. We rent one room and share. Cuts the bill in half, right?"
Fienne pitched her "brilliant" idea with total confidence—while subtly avoiding his eyes.