Chapter 410
Chapter 410
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 410
Chapter Title: Vacation Day 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Day 2 of vacation.
"Ah, found it."
Lania stopped in front of a certain shop.
She opened the booklet in her hand and compared it to the shop's signboard, then nodded. It seemed she'd come to the right place.
The shop's name was Benevit.
The booklet clutched in Lania's hand was titled [Top 10 Dessert Shops You Must Visit in the Royal Capital!].
Lania hummed cheerfully as she stepped inside. The booklet noted that reservations were required, but that wasn't particularly important information to her.
"Ah, Hero. If you plan to stop by famous shops while visiting the capital, take this..."
Before heading to the capital, it was a badge handed to her by Tefran, the knight in charge of her newspapers and dessert procurement.
"Show this badge to the owner, and you can enter any shop without waiting—even while keeping your identity as the Hero hidden."
She didn't know what the badge was exactly, but if Tefran said so, then it must be true. With that casual thought, Lania hooked her finger onto the shop's door handle.
"Hmm."
Just before opening the door, she checked her reflection in the window. Her hair reflected there was a deep black. Her eye color hadn't changed, but... just changing her hair color made her hard to recognize.
The disguise spell was properly in place as well.
Having confirmed everything, Lania opened the shop door.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The dessert shop Benevit, located near the plaza.
Benevit had swept first place by an overwhelming margin in a recent poll among noble ladies for "shops you must visit." There was even a joke that you shouldn't discuss desserts with anyone who hadn't tried Benevit's pancakes.
Given its fame, securing a reservation at Benevit was incredibly difficult, and even tasting their desserts wasn't easy.
'It should be, anyway...'
The owner of Benevit glanced narrowly at one corner of the shop. At the window seat with a clear view of the plaza—a spot that was the most popular in all of Benevit—a woman sat.
"I hear the pancakes here are really famous."
"Any seats available?"
"Could I also get some to go, if possible?"
Benevit's ironclad rule was no walk-ins without reservations, but rules had exceptions. The moment the woman casually flashed her badge, the owner immediately escorted her to the window seat. He had no choice.
The badge the woman had shown.
He'd heard rumors about it. Through information shared among owners of famous dessert shops and cafes.
"I hear Benevit made it into that booklet this time."
"Guess she'll be dropping by soon, then?"
A special guest who visited once a shop became famous.
"You can tell at a glance—they look like battlefield knights. They hand over a badge and show procurement documents too."
"Word is, it's on the Hero's direct orders. Chloe, the Hero of the Holy Flow, or that great..."
Could it be her?
"Yeah! Even the legendary barista Allen mentioned it. Lady Lania's loved desserts since her Aphria professor days."
"Anyway, if they show the badge, treat them the best you can. They tip big through the knights later, and it's an honor..."
It was a badge he'd only heard about through floating rumors.
The instant he saw it, Benevit's owner felt a surge of pride and escorted the woman to the window seat with utmost courtesy.
'Come to think of it, didn't the knight say she was coming?'
He glanced at the woman by the window.
No matter how he looked, she didn't resemble a battlefield knight. Black hair cascading to her lower back, porcelain skin sparkling in the sunlight. She had an air of mystery about her.
'And she seems more like she's here to enjoy the shop herself than for procurement...'
...Maybe a preliminary visit?
That would make sense.
The Hero might send a subordinate ahead to test the place before visiting personally...
Yes, a plausible guess.
In that case, he needed to put even more effort in. To prepare for the day the Hero herself came. With renewed resolve on his shoulders, he headed to the kitchen.
2.
The desserts sparkled under the sunlight.
Lania savored them with a faint smile. She occasionally had Tefran bring her sweets, but they couldn't compare to freshly made ones.
'I'm in the capital for once—might as well enjoy it.'
Applying the disguise spell wasn't easy, but it was worth the effort, she hummed to herself. As she nibbled on the golden pancake and sipped her coffee, the moment she set her cup down with a clink—
"Need anything else?"
A staff member appeared like a ghost the instant her cup hit the table. Lania nodded, and they swiftly replaced it with a fresh one. She let out a short sigh of admiration.
'No wonder it's so popular.'
The staff's movements alone were exceptional.
As Lania enjoyed her satisfying meal, the shop door opened softly. She felt the eyes of the other patrons, previously on her, shift toward it. Tilting her head, Lania glanced at the door.
...Benevit's main customers were noble ladies, the so-called young misses. They gazed dreamily at a young man standing there.
White hair, golden eyes.
A striking, handsome appearance.
The young man, draped in a robe symbolic of a mage, looked around—then met Lania's eyes. His golden gaze pierced through her disguise spell in an instant, and Lania saw through his as well.
Cardi van Armiel.
Not in his usual body-altered form, but with only his elven ears hidden. Cardi smirked upon locking eyes with her and walked over.
Click, the sound of his shoe heels.
With each step, the gazes following him shifted. Drawing all eyes, he sat across from Lania and let out a short breath.
"I came because I have business with you."
"How'd you know I was here?"
"I followed your presence."
"Saying it like that gives me chills. Stalker much?"
Lania joked as she cut her pancake into bite-sized pieces. Cardi naturally picked up a spare fork from the table.
"Well, depending on the case, you could call it that..."
Smack.
Lania swatted the back of his hand holding the fork.
"Put the fork down."
"......"
Her voice was so chilling that Cardi obediently set it down. His hand stung a bit. 'Damn, she's so stingy,' he muttered inwardly, crossing his arms.
"I was going to wait until you came back to me, but I thought visiting you once wouldn't be bad."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. So I came to give you my answer."
His response was short and to the point.
"I'll do it. Just as you planned."
"...No regrets?"
"I'd regret not doing it more. Besides, this feels like my last chance."
"Quick decision. I figured you'd take a few more days."
"Not really."
Cardi smiled wryly.
In a volume only Lania could hear.
"It's the first time in centuries I've been able to choose."
He let out a long breath.
"Centuries since coincidences piled up into this opportunity. It's a miracle. I felt like if I let it slip, there'd be no next time."
"I see."
"That's how it is."
A brief silence.
Then Cardi spoke.
"Thanks. For giving me the chance."
Not the sort of thing to say in a place like this, but he continued anyway.
"This is my answer to the choice you offered."
He pointed to the robe he wore.
The emblem embroidered on it—no one in this era would recognize it. But Lania knew it well.
The symbol of the first Hero and his companions.
Also of the inaugural Ashen Mage Tower Lord.
The robe of the Great Sage Cardi van Armiel.
Once "borrowed" by Raniel. In it, restored to his true appearance, Cardi looked much like the past Great Sage Lania had seen in the northern tower.
Not just because he was an unaging elf.
The aura he exuded now differed from his usual one. If the everyday Cardi felt like a retired backroom old-timer...
'Now it's the opposite.'
A man stepping back onto the battlefield.
She could sense the resolve and determination unique to one who had steeled himself and chosen to move forward. Lania smiled at him. Wearing that robe meant he'd made up his mind.
To head forward once more.
"Looks good."
The time of an elf who had stood still for centuries was about to flow again. Lania laughed, knowing her old friend and distant senior had risen once more.
"So, when do you want to join? I gave Resti a heads-up, but whatever works for you..."
"Right now."
"...I'm on vacation."
"Then we can go up together when your vacation ends. I can head up first if needed."
Lania let out a hollow laugh.
"What's with you, Cardi? Why so urgent?"
"Didn't you see at the northern tower?"
Cardi said curtly, arms crossed.
"This is my real personality."
A nitpicky, irritable, impatient mage.
That was why he reached the realm of archmage, becoming the Great Sage.
"A Mage Tower Lord has to be nitpicky and quick. If you see work, you knock it out, right?"
"True, that's a mage's virtue."
"You remember well. It's what I said when founding the Ashen Mage Tower."
"How could I forget."
Sage and Great Sage.
First Ashen Mage and latter Ashen Mage.
The two smiled at each other.
2.
The day she returned after her three-day vacation.
"Have a safe trip."
"Yes, Master."
Lania exchanged brief goodbyes with Rosel and set off. She'd come via portal, but she had no intention of using one to leave. There was a place she needed to stop by before reaching the front lines.
Heading to the outer walls, a magi-carriage awaited.
"You're here."
Opening the door, Cardi waited inside. Lania nodded shortly and plopped down in the carriage.
"We need to stop somewhere first."
"A place I need to come along for, right?"
"Easier that way."
Lania operated the controls and input the destination.
"Gotta at least show my face. Though she's probably still sleeping her head off..."
The destination Lania entered.
Cardi smirked upon seeing it.
"Yeah, it'd definitely be easier with me."
The inputted location was the Grove.
The vast forest centered around the World Tree.
The elves' holy site, Yggdrasil.
"Let's go."
The carriage set off toward it.