Chapter 20
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: The Tower Genius Descends into the Labyrinth
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Our time in the great city of Soren was short.
"Sylbian, wouldn't it be good to pick this up too?"
Cherentia asked as she browsed the general store. Sylbian glanced at her lightly.
"We've got enough from the last city. Too much baggage isn't good."
"I see. Then what about this teacup? The clerk highly recommended it to me, saying it brews tea even better!"
Sylbian sighed inwardly at Cherentia's bright question.
I thought I never showed any carelessness anywhere, but Cherentia had thin ears—or rather, she tended to believe the clerk's recommendations easily.
"I want to drink tea! They say adding sugar makes it sweet with a subtle aroma that's just wonderful!"
"Cherentia."
"See, even you want one now, Sylbian!"
"No, put it back where it was and come here. We don't need it."
"B-but... shouldn't you think about it a little more, Sylbian? The clerk told me I absolutely had to buy it!"
Cherentia's ears perked up straight as she looked at me. Her tail swished back and forth, looking thrilled.
"Cherentia..."
I called her softly.
"W-why? What's wrong?"
She looked at me cautiously at the change in my tone.
"Put the item back. We can't have unnecessary expenses."
I said it a bit firmly.
"O-okay! So don't make that scary face!"
Cherentia jumped in surprise and hurried off to return the item.
As I watched her go, I glanced around lightly while clearing my complicated thoughts.
'What was it we needed again?'
I'd gotten caught up in Cherentia's whims and forgotten why we'd come here in the first place.
It was ridiculous, but a chuckle escaped me anyway.
If I'd been alone, it would've been unthinkable, but I didn't feel like blaming Cherentia at all.
How long did we browse the store's items like that?
We finally finished buying the essentials.
Glance.
Cherentia kept peeking at me, conscious of what happened earlier. The sight was so absurd that laughter bubbled up again.
"Cherentia, want some candy?"
Then I spotted some snacks on the counter, the kind meant to tempt kids.
"Yes!"
"Then we'll get some candy and one jar of these apple gummies."
"Ooh!!"
Laughter leaked out again at Cherentia's utterly simple reaction.
With the shopping done, we left the store.
Cherentia, with a big lollipop in her mouth, looked around happily at everything.
'Well, as long as she's cute, it's fine.'
Seeing her like that, I couldn't stay mad, and I doubted I'd ever come to dislike her.
"Now we just need to stop by the workshop last."
"...Workshop? Why go to a workshop?"
Crunch.
Cherentia asked while chomping on her lollipop.
"..."
Sylbian looked her over instead of answering.
Cherentia had a slim figure overall, with some lean muscle, but she looked nimble in general.
Even after eating a lot since entering the city, her body showed almost no change.
"Sylbian, why are you eyeing my body like that?"
At Cherentia's innocent question, passersby gave Sylbian strange looks.
"Ahem! Anyway, we've got a good chunk of money this time, so I want to get some gear made. Soren's famous for its iron, perfect timing."
"I don't need anything cumbersome."
Gulp.
Cherentia swallowed the last of her candy and shook her head immediately.
"No, I think you do."
"...I said I don't need it."
As Cherentia glared sulkily, Sylbian reached out lightly instead of arguing.
Tap.
His hand touched her slender forearm, and she blinked as if asking what he was doing.
"Cherentia. What if my hand right now was a sharp sword?"
"I never would've gotten hit. I'd have dodged it all."
"...That's why. But assume you couldn't dodge it—what then?"
"Sylbian, you're asking weird things."
"Just answer me."
In their back-and-forth, Sylbian stared at her coldly again.
At his unyielding gaze, Cherentia pondered for a moment before speaking.
"Probably... the flesh would split, and blood would flow."
"Right, that's exactly it. I know well how amazing your body is and how fast you can move."
"Then why go to the workshop?"
"Even so, I want to prepare for the what-if. Your tough body will shine even more with gear."
Sylbian softened his tone at the end.
His eyes on her were more serious than ever.
"...Fine."
She reluctantly accepted.
She wanted to reject the cumbersome stuff and change the subject, but Sylbian wouldn't budge.
"But no full plate armor, even if it kills me! That's non-negotiable!"
Cherentia added firmly, pinning back her ears.
"Yeah, I wasn't planning that far."
Sylbian smiled faintly and led her to the largest smithy in Soren.
Clang! Clang...!
True to its fame for iron, the smithy rang with sharp sounds of hammer meeting hot metal.
The clerk at the counter was fanning himself against the sweltering heat when—
Ding-a-ling!
The bell rang as customers entered. He looked up and froze in shock.
'A mage?'
A mage—one he might never see in his lifetime—was walking into the smithy.
And with a woman who was clearly a beastkin at his side.
"W-welcome."
The clerk greeted them awkwardly.
"I'm looking to commission some armor for a companion."
"You mean the beastkin... lady beside you. We have plenty of ready-made armor. Please, take a look!"
"I hate armor!"
The beastkin shouted her refusal sharply, making the clerk pause mid-guide.
"She says no, so something like shoulder or elbow guards, and padded defenses. Can you do that?"
"Of course! But considering a beastkin's sturdy physique, regular iron would wear out fast, so custom work is best."
The clerk continued carefully, tense all the while.
He couldn't afford even a minor slight with a mage.
It was common sense. So he had to persuade them as politely as possible.
"Then what kind of iron would work?"
"...It depends on your budget, but for top quality, I'd say about four grades up."
Clink!
Sylbian tossed a pouch of silver coins onto the counter.
"Budget's 80 silver total. Make her fitting gear within that."
"Not full armor, you said—so yes, top-grade it is! This way, miss!"
The clerk's face lit up as he hurriedly led Cherentia away.
He quickly got her measurements and preferences.
"Hand and shoulder guards won't take long."
"Then we'll order those!"
Maybe pleased at how light they were, Cherentia's face brightened.
But Sylbian, watching the order, shook his head.
"This is the limit, huh."
He'd known she'd resist strongly.
Given her build, heavy iron would kill her agility advantage, so compromise was expected.
But...
Her order seemed too minimal.
"Come back in three days—we'll have it ready!"
The smiling clerk said brightly. Sylbian stared at him evenly.
"And one more thing before we go."
"Y-yes, mage sir?"
"You know what happens if you scam a mage."
The clerk's face stiffened at the casual question. Sylbian continued coldly, watching him.
"Keep your word on top-grade. I'll be back in three days."
"Y-yes! I'd never do such a thing. No worries, sir. Ha ha..."
Leaving the sweating clerk, the two exited the smithy.
Glance.
Cherentia side-eyed Sylbian suddenly.
Something made her chest tickle oddly.
'He definitely sees me as a companion.'
That's why he was spending serious money on gear for her.
She'd resisted at first, but thinking it over, it felt different now.
He called her a companion openly, knowing how humans viewed beastkin like her.
More than anything, that touched her heart.
"Cherentia."
"...Yeah."
"We'll head to the northern city of Termina soon. The Northern Labyrinth there is incomparable to anything we've faced."
"I've heard countless times how dangerous labyrinths are."
"So, please accept the gear for your safety without too much resistance."
And don't hate me too much for things like today."
At his careful words, Cherentia stared blankly at him.
It was sincere.
In her eyes, Sylbian genuinely worried for her.
So she nodded without thinking.
"I-I know. You don't have to say it."
"Good, then. I was worried you'd hold a grudge."
"I-I wouldn't!"
Cherentia's ears perked up, and her tail shot straight up.
Sylbian blinked in amusement at her fervent denial.
"Well, if so, that's a relief."
From her reaction, he felt it again.
A trustworthy companion like Cherentia would be hard to find from here on out.