Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: When a Good Person Gets Angry (1)
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Strike while the iron is hot, as they say—so Leimi and Dras decided to sync their schedules and wrap up all the tests in a single day. Truth be told, they had never seen Julius, the cafe manager, fight for real, so the items were designed with solid versatility in mind. Still, both of them were confident in their craftsmanship and didn't expect any major problems.
Mina shot him a puzzled look as he pulled his hat low over his eyes and slipped through the streets, avoiding people. But since he rarely went out anyway, she figured there must be a reason and let it slide.
By the time the two of them reached Leimi's shop and knocked on the door, she appeared looking like she'd just rolled out of bed, her baggy clothes barely hanging on.
"Ah. Right, today."
"At least put on some proper clothes first."
"Sorry. Just woke up."
As they stepped inside, a clatter echoed from within, followed by Leimi's weary voice. She must have tripped while half-asleep, shuffling through her messy room.
Mina sighed and said she'd go in herself, then followed behind Leimi.
In the living space behind the shop, Leimi lay clutching her foot with tears in her eyes, her clothes scattered everywhere.
There was a faint allure to her sprawled out in just her underwear, but to Mina, a same-sex friend she'd known for ages, it stirred nothing.
"Get dressed first. Unless you want the cafe manager to see you like this."
"Doesn't matter if he... Aaaah, don't step there."
"And your room is filthy."
"Ugh, why? It's just me living here."
A wooden block that looked like Leimi had stepped on it lay on the floor, so Mina picked it up and set it on the desk. As she roughly tidied the disaster zone of a room, Leimi emerged, hastily cleaned up with magic and changed into fresh clothes.
"...Mind if I grab a coffee before we go?"
"The manager brought some. In a thermos."
"I get why you'd wanna marry him. Great sense."
Mina kicked Leimi's butt playfully as she teased.
She shoved the giggling Leimi outside, and soon enough, the two were ready. He handed over the thermos to them as they waited.
Leimi took a cup from the lid, poured herself some, and thanked him with a wry smile as he sat in a chair. Then she fetched a necklace from behind her shop counter.
"I waffled between a ring and a necklace, but figured wearing something on your fingers might get in the way when swinging a sword, so I went with the necklace."
"Could I hear what it does?"
"Simple mana burden reduction, usable in any situation. It's especially popular in the labyrinths, where you often fight long battles without resupply."
"...Thank you."
"No big deal. Unless it's something that only drops deep in the labyrinths, my handmade artifacts hold their own anywhere."
He took the necklace embedded with a blue gem and hung it around his neck without hesitation. It was flashy against his otherwise plain attire, but paired well with his blond hair and blue eyes, giving off a surprisingly fitting vibe.
Yep, total rich kid. Leimi thought to herself.
"Shall we head to Dras's place next?"
"Yeah. Hard to believe it's been a year since we met, and I'm only now seeing your skills."
"...Put that way, it sounds like I've been slacking for a year and rusted over."
"Nah, skills like yours don't fade."
He pulled out a second thermos with an awkward smile and poured himself a cup.
Leimi chuckled at the sight of them each sipping from their tall bottles.
Stepping outside, he flipped his hat back on and resumed dodging people, which looked downright suspicious. But figuring he had something to be cautious about, she didn't pry.
Having slept late and woken early, Leimi nursed her sleepy brain with coffee, her eyes trailing his back.
He wove through the crowded streets without bumping a soul—precise, silent steps that could belong to an assassin.
Hard to believe a guy like that doesn't adventure in Labyrinth City Astraea.
She savored the coffee's flavor and aroma to fend off drooping eyelids, and eventually they reached Dras's workshop. Unlike Leimi's place, the interior was spotlessly organized when he knocked, opened the door, and stepped in.
"Haaah. So sleepy."
He plopped right into the customer chair and leaned against the wall. Dras emerged carrying a case and grumbled.
"Hey. That's not your chair."
"C'mon, I'm a customer in the broad sense. Cut me some slack—I stayed up late finishing cafe trinkets."
"Tch. Kids these days."
Leimi smiled inwardly at how Dras tsked and shook his head but didn't chase her out—that was so like him. Through her bleary vision, she watched the cafe manager, now wearing her necklace, draw the sword from the case Dras had opened.
Wait. What the hell is that?
"Hold up. That sword's length is off. It's sized for a two-hander a heavy knight boosts to swing."
"Tested it once before. No issues."
"Eh?"
As Dras said, he casually hefted the near-man-sized blade one-handed and spun it lightly.
To Leimi—a mage, enchanter, and dabbler in alchemy—it was clear he swung it without any mana.
"You wield that one-handed?"
"Haha. Father insisted using long, heavy swords is our family style. Trained me for it... yes, hellish training..."
"Uh. I see."
"Normally, I dual-wield straights of one-hand length, not this long."
"Hm. Should I have geared it toward that?"
"No. Anyone who knows me would spot the dual blades and blow my cover. This length is perfect."
For the impractically long greatsword, Dras had made a back-mounted scabbard. It opened sideways, letting him draw from behind easily. He tested a few pulls and gave an OK sign.
"...Impressive."
"Mmm. Cool, right?"
"Your opinion's always the same no matter what."
"Cool is cool."
"Who'd guess you'd be into this at your age. Sigh. Let's hit the training yard."
They followed him briskly to the spacious backyard training area, complete with straw dummies for slashing practice and metal pillars.
He drew the longsword from his back with one hand, spun it once, assumed stance, and slashed diagonally from upper left. The straw dummy cleaved cleanly.
"Clean cut. Designed for two hands, but if one feels better, that's fine too."
"Balance is perfect. Center of gravity's ideal for swings—smooth on recovery too, no awkwardness."
"Ha, 'course. Who made it?"
Watching him handle the longsword—what even Leimi would struggle with one-handed—so effortlessly felt worlds apart from his usual self. She clenched her fist without realizing.
Next, he approached what was clearly a no-slash test pillar.
"What's that?"
"Mithril alloy. Won't even scratch from amateur sword aura."
"Looks like the manager plans to try."
"Hm. Real skill test time, then."
A faint glow emanated from the necklace Leimi had just given him. He held the sword horizontally at navel height, infused it with mana. A thin, golden-tinged mana coated the blade naturally, shaping perfectly against it.
No swing needed—he just pressed the edge to the metal pillar and slid. The top sliced off without resistance.
"...."
"...Isn't that master-class? Might not even find ten across the continent."
"...Y-y-yeah, total cafe manager material."
"Even your manager-fan circuit's glitching. Can't blame it."
Show that anywhere, and kings or emperors would come barefoot to recruit him. Why run a cafe?
Leimi squeezed her eyes shut as her brain hit processing overload.
No. Good is good. If you've got power, live how you want. Who'd force that guy anywhere? Mess up, and it's dismemberment time.
She exhaled, looked again. He was awkwardly smiling, sheathing the sword.
"Feeling a bit rusty."
"Rusty where?!"
"Still pretty usable, though?"
"...Now I get how you soloed Astraea's winter."
Monsters, brutal cold—anything in the way got diced.
And he'd called himself near a magic swordsman, so basic spells too, right?
"One more thing I get. The emperor knows your skill level, roughly?"
"Yes."
"Figures. Stay hidden. Get found, and nations'll hunt you to the death."
He laughed heartily at that, thanked Dras. Dras seemed a bit flustered but told him not to worry about the damaged pillar and head back safe. The three stepped out to the street.
"Manager. Sudden thought."
"Yes, Big Sis Mina."
"Won't the Imir Kingdom send people? Skill like that screams national draft."
"Ahaha. If I were earning with a blade somewhere, yeah. But my letter home? They'll leave me be for 1-2 years—no forcing me back."
"What'd you write?"
"Taking a journey to find myself. Interfere, and come ready not to return intact."
Mina shut her mouth.
Leimi looked away.
Feeling oddly drained, they decided to down the coffee he offered before parting.