Event - 1
Milestone achieved: 1,000 healings completed.
Reward granted: Healer's Grace
"Aigoo! Thank you kindly!"
Today made three days. Three straight days of steadily treating people in the back alleys had finally earned me what I needed.
I looked down at the small fragment nestled in my pocket — the Healer's Grace.
"Master? What's that?"
"An ingredient I need to make your tonic. Well, that's everything done — shall we head back?"
There wasn't a single customer left, after all. Three days of pouring heart and soul into healing had left the back alleys with no one remaining who suffered from illness or anguished over their wounds.
Accepting their stream of thanks as I wrapped things up, I slipped out of the alley with Sowol at my side.
"Lyla and the other warriors are heading back... so what are we going to do?"
"What is it — you want to stay and play some more?"
"Well... if Master wishes to enjoy himself a little longer, then as his disciple I suppose I must follow."
There she was, squirming with the urge to play more — and still such a smooth talker.
"Then let's just go."
"...Yes."
See? Sulking for all she was worth. And there her lips went, jutting out again.
"Kidding. Let's stay and have some fun. We came all the way to a metropolis — it'd be a shame to just leave, no?"
"Th-that's right?! Then what should we do? What should we play?"
Good question. Robein City's claim to fame was its theater, and we'd already seen a play. So we'd have to find something else — the trick was figuring out what.
"Oh, and for the record — I'm flat broke."
"I'm holding the money, so don't you worry."
Sowol held up her pouch with a sunny little smile.
A wealthy disciple at my side — now this was the life.
I gave her head a fond pat, and together with a giggling, thoroughly pleased Sowol, we made our way back to the inn.
Just as she'd predicted, the warriors lodging there looked rather busy — apparently already making ready to depart.
"Welcome back, Master. We're about to set off ourselves. What will you and the young lady be doing?"
"We're thinking of staying on a few more days."
"Oh... is that so?"
Lyla looked flustered for a beat, then fixed Sowol with a long, steady stare.
"Ooh~! Now THAT'S the way to do it!"
"Wh-what!!"
"Hehe. If the two of you are staying a while, far be it from me to object! Oh — unless you need travel money...?"
"I've got the money, so no need to worry."
"Ah, is that so? Well then — have a wonderful time, you two. And Master..."
With a grin utterly stuffed with mischief, Lyla winked one eye.
"I haven't forgotten your promise~!"
My promise?
Ah. She meant the time I'd put her to work and then taken only Sowol to see the play.
I'd been rather hoping she'd let that one slide.
"I'll make it up to you once we're home."
"Ooh! Thank you!"
Maybe I could teach her some serviceable sword art or body technique? She was no Sowol, but Lyla's talent was solid in its own right — I could start her off soon enough.
"We're square, then?"
"Yes! You two enjoy yourselves!"
And off went Lyla, absolutely delighted.
Watching her go, Sowol darted a sidelong glance my way, her expression gone slightly sulky.
"And what exactly are you planning to do with Lyla?"
"Oh, this and that, I imagine."
"..."
"More importantly, let's think about what we're doing. Hey, innkeeper — anything fun around here?"
"If it's fun you're after, might I suggest Lake Rankin nearby? The lake is breathtakingly beautiful — scenery a joy to behold. You can take a boat out on the water as well... And there is an establishment near there that I know well. Tell them I sent you, and they will serve you a grilled trout beyond compare."
Sightseeing and boating, hm.
A quiet pastime and an active one rolled into one — that suited me well enough.
Sowol, evidently without objection, gave a nod.
"Then tomorrow, we head for the lake."
At dawn the next day, Lyla and the caravan's warriors departed.
Heading home with empty purses, I was told, they'd reach the caravan by evening.
By then, we'd be at the lake ourselves.
"Shall we head out too, then?"
"Yes!"
Reaching Lake Rankin would take horses. I'd asked Lyla yesterday to leave one behind for the ride — surely she'd actually remembered?
Sowol and I made for the stable, where I found the horse she'd left behind.
There was one.
Two of us. Why, exactly, one horse?
"But Master, I don't know how to ride."
"Don't worry."
You can always run there. This much was training, too.
"Then may I ride in front of you, Master?"
"Huh?"
Wait. That's not how this was supposed to go.
I watched Sowol nimbly climb onto the horse with the most innocent of smiles. Claimed she couldn't ride — and her seat was actually quite good.
"What are you doing? We have to get going. Don't tell me Master can't ride a horse either?"
"As if."
Mounting and riding was hardly a challenge.
"For the sake of your growth, I was actually planning to run the whole— hey, hey. Quit glaring at me like that. It was a joke."
Only then did Sowol's death glare melt away, and while she sat there prim and demure, I swung up into the saddle behind her.
Her back settling naturally against my chest, Sowol spoke, her voice trembling ever so slightly.
"All right — let's be off!"
"Sure, sure. Let's go."
Today was a day for fun — barking orders about training would've been a bit much. Right. A proper day of rest it was.
Riding to our destination, Lake Rankin, took hardly any time at all.
Though amid all that swaying, I could see Sowol had gone rather stiff.
Raised as preciously as she had been, it plainly showed — a young lady who'd never ridden anything but carriages her whole life.
"Guess I'll have to teach her to ride, too..."
So much to teach.
I rested my chin atop the pink head before me, and while a badly startled Sowol flinched and squirmed, Lake Rankin soon began to swim into view.
"Whoa..."
A small gasp burst from her.
The lake was beautiful enough to wring genuine awe from Sowol — a girl who, in her own way, had grown up knowing nothing but the finest things in the world.
The water glittered as though some enormous mirror of blue light had been laid across the land, ringed all around by forests lush and deep.
As if to prove it deserved the innkeeper's glowing recommendation, the lakeshore was dotted with any number of facilities for visitors.
None of that had existed in the game. Now that it was all real, these little differences really did show.
"Master! Come on, hurry!"
Sowol's excited voice rang out.
I'd expected this sort of thing to leave her cold, but seeing her so delighted — not bad at all.
"I'm going to gallop, so hold on tight."
Well then, better get there fast.
I wrapped one arm around Sowol's waist to lock her in place and shook the reins with my free hand.
The brown steed surged into a swift run, and I could feel Sowol, clinging tight to me, turn to stone.
"Whoops. Too fast for you?"
"N-no... I-I'm fiiine..."
Fine, my foot. She was scared out of her wits, clearly.
Sure, she'd grown strong enough to wield sword aura — but perched that high atop a galloping horse, anyone would spook.
I eased our pace and loosened the arm holding her.
"Ah..."
"Better now?"
"W-we can go faster, if you want..."
Sure she could.
Holding to a pace barely above a brisk walk, we drew up near the shore of Lake Rankin.
"Looks like the boating's over there. Boat first, then lunch?"
"...Yes."
And there went her voice again, sinking flat — what was eating her this time?
The tempestuous years, was it?
Talking with a girl entering her adolescence truly was no simple matter. But what could I do? It was a teacher's duty to bear.
I ruffled Sowol's hair without mercy, and only then did she seem to thaw, trailing after me with a grin.
"Master! That flower boat! I want to ride the flower boat!"
"Sure, sure."
She's footing the bill anyway — how could I refuse?
Confidence in every step, Sowol marched over and rented the flower boat.
A gondola of sorts, garlanded with bright blossoms.
She hopped lightly aboard and beamed, tapping the rower's seat — pat, pat.
Heavens. Ordering her exalted teacher to row, on top of everything. What a sly little minx.
But today was a day of rest. Extending a master's mercy surely wouldn't hurt.
"Do you know how to handle a boat, Master?"
"This much is basic."
I took up the oars and pulled, light and easy.
Perhaps the boat was simply well-made — the flower boat drifted gracefully across the lake's mirror-blue expanse.
"This is niiice..."
The breeze our gliding stirred up must have agreed with her.
Sowol, brushing a swaying lock of pink hair behind her ear, made for a genuinely lovely picture.
Personality aside, the girl was — factually — a beauty.
"Master? Have you ever ridden a boat like this before?"
"I have."
"...With whom?"
"With Luvarkan. An old dwarf warrior who handled an axe like nobody's business."
Back then, we'd cleared a pirate event on a boat just like this one.
"A-ahahaha. And with High Priestess Serin, you..."
"Why on earth would I ride a boat with her?"
Besides, she gets seasick — she couldn't set foot on one of these to save her life.
At my denial, Sowol bloomed into an even brighter, more radiant smile.
"Oh?! Look — the boatman over there is playing music for them. Perhaps we should have hired a boatman..."
"I can play, you know."
That boatman across the water was strumming a lute. I had this instead.
"And what's that?"
"A flute."
Music had been the only remedy that ever healed me, so I'd learned it long ago.
And this flute was an item I'd obtained from clearing an event, way back when.
I drew the flute from my coat and played a simple melody.
It had been a while, so my fingers felt a touch clumsy — but it was far from a bad performance.
"...Even if you can't quite bring yourself to applaud, why that face?"
When the last note faded and I looked over, Sowol was staring at me with her mouth agape and her eyes gone perfectly round.
What? Is it so astonishing that I can play an instrument?
"I never knew you could play something so romantic, Master..."
"Well. They do call the flute the instrument of romance."
It was fun, doing this again after so long.
Maybe I'd get some more practice in when I went for my sage certification.
"...I feel like I've come to know you a little better, Master."
With those words, Sowol smiled — soft and warm — looking thoroughly content.