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Episode 46
Aftermath (2)
“Why did those people do that?”
Riley asked in a bewildered voice.
When Garon Theobald heard that question, he paused for a moment and then answered in a quiet voice.
“There was a small misunderstanding.”
“… … ?”
[… … ?]
What kind of misunderstanding could there be to be able to offer up the core?
I can’t even imagine.
With only 10 minutes left in the test, you’re giving up your last core to your opponent?
Is that crazy guy a huge fan of Garon Theobald? A fan who traded his passing for his own? Something like that?
“Oh, by the way, those people also passed.”
“……yes?”
Plague.
Let’s just shake the thought out of it.
[ha…….]
I let out a deep sigh.
The only good thing was that the awkward atmosphere between them was quickly broken.
Garon Theobald’s party had no ill feelings toward Riley. Rather, they were openly friendly.
“What! So all of our members are taking the final exam together?”
Especially that girl with the gray hair.
Was her name Dorothy Greyyard?
Anyway, he didn’t know if he would fall for Riley.
The reason I liked it was also somewhat absurd.
I just like Riley because she’s pretty and cute.
“Even the test is an interview with the Magic Tower Master, so we don’t have to compete with each other? That’s really great! Isn’t it?”
“Yes, well… … .”
Dorothy smiled brightly as she took Riley’s hand. It was a pure smile, without an ounce of malice.
Even so, is it really true that the kid who beat him up just two days ago is still that good?
‘Still, I like simple people better than people who have grudges for no reason.’
[… … .]
Well, that’s true.
“Miss Riley.”
“yes?”
The two of us were having that conversation.
Someone called Riley.
I turned my head towards where the sound came from and saw a man with dark green hair.
Arpel Mage Stingwood.
As I said last time, he was a descendant of Archmage Crombel Stingwood, one of my disciples.
It was dark at the ruins so I couldn’t tell, but when I looked in a bright place I could see that he looked a lot like Crombel.
That guy is really handsome.
That’s exactly what Crombel looked like when he was in his 20s.
But that appearance doesn’t last long.
Circular hair loss will start in your late 30s.
Swish─.
anyway.
Arpel Mage Stingwood, his glasses slightly raised, extended his hand to us.
“We were just heading out for lunch. Would you like to join us, Miss Riley?”
“… … .”
It was a meal invitation.
From what I heard, he is the general manager of this hotel.
They say that they built this hotel in Wilhelm using the vast fortune passed down through generations of the Archmage’s family.
If he invited me to a dinner party like that, it was sure to be a sumptuous feast.
This is especially true if the meal is eaten after passing the second screening test.
‘What should I do?’
[… … .]
But as I said before, it was bound to be a bit uncomfortable to have a meal with someone we had beaten up.
[I think we’ll get sick if we eat together.]
It’s definitely going to be an awkward meal.
Riley also seemed a little reluctant about that fact… … .
‘No, that’s not it.’
[… … ?]
‘Why bother going to a restaurant when you can order room service and eat delicious food while soaking in a warm bath?’
[what?]
‘I’m tired. I just want to go in and rest.’
[… … .]
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I guess he just did it because he was annoyed.
okay.
I guessed Riley’s inner thoughts within the scope of a normal person’s thinking.
[… … Then just reject it.]
‘I guess so.’
Just as Riley was about to open her mouth to express her refusal,
Right then.
Garon Theobald, who had been silently watching her, suddenly intervened.
“To celebrate passing the selection exam, we will be serving up special dishes from the former royal chef.”
“······.”
“I guarantee it will be the most delicious meal you have ever had.”
Former royal chef.
Riley’s eyes lit up when she heard those words.
“I will go.”
[hey.]
* * *
Thud thud thud─.
I was walking down to the banquet hall following the descendant of Crombel Stingwood.
Riley, who had been thinking about something for a moment, opened her mouth.
“Hey, Stingwoo… ···.”
“You can just call me Arpel.”
“Oh, yes, Mr. Arpel.”
Riley continued.
“The thing is, one of my team members will be back soon after finishing up some personal business.”
“ah.”
Arpel answered as if he remembered.
“Are you talking about the woman from the Blaze Arcane School?”
“yes.”
“Well, if that’s the case, you don’t have to worry about it.”
Before Riley could say anything else, Arpel Stingwood nodded in understanding.
Taak─.
He snapped his fingers in the air.
When one of the employees walking beside him heard the sound and reacted, Arpel asked the employee in a skillful tone.
“The wizard of detection will be arriving at the hotel soon. Please show her to her room.”
Arpel understood our point in an instant even without us going into detail.
Riley looked inwardly surprised.
‘You’re very perceptive.’
[huh.]
In that respect, it resembles the Crombel Stingwood.
He was also incredibly quick at reading things.
The only flaw was that he was using it to slack off.
“We’ve arrived.”
At the sound of Arpel’s words, I turned my gaze towards the front.
Before we knew it, we had arrived at our destination.
A cozy room with soft candlelight creating a sense of atmosphere.
Several seats were arranged around a round table covered with luxurious cloth.
“Ah, you came!”
And there were other people there who had arrived early and were sitting there.
Riley looked at them and asked in a quiet voice.
“Who are they?”
“Pamela von Haselpart and her party. They are also candidates who passed the second screening.”
Garon Theobald looked at Riley and continued his answer.
“I heard that you and I ran into each other at the ruins?”
“……is it so?”
Now that I think about it, they are somehow familiar faces.
After a few seconds of thinking, I was able to remember their identities.
[Oh, right.]
Those people back then.
Those cowards who handed us the core of the Golden Golem without resistance because of their PTSD with Olivia.
‘ah.’
Only then did Riley let out a sigh as if she remembered.
-Please, don’t use torture magic!
-… … .
-Wow, I’ll just hand over the core of the golden golem. Please… Please… Not the torture magic…
‘… … You mean the candidates who surrendered before even fighting?’
[huh.]
Riley made a strange expression when she heard my answer.
‘So, those people not only gave us the core, they also gave it to Sir Theobald.’
[uh?]
Is that so?
What the hell are these guys doing?
It’s not a tree that gives generously.
‘In the meantime, I passed the exam again.’
[… … .]
Passing the test meant that Riley had found the core that she had thrown off the cliff.
And that’s with less than 10 minutes left until the exam ends.
[… … They are truly amazing in so many ways.]
‘I agree.’
* * *
The meal was really delicious.
Of course, I couldn’t eat the food directly, but I could roughly guess the taste through the smell and appearance of the food.
[It looks delicious.]
‘Would you like some?’
[You eat a lot.]
It wasn’t for nothing that Garon Theobald told us that this would be the most delicious meal we’d ever had.
Riley couldn’t come to her senses as the courses continued to come out one after another, and continued eating with a happy expression on her face.
“Heh.”
Dorothy, who had been silently watching Riley from the side, smiled happily.
“You really eat well.”
“I was hungry.”
“Then do you want to eat this too?”
Swish.
Dorothy hands over a salad with eggs.
Gulp.
Riley looked at it, swallowed once, and answered.
“It’s okay. I learned not to touch other people’s food… … .”
“It’s because I’m allergic to eggs.”
“I’ll eat well.”
Dalgrak─.
[… … .]
You’re eating well.
I always feel this, but Riley secretly likes to eat, despite her looks.
‘It’s because you’re growing up.’
It’s the time of year when you eat a lot.
[Enjoy your meal, then.]
‘yes.’
After finishing her answer, Riley continued eating in a state of absentmindedness.
How much more time passed like that?
Suddenly we heard a conversation that caught our attention.
“Well, do you know where the last core was?”
Someone was complaining in a dejected voice.
“The core was at the bottom of a cliff. I mean, it was at the bottom of a cliff where you couldn’t even see the bottom? Oh, right!”
As I turned my gaze, I saw the cowardly guy who had been giving generously frowning as he continued to speak.
Was her name Pamela?
I think it was something like that.
Anyway, after hearing Pamela’s words, Riley stopped mumbling for a moment.
‘… … Isn’t that our story?’
[I think so.]
It seems like they’re talking about the core Riley threw off the cliff at the end of the test.
“The managers are so heartless! Who are they supposed to look for if they throw the core off the cliff?”
“… … .”
[… … .]
They didn’t put that there.
That’s what we are.
“I don’t understand. If I ever meet the person in charge, I’d like to ask them directly. Why did they place the last core on the cliff?”
“… … .”
[… … .]
I guess I’ll just have to keep quiet.
Riley, with her head bowed, continued eating in silence.
“hmm…….”
It was then that Garon Theobald, who had been listening to the story silently, opened his mouth.
“You managed to find the core at the bottom of the cliff. And you did it with only 10 minutes left until the end of the exam.”
“Oh, yes, uh… … .”
“Wow. He really deserves the title of the best pathfinder in Wilhelm.”
Pamela waved her hands after hearing the compliment.
“Oh no, that wasn’t me.”
“then?”
“Here’s what my friend found.”
Pamela tapped the shoulder of the person sitting next to her.
A young man trembling.
He looked to be in his early twenties at most, and he was one of the candidates we encountered inside the ruins.
“This is Gilbert Winifred. He is my beloved disciple. He also found most of the golden golems in the ruins. Hahaha!”
Garon Theobald raised his eyebrows slightly.
“Gilbert Winifred? I’ve never heard that name before.”
“Haha! That’s because I was secretly raising him.”
“Oh… … .”
Garon Theobald answered in an interested voice.
“I’d like to hear more about Winifred.”
“As much as you want!”
The topic changed naturally.
Pamela was full of praise for her protégé in an excited voice.
How talented Gilbert is as a Pathfinder.
How unique his affinity for mana is.
How he destroyed the magical interference in the ruins. How he tracked the magical power of the golden golem, etc.
“Anyway, that’s why. Our Gilbert… … .”
Dalgrak─.
While Pamela continued to brag, Gilbert continued eating in silence.
There was a time when he was supposed to be humble, but he didn’t respond at all.
As if he were listening to a story that was completely unrelated to him.
‘You’re so proud.’
[huh.]
Yeah, well.
That was understandable.
Even from my perspective, the disciple named Gilbert had quite an outstanding talent.
It is a gem that is not easily found anywhere.
Of course, compared to Riley, his talent was nothing but a drop in the bucket, but with that level of hard work, he could probably rise to a high position.
“Haha! Do you know how quickly this guy found the management office?”
Pamela’s shower of praise for her disciple never ceased.
“I guarantee that no one passed the first test faster than our Gilbert… … .”
“Huh? Wait a minute.”
It was then that Dorothy intervened without notice.
“What about Rebecca Duncan? I heard she’s the fastest?”
“… … .”
“Was it four hours? Well, that’s all it took. So Gilbert is faster than him?”
After hearing Dorothy’s words, Pamela paused for a moment and then answered.
“Ha, haha… … Let’s leave that murderous maniac out of the discussion since he used tricks.”
“Well, whatever.”
Pamela continued speaking, forcing an awkward smile.
“Oh, by the way, Sir Garon Theobald passed the first test in one day, right? Hmm, then to be exact, our Gilbert would have come in second place!”
“······.”
“It only took this guy two days to find the management office! That’s quite an achievement for a guy who only reached the middle ranks last year! Hahaha!”
Before we knew it, it was time for the main dish.
Garon Theobald, who had been listening to the conversation silently while slicing lamb rib steak, quietly opened his mouth.
“Pamela.”
“yes?”
“Did Gilbert say he came to the management office in two days?”
“sure!”
Pamela answered confidently, as if she was proud of her disciple’s achievement.
But he couldn’t help but trail off when Garon Theobald followed up with his words.
“Then unfortunately, Gilbert is not in second place.”
“……yes?”
Pamela’s expression turned bewildered.
“What, what does that mean?”
“There was an applicant who passed the first test faster than me.”
Pamela immediately questioned after hearing that.
“Uh… … Sir Theobald?”
“Why are you doing that?”
“Re, Rebecca Duncan used a clone.”
“I know.”
“That’s why I don’t think it’s right to compare candidates who used “Pathfinding” with Rebecca Duncan… … .”
“Oh, it seems there is a bit of a misunderstanding.”
Garon Theobald smiled.
“I’m not talking about Rebecca Duncan now.”
“……yes?”
Pamela gives a questioning answer.
Swish.
Regardless, Garon Theobald turned his head towards us.
“Riley.”
“… … .”
“How long did it take you to pass the first test?”
It was a question I asked knowing everything.
This is a conversation I had with Garon Theobald the last time I was having dinner.
Riley, who had been quietly continuing her meal, answered in a calm voice.
“It took about half a day. To be exact, six hours and thirty minutes.”
6 hours and 30 minutes.
A short period of time, only half a day.
Considering that the average time for the first test is one week, this was an unrivaled record.
Dalgrak─.
“… … .”
“… … .”
silence.
A very quiet silence flowed.
As soon as Riley finished speaking, the air around her felt cold.
All that could be heard was the sound of Garon Theobald chopping away at his cutlery.
“Well, I guess so.”
I don’t know why, but Garon Theobald’s voice seemed to be filled with pride as if he was boasting about his granddaughter.
