Water Magician

“Abel, where are you bringing me?”

Upon leaving the guild, Abel led Ryo north on the main street.

“Well, actually, as the reward for the escort request …”

“Hmm? That was settled with the magic stones, wasn’t it?”

“Nah, that’s different. When I first asked Ryo to escort me to Rune … I wanted to buy Ryo clothes and a staff as a reward when we reach the city …”

Abel trailed off while glancing to see Ryo’s reaction.

“Oh, well, Ryo may like tanned leather clothes and sandals so I’m not denying your dressing sense or anything …”

“You don’t have to be so mindful. I’m well aware that the look I have under my robe is not acceptable in the city.”

Ryo said with a bitter smile.

It was true that he had lived alone for a long time since coming to 『Phi』 but he lived normally for 19 years on Earth.

“I’m not actually fond of this leather. I just couldn’t make clothes because I couldn’t get thread in Rondo Forest … I’ll be happy to follow if you’re planning to buy clothes for me.”

“I see! Oh, then let’s get a couple of casual clothes and you can choose 2 or 3 sets that you fancy.”

Abel was relieved.

He thought it would be troublesome if he was perceived as making a fool of Ryo’s dressing so he was relieved when it went more smoothly than he expected.

“But Abel, I can understand clothes, but why a staff too?”

“Well, Ryo doesn’t have a staff even though you are a Magician, right?”

“Yes, I’m a Magician without a staff. But I can still use magic without a staff?”

Ryo replied to Abel, tilting his head.

“Well, the strength of magic increases with a staff … or so I heard…”

As he said that, Abel recalled Ryo’s magic.

(Increasing the strength of that? But I feel that it already has above average strength…?)

“Is that so? … But I won’t use a staff. I prefer a sword, especially when close combat is required.”

Abel was surprised to hear that.

“Sword? Ryo can use a sword? Not the knife on your waist?”

“Eh? Didn’t I mention it? If I were a wind-type wizard, I could split my body into three, fire off Sonic Blades and rush forward. If I can’t handle close combat with a sword, I can’t perform a rush, right?”

“Ye-yeah. I thought you were joking.”

“Ouch, that hurts …”

While conversing, they arrived at the clothing store.

It wasn’t luxurious, but it was a store with nice clothes lined up.

“This isn’t a very expensive clothing store, but it’s a pretty popular store with good tailoring and style. My clothes were also tailored here.”

“Abel’s clothes have high endurance, right? After all, it survived from Rondo Forest to Rune.”

“En-endurance … well, it is clothes for everyday activities so it’s certainly resistant to tears.”

In the end, it took about two hours to purchase clothes he would wear today and another three sets tailored.

“Hey Ryo, do you really not need a staff?”

“Yes, I don’t need it. I’m not used to it and as I said earlier, I would rather use a sword if I had a choice.”

“I see, well, if you’re okay with that …”

Reaching that point, Abel suddenly stopped.

“Abel, why did you stop? I’ll leave you behind.”

“No, you don’t even know the location of the Golden Wave Pavilion. Not that, Ryo, you don’t have a sword … right?”

Abel said, touching the sword he always had on his waist.

“Oh, this is it.”

Ryo said and showed Abel Murasame, without generating its blade, which was given to him by the Dullahan.

“Eh. Well, that’s … uh … a sword? … isn’t it … the knife that’s always on your waist …?”

It was a knife no matter how he looked at it.

Although the handle was very long and was a balance that he had never seen before, it was still a knife.

At the very least, the weapon that Ryo held up was closer to a knife and nobody but Ryo would claim that it was a sword.

“More importantly, I have a question for Abel. You told Nina-san that you would answer my questions instead, right?”

“Yeah … I did say that. Do you have anything to ask?”

“Actually, I realized that I don’t know much about the fundamentals.”

“Fundamentals?”

“Yes. Like how long is a day, what are the other units, and so on.”

Abel’s expression solidified.

“Abel probably thinks of me as a very common-sense guy. I’m sorry if I disappointed that expectation.”

“No, it’s okay because I think of you as a person with no common sense, but you have even less common sense than I imagined …”

It was basically the same as on Earth.

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and a monthly unit of around thirty days … It was unexpected that February had 28 days too and there was even a leap year system.

The unit of length was the same as on Earth, though it was non-American, such as meters, kilometers, and grams.

On the contrary, if the unit of weight was a gallon, Ryo would have been surprised.

However, now that it came to this point, taking into consideration the curry rice, it seemed that the only explanation was that there have been modifications made by reincarnated or transmigrated people in the past.

The hunch turned into conviction.

“Well, it would be difficult to understand all at once, so shouldn’t you gradually learn the various units?”

Abel commented.

“No, I remember everything perfectly.”

“Are you a genius…”

It was natural that he remembered it perfectly. After all, it was exactly the same as the units on Earth.

“Also, I was told that I could use the guild’s dormitory for up to 300 days after registering with the guild.”

“Yeah, that arrangement is pretty convenient. We used it in the beginning too.”

Abel looked up at the sky as if he remembered something nostalgic.

“I see. Then, I will use it from tomorrow. Since I have applied for the dungeon beginner’s course the day after tomorrow.”

“That’s a course that was only established three years ago. I heard that the mortality rate of beginners decreased considerably so it has practical content. Ryo has no knowledge or common sense aside from magical ability so that’s a good choice.”

“Abel… I don’t want you to think that just because you lack common sense that I’m the same as you too.”

Ryo shrugged and sighed.

“Wait, I clearly have more common sense than Ryo, you know?”

“It’s the same principle as those who are drunk who say that they are not drunk. That’s a troubling issue.”

“Somehow I get really irritated when talking with Ryo…”

“Oh yeah, there was something else I wanted to ask. Is there a library in this city?”

Abel was slightly taken aback by the sudden change in topic but Abel answered after thinking a little.

After all, Abel was a nice guy.

“There are two large libraries. The library in the south has many easy-to-understand books in a wide range of fields, catered for the general public. If you want to gain basic knowledge, the south library is the place. It is located one block south of the guild. The library in the north only has specialized books so it is not for the general public… but if you are looking for information regarding some specialized knowledge, that library may be better.”

“Do the libraries require money or qualifications to use?”

“Anyone can use the south library. When you enter, you deposit 2,000 Florin, that is, two large silver coins at the reception desk as a deposit. When you leave, if there is no problem, half of that, 1,000 Florin, will be returned to you. If you damage a book, the deposit will be confiscated and additional money may be charged.”

While talking about that, they arrived at the Golden Wave Pavilion.

The 9 o’clock bell caused Ryo to wake up.

In the Golden Wave Pavilion room that Abel and his friends from 『Crimson Sword』 borrowed.

He somewhat remembered being drunk many times and being brought to this room while leaning on Abel.

“Hangover … my head hurts …”

A hangover … he had never experienced it when he was on Earth … in the first place, he was still a minor so he had never drunk alcohol before either.

Nevertheless, he knew about it.

The first alcohol he had since coming to 『Phi』.

He remembered the first thing he drank was a “beer-like” thing called 『ale』.

However, after that, he seemed to have drunk various kinds of alcohol … but he couldn’t remember what he drank.

Nearly 100 people participated in 『Abel’s Return Celebration Party』 to celebrate the safe return of the popular Abel.

And Ryo was welcomed by many as a guest of honor because he saved the life of the main guest, Abel. He was immensely popular as well … up to the point that the other 『Crimson Sword』 members, Rihya, Rin, and Warren, who came to thank him for saving Abel, were pushed away by the crowd without being able to talk to Ryo much.

Ryo drank the water he created, got dressed, and left the room with all his luggage.

According to what he asked Abel yesterday, he planned to move to the guild dormitory.

When he reached the first floor, he expected a heap of corpses … but he was wrong.

The Golden Wave Pavilion had to serve breakfast for guests or dining customers early in the morning so they had forcibly cleared those adventurers who were unconscious on the floor last night.

However, they weren’t thrown out but were seated in the corner of the dining room. Actually, they were all sleeping face down the tables.

“Truly a difference of night and day …”

Looking sideways at the scene, Ryo headed for the receptionist landlady.

“Good morning, Ryo-san. I’ll prepare breakfast immediately. Please take a seat wherever you like.”

“Oh, thank you. Also, I will be moving to the guild’s dormitory after this, so for the payment …”

“There’s no need because Abel-san has paid for it.”

The landlady said with a smile and went into the kitchen.

(Abel … is a good person.)

A person who gives a favor is a good person.

At least, they’re a better person than someone who doesn’t give favors.

After having a simple but very tasty and satisfying breakfast of white bread, stew, and cheese with free refills, Ryo immediately headed to the guild.

Inside the guild he arrived at, there was a complicated atmosphere … that was a mixture of devastation but also feelings of relief such as when after a storm had passed.

It was because the morning battle for requests had ended and the people who came in to receive the rewards for the requests they received had been processed.

Of course, since there was a dungeon in the City of Rune, many adventurers enter the dungeon directly without picking up requests from the guild.

However, Ryo, who had never seen the condition of the guild that turns into a scene of carnage in the morning, could only describe the atmosphere as a 『complex air』 that he didn’t understand well.

Naturally, the receptionists were also tired.

Nevertheless, they were professionals.

As Ryo approached, they smiled.

Ryo approached the window where Nina was seated at.

“Good morning, Ryo-san. How may I help you today?”

Ryo could have chosen any reception window but he thought that Nina, who did his registration procedure yesterday, would be a better choice than the receptionists who he didn’t know at all, so he chose her.

“Good morning. I wish to move into the guild dormitory that Nina explained to me yesterday.”

“Okay. Right now, about thirty people are using the dormitory. Some of them have entered the dungeon but … normally people do not challenge the dungeon every day, so I believe some of them are still in the dormitory. Six people share one bedroom and you may use the lounge freely. Nobody is waiting now so I can guide you.”

Nina-san said and came out from the reception desk.

She exited from the guild entrance and circled to the back. Ryo followed behind her.

“By the way, Ryo-san, thank you very much for Abel-san’s Celebration Party yesterday. You were caught by Ra-san to drink all the time.”

Nina giggled.

“Ra-san looks up to Abel as a real brother … so he was very grateful to Ryo.”

Ra was a Swordsman who led the C-rank party 『Switchback』.

Yes, Ra, who idolized Abel, expressed his fervent gratitude to Ryo for saving Abel … throughout the drinking party.

Of course, as the guest of honor, many others poured alcohol and brought food to Ryo because he saved Abel, but Ra still managed to thank Ryo the entire time.

“I’m happy to be thanked but … honestly I drank too much.”

Ryo answered with a bitter smile.

“The guild’s store has potions for detoxification so if you have a bad hangover, you should buy it later.”

“Treating a hangover with a detoxifying potion …”

Ryo’s knowledge was increasing day by day.

“Yes, I haven’t tried it, but it seems to be well known among adventurers.”

The guild dormitory was behind the guild main building.

Like the main building of the guild, it was also a magnificent stone building with two floors.

“Are there any rules for lodging? Such as closing times?”

“No, you can come and go any time of the day, every day. As such, you are responsible for managing your personal belongings. The facilities are bedrooms for six people, shared toilets, and a common room with a kitchen. There are no building managers so everything is managed by the residents.”

“That’s quite … bold.”

“There used to be a caretaker, but due to various reasons, we don’t have one now. Only the cleaning is managed by an external party. It is by a company run by a former adventurer and they are contracted to clean the city, including the guild.”

(I see. After retiring as an adventurer, there is such an option to continue to make money. It would be easier to get work too when you make connections with various people in the city while still active as an adventurer.)

“Ryo-san’s room will be Room 10. Currently, there are two others in the room, Niels and Etho. They have formed a party to venture into the dungeon. This room here.”

Nina said and gestured at a door. Next to the door, there were two wooden tags, 『Niels』 and 『Etho』.

“Residents hang their name tags here. Ryo-san’s tag has also been prepared here, so I’ll hang it up.”

Then Nina hung a wooden tag with the words 『Ryo』 on it.

Then, she knocked on the door.

“Yes, please enter.”

A voice came from inside the room.

“Oh, you’re in today.”

She opened the door and went inside.

“Excuse me. I’m Nina, a guild employee. Niels-san and Etho-san are here, right?”

There was a man about 20 years old with brown hair and a burly body doing push-ups and a delicate man whose job was clear from his white priesthood clothes.

“Ni-Nina-san. Goo-goo-good morning.”

The burly man replied.

“Perfect timing. This is Ryo-san, who will be moving into this Room 10 from today. Thank you for your cooperation.”

“I’m Ryo, nice to meet you.”

Ryo bowed.

“Ah, I’m Niels. This is Etho. Nice to meet you, Ryo.”

Niels stood up and asked Ryo for a handshake.

Etho was still seated, but turned to Ryo, raised one hand and bowed his head.

Upon confirming the introduction, Nina nodded.

“Then, I’ll return to the reception desk. Ryo-san, I’ve applied for you for tomorrow’s course, so please don’t be late … well, it’s unlikely you can be late if you stay here.”

With a smile on her face, Nina went back to the guild main building.

“Yup, Nina-san is beautiful as usual.”

Niels muttered after Nina left.

“Again, Niels? Nina-san included, the receptionists are highly sought after, so Niels has no chance at all.”

Etho chuckled.

“I-I know! But it’s a man’s dream to want to become famous and marry a good woman someday!”

It was a saying that would garner negative comments on modern Earth where gender equality had advanced, but it seemed that it was not yet a problem on 『Phi』.

“More importantly, Ryo, right? We’re roommates and fellow adventurers so you’re okay if we do away with the honorifics? You can do the same for us too.”

“Yeah, I’m okay with that.”

“Alright, that’s great. I was pretty worried about what kind of people would be assigned to this room. After all, there were only the two of us in this six-person room? There was no doubt that newcomers would be assigned … I’m glad that it’s a decent person like Ryo.”

“Yeah, it would have been hard if it was someone like Dan in Room 1.”

Etho and Niels nodded many times.

“Ah … I guess that’s a common issue …”

It was present in every era, everywhere in the world …

It seemed that it existed not only on Earth but also in another world.

“Right. I’m a Swordsman and Etho is a priest, but is Ryo a Magician?”

“Yes, I’m a Magician.”

“Just like how you are dressed.”

Niels laughed loudly.

“Nina-san said that the course will start tomorrow, so Ryo will be taking the dungeon course, right?”

“Yes, I will be attending the five-day beginner’s course.”

“Oh, I’m thankful for that. Thanks to that, we are still alive.”

Then Niels laughed loudly again.

After that, Ryo heard about the city from them.

Thirty minutes after they started talking, the door was knocked once again.

“Please enter.”

Niels said and Nina came in again.

“I’m sorry, everyone. Actually, a newly registered adventurer in the Adventurer’s Guild wants to move into the dormitory.”

Then, from behind Nina, a boy who looked to be in his mid-teens came in.

“I’m Amon. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Niels. That’s Etho and this is Ryo.”

“Amon-san will also participate in the dungeon beginner class from tomorrow. Please join us with Ryo-san.”

Nina said before returning to the guild main building.

“Yup~, Nina-san is beautiful as usual …”

See? Like I mentioned? Etho sent a look to Ryo.

Yeah. Ryo nodded.

Looking at their eye contact, Niels sulked.

“There’s nothing wrong with it. Oh yeah, Amon, you look pretty young. I’m sure you’ve not reached adulthood?”

An 『adult』 in the central nations was eighteen years old.

“Yes, I just turned sixteen years old. But my family passed away so I came to the City of Rune to become an adventurer to survive.”

“Well, everyone has similar backgrounds.”

Etho said.

(A priest would have issues putting food on the table too? I don’t know the details about that.)

Ryo wondered but thought that it was too early to ask about it so he kept quiet.

“Ryo has just moved in and seems to be taking the course from tomorrow too.”

“Yes, I will be attending it for five days, so I’ll be in your care, Amon.”

“Likewise, thank you very much.”