Chapter 16

Good news. Asagi Kamiyashiro can use magic. Ice and water. And a little fire too. I can’t believe it, this is amazing. A humble convenience store clerk like me can use magic. So, just how do you use it? You just think about it?

“What is important is to visualize it. The image created in your mind becomes fuel for the energy inside you and the phenomenon occurs. The chanting works as a kind of support to that. If you can visualize it well, you won’t even need to chant. Just as I have no need to.”

I guess there was no cheat for that. Magicians must have to work really hard to get to that point. I should give it a shot.

Let’s see… I’m supposed to be good with ice, so maybe I’ll try to cool the moisture in the air and lower the temperature.

“Mmm….mmmm….”

I imagine that I’m emanating magical energy that spreads throughout the room. Then I rob the moisture of heat and begin to cool it.

“Asagi.”

“Mmm…!”

“Mmmggg…what?”

“It’s cold.”

Oh. My breath had turned white. Success. That wasn’t too hard. Didn’t take too long either. This could be pretty fun if I could instantly create ice.

I thought about returning the temperature back to normal as I used fire magic, until my breath was no longer visible. Then I shut it off before it got too warm.

“You learn fast, Asagi. You can visualize things well. I think you should be able to use lots of different magic in no time.”

“I hope so.”

In fact, I was sure that this magic was affected by ‘Jack of all trades.’

As it was a power not visible to the naked eye, I did not see the typical split-screen inside of my head. It was hard to believe that I could use it so easily when it was my first time. And it was not as if I had any special settings as the protagonist.

Though, it likely meant that I would only be able to use very common spells at best. But I wasn’t about to whine. This was still magic. It was like I was in a dream.

After that, Daniela and I talked about magic until she slowly started to doze off. And so she went to her bed to sleep and I went to my desk to sleep. I suppose I was quite tired after all. Though, I didn’t dream that night.

There was something depressing about seeing the sunrise through iron bars. It did nothing to raise your spirits. It was as if I had been thrown into prison for a crime that I had no memory of.

Sighing, I stand up and stretch my limbs. Daniela was still curled up in her bed and sleeping peacefully. Seeing her sleeping like that, I felt justified in having given up the bed, and I smile. Now that my stiff joints were loosened, I was wondering what I should do next, when the door was knocked from the other side.

“Yes.”

“Asagi? Good morning. Sleep well?”

“Morning, Russell. Uh, the desk was very comfortable, yes.”

“Hahaha, glad to hear it. Listen. We finished arresting all the men who harassed you this morning. They’ve all been thrown into a cell for now.”

“I knew you’d get it done.”

“Those men, we had to chase them all over town. Finally, they grew tired and we knocked them down and tied them up. It was nothing!”

He laughed boisterously. The captain was different from the rest. That guard last night could learn a thing or two from him.

Then Daniela stirred.

“Mm…what…is that noise…”

“Good morning, Daniela.”

“Mmm…Asagi…good…”

It seemed like she wasn’t good with mornings. The sharp beauty from yesterday was nowhere to be seen. The only thing that was there was a sleepy-eyed, sluggish creature with tousled hair.

“Come on, get up. We should go and wash up.”

“Mmmm…”

I take her hand and help her to stand up. We then headed for the well in the back that I had used when first arriving here. So it was pretty familiar.

After that, we visited Russell’s room where I told him that we’d be returning to the inn to have breakfast. Apparently, Daniela wasn’t staying anywhere, and so she accompanied me.

“I’m sorry…I was going to look for an inn right after you left last night.”

“Well, it’s not your fault. I should be sorry for getting you involved in my business.”

“Don’t. The important thing is that we’re both safe.”

She said and smiled, the slothful creature of the morning that was in her, had now vanished.

□ □ □ □

I explained the situation to Maris at the Spring Wind inn. She was incredibly happy to hear that the men would not be bothering me again. Then I introduced Daniela and it was decided that she would stay too.

“I’ll give you a good deal as a friend of Asagi!”

Her usual acquaintance discount made it easy for Daniela to decide.

We ate our breakfast there and then head to the guardhouse. Though, this time it was not to the one near the southern gate. It was the central guardhouse that was facing the Adventurer’s Guild near the center of the town. This place had a dungeon where the bastard leader and all his followers had been dumped, so they could enjoy the night together. And now we had come to identify them.

We explained what had happened the previous night at the office counter, which was quickly related to Russell and we were led through. After passing several doors, we down a long hall that led to stairs going downward. The air suddenly became very chilly.

“Asagi, are you sure that these are the men?”

“Yes. All of them. They tried to harm me and Daniela.”

Behind the thick iron bars sat the adventurers, bound with rope and wearing the most bitter of expressions. I, on the other hand, felt elated. I liked this!

“Damn, what fools…hahaha… What should we do with them?”

“Uh, what do you mean?”

“I have the authority to send them to the gallows. These men drew their swords. If they were ready to kill, then they should be ready to die.”

“Ahh…”

To be honest, death for attempted murder seemed a little harsh from my point of view? Really. I knew we were in a ‘kill or be killed’ kind of world. But there were still sensibilities that I couldn’t quite escape.

“Is there any other way?”

“There is a system of enslavement for criminals. The mines at Mount Alessa in the south.”

I see. A slave system. As a twenty-first century being, this was also not a welcoming thought. But it was at least less final than death. Well, at least in my mind.

“Daniela. What do you think?”

“Indeed… I also prefer avoiding unnecessary bloodshed. If you agree with it, I think that falling into slavery would adequate.”

“Yes. I was thinking that too. Then that is our decision, Russell.”

“Understood. They will be stripped of their Adventurer’s license and through the compassion of Asagi and Daniela, be sent to labor at the Alessa mines for ten years.”

He faced us and did a sharp salute before grinning.

“You’re a kind person. But be careful that people do not take advantage of it. And come to me whenever you need help. Because I will always be your ally.”