Chapter 136

Five days have passed since we left the south gate.

Daniela and I were at the foot of the rocky mountains. It was a path we had traveled through before, but as we were in a hurry then, I had not really taken in the view. This time it was slower and I was able to enjoy the nature around us. Though, we did have to pass the burnt down village yesterday.

“I never heard anything about it, but what happened to the people that were captured by the orcs?”

“…They were alive, apparently. But…you can imagine the rest.”

“I see… I suppose it’s not something anyone would want to talk about.”

Gardo had told me about it once, back in Fhiraldo. They were kept alive once captured by the orcs, and their days were miserable. Even if they are helped, they would have to be taken to an institution to recover.

“…I hope they will get better.”

“Aye. Perhaps that village will return to its former state one day.”

We sat around the bonfire after setting up camp at the bottom of the mountain. We were thinking back on that day. And then another memory came back to me.

“There was a very old ruin near that village, wasn’t there?”

“Aye. It was weathered and broken down.”

“I wish I could have seen more of it.”

Perhaps there was something to discover there. I wondered. However, many people had already investigated it.

“We could go and see it if you want?”

“Are you sure?”

“We are not in a hurry. Besides, I am curious as well.”

Oh, so she just wanted to see it too. Well, we could make a little detour tomorrow. We didn’t have everything strictly planned out, so a little change didn’t mean anything. And we had plenty of food to last…

With that settled, I entered the tent first. Daniela would take the first watch. I would sleep and prepare myself for the latter half of the watch.

“Alright then. Good night, Daniela.”

“Good night, Asagi.”

We kissed each other good night, as all good couples do, and then I closed my eyes.

I heard the whistle that signaled the start of the second half of the night. And I got up to trade places with Daniela. We repeated our goodnight kiss, and this time I sat down in front of the fire.

I stared at my surroundings as they were bathed in the firelight. Not only with my eyes. I used Presence Detection to search the area, but there was nothing.

The night sky is full with so many stars that I think they might start falling. Absently mindedly, I draw lines to create constellations but quickly forget the placements.

“I’m bored…”

I didn’t think I was letting my guard down, necessarily. But I was bored. There were supposed to be monsters known as rock lizards around here, but they didn’t come out at night as it was too cold. They would just stay shut up in their nests.

“Ah, that’s right.”

I took out a pen and some paper from the hollow bag and placed them on a wooden low table. By the way, this low table was my own creation. I borrowed some tools, got some help from my old master, Jack of all Trades, Master of None, to make the measurements, then learned how to use the saw to cut boards perfectly straight. Then I used a hammer to hit the nails with precision. It was a foldable table. It didn’t need to be, since it was going in the hollow bag, but this would make it easier if I ever needed to take it out to make more space again. I had thoughtlessly crammed so much stuff into it before, after all.

“…Well, who cares about all that.”

I was going to write a letter. To Fiona, in Spiris. When we left Spiris, I had said I would write to her. And now I felt like I wanted to write about Replant.

“Hmmm. It’s been a while. I am currently in the Flugelnia Empire…”

The rather pointless letter began. I would drop it off at the next guild we visited. I hoped there would be someone who was headed for Lambrusen.

My surroundings slowly grew brighter. The crackling of the fire was now accompanied by the chirping of birds. The soft, pale clouds started to become more brilliant in color, making the whole scene look almost mystical. I finished writing my letter and then took out the pots. It was time to make breakfast.

I made some water and then put it over the fire. Then the spices, meat, and vegetables went in. Now I just needed to put the lid on and allow it to boil until Daniela woke up. I was still annoyed that no gift for cookings had burgeoned within me, and so I was left to satisfy Daniela with the most simple of cooking. It didn’t matter how seriously I prepared every day, I was no chef…

Maybe this was the work of Jack of all Trades, Master of None. Sometimes I almost hated it…

“I should wake her up now… Hey, Daniela. It’s morning.”

I moved away from the bonfire and opened the tent flaps in order to pull Daniela out of her peaceful sleep. What I saw there was a surprisingly naked…not really. She was sleeping like normal. I put a hand on her slender shoulder and tried to wake her up.

“Hey, wake up.”

“Mmmm…no…I want to sleep…”

“We’re going to see the ruins, remember? Come on.”

“Mmmaaahhh…shut up…”

“Hey, jerk…”

She was always so grumpy in the morning… But she would continue to sleep if left alone…But then again, there were times when she got up by herself… Hmm. Maybe she was using magic to improve her sleep?

Well, there was one foolproof way to wake up Daniela. It just took one shot.

“So I guess you don’t need your breakfast then.”

“Good morning, Asagi.”

“Alright, get up, get up.”

Daniela was a woman who fully supported the eating of breakfast.

“Asagi, your cooking has been very poor recently.”

“What? It’s been what?”

“It used to be so luxurious.”

“…I can’t help it. I didn’t get any cooking skills. I’m very disheartened about it, you know? I’m broken. And who cares anyway, as long as it tastes fine?”

“Hmph…but, I would like to eat like that again…”

Daniela said as she looked at me. However, I had no talent. None at all… But I wasn’t such a failure that I could ignore her sweet, pleading look. Alright. It hurt, but I would give it another try!

“I have no choice, do I? I’ll just have to make something that satisfies you.”

“Hehe. I love you, Asagi.”

“Don’t you mean, you love people who can cook?”

I said, just a little embarrassed. However, I was already getting distracted by ideas of what I would make tonight.

□ □ □ □

We retraced our steps from the camp and headed west from the mountains and village. There was a forest here. And in the forest, was the old ruins. I had no idea what this old, decrepit building was, but it would have probably made a very beautiful church.

“So this is the ruins.”

“It is as they said…there is really nothing.”

There was grass growing inside, and even some small trees, which made it difficult to walk. Vines grew thickly along the walls and seemed to accentuate how old the place was.

“From what I had heard, many teams were sent to investigate this place. They wanted to know what stones were used, what purpose this place had, and how old it was…”

“But they couldn’t find any information?”

“Aye. They searched the surrounding area as well, but they don’t even know what country this would have been at the time. There were no towns around, so this building was completely isolated.”

“Hmmm… Nothing but mysteries then.”

“Exactly.”

I looked at the building again. Of course, there was no ceiling, so the sunlight came through directly. The collapsed ceiling, broken walls, and rubble that had once been the floor was all piled together.

“It makes you want to clean.”

“It is an ancient ruin. Perhaps you will find something.”

“True… Ahhh, it’s no use once I’ve thought about it. Can I at least sweep the floor a little?”

“Asagi…”

Daniela looked at me with exasperation. But I could no longer stand around idly. I took out a broom from the hollow bag. Why did I have a broom in the hollow bag? To clean our campsite, of course!

“I will not be helping you. I will go and look at the surrounding area.”

“Sure. Have fun.”

We came all the way here and… Daniela grumbled as she left. But I didn’t care. I would move these broken stones and sweep away the dust. Well, there was probably nothing here anyway. But I might as well tidy the place up for the other tourists that would come here, I guess? I told myself as I swept. I moved the larger rocks with the pressure of water magic. Water made with mana would evaporate as soon as the supply of magic energy stopped. And so there was no fear of flooding the place.

Rinse and repeat. I wanted a clear path from the entrance to the far back. Partway into my project, I asked myself why the hell I was doing this, and I suddenly remembered a very old ambition I had once had.

I was watching a television program about an Egyptian tomb. It had seemed like the coolest thing at the time. Decyphering old letters that looked like codes. Exploring places that no one else had seen… A treasure hunter. It had been my first ever ambition in life. Now that I think of it, I suppose they were actually called archaeologists.

And now, I was treasure hunting in a ruin with a broom in one hand. Was I the caretaker?

“Huhh… Daniela won’t like it if I take too long…”

It had been my dream for a while, yes… But the reasonable side of me was saying that the person I had promised my future to was more important than the old dream I had for my future.

“I’ll stop after moving this rock…oomph…!”

I used the blue-colored magic to lift it. And then I slowly moved it to the side against the wall.

“Hahh…I’m tired. …So tired… Hmm?”

I sat down on the now clean floor. There was a stone in front of me that had been flipped over. And towards the bottom, I could vaguely see that there appeared to be something like a pattern. I used my broom to sweep away the dust and it became clear. It had only looked faint because of the dust. Well, it had also been facing downward as well. In any case…this pattern. It looked kind of familiar?