The Water Magician (水属性の魔法使い)

Thanks!

What in the world...?

Must be nice. I wish I could be drinking.

Reports to the capital and regional lord,

requests for Great Tidal Bore response funds,

paperwork for payouts, assessments of the adventurers who participated,

plans to restore and replenish the facilities and assets...

Plus the budgeting to do all of that

while keeping the guild up and running...

Forget full. My hands are overflowing.

And to top it all off, researchers from the royal capital

are bound to show up wanting to study what happened.

Even though the dungeon's going to be sealed for a month.

The aftermath of the attack might be even more trouble...

I see. So they're celebrating the end of the Great Tidal Bore.

I guess that's a good reason to break out the alcohol.

You should've seen Abel!

He just thrust his sword at the goblin king like this!

And then he gave Lyn the signal to unleash some crazy spell!

That was Bullet Rain. It's supposed to be one of the most powerful wind spells there is.

And Abel was the only one to dodge it!

I wonder how he did it.

The sword skill Perfect Shadow.

It's a technique for dodging any kind of ranged attack, including magic.

Abel! Y-You were amazing today, sir!

You all did great hanging in there, too.

A sword skill called Perfect Shadow?

Now that's how you name a technique!

I had feeling that'd be your takeaway.

We finally found you, Abel!

See? I knew he'd be with Ryo.

Why, he's your favorite person, isn't he?

Look, all I meant was that the fight would've been easier with Ryo's help...

I don't know why, but that felt kind of hostile.

I actually wanted to ask you something, Ryo.

Yes?

Are you really able to conjure Ice Wall way up in the air?

Yeah, I sure am.

I'd say 40 meters or so is my limit.

Then it's true...

It's by no means easy though, and it took me quite a while to swing.

I mean, most people can't do it at all.

Is it some kind of original spell?

Original?

Most magic is invoked by reciting existing incantations, right?

I'd say incantations come down to personal preference.

Everyone has a different style.

Hey, the food's gonna be gone soon!

Yikes! That's definitely bad news!

If you'll excuse me, Lyn, Rihya.

Apparently Ryo thinks

incantations are only something you use because they're impressive.

He can cast without them.

How can that be?

This goes way beyond strange.

Talk about rough going. Not a single job.

Huh? Shouldn't the three of you be working?

No dice. With the dungeon closed,

we figured we'd take some collection quests on the surface, but...

There's been such an influx the past few days

that buyers are rescinding their usual requests.

Are you here to take a quest, Ryo?

No, I'm looking for some ore I need to practice alchemy.

But they're apparently all sold out.

You mean magic copper ore? Isn't that really expensive?

From what I heard at the general store, a handful is around 500,000 florins.

That's 50 golden coins...

Must be nice to be so loaded.

But without any jobs, we can't earn even when we want to.

What're we gonna do?

Well, in that case, why don't I hire the three of you?

What do you mean?

If there's somewhere to collect magic copper ore outside the dungeon, I'd be obliged.

Locally, there's an abandoned mine near the village of Rusay,

about half a day's walk from here.

Four gold coins a head.

I'll pay you that regardless of your haul.

Then I'll buy what magic copper ore you do find for 25 gold coins apiece.

My only stipulation is that all three of you make it back safely.

What do you say?

I say we're in!

But do you really wanna pay that much, Ryo?

At 37 gold coins total, that's still a lot less than what I'd pay in town.

Since this isn't through the guild, you won't get credit for it, but...

Not an issue!

Can't you see you're bothering her?! Knock it off!

What's the harm? We were just asking her to serve us some drinks.

And while she's at it, she can service us tonight, too.

No! I don't want to!

That's enough! Want me to clobber you?

Well, here's a surprise.

Stop it!

You stupid cur...

I'm not going to kill you. But you adventurer filth need to learn some manners—

What did you do?!

Uh, nothing. You just fell over.

You... Don't you dare move, you piece of—

Wh-What in the...?

Okay, that's quite enough.

Phelps?!

Who are you supposed to be?

You're knights of this kingdom! What do you think you're doing?

Have some shame!

How dare you? If you defy us,

we'll have you and the guild master exiled from—

Silence! If you claim to be a knight, then behave like one!

Y-You're just an adventurer.

I may be an adventurer, but I am also a nobleman of this kingdom.

I am Phelps A. Heinlein,

heir to House Heinlein!

Heinlein...

Like the former commander of the royal knights?

Correct. Alexis Heinlein is my father.

Now, stop sullying the name of our kingdom's knights! Begone!

Thank you so much, Phelps.

Thank you.

You're Dan, right? You were brave to intervene,

just as an adventurer should be.

Now, why don't you see her to her friends?

Right. If you'll excuse me.

Hello. I take it you're Ryo?

That's right. It's nice to meet you... Phelps, is it?

It is. I'm the captain of White Brigade.

Abel's told me as much, but your magic truly is interesting.

Um...

Oh, don't mistake me. That knight slipped all on his own, no?

But Abel was insistent that the Great Tidal Bore would've been easier won with your aid.

Abel...

Captain, we should be going.

Right. Very well, then.

You'll have to excuse us, Ryo. We'll talk again. And thank you for what you did.

Phelps...

And that woman, too. Both of them are strong.

Not sure why the son of a marquess is an adventurer, though.

I don't see you eating dinner alone often.

I'm not going to treat you, even if you sit with me.

I don't expect handouts from newbies.

You're welcome to treat me whenever you want, as a veteran.

Considering I know how much money you have, that's not happening.

What can I get you?

I'll have the daily special.

Coming right up.

It's rare to see you on your own, too.

Oh, I know what this is. You're off to the pleasure district after—

Y-You fool! There's no telling who might be listening!

Worried about the walls having ears and the doors having eyes?

Do doors even need eyes? You can just peek past them!

From your reaction, I take it you'd rather avoid the subject.

Which leads me to believe a lucky girl's caught your eye.

It's not like that.

Still, I'm not sure about putting the moves on Lyn.

No, she's after Warren.

Huh?

Pretend you didn't hear that.

That's... quite a striking pair.

But I suppose love can overcome a little height difference.

So, does that mean you're interested in Rihya?

You dummy! It's not like that!

Then why react like a middle-schooler?

A middle... what?

Seriously, though, why are you out on your own?

Well, if you don't have anything better to do, I guess I could use your help.

Come again?

One of the investigators dispatched to Lune is an old acquaintance of mine.

He's got royal knights in tow as guards.

But a few of them are apparently rotten.

I see.

They've run off again tonight, and I'm to collect them before they cause trouble.

Abel.

What is it?