#49. Purpose

We met at the agreed-upon time, and shared the information we had each gathered.

As expected, being a border region, the information obtained wasn’t particularly diverse.

Essentially the same information, with slight differences in detail.

Ah, the news of the Princess’s abduction was information I alone had managed to uncover. It seemed the merchant’s claim of ‘high-level information’ wasn’t a lie after all.

Of course, when I shared the information, the others expressed doubt.

“Is it true? That she was abducted… Honestly, it sounds like false information to me.”

“I tend to agree. Surely the royal family wouldn’t conceal an event like the abduction of a royal in the first place,” the recently polite Ivan concurred with Professor Meriel.

It was certainly hard to believe. Even I, who had spoken of trusting in money, had my doubts.

“Looking at the state of Aylon now, it’s not so strange. Though, I admit, the information isn’t exactly verified.”

I paused, mulling it over, then voiced the opinion I’d settled on moments before.

“Regardless of the truth of the information, the fact that such rumors are circulating is suspicious in itself. Something is definitely happening in the kingdom.”

“So?”

“We head straight for the capital.”

Reckless, this was.

As aware as I was, I spoke with a touch of grim resolve.

“I think I know what you’re getting at…”

Ivan said flatly.

“You know we could die, right?”

“…”

He was right.

This wasn’t the Empire, and we were few in number. Undertaking a reckless operation was a shortcut to death.

A cold assessment would conclude that we should halt the investigation now and turn back.

“I know.”

But, dammit, it bothered me.

[I’m sorry, I am unable to answer the question.]

“I know it’s reckless. You were dragged into this, so you can go back. …Professor Meriel too.”

The plan lacked a solid foundation. In other words, this decision was driven by my stubbornness.

More hands would be welcome, but dragging anyone else into this was too much to ask. Guess I’d have to investigate alone from here on out.

Ivan replied.

“Nah, if I go back, I’ll just have to do research again.”

Huh?

“Honestly, dying might be better? No, going back to that life is a guaranteed death sentence.”

“…”

“Isn’t having a chance to live better?”

It hit me in an instant.

This wasn’t some pretense to help me.

“This is my vacation.”

Ivan’s own survival instinct. A struggle, so to speak.

Wait, was I really working him that hard?

“Honestly, it wasn’t that bad, was it? Writing papers.”

“Are you insane?”

“…”

Was it really that bad?

Damn, that couldn’t be right…

“Then, Professor…?”

“Ah, w-well, I…”

I heard an awkward chuckle. Professor Meriel scratched her cheek with a vacant expression.

“There isn’t any research to do, really… And I also want to help.”

“…Is that truly so?”

“Of course. Let us go together.”

How to describe it?

A tickling in the heart.

The feeling of being moved.

Perhaps I have not lived my life in vain.

“…Hm?”

But something feels off.

Didn’t I… push these people away, once?

“Hm.”

Complex thoughts are only harmful; they offer no immediate aid.

Let’s just… move past it.

*

Just as Rain Ortiz was glossing over his complicated thoughts,

A certain professor, once scheming, was steeling his resolve.

‘I must win back Rain’s heart!’

An astonishing fact:

Professor Meriel had yet to abandon the idea of Rain transferring to the Department of Magic.

Rain had already gone too far to belong to a single department, but even so, she desperately wanted to secure him the title of ‘primary major.’

Even after being betrayed and discarded, she could not simply let a genius of the century slip through her fingers.

To that end, there was one thing Professor Meriel must do first!

‘…When to say it?’

A single phrase, postponed for lack of opportune moments.

A magic-like sentence, its efficacy already ‘proven’ by the scholar herself.

『I was wrong.』

An apology.

Yes, one must apologize.

Asked to choose between working with a person who offers a sincere apology and one who tries to brush things aside, one would naturally choose the former.

Meriel was acutely aware of this.

Of course, that was not all. Her own sense of guilt weighed heavily as well.

It was true that she had crossed a line, blinded by her immediate goals.

But still!

An apology in front of everyone… is embarrassing.

Therefore, she had been constantly seeking a moment alone with him, but upon reflection, Meriel had been excluded from Rain’s research schedule. Creating a private moment required making time outside of work.

‘Rain, my student, I simply cannot find the time…’

Whenever an opening appeared, another matter arose.

Just when she managed to create one again, she was summoned by another professor.

At the best possible time – ‘immediately after committing the wrong’ – the Myne incident broke out. After it was resolved, he only became even busier.

The role of guiding professor for the exchange program, her only chance, had been snatched away by Professor Cecil.

Meriell despaired.

Without an apology, a second chance would never arrive.

At this rate, she’d be eliminated from consideration for good.

And then…

“I will be going with Professor Meriell.”

Finally.

At long last.

Belatedly!

An opportunity had arrived.

A journey for just the two of them. An opportunity was sure to arise. No, it *would* arise.

Meriell felt the knot that had plagued her heart begin to loosen slightly.

“What are you staring at like that…?”

The problem…

“Can’t you just disappear?”

“Pardon…?”

Was that once again, there was an interloper.

Damn it all, this journey wasn’t just the two of them, after all.

That trash who had cut off Kevin’s arm at the exchange.

That one was joining them.

Meriell was more troubled by the fact that her plan had gone awry than by the fact that she had been mistaken.

Status: Uncomfortable.

Meriell, her expression sour, spoke bluntly to Ivan.

“You should go back to the Empire.”

Before departing for the capital.

This was happening in the brief window when Rain had left to attend to some business.

“No… Didn’t you hear me earlier? I don’t want to do research, okay?”

“Then don’t.”

“If I don’t, Rain will kill me. By increasing my research workload.”

“Try to endure it.”

“Have you ever nearly died from overwork? Because I almost did.”

“Tsk.”

Ignoring Ivan’s aggrieved expression, she began to chew her nails in thought.

What to do?

How to create some time alone… naturally…

“No, but why do you want to be alone with Rain in the first place?”

“Wh-what.”

Uh, uh, uh, uh, how did he know…?

“Don’t make that face. It would be stranger if I *didn’t* know.”

“Why?!”

“No, well, it’s just that you…”

Ivan trailed off, his expression bordering on pity.

“You’re always popping into the lab, constantly hovering around Rain, muttering to yourself in this creepy way, and it’s all about Rain… You’re perpetually trying to strike up a conversation, but you always fail. It’s almost pathetic watching you get turned away at the door sometimes.”

“Y-you, you saw all that…?”

“Yes. I’ve only been watching for a few weeks and even *I* know. It’s probably academy gossip by now.”

“Oh, dear…”

Meriell felt a wave of unprecedented shame wash over her. The proof was the way her face had flushed to the color of a ripe tomato.

“…Why do you have to make it so complicated?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why not just ask Rain to spare you some time?”

“B-but… what would I say? Wouldn’t it seem like I have ulterior motives?”

“So what if you do?”

In that brief exchange, Ivan realized one undeniable truth.

Meriell Gardener was a bothersome woman.

“Speaking of which, don’t you? Ulterior motives?”

“Of course not. What kind of professor looks at a student that way?”

…

*Some* kind of professor, apparently.

The kind you find in those… novels.

Ivan quietly swallowed the thought as it surfaced.

“Yeah, well, I suppose not.”

Ivan stared at Meriell for a moment, his gaze lingering.

It wasn’t a particularly meaningful stare. If anything, it conveyed a vague sense of exasperation.

This woman.

She probably wouldn’t manage to say what she wanted before this whole mess was over.

Hmm, but he didn’t want to earn her animosity for nothing…

Should he help?

“I’ll help you.”

“Huh?”

“…I mean, I’ll give you some space when you want it.”

“R-really?! Truly?”

Just then, Rain returned, having finished their errand.

“…Were you two having a conversation?”

“N-not really.”

“Alright, then I’ll get straight to the point.”

In that instant, the two exchanged a glance.

A silent agreement was made.

*

Rain’s errand had been to secure a carriage.

A carriage heading directly from the border region to the capital was understandably rare, which was why they had managed to find one a little later than planned.

“This man is the merchant who will be travelling with us.”

“A pleasure.”

Berto, a merchant from Aylon, inclined his head.

For Reine, Berto was practically a saviour.

It was only natural, seeing as he was the one who had offered a ‘free’ ride when they were in such straits, finding not a single carriage heading for the capital.

“Really…? Are you sure that’s alright?”

“Haha, of course, I will require compensation. Just not in coin.”

Berto offered a benign smile.

“I only ask that you guard me. The kingdom has grown rather… turbulent of late, and brigands have become quite emboldened.”

“Hold on, wouldn’t it be better to hire professional guards?”

Ivan voiced his doubt.

His doubt was, indeed, quite reasonable.

Better to hire reputable mercenaries, even if slightly more expensive, than to rely on untrustworthy strangers.

“Well…”

However, it seemed Berto had his own circumstances.

“…You lost your mercenaries?”

“That is… what happened.”

“Wait, hold on, can that even happen? Mercenaries rely on trust just as much as merchants do.”

“That’s what I thought as well, but these days, it seems money takes precedence.”

Everyone in the kingdom knew that things were not well in Aylon.

The problem was that things were so chaotic that even mercenaries were discarding their oaths.

“B-but merchants still maintain their integrity, I assure you!”

Berto hastily clarified, as if feeling unjustly accused.

“We only need to reach the capital; you don’t have to worry about us.”

“…I see.”

Reine’s group boarded the carriage. They were forced to travel in the cargo hold, but they were grateful for even that much.

“Then, let us depart.”

Soon, the carriage lurched into motion.

Clunk.

Clunk.

The ride was predictably unpleasant. They had long since left the paved roads behind, and the carriage wheels were old and outdated, making the jolting severe.

“I’m already sick to death of carriages…”

“We can’t exactly use magic to travel, can we?”

“I’d rather exhaust my mana than endure motion sickness… urgh.”

“…”

Reine patted Meriel’s back as she leaned out of the carriage, thinking.

Travelling by carriage, they had been told it would take approximately four days to reach the capital.

However, Berto had also mentioned that he planned to travel as quickly as possible, so it might be shorter.

Regardless, the minimum was four days. More than enough time for Rachel to inform the Empire and for them to begin their response.

Time was, as always, against them.

I need to gather information faster.

“Ivan.”

“Hm?”

“When I signal, you know what to do, yes?”

“…I figured as much.”

After instructing Ivan, Rain crossed the luggage compartment and headed for the driver’s seat.

The carriage was moving at a dangerous speed, so they were getting a little help from flight magic.

“Monsieur Berto.”

“Oh, what is it?”

Rain Ortiz wasn’t particularly one to dwell on losses.

If he lost something, he was only mildly disappointed; if he gained something, he was pleased. That was the extent of it.

“Honestly, I told you, you didn’t need to trouble yourself.”

“Hm? What are you talking about…?”

“Well, never mind. My plans have changed as well.”

However, if the other party harbored malice, the story became quite different.

“Let me ask you something.”

Rain began rummaging through his subspace pouch.

“Do I look like a fool to you?”