Why did Alistair ask the Prince to wait a week?
âI still havenât taught some people how to train their magic yet.â
Because of that. That wasnât true. Alistair taught people how to train their magic, and those people taught others. Of course, people wouldnât know how to do this at first if they werenât hunters, so their training progressed slowly. Still, results were achieved.
But I canât deny that there are people who would take it easy and think it would work out somehow if Alistair were around even if they fail or forget how to train their magic. They finally got serious about training their magic when they heard that Alistair will be going to the fief capital in a week.
How are my preparations, you ask?
To begin with, I was kidnapped with nothing on me. The things Iâve gained since then are a few changes of clothes, a broken magic tool and a stuffed rug dragon.
The pink rug dragon was taken away by Emy one day, and she gave it back to me on the same day.
âLook, the belly part of this rug dragon, see?â
Iâd thought sheâd just stitched it, but sheâd turned it into a hidden pocket.
âI donât know if you understand me even if I tell you this.â
Emy tilted her head a little.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âBut, you know, itâs big enough to fit a piece of silver or something small. Iâm going to put something important in it.â
âAi.â
I put my rug dragon, which had been turned into a pocket, properly on my shoulders.
âThis might be unreasonable, but I hope that youâll remember this town whenever you see this rug dragon. It was fun.â
âAi. Thhanwsh.â
âYouâre smart,â Emy said and laughed, then quickly went back to work.
The week passed by as normal, if not a little hectic. Apparently, the Prince has a base in the neighbouring town, and he selfishly said before leaving, âIâll pick you two up in a week. Iâll prepare the things you need at the capital. You donât have to bring anything with you.â He left some âguardsâ here, but well, I guess itâs more helpful than not leaving them here. Theyâre dropping money at the inn after all.
Kyaro and Clyde were busy on some days and couldnât come home and there were also times when Bart and Mill were busy. So we couldnât spend our last days here together with them much and in the blink of an eye, itâs already the day before we leave.
I was organising my luggage with Alistair in our room. Well, it was only my clothes and broken tool box.
âAre you really going to take this magic tool with you?â
âAi. And dwagon.â
I showed him the stuffed animal that I always have with me.
âI really want to take some building blocks with me, but whatever. I can do some woodwork, so Iâll try to make some when we get to the fief capital.â
âDonâth fohget thwiangwesh.â
âI wonât. I wonât be able to make roofs without them.â
âAi.â
Alistair ruffled my hair.
âAwishthair, thhathâsh aww?â
âFor me? Yeah.â
Alistair only packed a shoulder bag.
âIâm a hunter. I just need a Rhodolite sword and a change of clothes. Bart and the others usually carry the camping tools. Hunters actually donât camp that much in the first place.â
Thatâs true.
âBecause the Hollows will attack.â
âDangewoush.â
âYou might be fine?â
âI canâth puth bawwier up if Iâm ashweep.â
Alistair looked like he couldnât understand what I was saying, but then he suddenly realised and went pale.
âI see, so barriers made by people arenât almighty.â
Then he hugged me.
âDonât push yourself.â
âAi.â
I want to say that someone always pushes themselves too hard, but itâs troublesome, so I didnât.
âHey, Alistair, Lei.â
At that moment, I heard knocking on the door, and Kyaro was the one whoâd opened it.
âBring your bags downstairs once youâre done. Oh, you two get along so well.â
He laughed when he saw that I was being hugged. Itâs fine. We do get along well after all.
âI was telling Lei not to push herself.â
âThatâs important.â
Alistair followed after the laughing Kyaro and also took my luggage with him. As for me, I carefully walked down the stairs.
Everyone has gathered downstairs for a while now. They each had a bag by their side. I widened my eyes in surprise when I saw that.
âWhat is it, Lei? I said that weâll come with you to the fief capital, didnât I?â Bart laughed.
âAi, buth-.â
âWe would have done this even if youâd gone by yourself, but Alistair is with you too this time. Donât feel bad.â
Bart crouched down and put his hands on my cheeks while I was looking down. Thatâs right. Theyâve known Alistair much longer than me. Of course, theyâll send him off. I felt better.
We can still be together.
âOh, your eyes are shining. Weâll still be together for a little while longer.â
âAi!â
Then, Mill, who was looking in the cupboard under the sink, said pitifully, âI like this kettle, but itâs too heavy to take with us.â
That was the kettle he used to make tea on their days off.
âYou can buy another one once we settle down.â
âBut-.â
Mill pouted as he looked at the kettle. He finally gave up and reluctantly put it back into the cupboard.
âYou-.â
I looked back and saw Alistair looking at Mill in shock as he put the kettle away.
âYour luggage-.â
Luggage? I looked back. I feel like thatâs a bit too much stuff to take on a trip. And-. I surveyed the first floor. Thereâs not a lot of things in the rooms.
âYou noticed?â Bart crossed his arms awkwardly.
âWell, itâs like that.â
âLike what?!â Alistair sounded confused and a bit angry.
âIt looks as if youâre not coming back here.â
âAlistair,â Clydeâs low voice echoed.
âHunters can work anywhere. Itâs about time for us to try our skills in a different town.â
âClyde...â
Alistair didnât know what to do.
âWeâve arranged things with the Prince.â
Kyaro winked.
âYou live with us at the fief capital and commute to the castle for your lessons. Itâll be hard to make time for hunting, but itâs better than nothing.â
âKyaro! But-.â
âAnd-,â I looked at Mill who wanted to say something and saw grease on the tip of his nose. I took out a handkerchief from my pocket, âMiww handwerchief.â
âWhat is it?â
He bent over, and I wiped his nose.
âOh,â he said as he wiped it again with his sleeve. He forgot his handkerchief again.
âIâm sure weâll have new encounters if we go to the capital.â
âI think so too,â Clyde agreed with Mill.
âGuys-.â Alistair looked down and quickly rubbed his face with his sleeve. Everyone pretended that they couldnât see him do this.
âAlistair, we might have been taking care of you at first, but weâre a party now.â
âYeah.â
âLetâs go to the fief capital together and have fun.â
âYeah.â
âNow, letâs leave the luggage here and have dinner.â
âYeah!â
And tomorrow, weâre all leaving.