Chapter 104
Who could have expected that a young child would give the answer he had been waiting for?
It was truly the most unexpected of surprises.
No, perhaps going around asking only the elderly had been a prejudice in itself.
“W-Well, you see…”
The child stammered. His eyes were shaking and his body shrank back completely, making it clear he was quite startled.
Having someone who at a glance looked like a person of high status stride right up to him must have been a strong stimulus for a young child.
At that, Franz calmed himself and sat back down on the bench.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s okay.”
“More importantly, could you tell me in more detail? What do you mean “you know”?”
Since it was the word of a young child, verification was necessary. It could just be a misunderstanding, or something said to get attention.
But he hoped it was true, if possible. Because if even the child’s words weren’t true, it really was the end.
“You can’t tell anyone, okay…?”
Saying so, the child turned his head and looked around. As if it would be a huge disaster if anyone heard.
Just what kind of matter was it for him to act like this?
Franz felt puzzled, but it wasn’t the time to be paying attention to such trivial things, so he nodded and answered.
“I’ll absolutely keep it a secret.”
Relieved by Franz’s words, the child cautiously began his story.
“There’s a cave a little ways away from here, you see? My grandpa told me not to go because it’s dangerous, but…”
To briefly summarize the child’s words, it was like this.
There was a dangerous cave somewhere, and a large lake was inside that cave.
A ray of light shone through a hole in the ceiling over that lake, and the moment he heard the password, that exact image came to mind.
“It sounds plausible for now, but…”
If it was a cave, it was a sufficient place for an armament to be hidden. Plus, with the modifier that it was dangerous attached, it gained a bit more credibility.
Anyway, one might say, going there even after hearing it was dangerous was truly like a young child. Thanks to that, he was able to obtain important information, but he hoped the child wouldn’t do so in the future.
Franz said.
“Could you tell me where that cave is?”
“Hmm-.”
The child narrowed his brow and seemed to ponder, then pointed somewhere with his finger.
“If you go strai-ght- in this direction, it’s there.”
Just how far was that straight?
Since the cave wasn’t marked on the map, he could only wonder.
“Well, I can just check it myself.”
Franz flicked his finger and used teleport. A magic circle was drawn on the ground, and it soon began to be dyed in light.
“Whoa?!”
Seeing the magic, the child let out an exclamation in shock, and at the same time, the surrounding scenery changed. He had moved an appropriate distance in the direction the child had pointed.
“Do we have to go further from here?”
When Franz asked, the child, who was looking around with wide eyes, slowly nodded.
At that, Snap-, Franz flicked his finger once more.
“I-It’s over there.”
Fortunately, they seemed to have found the right place this time, as the child immediately pointed somewhere with his finger and spoke.
There was a hole there that one adult could pass through. Since it was called a cave, he had naturally thought of the kind seen in mountains, but it seemed to be a tunnel leading underground.
He would have to check to know if it was really the place the password pointed to, but it would be better to do that alone. In a situation where a battle might occur, the child would be a hindrance.
Then should I send him back now?
It was the moment Franz thought that and was about to flick his finger.
“A-Amazing…! This is magic, right?! A magic circle was drawn on the ground, and the place suddenly S-n-a-p-! changed!”
The child spoke, full of excitement. His purely shining eyes were looking respectfully at Franz.
Franz was flustered by the child’s sudden reaction, but more than that, he felt proud. It felt like the child was recognizing what he had worked so hard to build up until now.
“Are you interested in magic?”
“Yes…! My dream is to become a mage like Sir Franz one day…!”
At his own name popping out of the child’s mouth, Franz scratched his head.
It was nice that he was happy to see magic, but mentioning him so directly was another matter entirely. He was definitely happy, but it made him feel unnecessarily embarrassed.
Amidst that awkwardness, Snap-, a cheerful sound rang out.
As if nothing had happened, Franz, having returned to their original location, rummaged through his pocket and took out a gold coin. And he pressed it into the child’s hand.
“H-Heeek?!”
Seeing the gleaming gold, the child’s eyes widened. As a commoner, it was an amount of money he would be hard-pressed to touch in his entire life, so it was only natural.
It was a bit of a large sum for such simple information, but his reaction was good, so he threw in a little pocket money.
“This is the price for the information.”
“B-But such a large amount of money is…”
“It’s fine, so take it. And if you want to learn magic, come to the empire’s Magic Tower anytime. I’ll put in a word with Franz.”
“You know Sir Franz?!”
It wasn’t that he knew him, he was Franz himself, but…
Well, there was no need to reveal that right now.
“We’re friends.”
“Wow…! I’ll go…! I’ll definitely go…!”
Clutching the gold coin tightly in his hand, the child nodded repeatedly.
Franz smiled at him and flicked his finger once again. More time had passed than expected, and it had already become sunset. It was about time to head back.
And more than anything, it was hard to keep facing the child.
He was so embarrassed he couldn’t even keep his head up.
Having finished his trip to the Western Region like that, Franz immediately returned to the Magic Tower.
In the past, the Magic Tower had only felt truly bothersome and detestable, but lately, it seemed there was no place quite like it.
Even though the magic maniacs frequently caused incidents and accidents, he was now so used to it that he didn’t feel much about it.
Rather, it felt awkward if the Magic Tower was quiet.
“Thank you for your hard work, Magic Tower master.”
The one who welcomed the returning Franz was, naturally, Arian.
As if she knew he would return, he ran into her in the Magic Tower master’s office.
“Yeah, nothing much happened at the tower, right?”
Because it was something that happened so often, Franz didn’t feel anything particularly strange and naturally took off his robe, handing it over as he asked.
“There was nothing for the Magic Tower master to worry about, so please don’t be concerned.”
Which meant that something had indeed happened.
Well, it was probably just the Necromancer Association causing a ruckus over a graveyard, or the mutually incompatible Magic Association fighting among themselves.
If it was just that much, there was no need to pay it any mind. Arian had said as much, too.
“By the way, it seems you went and met the saintess today?”
“Huh…? How do you know that?”
Franz was simply bewildered. Even if he had gone to the cathedral, there was no way she could know that.
At least yesterday she had figured it out by smelling his scent, but she hadn’t even smelled him today, making it even more so.
Her voice was even full of certainty, making it hard to think she was just speaking from a rough guess.
“At this rate, she could rival the most astute detectives.”
Yes, that guy who turned someone’s nape into a pincushion with tranquilizer darts.
It was when Franz was recalling memories of the 21st century like that.
“Because there’s a rumor going around that a certain someone received the Goddess’s grace at the cathedral. Though I don’t really know why a person who said they were going to the west went to the cathedral.”
Arian said in a sullen voice.
Franz only realized it then. that what had happened at the cathedral had already spread to the world.
As they say, rumors spread quickly, and this was no exception.
Haa-, letting out a long sigh, Arian continued speaking.
“So what’s going to happen to the Magic Tower master from now on?”
“Well… I don’t really know right now either.”
It would probably be decided through a meeting within the Goddess Church, just as Yusti-ah had said. And he would probably have no choice but to accept it without being able to deny it. Since he had just received the Goddess’s grace in front of countless Followers, after all.
'Saint is too heavy a title, isn’t there something like an honorary follower…'
All Franz could do was simply hope for it in his heart.
Of course, it was a wish that could not come true.
Time flowed and flowed, and the next morning, carriages with a familiar crest drawn on them came to a stop in front of the Magic Tower.
What need was there to say it? The crest pointed to the Goddess Church, meaning the Goddess Church had formally come to seek out Franz.
Click-clack-.
A woman stepped down from the foremost carriage with elegant movements.
Arian, who was just arriving for work, was shocked upon seeing her.
Pure white hair and attire, the symbol of purity. It was because the person who stepped out of the carriage was none other than Yusti-ah.
“Oh my, ducal daughter. We’ve been seeing each other quite often lately.”
“…Indeed. But what brings the saintess all the way here?”
“I know, right? Well, I didn’t particularly intend to come either. But an incident occurred that the Goddess Church simply couldn’t overlook.”
Yusti-ah’s tone was truly overflowing with composure, to the point of cascading down like a waterfall.
Along with that, she wore a faint smile on her face as if she were the victor, which made Arian feel very, terribly, incredibly displeased.
Of course, Franz, who knew nothing, was simply just waking up from his sleep and getting ready.