CH 20

༺ Camping (2) ༻

I could understand her.

Since childhood, Kaya grew up like a soldier under the protection of the Sword Saint Gerald, and lived a life where she built a wall around herself and men.

For her, being in a situation where she has to sleep in the same place as a man must have been quite a psychological blow.

Besides, I wasn’t ugly. When I saw Isaac’s face in the mirror, he appeared to be rather attractive. She even admired me.

The conditions were just right for something strange to happen.

I cast another glance at Kaya. She was still nervous.

She must have been afraid that I would touch her. In a good way, a bad way, or both.

That didn’t mean I could sleep outside, I only had one tent.

Even if I made an igloo with ice magic, it was useless because I wouldn’t be able to control my mana while asleep, and the spell would be dispelled.

“………….”

“………….”

In the quiet night, the sound of a crackling campfire and a gently flowing stream could be heard.

If I kept my mouth shut while listening to natural ASMR like this, the strange atmosphere would only get worse.

Just then, my drowsiness kicked in, and I was starting to feel sleepy.

Perhaps in this situation, it would be a good way to reassure her in this situation if I went to the tent’s corner and fell asleep first.

“I’m sleepy. Let’s sleep.”

“Ah, yes, yes!”

Private Kaya Astrean.

She reminded me of when I first joined the military and was assigned to my own unit. I was a private.

I got up from the folding chair, with a blanket draped over my shoulders. Then I entered the tent first, while ignoring Kaya, who was staring at me.

There was enough room for the two of us. I went to the farthest corner, and laid down there so Kaya could sleep comfortably.   

‘Ah.’ 

This cozy feeling, what is it? It’s nice. 

It doesn’t feel like I’m just coming over and camping… It’s real camping.

“Excuse me…”

After some time had passed, Kaya cautiously came inside. 

Every move she made was fraught with tension. Her blanket was slung over her shoulders and tightly wrapped around her body.

I did not respond on purpose. I only squinted my eyes slightly before closing them and pretended to be asleep. 

Kaya went to the corner opposite of me and laid down. I could hear the duvet and blanket rubbing against each other.

Suddenly, it was quiet.

Will she be able to sleep well? 

I slowly opened my eyes and glanced in Kaya’s direction.

‘Oh my.’

Tremble

I wasn’t sure why, but Kaya’s body was shaking violently like a bell. She stared at the empty tent ceiling, her blanket pulled up to her lips.

She was tightly sticking to the opposite corner, making the center of the tent appear very empty. 

[Kaya Astrean]

Psychology: [Nervous at the thought of sleeping alongside you, as if her heart is going to burst.]

I won’t touch you, so don’t worry…

‘Well, she’ll fall asleep eventually.’

Thinking that, I closed my eyes again.

My whole body felt languid. It seemed that fatigue had piled up.

After finishing a full day of classes, I rode a carriage to Tantak Cave, and killed Garzia the Hermit…

“Sir Isaac.”

Kaya suddenly called out to me.

“You said that you detected the demon’s mana residing in the underground cave while at the academy. Did you know, by any chance, that I was following you… or, even when I was around…?”

Of course, I didn’t know.

As I reflected on what she had just said, it seemed like this wasn’t the first time Kaya has followed me.

In any case, Kaya following me for whatever reason wasn’t a situation that I wanted to deal with.

It was because there was a great risk that my secret would be exposed if she found out about my daily routine where I was constantly training.

If that happened, I didn’t know what kind of aftermath would follow. Unforeseen variables were a frightful factor in a position where I had to be as cautious as possible.

“…Don’t do that again. It’s annoying,” I said calmly, clutching onto my sleepy mind.

“Ah, I understand…!”

Kaya’s answer trembled like an earthquake.

That should be enough.

Letting go of the tension in my mind, I fell into a dream.

———————❖———————

It had been about three hours. I awoke from a dream in which I fell asleep during a cold-weather military training. I was also dozing off there.

I raised my upper body. It was too cold in the morning to be sleeping with just one blanket.

Although I didn’t feel much cold from my own magic, I was no different from a normal person when it came to the cold caused by the outside environment.

“Ugh, it’s cold,” I grumbled as I turned to face Kaya.

I saw her lying with her back to me, covered by a blanket.

After draping the blanket over her, I pulled out a change of clothes from my magic pouch. I was going to sleep with this on.

It couldn’t be helped. It was better for me to suffer the cold than for her, who had followed me with a childish mind.

“Ah.”

The Sheath of Disaster that was in my extra clothes touched my hand. I took out that item too.

Every time I saw it, I was filled with pride.

When I was young, I remembered getting one of the Egyptian God Cards, Obelisk the Tormentor, in a Yu-Gi-Oh! pack and looking at it all day long while being happy. I felt similar emotions as back then. 

When I gently touched the Sheath of Disaster, a smile naturally formed on my lips.

“Beautiful.”

Hehe. I hope to use it well in the future. 

I put the Sheath of Disaster back into the magic pouch. 

‘I have to sleep again.’

I covered my body with the extra clothes I had taken out and laid down. As expected, it was cold.

I curled up and folded my arms, trying to retain as much body heat as possible.

Luckily, sleep came easily. 

———————❖———————

The first company wake up call.

Beep beep beep beep beep beep!

In my dream, I awoke to an alarm sound that I never wanted to hear again. It was brief, but it felt like crap.

Surprisingly, I felt refreshed and well-rested. Perhaps because I slept for so long.

I had been so busy with classes, training, and studying that I had to sacrifice sleep time, so fatigue became a passive skill for me.

This refreshing feeling, it felt awkward.

As I yawned and lifted my upper body, the blanket that was covering my body slid down.

“…?”

There was no sign of anyone beside me. When I turned my head, I couldn’t see Kaya there. She seemed to have covered me with a blanket and then left.

I opened the tent door. A cool morning breeze drove away any lingering drowsiness I had, and soon the crackling of a campfire followed. 

I peered through the tent door. The morning sun illuminated the gorge. I could see the back of Kaya, who was sitting on a folding chair in front of the campfire.

She wore the coat I gave her yesterday with a blanket draped over her shoulders.

The charred firewood in front of her was most likely freshly cut this morning.

I put on my shoes and walked out of the tent. Then.

“Huh!”

Kaya, who was startled for some reason, quickly turned her head toward me. 

Why are you so surprised?

“Ah, Sir Isaac. Are you awake…?”

Kaya smiled awkwardly, with dark circles under her eyes. Her skin was white and fair, so it was particularly noticeable.

It doesn’t seem like she slept properly.

[Kaya Astrean]

Psychology: [She feels relieved that you didn’t touch her, but is skeptical of her charm as a woman.]

What am I supposed to do?

———————❖———————

After about 30 minutes of walking, the carriage stop appeared.

Kaya and I boarded a carriage and set off. Perhaps because a male and female student appeared out of nowhere, the coachman regarded us with suspicion.

The carriage began its journey towards the academy.

Soon after, Kaya began to nod off as she rested her head against the carriage window, falling asleep.

Her coat slid down, exposing her small shoulders. I lifted her coat and wrapped it around her shoulders.

Her head swayed as the carriage swayed, which caused her head to land on my shoulder. She was completely relaxed.

Thinking about it, I was uncertain what would have happened if Kaya hadn’t been there. Originally, it wasn’t allowed in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ to go and defeat Garzia before he completely stockpiled his power. To begin with, you couldn’t even enter Tantak Cave until the end of Act 2, Chapter 4.

I completely deviated from the formula and explored previously unknown segments of the game. As a result, perfect preparation was impossible.

However, thanks to Kaya, I was able to successfully pierce Garzia’s [Indestructible Iron Body].

Moreover, I had no trouble collecting Zephrim. Firewood was also readily available, avoiding the need for strenuous physical labor.

‘Thank you.’

You helped out a lot. I’ll repay you someday.

I leaned my head against the opposite window and gazed out. The morning sun illuminated the leafy green trees.

The morning fog that had blanketed the forest was also dissipating.

And the sky was dyed in the purest blue light.

———————❖———————

About four hours later, the carriage arrived at the academy.

A sight of familiar buildings came into view. I even had the illusion that I had returned home.

Kaya was still fast asleep. She seemed to be exhausted.

“Kaya, we’re here.”

I shook Kaya’s shoulder, trying to wake her up. As soon as I said those words, she opened her eyes and sat up straight.

“Wake up!…… Ah.”

It was obviously an instinctive move. She lived her life pretending to be gentle and meek, but in reality, her entire body was imbued with military discipline.

“D-did we arrive?”

Yes, we’ve arrived.

Kaya got out of her carriage first, turned her head away from me, and covered her mouth. She seemed to be secretly yawning.

I followed her and handed the payment to the coachman. He bowed lightly and drove away.

‘She looks very tired.’

It would be best to send her home as soon as possible.

But there was something important I needed to say. I wasn’t sure if it was necessary, but I didn’t want to leave it out.

“Kaya.”

“Yes, Sir Isaac!”

Kaya stiffened her movements as she turned her head towards me.

It was a tense situation.

In any case, it would be best to keep the defeat of Garzia a secret.

If Alice Carroll, the student body president, found out, it would be the end of my life.

Fortunately, she didn’t know about the existence of Garzia, let alone an item like the Sheath of Disaster.

Alice was just a shadowy figure trying to help the Evil God Nephid manifest.

The Evil God Nephid wasn’t on her side.

“Keep yesterday’s incident a secret. It would be troublesome if others find out, so don’t reveal it to anyone.”

“Ah, yes…”

Kaya’s voice crawled in like the sound of an ant’s chirp. Wasn’t it a bit cute?

Her face was flushed red again.

[Kaya Astrean]

Psychology: [Embarrassed and flattered about having a secret between you and her.]

What is she mistaken about again…

“I mean the demon.”

“Ah, the demon, of course, I was thinking about the demon…! I’ll keep it a secret. I’m sure Sir Isaac must have a deep meaning. And also…”

Kaya raised her head and looked at me with a solemn expression.

“The reason why demons appear in the academy, the reason Sir Isaac searches for and defeats the demons… Is there something in this academy that I don’t know about?”

“…”

“…You don’t have to answer. Sir Isaac is an amazing person, so there must be a good reason why you can’t tell me.”

The atmosphere became heavy. It might have been a good idea to use the flow of the conversation to win Kaya over to my side.

The Evil God Nephid, the final boss, was the root of all evil. If I could find a companion to share information about that guy, it would certainly be great psychological support, especially if that companion was Kaya.

But I didn’t want to put such shackles on Kaya.

The advent of a mighty being that could easily destroy the world. I wondered what the difference was between that and a death sentence. It was highly likely to put a heavy psychological burden on Kaya.

Anyway, I would keep defeating demons until I reached the Evil God Nephid. I already devised a plan, and if all went well, Kaya would most likely follow my words. There wasn’t much of a difference.

So it would be best if I did not respond to this.

“…Thank you, Sir Isaac. I will go in now.”

Kaya understood my silence as an answer and slightly bowed in farewell.

She took off the school uniform cardigan and gave it back to me, turned around and walked away.

As I watched her leave, I fell into deep thought.

———————❖———————

Märchen Academy was spread across an entire island. So, under the leadership of the academy, a small economy developed on this island, and money circulated.

It meant that all sorts of places you would expect to find in a city were here.

However, according to academy rules, academy students were not permitted to sell items brought from outside. Students were only permitted to sell items obtained legally on academy grounds.

Upon entering the academy, all students were bound by the ‘Marx Pact’. It was an absolute oath governed by a providence created by ‘Archwizard Marx’, and it was effective only on the grounds of Märchen Academy. Failure to comply would result in a ‘forced expulsion,’ with one of the suspension conditions being the sale of goods brought from outside.

It was also prohibited to create added value in the form of consignment sales or subcontracting. I could feel a sense of determination from Märchen Academy that said, ‘This is our land, so we will monopolize it’.

Zephrim was a mana stone obtained within the academy grounds, and was an unowned object. I was relieved that I wasn’t going to break any rules.

As an aside, the Marx Pact covered more than just trading. For example, it was strictly prohibited to bring in consumable items containing magic from outside sources. This included things such as magic scrolls and potions. 

After parting ways with Kaya, I went to the appraisal center. Beyond a glass case lined with miscellaneous items, a short old man greeted me.

“Whoa, what kind of young man are you…?”

In ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, there were several appraisal centers and among them, this one ran by Harrison was the most generous. The only problem with it was that it wasn’t accessible at the beginning of the game. 

However, because I already knew about the Secret Shop, content that was only available later in the game. I was sure that I could enter this place as well. I wasn’t bound by the game’s story after all.

I couldn’t wait to see how much I would get for selling Zephrim here. I was looking forward to it.

As a side note, there was an unwritten rule at the appraisal center that they didn’t pry into anything unless it was illegal, regardless of who brought it in.

Harrison, on the other hand, was a veteran with an open mind, so he wouldn’t mind if I brought a bunch of Zephrim. He would probably just think of me as a lucky young man.

I politely bowed and took out two magic pouches.

Although the magic pouch could reduce weight, it couldn’t be reduced to zero. Therefore, the magic pouch containing Zephrim was quite heavy.

However, my body was now trained in a hell-like PT. Carrying a magic pouch like this wasn’t easy… but it wasn’t enough to kill me.

I opened the magic pouch and took out the pale yellow magic stone, Zephrim, and placed it on top of the glass case.

Harrison’s gaze shifted from me to the Zephrims.

“I’m here to get an appraisal.”

“Oh, this is…”

Harrison picked up one of the Zephrims and began examining it through a magnifying glass.

“Let’s see, this is…”

Harrison began to move the Zephrim around.

I remembered Ian Fairytale getting frustrated with his slow movements in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ but given his age, I decided to be patient with him. 

“Hmm, ho-oh-oh…”

His movements were very slow, but it was worth the wait.

“Mmmm… That’s right… No, mmmm…”

Somehow his movements were seriously slow, like a sloth, but it was still tolerable.

“Geee… heheheh…”

…10 minutes passed like that. 

But just before my patience was about to explode.

“When are you going to tell me…

“

“3000 gels.”

“What?”

“3000 gels for one of these will be enough… Off you go.”

My frustration disappeared like the melting snow. 

I had brought a total of 56 Zephrims. I did some quick math.

That meant…

‘168000 gels…!!’

At that moment, my thoughts ceased.

Only one thought filled my head, bright and clear. 

Tonight’s dinner was beef.

———————❖———————

“My lady, where on earth have you been all night…?”

Inside Charles Hall, the highest dormitory of Märchen Academy.

When Kaya saw Mary, the maid who had been waiting for her all night worrying, she replied with a serious face.

“I have been protecting the peace of the academy.”

“……?”

Mary was puzzled, unsure of the meaning behind Kaya’s words.

After Kaya reassured Mary through a conversation and said she wanted to rest by herself, she went into her room – a luxurious and spacious room, incomparable to the small tent she slept in the night before.

But her consciousness was still inside the small tent.

“Demons…….”

She reflected upon the events of the day before.

Apparently, Isaac was aware that demons would appear at Märchen Academy and enrolled.

To keep the peace at the academy, he must be killing demons. And she must keep his identity a secret to not interfere with his actions.

Although Kaya was unsure of Isaac’s deeper meaning, she was certain that following his words was the best way to protect the people at the academy.

“…Sir Isaac.”

The memories of her time with Isaac from the day before were still vivid in her mind.

His overwhelming appearance when he froze the entire cave, his kind appearance when he covered her with his coat, and his cold-hearted appearance as he unleashed his magic on the demon beside her.

All those memories flooded Kaya’s mind. If her mind was an ocean, those memories were the seawater that filled it.

“He was cool…”

He was someone she admired.

But apart from that memory. He felt a little different than usual.

It was at dawn when he secretly covered her with a blanket.

Kaya, who had been pretending to be asleep with her mind in a daze, felt embarrassment and a warm feeling in her chest at the same time.

But above all….

─ ‘Beautiful.’

Hot. Just thinking about that word made her head start emitting steam.

She never imagined that Isaac would call her beautiful.

Ever since yesterday, her heart had been racing. It was as if a regular and intense sound was pounding in her ears.

It started out as nervousness, but after Isaac wrapped a blanket around her and said, ‘beautiful’, she began to feel an inexplicable sense of ecstasy.

Kaya looked at her reflection in the mirror of the dressing table.

Her flushed cheeks… They weren’t the problem.

Her hair was sticking out of her pigtails from sleeping in the tent and carriage, and the makeup that Mary had applied in the morning was pretty much gone.

She hadn’t paid much attention to her usual fashion, but today’s disheveled appearance of hers somehow bothered her. She tried to straighten her hair afterward, but it felt like a meaningless act.

“What are you doing, I…?”

Kaya sighed as a sense of disbelief washed over her.

She couldn’t quite make sense of what she was feeling and what she was doing.

Wasn’t it too one-dimensional to think that it was all about looks in the first place? Isaac was the one who said it after all.

‘Was he just being nice?’

Maybe he said that because he was proud of her desire to keep the peace of the academy.

Wasn’t it common for older people to say ‘Beautiful’ in the sense of ‘beautiful work’ when they saw a praiseworthy young child? It must be like that.

Maybe that was it.

“…”

I think so…

For some reason, Kaya couldn’t take her hands off her hair for a while.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the mirror.