After the sports day, the effect of the potion given to Shirud by Luke wore off, and he was finally laid up in bed with the side effects that had come at last.
The pain felt like it was tearing his whole body apart, and when Shirud woke up in the morning, he panicked, thinking he was going to die. Upon examination, it turned out to be just a simple muscle ache.
But since he still couldn’t go to school, he decided to take a break and was lying in bed to recuperate. And there was someone who felt guilt and responsibility towards him.
The real culprit of this situation was none other than Luke.
—–
“Shirud, I’m here. How’s your health?”
“Luke, Mary. Ugh…”
“Don’t overdo it by getting up.”
“Y-yeah. Just let me lie here.”
Shirud sank back into the bed as instructed, saving his strength as the muscle pain was quite intense.
“Did you come to visit me?”
“That’s right, Shirud.”
Normally, such muscle aches shouldn’t be felt, but it seemed that because of the half-baked elixir, there were lingering aftereffects. Luke subtly avoided Shirud’s gaze.
He really hadn’t expected this outcome. He hadn’t aimed for such an effect when he created the potion.
On the other hand, Mary seemed to feel quite embarrassed as she watched Luke avoid Shirud’s gaze in a flustered manner.
After all, if that weren’t the case, there would have been no reason for him to drag her along for a hospital visit.
It was quite an embarrassing situation for a girl to visit a boy in the hospital alone, after all.
It was almost like a confession of love, she thought.
The reason was actually that Luke was trying to deepen the connection between Mary and Shirud…
“Oh, right, I brought a ‘get well soon’ gift from ‘Luke.'”
Mary emphasized the part “from Luke” as she spoke.
Luke shrugged and said, “Ah. I’m not the only one giving it. Some of the items are Mary’s idea, and she contributed money too.”
“…That’s true.”
Luke was less perceptive than one might have thought.
Anyway, Luke set the items he brought beside Shirud and began to explain each one, taking them out one by one.
The first item Luke pulled out was a potted red flower.
“This is a Frain flower. It helps with sleep and has a scent that calms the mind and body. It doesn’t have any magical effects, but the fragrance is pleasant, so I brought it.”
The next item he took out was a small vial containing liquid.
“And this is a potion I made myself to aid recovery. Mix a few drops in water and drink a glass after meals. Oh, and it’s best to visit the bathroom before going to bed after drinking the potion. Just in case you don’t want to make a mess on your bed.”
The third item was a cat-shaped doll. The platinum color oddly resembled Luke.
“This is, as you can see, a cat doll. It was recommended by Mary. She said it’s cute. I’m not sure myself…”
The last item Luke took out was a snow globe.
“And this… I just thought it looked fun, so I bought it.”
When he shook it a few times to show it, it was somewhat pretty. Inside the crystal ball was a model of the snow-covered World Tree.
It was cheap and not very intricately made, though.
“I’m grateful, but…”
Shirud tried to raise his hand to accept it, but the muscles screamed, and he gave up.
“Just put it anywhere.”
Luke looked at Shirud and smiled awkwardly as he spoke.
“Haha… get well soon.”
“Yeah, soon.”
After a brief moment of silence, Shirud contemplated whether he should ask them to leave, as the strange situation was making him feel a bit awkward. But it felt wrong to ask them to leave since they came to see him out of concern.
It must have been because he had never really made proper friends before.
Luke was somewhat similar. In reality, he didn’t know how to make friends either.
The only people he could consider as friends were Kail and Renie; aside from them, he had just maintained a polite distance with others.
So whenever Luke interacted with someone, he would treat them as he had been treated. No one would dare to treat the most powerful mage with hostility, so Luke became a figure remembered as a benefactor in later generations.
Caught in the middle of their awkwardness was Mary.
‘Luke must be too embarrassed to say anything.’
Mary wasn’t accustomed to this sort of atmosphere. It was a far cry from her usual lively and active nature.
It felt like being a fish out of water.
So, Mary tried to lift the mood by saying, “Y-your house is really nice. It’s close to the city… I’m jealous. I just find the dormitory so uncomfortable.”
Mary’s home was located quite far from the city. That was why she had to use the dormitory for school.
Shirud’s house, being so close she could commute easily, made her envious.
Shirud looked at her, bewildered. “Huh? Isn’t living in a dorm more convenient? You can even have maids come to help with housework.”
“Still, not being at home feels uncomfortable to me. I don’t know why.”
“Is that so?”
“What about you, Luke? Don’t you feel uneasy sleeping somewhere that’s not home?”
“Me?”
Luke seemed surprised, as if he hadn’t expected the conversation to turn to him.
In truth, he didn’t have much attachment to home at all. He had lived in a grand mansion where one could get lost and in a tent that felt like it would blow away in a strong wind.
For Luke, who had lived through quite an adventurous life, home was ultimately just a place to eat, sleep, and live.
When you think about it, he had used so many inns during his adventures that the number must easily reach hundreds, yet he had never been sensitive enough to feel discomfort.
“I don’t have any particular thoughts about it. Well, if I had to say, I’d prefer the dorm… but…”
“But?”
“I heard that Yerna absolutely forbids dormitory life.”
Luke shook his head in confusion.
As Shirud watched him, he felt he understood Yerna’s feelings somewhat.
‘She probably wants to keep an eye on him…’
After all, Luke always brought a storm wherever he went.
—–
After compiling the interrogation records and personal information about the man, it seemed that the Proiten family was merely a trading partner. The man had no relation to the Proiten family at all.
If that were the case, the case slipped back into the labyrinth of confusion.
Where should one even start? Should I really apply for a search warrant against the Proiten family?
Of course, there’d be no chance of it being accepted. Officially, the dealings with the Dragonheart were treated as something ‘stolen’ rather than a trade.
Whether it really was stolen or if they were just pretending it had been stolen is something that was impossible to ascertain…
But still, there was no evidence—no evidence at all.
“Hmm… I’m tired.”
After a whole day of these thoughts, I was starting to reach my limit.
Lately, I had been coming home late because of these investigations, and there were many times I couldn’t greet Luke when I got home.
Should I just quit?
Regardless of the past, wouldn’t it be okay if Luke was happy now?
‘But the fact that such an inhumane organization still exists weighs on my mind.’
Isn’t the happiness right in front of your eyes more important than the darkness outside?
If it’s Luke, he would probably say so as well—telling me not to worry about such things…
“Maybe I should go for a walk.”
Walking is the best way to clear my head.
I’d wanted to hang out with Luke more often, but due to my own issues, I hadn’t been able to do so.
When I get home, I should ask him where we should go out together…
‘Oh, did Luke say he wouldn’t be coming home today?’
…I feel a bit lonely.
—–
“How was the meal? Did it suit your taste?”
“I tried elf cuisine for the first time today, and it was tastier than I expected.”
“Heh, I’m glad. How about you, Luke?”
Luke nodded and replied, “Of course, it was delicious. There were even a few recipes I’d like to take home; is that okay?”
“Um, sure. I’ll give you a recipe book when you go back tomorrow.”
Luke expressed his gratitude for her offer as he thought.
Properly made elf food was naturally delicious.
It was so good that it made Yerna, who only had salad every day, seem a bit strange.
Unless she had a distorted sense of taste that forced her to eat such meals.
Once they finished eating, a maid came to collect the plates and utensils.
The house was quite spacious, so it seemed there were a few maids.
‘Hmm, is this what being a noble is like?’
Luke smiled at the maid as if it were second nature.
It was etiquette that had been ingrained in his person.
Serena smiled as she watched Luke, thinking how well he smiles, and suddenly noticed the cello placed in the corner of the living room and asked,
“Luke, you’re studying music, right? How’s it going?”
Luke pondered for a moment, considering how to describe his skill objectively.
He had no real insight into how ‘good’ he was. His own standards always revolved around himself, creating a gap with how others perceived him.
Thus, Luke decided to just state the objective fact.
“Well, I can say that I’m decent enough to perform in public.”
Mary chimed in, helping him with her reply, “He’s super good!”
“Is that so? Can you play something for us? I’d like to hear it too.”
“Of course.”
Luke instinctively glanced aside, but when he didn’t see Py, he felt a little flustered.
Hmm, it had been odd that Py’s singing was nowhere to be heard.
Recently, Py would completely vacate the area whenever Luke was about to enjoy something delicious.
After all, for Py, who couldn’t eat, simply watching Luke enjoy his meals must have been torturous.
“Um… not right now, but I’ll show you later.”
If he was going to perform, he wanted Py to hear it too.
“Okay, then I’ll wait for later.”
—–
“So, you’re saying it’s better to buy a dagger and enhance it with traits rather than buy armor in the early stages?”
“That depends on your opponent. In most cases, a dagger is indeed better, but against certain characters, it’s better to remove traits and wear armor instead.”
“Like with Carryon?”
“Well, Carryon’s unique move is impressive, but it’s just that. When it comes to fighting him, a dagger is… ”
At some point, their conversation had opened up, and Mary felt a little bewildered as Luke and Shirud chatted away without a pause.
While it was good that the dialogue between Shirud and Luke was flowing, she had no idea what they were talking about.
What commonality did Shirud and Luke have aside from the Super Magic League?
Shirud and Luke had rambled on about games for a while when Luke suddenly turned to look at Mary, who had a blank expression, and asked,
“Mary, why do you look like that? Don’t you have anything to say?”
“Um… I don’t understand what you two are talking about at all. I don’t play games.”
“Oh dear, Mary. You don’t play Super Magic League?”
“Uh, no. So I can’t join in the conversation.”
Mary laughed awkwardly as she spoke.
Luke shook his head as if feeling sorry for her.
“Well, that’s too bad. Not knowing such fun things is a shame. But don’t worry. I’ll help you.”
Luke said this and pulled something out of the bag he had brought.
It was the ‘computer’ that Yerna had gifted to Luke a few days ago.
“Luke, you said you didn’t have a computer at home until now. When did you buy that?”
“Fortunately, Yerna gifted it to me a few days ago. Anyway, Mary, let’s try it out. Though the screen is rather poor, it shouldn’t be a problem for playing.”
If Mary understood the game well, it would help her get closer to Shirud.
“Uh…? All of a sudden?”
