Chapter 26

　　“Looks like you want to spend some quality time with me.”

　　“Haha, you’re being a bit prickly, Captain.”

　　“I don’t have a knack for elegant noble speech.”

　　Lumen’s eyes held an enigmatic gleam as he regarded Cadel’s sullen reply. He fell silent for a moment, staring straight ahead, before speaking with his usual relaxed smile.

　　“Lytos is a renowned, prestigious family in the Empire. Didn’t they teach you how to speak?”

　　“…I don’t recall telling you my full name.”

　　“During the two days I was mulling over my answer, I dug into your background a bit, Captain. Found out by chance.”

　　“Are you offended?” Lumen asked. Cadel shook his head without much of a reaction.

　　He wasn’t particularly displeased. He could look into a knight’s stats and even their past circumstances based on their affinity. There was no reason to get angry over having his identity discovered when he wasn’t even the real Cadel Lytos.

　　He was, however, a little worried.

　　Lumen was a man overflowing with noble pride. If he knew Cadel was the illegitimate son of a fallen magic family, there was a chance he might subtly look down on him. If that happened, recruiting and controlling Lumen would become even harder.

　　As Cadel walked in silence, pondering this, Lumen carefully continued.

　　“Once I found out who you were, it finally made sense.”

　　“…Made sense?”

　　“The magic you showed that day, Captain. The judgment that saved my life. And even your ambition… If you have the blood of the Lytos family, it’s understandable.”

　　“That’s a high appraisal. For a half-blood.”

　　Cadel deliberately tested the waters. It was only a matter of time before his status as an illegitimate child became known anyway. For now, seeing Lumen’s reaction was the priority.

　　But Lumen brushed off the remark more smoothly than expected.

　　“I don’t care if you’re a pureblood or not. The abilities I saw definitely weren’t half-baked.”

　　There was no hint of mockery in his voice. How would he react if he found out the magic that defeated the Witch was actually just an inflated trick? It was a silly thought, but a relief nonetheless. The fact that Lumen acknowledged him, even a little, was definitely a positive sign.

　　Secretly relieved, Cadel maintained a calm facade. If they kept talking about his family, his true colors would be exposed. Let’s cut it off here.

　　“Sorry, but you’re overestimating me. I’m not strong enough to bear my family’s name yet. On that note, tell me about some places a mage might like in Drakium.”

　　“I fail to see the connection.”

　　“Shut up. If you want to keep following me around, just answer the question.”

　　Finding something amusing in the abrasive answer, Lumen laughed aloud, moving smoothly to block Cadel’s path. He then grabbed Cadel by the shoulders, who was staring up at him blankly, and turned him around.

　　“What are you doing?”

　　“I don’t know which places a mage might like, but I do know where a lot of people gather. It’s this way.”

　　Unable to resist the force pushing him from behind, Cadel found himself moving along at Lumen’s whim. A light, ticklish laugh trailed after his helpless steps.

　　Lumen led him to the Jewel Fountain in the center of Drakium Square. True to its name, the fountain, more than twice the size of a normal one, was studded with colorful jewels. The jets of water shooting up alongside that gentle light sparkled beautifully.

　　The crowd near the fountain was massive. It felt as if everyone in the square had flocked there. It was practically suffocating. Cadel struggled with all his might not to be swept away, while Lumen shielded him from the crush of people behind them.

　　Cadel looked up at Lumen, who was pressed closely against his back, with a sullen expression.

　　“I know it’s the Jewel Fountain, but is it really worth coming to see at this hour? There are way too many people.”

　　“A concert is about to start.”

　　“A concert?”

　　“It’s a street concert held every night. The instruments, songs, and performers change daily. If you’re lucky, you might hear some fantastic music.”

　　A randomized street concert. It piqued his interest, but he had no intention of leisurely listening to music. He needed to find the exchange merchant as quickly as possible so he could get stronger that much sooner.

　　With that in mind, he tried to leave the square, but it was so packed with people that it was hard to take even a single step. Lumen lightly gripped Cadel’s shoulders as he squirmed in his hold and said,

　　“Sorry to break it to you, but unless you’re planning to start swinging a sword, pushing through this crowd is impossible. Why don’t you just give up and listen quietly, Captain?”

　　“I asked you to tell me a place a mage would like, not drag me to a tourist attraction! Thanks to you, I’m just wasting time!”

　　“You really have no appreciation for the arts. I’m quite disappointed.”

　　Cadel glared at Lumen’s amused face, which showed no signs of disappointment whatsoever, and eventually looked away with a sigh.

　　Today’s a bust. I’ll just have to write it off as a wasted day.

　　He hadn’t expected to conduct a proper search once Lumen tagged along anyway. Letting go of his expectations for the night, he finally noticed the orchestra moving busily in front of the fountain. It consisted of a little over ten people, each holding instruments like cellos, flutes, horns, and trumpets.

　　The crowd murmured at the orchestra’s appearance, pushing forward to get even a little closer. Cadel tensed his legs to avoid being swept away by the suffocating wave, but somehow, even as time passed, no one bumped into him. It was thanks to Lumen.

　　Looking back, he saw Lumen holding his ground, practically wrapping his arms around Cadel to shield him. Realizing this belatedly, Cadel awkwardly rubbed the tip of his nose.

　　As a man himself, it was the first time he had ever been protected by another man like this. It was quite embarrassing, but it wasn’t so unpleasant that he felt the need to shudder and push him away.

　　…Am I actually getting used to this kind of physical contact?

　　Just as Cadel’s face turned pale at the horrifying thought of such a change—

　　“It’s starting.”

　　With Lumen’s soft whisper, the orchestra’s performance began.

　　Indeed, Cadel was lucky.

　　The performance, blending various instruments, carried a lyrical atmosphere that suited the cloudy night sky, with a soothing flow that naturally melted the tension in his body. It was the most outstanding concert the orchestra had put on recently. Cadel lost himself in the music, not even realizing he was unconsciously leaning back against Lumen’s chest.

　　In my original world, I never had the opportunity or the leisure to attend concerts like this.

　　He never thought he would feel this way in a game world filled with monsters and bloodshed. Such relaxation. Cadel let out a soft chuckle. They said humans were creatures of adaptation, and even in this unfamiliar world, he was inevitably settling in.

　　He lightly shook his head to clear away the increasingly strange feeling. Right then, Lumen, who had been quiet all along, called out to him.

　　“Captain, look over there.”

　　Cadel blinked.

　　“In my experience, old men who look like that usually turn out to be mages. What do you think?”

　　Does he think he’s a face reader or something? Thinking it absurd, Cadel turned his head in the direction Lumen pointed. He spotted an old man standing blankly, trapped in the crowd.

　　Messy, hanging platinum-blonde hair, rough skin with deep wrinkles, a stubborn, rigid gaze, and thin lips that twitched along to the music. Cadel took in the old man’s appearance, as if briefly entranced, and his lips slowly parted.

　　That guy… That face that radiates fifty years of accumulated fatigue just at a glance…!

　　That weary impression, that dry expression that looked like he would ignore a cute kid asking for candy and just pop it into his own mouth, those dull eyes that captured all the indifference in the world!

　　There was no mistaking it. That man was Mamil Kipa. The item exchange merchant Cadel had been looking for.

　　Excited by the unexpected windfall, Cadel twisted around. He was itching to establish some sort of relationship with Mamil before the day was over. At the very least, he needed to exchange names with him so he could gauge where the merchant might appear in the future.

　　Meanwhile, Lumen, completely unaware of his plan, was simply bewildered by Cadel’s reaction. His temporary captain was suddenly wriggling around in his arms.

　　“What are you doing?”

　　“I’m going to that mage.”

　　“He’s really a mage? No, more importantly, the concert isn’t over yet. Until the crowd clears out, it’s better to stay put—”

　　“Lumen.”

　　Cutting him off sharply, Cadel’s eyes gleamed with calm resolve. He extended his index finger and firmly pressed it against Lumen’s solid chest.

　　“I’m not asking you to protect me. But since you hold the status of a temporary member, shouldn’t you at least show some sincerity in helping me?”

　　“…Anyone listening would think a massive fight broke out.”

　　“This situation is more urgent than combat.”

　　Since he was putting it like that, Lumen couldn’t just hold him back and tell him to stay still. In the end, he had no choice but to help Cadel advance toward his target.

　　Mamil Kipa.

　　To a player, his existence was merely that of an item exchange merchant who helped the user grow, but in reality, Mamil’s position within the game was closer to the protagonist’s mentor. By meeting him, one’s magical proficiency would improve by leaps and bounds, and they could master various theories. Aside from the initial trouble caused by his eccentric personality, the protagonist respected him quite a bit.

　　“Captain, don’t you feel these stares?” Lumen asked, resting his arm on Cadel’s shoulder.

　　To reach Mamil, the two of them advanced by blindly shoving through the wall of the crowd. The people shoved aside were busy glaring at them, practically tumbling over from Lumen’s powerful grip, entirely distracted from the peaceful performance. There even happened to be a noble accompanied by a knight, so a real sword fight almost broke out. If not for Lumen’s smooth handling of the situation, and his charm which always yielded certain results, a major commotion would have definitely occurred.

　　Regardless, Cadel was too busy thinking to care as he shook Lumen’s arm off his shoulder.

　　Mamil has a thoroughly introverted personality. He can’t stand having people around him, and he’s only greedy for his own growth. I have to target that.

　　Playing a game and living transmigrated inside of one were two very different things. He had realized that fact to the point of being sick of it. He had to mobilize all the knowledge he possessed. Only by doing so could he secure any kind of advantage as a transmigrator.

　　If I miss him now, I don’t know when or where I’ll be able to meet him again. I have one chance. As always, there is only one chance.

　　Firming his resolve, Cadel stepped up beside Mamil, whose expressionless face was almost enough to make him shudder. But as soon as Cadel rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants and tried to choose the right words, Mamil, who had been staring solely at the orchestra as if he couldn’t see anything else around him, suddenly spoke.

　　“Did you know? This morning, I almost tripped over my untied shoelace.”

　　…Is he talking to himself?

　　But if he was, it was something no one else would care about, and if he wasn’t, there didn’t seem to be any companions around to listen to him. As Cadel hesitated in puzzlement, Mamil continued.

　　“The stew I had for lunch was hotter than usual, so I burned my tongue. I got a paper cut while turning a page, and while trying to treat that wound, I knocked over a glass on the table and soaked my pants. On my way back to the inn to change clothes, a rude brat teased me for being a bedwetter. When I tried to scold the brat, some guy claiming to be his brother picked a fight with me. Turned out he was just an ordinary pickpocket. I was robbed of all the money I was going to use for food.”

　　Cadel just stared at him in silence.

　　“Yes. It was a terrible day. Young man. Can you guess what the highlight of this damned day is?”

　　Mamil’s head, which had been facing straight ahead like a wooden post, slowly turned. He was staring exactly at Cadel standing next to him. And the moment he faced the quiet whirlpool in those eyes, Cadel could predict what Mamil was going to say next.

　　“It’s you. My young mage friend.”