Volume 2: The Temucha Region—Aunt in Flames

Chapter 29: I Really Need to Pee

“Filiestra, you’re amazing.”

Walker often praises me—or rather, he often praises other people—in that way.

But he seems poor at affirming himself.

For example, Walker is famous at Magias, yet for some reason he is the only one who doesn’t know it.

He became famous after the attack.

That was only natural given what he accomplished, but since he hadn’t stood out much before, his reputation spread throughout the academy—and then the royal capital—in an instant.

No one seems to know about his grandfather or the rest of his family yet. Even I didn’t know Lord Van’s full name. The textbooks simply call him the great hero Van.

I’m sure Walker’s mother and father must be incredible people too. He doesn’t like discussing his family, but I suppose I’m the same.

In any event, Walker is absorbed in his research and seems uninterested in what others say about him. Even when curious students peer through the window of his laboratory, he still shows no sign of caring.

“What do you think? Is Walker in there?”

“It’s too dark to see. I hear something, though.”

Today, I encountered two such students while walking down the corridor.

Walker probably wouldn’t be angry, but when people cling to the window that openly, it honestly becomes a little difficult to enter when I need him…

I had wanted to discuss tomorrow’s field investigation in Temucha.

What should I do?

“What are you two doing there?”

“What!? Oh, Meltzeria!?”

“He’s busy at present. If you need something from our representative, tell me.”

“N-No, it’s nothing. Come on, let’s go.”

“Y-Yeah.”

The two strangers—probably students from the Faculty of Magical Arts—left immediately.

Mercedes was as impressive as ever.

The way she affected people through her bearing was so full of confidence and power that I envied it slightly.

“Bren, I’m coming in.”

“Whoa! You—knock first!”

“Why should I? More importantly, how is my magic sword progressing?”

“You were here last week!”

“Was I? Never mind. First, would you make me some tea? I believe last time—”

The sliding door closed, and their conversation immediately became muffled.

She beat me to him.

Despite appearances, many people visit Walker’s laboratory. Rock and Amae have apparently visited frequently from the beginning, but lately I’ve also seen Mercedes there more often.

If Mercedes is inside, perhaps I should finish compiling my materials and go earlier. I won’t see her for several days, so I’d like to speak with her too.

But then again, I can’t discuss our work in front of her.

Come to think of it, I haven’t entered Walker’s room since the incident with the magic sword.

…The magic sword. Right.

I should perform some maintenance on the sword Walker gave me soon.

Using a whetstone is beyond me, but even I can clean its surface with a simple polishing compound.

More importantly, does Walker intend to stay awake all night again?

He said he wanted to forge many swords before the holiday.

His health doesn’t appear to be suffering yet, but what would make that man sleep properly?

Would he sleep if I gave him a sleeping drug?

“Oh, Filiestra.”

“Good day, Lady Filiestra.”

I turned to find Amae and Luluk standing together. The sun had not yet set, but both appeared ready to leave.

“Are you two going home already?”

“Yes! I’m returning to the forest tomorrow, so I’m finishing early today!”

“Lulu, you always leave around evening.”

Luluk laughed, “Ohoho.”

Her personality was entirely different from Mercedes’s, but perhaps because they spoke in similar ways, I sometimes thought they resembled each other.

“How will you spend the holiday, Lady Filiestra!?”

“I’m visiting home too.”

Though since I graduated from the orphanage when I enrolled at Magias, it isn’t truly my home anymore.

Oh, right.

When I return, I need to visit the director—my foster mother’s—grave.

While I was thinking, Amae answered.

“My favorite opera guild is touring Temucha, so I’m going with Filiestra.”

“Gyeeeeeeeeeeh! I’m so jealouuuuuus! I-I wanted to travel with the two of you toooooooo!”

…Perhaps she doesn’t resemble Mercedes very much after all.

Still, I’m honestly happy she cares that much.

“Yes, yes. We promised to gather with everyone on the last day, so you can have lots of fun then, Lulu.”

“Hooray!”

Amae deftly brushed Luluk aside and continued toward the exit.

“I look forward to tomorrow,” she whispered as we passed.

Then we parted.

A trip.

That was what Luluk called it. I suppose that was how it might appear to someone who didn’t know.

After a brief meeting with Walker, I’ll go home, confirm tomorrow’s schedule, and sleep immediately. I should also decide what souvenirs to bring everyone at the orphanage.

My real parents.

I know our chances of finding them are extremely low.

But I hope we do.

◇

Then came the day of our departure.

Despite the early hour, Royal Capital Central Station overflowed with people.

“Don’t let yourselves get separated.”

Walker and I did our best to follow Amae as she wove through the crowd.

Even if it was the first day of a long holiday, there were so many people.

I hadn’t ridden a magical train since leaving Temucha. Even the largest station in my birthplace had never held a crowd like this.

Our destination was Dravena, the former princely capital and largest city in the Temucha region.

I had thought of the journey as an ordinary trip home, but I’d underestimated it.

There were truly too many people.

Unless Walker walked ahead of me, I probably couldn’t move properly.

“The Temucha Main Line leaves from Platform Four… This way.”

Amae guided us without giving the signs more than a passing glance.

That was supposed to be my job, so I felt guilty.

She apparently lived alone now, but she had spent her whole life in the royal capital. Amae was accustomed to this. She was the one who taught Luluk and me about places to play, cafés, and clothing stores.

“Filiestra, which carriage are we in?”

“Number Six.”

We reached the place where our train would stop and paused to breathe.

We had arrived with plenty of time to spare.

Now, we only needed to wait.

“I’ll buy us drinks in the station before the train arrives.”

“Oh, good idea. I want something sweet. What about you, Filiestra?”

“I’ll have the same.”

Walker merely said, “Understood,” and returned to the crowd.

Honestly, I was grateful he was willing to enter that mass of people carrying travel bags.

“I’m still surprised. Of all the guilds you could hire, Bren worked for that one.”

“Yes. It surprised me too.”

I hadn’t told Amae that I commissioned Lady Dreadroll’s—Coffey’s—guild.

Walker probably wouldn’t mind if I told Amae, but I wanted to be cautious.

“I hope you find your parents.”

“…Thank you.”

“I can’t remain with you the entire time in Temucha, but I’ll help as much as possible.”

“No, I couldn’t ask that.”

“Don’t act like we’re strangers. Besides, you know… I’m worried about leaving you with Bren alone.”

“I don’t think there’s any reason to be…”

Walker performs the research tasks I give him with considerable accuracy. I don’t expect him to become a burden during fieldwork.

And honestly, public safety in Temucha deteriorates during the holiday, so merely having him beside me as a guard will help. No ordinary person can do anything to me, a mage, but with someone else watching for danger, I won’t need to remain tense.

“No, you know what Bren is like.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s the incarnation of lust.”

“…Th-That’s going too far, Amae.”

Since that rainy day, Walker hasn’t behaved strangely toward me.

If anything, unfamiliar male students occasionally approach and look at me oddly.

But it’s true that Walker and I will stay there for several nights.

We’ll be lodging at my orphanage, though, and our rooms will be separate…

“He’s the incarnation of lust,” Amae repeated.

“Why did you say it twice…?”

Did Amae have some reason for believing it?

Perhaps they were much closer than I knew.

I only began speaking frequently with Walker shortly before the Freshman Tournament. I still don’t know much about what he and Amae ordinarily do together.

While we spoke, Walker returned carrying three drinks.

Now that he was juggling all three by himself, I wished I’d gone with him.

“Thanks.”

“Thank you, Walker.”

I paid him and accepted the drink I’d requested.

I was thirsty, so it was welcome.

The liquid tasted pleasantly of tart honey. Temucha had nothing like it.

Before long, an enormous iron box painted glossy black arrived.

It was only the second time I’d seen one up close, but it remained incredible. Magias’s industrial standards astonished me.

When we finally found our reserved seats, I breathed in relief.

I was glad we hadn’t chosen unreserved seating.

We wouldn’t arrive until night, and standing the entire way would be exhausting.

“Filiestra, the trip will take quite a while. Why don’t we review the places we’ll visit?”

“Yes.”

Walker took investigation materials from his bag.

They weren’t the ones I gave him. Had he prepared them himself?

From the feeling of our meeting yesterday, he had researched extensively since accepting the commission.

That reassured me.

His proposed investigation route was also useful. He appeared skilled at rapidly absorbing information, and our usual exchanges concerning research made communication easy.

Choosing Walker had been the right decision.

“First, we’ll contact the government offices and hospitals in the most populous administrative districts, then Temucha Medical University, where you graduated…”

“You’re really motivated, Bren.”

“It’s my job.”

When Walker is thinking, his ordinarily gentle, calm atmosphere changes and he falls silent.

With his arms crossed, he starts looking like Whitesmith.

The contrast is so large that sometimes I can’t tell what he’s thinking.

What is Walker thinking now?

But there is no need to wonder. He is taking this work seriously.

Perhaps I was the one getting carried away by the feeling of a trip.

As the client, I need to work hard and avoid embarrassing myself before him.

◇

I really needed to pee.

This was bad.

Did this train have a toilet?

I drank far too much juice earlier.

My bladder was going to explode.

But if I went now, Amae would probably ask, “Why didn’t you go before boarding?” I didn’t want that.

Then again, the toilet might be crowded.

If so, I had to go early.

What should I do?

Ah, I really needed to pee.

“First, let’s check the central district register where your official birth was recorded.”

I really needed to pee.

“If we follow the records, we should find the medical institution that issued your birth certificate.”

I really needed to pee.

“The difficulty comes if you were born at home without a midwife. But first, I intend to eliminate each possibility using the information we can confirm.”

“You’ve planned this well, Bren.”

“Well, I’m doing it for Filiestra.”

At that moment, while I desperately needed to pee, a small boy walking down the aisle lightly bumped the knee of me—the man seated there who desperately needed to pee.

The impact splashed the contents of the drink I was holding all over the trousers of me—the man who desperately needed to pee.

“Ah! I-I’m sorry, mister.”

“It’s fine. I should have been more careful too.”

I patted the boy’s head and stood.

The floor and seat were soaked.

Could people think I’d peed myself?

“Sorry. I’m going to the washroom.”

“Oh, sure. We’ll clean this up, so take your time.”

And then I went to pee.