Chater 12: Torquetum II

I couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

“You should have remembered sooner.”

“…Sorry.”

“So, you mentioned a boy?”

Pakira closed her book and asked.

“…Yes. A boy… not even an adult yet…”

“And you said this boy smelled of Elixir?”

“…Yes.”

“Hmm.”

I turned to Pakira, who was seated next to me.

“What do you make of this, Pakira?”

“Well, let’s see… Liv, what kind of boy was he?”

“…Strange… he gave off an odd impression.”

“What about his hair color or clothes? Did you catch his name?”

“…Hmm… I don’t remember… I didn’t ask.”

Liv shook her head slightly.

What a predicament.

To begin with, what exactly is the “smell of Elixir”?

And can we trust what Liv is saying?

On these points, I’m confident.

Liv is right. If she says something, it’s the truth.

Admittedly, Liv’s behavior is often puzzling.

But her swordsmanship and unique instincts are unquestionably reliable.

I pride myself on being a good judge of character.

“However, I might have an idea who this boy is.”

“What do you mean?”

“…Hmm?”

“That boy who smelled of Elixir is likely a hireling.”

“A hireling? You mean those convenient ‘servants’ explorers use as tools?”

Frankly, the thought makes me sick.

Hirelings—children not yet adults treated like tools.

“…Slaves…”

“Lupinus, don’t say it like that. While there are issues, hirelings are more akin to apprentices or knights’ squires.”

“Oh, please. These days, they’re practically legal slaves.”

“…A slave… the boy…”

“Lupinus! Look, you’ve upset Liv!”

“What was I supposed to do?”

Liv began trembling strangely.

“Liv, I don’t believe that boy was treated as a slave.”

“…Really?”

“You think so?”

“I believe he was more of an apprentice or companion. The evidence is the smell of Elixir. Elixirs are legendary relics—not something easily obtained and incredibly valuable. If the boy smelled of Elixir, it suggests he was present when it was used, possibly witnessing the moment. If he were treated as a mere tool, he wouldn’t be allowed near such a valuable item. Moreover, Lupinus, your idea of a ‘slave’ refers to those exploited for profit or scavenging treasure. Such individuals wouldn’t accompany someone in the field.”

“…So…?”

“The boy isn’t a slave.”

“That’s right.”

“…Oh, good…”

Liv let out a sigh of relief.

Still…

“Pakira, you seemed rather defensive. That’s unlike you.”

“…I used to be a hireling myself.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, as an apprentice. I learned many important things during that time.”

So, that’s why she became defensive.

An unexpected piece of the genius relic-user’s past.

“In any case, we should start by looking for that boy.”

“…The boy… once we find him… what will you do, Lupinus…?”

“First, we must thank him, of course.”

“…Yes… he saved our lives…”

“That’s part of it, but there’s something else I need to know.”

“…What is it…?”

“Hm.”

“The reason he saved us. In other words, his true intentions!”

Even if it was out of goodwill,

I must know why he went as far as using such a precious Elixir to save us.

“But finding him will be quite the challenge.”

“Indeed.”

“…Liv remembers where she met the boy.”

“Oh? Where was it?”

“…At an antique shop… Arifa’s… he was looking for a knife…”

“I see. At Arifa’s shop.”

“Well, Arifa might know something.”

Arifa is a seasoned Third-Grade explorer and a senior of ours.

She helped us a lot when we were just starting out.

“Then it’s settled.”

“Agreed.”

“…Yes.”

“By the way, Lupinus, this is unrelated, but I’ve heard that the ‘Doomsword’ is in town.”

“Oh, the ‘Doomsword’? That second-grade adventurer?”

“Who else could it be?”

“…The ‘Doomsword’… wielder of the Relic [Annihilation]…”

“And a second-grade explorer.”

“Rumor has it he’s a Faun male.”

“His name, if I recall correctly, is Agaro.”

“…Agaro…”

I’ve never met him, but I wonder if we ever will.

A short distance from Hydrangea, there’s a river called the Little Leeve River.  

It’s a tributary of the Middle Leeve River, which in turn is a tributary of the Great Leeve River.  

This Little Leeve River has several scenic rocks along its banks, making it a perfect fishing spot.  

“…I wonder how reels are constructed.”

I pulled back the rod, swung it, and let the line drop onto the water’s surface. The rod itself was just a simple stick with a line tied to its end.  

I remember fishing rods being made of bamboo, but there are no bamboo groves around here.  

This stick, however, is made from a branch of the Beadle tree, which is as flexible as bamboo. The line is tied to the tip, and the hook is carved from the bones of animals or monsters.  

For bait, I just use some nearby insects. They’re plentiful.  

“I guess it spins inside to wind the line…”  

Nope. I have no idea.  

Fishing is something I only started out of necessity in this world. While I did fish in my previous life, it wasn’t a hobby.  

So there’s no way I’d know how a reel works.  

But not having one is incredibly inconvenient.  

When a fish bites, I can only pull and push the rod or swing it around. I can’t reel in the line to bring the fish closer. If my timing is off, or I don’t pull hard enough in one go, I’ll lose the catch.  

And most of the time, I fail.  

At worst, the rod breaks.  

“…A reel. Can’t someone just invent one already?”  

That’s wishful thinking.  

I’m just an ordinary reincarnator with no particular hobbies or skills.  

I’m decent with my hands, but I don’t have any relics to help me. So making a reel myself is out of the question.  

Also, no fish are biting. Why is that?  

Then again, I’ve never been great at fishing.  

“Hey, at it again?”  

I heard someone call out and turned to see a man approaching.  

He had red hair, jade-green eyes, and an unkempt beard. Holding a bottle of alcohol, his face was flushed, and his right eye was covered with a black metal eyepatch.  

He was tall and muscular, with black horns peeking out from his hair.  

A Faun. A sword hung from his waist.  

“…”  

“Don’t worry, I’m not suspicious. Name’s Agaro.”  

“Ah, I’m Wof. Nice to meet you.”  

I gave a polite nod.  

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