Chapter 59

Felix suddenly declared that he wants to sever ties with me! Why? What happened?!!! Did I do something wrong?!!

If I did something wrong, I’ll apologize on my knees, I’ll do anything, even write many letters of apology. Just tell me what it is, Felix!

Ha… could it be… that thing about lunch?!!? Earlier, Felix was suddenly apologizing for something, and I thought maybe it was because lunch break was over? I said something along the lines of “Well, we’re only having lectures in the afternoon, so it won’t kill us to miss a meal! Don’t worry, don’t worry!” Could he have taken that as sarcasm?!

Well, it’s true that Felix was the one who called me here, so it could be said that we missed lunch because of that… but if anything, I’m the one to blame for overhearing their conversation yesterday…

I summoned the strength to stand on my wobbly legs and left the reading room. I was hoping Felix might be waiting outside, but he wasn’t. He must’ve gone ahead. I’m so lonely…! I’ve never been left behind by Felix before… To be honest, this is more shocking than missing lunch…

“There you are! Takumi, are you okay now?” As I was walking dejectedly and sighing, I heard a voice calling my name from the end of the hallway leading to the training room. There stood Iris, one of the executives of the Black-winged Knights, who serves as a military strategist. He was coming over with a bit of a jog.

“Iris-san, what’s up?” 

“It’s nothing major… Oh, Takumi, you don’t look so well. Did something happen?”

Iris had a friendly, ladylike tone and an easygoing personality, and had been very kind to me since we first met. Along with that, he also had a well-groomed face, fine white skin, and red-purple hair that stretched down to his shoulders. His speech and demeanor were even more ladylike than a woman’s, with a certain coquettishness, but underneath his black uniform, his body was finely honed.

He fights with a thin sword and throwing knives, and I’ve never seen him miss with a knife.

“Do I look like that? Maybe I’m just tired from the morning training.” 

“Is that so? Well, then that might be why… Felix asked me to tell you that you don’t need to attend the afternoon lectures, and he wants you to deliver a potion invoice to Ingrid Perfume.”

“Felix did?” 

“Yes. Can you do it? And he also said that since he had you do something during lunch break earlier, you can go and have lunch somewhere on the way.”

“I see… Got it, I’ll go.” 

Apparently, Felix thought ahead. Ingrid Perfume, as the name suggests, is a perfumery, but it also undertakes potion concoction. Someone must do it, but the fact that he chose me at this time probably means he’s worried about me missing lunch earlier.

I took the documents in a thick envelope from Eris.

I can’t reject Felix’s goodwill here, and there’s no reason to refuse if it’s a job assigned by my boss.

After handing over the documents, Iris suddenly fixed his gaze on my collar.

“Oh, Takumi, that…” 

“That?” 

As I tilted my head and looked at Eris, he shrugged his shoulders as if to say ‘oh well.’ Then he reached out to the collar of my shirt and fastened all the buttons that were only half-open.

“Iris-san?” 

“Normally it’s fine, but just hide it because it seems like it might be seen when you look from above. Even in the downtown area of the castle, there are people who are up to no good everywhere. You are naturally attractive to people.”

“…..Ah, got it.”

I see. While the downtown area of the castle is relatively safe and crime is low, someone like me, who’s new to town, could be targeted. Probably means I should dress properly to avoid that.

“Sorry, Iris-san. I caused you trouble.” 

“It’s nothing. More importantly, take care on your way.” 

“Sure, I’m off.” 

I thanked Iris and left the Knight’s barracks. The training field is deserted, probably because it’s just after lunch break and there are no squads training or practicing.

I walked past the field, through the main gate and headed towards the downtown area. In the city, including the downtown area, it was prohibited to ride a horse individually, so the only options are to walk or take a carriage. Fortunately, today I was able to catch a ride on a shared carriage heading for the downtown main street right outside the main gate.

I rode in the carriage for a while and arrived at the carriage stop in the downtown area. After walking about twenty minutes from there, I arrived at “Ingrid Perfume”.

A variety of colorful buildings made of mortar walls in white, reddish-brown, gray, and light green line up on both sides of the downtown main street. Among them, the perfumery “Ingrid Perfume” is a three-story wooden building with a reddish tint. Even before opening the shop’s door, the fragrant scent tickled my nose.

“Welcome… Oh, it’s you, Takumi-san!”

As I pushed open the wooden door, a woman dressed in a crimson dress with a pristine white apron rushed out from the depths of the store. This girl with moss-green braided hair and glasses was not just an employee of this shop, but also an “Alchemist” who concocted perfumes and potions.

The “Alchemist” is one of the professions in this world, with the unique skill of “Alchemy”.

“Alchemy” is a skill that combines ingredients and materials to make potions like “Poison antidote”, “Paralysis recovery”, “Mana recovery”, “Potion”, “Elixir”, and so forth.

When I decided to create “Potions” and “Elixirs” that don’t exist in this world yet based on my game knowledge, she was the one who helped me in the trial production, and it was this shop.

“It’s been a while since you came here alone, Takumi-san. I’m happy.”

“Yeah, I’m glad to be here too after a long time. I’m here on behalf of the Knights’ Order today. I was asked to deliver this.”

“Oh, is that so! Thank you for going through the trouble… Since you’re here, would you like to have some tea? I got my hands on some tasty tea leaves, I’d love for you to try!”

With her heartwarming, cute smile, I couldn’t help but grin.

“Well then, I’ll gladly accept your offer.”

“Great! Please wait for a while.”

She scurried back into the room behind the counter like earlier. It’s calming. She looked around the same age as me, and every time I saw her, I felt a sense of warmth, like what I imagined it’d be like having a little sister.

“Let’s see, the tea leaves are here… Wait?!?!?!? This is powdered soap!!!!”

I felt slightly uneasy at her words from behind the counter, but I’m sure it’s fine.

For the time being, I decided to wait while looking at the perfume bottles and potion bottles lined up on the shelves and tables inside the shop. 

While I’ve never used perfume, there are several members of the Black Wing Knights who do, so some of the fragrances are familiar to me. It brings me a bit of joy when I find one I recognize.

As I was curiously inspecting a bottle of perfume, I heard the light tinkle of a bell.

When I turned around, a new customer had just entered the perfume shop. They were quite tall, I’d wager a head taller than Gazelle.

The figure was cloaked in a deep purple outfit with a long hem. A hood was pulled low over their face, obscuring it. From their build, shoulder width, and height, they seemed to be a man.

“Sorry about that. The store clerk is in the back, attending to a request I made. I’ll call her, just wait a moment.”

The clerk didn’t seem to notice the new customer. I hurried to call her, but for some reason, the man approached me.

“No need for the clerk. I came here for you.”

“Wha…!!”