The mass of water that had formed before the hearth plunged downward, pulled by gravity. Striking the ledge, it burst inward and rushed straight into the hearth.
"Kid, what in the world are—"
"The fire's going to catch!"
"Huh?"
Hearing my shout, the shopkeeper whirled around. The water filling the hearth vanished in an instant, and a heartbeat later, a fierce flame roared to life.
"Whoa!?"
"Why?! How did water start a fire?!"
Both the shopkeeper and the girl stood frozen, their mouths hanging wide open. Just as I thought, the pilot fire hadn't completely died out.
"Shopkeeper, what was in that jug?"
"Huh?"
"Magical fire doesn't go out so easily. Was something mixed into it?"
The shopkeeper looked taken aback, his eyes darting away from mine.
"N-Nah, it's just plain water! What could I have possibly put in it?"
"That water was conjured through magic, wasn't it? The fact that my water magic canceled it out is proof enough."
To neutralize magic, one merely needs to counter it with an opposing spell. But inverted water magic is still water magic to the eye. It was only natural that an ordinary person would think I had somehow lit a fire with water.
"Even if you tell me that, I don't know the first thing about magic. The water in Ulm is purified with magic, so maybe that's why? Right?"
When the shopkeeper prompted the girl for agreement, she nodded vigorously.
Because the local rivers and lakes couldn't meet the city's demands, Ulm used magic to supplement its water supply... or so I had read in a book once. Still, I doubted enough residual mana lingered to snuff out a magical flame. But pressing the matter was clearly pointless.
"Well, anyway, I'm glad the fire is back. Shopkeeper, the bill, please."
"Hm? Ah... Don't worry about it. It's on the house, as thanks for getting the hearth going again."
"Are you sure?"
"Don't sweat it. More importantly, kid, do you have an inn lined up?"
"An inn..."
"You really don't want to find out what happens to people who sleep rough in Ulm."
Of course, I hadn't planned on sleeping outdoors... but with the exam registration and everything else on my mind, finding lodging had completely slipped through the cracks.
"I haven't found one yet. Do you know of any good places?"
"In that case, how about staying right here?"
"Huh?"
"Truth is, the second floor is an inn. I'll give you a discount, kid."
"A discount... How much are we talking?"
"Ten thousand belg a night, meals included! How's that sound?"
The shopkeeper held up an index finger, leaning in close. At that rate, I could easily afford to stay for about a week. Since I was bound to fail the initial written test anyway, being able to stay in the royal capital until it wrapped up was all I needed.
"Sounds good. As long as you throw in extra honey for the pies."
"Ha, that's easy enough! New girl, show the guest upstairs!"
"Right away, sir! Here, let me take your bags...!"
The girl darted out from behind the counter and seized my luggage with both hands....She had struggled so much hauling that jug of water earlier, yet she hoisted my heavy pack without breaking a sweat.
Between the strange water and her sudden strength, there was definitely something slightly fishy about this place... but hunting for another inn at this hour sounded exhausting. Besides, I couldn't imagine a truly wicked person baking pies that tasted so heavenly.
And so, I decided to make the inn called Groot my base of operations until the day of the exam.
The few days I spent in the royal capital were the most fulfilling of my entire life.
The Great Library, with its towering bookshelves packed with grimoires that rose many times my height; the breathtaking panorama from the watchtower opened to visitors; the endless eateries run by master cooks from across the realm... Though my stay lasted less than a week, I was treated to experiences beyond anything I could put into words.
Yet what left the deepest impression on me were the people of the capital. Everyone accepted magic as a natural part of daily life, read voraciously, and strove to push the city of Ulm forward. It wasn't that people in the countryside lacked ambition, but I couldn't help noticing the staggering divide between our worlds.
If I had been born in Ulm, would my life have turned out differently? Instead of being a good-for-nothing country boy, could I have made something of myself? I knew there was no point dwelling on what-ifs, but the thought lingered in the back of my mind nonetheless.
"I'm heading back the day after tomorrow, huh..."
Sitting at the desk in my room on the night before the exam, I gazed out at the dazzling nightscape of the capital and let out a soft sigh. With the test tomorrow, today was effectively my last chance to enjoy Ulm to the fullest.
"May I come in?"
A knock sounded at the door. Come to think of it, I had sent the new girl on an errand.
"Yeah, come on in."
"Pardon the intrusion!"
The girl opened the door and stepped inside, clutching a notebook. I had asked her to pick one up from a nearby shop.
"Is this notebook all right?"
"Yeah, thank you. Um..."
"It's Amalia! Please remember it already!"
"Sorry, it slipped my mind..."
With her brown hair tied up, Amalia puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. If I recalled correctly, she was fifteen—the exact same age as my little sister, which was why the number stuck with me.
"Oh, did you have enough money?"
"Um, there was about 500 belg left over."
"Keep it. Consider it a tip."
"Wait, really? Thank you so much!"
Amalia's face instantly lit up. She had looked furious just a second ago, but she certainly was quick to change her tune where money was involved.
"By the way, sir, what are you going to use that notebook for?"
"I figured I'd write down everything I experienced in the capital so I don't forget."
"Oh, really? I was sure you were going to study..."
"Study?"
"I mean, you're taking the court mage exam, right?! The examinee I looked after before never set foot outside once—he studied every waking minute!"
"The previous mage examination was three years ago, wasn't it? Aren't you a new hire—"
"Ah! Um... Th-That was back at the shop where I used to work!"
"Hmm..."
This place was definitely shady. Still, I had stayed here all this time without running into any trouble. The bed was clean, the pies were as delicious as ever, and I had no real complaints.
"A-Anyway! It's just that you don't seem to be studying at all, sir..."
"It wouldn't matter what I did at this point; the outcome won't change. Especially since someone like me doesn't stand a chance of passing anyway."
"Huh, is that so..."
Amalia tilted her head, utterly perplexed by my reasoning.
According to a book I had browsed at the library, people like me were taking the exam "for the novelty." Apparently, there were quite a few applicants who just wanted to experience the Court Mage Selection Exam firsthand, completely unconcerned with whether they actually passed.
"Still, aren't you at least going to Heldt's Eve?"
"Heldt's Eve?"
"You really don't know? All the examinees for the mage examination gather at Heldt Square to pray for success."
"What's the point of that?"
"Word is that decades ago, someone achieved an incredible score on the exam. Supposedly, they had prayed at Heldt Square the night before, so everyone started copying them."
What a bizarre custom. To think that people skilled enough in magic to aim for the title of court mage would put their faith in such a superstition. Then again... when faced with a grueling trial, perhaps clutching at straws was simply human nature. Either way, it had nothing to do with me.
"I'll pass. It's not like I came here desperate to make the cut."
"Aw, it's not even that far from here! Why not just go check it out?"
"All a mage can truly rely on is their own skill. It's not as though God is going to lend a hand."
"You really are an odd one, sir. Well, good luck tomorrow!"
"Thanks. Have a good night, Amalia."
"Okay, good night!"
Amalia offered a cheerful wave and slipped out of the room. I uncapped my pen and flipped open the notebook. Sure enough, the paper quality was far superior to anything available back home.
Come to think of it, I still hadn't picked up any souvenirs. I'd have to grab some the day after tomorrow before departing Ulm. As for which shops opened early in the morning... I could just ask Amalia. In fact, I might ask her to come along and help pick out a gift for my sister. I had no clue what girls her age were into, after all...
Letting my pen flow across the pages, I retraced my memories of the capital. Tomorrow's exam was the furthest thing from my mind. All I cared about was what stories I would share with my family and what gifts I would bring home.
I would give the test my best shot, collect my souvenirs, and head back home. Even if a part of me hated the thought of leaving such a wondrous place behind.
At the time, I had no idea that dreading the journey home would soon turn into being completely unable to return at all.