"A-Anyway! That is why people tend to avoid me."
Elia was forcefully trying to steer the conversation away from her own embarrassment. I decided to go along with it.
"A ruined reputation based on rumors, then..."
"There are those who believe exaggerated stories without question," she admitted.
If parents behaved that way at home, it was only natural for their children to follow suit. Children often observe adults more closely than we realize.
"By the way..." Elia started timidly.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Ryoma-san, are you... quite alright?"
"In what sense?"
"Well, after hearing what I told you... I was a bit concerned."
"Ah." She was wondering if my attitude toward her would change. "I'm perfectly fine. It doesn't bother me at all."
"But it is a fact that I failed to control my magic and caused someone harm."
Even so, it hadn't been intentional. It was also a fact that I had crushed that boy's wrist in my previous life. Furthermore, over the last few years, I had dealt with dozens of bandits who dared to enter my forest—and those actions were entirely of my own volition.
In contrast, Elia clearly felt genuine remorse. I didn't see any issue with her character. Besides, I had seen her magic; I could easily dodge it. I could knock an Ice Arrow out of the air, and if I protected myself with Ki, a stray hit wouldn't do much damage anyway.
Conclusion: zero issues.
When I explained my reasoning to her, she let out a small, melodic laugh.
"I see. Then, Ryoma-san, please do not forget your promise to see me again in three years."
"I won't forget."
"Good. I shall confirm it myself when the time comes. If you become so absorbed in your work that you forget, I shall blast you with the magic I have spent those three years refining just to remind you."
That was terrifying. Where did this girl suddenly get such a ruthless streak?
"Haha, please spare me... Where on earth did you learn to say things like that?" I asked. It felt slightly out of character for the refined girl I knew.
"I heard that long ago, my mother once 'reminded' my father of a forgotten promise in the very same way."
"I... I see."
I was just glad Reinhardt-san was still alive and well.
"Besides, you said my magic won't work on you, did you not?"
I did say that, yes. But that wasn't really the point.
As I was reflecting on that, Elia, who had been grinning like she’d successfully pulled off a prank, suddenly seemed to have an epiphany.
"I have an idea! Sebas!"
"Yes, My Lady, how may I serve you?"
Elia called Sebas over and began whispering in his ear. He nodded and pulled a small box from his Item Box. Elia took it and held it out to me.
"Ryoma-san, I would like you to have this."
"What is it?"
"A necklace my mother gave me on my tenth birthday."
She opened the box to reveal a beautiful gold necklace featuring a ruby about the size of a pinky nail. It was elegant and simple, but clearly a high-end luxury item. And this ruby...
"Is that mana?"
For some reason, I could sense energy radiating from the gem.
"Oh, you noticed? Impressive as always. The ruby in this necklace is a Mana Gemstone."
"Is that the same as the Magic Stones used for lamps and such?"
"No, those are merely Magic Stones used in common Magic Tools. Ryoma-san, are you familiar with Mana Stones?"
"Mana Stones... if I remember correctly, they are stones containing high concentrations of mana, usually mined from places where magic is dense?"
"Precisely. Normally, the mana stored inside is drawn out to cast spells or used as an auxiliary to help with magical control. Among those stones, the ones that qualify as precious jewels are called Mana Gemstones. When found in ore form, they are referred to as Mana Ore."
Mana Stones were for general magical assistance, while Mana Ore was used for crafting Magic Tools and Magic Weapons.
"As for Mana Gemstones, they are quite versatile. They can assist with magic, enhance the performance of tools, and serve as fine jewelry. They are incredibly convenient and often more effective than standard Mana Stones, but they are also exceptionally rare."
Elia took a breath after her long explanation, but I was already shaking my head.
"Wait, doesn't that make this incredibly valuable?"
"It does."
"I can't accept something so expensive."
"I truly want you to have it, Ryoma-san!"
"No, really, such a luxury item is—"
There was no way I could just take this. I refused firmly, but Elia was just as persistent. Eventually, Sebas stepped in to mediate.
"Calm yourselves, please. Young Master Ryoma, while the Young Lady asked you to accept the necklace, she does not intend it as a permanent gift. She wishes for you to hold it in trust until you meet again."
"In trust? Why?"
"It seems you are unaware of the custom. There is an old tradition that if you entrust something precious to a friend before a long separation while wishing for a reunion, there is a high probability that your paths will cross again. It is an old superstition of unknown origin, but many still practice it today for good luck."
Ah, I see. A token of a promise.
"And you want me to hold onto this necklace for that reason?"
"Exactly," Elia said.
"...It’s very important to you, isn't it? Are you sure?"
"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't. I trust you, so please return it to me in three years."
When she put it like that... and considering it was a custom born from a genuine desire to see each other again... I couldn't say no.
"Alright. I'll keep it safe for you."
"Really!"
"But I’m definitely giving it back, okay?"
"I expect nothing less."
I took the box and immediately stored it inside my Item Box. It wouldn't get lost in there.
"Now, it's my turn..."
Following the custom, I should give her something of mine as well. But what did I have that was precious? Money? Pelts? Those would just be bulky and weren't particularly meaningful. Stone, ingots, waterproof cloth... I didn't have anything that wasn't purely utilitarian.
Perhaps because I’d lived a life of survival and hunting, I tended to think that if I lost something, I could just make it again. That made it hard to define anything as "precious." Then it hit me.
"Dimension Home."
I summoned a Heal Slime and a Scavenger Slime, scooped them up, and held them out to her.
"Ryoma-san, what about these two?"
"I tried to think of something precious to give you in return, but I didn't have anything but materials. When I thought about what really mattered to me, the slimes were the first things that came to mind. I think these two will be useful to you, so please take them with you."
Elia stared at me in blank surprise for a moment, then covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.
Was it that weird? I mean, why did I choose slimes? It was because I truly didn't have anything else suitable, but I supposed slimes weren't exactly traditional farewell gifts.
"Hehe. I’m sorry, Ryoma-san. It’s just so much like you... I will gratefully accept them."
"You will? Thank you."
"No, thank you for entrusting me with your precious familiars."
I set the slimes on the ground and dissolved my contracts with them. Then, I watched as Elia formed new contracts with both of them.
"The contracts are successful. I shall cherish them."
"I'm counting on you."
After that, our talk shifted to slimes and magic theory, which turned into a final practice session.
"This is the Ice Magic I use most often."
"I can manage 'Ice Cube,' but 'Cooler' is still beyond me," Elia noted.
Ice Cube was a spell for making square ice for drinks. Cooler was a spell that combined ice and wind attributes to create a cold breeze. Both were lifesavers in the summer.
"Mist Wash."
"Ah, it worked."
I also discussed Water Magic with Sebas. I taught him Mist Wash, and as expected of a master, he picked it up in just a few tries.
"...I see. This consumes quite a bit of mana, but it seems quite effective for stubborn stains."
If he could handle that, he could likely handle something a bit more advanced. I decided to teach him "Water Cutter," the spell that had been the original basis for Mist Wash. It involved compressing water and firing it at high pressure. I gave a brief explanation and demonstrated on a nearby boulder.
He watched with intense interest.
"Like this? 'Water Cutter.' No, not quite enough... 'Water Cutter!'"
He practiced about five times. He was significantly more skilled than I was when I first started, but by the fourth attempt, his power already rivaled mine. On the fifth try, he cleanly sliced through the boulder I had used for the demo.
So that was what happened when a high-level Water Magic user tried it.
Eventually, evening fell, and we returned to the city using Space Magic.
On the walk from the gate to the inn, I glanced at the shop and saw a crowd of adventurers from the swamp and people who looked like apothecaries carrying foul-smelling bags. It was bustling, which was a relief.
"Welcome back, Ryoma-kun," Elise said as we entered.
"Thank you for looking after Elia today."
"Not at all, I had a great time."
"Ryoma-san taught me so many new spells! I can't use them perfectly yet, but I'm going to practice hard!"
"That is wonderful, Elia," Reinbach said warmly.
"Yes! And I've also taken custody of a Heal Slime and a Scavenger Slime."
"Oh, really? You must take good care of them."
"I certainly will."
By the time we reached the inn, everyone had recovered from their hangovers. We stayed up late into the night, talking about everything that had happened since we met.
Then came the morning of the farewell.
We gathered at the carriage stop behind the inn. The Jamil family and their guards were already boarded, calling out to me from the windows one by one.
"Take care of yourself."
"Don't do anything reckless."
"Make sure you get enough rest."
"If you need anything, contact us immediately."
"If you find yourself with free time, come visit us."
"Good luck to you, Young Master."
"Stay healthy."
"Work hard."
"I pray for your continued success."
Jill and the other guards, as well as Arone and the maids, all offered their parting words.
"Please take care of yourselves, everyone. Thank you for everything."
I bowed deeply. I’ve never been good at long speeches; at times like this, I wished I were more silver-tongued. I wanted to express my gratitude more eloquently, but the words wouldn't come.
"Ryoma-san."
"Yes, what is it, My Lady?"
"That."
"That?" I wasn't sure what she meant.
"I’ve been thinking about it since I took the slimes yesterday... we are friends, right?"
I nodded, wondering where this was going.
"Then please, call me Elia. My father and everyone close to me calls me that. You aren't a servant of our house, so... it feels strange for friends to use such formal titles as 'Young Lady.'"
"Ah... I see. You have a point."
It was a bit inconsistent, now that she mentioned it.
"Understood. If you're okay with it, I'll call you Elia. Is that alright... Elia?"
"Yes! Ryoma-san, I’ll be much better at magic by the time we meet again!"
"I will be too."
I called back to Elia as she declared her intent from the carriage window.
"Good luck!" we both shouted at the same time.
Our voices overlapped, and we both laughed.
Then, it was time. The lead guard carriage began to roll forward. Elia and the others kept waving from the windows until the carriages grew small in the distance and finally vanished from sight.
"Well... I should get going, too."
I’d stop by the shop and then head to the abandoned mine. From today, my life at the mine would truly begin.
Elia was going to do her best. I had to do the same. I had a new home to build, after all.
"No time to waste!"
I gave myself a verbal shove and started walking. I was ready to begin a new life—one that was just a little bit different from the one I’d known until yesterday.