The Water Magician

"Abel, where are you taking me?"

After leaving the Guild, Abel walked north along the main street with Ryo in tow.

"Actually, it's about the reward for the escort request..."

"Hm? That was supposed to be in magic stones, right?"

"Ah, well, it's separate from that. At first, when I asked Ryo to escort me to Run... I was thinking about buying him some new clothes and a staff as a reward once we arrived in the city..."

Abel began, subtly gauging Ryo's reaction.

"Oh, well, since Ryo might actually like that tanned leather outfit and sandals, I'm not denying it or anything..."

"You don’t have to worry about that. I understand that the outfit under this robe wouldn't be accepted in the city."

Ryo said with a wry smile.

Indeed, even though he had been living alone since coming to Fai, he had lived a normal nineteen years on Earth.

"It's not that I particularly like this leather; it's just that I couldn't make any clothes because I couldn't find any thread in the Forest of Rondo... so if you're going to buy me clothes, I would be glad to go with you."

"I see! Ah, then let's pick out a couple of everyday outfits and some nice clothes, maybe two or three pieces."

Abel said, feeling relieved.

He had been worried that it might be taken as mockery of Ryo's clothes, so he was glad that things had gone smoother than he expected.

"But Abel, I understand about the clothes, but what about the staff?"

"Well, Ryo is a mage, but he doesn’t have a staff, right?"

"Yes, I'm a mage, but I don't have a staff. I can use magic without it."

Ryo answered, tilting his head.

"But I heard that having a staff increases the power of magic..."

As he said this, Abel recalled Ryo’s magic.

(Does it really increase the power? That has enough power already...)

"Is that so? But I don't use a staff. When close combat is needed, I use a sword."

This surprised Abel.

"A sword? Ryo can use a sword? Not just that knife at your waist?"

"Huh? Didn’t I mention it? As a wind-element mage, I can create three clones and use sonic blade along with my own charge attack. If I can't do close combat with a sword, then I can't charge, right?"

"Uh, yeah. I thought you were just joking."

"That’s terrible..."

While they were talking, they reached the clothing store they were aiming for.

It wasn't an extravagant establishment, but it had tastefully arranged clothing.

"This place isn't too expensive, but the tailoring is good and the style is nice; it's quite a popular store. I got my clothes made here too."

"Abel's clothes are quite durable, aren’t they? They lasted all the way from the Forest of Rondo to Run."

"Durable? Well, it’s true that they’re not easy to tear since they’re for my usual activities."

After spending about two hours, they ended up ordering clothes for Ryo to wear today and three other outfits to be tailored.

"Hey Ryo, are you sure you really don’t need a staff?"

"Yes, I don’t need one. I’m not used to it, and as I said earlier, I would use a sword."

"I see, if that's what you want..."

As he said that, Abel suddenly stopped.

"Abel, why are you stopping? I'm going to leave you behind."

"No, you don’t know where the Golden Wave Pavilion is. That's not it; Ryo, you don’t have a sword, do you?"

While touching the sword he always kept at his waist, Abel said.

"Oh, this?"

Ryo said, showing Abel the unshaped Murakumo given to him by the dullahan.

"Huh? No, that’s... um... a sword? That's the knife you always have at your waist, right?"

It looked obviously like a knife.

The hilt was unusually long, and the balance was something he had never seen before, but it was still a knife.

At the very least, it was closer to a knife than a sword in the eyes of anyone other than Ryo.

"More importantly, I have a question for you, Abel. You said you would ask Nina in my place, right?"

"Ah... now that you mention it, I did say that. Do you have something you want to ask?"

"Actually, I've realized that there are many fundamental things I don’t know."

"Fundamental things?"