A Lovely Encounter At The End
As she observed the spectacle unfold, the black-haired Katzlein girl couldn't help but wonder,
– He fought head-to-head with the guild master himself and managed to impress him greatly even! At his level, how did he do that? Who are you… really...?
With a serious expression, she departed, her mind consumed by these lingering questions, reflecting the mysteries surrounding Ewaan.
The girls approached Ewaan, eager to know more.
Ewaan calmly explained the encounter with the Guild master and his subsequent test after the encounter with the Beastnoid cat girl.
Ayaka corrected him, providing more details about the Beastnoid Katzlein tribe.
Ewaan, with an indifferent tone, redirected the conversation, saying, "Enough about me. Let's go to the receptionist and discuss the joining process."
With a casual grin, Ayami informed him, "Oh, we've already talked with Alina, and she already instructed Maya and gave you two your tests to become an adventurer!" Her expression held a playful amusement as she shared the news.
Ayaka's sheepish grin widened as she spoke, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness. "Sorry about that, we couldn't find you anywhere, so we went ahead and spoke to Alina without you."
Ewaan spoke, "No worries, it doesn't matter. However, before diving into our tasks, let's make a quick stop at the public library."
His words carried a sense of ease and determination, setting a purposeful tone for their next move.
"Why the sudden interest in the library, mister Ewaan?" Ayaka's voice carried a hint of curiosity as she sought to understand his motives.
Ewaan spoke with determination, "The guild master was right! Before anything else, I need to understand my abilities and learn how to wield magic properly!"
His gaze briefly shifted to Maya, silently conveying the significance of his words to her as well.
Ayami teased, "Come on, it's not like you'll be facing dragons or anything. Just collecting herbs and dealing with low-rank monsters! Quit being such a scaredy-cat and let's get on with it!"
Her playful tone carried a hint of mockery as she poked fun at Ewaan.
He turned to Maya, his expression serious. "You've been granted powerful skills by the Goddess of Love, but are you truly capable of wielding them effectively?"
Doubt lingered in Maya's gaze as she looked at her hands, uncertainty coloring her words. "I think I'll be able to do it..."
"Then demonstrate, if you want me to be convinced!"
Ewaan uttered, urging Maya to showcase her magic skills to dispel any doubts about their readiness to wield magic.
Maya closed her eyes and focused, her brow furrowing in concentration as she attempted to harness her mana. Softly uttering, "…‹Psionic Shield›…"
However, she struggled to manifest her magical skills, her efforts yielding no visible results.
Ayami remarked while observing Maya's futile attempt to wield magic, "She didn't even say the incantation for the spell. How are you expecting the magic to work without it!"
In response, Ewaan asked, "Do you know any incantations for spells of the Psychic attribute?"
Listening to his words, Ayami turned her head sideways with a sheepish grin. "No..." she responded.
He glanced at Ayaka, who also shook her head and responded the same way.
Ewaan sighed and said, "In the middle of my spar with the guild master, I tried to use my skills as well, but it didn't work!" He turned, adding, "So, I want to go to the public library to learn about spell casting before doing any work…"
Maya nodded understandingly, "It sounds like a reasonable plan. Learning about spell casting will help us to use magic and make us stronger adventurers."
He started walking as he uttered, "If you don't want to go with me, then stay put at the Inn. After I'm finished, I'll come find you."
"H—hey, wait, you dummy, we're coming too." Ayami's expression carried a mix of annoyance and a touch of reluctant agreement, as she started walking as well, catching up to Ewaan. "Do you even know the direction of the library?" she exclaimed, her tone laced with sarcasm.
Maya and Ayaka exchanged glances, sharing a chuckle, before hurrying to catch up with Ewaan and Ayami.
Guided by Ayami, the group approached a big building, its presence slightly on par with the grandeur of the Church.
Ewaan, maintaining his usual stoic demeanor, observed the grand building with a calm and indifferent expression.
While Maya's eyes widened in awe as she gazed upon the towering structure, marveling at its imposing presence. "This… is the library?" she uttered.
"This library is a joint effort by the Academia, Sardania Empire, and the Church. It stands as a symbol of accessible knowledge for those who can wield magic but lack the privilege to enter the Academia, despite being primarily utilized by commoners."
Ayaka exclaimed with appreciation, her eyes gleaming as she shared the significance of the structure.
As they were ready to head inside, a child to be 6 or 7 years old, suddenly appeared in front of Ewaan.
Offering him a rose, the child uttered, "Big brother, want some roses for these fine ladies beside you?"
Ewaan's stoic expression softened as he looked down at the child, surprised by the unexpected encounter.
He glanced at the rose offered by the child, with a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Well, aren't you a little charmer. Sure, we'll take a couple of roses. How much are they?"
The child's eyes lit up with joy, "For you, big brother, and your lovely ladies, it's just 10 copper coins for each rose and a smile!"
The child handed the roses to each of the girls, which they accepted graciously and one offering to Ewaan.
Then looked up at him, waiting for his smile in return.
Ewaan chuckled at the child's innocence, his smile widened, genuine warmth reflecting in his eyes. Gratefully accepting the rose,
Retrieving the coins from his pouch, Ewaan sat down in front of the little girl and patted her head with his left hand. "There you go," he said warmly, handing her the coin with the other hand. "I don't have enough change, so you can keep the silver coin."
With the silver coin in hand, the little girl reached into her shoulder bag. "Oh no, big brother, I can return the change. Wait a second..." she said earnestly.
Still patting her head, he spoke, "Oh, look! What we got here?"
Pulling out a large gold coin seemingly out of nowhere, made it look like the coins came out of the little girl's hair, offering them to her with a playful smile, whispering, "After you had home, check your bag and don't be alarmed..."
The little girl's eyes widened in amazement at the sudden appearance of the gold coins.
Making a hushed gesture, he added, "Let's keep it between us, okay?" While sneakily placing a pouch inside her shoulder bag without the little girl noticing.
Grateful and delighted, she accepted them with a cheerful expression while not knowing a more shocking gift, her smile growing even wider. "Kay..."
With joyous appreciation, she surprised Ewaan with a quick, innocent smooch on his cheek, leaving him slightly stunned but amused.
With a joyful giggle, she scampered off, leaving behind a wish for their wellbeing, her small voice carrying a sense of warmth and goodwill.
He stood up and turned to look at the girls, his expression indifferent. "Alright, let's—" However, their expressions surprised him.
Ayaka and Maya wore amused smiles, while Ayami sported a playful smirk. "What?" Ewaan uttered.
"I didn't expect, beneath that hard shell of yours resides a warm yolk!" Ayami grinned mischievously, teasing Ewaan about his hidden warmth beneath his seemingly cold exterior.
Ewaan glanced at Ayami for a while before turning again to face the library, his expression indifferent. "Let's head inside the library."
As they entered the library, the girls' laughter echoed softly behind Ewaan, enjoying the banter.
Stepping inside, The towering shelves and vast collections of books in the library left the group in awe, their eyes widening as they took in the enormity of the space and the wealth of knowledge it contained.
Maya, captivated by the impressive sight, whispered, "Wow, It's like a treasure trove of knowledge…"
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