Sixty-seven: You gotta notice things, right?

After wrapping up the meet-and-greet with the Cassper sisters, we called it a day.

After a day of prep, we regrouped at the Adventurer’s Guild.

When I got to the rendezvous, the three sisters were already there. No luggage. Not even a pack, despite the long journey ahead.

“Evie and the others are light on their feet. Long trip, no gear?”

“I can store things in space. Sorry, but I can’t fit your stuff in my storage.”

“Fine.”

Being able to use spatial storage? That’s already a solid sign of skill.

Three people’s worth of daily necessities packed into one space? Even better. I’d planned to carry their bags, but now I don’t need to.

Makes sense. The rumors about them being top newcomers? Not just hype.

One corner of the guildhall was just like us—adventurers gathering here to meet up.

Checking weapons, sorting gear, going over plans—normal stuff.

Today, all eyes were on us.

Then Raidock’s party showed up.

“Late?”

“No, we’re early. Leifan’s saying hello to Kyle, so he might be a bit delayed. Jitarou… if he’s late, we’re leaving him behind.”

“Hah. Better he’s with us. He’s useful in the woods.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Raidock and I were tossing jokes when Soral the ranger, Bep the cleric, Bardack the mage, and Moda the warrior were greeting the three sisters.

Looks like they’d never met Raidock’s crew before.

“Craft, our gear’s over there.”

“Got it.”

Stacked in the corner weren’t just essentials for adventuring—cooking tools, spare weapons, everything you’d need.

Eva’s eyes widen at the sight.

“Wait a second. I heard Raidock was a top-tier adventurer…”

“He’s top-tier. I guarantee it.”

“You mean his combat strength? From this load, I’d say his exploration skills are nonexistent…?”

A clear hint that he’s not the kind of baggage they’d want.

But that’s a complete misunderstanding.

“Adventurer’s Guild doesn’t hand out B-rank just for combat prowess, you know? So this—‘Spatial Storage’—is what I mean.”

I casually shove the towering pile of gear into my pocket with a flick of magic. This time, Eva’s eyes really pop open.

“You can use Spatial Storage too!?”

“Yeah.”

“No… it’s a rare magic, but there are people who can use it… still, the capacity is insane.”

“Yeah. Got a bit of a story behind it. Originally, I wasn’t a alchemist with a sigil—I was a mage with one.”

“Wait… you changed your sigil?”

“Yeah. Details skipped, but that mage sigil… didn’t sit right with me.”

“I heard you can’t engrave a sigil that doesn’t suit you.”

“Usually true. But apparently bad luck makes it happen anyway.”

Eva crosses her arms, frowning.

“So… does that have anything to do with the storage capacity?”

“According to my old master, Jabir, forcing magic into myself back then made me good at compressing it. Efficient use, too.”

Jabir’s theory, though—can’t prove it, can’t run experiments on it, so he’s not publishing it.

“Wait! Jabir… that famous Jabir-sama, right!?”

“Yeah. Jabir’s currently the personal alchemist to Zaid, Kyle’s older brother. We just happened to meet. That connection’s how I got taken on as a student.”

Technically a bit off, but easier to understand this way.

“Sounds enviable… He’s famous for his work on magic theory, too.”

“He’s active in this new organization, the Academy.”

“An impressive man… But you’re calling two nobles by their first names?”

“Ah—”

Damn it! slipped into my usual habit again!

“Uh. Well. Kyle and I are… close. Keep it quiet, alright?”

“I’ve heard the rumors. That Kyle-sama trusts you completely. But Zaid-sama…?”

"Ah. Keep this between us, alright? Honestly, I just can't bring myself to like Zaid. There's a lot going on."

"I see. Understood. I'll keep that to myself."

"Appreciate it."

Evah's got that sharp edge sometimes, but she's a good kid underneath.

Kinda disrespectful to say that about someone older, though.

"Raidock, it's done."

"Ah. So Leifan and Jitarou still haven't finished?"

"Leifan's fine, he'll show up when he shows up. But what the hell is Jitarou even doing?"

"Craft, can't you reach them with magic?"

"Nope. Not that I know of. Evah? You got any idea?"

"No. But I remember my old master saying something about a device like that."

Hearing 'device' reminded me of something.

"Wait— I heard about that from Professor Jabir once. Supposedly, there's a thing that lets you talk no matter how far apart you are."

"Handy thing, that. Can't you two make one? Craft or Leifan?"

"Can't. Supposedly a super-rare artifact, only a few in the whole country. And there're all kinds of restrictions on using it."

"Ah. Too bad. Would've made communication a lot easier."

"If we could mass-produce them, the whole world'd flip upside down."

"Yeah, thinking about stuff we can't make's pointless."

"True enough... wait, here he comes."

Seemed to sense something. Raidock's gaze shifted to the guild entrance.

Right after, Jitarou burst through, back heavy with luggage.

Just a bit past the agreed time. Fine. Let it slide.

"Ah-hah! Sorry I'm late! Had to stop by the Seilra shop and pick up a few things!"

"Whatever. Nah, never mind."

Jitarou’s bag bulged so full it was spilling over with goods from the Seilra shop.

The Seilra shop, run by the widow Seilra, whose every glance carried a dangerous charm, still stood firm even after Goldendown had relocated here.

And Jitarou seemed to have feelings for Seilra too.

I sent that thought straight into my head.

Pathetic! Jitarou!

Whatever. Live your life.

He’d bought iron arrowheads, bird feathers, and some non-perishable food.

Even sharpness oil and stamina potions—things he knew were unnecessary with me around—were stuffed in there. I could practically see the two of them passing them back and forth.

“Jitarou… that’s not something you should be spending money on.”

“Hey, I’m not asking for much! If I don’t feel the pain in my pocket, how’s my sincerity supposed to get through?”

“Is this serious… or just reckless?”

With a sigh, Jitarou stowed his belongings away into space. Eva, unsurprisingly, just stared in disbelief.

"How much can you even fit in there...?"

What would their faces look like if I said it held an entire giant dragon?

I didn’t say it out loud, of course.

We were just chatting idly when a sudden buzz started near the guild entrance.

"Lord Kyle!"

"Hey! Lord Kyle's here!"

"Good morning! Lord Kyle!"

"Yes. Good morning."

"Yay! He actually answered us!"

"What? Lord Kyle! Good morning! Welcome!"

"Yes. Good morning, everyone. Sorry for interrupting your work. Don’t mind me—just carry on as usual."

Amid the excited chatter of adventurers, Kyle’s voice came through.

"Meow!? Lord Kyle’s here!? You lot, back off a bit!"

"Y-yeah..."

"Lord Kyle! If there's anything, don't hesitate to say so!"

"Shoo, shoo! Get back, you lot! Lord Kyle's here! You're blocking him!"

Miké darted out from behind the desk, shoving the surrounding adventurers aside.

"Good morning. Has Craft-sama come by yet?"

"Yes indeed! Right over there!"

The short stature of Kyle meant the adventurers had to step back before he could finally spot me.

Not just Kyle—Persia, Maina, and Leifan were with him too.

"Kyle. You weren’t busy, were you?"

"Was, but… Maina insisted on seeing me off."

"Maina?"

Maina, Kyle’s twin sister, was hard to read—never clear if she liked someone or not.

Did she actually care enough to come all the way here?

"Ah. Thanks for coming, Maina."

I ruffled Maina’s hair like I’d treat a sibling, not a noble.

“…mnh.”

She hands me something.

“…mnh!?”

“What is it?”

“She says you should take it.”

Kyle chuckles softly.

Ah. There was something small in Maina’s hand.

“…Scary!?”

It was a rabbit. A tiny rabbit doll.

But patched together, one eye missing, hollow gaze, eye patch—some nightmare come to life.

“…!”

I kicked it. Right at Maina. Didn’t hurt. Felt like it did.

“Brother, I was trying to embroider one just like the rabbit doll Maina always carries.”

“Huh?”

Now that I look closer—different size, but same base. Just like the big rabbit doll she always has.

What kind of twisted fate could turn me into this…?

A kick came flying in again.

Did I really hate that cursed thing so much I got it shoved at me like this!?

“Huh… sorry, Brother. When Maina said she’d give it to you, I just said it looked too cute for a guy, that’s all.”

“Huh?”

Wait… so what’s the deal here?

“Maina seemed to want someone to carry the same doll as a charm, like an amulet?”

An amulet… right. An amulet.

That’s when it finally clicked.

Maina tried to give me a protective charm, but she didn’t have anything else she could hand over—just that doll she always carries.

So she handed me her own doll, but Kyle said something stupid. She tried to sew it herself, not knowing what she was doing. Ended up with a rabbit that looked like it’d been through a dozen experiments.

“Yeah… sorry. She really put effort into making it, huh?”

“Mm.”

Maina nods, small and quiet.

I wrap the eye patch rabbit around my belt.

"How's it look? Suits me?"

"Uh!"

"Feels like I've got a cursed scarecrow tied to my waist."

"Air Blast! Blast! Blast!"

"Wha—?!?"

I don't even bother asking. I just blast Jitarou with magic.

"Pathetic..."

Raidock looks at Jitarou with pity, then just stares when Jitarou groans and gets back up.

Even Eva's impressed. "He actually gets up after that? Huh." Jitarou's not the type to wake up unless you hit him hard.

"Ah, Maina. Thanks. I'll take good care of it."

"Mm."

Seems she's calmed down.

Yeah, it's weird-looking. But she made it with heart. Gotta carry it right.

"Then, brother, please be safe on your journey."

"Got it. Leave it to me."

And so, we set off toward lands no human had ever trodden.

Whatever. Kyle’s already calling me “brother” like it’s nothing, walking through town like he owns the place… I gave up on that long ago, so whatever.

“Don’t leave me behind, please!”

Should I knock him down again?

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