Although You're Cute, Who Are You?

"Damn, how did I fall asleep? What time is it? Did I skip my major exam?"

"I don't know what a major exam is, but I can tell you it's already eleven in the morning, Senior!" Rorschach was answered by an energetic whisper.

I really missed it. I'm screwed! No, wait, I got transported here. What major exam could there be?

Rorschach finally came to his senses. He still felt weak and asked, "Morning? How long was I asleep?"

"Three days! Mr. Arle is such a good person. He took out precious sugar cubes, mixed them with salt and water, and fed you sugar-salt water, Senior!"

"Three days..." Rorschach's senses and thoughts gradually returned. He was lying on the hard floorboards of the carriage and could still feel its bumps as it traveled. Only his head was steady, resting on something soft, surrounded by a faint sweet fragrance and warmth.

Could this be the legendary lap pillow? Why had this suddenly turned into a light-novel scenario?

Rorschach abruptly opened his eyes wide, only to be blinded by the sunlight... Once his vision refocused, he found himself staring into a pair of bright green eyes sparkling with amusement. Their owner had black pupils and chestnut-brown hair falling to her shoulders, the tips brushing against Rorschach's face and making him itch.

"Although you're cute, and although this lap pillow is comfortable, who are you?"

"Mage Rorschach, could you get up before saying something like that?"

"Young Master Rorschach, you're finally awake!" The dwarf was cooking and hurriedly invited Rorschach over to the pot. "These past few days, I've been cutting vegetables, and my hands got sliced up!"

So I was just being recruited as a tool...

As Rorschach used Decomposition Technique, he asked, "So where did this little girl come from? Is she someone you know?"

"Little girl? Senior, are you an old man with a baby face?" the person in question immediately protested.

"I picked her up," the dwarf said with a hearty grin. "We were walking along when we spotted someone lying ahead on the road. Took a closer look, and she was quite a pretty one. We asked around. This girl's a magic apprentice who got lost after leaving Limburg. She had no water to drink and collapsed from exhaustion on the road."

"Water Creation is too difficult. It's not even at the level of beginner magic!" the girl said with a shrug.

Rorschach strongly agreed with that. Exactly—starting off with something as difficult as Planar Positioning was asking too much of a novice.

"Luckily, I ran into you all. It's wonderful to find a merchant caravan willing to take me in! Mr. Arle and I agreed on a price, so I can travel with everyone until we leave the Empire."

"How much did you pay?"

"Ten silver coins!"

That amount wouldn't even be enough for a carriage ride, much less an airship. She really had some nerve. Rorschach did not look at the girl and instead shot Mr. Arle an inquiring glance.

"It happened just as Singlev said. We encountered this young apprentice on the road. I didn't expect her to have walked so far from Limburg—assuming everything she said is true."

Mr. Arle paused before continuing, "Mage Rorschach, we've decided to rest and resupply once we reach the next town. We have enough supplies for this stretch of road, so we'll take Miss Apprentice to the city first. What do you think?"

"If the employer, Mr. Arle, agrees, then that's how it'll be."

"I don't agree! At the very least, take me to Antorila!"

"Miss Apprentice, we won't stop in any towns along the way. Antorila is our next stop," Mr. Arle explained.

"You dare travel that far alone? What are you going to Antorila for?"

"Allow me to formally introduce myself, Senior. I am Anastasia, an outstanding apprentice of the Tower of the Forest. My teacher recommended that I transfer to the Tower of Storms. My full name is hard to remember and troublesome to say, so you can just call me Tasia!"

Rorschach did not readily believe her and pressed on, "Transfers between apprentices are rare. To be precise, I've never even heard of such a case. You weren't expelled, were you?"

The moment he said that, everyone's suspicious gazes locked onto Tasia. She raised a brow. "Senior, aren't you seeing one right now? I'll prove the worth of an outstanding apprentice from the Tower of the Forest!"

With that, she grabbed a handful of herbal Powdered Medicine from her satchel and began casting. Under the effect of magic, the Powdered Medicine floated into the air and spread out. Having fought Leopold, everyone instantly treated it like a threat—blades were drawn, and the Warhammer was raised.

The sight gave Tasia a fright. "Put down your weapons! This magic doesn't work on people! It probably doesn't work on dwarves like you either, sir! Don't be nervous, this spell is meant for little rabbits..."

As she spoke, rustling began in the distant grass. Wild rabbits emerged from every direction. They first wandered around at a distance as if hesitating, then, unable to resist, they dizzily hopped toward the group.

"Druid magic? Beast Affinity? Summoning?"

The Druids of this world originated from the priests of the Swamp Elves. They were found on Istani Island and in the northern part of the continent. Some humans and dwarves also practiced Druidic disciplines and gained their power.

After the Old Empire conquered Istani and established a province there, the Druids of the Swamp Elves gradually became scarce. However, their spellcasting techniques were absorbed into the mage system, becoming part of Nature School spells and Summoning Spells. The Tower of the Forest was the Magic Tower with the most comprehensive and profound mastery of Druid spells.

Animal-related spells within the Nature School were extremely rare. It seemed Tasia really might have studied at the Tower of the Forest.

"This spell uses herbs and magic power to stimulate and imitate... the pheromones rabbits release during the season when all things grow. And because it contains magic power, it can make those poor little rabbit brains obediently come right to your door."

"Huh? Why are they all male?" Sing said, lifting two rabbits to inspect them.

...So this was a honey trap meant to eat rabbits alive! Rorschach picked up a rabbit too. It was dazed, constantly kicking its hind legs and twitching its tail.

"My explanation was professional enough, right? Senior, you should believe that I'm an apprentice with a proper education now! I even have an admission letter from the Tower of Storms, but it's very important, so I can't take it out. Sorry!"

Whoosh! A crossbow bolt pinned an unlucky rabbit to the ground. Hill had returned from hunting, with a wild boar draped over her horse.

"Why are there so many rabbits?"

The dwarf explained the magic Tasia had cast. Hill dismounted with a frown, picked up a rabbit, and examined it.

"It has an anesthetic effect. Will we be alright if we eat them?"

"If you're worried, then go hunt for yourself!" Tasia shot Hill a cold look before turning and running into the carriage.

"We shouldn't have treated Miss Tasia like that, Young Master Rorschach. She was the one who volunteered to look after you these past two days."

Rorschach recalled the lap pillow from when he opened his eyes and nodded. "Then I'll go apologize to Tasia and thank her."

Is she deliberately getting close to me? Doesn't that make her even more suspicious?

At the same time, Rorschach discreetly checked his storage ring.

Nothing was missing. Thank goodness.

After that, Tasia kept her distance from everyone else, sitting silently in the carriage.

That night, Rorschach volunteered to stand watch. Though everyone urged him to rest longer, he insisted on doing it himself.

"It's still spinning. Forget it."

He opened the panel. Ever since he woke up, it had remained on a loading screen, and Rorschach had no idea when it would return to normal.

The chirping of insects and the cawing of Strange Birds echoed through the air as a cool breeze swept across the open hilly plains. Rorschach sat leaning against a wheel hub, not expecting a figure to emerge from the carriage.

"Senior, I have something I want to tell you..."