Turns out, Sebastian is a good person.
He carries himself with authority, straight posture, and steady gaze, but once you actually talk to him, he's surprisingly easygoing. Not arrogant. Not condescending. Just calm, like someone who has never needed to raise his voice to be heard.
We parted ways just inside the town gate.
"Take care," he said with a slight nod.
"You too," I replied, bowing lightly.
I watched him walk off before turning toward the Adventurers' Guild.
When I opened the door, the busy and crowded environment was nowhere to be seen.
Luckily, there was no line today.
Relieved, I approached the receptionist.
"How may I serve you today, adventurer?" she asked, smiling professionally.
"I'd like to submit my quest."
I placed the Blue Water Lilies on the counter, followed by the goblin ears and the horn from the horned rabbit. The small thuds they made against the wood felt strangely satisfying.
"I'll calculate that for you," she said. "May I see your adventurer card?"
I handed it over.
She worked quickly, fingers moving with practiced ease before sliding the card back.
"Your total comes to seven silver coins."
"Not bad for my first quest," I muttered, nodding to myself.
Then I remembered something.
"Oh! There's also this."
I placed the Earth Boar's tusk on the counter.
The receptionist froze for a brief moment before lifting it, her expression sharpening.
"This is an Earth Boar tusk," she said. "We can purchase this from you, but it cannot be added to your adventurer record."
She explained calmly.
"This rule exists to prevent low-rank adventurers from attempting hunts far beyond their capabilities."
That made sense.
If fresh adventurers chased dangerous monsters for quick money, deaths would skyrocket.
"I understand," I said honestly.
She asked for details of where I encountered it, what happened, and what monsters were nearby. The guild carefully tracks C-rank monsters and above to avoid unnecessary casualties. They even buy information on terrain and monster behavior, though that kind of work is usually handled by C-rank teams and higher.
After recording everything, she placed ten silver coins on the counter.
"At least I won't have to worry about money for a while," I thought, pocketing them.
I wanted to go to the library afterward.
I really did.
But my body was done.
I headed straight to the inn and asked the innkeeper if she could cook the meat I brought.
She inspected the boar meat, eyes widening slightly, then nodded.
What I got later nearly made me cry.
Thick slices of grilled meat, seared on the outside but still juicy inside. The fat had rendered just enough to release a deep, savory aroma. Each bite was heavy, filling, and rich. Nothing like the constant fish and vegetables I'd been eating.
No salt and pepper though, but over all its great.
The soup was even better.
A slow-cooked broth infused with meat flavor, warm and comforting, soaking into the potatoes until they almost melted on my tongue.
"Oh… this is life," I muttered between bites.
I told her she could keep what was left of the boar meat and the rabbit.
Her smile widened instantly.
She promised to cook more meat for me the next day.
A fair trade.
I returned to my room and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
At dawn, my body woke me up before my mind could complain.
I ran.
Stamina matters.
If my body were stronger, I wouldn't struggle so much against goblins.
Yesterday made one thing clear. I can't rely on magic alone.
Magic is powerful, but casting takes time.
Distance, positioning, and a blade finish fight faster.
By the time the sun rose, I was drenched in sweat, lungs burning.
Time for a bath.
As I headed toward the river, I spotted Sebastian walking toward me.
"Sounds like you're working hard," he said, a small smile on his face.
"Yeah," I replied, wiping sweat from my forehead. "I need to train my body too."
"Aren't you a mage?" he asked. "Can't you just cast a spell before enemies get close?"
I glanced at my hands.
"I can't silent-cast. Chanting takes time. Against multiple enemies, relying only on magic gets me killed."
"Oh," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"I can teach you how to manipulate mana," he said after a pause. "But I need something from you."
That was tempting.
Suspiciously tempting.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"Well…" he hesitated. "I like Miss Erica. I want to get closer to her. You seem to already be."
So that was it.
That explained the looks at school.
High school memories surfaced forums, guides, and endless bad advice.
I think this research will be handy now.
"I'll help," I said carefully. "But I can't guarantee anything."
"That's fine," Sebastian replied immediately. "Just having a chance is enough."
I explained how I ended up attending the class and how Miss Erica and I grew closer.
"I'll explain it to you all later."
Then I added, almost casually, "I'm heading to the river to bathe. Want to join?"
He blinked.
"Doesn't your inn have a bath?"
"No. Inns don't. Neither do most common houses."
"…Baths are a luxury?" he asked, genuinely surprised.
"Yeah."
"I see," he said after a moment. "Then I'll join you."
We swam in the river together.
The water was cold, washing away sweat and fatigue.
Sebastian laughed, splashing water aside.
"I never thought swimming in a river could be this fun."
"It's better with company," I said.
He looked at me, puzzled.
"…Are we friends now?"
I blinked.
"Aren't we already?"
He hesitated, then smiled awkwardly.
"Yeah… friends."
"I've never really had one," he admitted quietly.
"What? That's sad."
"When you're a merchant's son," he said calmly, "most friendships are strategic. All facades."
"That sounds exhausting."
He nodded.
"Now," Sebastian said, his expression sharpening, "as promised, I'll teach you mana control."
"Now?" I asked.
"Yes. And it won't be easy for your level."
I straightened my posture.
"Good. I'm ready."