Chapter 57 Unexpected Reunion
――The next day,
The four of us immediately visited the house of the rumored old man.
Knocking on the door, a kind-looking old lady came out, and when we mentioned we were looking for someone named Tobia-san, a voice came from the back of the room.
"I am Tobia Fleerich!"
The old man who laughed heartily was much more energetic than we had imagined. His well-tanned skin and voluminous hair, despite being white, gave a strong impression.
"I heard from Emiliana-san that you cured your serious illness you had in the past with spring water..."
"Oh, a referral from Miss Emiliana! That's right, I'm Tobia-san, cured my illness with spring water and still healthy as ever!"
Tobia-san laughed and flexed his muscles. His vitality was so overwhelming that it seemed to prove the existence of "The Drinking Water of the Spirits."
Feeling a slight sense of anticipation, I spoke again.
"Could you tell me more about that spring water?"
"Oh, of course! It was when the doctor told me I had only a few months left to live. I was in despair for a while, but then I decided to make the most of my remaining life. I wrote down what I wanted to do in the rest of my life..."
Tobia-san's story, which started unexpectedly serious, was like a grand novel. In short, it was very lengthy and voluminous. We visited his house in the morning, but by the time we finished listening to everything, it was already dark outside.
When we returned to Emiliana-san's house, we were all exhausted. Still, we tried to summarize Tobia's great adventure by picking out the essential parts and clarifying the information. According to him...
Tobia, who had wanted to become an adventurer in the future, decided to explore the forest in Flaria to experience something before his time ran out. He had heard that no strong monsters would appear unless he went deep into the forest, but unfortunately, he encountered a fierce-looking monster near the entrance.
After managing to defeat the monster, Tobia inadvertently wandered deeper into the forest. Despite wandering around, he couldn't find a way out, and as hunger and thirst set in, he began to lose hope of surviving before his time was up. What shook his eardrums was the sound of water.
Following the sound of water, he found a spring. Drinking from the spring instantly revitalized him. Not only that, he seemed to see a shining thread-like object suddenly appear in his field of vision. It seemed to guide Tobia through the ground, and following it, he was able to safely exit the forest...
"It's quite mysterious... to be honest, it's hard to believe."
"It would be more convincing if he said he was dreaming."
Lina-senpai muttered after organizing the information. Chelsea nodded in agreement, both looking puzzled.
Lukas then spoke up.
"He stumbled upon The Drinking Water of the Spirits while wandering, so he has no idea where it is..."
Everyone fell silent at his words. A heavy silence filled the space between us.
Honestly, despite Tobia-san's intriguing story, there was no new concrete information about The Drinking Water of the Spirits. While his story gained some credibility due to him being alive despite a past terminal diagnosis, all the information still felt vague.
I had hoped for at least some specific details, even if I couldn't pinpoint the exact location of the spring water...
Although the expedition training ahead seemed clouded with darkness, I tried to dispel the unease by suggesting in a cheerful voice,
"Let's check out the forest tomorrow. But before that, should we ask for an escort from the Savila Knight Order?"
The three of them nodded at my suggestion. Honestly, at this point, it seemed like the only thing we could do was actually go to the forest and see for ourselves.
We decided on our plans for the next day and disbanded. Well, Lina-senpai and Chelsea just went back to the next room. Lukas, who shared the same room, looked somewhat troubled but prepared for bed.
If I believed Tobia-san's story, The Drinking Water of the Spirits existed, but at the same time, dangerous monsters lurked in the forest. In that case, relying on Lukas alone for our protection seemed too risky.
So, let's take a look at the forest and just observe near the entrance for now without stepping inside. If I plan to explore seriously, I should make sure to prepare things like antidotes properly beforehand.
And above all, I need to ask for help from the SavilaKnight Order stationed in Flaria tomorrow.
I remember the cold stare of Flaria's branch chief. Even though Knight Order Leader Vake put in a good word for me, there's still a chance I might be turned away at the door during this busy time.
"――Laura, you look tense, is something wrong?"
Suddenly, Lukas peered into my face. He furrowed his brows with concern, staring at me intently.
I made up my mind to lessen the burden on this kind childhood friend.
So, I smiled and said, "It's nothing." Lukas seemed like he wanted to say something but decided not to push further, knowing that I wouldn't answer. He chuckled somewhat exasperatedly, "Tell me before you bottle it up."
* * *
Savila Knight Order, Flaria Garrison. I rang the bell next to the door, glancing at the sign that read so. The door opened immediately, revealing a petite boy with neatly trimmed purple hair and bright golden eyes.
Judging by his height and youthful appearance, he seemed to be the same age as me or even younger. I was surprised to see such a young child come out, and I froze in shock. Then,
"Are you Laura Ampère-dono, the Royal Alchemist!?"
He asked in a distinctive tone.
I was taken aback again by his mature way of speaking that didn't match his young face, but I managed to nod and respond.
"Yes, that's me. I'm here on a training expedition... I think Vake, the Knight Order Commander has already informed you..."
As I managed to say that, the boy flashed a smile, showing his white teeth. He even chuckled proudly.
"I'm listening! I'll go call the captain!"
He saluted us crisply before retreating into the building. I wondered if he was truly a member of the Savila Knight Order.
We exchanged glances for a few seconds outside. Just as we heard some noise from behind the door, it opened again. This time, it wasn't the purple-haired boy who peeked out but someone unexpected.
"We've been waiting for you, Laura-chan. And everyone else."
With light green hair, narrow red eyes, and pointed ears, the unmistakable figure of Olivelle Bloom, the Vice Commander of the Savila Knight Order, spoke in a gentle tone.
My thoughts came to a complete halt at the unexpected appearance of this person. I stared blankly at the man in front of me from bottom to top, slowly recognizing him as Olivelle Bloom, before finally finding my voice.
"O-Olivelle-san...!?"
Why are you here?
Without answering my quiet question, Olivelle-san smiled and opened the door wide, saying, "Well, please come in."
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