Cain immediately subdued my struggling limbs. His large hands were surprisingly cold and gentle. My frail wrists were captured effortlessly, like young birds. He looked straight into my eyes, stained with fear and regret, and spoke.
“Calm down. I won’t hurt you.”
“…..”
“Well, You might feel a bit of pain since I have to draw a bit of blood, right?”
It was a reassuring statement. Still, if it was just a bit of blood, it was better than what I had imagined. As I calmed down a bit, Cain released my wrist and brought a small syringe.
“Is mana in the blood?”
“Those outside the tower come from academies. You must have studied quite poorly.”
Cain clicked his tongue as he injected the needle into my arm. It stung a little but wasn’t too painful. It felt less painful than when I got a COVID vaccine in the military. Cain, wearing a white gown, looked somewhat like a doctor, providing a psychological sense of comfort.
“Don’t you learn all this when you’re young? Some people have mana in their veins, others carry it around their bodies. How could mana be in the blood of someone injured and bleeding?”
Cain mocked me playfully, like teasing a child. Well, people from another world might not know much… I pursed my lips and frowned. Cain removed the needle. The small syringe was now filled with dark red blood.
“If you’re researching mana, why are you taking blood?”
“Mana is different, so I’m curious about the body composition.”
“Do magicians also do this?”
“I’m not just a magician; I’m a genius Magic Tower Lord.”
Cain chuckled as he transferred the blood from the syringe to a small bottle, sealed it with a cork stopper, and smiled.
“I gave you an antidote, but your body temperature dropped dramatically earlier. Plus, with the blood drawn, your body might not be in good shape. Get up.”
Cain uncovered the thin blanket that covered me, then snapped his fingers. Suddenly, something appeared in the air with a popping sound. It was a potion bottle filled with a green, transparent liquid.
“Have this.”
“What is this?”
“Your meal.”
He snapped his fingers once more, and another potion bottle appeared in front of him. He effortlessly grabbed the bottle, uncorked it, and gulped down the contents.
“It’s a meal potion containing nutrients you can get from regular food. When you finish it, you’ll feel appropriately full.”
“I’m supposed to eat this instead of rice? Every day, every meal?”
“It’s efficient, isn’t it? One of the best-selling items in the tower. It’s quite expensive, so be thankful.”
He seemed pleased with himself and continued explaining about the meal potion. It was mainly purchased by wizards and academy students, and knights or adventurers who needed to camp were also among the main customers. He mentioned that common people couldn’t afford such items due to the high prices, but during severe famines, the royal family sometimes bought them in bulk to solve food shortages.
“Um… Can’t I just eat regular meals? I’d like something warm, like hot soup.”
My stomach felt empty and unsatisfied. Honestly, I just wanted a bowl of hot soup, but I couldn’t ask for that here. I would have been content with even a spoonful of soup with steam rising from it.
However, Cain furrowed his brow, seemingly not understanding my request.
“You can just heat this potion and consume it. I’ll cast a warming spell right now.”
“No, I just want soup.”
I still stared at the green liquid floating above me, reluctant to drink hot green potion.
“In the tower, there’s no separate food. Since the introduction of meal potions, there’s no need to eat regular food.”
After saying that, Cain thought for a moment and scratched his head.
“Ugh, fine, just wait a moment.”
He removed the gown and found a black robe, which he put on inside out. Then, as if concentrating, he slowly began to transform. His height slightly decreased, and his arms and legs became significantly thinner. The waist extended a bit, and the overall thickness of the body reduced. The black robe had transformed into loose-fitting brown pants and a yellowish-white shirt.
Most astonishing was the transformation of his face. Wrinkles densely covered the handsome face. On his fine and pale skin, eyes, nose, and mouth formed a set of features that gave off a somewhat gloomy impression. The eye color changed to a light blue.
“When going outside, I usually go in this form.”
Cain spoke with a voice much thinner and drier than his original one. It seemed that not only the external appearance but also the vocal structure had changed during the transformation. Excited to witness such a magical transformation right before my eyes, I quickly got up.
“You’re really amazing!”
“Well, there’s no one in this empire who can master transformation magic as well as I do.”
Cain sniffed, looking pleased with himself.
[Cain’s favorability increased by +1!]
“Let’s go now.”
“Go where?”
“You wanted to eat soup.”
Cain grabbed my wrist, and I awkwardly followed him as we walked.
“I feel a bit dizzy, but I can manage to walk. Just let me follow you.”
He stopped in a corner of the spacious room. A large magic circle was drawn on the floor where he stood.
“Is this a teleportation magic circle?”
Even though I saw it for the second time, the appearance was still familiar. Cain nodded and took me to stand on the magic circle.
“We’re going to the village.”
“Yes… Uh, wait a moment. I get motion sickness from teleportation magic, so if we go straight, I might…”
But before I could finish my sentence, a dazzling red light poured out from the teleportation magic circle. And we disappeared from the room.
***
“Ugh. Uwaaah!”
“Good thing you didn’t drink the meal potion. You would’ve vomited it all out.”
Cain said mockingly from the side. Even in the midst of my stomach churning, I felt the urge to pinch his lips.
After a while of retching and losing all strength, I collapsed on the ground. Cain placed his hand on my shoulder, and unexpectedly, something extraordinary happened. The moment he touched my shoulder, the dizziness disappeared, and strength and vitality surged through me.
“Huh?”
When I opened my eyes wide and looked at Cain, he lowered his waist and whispered, “I cast a healing spell. Get up and don’t throw up. I won’t use this on just anyone.” He said that and turned around abruptly after lifting his hand. Watching his back as he walked away, I also got up from my place.
Perhaps… Were you sorry?
While it was true that Cain had activated the teleportation circle abruptly, causing me to vomit due to my sensitive body, I felt unnecessary guilt. Still, I was pleased that my body was now in a clean state.
I walked quickly to Cain’s side and stood next to him. I could feel him looking down at me with a sidelong glance, but I pretended not to notice.
He walked diligently and led the way to a small restaurant. It was cramped and old, but it was clean and bustling with customers, creating a warm atmosphere. It felt like a hidden gem. I sat down at a table, and the owner, a man holding a ladle, approached.
“Hey, Heron! It’s been a while.”
“Work has been busy.”
Cain, wearing the shell of someone else, replied indifferently. The owner laughed heartily and patted Cain’s back with only the lid of a pot in his hand. Cain’s expression momentarily twisted in annoyance, but fortunately, it seemed like only I noticed.
“Is your boss still harassing you these days?”
“My… my boss.”
“That guy who always swears a lot. He’s young but has a nasty temper, forcing you to work overtime. Ah, didn’t that boss even give you time to eat? People need to eat, you know?”
Cain bit his lip. He mumbled something like, “This brat Heron…” Finally, I realized that Heron was one of the magicians in the tower, and Cain was his superior.
I suppressed my laughter, feeling like it might burst out. My chin wrinkled like a walnut.
“It might be tough dealing with such an arrogant brat as a boss, huh? Sit down. Today, I’ll treat you to something extra special.”
The owner spoke cheerfully and swung the ladle as he entered the kitchen.
“What? Why are you laughing?”
“I didn’t laugh.”
“Don’t lie.”
“Pfft.”
“When we go back, I might have to scrutinize Heron’s research from the basics.”
Seeing his determination to find fault, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Cain slammed the table with his fist, shouting not to laugh. He proudly went on about how Heron, who used to enjoy eating, became a strange magician who didn’t appreciate the greatness of the meal potion. He also claimed that being young is a characteristic of genius, not of a brat.
The way he defended himself while wearing someone else’s face, made me think that Heron’s words weren’t entirely wrong. While he continued to rant, the food arrived. It was a tomato stew with lots of seafood.
Cain immediately subdued my struggling limbs. His large hands were surprisingly cold and gentle. My frail wrists were captured effortlessly, like young birds. He looked straight into my eyes, stained with fear and regret, and spoke.
“Calm down. I won’t hurt you.”
“…..”
“Well, You might feel a bit of pain since I have to draw a bit of blood, right?”
It was a reassuring statement. Still, if it was just a bit of blood, it was better than what I had imagined. As I calmed down a bit, Cain released my wrist and brought a small syringe.
“Is mana in the blood?”
“Those outside the tower come from academies. You must have studied quite poorly.”
Cain clicked his tongue as he injected the needle into my arm. It stung a little but wasn’t too painful. It felt less painful than when I got a COVID vaccine in the military. Cain, wearing a white gown, looked somewhat like a doctor, providing a psychological sense of comfort.
“Don’t you learn all this when you’re young? Some people have mana in their veins, others carry it around their bodies. How could mana be in the blood of someone injured and bleeding?”
Cain mocked me playfully, like teasing a child. Well, people from another world might not know much… I pursed my lips and frowned. Cain removed the needle. The small syringe was now filled with dark red blood.
“If you’re researching mana, why are you taking blood?”
“Mana is different, so I’m curious about the body composition.”
“Do magicians also do this?”
“I’m not just a magician; I’m a genius Magic Tower Lord.”
Cain chuckled as he transferred the blood from the syringe to a small bottle, sealed it with a cork stopper, and smiled.
“I gave you an antidote, but your body temperature dropped dramatically earlier. Plus, with the blood drawn, your body might not be in good shape. Get up.”
Cain uncovered the thin blanket that covered me, then snapped his fingers. Suddenly, something appeared in the air with a popping sound. It was a potion bottle filled with a green, transparent liquid.
“Have this.”
“What is this?”
“Your meal.”
He snapped his fingers once more, and another potion bottle appeared in front of him. He effortlessly grabbed the bottle, uncorked it, and gulped down the contents.
“It’s a meal potion containing nutrients you can get from regular food. When you finish it, you’ll feel appropriately full.”
“I’m supposed to eat this instead of rice? Every day, every meal?”
“It’s efficient, isn’t it? One of the best-selling items in the tower. It’s quite expensive, so be thankful.”
He seemed pleased with himself and continued explaining about the meal potion. It was mainly purchased by wizards and academy students, and knights or adventurers who needed to camp were also among the main customers. He mentioned that common people couldn’t afford such items due to the high prices, but during severe famines, the royal family sometimes bought them in bulk to solve food shortages.
“Um… Can’t I just eat regular meals? I’d like something warm, like hot soup.”
My stomach felt empty and unsatisfied. Honestly, I just wanted a bowl of hot soup, but I couldn’t ask for that here. I would have been content with even a spoonful of soup with steam rising from it.
However, Cain furrowed his brow, seemingly not understanding my request.
“You can just heat this potion and consume it. I’ll cast a warming spell right now.”
“No, I just want soup.”
I still stared at the green liquid floating above me, reluctant to drink hot green potion.
“In the tower, there’s no separate food. Since the introduction of meal potions, there’s no need to eat regular food.”
After saying that, Cain thought for a moment and scratched his head.
“Ugh, fine, just wait a moment.”
He removed the gown and found a black robe, which he put on inside out. Then, as if concentrating, he slowly began to transform. His height slightly decreased, and his arms and legs became significantly thinner. The waist extended a bit, and the overall thickness of the body reduced. The black robe had transformed into loose-fitting brown pants and a yellowish-white shirt.
Most astonishing was the transformation of his face. Wrinkles densely covered the handsome face. On his fine and pale skin, eyes, nose, and mouth formed a set of features that gave off a somewhat gloomy impression. The eye color changed to a light blue.
“When going outside, I usually go in this form.”
Cain spoke with a voice much thinner and drier than his original one. It seemed that not only the external appearance but also the vocal structure had changed during the transformation. Excited to witness such a magical transformation right before my eyes, I quickly got up.
“You’re really amazing!”
“Well, there’s no one in this empire who can master transformation magic as well as I do.”
Cain sniffed, looking pleased with himself.
[Cain’s favorability increased by +1!]
“Let’s go now.”
“Go where?”
“You wanted to eat soup.”
Cain grabbed my wrist, and I awkwardly followed him as we walked.
“I feel a bit dizzy, but I can manage to walk. Just let me follow you.”
He stopped in a corner of the spacious room. A large magic circle was drawn on the floor where he stood.
“Is this a teleportation magic circle?”
Even though I saw it for the second time, the appearance was still familiar. Cain nodded and took me to stand on the magic circle.
“We’re going to the village.”
“Yes… Uh, wait a moment. I get motion sickness from teleportation magic, so if we go straight, I might…”
But before I could finish my sentence, a dazzling red light poured out from the teleportation magic circle. And we disappeared from the room.
***
“Ugh. Uwaaah!”
“Good thing you didn’t drink the meal potion. You would’ve vomited it all out.”
Cain said mockingly from the side. Even in the midst of my stomach churning, I felt the urge to pinch his lips.
After a while of retching and losing all strength, I collapsed on the ground. Cain placed his hand on my shoulder, and unexpectedly, something extraordinary happened. The moment he touched my shoulder, the dizziness disappeared, and strength and vitality surged through me.
“Huh?”
When I opened my eyes wide and looked at Cain, he lowered his waist and whispered, “I cast a healing spell. Get up and don’t throw up. I won’t use this on just anyone.” He said that and turned around abruptly after lifting his hand. Watching his back as he walked away, I also got up from my place.
Perhaps… Were you sorry?
While it was true that Cain had activated the teleportation circle abruptly, causing me to vomit due to my sensitive body, I felt unnecessary guilt. Still, I was pleased that my body was now in a clean state.
I walked quickly to Cain’s side and stood next to him. I could feel him looking down at me with a sidelong glance, but I pretended not to notice.
He walked diligently and led the way to a small restaurant. It was cramped and old, but it was clean and bustling with customers, creating a warm atmosphere. It felt like a hidden gem. I sat down at a table, and the owner, a man holding a ladle, approached.
“Hey, Heron! It’s been a while.”
“Work has been busy.”
Cain, wearing the shell of someone else, replied indifferently. The owner laughed heartily and patted Cain’s back with only the lid of a pot in his hand. Cain’s expression momentarily twisted in annoyance, but fortunately, it seemed like only I noticed.
“Is your boss still harassing you these days?”
“My… my boss.”
“That guy who always swears a lot. He’s young but has a nasty temper, forcing you to work overtime. Ah, didn’t that boss even give you time to eat? People need to eat, you know?”
Cain bit his lip. He mumbled something like, “This brat Heron…” Finally, I realized that Heron was one of the magicians in the tower, and Cain was his superior.
I suppressed my laughter, feeling like it might burst out. My chin wrinkled like a walnut.
“It might be tough dealing with such an arrogant brat as a boss, huh? Sit down. Today, I’ll treat you to something extra special.”
The owner spoke cheerfully and swung the ladle as he entered the kitchen.
“What? Why are you laughing?”
“I didn’t laugh.”
“Don’t lie.”
“Pfft.”
“When we go back, I might have to scrutinize Heron’s research from the basics.”
Seeing his determination to find fault, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Cain slammed the table with his fist, shouting not to laugh. He proudly went on about how Heron, who used to enjoy eating, became a strange magician who didn’t appreciate the greatness of the meal potion. He also claimed that being young is a characteristic of genius, not of a brat.
The way he defended himself while wearing someone else’s face, made me think that Heron’s words weren’t entirely wrong. While he continued to rant, the food arrived. It was a tomato stew with lots of seafood.
