Ch. 147: The Tavern and the Wizard

Alicia: Thanks for today. Igni: Hm? Me? Alicia: Thanks for accepting the Dragon Slaying Quest. Igni: Dont worry about it. It was you who asked me after all.

Igni, Alicia, Yoori, and Sara sat around a table as they ate a meal together.

Ellie excused herself saying that she had work to do and didnt come with them. According to Alicia, She probably saw that she couldnt use Igni anymore, so she lost interest. Igni couldnt understand if they cared or hated each other.

Their relationship seemed pretty dry, but Ignis relationship towards Fray couldnt be described as simply dry, so for him, sibling relationships tended to be like that.

Yoori: Arent you departing tomorrow? Have you received any news from the 1st Squad? Alicia: ........they were annihilated.

Yoori: AAnnihilated? Alicia answered Yoori nonchalantly, but Yooris eyes only widened with her words.

Alicia: Yes, annihilated. The 1st Squad lost 40% of its members.

Yoori: ........is that called being annihilated?

Alicia: If more than a 3rd of the members are unable to continue combat, its considered an annihilation.

Alicia drank her fruit liquor while speaking.

Alicia: And my sister is out somewhere doing who knows what.I really dont know what shes thinking sometimes.

There is a slight growl to Alicias grumbling.

Igni: Well, its okay. Im here, so everything should be fine.

Alicia: ..........well, that is true but..

Igni: Hm? Whats the matter? Is something bothering you?

Alicia: Its..embarrassing that we cant take care of the Empires problem with the Empires people..thats all.

Igni: What are you talking about? Were friends, right? Igni adds more.

Igni: When friends need help, they help. Countries or nationality doesnt matter.

Hearing those words, Alicia quietly sets her mug down on the table.

Alicia: .........yes. Maybe youre right. And she silently agreed to Ignis words.

Sara: Igni, its hard to eat this.

Igni: Ill cut it for you. Hold on. And not paying attention to the conversation at all, Sara pointed to a large piece of meat on her plate, and complaining to Igni, Igni took a knife to help her. From a bystander, they would just look like siblings.

Igni cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, and placed the meat back onto Saras plate. A moment later, he heard a crowd cheer from somewhere behind him.

Igni: What is it?

Yoori: Igni, over there. Yoori points towards the source of the noise.

There, some very beefy looking men clenched their hands and were groaning.

Igni: Whats that? Yoori: An Arm Wrestling Tournament, apparently. Igni: Oh Things like this was common in taverns.

The Adventurers enjoyed bragging about their strength, and if a group of guys get together, they like to know whos the strongest.

This is especially true when theyre drunk.

If you can beat this guy, well pay for your drinks and meal!

A strong looking, muscular man seated himself overbearingly, and a skinnier looking fellow was noisily calling for challengers.

Igni: Theyre trying to draw in more customers, huh

By doing a strong man competition like arm wrestling will lighten up the mood of the tavern, and an energetic tavern will draw more customers. That way, the people coming to see the competition would leave more money behind for the tavern.

Yoori: Igni, do you want to try?

Igni: No, Im good. Igni kindly refuses Yooris offer.

A man who lightly shows off his strength cannot become popular.

A popular man will choose his time and place to show off his strength.

And as Igni convinces himself of this, he sees a familiar group of men participating in the arm wrestling match.

Igni: .........hm? Yoori: Whats wrong? Igni: Oh no, its just that I know those guys. Yoori: You already made friends? Was it a girl? Igni: No, its a guy but Igni felt a little offended that Yoori assumed that he became friends with a girl, but

Igni: (But if Yoori is thinking that because hes popular, is that so bad?)

And Igni tilted his head to watch the men in the arm wrestling match.

It was one of the few people Igni felt comfortable around Fram.

The owner of the fiery colored hair just like Igni challenged the bulky man.and lost.

Igni: Oh crap. Alicia: He lost. Igni: Yup, he did. The match was almost instantaneous.

Alicia: Do you think you could win, Igni? Igni: I wonder. If I dont use my Spell, I may lose. That group of men have been working out their physical strength continuously to be able to swing their weapons.

Though they may be slow, they are the vanguards, the defensive wall for the Wizards that aggros the enemy and buys time.

Alicia: Even you couldnt beat them, Igni? Igni: Yeah, of course.

But Igni chuckles because he would never opt to not use Spells during actual combat.

If this was actual combat, if Igni is cornered to a space where arm wrestling combat was the only method, he would have already lost.

Fram, who just got whooped pretty horribly, came back to the table next to Ignis table teary eyed.

Fram: Hm? Oh, why.its Igni. Igni: Its been a while, Fram. Fram: Were you perhaps..watching? Igni: Yeah, saw everything. Fram: Ughthats embarrassing.

And Fram blushed with shame.

And Fram took a look at Ignis table and drew back in surprise.

Fram: ........whoa, Igni. Youre amazing. Whats with all the girls?

Igni: Theyre friends.

Fram: Wait, wait, man. I envy you. We dont get to see much girls around.

Igni: Youre an Adventurer? Fram: Yeah, Im pretty good, even if I look this way. And Fram rolled up his sleeves to show off his arm.

Cut that out. B-Rankers should know their place. Youll just embarrass yourself. But the man with black hair immediately stopped him.

Igni: Well, isnt a B-Rank pretty amazing? Igni heard that the Average Rank of an Adventurer is C.

So as a B-Ranker, youre a pretty good Adventurer.

Theres always someone stronger.

And the man with black hair shrugged at Ignis words.

But you guysyou dont seem like Adventurers. Igni: Were students. Were from the Wizards Academy. Ah, no wonder you have so many girls with you. And the man with black hair looked at Sara, Alicia, and Yoori in turn.

Yoori was a little uncomfortable at the mans gaze.

Igni: (No, Yoori, you really look like a girl no matter how you look..)

Alicia: ........as B-Rankers, why arent you participating for the Dragon Slaying? Alicia spoke up suddenly.

Igni: Oh, Frams group just came to town recently.

Igni answered Alicias question instead.

But Fram seemed equally curious about the question too.

Fram: Dragon Slaying? What are you talking about?"

And the two who just arrived in town looked at her in confusion.

So Igni summarized the situation for the two.

I see. So there was a Quest like that.

Fram: That would have been bad. Im a [Fire] Type Wizard, so this would have been a really bad match for me. And the black haired man and Fram both looked relieved.

B-Rankers would have a tough time on a Dragon Slaying Quest.

And Fram turned out to be a [Fire] Type Wizard.

Igni could not help but feel closer to this man possibly because of that.

As Igni dwelled on the thought

Fram: Well, well be here in the Imperial Capital for a while, so if you need anything, just give us a holler. Yeah. But well probably just get in the way of Wizard Academy students. The two casually offered their aid and laughed.

And Igni appreciated their gesture.