Chapter 1: Sage of the Outlands — Part 2: The Sage's Sentiments
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Warning: This content may contain explicit or mature themes and is intended for viewers 18 and older. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.
Volume 1: Witch Carly Arc
Chapter 1: Sage of the Outlands
— Part 2: The Sage's Sentiments
Upon hearing of the sage's passing, Magnolia sank into her seat in sorrow. Somehow, Aurelius managed to encourage her and help her stand up.
"Please, have some tea and try to calm down."
Returning to Aurelius's home, they sat at the table.
"If it's alright, Miss Magnolia, could you tell me why you came to visit the master?"
"Ah, yes, of course."
Magnolia recounted everything.
"There's a malevolent witch on this continent now. Her name is Carly. Not many are aware of her yet, but she's quietly threatening people's lives. A noble from a certain country asked us, a group of nine, to investigate her and possibly defeat her."
"We're all confident adventurers, myself included. We infiltrated the Zuhl Kingdom to confront the witch. However, she outwitted us and captured everyone. Nonetheless, three of us managed to escape, but we got separated along the way."
"I came here seeking the sage's aid in defeating the witch and rescuing our companions and other captives. But to learn he had passed away…"
After listening to her tale, Aurelius rose from his seat and placed a letter in front of Magnolia, fetched from the adjacent room.
"This is a letter the master entrusted to me. He mentioned that someone might inquire about him after his passing and if I deemed it appropriate, to give them this letter. I have no idea what it contains."
"May I read it?"
Aurelius nodded, allowing Magnolia to peruse the letter's contents.
To Whoever is Reading This,
I am probably dead by now.
And standing before you is my disciple, Aurelius.
You must be someone trustworthy if you received this letter.
I asked Aurelius to give this letter to someone trustworthy who might come looking for me.
You have likely come here to ask something of me.
Upon learning of my death, you must be shocked and despairing.
Well, I am human after all. Even with magic prolonging my life, I was bound to die someday.
But it must be hard for you to accept.
However, there is no need to despair.
Aurelius is here.
He is an exceptionally skilled magician, and I have taught him all the magic I know.
Moreover, he has more magical power than I do.
I can't speak about his background, but there's no doubt he is a very talented magician.
If absolutely necessary, rely on him.
Now, let's get to the main point.
I have a request for you, who is reading this.
Aurelius is a very skilled magician with a vast amount of knowledge.
However, there is something he knows nothing about.
He has never left this forest.
He knows nothing about the world beyond it.
What I ask of you is to take Aurelius out of this forest, travel, and show him the world.
If you do that, he will become the greatest wizard in history.
This is a request from an old man who has passed away, so I can't predict the outcome. However, you are someone Aurelius trusts, and I trust you too.
I wish you both good fortune on your journey.
—Merge Maquia
At the bottom, there was the sage's signature.
Having finished reading the letter, Magnolia gazed at Aurelius in front of her.
"What did it say?"
"Well, it praised Aurelius as a fantastic wizard. However, since he's unfamiliar with the world, he wishes for me to take him on a journey."
"Indeed, I've been taught many spells and ways of life by my master. But the most crucial lesson was said to be unteachable — the actual experience of interacting with people.
True, apart from my master, meeting you, Miss Magnolia, is my first encounter with someone else.
Um, excuse me, but Miss Magnolia is a woman, right?
I've only read about real women in books, and they seem quite different. It feels nice, somehow."
Magnolia was glad to sense Aurelius's positive feelings.
"I see, that's good. The letter urged me to embark on a journey, but what about Aurelius himself?
Can you leave the woods and journey with me?
Personally, I'd like your help in defeating the witch. While I can't promise everything, I'll do what I can.
Will you assist me?"
"If it's in my master's letter, I'll abide by it. And I'd be happy to journey with Miss Magnolia."
"I see, that's good to hear. I'll be relying on you from now on."
Magnolia stood and offered her hand.
"I look forward to our collaboration."
Aurelius also extended his hand, and they shook hands firmly.
"Alright, let's get ready. When can we start our journey?"
Magnolia's eyes, devoid of weakness until she read the letter, now gleamed with strength.
"Preparation won't take long. We'll be done in no time."
A "o'clock" is a unit of time that divides a day into 16 segments. (TLN: I used o'clock instead of just koku)
For reference, sunrise marks the beginning of the day at 1 o'clock, midday when the sun is directly overhead is 5 o'clock, and sunset is at 9 o'clock.
Although not short but not excessively long, Aurelius would have everything ready in time. Truly befitting a sage's disciple.
No, Magnolia was now convinced he was the sage himself.
"However, before that, Miss Magnolia, we need to get you ready. Please lie on the bed."
Invited to the bed, Magnolia felt puzzled.
"Huh, so suddenly?
Well, I do have some experience, but even so, I'd like a moment to prepare myself mentally.
Of course, I owe you for your help, and I don't mind."
"But first, we must heal Miss Magnolia's wounds.
Especially the left hand, left leg, back, right side, and both thighs are severely injured. Without fixing them properly, you won't be able to go on a journey."
"Oh— right. It was about the injuries.
But, we can't take too much time."
Realizing her mistake, Magnolia blushed.
Unbeknownst to her, her injuries on the right side and thighs had worsened.
Apparently, they were wounds inflicted by the boss. (TLN: boss = black wolf leader)
She didn't expect the other three wounds to heal quickly either. They were the kind that might take a year to heal with proper rest.
Perhaps they might never heal. Such injuries were part of the risk for adventurers, and Magnolia was ready to accept that.
There is another way to mend injuries.
Mages can heal wounds, but only minor ones.
At Magnolia's party, she had it done several times, though she paid handsomely for it.
However, it seems only the highest-ranked mages, known as "Sorcerers" can heal injuries.
Yet, without considerable wealth and connections to make a request, it's impossible.
Rumors suggest only kings or the elite nobles can seek such services.
With no such connections, Magnolia had no choice but to give up.
"Healing won't take much time. An hour might be impossible, but it won't exceed an hour and a half.
In his later years, my master suffered many injuries, and I healed him."
Speaking of which, Aurelius was the foremost "Sage" among mages.
Mages are generally categorized into five levels.
"Magicians" can use magic to some extent, often called apprentices.
"Mages" are proficient magic users, renowned among their peers, sometimes seen by Magnolia.
The most renowned among them are "Sorcerers" known by everyone in town.
Above them are the "Magus" highly respected or even worshipped by the nation.
And beyond even them in power are the "Sages" of whom there are said to be only two on this continent.
One of them was "Merge Maquia" though he's deceased, so Aurelius might have become a "Sage."
If he's truly a sage, Magnolia's injuries should be within his ability to heal.
"Aurelius, can you heal injuries too? Are you sure about this? Even so, if it's payment, I don't have that much money."
Magnolia was a skilled adventurer who earned considerably well. However, the compensation for hiring a magus was far from sufficient.
In all likelihood, she needed ten times more money than what she currently had.
"I don't need money. At present, I have none, so I'll rely on Magnolia's care for a while. Let's consider it as the treatment fee."
Clearly, the treatment fee seemed to be much higher.
Even if one generously estimated her living expenses to be around ten gold coins, the treatment fee, even at a low estimate, was two hundred gold coins. If she were to commission a magus, she'd need several times that amount.
Nevertheless, if Aurelius could heal her, she decided to accept his kindness.
As she attempted to settle into bed, Magnolia's attire was inappropriate. Under Aurelius's borrowed cloak, she wore only her armor, unsuitable for display and, more importantly, unflattering.
"Wait a moment."
Magnolia turned around with the cloak still on, stowed her armor in a storage box, and donned her regular clothes instead.
Her regular attire resembled a "yukata" commonly worn on the eastern island.
A yukata neither required buttoning nor pulling over the head; it was a garment to be wrapped around and secured with a sash to keep the front closed.
However, Magnolia wore a shorter version, with the hem reaching only her knees and shorter sleeves.
Underneath, she wrapped a cloth around her chest "sarashi" for modesty and wore an undergarment called "fundoshi" around her waist. Both were not entirely clean, but it was better than nothing.
Given her lack of recent bathing, her body was quite dirty.
Rather than exposing her skin, Magnolia felt more embarrassed about Aurelius seeing her in that state.
However, refusing Aurelius's treatment was out of the question.
Magnolia, now changed, returned the cloak and sandals, then lay flat on the bed.
"Please."
"Okay, starting with your left hand."
As Aurelius took her hand, she felt a warm sensation flowing in.
It felt comforting and pleasant.
Though unseen by Magnolia, she sensed that something that was broken had somehow mended.
"I believe this should heal it. Try moving your hand."
"Ah, yes."
Following instructions, Magnolia attempted to move her left hand. The previously immobile hand now responded.
While not as strong as before, she could grip with some effort. It had weakened from disuse.
Now, she could wield her two-handed sword again.
Just being able to grip her once almost immobile left hand freely filled Magnolia with joy.
She could bear it because she was in bed, still had other injuries, and Aurelius was right there.
"Now, let's treat your left leg."
Aurelius's hand touched her calf and then her foot.
Once more, she felt a warm energy flowing in.
The experience was so pleasurable that she almost didn't mind getting injured if it meant feeling like this.
"I think this should do it. Please check."
"No, it's okay. I trust you. Only the final check is necessary."
She placed full trust in Aurelius.
Even if nothing had healed, it wouldn't matter as long as it felt this good.
"Um, shall we proceed to treat your back then?"
"Sure, but is it alright to keep my clothes on? Wouldn't it be better for you to see directly?"
If her back wound could heal, Magnolia didn't mind Aurelius seeing it.
If it was in good condition, she wanted him to see it.
"Huh, ahh, yes.
It can be healed even if I can't see it, but it's easier to understand when I can see."
"Got it."
Magnolia loosened her obi, letting her shoulders and halfway down her back become visible as she lowered her yukata.
She kept her waist covered and left her hands out of the sleeves so she could quickly put it back on.
"Is this okay?"
"Yes, that's fine."
Aurelius felt a gulp in his throat.
This was likely the first time Aurelius had seen a woman's skin.
Magnolia wanted to see his reaction, but she refrained, thinking Magnolia herself might not be able to handle it.
"Seeing it in person, it's pretty bad.
But I think I can fix it."
Aurelius's hand moved closer to her back, spreading a warm sensation.
"Haa—"
Feeling good, Magnolia let out a sound unintentionally.
"What's wrong, did it hurt?"
"No, I'm okay. Please continue like this."
"Alright then."
Once again, her back was engulfed in warmth.
Magnolia felt so good she had to stifle any sounds from escaping.
"Now, onto the next."
"It's the front of both legs."
Magnolia aligned the front of her yukata and laid on her back.
Although the front was overlapped, the obi wasn't tied, making it easy to open.
She gave the reason that this would make her thighs, somewhat hidden, more visible.
"Heal them while directly looking at them."
Magnolia lifted the hem of her yukata, exposing her thighs.
Upon closer inspection, several large wounds were visible on both thighs.
They weren't just problematic for walking; she wasn't sure if she could run at full speed.
Indeed, these were wounds that needed healing.
"Alright, I'll heal them."
"Yes, please do."
Magnolia watched closely as Aurelius worked on healing the wounds.
Aurelius's hand approached her thighs closely, casting a shadow just shy away of touching them.
Although invisible, Magnolia felt some form of power flowing from Aurelius's palm into her thighs.
Soon, warmth and comfort enveloped the area, and she watched as her wounds vanished.
Seeing the magic in action, she couldn't help but be impressed.
Furthermore, the pleasant sensation spreading from her thighs reached her hips, leaving Magnolia feeling good.
"Hmmm—"
She wished it could continue, but Aurelius ceased shading his hand.
It was almost disappointing how quickly her wounds had healed.
"Now, onto the side."
Magnolia opened the right side of her yukata, exposing not just her chest but also the ties of her loincloth down to the base of her legs.
Though still embarrassing, it might have been more about revealing a dirty body and undergarments than bare skin.
"Ah, here."
Directed by Aurelius, she saw several deep puncture wounds, likely from a Black Wolf's bite.
Magnolia raised her right hand to make the wounds more visible.
Even though everything, even her armpits, was visible, Magnolia was thankful for her naturally thin body hair.
"Yes, please."
"Alright, I'll heal them."
Once again, Aurelius shaded his hand and poured his power into her.
Not only did the wounds heal, but a pleasurable sensation spread throughout her body.
It reached her organs, particularly the uterus, making it feel exceptionally good.
"Ugug—"
Magnolia felt so good that her hips moved involuntarily.
"Miss Magnolia, is everything okay?"
"No, it's nothing."
It was something—though not pain or discomfort, but pleasure.
However, it was a pity that Aurelius's healing seemed to be ending so soon.
"Do you have any other injuries or painful spots?"
"Well, let me see."
As someone who had been an adventurer for a long time, there were small injuries all over her body, but usually, they weren't a problem. However, for now, she decided to take advantage of the situation.
"They're just small cuts, but they're all over my body. Could you take a look?"
"Um, sure, I guess."
Magnolia slipped her arms out of her yukata, opening it fully in front of him.
Spreading the yukata on the ground, she stood before Aurelius in just her undergarments.
"You'll get a better look like this."
"Um, okay."
Aurelius looked surprised and a bit flustered, which was quite cute.
Aurelius was also a man. There was a chance he might take advantage, but Magnolia trusted him.
"They're really minor cuts, but there are quite a few. It'll take time to heal them one by one, so let's do it all at once, alright?"
It seemed Aurelius was not someone easily swayed by temptation.
"I don't mind taking my time, but let's do it the way Aurelius prefers."
"Okay, here we go."
Aurelius moved his hands away from her body, releasing a surge of power that surrounded her completely.
It felt almost like being embraced and protected by someone dear, comforting and pleasant beyond words.
"I think this should do it."
However, the moment of happiness ended quickly.
Still, Aurelius didn't step away from Magnolia.
If there was more to be done, she was ready to accept it.
"Also, if the body is dirty, wounds might worsen.
I'll cast a 'Purification' spell."
"What's that?
I've never heard of such magic before."
Magnolia wasn't well-versed in magic, but she had heard rumors.
She had even encountered a magician before.
However, she had never heard of the "Purification" spell.
"'Purification' is a magic that removes impurities from bodies or objects.
Both my master and I use it regularly to keep things clean."
"There's also something called 'cleansing,' but it's more about using a tool than magic. It feels better that way, emotionally speaking."
"Alright, whatever works for you. Feel free to do as you wish.
Oh, hold on.
When you say 'purification,' does that mean it can also remove physical dirt from objects? Like, for instance, fabric?"
"Yes, although it won't happen instantly, it can be done within a few minutes."
The character "分" is read as "ぶ" and means one-sixtieth of a minute. (TLN: I won't explain, I just won't)
"If that's the case, can it make this clean too?"
Without thinking, Magnolia retrieved some unused fabric from the storage box.
"Yes, it's possible, but if you have more items, please bring them all out at once. Doing them individually will take time."
"Ah, I see. In that case,"
Though it felt embarrassing to hand over soiled undergarments, Magnolia retrieved all her undergarments, sleepwear, and even the armor from beneath her clothes from the storage box.
She also handed over the short robe she had placed underneath.
"Can you handle all of this?"
"Yes, certainly. I'll purify them inside my storage box."
Aurelius neatly stored all of Magnolia's clothes inside the storage box.
In case Aurelius didn't return her clothes, Magnolia would be left with only the undergarments she was currently wearing.
However, she chose to trust Aurelius.
"Now, in the meantime, shall we proceed with purifying your body?"
"Sure, what do I need to do?"
"Since dirt can accumulate on your body while lying down, it's better to stand."
Following Aurelius's advice, Magnolia got out of bed and stood on the floor.
"Let's begin the 'purification' process."
As Aurelius uttered a brief incantation, a glowing magical circle appeared at her feet.
The light gradually intensified, wrapping around Magnolia's body.
It wasn't blinding— instead, it was a gentle light that lacked any sense of fear even as it enveloped her.
For a while, Magnolia remained still, and as the light subsided, the floor returned to its original state.
Looking down, there was some dirt. It seemed to be the dirt that had fallen from Magnolia.
Running her hand along her arm felt smooth and pleasant to the touch.
Touching her stomach and neck felt just as refreshing.
It was like bathing in a luxurious bath and using expensive soap without reservation.
Magnolia had only experienced such a thing twice before, and it was so wonderful that she couldn't help but hope to experience it again.
The ability to replicate such an experience in an ordinary room through "purification" was an incredibly amazing magic.
If we were to travel together, she intended to ask Aurelius to do it at least once every ten days, no, even once every thirty days.
"I've finished 'purifying' the clothes, so I'll bring them out."
"Huh, already done?"
The clothes Aurelius brought out were quite clean.
They seemed cleaner than when Magnolia usually washed them with water.
"Next is 'cleansing'."
Aurelius took out a round board about the size of his hand and placed it on the floor.
"Miss Magnolia, please undress and get on top of this.
Oh, don't worry. I'll leave the room.
When you get on top, the surrounding ring will rise, and misty water will come out from inside.
It will wash your body twice back and forth.
After that, warm air will dry your body.
After doing that three times, it's done. Please put on your clothes when finished.
I won't enter until you call, so please rest assured."
Becoming naked in front of Aurelius, whom she had just met today, was embarrassing even for Magnolia.
If Aurelius insisted on seeing her, she might consider it, but it didn't seem likely this time.
"Well then, I'll leave, so please take your time 'cleansing'."
Before Magnolia could protest, Aurelius had already left the room.
Unable to call him back now, Magnolia followed the instructions and removed her outer garment and loincloth, then stood on a board.
As she did, rings around her began to rise, just as he had said.
"Oh…"
Ignoring Magnolia's surprise, tiny droplets of moisture sprayed from around the rings onto her body.
The rings slowly moved upward, wetting her face as well.
Then, as they descended, they sprayed moisture again in the same manner.
Even though the moisture was fine, being sprayed twice caused it to flow off her skin.
She expected it to collect at her feet, but strangely, the board remained dry.
After repeating this twice, Magnolia felt quite wet but refreshed.
Next, to dry off, a wind blew as the rings moved up and down again, this time faster than when they sprayed moisture.
After three cycles, all the moisture was completely gone from Magnolia's body.
She felt as if her body was brand new, incredibly pleasant.
Receiving both "purification" and "cleansing" would always leave her body and mood feeling refreshed anytime.
She truly felt uplifted.
She wanted to enjoy this feeling for a while longer, but she couldn't keep Aurelius waiting too long.
However, since she had the chance, she put on her freshly cleaned underwear.
When she picked up the underwear placed on the bed, she thought it was truly new.
The fabric was quite expensive, so Magnolia planned to use it for a long time.
As a result, her outer garment and loincloth were quite yellowed, but still, for an adventurer, they were relatively clean.
However, both the "purified" exposed cloth and the loincloth turned completely white, resembling fabrics sold in high-end stores.
For her now immaculate body, brand new underwear seemed appropriate.
Without delay, Magnolia put on her underwear.
The loincloth was a piece of fabric with strings at one end.
Magnolia's method of wearing it involved first letting the fabric hang down in front of her waist, tying the strings behind her waist, then bringing them back around to tie them again in front.
The hanging fabric passed between her legs, over her buttocks, and through the tied strings at the back.
Then, she passed another piece of fabric between her legs again, through the tied strings in front.
The width of the fabric was not uniform; it was narrow where the strings were attached, widening where it passed between her legs from behind, and the front flap was quite wide, concealing the front well.
However, her buttocks were mostly visible.
Her chest was wrapped with exposed cloth, concealing while also minimizing movement.
However, if wrapped tightly, it would be uncomfortable, and if too loose, it would come undone, so it was wrapped in a complex manner.
Magnolia's chest was quite large, a secret source of pride.
Wearing both, she found that her body felt even better when she moved.
Since she had taken the trouble, she stored the worn underwear in a storage box and put on the next pair.
By storing them while still worn, she could take them out and wear them immediately.
Being able to wear brand new underwear at any time was an incredible luxury.
The only downside was that the four pairs other than the ones worn, which hadn't been cleaned by Aurelius, were worn in sequence, with three pairs put in the storage box.
If only she had asked for the last pair to be cleaned as well.
Compared to this comfort, being seen naked was no problem at all. Especially if it was Aurelius.
Both the armor and the sleeping yukata were stored in the storage box, and finally, the short yukata was worn.
"Aurelius, it's fine now,"
Magnolia called out. Aurelius carefully opened the door and surveyed the room. Since this was his home, he didn't need to be so cautious.
"Thanks to you, I'm fully prepared. We can leave anytime."
"But I'm not ready yet.
It's almost dusk, and if we leave now, we'll be traveling at night.
Can we depart tomorrow instead?"
Magnolia pondered the kind of journey they should undertake, one where they could get to know each other well without taking too many risks.
"Oh, that's fine.
We can't take our time, but it won't be an all-day journey either.
Besides, we need to go somewhere before heading to the Witch Carly in the Zuhl Kingdom.
I want to make sure our escaped companion is safe.
She should be in the Lima Kingdom or the Victor Kingdom.
Although it's quicker through the Zuhl Kingdom, I'm likely being watched there.
It's a considerable detour, but it might be better to go around Mount Papas.
It'll be a roundabout route around the continent, but we might find new allies along the way.
So, taking the long way might be best."
In truth, Magnolia had a selfish desire to stay with Aurelius for a long time. While what she said wasn't a lie, she didn't need to be so cautious as to circumnavigate the continent just to find new allies.
"I'm just following Magnolia's lead, so either way is fine with me," Aurelius agreed.
"Shall we prepare dinner then? I'll finish my travel preparations after dinner."
It seemed like they might have a meal like that again, and Magnolia was happy about it.
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