The next day.
After a restful night at the inn, Yujin came down to the first floor.
“Oh, you’re up? The other guys are probably still sprawled out somewhere with women hanging off them, but you’re up early! Good for you!”
As he reached the first floor, the innkeeper Mary greeted him warmly. Yujin chuckled and replied,
“I just happened to wake up early. Did you sleep well, innkeeper?”
“Of course! I need to eat and sleep well to keep up with the work around here. Still, look at you; so polite! Friends from the East sure have good manners!”
Mary responded with a hearty laugh. Yujin couldn’t help but smile at her cheerful demeanor.
The energy of lively people had a way of uplifting everyone around them. Although Yujin had fallen into this unfamiliar world, the connections he was forming made the place feel like it could quickly become familiar.
Mary then turned to him and asked,
“By the way, aren’t you hungry? I was just about to finish up breakfast.”
“To be honest, I don’t have much of an appetite since I just woke up… but the smell from the kitchen is definitely tempting. How long will it take?”
“Just a little while longer! I already cleaned up the tables yesterday, so grab a seat wherever you like!”
“In that case, I’ll take you up on that.”
With that, Yujin sat down at one of the tables on the first floor that looked like a tavern.
Though he had just woken up and wasn’t particularly hungry, Yujin’s comment wasn’t an empty one.
The enticing aroma wafting from the kitchen was enough to stir his appetite, and Hugo’s confident claims about the food’s quality seemed to hold true. It was only natural that his hunger started to grow.
Of course, being a dragon now meant he didn’t strictly need to eat for nutrition, but there was a reason people talked about the joys of good food.
[Food, huh… Thinking about it, this will be our first proper meal since that campsite dinner.]
Tiamat who was ever-present by Yujin’s side murmured with a tone of faint anticipation.
Yujin grew curious and asked,
Lady Tiamat, can you still taste food in your current form?
[Didn’t I mention it before? I can experience the flavors of anything you eat.]
Ah, that’s right.
During their campsite meal in the labyrinth last time, Tiamat hadn’t said a word, so Yujin hadn’t known. Of course, it wasn’t as though the combat rations they ate to replenish energy during camping could have been particularly delicious.
[That’s why I’m looking forward to it. Who would’ve thought the day would come for me to have a proper meal after dying…]
If you haven’t tasted food for thousands of years, that makes sense.
Yujin also smiled to himself and said that.
And then, it happened.
[…By the way, some familiar faces are approaching.]
Sensing something, Yujin glanced back. Sure enough, the inn door opened moments later and someone walked in.
“We’re here, innkeeper!”
“Oh my, Hugo!”
“Haha, we got here sooner than expected, didn’t we?”
Hugo’s party entered the inn and were greeted warmly by Mary.
“What’s this? What brings you here so early?”
“We had a meal appointment with Mr. Yujin, and since we’ve already finished our accounting, we thought we’d drop by to give Mr. Yujin his share as well.”
“Is that so? Perfect timing. Breakfast is almost ready. Come on in.”
“Thank you, then we’ll join you.”
Hugo stepped inside along with Krom and Mirien. Yujin greeted them as they approached.
“Good morning, Mr. Hugo. And welcome, Mirien and Krom.”
“You’re up early, Yujin.”
“…Good morning.”
Hugo smiled and returned the greeting, while Mirien gave a brief bow in acknowledgment.
“Good grief, waking me up so early just to sit down for a meal like this. What about the drinking party?”
Meanwhile, Krom grumbled about missing the chance for a drinking session, which prompted Yujin to tilt his head and ask curiously,
“Drinking party?”
“Don’t mind him, Mr. Yujin. Krom wanted to combine this meal with a drinking session, but I insisted we keep the meal promise for breakfast today. No matter what, Mary wouldn’t allow drinking first thing in the morning.”
“Damn it! How much would breaking open a few bottles even cost?!”
“So, can we consider this meal as fulfilling the appointment?”
“Ah… I see.”
It seemed that Hugo, fearing the potential cost of future drinking sessions, had reluctantly decided to join the breakfast and fulfill the meal promise with Yujin at the same time. Yujin smiled wryly.
“Oh, but if Mr. Yujin wants to have a drink…”
“No, it’s fine. I’m not much of a drinker myself.”
“Ugh, seriously. Are all humans incapable of appreciating the taste of alcohol?”
Krom looked full of frustration but refrained from voicing further complaints. Instead, he silently took a seat at Yujin’s table.
Mirien and Hugo also found their places, and the four of them gathered around one table.
Once they were all seated, Yujin glanced at the group before speaking.
“By the way, what about Miss Elly, Miss Shia, and Mr. Hans?”
“Oh, Miss Elly and Miss Shia are probably at the academy dormitory. Since they’re students, they’re bound to be there at this hour. Especially now that exams are over. As for Mr. Hans, he was a temporary porter who joined us for the last trip. He has his own schedule, and by now, he’s probably working as a porter for another party.”
“I see. Mr. Hans is quite the diligent one.”
As they continued their conversation, Mary approached their table. She was carrying large trays laden with food.
“Here you go! Dig in first! It’s not much since it’s just breakfast, but you need a hearty meal to start the day!”
Not much?
The table looked ready to buckle under the weight of the food. Light soup, bread, fried eggs, bacon, sausage, and salad. Those could be considered typical of a Western-style breakfast, often called an English breakfast.
But then there were roast turkey, stew, steak, and even dishes Yujin couldn’t recognize. It was far too much for what should have been a simple breakfast. This wasn’t a matter of a hearty meal; this was overwhelming.
Granted, Yujin who was now a dragon wasn’t incapable of finishing it all. But the sheer amount was too much for humans.
“Wow, as expected of Aunt Mary.”
“Haha! Looks like another hearty breakfast today!”
“Thank you for the meal.”
…Or maybe it’s just me?
Hugo wasn’t the least bit reluctant about the meal; instead, he was licking his lips in anticipation. Was the food culture of this world so different from Earth’s?
[Yujin, you should hurry and dig in too. It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper meal like this.]
Tiamat also urged him on. It seemed that he was the odd one out here.
Concluding as much, Yujin picked up his utensils and began eating alongside Hugo’s group.
He started by scooping a small spoonful of soup and putting it into his mouth.
“…Oh.”
Yujin let out a silent exclamation of admiration. The rich, savory flavor of the soup was remarkably good.
Even compared to the heavily processed foods filled with MSG back on Earth, this was in no way inferior.
[Fufu… this is great. It’s been so long since I’ve tasted food like this.]
Tiamat also smiled in satisfaction as she spoke. Yujin chuckled softly to himself. He made a quick note to pay more attention to the culinary side of things in the future.
And so, the meal with Hugo’s party began.
***
“By the way, Mr. Yujin, you mentioned this was your first time in the labyrinth city, right?”
It was Hugo who spoke during the meal. Yujin chewed and swallowed a piece of meat before replying.
“Yes. I’ve done some research and preparation beforehand, but there’s still a lot I don’t know.”
“I see. Hmm… judging by how you handled yourself in the labyrinth, you seem to have a good grasp of the basics. Oh, by the way, have you joined the Mage’s Association yet?”
“The Mage’s Association?”
Yujin feigned ignorance as he asked, even though he knew perfectly well what it was.
Of course, he actually knew a lot about it.
The Mage’s Association was, as the name suggested, an organization created by mages.
Mages by their very nature were secretive so they formed the Association to further solidify their domain. The organization facilitated the exchange of information between mages and served as a repository for their collective knowledge, which was never shared with outsiders.
In addition, the association granted a number of privileges exclusive to its members, which made it an extremely isolated and proud group. However, the benefits of membership were great, while the consequences of not joining were severe. Non-members were not only denied recognition as true mages but also faced numerous disadvantages in the practice of magic.
Hugo gave a brief summary of these points and then asked,
“That’s what it’s like… So, Mr. Yujin, have you…?”
“I’ve never joined the association.”
“The Mage’s Association can be quite ruthless, especially toward unaffiliated mages without a faction or school to belong to. I’m not a mage myself, so I don’t know the details, but I’ve heard the discrimination is too much.”
And indeed, that was the truth. Mages without a faction or affiliation were often dismissed as outcasts and weren’t even regarded as proper mages.
Although it was called a “faction”, being part of one didn’t merely mean following its teachings; it meant that a mage was recognized and accepted as a member. And so, unaffiliated mages were viewed as those unacknowledged by any group and were treated with contempt.
On top of that, Yujin was outwardly perceived as a human from the Eastern Continent, a place with little connection to magic. A human from the East with no affiliation? He would likely face even worse discrimination than others, and the Association probably wouldn’t accept him.
Not that it really matters to me…
In reality, Yujin didn’t care whether the Association discriminated against him or not. Sure, he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the privileges granted to mages by the Association, and it would make participating in the magical world somewhat inconvenient. But that was about it.
Of course, it wasn’t ideal to endure inconveniences in the place where he would likely spend much of his life, but it wasn’t a major concern for him.
Still…
Lady Tiamat, what do you think?
[Shall I be honest?]
Go ahead.
[It’s laughable. Magic originated with us dragons, and yet we’re supposed to endure inconveniences because of mortals’ sense of entitlement? Ridiculous.]
I see.
Tiamat, who was usually quite generous toward mortals, seemed to harbor an unshakable pride when it came to dragons and their relationship to magic.
In that case, there was little choice. Either he would have to put the Association in its place and address these problems, break down the sense of entitlement among mages, or find a way to remain entirely free of such entanglements.
“Hmm… this is a tricky situation. Mr. Yujin, you’re a remarkable mage, but mages tend to value academic knowledge over raw power, and they’re so isolated that even I wouldn’t know how to help…”
“Mr. Hugo.”
“Oh, yes?”
While Hugo was pondering how to help Yujin, the latter called out to him.
When Hugo turned to him with a questioning look, Yujin spoke.
“What is the one thing most mages currently long for the most? Or, what are some of the unsolved challenges up to this point?”
“Well… I’m not really sure about that…”
Hugo was a warrior, not a mage. As such, he scratched his head awkwardly and looked to be somewhat clueless.
It was then.
“… time and space magic.”
“Huh, Mirien?”
Mirien who had been quietly eating her meal spoke up. At her words, both Hugo and Yujin turned their eyes toward her.
“Uuh!”
When Yujin’s gaze fell on her, Mirien flinched slightly. But as Yujin’s expression encouraged her to continue, she continued speaking.
“…Just as the Philosopher’s Stone is a lifelong ambition for alchemists, mages have something similar. That is time-and-space magic.”
“Time-and-space magic, huh…”
“The space magic we use today includes spatial teleportation, spatial compression and expansion, and subspace. Just those three types. And as for time magic, it doesn’t exist at all. Even the three spatial magic types we have were barely realized through knowledge left behind by transcendents, and only a handful of exceptionally skilled mages can use them.”
“Hmm…”
“That’s why time-and-space magic is considered the lifelong aspiration of mages. After all, time and space are realms governed by Transcendents to begin with…”
“Then, that will be it.”
“Huh?”
Mirien asked in confusion, but Yujin only gave her a meaningful smile as he picked up his utensils and took a bite of his food.
If I produce a thesis with results important enough to make the Association grovel… I think I can make this work somehow.
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