"I'll Catch Up Later, So Go On Ahead!" I Said, and Stayed Behind in the Dungeon for Five Years. When I Returned to the Royal Capital, for Some Reason, I Had Become a Great Criminal, So I Decided to Retire. But Outstanding People Keep Gathering Around Me Though... - Episode 16: Gratitude
Episode 16: Gratitude
After returning home, I spread out the magic crystal stones and the starsteel plates I had collected on the floor.
Just as I was about to start working, the doorbell rang. When I opened the front door, there stood Lisel.
“Hello, Haru-san.”
“Lisel. Did something happen?”
“I brought you a little something.”
She held a small bag. Judging from the smell, it was freshly baked bread.
“Can I really have it?”
“Yes! Since you’ve been working so hard, I thought I’d try to do something to help too.”
“Thanks.”
“Hehe. I made the bread myself. What do you think?”
I peeked into the bag she handed me.
Inside… was a literal demonic realm. The bread was grotesquely purple and bizarre in appearance.
“Ugh…”
“Ugh?”
“U-uh, it looks delicious!”
“I’m so happy to hear that! Let me know what you think about the taste, okay?”
“Y-yeah…”
Still… even if it looked like that, it actually smelled really good. The taste probably isn’t bad either. But why does Lisel always make bread that looks like monsters? I should ask her someday.
I placed the bag she gave me on the table and got started with my work.
“Um, may I watch you work?”
“Sure, I don’t mind.”
“Thank you!”
First, I began with shaping the outer shell body.
“First anchor: light element convergence.
Second anchor: wavelength fixation.
Third anchor: output control.
Phase: stable, precision emission.
<Photon Laser> — Activate.”
I activated the <Photon Laser>. A crackling sound rang out as sparks scattered.
The starsteel slowly began to melt, and I shaped it into a cylindrical form.
“Yeah. This should do.”
The starsteel was now shaped into a cylinder.
“Eh…? Haru-san, what did you just do?”
“I was shaping the outer shell body.”
“Outer shell body?”
“Magical tools are usually made up of a core and an outer shell. The core is what activates the magic, while the outer shell is what controls it. Without the outer shell, the magic could go out of control.”
“That sounds a little scary.”
“Yeah. That’s why the outer shell is really important.”
“Um… that glowing rod that came from your fingertip—what was that?”
“A light-element spell. I focused it to my fingertip and adjusted it so it wouldn’t disperse. It requires pretty delicate control, so you’ve got to be careful.”
“Wow. I didn’t know that.”
Next, I started working on the magic core. Not just writing the barrier spell into it, but also specifying exactly what it should target.
After all, we don’t want not just monsters but also bugs getting into the shop. I set it to exclude those kinds of things…
“Alright, that’ll do.”
The core was done quickly. I inserted it into the outer shell and then fused them together with magic.
There. All set.
“Okay, it’s done.”
“Eh… Magical tools can be made this fast? It hasn’t even been an hour.”
“I’ve made them a few times before. This is normal.”
“Wow… but I heard it’s hard to gather materials for magical tools these days. Haru-san, you did great getting them.”
“Uhh… haha. I’ve got some connections! Hahaha!”
I laughed awkwardly to dodge the question. Lisel didn’t press me further.
I had more materials left over than I expected. I’ll save them just in case I need to make another.
“Alright, let’s head to Milda’s Place.”
“Yes!”
I stood up and brought the freshly made magical tool to Milda.
—
“Milda-san, I finished the magical tool. So I brought it.”
“Eh…? That was fast.”
“Haru-san made it himself! I saw him making it!”
“…(I see now.)”
So that’s why she came—to bring a gift and also to act as a witness when I delivered the tool. I was truly grateful for Lisel’s kindness.
“I’ve set it up so non-humans basically can’t enter. And holding this rod lets you pass through the barrier. Let me know right away if there are any problems.”
“Wow, this looks like a top-quality item. So, how much?”
“Ah—well, I just threw it together, so one gold coin is fine.”
“Huh!? One gold coin!? That’s so cheap it’s worrying!”
“But it only took about an hour to make and wasn’t that much trouble. Honestly, I’d charge less. But this seems like a fair middle ground considering the market in the capital and all. Besides, you won’t know how effective it is until you use it.”
“Well, if you say so. Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
I accepted one gold coin from Milda. It was more than enough compensation for the effort involved.
“Let me know if anything comes up.”
“Goodbye, Milda-san!”
“Yeah. See you, both of you.”
—
A week passed since I handed over the magical barrier tool to Milda.
As usual, I was working at the bakery and about to go on break when a female customer showed up.
She was a tailor and always came when I was on break.
I quietly tried to slip out to the front. But she suddenly spoke to me.
“Um… Haru-san.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“I heard about you from Milda-san.”
“Milda-san? Oh, about the magical tool?”
“Y-yes… I’d like to have one for my shop too. I’ve brought payment as well. Would that be alright?”
She fidgeted with her hair nervously. She was clearly uneasy.
“Sure.”
“Really!?”
“Yeah. I’ll make one this weekend.”
“Thank you! I really appreciate it. Milda-san praised it so much, I got curious. And, um… I’m sorry for the way I treated you before. Milda-san told me not to judge people by appearances…”
“Please raise your head. I’m glad you’re being honest. I know people in this town are kind. It’s okay.”
Maybe my smile was a little awkward, but I smiled anyway.
“I’ll bring it at the start of next week.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you then.”
As the woman left the shop, Lisel poked my arm.
“Haru-san. That’s great news.”
“Yeah. Thanks to Milda-san.”
“That’s part of it. But it’s because you’ve been working hard too.”
“Yeah… I hope so.”
While I was talking with Lisel, more and more customers began arriving.
They were the same people who had once spread rumors about me.
Apparently, they had all spoken with Milda and came to apologize and ask for magical tools.
I agreed, of course, and spent the weekend making tools for each of them. I then delivered them to their shops.
“Thanks, Haru-san.”
“Haru-san! You’re the best!”
“Thank you, Haru-san.”
“Much appreciated, Haru-san. Milda-san praised you highly—I’m looking forward to seeing the effect.”
Everyone was sincerely grateful. And I was happy too.
For the first time, I felt like I had truly become part of this town.
—
“Haru.”
The usually quiet boss, who always ate dinner in silence, suddenly spoke.
“Yes? What is it?”
“I heard about the magical tools. They seem to be popular.”
“Yes. So it seems.”
“So… are you planning to quit here?”
“Eh? No, I’m not…”
Huh? Why are we talking about me quitting the bakery all of a sudden…?
“Hmph. Good.”
“Hehe. Dad was worried Haru-san might open a magic tool shop of his own~”
“I wasn’t worried. Just verifying.”
“Hm~ I see.”
Lisel giggled.
“But Haru-san’s magical tools really are impressive. The barrier here works quite well.”
“Haha. That’s good to hear.”
With that conversation, I finished my meal and headed home.
Summer was just around the corner. Even at night, it was warm enough to make me sweat slightly.
“Time really flew by…”
I muttered, staring up at the moon floating in the sky.
At first, I came to this town—Rothen—just to run away. But now, it felt like a second home.
I had grown closer to the townsfolk. And I finally felt like one of them.
I decided to keep doing my best at the bakery.
With that thought, I continued walking—
—and for a moment, I felt someone’s gaze.
“…? Must’ve been my imagination…”
At the time, I didn’t think much of it and continued home.
†
“Zephyr. What’s the situation in Rothen?”
“Prince Raiz… well, actually…”
“What? Give me a progress report.”
“We’ve been using bandits with promises of payment to investigate. But lately, some strange barrier has been set up…”
“A strange barrier?”
Zephyr and Prince Raiz were having a private meeting in their usual room.
The room was located in a corner of the royal capital. It was sealed with a barrier to prevent sound from escaping.
“Yes. It seems to be quite strong, making the investigation difficult—but we’ve identified who cast it. What would you have us do?”
“…They’re in the way. Kill them.”
“Understood. May I… increase the number of targets?”
“If it’s too flashy, it’ll be a problem… but two or three should be easy to cover up.”
“Thank you. Then, once they’re eliminated, I’ll proceed with the investigation.”
“Good. Report back again.”
“Yes, sir.”
He bowed deeply and respectfully, then Zephyr left the room.
In the royal capital at midnight, under the faint light of the moon. He wore a thin, sinister smile. His footsteps made no sound on the stone pavement. He was moving with remarkable lightness. It was the movement of someone for whom killing had become routine.
“Haru… and it was Lisel, wasn’t it. Kukuku… To think the grudge from back then would come full circle here. Now then, time to lay waste to it all.”
As if melting into the darkness of night, he vanished into a back alley—disappearing from sight.
Support "“I’LL CATCH UP LATER, SO GO ON AHEAD!” I SAID, AND STAYED BEHIND IN THE DUNGEON FOR FIVE YEARS. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE ROYAL CAPITAL, FOR SOME REASON, I HAD BECOME A GREAT CRIMINAL, SO I DECIDED TO RETIRE. BUT OUTSTANDING PEOPLE KEEP GATHERING AROUND ME THOUGH…"