The Noble Lady Without Magic Aims to Become an Adventurer! - Chapter 35

As Fars and I waited at the gate, Senior Arnold arrived, carrying his usual large backpack. This time, however, he was also holding two smaller backpacks.

“Did I keep you waiting, Marloa, Fars?”

“Not at all, Senior. But… why do you have so many backpacks?”
“Oh, these? I had them made by someone in the magic department. These two are for you. Try putting your current backpacks inside these smaller ones.”

Curious, I took one of the smaller backpacks and followed his instructions. To my amazement, my backpack disappeared into the small bag with a swift motion.

“Senior! Could this be…”

“That’s right—a magic bag. It’s not very large, but it can hold small items. I’ve already put tents inside yours.”

It turned out that Arnold had provided us with tents. I was overwhelmed with gratitude, as magic bags were incredibly expensive and rarely available, even among the nobility.

“I arranged to have these made in exchange for some monster bl00d. Not bad, right? My own bag has been a magic bag for a while now.”

“That’s amazing, Senior! I’ll treasure it!”

We were in awe as we donned our new magic bags. Despite containing our heavily packed backpacks, the bags felt weightless.

Arnold explained that the magic stones embedded in the bags would need periodic replacement to maintain their effects.

“Keep in mind, time doesn’t stop inside the bag. It just expands the space.”

“Understood!”

Elated by our new equipment, we headed to the guild. Arnold explained that we’d be gathering a variety of materials and would take on general monster-slaying quests without specific deliveries.

Apparently, Arnold often traded materials and collaborated on research with his peers in the magic department. I asked why those magicians weren’t joining us, but it turned out that their spells were too destructive, often ruining the materials they were meant to collect.

Using fire magic resulted in ashes, and ice arrows shattered fragile items. Their power was so overwhelming that I couldn’t help but be intrigued.

At the guild, the bulletin board was crowded with requests as usual. Arnold examined the postings and selected about ten requests, ranging from C to F rank, which he brought to the counter.

After completing the registration process, we purchased portable provisions from a nearby shop, packed them into our magic bags, and set out on our journey.

The collection site Arnold had chosen was farther than usual, so we had a long walk ahead. As we traveled, a question came to mind.

“Senior Arnold, isn’t collecting bl00d difficult? Doesn’t it coagulate over time?”

“I brought special bottles for that. They’re enchanted to prevent the bl00d from clotting. Also, my bag is higher-grade than yours—it has a larger capacity and can slightly slow time for the items inside.”

“That’s amazing! I want one too!”

“Mine was a fluke. Someone in the magic department made a prototype by accident, and I refined it further.”

Arnold’s ingenuity was as impressive as the magician who created the original bag.

After several hours of walking along the main road, we veered off into the forest. We began by collecting herbs, carefully scanning the undergrowth for useful plants.

Having grown up in a village, Fars and I were skilled at gathering materials, and we worked efficiently. Arnold, however, seemed to struggle with identifying plants. He left the plant collecting to us while he focused on gathering other useful items and hunting small creatures.

“Marloa, there’s a Forest Wolf. It’s alone—probably a stray.”

“That’s dangerous. There’s a bounty on them, so let’s take it down.”

“Agreed.”

Fars and I drew our swords and prepared for battle. Fars distracted the wolf while I circled behind and struck at its exposed side. The wolf fell quickly, unable to recover from our coordinated attack.

“Senior Arnold, we’ve taken down the Forest Wolf. What do we do next?”

“Good work. Let’s collect its bl00d, magic stone, claws, and fangs.”

Arnold paused his own work to harvest the wolf. Using a special bottle, he collected its dark, viscous bl00d, which looked even darker than human bl00d.

Once the bl00d was collected, Arnold extracted the magic stone from the wolf’s chest and removed its claws and fangs. Finally, he used earth magic to dig a hole and bury the body.

As always, I was impressed by his magic. He was so skilled it was hard to believe he wasn’t a magician himself.

Arnold, in a remarkably good mood, led us deeper into the forest, humming as we went. We encountered goblins, large insects, and other monsters, which we either dispatched or captured, depending on the materials Arnold needed.

Although Arnold was usually calm and reserved, he seemed to genuinely enjoy finding rare materials. His enthusiasm reminded me of a researcher rather than a typical alchemist.

As the hours passed, we decided to make camp in a small clearing.

Arnold quickly pulled tents from his magic bag and set up camp with practiced ease. Fars and I followed his lead, mimicking his actions as we pitched our own tents and prepared our sleeping areas.

The magic bags contained soft cushions and lightweight blankets for use inside the tents. Arnold’s consideration was evident, and the quality of the items was far beyond what commoners could typically afford.

Though I was technically a marquis’s daughter, I couldn’t help but feel the difference in wealth.

“Everything’s ready,” Arnold announced. “I’ve lit incense to repel monsters and insects, so we should be safe, but we’ll still take turns keeping watch by the fire.”

The watch order was set: me first, then Fars, and finally Arnold. With everything prepared, we settled in for our first night in the wilderness.