The Ultimate Sage Who Faked Incompetence and Was Disinherited Just Wants to Enjoy His New Life! - Episode 14: A Meal in Return

Episode 14: A Meal in Return 

The road leading to the commercial city of Everan was well-maintained. It was a clear sign of heavy traffic. And where there were travelers, there were also bandits lurking. 

As we traveled along the road, a number of people began following behind our caravan. They were likely hoping to benefit from our protection. 

“Looks like we’ll reach the next town by the end of the day.” 

“Yeah, that’s right. If you don’t push through the whole way, the route to Everan takes you through two towns along the way.” 

Razor-san answered. That meant, unless we were in a great hurry or ran into trouble, we wouldn’t have to camp outdoors. The only concern left was the weather. But there wasn’t much we could do about that. 

“Razor-san, where do bandits usually show up?” 

“Liner, what are you going to do with that information? You should always be on alert, assuming they could appear anytime, anywhere.” 

Razor-san chuckled as he spoke, while Liner frowned. Even if they were bandits, the thought of fighting other humans still seemed to bother him. I wondered what Luciana and Bales thought about it. 

Hesitation in battle could mean death. 

“There haven’t been any reports of bandits around here yet. But I’ve heard they tend to appear beyond the town we’re heading to. That said, there’s always a chance they could show up here too. It’s best to stay cautious.” 

Perhaps feeling sorry for Liner, or maybe just being considerate, Razor-san shared what he knew. But he was right—it was better to stay vigilant. If bandits had been active elsewhere and were trying to escape capture, they might very well have moved into this area. 

Of course, I wasn’t letting my guard down. I continuously used the Analyze spell to scan our surroundings. The wider I expanded the range, the less precise the results were. But at least I could detect the presence of living creatures. 

That first day, we arrived at our intended town without any trouble. Our employer, Sancho-san, had arranged for accommodations. And not just any lodging—it was a rather luxurious inn. As expected of a wealthy merchant. 

According to Razor-san, some employers were stingy with expenses. They deliberately forced their guards to camp outside just to save money. Naturally, such employers had terrible reputations. And the Adventurers’ Guild would even warn you about them before taking their requests. 

The room assigned to us had four bunk beds, accommodating up to eight people. Since this was a waypoint town, the inns seemed designed to house large groups. After dropping off our luggage, we headed out for dinner—also covered by Sancho-san. 

“He’s really going all out for us, huh?” 

“Yeah, at this rate, taking on escort jobs doesn’t seem too bad.” 

As I spoke with Liner, Matilda-san chimed in. 

“You two are too naive. Don’t assume this level of treatment is normal. This is only because our employer is a top-class merchant. Usually, you’d be crammed into some rundown inn, and meals wouldn’t be included at all.” 

“Wow… so we should just be grateful we’re not camping outside?” 

“Sometimes, camping is the better option. That’s why you should always research the towns along your route. In some cases, it’s better to turn down the provided lodging and find your own place.” 

Escort missions seemed tougher than I had imagined. It wasn’t just about the pay—you had to weigh comfort against compensation. There were probably escort requests that were highly sought after, the kind adventurers fought over at the guild every morning. 

The dining hall we arrived at was a massive public eatery—the largest in town, it seemed. Even with all of us inside, there was still plenty of space. According to Razor-san, every major waypoint town had at least one of these large-scale dining halls. 

“I’ll take your orders now.” 

“I’ll have the set meal.” 

“Same for me.” 

Everyone ordered the set meal. It was as if it were an unspoken rule. I followed suit. Even though we were free to eat whatever we wanted, ordering something too expensive would leave a bad impression. 

As usual, I was feeding Lilia when Sancho-san spoke up. 

“Do Fairies eat food too?”

“Yes, that’s right. It seems like she doesn’t actually need to eat. But I feel bad eating alone, so I have her join me like this.” 

“I see. In that case, let me bring an extra side dish for her.” 

“Is that really okay?” 

“Of course. Consider it a token of appreciation for letting me see something rare.” 

Sancho-san chuckled heartily. He was quite generous. Could it be that he wanted a Fairy of his own? Well, either way, I had no intention of giving Lilia away. 

“That old man’s right arm seems to be in bad shape.” 

Sancho-san’s right arm? I hadn’t noticed at all. Maybe Lilia saw things in a way that others couldn’t. 

“Lilia, you always call people ‘old man’. You should try remembering their names.” 

“It’s fine. Should we heal the old man’s arm as thanks for the meal?” 

She had a point. He had provided us with a good inn and quality food, not to mention a generous payment. 

“You’re right. Let’s do that as a thank-you.” 

After finishing our meal and confirming that everyone had returned to the inn, I headed toward Sancho-san’s room. I could sense other people inside—perhaps discussing business. 

I knocked on the door, and a response came immediately. 

“Well, if it isn’t Fel-san. Is something the matter?” 

“No, it’s nothing major. I just wanted to thank you for the meal.” 

“A thank-you for the meal…?” 

“Yes. Sancho-san, it seems your right arm is in bad shape.” 

At those words, Sancho-san’s expression changed. Uh-oh, did I say something wrong? Meanwhile, the advisor-like person in the room tilted his head in confusion. 

“How did you figure that out? It looks fine on the outside, but I have a constant numbness in it. Occasionally, it even hurts. It’s quite embarrassing, but… I was poisoned a long time ago.” 

Sancho-san frowned slightly as he spoke. He was forcing a smile. It seemed to be a memory he didn’t like recalling. If he had been poisoned, had he been an adventurer in the past? Or had someone who viewed him as an enemy tried to poison him? 

“Some of the nerves in his arm are damaged. But if we reconnect them, it should be fine.” 

“Understood. Extra Heal.” 

Following Lilia’s instructions, I cast Extra Heal. This advanced healing spell could restore lost body parts. That meant Sancho-san’s damaged nerves should now be fully healed. 

“W-What?! *Extra Heal*!? I never imagined I’d actually meet someone who could use it! I searched everywhere, but I couldn’t find anyone!” 

Sancho-san shouted in excitement. 

Lilia and I exchanged glances, both tilting our heads in confusion. That was odd. According to Lilia, Extra Heal wasn’t supposed to be a particularly rare spell. She had told me that any skilled mage should be able to use it. 

“Fel-san—no, Lord Fel, may I make a request? There is one more person I would like you to heal.” 

For some reason, he had started addressing me with great formality. Lilia and I exchanged puzzled looks once again.