The Ultimate Sage Who Faked Incompetence and Was Disinherited Just Wants to Enjoy His New Life! - Episode 23: Return

Episode 23: Return 

We arrived at the Sancho Trading Company. The store was bustling with people—commoners, adventurers, and even some nobles. However, most of the nobles seemed to be heading upstairs. A glance at the signs on the walls revealed that the upper floors were reserved exclusively for nobles. 

It was probably a measure to prevent conflicts between customers. That arrangement made things easier for us since we wouldn’t have to be wary of the nobles. It seemed like Sancho-san had thought of everything. As expected of him. 

“So, Fel, where do you want to go first? Magic tools, right?” 

Lilia was currently invisible. She whispered in my ear. Checking out magic tools sounded good, but I had something else in mind first. 

“That sounds nice. But before that, why don’t we take a look at camping gear? Thanks to the magic bag, we can now buy tools that were too bulky before. Wouldn’t it be convenient if we could cook meals outdoors?” 

Lilia tilted her head. Huh? I thought she’d be happy to have warm, delicious food even while camping. 

“Who’s going to cook?” 

“Me, of course.” 

“Fel, have you ever cooked before?” 

“Of course not. I’ll start practicing now.” 

Lilia raised both hands in surrender. 

“Alright, do whatever you like. I’ll just watch from behind.” 

How reassuring. I was determined to surprise her with delicious food. 

We headed toward the section where camping gear was displayed. It seemed that the Sancho Trading Company had a lot of adventurer customers. Since the space was filled with a wide variety of camping equipment. 

Among them were magic tools, like a “portable stove” that ignited with just a twist of a switch. It looked incredibly convenient. But it cost ten small gold coins. That was quite expensive. If I bought it, I wouldn’t be able to afford anything else. 

Since I had a magic bag, I could carry bulkier items like firewood. That meant I didn’t need to force myself to buy a magic stove right now. I could save up and get one later. 

For now, I bought a small, portable clay stove. Lilia had suggested, “Why not just make one with earth magic?” But that wasn’t the point. It was about creating the right atmosphere. 

Sure, I could use magic to start fires and control the heat. But relying too much on magic would make life feel dull. 

When I passionately argued this point, she said, “If someone who can’t use magic heard that, they’d get mad at you.” She had a point. I decided not to say that in public. 

Next, we bought pots, knives, and tableware. This should be enough for meals for the two of us. Now, I wanted a slightly better sleeping bag. The one I had now wasn’t great. After sleeping on Sancho-san’s soft bed, I realized how important comfort was. 

“This one looks good.” 

“If the inn’s bed is too hard, we could use it there too. Looks fine to me. It’s bigger than the one you have now. So I can fit in more easily.” 

That was true. Lilia always slipped into my sleeping bag when we camped. The old one was small, so we had to sleep tightly pressed together. But with this new one, we’d have more space. Now we could rest comfortably. 

We also upgraded our tent to one that was easy to set up. It was compatible with the magic bag—just toss it on the ground, and it would pitch itself. Incredibly convenient. With this, camping wouldn’t be an issue anymore. 

Finally, I bought a decent amount of firewood. It wrapped up our shopping here. 

“Alright, next let’s check out the magic tools. We probably can’t afford anything. But just learning about them will be useful.” 

“And we’ll make sure to avoid using magic that’s been turned into a magic tool, right?” 

“Exactly. The Small Light spell seemed pretty rare, so we need to be careful.” 

There were magic tools that generated wind, dried hair, and even kept food cold. These were all things I could do with magic. But here they were as tools. Definitely something to be cautious about. 

“Fel, look! There’s a magic tool that produces water! It’s ridiculously expensive!” 

“Shh! It’s noisy in here, so we probably won’t get caught. But lower your voice.” 

“Sorry! But still, a water-producing magic tool? Why not just use magic?” 

“…I guess other mages don’t use magic for stuff like that.” 

“Why not?” 

“Who knows?”

I wonder why that is. It would’ve been nice to have a mage acquaintance at times like this. Maybe I should ask Matilda-san when I see her next. 

In the end, we didn’t buy any magic tools. They were all too expensive—nowhere near the price range of the camping gear we just bought. 

And another thing… Since I could replace all of them with magic, I just didn’t feel the need for them. For our two-person journey, they weren’t necessary. If we ever formed a party, I might reconsider buying some. But who knows if that will ever happen. 

After finishing our shopping, we browsed a few other stores. And before we knew it, the sun was setting. Since Sancho-san had offered to let us stay again tonight, we gladly accepted. 

In the end, I couldn’t resist the temptation of a fluffy bed and a nice bath. 

Come to think of it, wouldn’t a portable bath be a great business idea? When I brought this up to Lilia, she shot me down immediately. She said, “The only ones who care about taking baths are nobles and the rich.” That was disappointing. 

And so, once again, Lilia and I bathed together. No matter how many times I asked, she refused to wrap herself in a towel. It left me at a complete loss about where to look. Lilia might be small and flat, but she still considered herself a proper lady. If that were the case, I really wished she’d at least cover the front. 

—

The next morning.

After finishing breakfast, we thanked Sancho-san. 

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for us.” 

“No, no, it’s the other way around. My wife and Lady Petra have been greatly indebted to you.” 

“You’re the one who prepared this magic bag for me, right, Sancho-san? Thank you. I’ll take good care of it.” 

“Haha, it wasn’t just me. It was a joint investment between me and Count Hauzinha.” 

So that’s how I ended up with a magic bag that could hold an entire warehouse’s worth of items. This thing must be incredibly valuable. I’ll have to be careful not to let anyone steal it. 

After leaving Sancho-san’s mansion, we headed to the stagecoach station. Our plan was to take a coach bound for Colibri Town. We could’ve walked back. But since we had money, we decided to take it easy. 

We had checked the departure time the day before. So we made it without any problems. 

“Wouldn’t it have been better to take on an escort request for the trip to Colibri Town?” 

“I don’t know… I doubt we’d find such a convenient escort request. They usually require at least four people.” 

“That’s true. The fewer people in the group, the bigger each person’s share would be.” 

Escort jobs usually split the reward evenly. Even if the request allowed for four or more members, most groups preferred to take exactly four people to maximize earnings. It would’ve been tough for us to get in on a job like that. 

The journey back was uneventful. The bandit gang that had been causing trouble was already wiped out by us. And the monsters along the way were all weak. We were attacked a few times. But the other passengers dealt with the monsters before we even had to step in. 

Since defeating monsters rewarded people with magic stones, it seemed to be a decent way to earn some extra money. 

On the second day after leaving the commercial city of Everan, we finally saw a familiar sight in the distance. We hadn’t been gone for that long, but the view felt strangely nostalgic. 

“Look, Fel! Colibri Town is coming into view!” 

Lilia smiled cheerfully. 

And just like that, we returned to Colibri Town.