It was late into the night when we arrived upon the small town of Irtlin. The place looked similar to what Sirvaelin was before: a small, quiet rural town scattered with single-floor houses and shops, but the main difference was there was a surprising amount of inns and hotels. Most of the lights in the town are closed, with only the fires from the street lamps illuminating the cobblestone ground. The place was eerie and quiet, save for the carriage noises.

At the terminal, there appeared to be a young man waiting for us. When he saw us get off the carriage, he waved and walked towards us. Kaena waved him back.

This is probably the friend Kaena mentioned, but I didn't know it was a boy.

"Hey. Long time no see," he said. "You grew taller."

"We saw each other three days ago."

"Right, right. But it felt like years, honestly. Don't you know how long I've been waiting for you guys? I was already here since morning."

"That's your fault. Hisami had to take care of stuff, so we left after lunch... Oh. I also have to introduce you guys." Kaena turned to me. "Hisami, this is Caleone, my friend. Cal, this is Hisami, my landlord and our mage for this expedition."

"A pleasure to meet you, madam," He said to me, shaking my hand. The name's Caleone Rivirno. Part-time adventurer, full-time mechanic, and professional slacker. Caleone, Cal, Leon, Cane, Cale, call me anything. Get creative with my nickname if you want."

“Sure. My name is Hisami Enatsu. Immortal witch. And I like to slack around too.”

“Then it sounds like we’ll get along well,” he said with a smirk. “Here, let me carry your bag.”

“Oh, thank you.”

What a nice guy.

“And you’re going to ignore the girl carrying raw metal in a giant backpack?” Kaena complained.

“You look fine. I’m sure you can make it to the inn without my help.”

"The only time he shows an ounce of being a gentleman, and it isn't even directed to me. Remind me how we became friends again?"

"More chatting, more time-wasting. We better go inside quick."

"I am resisting the urge to kick you right now if it weren't for this bag."

"Cry about it."

The town felt abandoned. The fog was starting to form, but with the lamp Cal (I've decided to call him that) had, we could at least see a few feet in front of us.

"How are you doing, Hisami?" He asked me. "You feeling cold?"

"No, I'm okay."

If my body can survive a biohazard, then this is nothing.

Though that doesn't exempt me from feeling a bit cold right now.

"How long until we get there?" Kaena asked. "Do you even know where we're going?"

"Of course I do. I'm supposed to be your assistant, but you have surprisingly little faith in my abilities. As your co-inventor in this year's Technology Fair, I feel ashamed."

"...I only chose you because you might help me win this year."

"...Right, that's understandable," Cal said after a short pause. "After all, you wouldn't want a repeat of what happened last year, right?"

"...How do you know about that?"

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

"From a source."

"......"

"Here," Cal said, stopping in front of an inn. "We'll be staying the night in this inn."

The place was small. The entire building only had a ground floor, but the rooms were surprisingly big. Two beds were on each side of a room, with a huge space separating them. The desks were by the bedside, with a lamp on top of them.

We placed our bags on one corner (Kaena's bag made a loud, metallic clanging sound when she dropped it. Should I be worried?), and took turns using the bath.

Unfortunately, there was no bathhouse or hot spring in this town, so I had to be content with a pail and a bucket.

"We'll hike early tomorrow, so you better pack up the stuff that you need," Kaena said. She was putting on pajamas.

It wasn't obvious to me at first since she wore thick clothing, but much like her garments, her figure is pretty thick as well. Even her chest is nearly as big as mine.

I was changing into my nightgown, so I bet she's having the same thoughts as me right now.

"Hey, are you listening?"

"Huh? Y-Yeah."

"Anyways. As I was saying, we might spend the night in the cave, so you might want to bring a sleeping bag, just in case."

"Ok, I got it."

We packed our bags for tomorrow. Clothes, water, potions, the sleeping bag, etc.

"Huh." Kaena looked at my tiny bag. "That's a really small bag. Are you sure you aren't going to bring anything else?"

"Nope. Everything I need is in there already."

"Not even potions? I don't think I've seen you put any in there."

"I don't need potions."

"Seriously? I thought witches like you loved making potions."

"Well, it's not like I don't like them, but potions became almost entirely obsolete when you have a big mana pool. We aren't fighting some boss tomorrow anyways, so I figured I don't need any."

Kaena looked at me. Then, a status screen popped up in front of her.

"Wow." Kaena looked at it with great surprise. "That's impressive, but considering you've been alive for so long, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. That explains how you don't have a staff, either."

"Oh. I was taught magic without using one."

"...Your teacher must've been a real pro."

"The kingdom's finest."

Kaena finished packing her bag as well, and we both sat on her bed.

"Is that a sword?" I pointed at the scabbard beside the bag. "Kaena, you're a swordswoman?"

"I'm not an expert, but I know how to wield one. Sometimes some materials could only be found in monsters, so a solo inventor needs to know how to do combat."

"Ahh, I see. And I assume Cal is one as well."

"Yes."

"This is a good-looking sword though," I said, unsheathing it from its scabbard.

The handle was firm and easy to grip, and the blade itself was dark purple, which reminded me of obsidian.

I knocked on the metal. It was... Hard.

"Pure Harlstone. Excavated from caves southeast of the river Erbe. It's tough and sharp, but a bit heavy to swing. You need considerable strength to use it in battle, but it deals heavy blows to enemies with armor. It's best used on monsters with scales, making it easier to hack through their defense."

"I see."

I don't see.

I never indulged myself in the details of sword-fighting. All I know is that it is a cool sword.

I mean, look at it!

It's so pretty!

Pretty purple sword!

If she placed it on her back, she would look like a cool anime protagonist.

Maybe she can dual-wield as well?

"Can you dual-wield a sword?"

"No."

"Aww, ok." I placed the sword back in its original place.

"By the way," I said. It was getting late, but there was something I needed to ask. I crawled up to Kaena on the bed on all fours, and with a huge grin on my face, I asked:

"How did you meet Cal?"

Alas!

The cupid has been awoken from its long slumber!

She sprouts her wings and soars up high to the heavens; she locates her prey, a young maiden in her youthful prime; and, with great determination aims with her bow!

A boy and a girl, destined to be bound by the gravity of love forevermore!

Oh, how beautiful it is!

How I long to see it again!

"How I waited for this moment!" I shouted, grabbing Kaena's hands. "So so so so so so so so so so so so so so so how did you meet him?!"

"Oi! Calm down! You're drooling! Yuck! Don't get your saliva on my clothes!" Kaena panicked, pushing me away.

"Tell! Me! Where! You! Met! Him! Now!"

"What's gotten into you?! Snap out of it!"

Slap!

She slapped me on the face.

"Ow..." I cradled the burning cheek with my hand. "What was that for? I just wanted to know where you met him, that's all."

"...Sorry. You looked like a predator for a moment, so my hand moved before I thought about it. Does it hurt?"

"...A bit."

It was like I was hit with a frying pan, to be honest.

She can lift heavy metal on her back though, so I guess this strength is to be expected.

"...I guess I could tell you where I met him, in exchange for the information you've shared with me on the cab earlier," Kaena said. "Just. Don't tell him I told you this."

"...Okay. I promise I won't tell him."

"........Sigh." Kaena was quiet for a while. "I met him in school. We... We knew each other until we graduated, and I guess that relationship continued until today. That's it."

"Huh? That's all?"

"Yup. That's all. I'm going to sleep." Kaena pushed me off the bed. She blew out her table lamp and wrapped a blanket around her, facing the wall.

"You're not going to tell me anything else?"

"........Sorry," Kaena said in a whisper. "That's all I have to say."

............

She did not utter a word after.

It sounds like Kaena was hiding something.

From me.

"........"

I know she has her reasons for it, but...

I told her my secret.

I trusted her with the secret I swore to bring to the grave.

But she can't tell me hers?

I might be selfish in thinking of a secret exchange, considering how I don't know how their relationship was back then...

But she could trust me.

She could trust me with whatever burdens her heart.

No matter what happened before, I would still welcome her with open arms.

...I don't know.

I can't think properly. I'm too tired.

In the end, I blew the remaining light in the room and slept in for the night, feeling a bit hurt.