Magic Gems Gourmet

Chapter 56

「Huh...? I don’t understand what you’re saying」

「Eh? Instructor Kaizer is a former adventurer, right?」

Ainz couldn’t understand why instructor Kaizer got angry.

「Th-then why...? Why you... why does Ainz, the crown prince, want to be an adventurer?」

He has a point. For a person in the position of the crown prince, like Ainz, suddenly said that he wants to become an adventurer. He couldn’t understand a single meaning of it.

When Ainz arrived at the academy, he went to the training center where Kaizer was first thing in the morning. It was rare for Ainz to come at this hour. He hadn’t seen him in a while, but he suddenly asks him to teach him about being an adventurer. There was no way Kaizer could understand.

Since today was a holiday for the students, only the instructors were at the academy.

「I’m sure that due to some circumstances, I’ll be showing up at the guild more often」

「...You can’t tell me about it?」

「Actually, grandfather told me that I can tell instructor Kaizer about my circumstance」

Ainz explains to Kaizer with a chuckle. But seeing him act like that, Kaizer gradually becomes irritated. And finally, he gets mad.

「Ouch... That hurts!?」

For the first time in a long time, Kaizer’s punch landed on Ainz’s head.

His punch hit his head pretty hard.

「Then tell me about it from the start, you idiot!」

「I-I can’t believe I’d say something like this... But there’s no one who’d dare to hit the crown prince, you know!?」

「Don’t worry. I have the permission from His Majesty」

「My own family was into this, you said...!? So, I was already losing from the start!?」

What are you losing to? Kaizer mumbled in his mind, but he couldn’t proceed without hearing the circumstances first. So, he decided to let Ainz explain it to him.

Ainz then explained his circumstances and the rough details of what had happened.

After Kaizer heard the circumstances, he held his head in his hands because of how troublesome the magnitude of the circumstances was.

「Why did such a thing happen...」

「Aah, this matter is still classified, so please don’t tell anyone. Grandfather told me that you’ll be getting a confidentiality bonus for a while, he also adds 『Eat something good with it』」

「I’m not so happy about it though. Haah... Well, now I understand the circumstances, so you want some information about adventurers?」

「Yes! I heard instructor was a famous adventurer back then」

Kaizer drank a glass of cold water that he had prepared beside him. After taking a breath, he opened his mouth as if remembering the old days.

「Yeah, to a point... Well, okay, I’ll give you something good then」

「Something good?」

「I’ll write you a letter of introduction. The guild is a troublesome organization, and if you don’t get a referral from someone they know, they will look down on you」

The guild and the adventurers who frequent the guild are more likely to respect him if there’s a guarantee of how capable he is. This is why having a letter of introduction can make things go more smoothly.

「That would be very helpful」

「Anyway, as a member of the royal family, you still can’t act openly, right?」

「...You know, huh?」

They will only act openly once they have gathered some information. If not, the other side might take notice of it and make the public uneasy. This is why, at this stage... they had to act secretly.

「What about your identity? The crown prince is not supposed to act publicly, right?」

「Do you think they’ll recognize my face?」

「How did the hero who defeated the sea dragon think he wouldn’t be recognized?」

「...Yeah」

Hiding his identity was a must, because they’ll wonder what was the crown prince doing in such a place. And if his identity ever gets exposed, the story would spread quickly.

「Good grief, you haven’t thought about that?」

「Well, I’m still figuring things out」

After learning of Ainz’s circumstances, Kaizer thought for a moment and then opened his mouth to tell Ainz some information that he thought would be useful to him.

「...Talk to Majolice, he should be able to give you some advice」

「Majolice-san...? Is instructor Kaizer acquainted with Majolice-san?」

「It’s not like we’re close, he’s just a member of an old clan of mine」

Ainz was so surprised by his answer that he almost fell to the ground.

「E-Eeh? Did Majolice-san and instructor Kaizer are... in the same party...?」

「Yeah. he was the best supporter we ever had. There’s nobody I know that can take the role as a support better than him」

「...Umm, did he always wear that kind of fashion back then?」

「T-there’s no way I want to go on an adventure with someone dressed like that! He only started to wear something like that when he opened up that magic stone store!」

He was also curious about what happened to Majolice at the end of their adventure, but decided to leave that as a question for another time.

「He has a lot of knowledge about sealing techniques and the monster Ainz is looking for... He might have some clue, and I think relying on him is the best choice for now」

Ainz wondered if he really could help him to hide his identity. But at least, he got some useful information.

「...I’ll get to his place on my way home」

「Yeah, please do so... All right, then, I’ll give you the final test」

「Test?」

Kaizer stood up, walked out of the room. He leads him to the training ground.

「Where are you taking me so suddenly...?」

Ainz followed Kaizer while complaining. When they arrived at the stage, Kaizer took out an iron sword with a dulled blade, instead of the wooden sword used for training. He then locks the door so that no one can enter the stage.

「Ainz, get any weapon you want」

「Get any weapon...? Don’t tell me, I’m going against instructor Kaizer?」

「I’m going to show you a different way of doing things than you did on the entrance exam. As a senior adventurer... I’ll let you experience it for yourself. I’m sure Ainz can still beat me with ease. But let me show you how hard it can be to defeat someone」

「...So, that’s, the test?」

「Yeah. This is the last test I’m going to give you, and I’ll assign you credits and grades for graduation based on the results. So just come to me with peace of mind」

「Is it okay for you to do something like that?」

「The student’s grade can be determined entirely at the discretion of the instructor. There’s nothing wrong with that. Now, get ready!」

Ainz suddenly felt a slight chill. It was a new feeling that he had never felt before. When he looked in his direction, he could clearly sense it coming from Kaizer.

...”I see” Ainz thought. He understood how Kaizer gained his fame as an adventurer.

「Have you made up your mind, Ainz?」

「Yeah. After being hit by such presence, I have no choice but to do this」

「...I see. Very well, now come at me whenever you want」

「Whenever I want?」

「I’ll let you have the first move. Oh, and also, you can do whatever you want to me. Think of me as your mortal enemy, I’ll let you have that kind of battle. You may use also any tolls and any means you have at your disposal in this test」

In other words, he may use Dullahan and Elder Lich’s skills as well. However, he still doesn’t know how to use the Elder Lich’ skills very well. He can use it somehow by feeling, but it’s still not perfect yet.

「Then, here I come!」

Kaizer is willing to do something like this for him. Then, he should go all out and use it from the beginning

「...Good grief, that’s a really strange ability you have... Come, I’ll teach you how an “adventurer” fight」

And Ainz ran forward towards Kaizer. He thought that he could launch his signature attack that he was proud of at once.

But Kaizer doesn’t move, rather, he seems to be making some minor adjustments to position himself directly in front of Ainz.

「Ainz, no hard feelings, okay」

「Eh...!?」

Two magic stone-like objects are thrown at Ainz’s feet. Then one of them activates something in an instant and wraps around his body.

「It’s an item specially made by Majolice that can block an opponent’s movement. Although the effect is short and quite easy to break... but at that time, I can do something like this too!」

Kaizer tells Ainz so, and the other one begins to activate.

「Vine!? Since when...!?」

The second attack tied Ainz up with vines, which also tied up his illusionary hands, making it impossible for him to move. Although his hand that held the sword could barely move, it was still difficult to break through.

「Kuh... Huh!? It’s so tight」

「Of course it is! It’s a special item made with a valuable magic stone after all! Here I come, Ainz!」

Kaizer holds up his sword and starts running. He intends to put his sword to Ainz’s neck and win the fight at once.

But Ainz, on the other hand, was still trying to tear the vines off him.

The vines are still hard for Ainz to tear off, even with his strengthened status. At this rate, Kaizer will end the fight at once.

“Is there something I could use!?” he thought. “Use a thick fog? No, that’s useless. The Ocean Current? But what is the point of using it here? Use the Elder Lich’s skill...? That’s it. That’ll surely stop Kaizer’s movement...!”

「...You’ve surprised me Ainz. I never thought you could even do something like that... I’m glad I was careful. I never thought I’d live up to the ways of thinking I developed as an adventurer!」

Kaizer was wearing equipment made of monster material. That’s why the restraining magic he used before was repelled. The only effect he got is just a moment of confusion and not much else. “Is it really this easy to defeat him...?” Just when he thought so, his body began to move strangely.

With relaxed movements, Ainz begins to swing his arm with the sword in his hand.

「I-it expired...!? All right, now it’s my turn!」

Until now, the vine could not be cut by the sword, it’s probably because the sword’s blade had been dulled. But after a moment of calm, he tried to swing his sword again, and the vine was easily cut as if he was cutting through fruit.

Seeing that, Kaizer looked more surprised than Ainz.

「Oi oi oi, you gotta be kidding me... Even the boss of the forest could be held by it for a few minutes, you know...!?」

Due to the suddenness of the fight, Kaizer could not fully prepare himself. But that would be no excuse now.

Ainz has reached underneath Kaizer with increased vigilance. The combo of Ainz’s skillfully wielded sword and the illusionary hands was truly fierce.

Unlike in the entrance exam, Kaizer used a lot of moves in close combat. For example, he’d throw sand into his opponent’s eyes to blind them and use an item that made a loud noise. But Ainz, the hero who had even won against a sea dragon. Each of his methods was new, and He’d be lying if he said that he wasn’t surprised by it.

But still, the hero Ainz, even after he defeated the sea dragon, didn’t stop growing. No, he just can’t stop himself.

「Haah... Haah... I’ve won, right...?」

「...Good grief, you really are a haphazard guy, you know that!? You’ve always been like that ever since we met」

He was grateful for the fight today. He has taught him the fight he never experienced before, in a stage where his life is not in danger.

Ainz thanked Kaizer, but he laughed at him for his unusually serious attitude instead. However, he actually prefers for his relationship with Kaizer to remain as casual as this.

The relationship between the two of them, as a teacher and a student, was ideal for the both of them.