[V7C14] Meanwhile in the Harbor Town Tavern

Isaac Walker, who was house-sitting Monica’s residence in Sazandol, noticed that the cityscape outside the window had become completely dark. He paused his writing, lit a candle, then sipped his half-empty coffee while reviewing the partially written documents.

He was currently working on a thesis regarding magical tools for manipulating the flow of water. If realized, this could significantly improve the performance of Ridill’s ships.

Despite boasting a coastline on its western side, Ridill had always lagged behind other nations in ship development. As their seas were plagued by water dragons and blue dragons, it was a danger area for dragon disasters.

Aquatic dragons were, in a sense, more troublesome than flying dragons. After all, it was challenging to reach underwater targets with offensive magic.

Similar to their non-aquatic kin, water dragons could be slain with a blow to their forehead once they surfaced. But if they remained submerged, it was necessary to stab them with a spear and forcibly pull them to the surface.

That said, there was a mage in Ridill who specialized in dealing with aquatic enemies, known as the Waterbite Mage, who boasted the highest number of aquatic dragon subjugations in history. Though once renowned as the guardian of ships, he had long since retired due to old age.

(If we can incorporate underwater reconnaissance spells and current manipulation into sailing techniques, our naval strength will be significantly enhanced… but the bottleneck is the cost.)

Researching magic required funds——especially for a study involving something as costly as ships. The research expenses grew to a point where they could not be covered by a single investor.

Moreover, this research was currently Isaac Walker’s personal project. He could not allocate the funds of his territory.

While Isaac could theoretically cover the expenses out of his own wallet, having investors would be preferable. Especially if they were individuals with a connection to the ship industry.

(…Come to think of it, the Anderson Company owns several transport ships. I’ve heard that the company president himself is also a big fan of ships.)

Clifford Anderson was Lana Colette’s secretary, as well as the son of Chairman Anderson, the man who controlled the business dominating the domestic transportation industry.

Above all, the Anderson Company had built a fortune by applying ice magic to the transportation of fresh food.

In other words, they were avid about capitalizing on magic applications in business. Perhaps they might be convinced to provide funding.

(I’ll try talking to that secretary once the research progresses a bit further.)

Having finished reviewing the documents, Isaac checked the time with his pocket watch. Though a bit early, it was a suitable time for dinner.

He could make a simple meal and invite Nero, but today, he felt like having a drink.

Isaac decided to go out for a drink, putting on the disguise glasses he recently purchased. Although no one in this town would recognize the face of the Second Prince, it was always better to err on the safe side.

Isaac put on his coat and locked the door, then left without informing Nero. After all, Nero had called him a “homewrecker,” causing him to hold no small grudge.

＊　＊　＊

Isaac would choose a neat and fancy restaurant if dining with Monica. However, for a solitary drink, any cheap restaurant would suffice. Moreover, this reduced the chance of encountering upper-class individuals who might recognize him.

Those were Isaac’s thoughts as he entered the restaurant. Five seconds later, he regretted his decision.

“Should a little sister call her brother Onii-chan or Onii-sama? As we were locked in this heated debate, my talented little brother intervened and said this: ‘She switches between calling us Onii-chan and Onii-sama in private and public settings. But after a while, she slips and lets out an Onii-chama, getting incredibly embarrassed. This is the optimal solution…’ As you can see, he is a true genius!”

A large man with black hair sat at the round table in the center of the restaurant, giving a passionate lecture while holding a mug of beer. It was Anthony.

Isaac immediately decided to avoid any involvement. However, before he could turn on his heel, Anthony waved his muscled arm at him.

“Oh, if it isn’t Walker, the servant from Miss Monica’s place!”

Swallowing various emotions, Isaac responded with the smile of an adult.

“Good evening, Anthony-san.”

“You came for a drink too, huh. Come on, sit down with us! Drinking is always better with friends! Wahaha!”

Anthony was sitting at the round table with his younger brother Teodor, the embroidery artisan Porok, Lana’s secretary Clifford, and one unfamiliar black-haired man. All of them were busily eating and drinking.

Regarding the investment matter, Isaac wanted to maintain a connection with Clifford. Thus, he muttered a brief “excuse me”, and took a seat between Anthony and Clifford.

Porok, the embroidery artisan, was griping about “young people these days” while clutching a mug, to which Teodor gently nodded in agreement. To the side, Clifford was silently consuming his meal without any alcohol.

Meanwhile, the only stranger at the table gave Isaac a wink and a wave of the hand. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, with a beautiful face that likely appealed to women, exuding a strange sense of allure.

“Hey, I’m Michel. Are you a friend of Anthony-niisan?”

“I’m Isaac Walker, merely an acquaintance of him.”

Previously, Isaac had made some snacks for Anthony, then politely declined when invited to drink during the all-nighter at the Colette Company. They weren’t particularly close.

However, Anthony eagerly pushed a plate of snacks toward Isaac, as if they had been lifelong friends. That seemed to be his character.

“Walker, these fried fish things are pretty good. I recommend drenching it in vinegar, like this…”

“Thank you.”

Isaac chomped down on a piece of fish with a strained smile, then ordered a drink and meal for himself.

The waitress with an open neckline directed a warm gaze at Isaac, but he casually brushed it off and turned his attention to Anthony and Michel.

Michel had referred to Anthony as “Anthony-niisan,” so they were probably brothers. While they hardly resembled each other, Michel did look quite similar to Teodor. The logic made sense to Isaac.

“Anthony-san, I believe you said you were traveling with Teodor-san. Is Michel-san traveling with you as well?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I came later and met up with Anthony-niisan.”

As Michel answered Isaac’s question, he also dragged his chair closer. He went on to cross his legs and began chatting away.

“I’ll be staying in Sazandol for a while, so take care of me, okay? If you know any places with cute girls, do let me know.”

Michel offered an amiable smile as he tucked his hair behind his ear. Even such simple gestures exuded plenty of charm when he performed them. Above all, he was skilled at closing the distance with others. He even winked at the waitress passing by their table.

But then, Michel suddenly turned back to Isaac and continued speaking with a friendly expression.

“Isaac-kun… Hmm, what should I call you? Zack-kun? Ike-kun?”

“My friends usually call me Ike.”

“Oh, what a nice name. The origin of Ike is… ah, right. ‘Laughter’.”

This gave Isaac a jolt, as he flashed back to his childhood memories. Back to when his mother told him the origin of his name.

——”May your future be filled with joyous laughter.”

Isaac had been unconsciously avoiding the memories of those words. He knew full well that a lot of his laughter and smiles had been mere acting.

By pretending to adjust his glasses, Isaac concealed his face during his response.

“Michel-san, you are quite knowledgeable.”

“Of course~… Knowing a lot of trivia makes you popular with the ladies, right? That said, you must be really popular too, Ike-kun. Just look at how handsome you are.”

“Unfortunately, my love is unrequited. She doesn’t even notice me.”

Isaac had said that as a joke, but it felt like picking at a festering wound, causing a painful throbbing in his chest. He secretly marveled at how much this hurt. Perhaps Nero’s remarks had hit him harder than he thought.

(…Maybe I should stop cooking until Monica comes back.)

As Isaac contemplated this modest retaliation against Nero, his food and drink were brought to the table. This consisted of meatballs and vegetable stew, thinly sliced bread, and beer.

Isaac took a small sip of the stew, which was simmered until the vegetables were tender and infused with the meat’s fat, turning everything delicious. The slightly firm meatballs were mixed with chopped herbs, offering a refreshing aftertaste.

As Isaac silently enjoyed his stew, Michel leaned in and asked in a quiet tone.

“Unrequited love without even being noticed——seems like there’s a reason for it, huh?”

Isaac deflected the question with an ambiguous “who knows”, and Michel began to grin. This was the face someone made when they found someone younger to tease.

“Ike-kun, it seems you are running low on alcohol. Come on, drink up. Big brother will treat you.”

Michel slid a glass towards Isaac, as Anthony, who had been drinking vigorously, gave a nod of approval.

“Indeed! Walker, you appear to have lost your path! At such times, you must drink! Strike down your hesitation with alcohol!”

After saying this, Anthony tilted his mug again.

Teodor, who was still listening to Porok’s complaints, offered a calm interjection.

“Strike down your hesitation? How exactly? Brother, didn’t you get lost after drinking too much the other day?”

“Teodor. One must not worry about losing your way home, as long as you do not lose your path in life.”

Unfortunately, Isaac’s pain could not be struck down so easily.

…But to tell the truth, he did want to escape into the intoxication of alcohol, if only a little.

That was why he came here to drink in the first place.

(Well, I was hoping to enjoy a quiet drink by myself though…)

Suppressing a wry smile, Isaac took a sip from his glass.

This was probably going to be a long night.

According to the Waterbite Mage, William McRegan:

“I did pretty well in my youth, if I do say so myself. Honestly though, I don’t really like boats because I get seasick easily.”

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