Sir Mage, You Said We Would Only Hold Hands! Chapter 7 - Beware of the Dog

 

“Red… W-What? I don’t know such a person… ”

 

Birkin was first surprised to find that the man was exactly the ‘crazy terrible guy’ she knew. Wasn’t he a customer? Obviously, he purchased the items at the headquarters…

 

Perhaps, does he belong to the Deepdale branch?

 

She shook her head without realizing it. She just hoped it wasn’t that. Birkin intuitively realized that nothing good would happen if she got involved with that man.

 

Besides, she can’t believe he made such a ridiculous designation inquiry to a magic tower member. She had no idea how crazy the man was. Birkin just backed away and left.

 

“…C-C-Can we leave?”

 

Liam looked down at the group standing in front of him with an expressionless face. They took a quick look at Liam, taking a deep breath, then quickly picked up their trays and moved to the front.

 

…Isn’t she here?

 

He was just about to think that. Liam suddenly raised his head at the familiar scent of soap he felt from somewhere. In the distance, he saw something.

 

A dark, sunken figure was quickly leaving the restaurant. Liam’s eyes narrowed.

 

In order to eat today, Liam had to go through the verification process, so one of the male staff members waiting for him awkwardly called Liam.

 

“Excuse me… if you don’t have anything to do with me, I will just go…”

 

“Go.”

 

“Yes, yessir!”

 

Liam bent his neck to one side and smoothed the back of his neck with his other hand. A faint smile appeared on his lips without him even realizing it.

 

***

 

“Vice! Did you enjoy your meal?”

 

“Wasn’t the troll blood juice that came out today really delicious? I wanted another glass!”

 

Chirp, chirp.

 

In the end, Birkin, who had to leave the Deepdale branch’s famous tower cafeteria without even being able to see it, only smiled vaguely. She couldn’t eat, so she went to a store near the Magic Tower and just bought a goblin sandwich.

 

But here she was, and if she told them she couldn’t go to the cafeteria, she was sure they would chirp louder. Lunchtime would end in ten minutes, so at this point she needed them to shut their mouths.

 

“…It was delicious. It was as good as the headquarters.”

 

“Headquarters…! It’s so cool! I want to be assigned to headquarters later too!”

 

“If it’s Miss Sophia, you might be able to do it. What if you work hard from now on?”

 

“I want to go too!”

 

“Of course, Sir Docson too.”

 

Hehe…

 

The two were lost in their own delusions with faces so obvious that it was clearly visible what they were thinking. Birkin answered without her soul, gathering up the parchments she had written today.

 

Then suddenly Docson, Chick 2, came to his senses and asked.

 

“By the way, did you see it?”

 

“See? What?”

 

“Today, while I was standing in line at the restaurant, someone was checking each person one by one!”

 

Who Docson asked was Birkin, yet the answer came from Sophia.

 

“I know that person! He’s very famous, why, Item Development Division’s…”

 

“Mad dog?”

 

“That’s right, mad dog!”

 

Sophia and Docson clashed their palms together and made a fuss, saying they had reached an agreement. Birkin looked at the sight and tilted her head. Mad dog? Isn’t he the crazy terrible guy?

 

“Mad… dog?”

 

“Once he bites something, he won’t let go. Grrrrr!”

 

“…What is that.”

 

When Docson went overboard and made animal noises, Sophia laughed out loud. She laughed and added to Docson’s explanation as she even waved her hand.

 

“The mad dog whom the chief of the Item Development Division also gave up. He’s famous. There is a crazy jerk in the tower.”

 

“Crazy jerk, you say. Why….”

 

“But who is that mad dog looking for? I heard he’s looking for a woman who gave mana and ran away…”

 

The woman who gave mana and ran away?

 

Birkin tried to ask more about it. However, the questions didn’t continue. This is because the sound, bam! came from somewhere.

 

Although the sound didn’t come from Team 3’s office where Birkin was located, it was clearly from a short distance away.

 

Even Herion, who was working without participating in the conversation, lifted his head at the loud sound. The two people looked at each other in surprise.

 

It was Docson who moved first. He couldn’t contain his curiosity and left Team 3’s office, sticking his head out the door. Before long, Docson, who had become more thoughtful, returned to Birkin’s side.

 

“V-Vice…there’s the mad dog over there…”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“H-He’s looking for someone! He says it smells like soap in here or something, uh, what should we do?! What if they’re looking for me?!”

 

Sophia, who heard those words, resolutely comforted Docson.

 

“It’s fine. If you die here, the Magic Tower will give a generous amount of consolation money.”

 

“I don’t want to die!”

 

Birkin couldn’t help but smile even when he saw the cute faces of the chicks. She was starting to become more and more certain about who he, the crazy terrible guy, was looking for. Birkin quickly gathered up her outerwear and moved.

 

Docson and Sophia, who were looking at that scene, asked with puzzled faces.

 

“Where are you going, Vice?”

 

“Ah, I think I have to go get the watch from the chief. Would you three all be working first?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Birkin, who expertly dealt with those who were flustered by the teacher’s departure, ran out of the office, holding a coat in her hand. And then she glanced to her left.

 

Boom, boom!

 

“I asked, where she is.”

 

“There is no such person!”

 

“Really?”

 

…She kept hearing strange noises. Birkin, startled, ran straight to the other side. That was also where Chief Ad’s office was located.

 

Knock, knock.

 

No matter how surprising the situation was, she couldn’t lose her manners. Birkin knocked on the door, and a polite voice from inside said, ‘Come in.’

 

Birkin decided to make this place her refuge.

 

“Hello, Chief Ad. I saw you in the morning and I see you again.”

 

“Aah, Vice Redfield, what’s the matter?”

 

“You can call me Birkin. Please feel free to call me Birkin.”

 

“Yes, Miss Birkin.”

 

Ad wasn’t surprised by the sudden visit and put down the parchment she was holding. Even her appearance was so elegant that Birkin almost confessed that she had forgotten her age and was in love with her, but she quickly came to her senses and told her about her business.

 

“Well, I’m adjusting to work, but I don’t have a watch so I can’t process information easily. Is it fine if I ask when I can get a watch?”

 

“Haha, Miss Birkin, how long have you been to Deepdale and you’re already looking for your watch. I appreciate your hard work, but you don’t have to push yourself too hard.”

 

It was then. On Birkin’s back, it means beyond Chief Ad’s office door, a loud sound, bang! was heard. Chief Ad tilted her head as if she heard the sound.

 

The one who was made anxious was Birkin.

 

“Outside, what’s happening…”

 

“It’s hard to keep in touch with my team members because I don’t have a watch. If you have a spare temporary watch, could you lend it to me?”

 

“Hmm… I don’t have a temporary watch, but, ah, that’s right. Do you still have the watch you used at headquarters?”

 

Birkin nodded hastily. Then Chief Ad smiled kindly and called her to come closer.

 

When she approached hesitantly, Chief Ad gently grabbed her wrist. And she placed her palm on top of Birkin’s watch.

 

Then, green light poured out from under her hand.

 

“Well, this might work.”

 

As the light faded somewhat, Birkin checked her watch. The minute and hour hands had stopped rolling since this morning, yet the watch was moving again!

 

The number also changed to match the divisions and teams in the Deepdale branch. It was all accomplished by Chief Ad herself using magic.

 

“…Excuse me, Chief Ad. Can I ask what circle you’re in?”

 

“Me? Haha, I’m embarrassed, but… I’m in the 5th circle.”

 

Why on earth would such a talented person be in the Service Division?

 

Birkin just didn’t understand.

 

The entry requirement for the Magic Research Division, one of the commonly referred to elite divisions, was a minimum of 4th circle. If Birkin had been in the 4th circle, she would have been transferred straight to the Magic Research Division.

 

No matter how much she flew or crawled in the Service Division, she could never become higher than ‘chief’, but there was virtually no limit to promotion in the Magic Research Division. Above all, it also connects to Birkin’s long-time dream… salary increase.

 

“…That’s amazing.”

 

“It’s not a big deal. In the Item Development Division here, there’s even a 9th circle monst… no, genius.”

 

I think she just meant to say monster.

 

Birkin, who was quick-witted, noticed it, but pretended not to hear it and just blinked.

 

By the way, 9th circle, she says. It was the archmage who existed like a unicorn even in the history of the Empire.

 

Of course, this wasn’t the first time Birkin had heard of him. When Birkin was just joining the company, she heard at a young age that there were other gifted students in the 9th circle. That name is Li…

 

Li…?

 

He was someone she didn’t even care about in the first place because she thought he was irrelevant. Birkin gave up on the name, which she couldn’t remember no matter how much she tried to think of it. Instead she asked a question.

 

“Such a genius… Why is he in Deepdale? Ah, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to disrespect Deepdale, but…”

 

“Haha, I know what you mean. Deepdale is a great city, but it’s smaller than the capital, Turf Moore. The Item Development and Magic Research Divisions of each branch also receive the best treatment at the headquarters.”

 

Birkin also nodded her head obediently. There were Item Development Divisions and Magic Research Divisions in each branch, but they all had their own reasons for gritting their teeth and coming to the headquarters.

 

The Magic Research Division and Item Development Division at the headquarters provide a private room to each mage and magic engineer, and even provide full support for individual research expenses. Being able to do the research they wanted for free was a very important condition for them.

 

“By the way, Miss Birkin. Do you know? When did the port city of Deepdale become a trading port?”

 

“From my little knowledge, it hasn’t even been ten years…”

 

“Yes, you know very well. It was originally a big city, but after it became a trade port, the size of the city got bigger. The only reason it couldn’t become a trade port was because of monsters.”

 

“Pardoon?”

 

Monster.

Birkin, a native of the capital city of Turf Moore, pondered how long it had been since she had heard that word. When you’re in the capital, seeing monsters is like picking stars in the sky, so Birkin, a capital city nerd, had no business hearing about them.

 

“There are more monsters under the sea than we think. That’s why the Deepdale branch is famous. There are tons of high-level monster-fighting items and magic.”

 

“Ah, I see.”

 

“And the 9th circle mons… genius I meant earlier, was ordered by the government to eliminate the monsters living in the sea.”

 

Birkin, who was listening to Chief Ad’s explanation, blurted out what was inside her without even realizing it.

 

“…Isn’t that a demotion?”

 

“Haha! Miss Birkin, that’s really honest. That’s right. There was a reason why he was demoted.”

 

Just then, a loud noise was heard outside.

 

Bang!

 

Chief Ad, moving her long legs, approached the door of her office. Birkin, who of course expected her to go out, couldn’t help but quietly observe her.

 

However, instead of opening the door and going out, she observed the situation outside through the crack in the door. And then, boom, click.

 

She closed the door again and locked it.

 

“…Chief?”

 

“Miss Birkin, how about having a chat with me a little longer? I think there’s a crazy bastard out there right now. Beware of the dog, that’s actually our branch’s policy. What kind of tea do you like?”

 

Ah, anything…

 

Birkin absentmindedly accepted the teacup offered by the Chief and headed to the sofa on one side.

 

— Wise Magic Tower Life TIP! —

Birkin actually likes coffee more than tea.