"You want to know why I remembered it just now? Honestly, I have no idea. It just popped into my head."
Dimensional magic sounds tough, but really, if you've got the mana to spare, anyone can pick it up from those scrolls they sell everywhere. It's not some ultra-rare spell or anything.
"Wait... was he a guild-registered porter? That'd explain the low rank." The masked girl asked
"Nope, not even close."
Fina frowned, staring at the ground like it held all the answers. "Then... don't tell me you learned it just by watching someone else? You've got some insane observational skills. No way..."
I tilted my head. "Is that really such a big deal?"
The masked escort girl, our guide leaned in, totally shocked. "Look, learning it's one thing, but using it? It drains mana like crazy. One slip-up and you're out cold with magical deficiency. Even keeping the spell in your head sips away at your reserves constantly. Regular adventurers avoid it like the plague. Only pro porters or top-tier mages bother mastering it... You seriously didn't know?"
I rubbed the back of my neck. "First I'm hearing of it. The guy at the stall never mentioned a word. Come to think of it, his prices were dirt cheap, and that smile of his looked pretty strained..."
Fina suddenly became *very* interested in her boots. The other adventurers whistled innocently, avoiding my eyes. Everyone except Letty, who was bouncing with excitement. "Master's the best!"
Fina sighed dramatically. "Well, if you can't cast anything else, at least the storage space is handy... depending on how much it holds. Just... hang in there, okay?"
"Hey, I *can* use other magic—"
"Anyway!" Fina cut me off, eyes lighting up. "Isn't this from *Chartette*? The super-luxury sweets that vanish off shelves the second they stock 'em?"
I shrugged. "Yeah, I know the owner. They send me boxes every month. I'm not huge on sweets, so I told 'em to cut it out."
Fina gasped, clutching her heart. "You're killing me here. Even the royal castle scrambles for these, heck nobles would kill for a single box!"
She stared at the cute bunny-shaped candies like they were pure gold. I pulled out another handful from my Item Box. "Here, take 'em. Call it payback for dinner. Let me know what you think."
Her face lit up like a kid on festival day. "Thank you! I'll treasure every one!" She just stares at the candy.
*Girl, just eat them already.*
A soft snore escaped her lips as she hugged the bag. Wait, was she *asleep*?
I felt eyes boring into me. Letty's puppy-dog stare. Wed clearing his throat loudly. Even the hero-party duo sneaking glances like they were starving.
I opened the Box again. "Anyone else want some?"
Letty dove in with a happy squeal, flower petals practically bursting around her. The hero guys grumbled, "Fine, twist my arm," and "Thanks, I guess," but snatched them up quick. The rest of the group swarmed me, raving. "These melt the second they touch your tongue!" "This is the *real* Chartette? Heaven!"
I saved a few for the sulking blond in the corner. "Hey, Cain. Open wide, these are killer."
He didn't even glance up. "...Noisy."
I plopped them beside him. "Trash 'em if you want. Just give me your honest review later." I walked off before he could bite my head off.
Sweet mission accomplished: crates emptied, everyone buzzing with sugar highs, and Shar's pushy letter handled. She'd written, *"Tell me what you think—in person! Come visit!"*
Yeah, no. A quick letter back would do just fine.
As the campfire popped and laughter echoed into the night, I leaned back with a grin.
Four days to Ettal. Smooth sailing on this escort gig.
What could possibly go wrong?