Even if it turned out to be useless, the fact that it was carbonated water made it worth the search. More than anything, I desperately needed it right now. My chest felt unbearably tight—like I’d swallowed an unripe sweet potato whole. And naturally, the reason was Kalz.
“Hey, Kalz. Something going on in the kitchen? Need anything?”
“No. Forget it. Just get back to work.”
“Oh, come on. Weren’t you the one who said looking after you was my job?”
“I said I’m fine.”
And like always, the conversation ended with him getting flustered and storming off in a hurry. Ever since I confessed, every exchange between us had gone just like that. I told him it was okay, that he could treat me like before—but the moment he saw me, he stiffened up like a guilty man caught red-handed. Honestly, for someone with such a big frame, he was a pitiful excuse for a “beast.” How was I supposed to survive without at least a fizzy drink?
Not that I planned on drinking it alone. The sun had been relentless lately—everyone would appreciate a cold, refreshing ade. Even Kalz, who’d gone wide-eyed the first time he tried beer. Whether he drank it or not was up to him.
“If it’s a nearby mountain, would that mean somewhere close to the castle? Butler Squawk, do you know where the spring is?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know the exact location. I only remember that it’s across the mountain on the other side of the village—not this one.”
“Ah, so it’s that way.”
So much for going on a weekday. I’d probably have to plan a spring water expedition on my next day off. If I went alone, how many bottles could I even carry back? While I was busy calculating logistics in my head, Butler Squawk added thoughtfully,
“Briel, are you seriously planning to go look for that spring?”
“Yeah! Worst case, I come back empty-handed—no big deal.”
“Still, the spring might have become nothing more than a legend by now. Even back then, the water flow was weak, and folks said it wouldn’t last. That was over a hundred years ago. No one’s heard anything about it recently either, so…”
“It’s fine. I just want to check it out. Treat it like a little adventure.”
“…It doesn’t sound just like a casual outing.”
Judging by the greedy glint in my eyes, Butler Squawk must’ve felt a moral obligation. He pulled out an old, rolled-up map from the corner of the shelf.
“This is a local map. It’s pretty basic—just the main paths and landmarks—but better than nothing. If you’re going to search for the spring, take this.”
“Thanks.”
“And if it turns out to be a dead end, don’t push yourself. Head back right away.”
“Of course. I’m only going for a quick look.”
“…Then I’ll pray you find it quickly.”
“Why? Do I look like someone who wouldn’t come back until I found it?”
As planned, I left the castle at dawn on my day off, backpack slung over my shoulder. I briefly thought about inviting Leon since I’d be passing through the village anyway—but decided against it. If the spring turned out to be some miracle find, we might end up fighting over who owns it. And mixing friendship with business? Nothing good ever comes of that.
Thankfully, the mountain on the far side was lower and gentler than the one behind the castle, so the hike wasn’t too grueling. After going up and down the hills so often just to get to the village, maybe I’d unintentionally become something of a mountain climber. At the summit, a cool breeze swept over me as I pulled out the map Butler Squawk had given me.
“No way it’s near a spot people pass through a lot. So, anywhere along a path is out… and anything with a name on it—rocks, trees—that’s probably too obvious.”
Ruling out the obvious spots helped narrow things down. I mapped out a rough search path and circled three areas that felt promising.
“Alright, especially gonna check around here. Let’s do this.”
I marched forward with enthusiasm, ready to uncover something amazing.
But just a little while later…
“Hah… haah… nope. I’m dying.”
Around halfway down the slope, I dropped to the ground in defeat. A mountain, no matter how small, was still a mountain. And I wasn’t even going in a straight line—I kept zigzagging around, circling the terrain to search thoroughly. It was exhausting.
“Is this spring even real?”
What drained me more than anything was the creeping thought that all of this might’ve been for nothing. There’s a world of difference between failing to find something that exists and chasing something that never existed. Even if the end result’s the same, the mental toll isn’t.
But I’d known what I was getting into from the start. The only option now was to keep going.
Unfortunately, the first two marked spots turned up empty. And at the last one—my final hope—there still wasn’t a spring. But I did find something else.
I pushed through a dense patch of trees and found a shallow, sunken dip in the ground. Stones formed a rough circle around it, and the fallen leaves inside were unusually damp. It looked exactly like the dried-up remnants of a spring.
“Haa… did it really dry up?”
Disappointment hit hard. But I wasn’t ready to quit just yet. I had three choices.
One: give up and go home.
Two: cling to hope that this wasn’t the legendary spring and keep searching the mountain.
But I’d already scoured the whole area. If I wasn’t giving up, there was only one option left.
Three: dig.
“I brought it just in case, but I didn’t think I’d actually use it…”
Moments later, a small trowel was in my hand. And just like that, I began digging—something that clearly wasn’t in my destiny.
It was rough. Really rough. The last time I worked this hard with a shovel… wait, I’ve never even served in the military. Whatever. Point is, it sucked.
There were a few breaking points. When the trowel hit a huge rock, the shock shot up my wrist so hard I teared up a little. By the time I’d dug a hole big enough for someone to lie in, I honestly started wondering if I was just digging my own grave.
I really wanted to quit and go home. But the soil kept getting wetter the deeper I dug, and that cruel little glimmer of hope kept me going. I clung to the mental image of Mari with her ears perking up, sipping on a strawberry ade, and somehow that was enough to keep me digging.
Hours passed. Then finally—finally—a trickle of water began to bubble up from a tiny hole.
“Wait… water? Hahaha! It’s coming out! It’s really coming out!”
I laughed like a man possessed, stabbing at the hole with my trowel. The more I widened it, the more the water flowed. Eventually, a small pool formed, rippling with fresh spring water. Sure, it looked like a rain puddle at best, but I knew. I knew this was it.
I tossed the trowel aside and collapsed onto my back.
“Wow. It actually worked.”
A deep, satisfying sense of accomplishment filled my chest. Lately, nothing I did—whether it was magic or Kalz—seemed to pay off. So this… this meant everything.
After a short rest, I got up again. The muddy spring water had already cleared enough to see the bottom.
“Alright, time for a taste.”
I scooped some into both hands and brought it to my lips. A faint metallic tang hit my nose first. Then—bam—bright, fizzy carbonation exploded across my tongue. Just like Butler Squawk had said.
This was the spring. No doubt about it.
Even if it was just a single sip, after all that backbreaking work, it tasted like liquid gold. I wanted to gulp it down then and there, but sadly, there wasn’t nearly enough. I barely managed to fill half of the bottle I’d brought with me.
“Well… they did say it was always a low-yield spring.”
And since it had already dried up once, I couldn’t exactly get greedy with it now. Definitely not the kind of thing I could build a business around. Still… it was a nice dream while it lasted.
At least I had enough to share a small taste with the others. That alone was good enough for me. I practically floated back to the castle.
The moment I stepped inside, I did what any sane person would after such an adventure—brag.
“So this really is the spring water?”
“Yes! The dried-up spring everyone thought was gone—I dug it up myself! With a shovel! And I actually got some out!”
“You dug it up yourself?”
Butler Squawk flapped his wings in what looked like genuine shock. Not that I could blame him—I was still shocked I’d managed it myself. While I stood there, chest puffed out in pride, he gave me a pitiful look and sighed.
“To think someone as pretty as you would go and ruin your face digging for spring water… I did notice the gleam in your eyes when you first asked about it, but I never imagined you’d take it this far.”
So the surprise wasn’t the water—it was my greed. Now that I thought about it, after spending the whole day wandering the mountains and digging like a madman, I probably did look like a wreck. I scrambled to explain myself.
“Hey, it’s not like I did it for money or anything! I just thought it’d be fun for everyone to try it, so… maybe I went a little overboard.”
“Yes, yes. I’m aware.”
He definitely had the I knew and let you go anyway face on, but thankfully, he didn’t push it any further and smoothly changed the subject.
“Still, it was real sparkling water, wasn’t it? That sharp fizz—it was quite something.”
“Right? I can’t wait for you to try it, too!”
“Let’s all have some together. There isn’t much, but it should be enough for about ten small cups. I just need to clean up first—could you keep an eye on the bottle while I’m gone?”
“Certainly. Take your time.”
Humming with excitement, I rushed off to shower, daydreaming about everyone’s stunned reactions when they tasted carbonated water for the first time. But when I returned to my room, freshly scrubbed and ready to share the joy, I was the one who nearly fainted.
“I’m back, Butler.”
“Welcome back, Briel. You washed up faster than I expected.”
…Who the heck are you?
“Wait… are you… Butler Squawk?”
“Of course I am. Why do you ask?”
Why? Because—
The elegant parrot with his regal red feathers was gone. In his place sat a tiny ball of fluff—a downy baby bird, looking soft enough to poof into feathers at any second.
