Today, I let my thoughts drift to magic for a moment and got smacked for it.
Thwack!
“Don’t get distracted.”
“Ow... yes, sir.”
After training ended, I was walking toward the guild when my feet came to a stop.
There weren’t two people standing in front of the guild. There were three. Mari, Kaya, and Roy.
Roy hadn’t fully recovered, but that no longer mattered. His posture and the look in his eyes had returned.
Before I knew it, I was smiling.
“Hyung, you’re finally back.”
Roy gave a short snort.
“Looks that way.”
Kaya smiled faintly too. Mari went into the guild first without saying much.
Then, suddenly, I wondered what time it was. At the same moment, the Dimensional Archive appeared right away.
[Current Date and Time: Star Crown Calendar, Year 1113, June 19, 08:17:32]
I let out a hollow laugh inwardly.
‘I don’t even need a clock.’
Already eighteen days. I’d thought I’d leave after barely lasting a few days, but now I was choosing the next request.
The moment I stood in front of the request board, I noticed what had changed.
Goblin extermination, Iron Tusk disposal, outskirts patrol.
They hadn’t disappeared entirely, but they had been pushed off to the corner. Instead, other names caught my eye.
Nightfang pack sighting, orc scouting party confirmed, ogre traces discovered, northeastern outskirts defense reinforcement.
As I looked over the request board, the corners of my mouth rose naturally.
“All that crazy hunting paid off.”
Kaya said,
“It means it’s time for us to take other requests now.”
“Aren’t orcs and ogres still a bit much?”
Roy said shortly,
“Ogres are too early. Orcs too, for now.”
Only then did Mari pull out a sheet.
“Nightfang pack. Southeastern outer forest. How about it?”
Nightfang. In Bressen, they were called Blackfang Wolves. The name came from their black fur, their habit of becoming more active around sunset, and the fangs that flashed in the dark.
Far craftier than goblins, but below orcs.
The kind of beasts that would tear into your flesh the moment you let your guard down.
As a first test opponent, they were perfect.
The problem was registering for it.
Luce took the request form and looked back and forth between the four of us. Her gaze stopped on me for the briefest moment.
“Please wait a moment.”
I immediately knew what it was.
I was provisionally registered. Kaya, Mari, and Roy were silver rank. Goblins and Iron Tusks had been fine, but once the class went up a level, the story changed.
Luce checked the ledger, looked through the party records, and then lowered her gaze back to the request form. I saw her hesitate for just a moment.
That was when Maella walked over from behind.
“Luce. Is there a problem?”
Luce held out the request form.
“Mr. Siyun is still provisionally registered.”
Before looking at the request form, Maella looked at the four of us. Roy, Kaya, Mari, and me. Then she flipped through a few pages of the ledger and said,
“Approve it.”
Luce raised her head.
“Will that be all right?”
“The party will take responsibility. Their results are sufficient, and the party composition is stable. At this level, it can be approved.”
It was brief and firm.
I bowed.
“Ms. Maella. Thank you.”
Maella said,
“Come back safely.”
For some reason, those words stayed with me.
Luce held out the request form. As she handed it over, her eyes briefly touched my shoulder before dropping.
“Please be careful.”
“Yes.”
When I smiled, the corners of Luce’s mouth lifted slightly too.
“You really need to be careful today.”
“Come on, you say that every time.”
“I mean it today.”
Her words were short, but I knew there was a lot contained in them.
“All right. I’ll be back.”
✧ ✧ ✧
The moment we entered the forest, our formation settled into place.
Roy in front. Mari in the middle. Kaya in the rear. I was at the very back.
At first, it felt a little awkward, but once we actually started moving, it was comfortable.
Roy handled the front, Mari adjusted the flow from the center with magic, and Kaya watched the whole group while taking charge of orders and healing. Rather than being a fixed vanguard, I was better suited to filling in gaps.
With four of us moving together, it was definitely different.
Kaya spoke in a low voice as we walked.
“Blackfang Wolves usually move in packs of four or five, sometimes as many as ten. They do move during the day, but they appear most often right before sunset.”
She paused briefly, then added,
“They’re wary and have good stamina. Sometimes one will jump out late, just when you think it’s over, so be careful.”
If a goblin stabbed you when you thought it was over, a Blackfang Wolf was the kind of beast that went for your throat when you thought it was over.
Kaya whispered low,
“They’re coming.”
Not long after, we encountered the first pack.
Beyond the bushes, three Blackfang Wolves revealed themselves first.
They were large enough that their shoulders reached my chest. Their fur was close to ink-black, and their long protruding fangs gleamed faintly even in the forest shadows.
Right behind them, two more burst out from between the trees.
‘...Five.’
Roy lowered the tip of his sword slightly.
“I’ll take the front. Watch the flanks.”
Before there was even time to answer, one of them dug in low.
Roy’s sword met it head-on.
With a metallic ring, the beast’s body twisted.
The next instant.
Slash—
A blue-silver light seeped over the blade. The Blackfang Wolf’s thick hide and muscle split apart in one stroke.
Roy’s aura wasn’t flashy. It simply pressed down with heavy force and severed all the way through flesh and tendon.
The beast’s neck snapped as it collapsed.
‘...So that’s aura.’
My heart beat one tempo faster.
Magic had been a click, but aura was different. Without a sound, it simply cleaved through.
Mari flicked her fingertips.
Fwoosh.
A thin line of flame spread sideways.
The two beasts circling around to the flank changed direction.
I drove straight into that opening.
I cut the left one across the nape, then immediately twisted my body and stabbed into the right one’s side.
A definite resistance caught at my fingertips.
It was on a different level from goblins and Iron Tusks. Their hide was much thicker, and their muscles were tough and solid. If I got the angle wrong, I could be the one getting hit.
At that moment, I realized it.
‘Getting beaten by Garenham every day really was worth it.’
I angled my wrist lower, gripped my sword tightly, and watched the beasts’ movements to the end before stepping in.
The more attention I paid to my movements, the better my body moved.
A shadow leaped up low from behind.
“Behind you!”
At Kaya’s voice, my body reacted first. I ducked, almost falling.
Whoosh!
A Blackfang Wolf’s claws skimmed over my head.
At the same time, Roy’s sword came stabbing down from above.
Slash!
The beast slammed into the ground.
This time, Mari spread her flames in a round sweep across the front. It wasn’t magic that exploded like a fireball. It was broad, thin heat.
The retreating beast flinched to a stop.
“Now!”
The moment Kaya shouted, I rushed in.
With Roy and me entering at the same time, it ended quickly.
Only after the last one fell did I lower the tip of my sword. My breathing was rough. My heart was racing, but my head was clearer instead.
Roy shook off the tip of his sword and said,
“Siyun. You’ve changed.”
For some reason, that one sentence felt good.
I nodded, then my gaze went toward Mari.
That magic just now.
The heat that cut off their path.
The sensation that the space itself had changed.
Aura cut through a single point, and magic changed the space.
I coveted both. Truly.
Perhaps sensing my gaze, Mari frowned.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Nothing.”
It was a lie.
✧ ✧ ✧
We had a simple lunch in the forest. The bread was tough, but it wasn’t bad.
As we walked while eating, two more Blackfang Wolves appeared near the valley. We took care of them and went deeper into the southeastern woodland.
By the time the sun had tilted a little, the third battle occurred.
This time, there were three.
The longer the forest shadows grew, the bolder the Blackfang Wolves became. They didn’t all come at once, but surrounded us in a circle.
One in front, one on the flank, one behind.
It was obvious they were measuring their angles.
“Clever bastards.”
Kaya replied shortly,
“That’s why they’re even more annoying.”
In this fight too, Roy’s aura caught my eye.
He received the one pouncing at him from the front, then pushed through and cut it down. It wasn’t flashy. A deeply pressing light severed hide and flesh.
It was the same power I’d seen the first time.
The moment I saw it, my body moved first.
Mari cut off the flank, and Kaya pressured the rear. I slipped into an opening and stabbed the last beast in the side.
Thud!
I pulled my sword out and turned immediately.
It was over.
All three fell almost at the same time. The forest went quiet.
Kaya swept her gaze around us once.
“That’s all of them.”
Mari lowered her hand. She quietly let out a breath.
I wiped my sword across the grass. My body had grown heavy, but my head was clear.
All four of us were unharmed. That mattered most.
The Blackfang Wolf magic stones looked like pieces of black fangs. Long and sharp, with faint reddish-brown grain embedded inside.
Ten magic stones, two hides, a few fangs and claws, and bundles of mane.
We packed up everything we could and returned.
✧ ✧ ✧
When we returned to the guild, Luce looked over my body before calculating the payment.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
That came before a greeting.
I smiled for no reason.
“I’m perfectly fine~”
Only after Luce looked me over once with her eyes did her expression relax. It was brief, but clearly relief.
“That’s good.”
For some strange reason, that one sentence caught in my heart.
The settlement was better than expected.
“The base reward for subjugating the Blackfang Wolves is 2 silver coins and 6 copper coins. For 10 Blackfang Wolf magic stones, 5 silver coins and 10 copper coins. With the additional payment for hides, fangs, claws, and manes, 9 copper coins. Altogether, that’s 9 silver coins and 1 copper coin.”
As I looked down at the coins piling up on my palm, the corners of my mouth rose.
“This is different from hunting goblins.”
“The danger is different too.”
“That’s true.”
As Luce organized the request form, she added,
“Come back in one piece next time too.”
Her tone was businesslike. But the last words caught me.
‘In one piece.’
I smiled for no reason and closed the leather pouch.
“Yes. I definitely will.”
✧ ✧ ✧
After finishing the settlement, the four of us headed to the public bathhouse.
Kaya and Mari went toward the women’s bath, while Roy and I entered the men’s bath.
The moment we opened the door, hot steam rushed over us. Once I took off my clothes, various parts of my body finally began asserting their presence.
“Phew...”
As I rolled my shoulders and sighed, Roy laughed low.
“You used your body a fair bit today.”
“I think I used it even more because it was your first day back, hyung.”
After roughly washing up and about to enter the bath, Roy’s gaze briefly went downward and stopped. Then he said casually,
“No wonder you had so much confidence in more ways than one.”
I froze.
“...Excuse me?”
Roy chuckled.
“Impressive in several meanings.”
The moment I realized what he meant, my face grew slightly hot.
“No, why did it suddenly go in that direction?”
Roy shrugged.
“I’m just saying.”
I let out a hollow laugh and splashed water over myself.
“Haha... Now do you understand... my tremendous power!”
“Yeah. Impressive in several meanings.”
“Wahaha!”
We both chuckled and submerged ourselves in the bath. As the hot water rose to my shoulders, my body loosened all at once.
Silence passed for a while before I spoke first.
“Hyung. That thing earlier.”
“What.”
“Aura.”
Roy only turned his eyes.
“You saw it?”
“It was insanely cool!”
The corner of Roy’s mouth lifted slightly.
“You want to learn?”
“Of course.”
I sank up to my chin, then rose again and muttered,
“Magic and aura too... this is driving me crazy.”
“You’re greedy.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“Too much of it will cause trouble.”
For some reason, those words stayed with me for a long time.
✧ ✧ ✧
We naturally had dinner at the Sunset Hearth.
The moment the door opened, Nia’s expression brightened.
“Roy, you look fine.”
“I’m not fine.”
“You’re much better than before.”
Her tone was different from how she spoke to us. Familiar, with no distance, the texture that only came from someone she had known for a very long time.
I laughed inwardly.
‘The knight of pure love cheers you on!’
We each got a free mug of beer.
Maybe because it was right after a bath, even one sip soothed me inside.
Roy lowered his mug and looked at me.
“Your movement in the last fight was good.”
“Oh.”
“You’re completely different from when you started.”
“Can I take that as a compliment~?”
“Yeah.”
I smiled for no reason.
Nia crossed her arms and cut in.
“A regular person getting praised, huh. Guess you’re kind of good?”
“Come on, of course I am.”
Mari put down her mug and said one thing.
“You weren’t at the start.”
“That’s harsh.”
Everyone laughed.
For some reason, I felt good.
✧ ✧ ✧
By the time we returned to the Healing Sanctuary and were about to scatter to our rooms...
Kaya waved and spoke first.
“Good work, everyone. Sleep well.”
“Good night.”
Mari also just nodded roughly and turned away.
I looked at her back, then called out.
“Mari.”
Mari’s steps stopped. She turned back.
“What.”
I caught my breath for a moment, then said,
“Teach me some magic.”
Her expression said she thought it was a joke. But when I kept looking at her, her eyes changed.
“...What are you talking about?”
“I mean it.”
Mari sighed first.
“I heard you’re learning aura.”
“I’m going to.”
“Then that’s enough.”
“It’s not.”
Mari furrowed her brow.
“Give one up. If you tell Garen you won’t learn aura from him, I’ll teach you.”
I shook my head immediately.
“I can’t do that.”
“Ha... then what do you want me to do?”
“I can’t give up magic either.”
Mari looked at me with an incredulous expression, then snorted.
“You really are insane.”
“Even just theory... even the real basics... is that impossible?”
There was silence for a moment.
Mari clicked her tongue. Then, in the end, she said,
“...Fine. But only one basic thing.”
The corners of my mouth rose on their own.
“Really? Thanks, Mari!”
“Don’t make a fuss.”
Even so, Mari didn’t turn away.
“Magic starts by deciding the result.”
I immediately shut my mouth.
“Whether it’s flame, light, or a wall. The more clearly you picture the result, the clearer the manifestation. If it’s vague, it comes out vague.”
“...Then what about structure?”
Mari looked at me.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Just a guess.”
Mari paused briefly, then said,
“Structure is the method that creates the result. Even with the same flame, if the structure is different, it becomes different magic. Burning, blocking, drawing out. They may look similar on the outside, but they’re all different.”
My head grew complicated. Strangely, it wasn’t that I didn’t understand at all.
Mari saw my expression and snorted.
“Did you understand?”
“About half.”
“Then that’s it for today.”
I nodded.
To Mari, who was about to turn away, I said one more thing.
“Is tomorrow okay too?”
Mari stopped. She didn’t look back.
“...Do whatever you want.”
Mari disappeared, and the hallway grew quiet.
I closed my door and stared up at the ceiling. I couldn’t sleep.
Aura. Magic.
Resonating, controlling, drawing out what you want... I didn’t really understand it yet, but they didn’t seem completely separate.
I reached a hand toward the ceiling, then lowered it.
“...Let’s just try it first.”
It felt like I’d be even busier starting tomorrow.
But I liked that.