Damn Academy

Chapter 1: Childhood

I didn’t really believe what people said. Most of them were insensitive to people’s feelings.

Whether someone likes me or hates me, it doesn’t affect me much.

People used to point fingers at me, saying that I was a nasty bastard by nature itself.

If I was born to be a person who is indifferent to others and has no emotions, it is not like that again.

There was also a time when I was in desperate need of someone’s attention and love. I was able to respond sincerely to the feelings of others, and there were times when I had a heartfelt emotional exchange with someone by pouring everything into it.

It’s just that I’ve become numb to it over time.

The first person to tell me that I love her was my mother.

My father died in an unexpected accident a month after he left to work in another city to make a living, and my mother raised me alone.

After living a hard life for several years, one day her mother disappeared leaving behind a letter saying she was sorry.

I wandered around the city for three days and three nights. Even when I was hit by a carriage while crying on the street and blood flowed from my forehead, I continued to look for my mother, fearing that she might disappear forever.

Tired of crying, he fell asleep on the street and then looked for his mother again, and it seemed like that for about ten days. I was so hungry that I couldn’t cry anymore, and I was beaten for stealing fruit from the market.

I was left half-dead in the slums, and an Acates priest accidentally found me and took me in.

After that, I ended up staying at the Temple of Akates, in Loreil Hall, which was operated as an orphanage there.

There were dozens of orphans besides me. None of them even knew their parents’ faces. Most of them firmly believed that one day their parents would come looking for them.

I missed my mom every night. How is it possible for you to leave so heartlessly, saying you love me? As a child, I couldn’t understand it at all.

I spent months crying every night. It was as if I had been forever abandoned by the world. As time passed, I got used to life without my mother. It was then that I realized that no matter how great the sadness, one day you will get used to it and be able to bear it.

Sometimes, like a natural disaster, the sadness of being abandoned was overwhelming. It was especially true when I saw children my age walking on the street holding their parents’ hands and smiling brightly.

All the orphans in Lorail Hall had scars in the same shape as me in their hearts, and perhaps because of that, we were able to quickly become friends. I was able to fill the empty space in my heart by hanging out with them.

I met Lisa there. She was the same age as me, and was committed to the temple a year earlier than I was.

She was a girl with dull gray hair and big, bright eyes.

There was something special about Liza’s identity, that she was the daughter of a prestigious wizarding family that even had connections with the imperial family, and that she came here even though she had a family to take care of her.

Her parents died during the war, and her uncle succeeded her as the head of the household. However, Lisa said that she suffered from her uncle’s violence and abuse, and after resisting all kinds of things, she was entrusted to this place.

Since Liza and I became friends, she would complain to me from time to time.

“I envy you.”

“Why?”

“I’d rather have no family.”

“It’s because you don’t know how lonely it is to not have a family.”

“Then can you marry into a family?”

“What are you talking about?”

“My uncle was always like that. Our family is the best wizarding family on the continent, and to maintain the blessings of this lineage, we must form family bonds.”

“what?”

“And they said that my mother was a mongrel with no pedigree or genealogy from where she came from.”

“He is a really bad person.”

“Be careful with your words. If you get caught saying that, this is it.”

She then pretended to cut her throat with her hand.

“My uncle beat me all night for every wrong word. I won’t let you go either.”

“Does it mean that you and your uncle have to marry each other?”

“yes. I hate to die When I grow up, my uncle will come looking for me. It’s terrible. I would rather die or become a nun than marry my uncle.”

Liza did not easily get along with the other children. The other children also knew that Liza was a daughter of a noble family, and because of this, they did not easily assimilate into the group.

I don’t know why, but Liza opened up to me. Maybe he liked it because I was a good listener. She liked to talk, and I liked to listen.

I was Lisa’s best friend. She sat next to me during services, catechism and liberal arts classes, and meals. Even when playing with other children, she always teamed up with me.

Liza liked flowers and herbs. In her spare time, she studied herbalism on her own. After class, she would take me on a walk in the woods. She used to go on a walk in the woods and talk about the stories in the book with excitement when she came across a herb she knew.

For most of my childhood, Liza was always by my side. It’s true that Liza’s existence certainly supported one axis of my anxious emotions, but it wasn’t just good.

If I happened to sit next to another child or hang out with another child after class, she would pout and lock herself in the room and not come out for hours.

When she was upset, I picked Liza’s favorite flowers or herbs and brought them to her. She liked the flower called Elcanto the most, and although it had no effect, she liked the pretty petals and the sweet scent. Giving her flowers and herbs made her feel better.

Then, there were times when Liza became so angry that even flowers and herbs couldn’t solve it.

Lisa was not on good terms with the other girls living in the temple, but when I hung out with other girls, she expressed her jealousy and anger through violent behavior.

When she got angry, she would sand my quilt or tear my clothes and notebooks to shreds. I did worse things to the girl I was hanging out with. He was given a severe punishment for secretly sprinkling poisonous weed powder in another girl’s pillow.

Tired of her overreaching behavior, she once declared a break with her. Liza stopped eating and drinking, locked the door, and hid herself. The hermit walk lasted for a week. It was quiet during the day, but the priests said they heard sad crying every time they passed it at dawn.

When Liza’s condition deteriorated, the nun intervened and forcibly reconciled the two of us, and only then did we end our seclusion.

Liza and I always went together, even in our adolescence.

Liza reached puberty and her appearance gradually changed. Her dull gray hair turned into silver hair, and her childlike eyes became darker in a feminine way. Day by day, he grew taller, lost cheek fat, and his chin became slimmer. Her skin became whiter and whiter as the days went by.

Liza and the high priest had frequent meetings. It was because of a problem related to Liza’s lineage.

“The fountain of magic has been opened.”

“what is that?”

“It is a special ability of our Pascal family lineage. Everyone in my family had their magical springs opened around my age.”

“Is it good?”

She said, grabbing her silver hair and letting it hang down to the side.

“yes. My spring is in the danteon, and a lot of magic comes out of it. This hair also changed color because of the fountain of magic. I liked the old days.”

“It’s still cool enough.”

“My family doesn’t age well thanks to the fountain of magic.”

“Well.”

“Even if you become a middle-aged man, I won’t be much different from now.”

“I don’t want to be treated like a kid at that age.”

“Me too. And the High Priestess will teach you basic magic.”

“Since when?”

“From tomorrow.”

“Will I become a wizard friend from tomorrow?”

“yes. From tomorrow, don’t cry because I’m gone, and don’t make trouble.”

“Where are you going?”

“No, I just decided to take classes for an hour or two separately in the evening.”

“What am I going to do in the evening?”

“Just stay calm. no, i’m thinking Think about what to do with me.”

There was something I felt clearly while watching her grow up. Liza was a completely different person from me. As time went on, the difference in background, innate talent, and innate appearance became more pronounced. If the priest of Achates hadn’t picked me up, we might never have met each other.

But unfortunately, she and I were close friends, family, and companions. We shared everything about each other. As time went on, Liza and I penetrated deeply into each other’s lives. We were emotionally connected, and we couldn’t imagine life without each other.

Lisa was afraid of growing old. It was because of the fear that his uncle would come looking for him when he got older.

After Lisa’s magical spring was opened, Pascal’s retainers visited the temple once every six months to check Lisa’s condition.

Liza’s expression was not very good on the day she met them.

After that, Liza said, as a habit, that we should be together even when we grow up.

“Let’s live together when we grow up.”

She even joked about getting married together. Whenever that happened, I always accepted her offer.

Even when we grew up, we knew very well how difficult it is in reality to be together all the time. It was hard to keep, and there was a high possibility that we wouldn’t be together in the future. As Liza’s ability bloomed and grew day by day, I could feel it more and more.

However, if we made a covenant like that, we were able to forget our hardships for a while.

The orphans of Acates Temple could no longer stay in Loreil Hall once they reached the age of 17. That’s why I had to find my career early and when the time came, I had to stand on my own.

Liza had enough qualities to become a great wizard. When he turned 17, he was likely to enter the academy. Her future was bright.

I started learning metalwork at the age of 14. At the age of 15, he picked up his skills bit by bit by doing odd jobs in a fairly large workshop.

Time passed and we turned 15 years old. At that time, Lisa was nervous and her personality was sensitive.

The number of times Pascal family vassals visited Lisa increased, and the number of times Lisa visited me also increased.

On the days when he met his vassals, he would occasionally hug me and tremble silently like a lost puppy. When asked what was going on, Liza did not answer.

I collected discarded pieces of iron and wire while working in a workshop. Among them, I picked out those that were in good condition, melted them down, and glued them together. Applying the skills he learned while working at the workshop, he made a ring while staying up all night.

When I gave my first piece to Liza, she was overjoyed. She put the ring on the ring finger of her left hand. He flipped his hands back and forth as if it were a diamond ring and gave a sly smile.

“I’ll give you something nicer later.”

“It’s still good.”

Lisa’s smile was always nice to see. How long can I keep watching this smile? The desire to always be with Liza welled up inside me.

And one summer day at the age of 15, I heard the second time in my life that I loved you.

Chapter 2: Farewell

I leaned against a pillar in the corridor across the manor and waited for Liza.

At the end of the corridor, Liza could be seen walking. I was on my way home from class. She came slowly to me.

and hugged me We hugged each other like a habit from sometime. After sharing body temperature for so long, she said.

“Ha, I think I will live.”

“Are you going to take the class?”

“yes… .”

She then stayed still for a while.

“… … I love you.”

My heart became hot as if it were on fire at the sudden confession. But soon, I accepted the words as naturally as the flow of the season. We could feel it through our time together, and it was already proven through our actions.

“yes. I love you too.”

Being able to communicate with Lisa was the greatest blessing in my life.

Sadly, we didn’t have much time left.

Among the high-ranking priests and retainers of the Pascal family, discussions were underway about Liza’s admission to the Eternia Academy. Liza had to go to the academy whether she liked it or not. Eternia Academy was in a distant country, and if Liza left there, we would have to say goodbye.

I couldn’t go to the academy. He had no talent for magic, and even if he had talent, he couldn’t afford the academy’s enormous tuition.

We put our heads together and struggled to find a way to be together even apart from the temple. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t find a plausible solution.

Liza hugged me and often cried. I could understand why he was crying without even asking.

One morning at dawn, Liza entered my room to escape the nun’s watch. Then, I woke up from my sleep with a voice that reminded me of it.

“I saw the stars fall.”

“Why?

“Star fragments have tremendous energy. And there are herbs that feed on the energy and grow around the fragments of stars that have fallen to the ground. If you eat that herb, you can see the future. It was written that way in the book of the great sage Lutavis.”

“The future… You see?”

“If I could see the future, I might be able to solve the problems that have been bothering me. And if we sell the pieces of the star, we can earn money to live together for the rest of our lives.”

“It is impossible for us to find it.”

“it’s not like that. I saw it very close. I’ve drawn the predicted location on the map. It’s only a week’s walk and you’ll be there… .”

Liza unfolded the map in front of me. A circle was drawn in one corner of the map. It was known as unexplored land. There were unknown dangers lurking in the unexplored land. Among them, the most dangerous was by far the ‘Magic Beast’.

“It is too dangerous.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s dangerous. I have no other choice. You know.”

Liza had already made up her mind. She said something possessed. No matter what he said, there was little chance that she would change her mind.

We prepared to leave. I took all the money I saved while working in the studio. Among the items needed for camping and the tools used for work, I also packed one that looked menacing.

It seemed like it would be a long journey. I wondered what to say to the nun. Liza said that there was no time for that and urged her to leave immediately.

“You can’t be late. Let’s leave today.”

We packed our backpacks full of beef jerky and biscuits from the temple food pantry and sneaked out.

And immediately set out on the road to find a piece of the star.

On the first day, I just walked from dawn to evening. The sun had set as we came out of the city. In order to save food, meals were solved with money.

The next day, we entered the grassland area. Liza picked up some herbs that might be helpful in restoring her energy. I checked Lisa’s condition from time to time. If something goes wrong with her body, she intends to return without any regrets.

The next day it rained. A thunderstorm accompanied by strong winds poured in steadily. We got lost a few times and were drenched in the rain even though we were wearing our robes. Liza showed symptoms of hypothermia, so we ended the schedule earlier than expected.

We took refuge in a cave under a cliff to avoid the rain and wind.

Liza was exhausted physically and mentally, so she couldn’t concentrate, and in addition, everything that could be used as firewood was wet in the rain and could not catch fire even with magic.

We spent the night wrapped in tarpaulins, wrapped in only our underpants, and sharing our body heat.

In the morning, Liza’s body was as hot as a ball of fire. Liza showed symptoms of high fever. Last night, I set fire to a tree branch that had drained water, and I picked a fever-reducing herb from the forest and fed it to Liza.

Then I said to Lisa.

“I can’t. Let’s go back.”

“… no.”

“It’s impossible to keep going as you are now.”

“No, I can go.”

Lisa stubbornly persisted.

We had breakfast, got some rest, and left again. The momentum of the wind and rain had broken down, but it was still a foggy rain. Liza often collapsed and collapsed while walking down the street. Whenever that happened, I carried Liza on my back for several hours and went out on the road.

We walked vaguely along the way. I wasn’t sure if I was going in the right direction, but I got a strange feeling that the more I went, the closer I got to the fragment of the star.

Liza fell asleep on my back and asked me in a sleepy voice.

“Are we on the right track…?”

“I memorized the map. Don’t worry too much.”

Lisa hugged my shoulders tighter, as if the uneasiness was not going away.

As the sun set, we camped in an abandoned cabin. We lit a fire in the dusty fireplace and ate beef jerky.

Because Liza was cold, she hugged me again and slept. Even though my body was sweating and my clothes were damp, she wouldn’t let me go.

The next day and the next day, we continued to move.

We hadn’t even had a proper bath for days, and the food was running low. The clothes were torn here and there, and the stitches came loose, so there were few healthy places.

Liza didn’t care if she smelled like sweat because she couldn’t take a bath or if her body was dirty. Every night, he hugged me and fell asleep. Liza’s body always smelled good. I asked her why, but Liza herself didn’t seem to know.

Waking up, we climbed a hill from which we could see the surrounding view. I could see a large, deep blue lake in the distance.

Liza said in a raised voice.

“We came to the right place. It must be near that lake.”

I had more anxiety than anticipation. It was questionable whether the mysterious herb that could see the future really existed, and since we were in an unexplored land, we could be attacked by wild animals or monsters at any time.

And my anxiety was rightly hit, and we were attacked by the Witchbeast shortly after.

We made our way back to the lake as our destination. It was just a matter of moving in a straight line towards the direction we had identified in advance, but the dense forest obscured our sense of direction, and we got lost twice.

While I was wandering like that, Liza suddenly stopped by holding my wrist.

“Strange. I can feel the magic.”

“What do you mean, weird?”

“It’s definitely magic, but it’s not human.”

At that moment, the wind blew. The trees swayed with a strange chill and the leaves fluttered here and there. It was as if the forest was shaking with fear. The surroundings grew darker.

A strange cry was heard from the edge of the forest. I was able to intuitively sense that it was not a human being, nor was it an animal or beast.

Soon after, something in the shape of a black man flew towards us from a place where the shadows were deeply cast in the forest.

Lisa shouted.

“race… It’s a race!”

I’ve only heard about races in books or adventure stories. An adventurer who slashed a giant beast. A knight who swept the continent. The head of a mercenary group that threatened the empire. It was a being from another dimension who killed those great humans helplessly and futilely.

Liza immediately took a stance and raised her magic power for casting magic.

I took out the hammer I used in the workshop in front of him. There was no chance this would work, but I had to somehow delay time so Liza could cast her magic from behind.

The race flew at high speed and stopped a few meters from us and floated away.

shhhhh-

The hairs all over her body stood up at the sound of a horrifying cry.

Wraith wore a black robe and had long, ugly fingers like a mummy’s arms and spider legs. It was three times the length of a normal person.

There was only darkness and emptiness within the floating hem of the lace, and black smoke spewed out where the feet were supposed to be.

My whole body trembled just by looking at it. I had no way of knowing why such a terrifying being was in such a place.

Liza, who raised her magical power, cast a spell. Immediately, fireballs the size of pumpkins rushed toward Wraith.

However, the fireball went right through the body of the race and stuck into the tree behind it. Kwajik, with a sound, the tree split in two.

“saturday… Did you pass?”

Liza hurriedly chanted the spell again, showing a puzzled expression.

This time, the magic attack passed through Reis’s body.

Reis showed no movement in Liza’s attack. Then he stretched out his ugly fingers towards me.

I stepped back and swung the hammer.

“Damn it, get out of here!”

The race did not respond to my threats. We shrank like cornered mice.

As Reis’s fingers were about to reach mine, I swung the hammer with all my might.

Kwajik, with a dull sound, Race’s hand was hit by the swing and was thrown out. Reis stepped back as if taken aback by the unexpected attack.

“Run away!”

I immediately grabbed Liza’s hand and ran. In order to run as fast as possible, I threw away my luggage and provisions.

Soon after, the wind blew behind us and the forest shook. Lacy’s cries spread out in all directions.

All I could think of was the need to save Liza. Even if it’s at the cost of my life.

Looking back, the race was chasing at a frightening speed.

While Liza was running, she cast an incantation and shot an orb of light behind her back. The sphere of light had no effect on Wraith.

“How did you beat the race?”

“do not know! Now is not the time to think about that!”

Liza gasped for breath.

“No, you need to know. Then do something!”

“I was right because I just hit you!”

“Lace doesn’t work with physical attacks at all, so how did you do it!”

“I don’t know either!”

After running without hesitation, the uphill road came out. Behind us, Wraith was chasing us fast. We ran uphill without a moment to think. When we reached the top of the climb, we had no choice but to stop. In front of it, a cliff greeted us.

I bit my lip. We were driven to a dead end.

The race stopped and checked us and came in front of us spewing black smoke.

The race was making a grotesque, creepy noise.

I took the hammer and took the lead and faced the race. As the race reached back into me, I swung the hammer. This time, Reis also flinched and reacted to the threat as if on guard.

I hit the hand of the race that was close to my body with a hammer.

shhhhh, ssssss

Black smoke billowed from the lower part of Reis’s body. And the black smoke enveloped me and enveloped me. I wielded a hammer to create wind, but it was not enough.

As the smoke enveloped my body, I couldn’t move as if I was being chained.

“I can’t move, damn, damn!”

“Hold on for a little while, I will use my magic… !”

As my body was bound, Reiss reached out her arms toward me. And his long fingers pierced my stomach. He didn’t even give me a chance to resist.

The biggest pain I’ve ever felt in my life spread through my back and intestines.

“Ke-heo-eok!”

Blood gushed out of his throat.

The race lightly lifted my body. I soared limply into the air as if impaled on a skewer.

Reis placed my body on top of her head. My blood spilled over Reis’ pitch-black face. Then he twisted the finger that had pierced me. Blood gushed from my body as if I was squeezing flesh.

I screamed.

Wraith was savoring all of my blood.

Even in this situation, I had no choice but to save Liza. I turned my head. His vision was blurry, so he couldn’t see Liza well. Liza seemed to be screaming something, but I couldn’t hear it.

I shouted with all my might.

run away

But no voice came out, only the opening of the mouth.

The race suddenly stopped moving. Lacy’s gestures were strange. The arm that stabbed me vibrated slightly. Soon after, Reis’s body shook greatly, and then she shrank.

Kiehek-

Blood gushed from Reis’s dark face. Once or twice, blood gushed out like a sneeze, and soon after, I started to vomit all the blood I had eaten so far, as if I had eaten rotten wine.

Something seemed to be bothering the race.

Reis writhed in pain. Soon after, I swung my arms wide and threw my body over the cliff.

My body drew a parabola and plummeted over the cliff.

Time seemed to pass slowly.

Then, silver hair came into my sight

I saw Liza reaching down the cliff. I reached out for her too, but we were too far apart to reach.

I kept Liza’s figure in my eyes until the end.

Chapter 3: Farewell (2)

The place I woke up was neither heaven nor hell nor down the cliff. It was the ward of the Temple of Achates, with warm sunlight pouring through the windows.

There was no one else in the hospital bed, and I was the only one lying here. A nun was watering the potted plants by the window.

I said to the nun.

“How am I… how am I here?”

The nun looked back in amazement. As our eyes met, the nun opened her mouth after a moment of silence.

“Wait a minute.”

After the nun left, Sister Dolores, who had taken care of me since I was little, Priestess Azena, and Sister Yulan, the nun, came in.

As soon as Dolores confirmed that I had regained consciousness, she ran straight over and grabbed my hand and wept.

“You’re awake… I just thought you wouldn’t wake up forever. In the future, don’t do anything reckless again!”

“Sorry ⋯.”

said the nun.

“I’m really glad I woke up. You can’t imagine how worried we were. Goddess Acates has been looking after you.”

After that, the nun’s harsh reprimand continued. I could sense that he was reprimanding me out of affection, rather than out of resentment for simply causing trouble. I bowed my head and accepted their reprimand.

I was an orphan with nothing. It was a very grateful thing for me to take care of and pay attention to me who has no blood and has no stake in me.

After the admonition was over, I heard the full story of what had happened after I lost consciousness.

The priests said they contacted the retainers of the Pascal family after finding out that we were gone. Then some priests followed our trail along with their vassals.

When they found us, I was said to be lying close to a corpse.

“Liza did everything possible to save you.”

Liza forcibly revived my body, which should have been dead, by mobilizing all the herbs and healing magic around her. What surprised even the priests and vassals was that Liza alone did what even high-ranking mages could only do with the combined efforts of several people.

It is said that Reis drank my blood, struggled in pain, and escaped.

Reis said that drinking the blood of prey was her specialty. But no one knew why he had such a reaction after drinking my blood.

“I have nothing to say other than that I received the grace of the goddess.”

Sister Dolores added a word.

“On special days, we make food with holy water, and that might be the reason.”

The only attack that could work against Wraith was holy magic or holy water, so I could only see that the holy power had worked on my blood for some reason.

“Then what about Liza?”

When I asked about Liza, they all hesitated to answer. I could sense subtle air currents. It seemed that there was something reluctant to talk about.

“Liza left for the academy entrance exam.”

“Weren’t you preparing for admission next year?”

Normally, 17-year-olds were the standard for entering the academy, and Liza and I were 15. Even calculating the preparation period for admission, it was too early.

Dolores looked at me with pity.

“A lot happened to Liza while you were lying here.”

Lisa caused a lot of trouble and was no longer allowed to stay in Acates Temple. This was decided by the Pascal family.

“Liza decided to stay at the family estate and enter the academy early.”

It was like a thunderbolt of news to me. It seemed that the Pascal family had decided to completely isolate Liza and me. My heart ached at the unexpected farewell.

After 15 days, I fully recovered and started my daily routine again. It was thanks to the nuns’ sincere care.

I felt like I was going crazy because I wanted to see Liza. But I had to start to stand on my own in the true sense of the word. Liza, who had always been by my side, was no longer there. And with not much time left until my departure, I had to learn how to stand on my own without the care of Acates.

I started working again and gradually started to be recognized in the studio. I was paid formally, though not much. I only slept in the Lorail building and spent most of the day in the studio.

After a few months like that, I got a formal position as an apprentice in charge of chores. After that, I was able to make my own products under my name and deliver them to jewelry stores.

Then one day, a letter came from Liza.

Contrary to expectations, only the current situation was briefly written there.

She heard that I was conscious and told her not to worry about herself.

I passed the academy entrance exam at the top, and there was a senior academy student who helped me with magic lessons, and I got a lot of help from him. It was written that they became very close now and depended on each other.

And the letter ended with the words that he would visit the Acates Temple once during summer vacation.

I was happy to receive Liza’s letter, but after reading it, only a strangely empty feeling remained.

Unlike Liza, who usually treated me, I felt a sense of distance.

I tried to shake off my embarrassment, repeating that I wrote it briefly because I was busy or the house was heavily monitored or controlled.

I immediately wrote a reply and sent it. But winter, and the year passed, I turned 16, and even when the spring flowers were all gone, I couldn’t receive the next letter.

A corner of my chest felt empty.

In order to forget the emptiness, I became more engrossed in training my metalworking skills.

Summer came, and my dexterity increased quite a bit, so the number of people looking for my things increased one by one. I wasn’t rich, but I was able to earn enough income to put my mouth on my own.

One day, Sister Dolores caught me on the way to the studio and said,

“Liza said she would stop by here for a while during her vacation after the first semester.”

When I heard that, my heart skipped a beat. The thought of being able to meet Liza swelled with anticipation.

The next day, I spent all my time crafting a necklace for Liza.

The necklace decoration was modeled after Liza’s favorite Elcanto flower.

I waited for time to pass quickly.

And the long-awaited day when Lisa comes. That day, I didn’t go to the studio and waited for Liza.

A colorfully decorated carriage came from afar towards the temple, and the nuns and priests waiting for Liza welcomed her by waving their hands. I watched them from a distance behind them.

The carriage entered the garden of the temple and the door opened. The one who got off first was a tall-looking man. He was a very handsome man. He was at least one head taller than me, and his clothes were elegant. In every action, the dignity of aristocrats was buried. When some of the nuns saw him, they involuntarily exclaimed in admiration.

Liza took the man’s hand and got off.

Liza had become dazzlingly beautiful. Liza’s gestures and expressions were full of fresh energy. With well-groomed hair and flawless features, in a silvery silk dress, she seemed to be from another dimension.

Liza and the man greeted the people who welcomed them with bright faces. The solemn shrine was as if it were a festival scene.

It was the time of the reunion I had been looking forward to so much, but I hadn’t even thought of talking to it. I came wearing the best condition of the clothes I had, but it was the workshop work clothes that were flimsy at best. My palms and fingernails were covered with black oil stains that wouldn’t come off no matter how much I washed them.

Even while Lisa and the man were busy greeting each other, they did not let go of their clasped hands.

I froze on the spot. It felt like a weight had fallen on my chest. I left without even saying goodbye.

I left the temple and went out into the city streets. I wanted to throw everything off and run away from the world.

I sat by the fountain in the square and fiddled with the necklace I was planning to give to Liza all day long. I never had the courage to face them head on.

After the sun went down, I returned to the temple. No matter how long I had been out, all the lights were off in the temple.

I saw a silhouette standing alone in the temple garden. The silhouette saw me and jumped right in front of me.

The owner of the silhouette was Liza.

“You’re here. where did you go I thought you couldn’t see.”

Seeing Liza gave me an ominous feeling. I averted her gaze.

“… … hi.”

“I’m so glad you look healthy,”

I consciously treated her coldly.

“… … yes. Who were you waiting for?”

“Of course you are. I have a story I really want to tell you. I wonder how you’ve been Let’s walk for a while and talk.”

We came out of the temple and headed for the path we always took for a walk since childhood. There, the moonlight was softly illuminating the road.

We walked this road together like in the past, but I felt a strange sense of distance from Liza. If it was Liza from a year ago, she would have run to me and hugged me as soon as she saw me. Now she doesn’t hold my hand like before or ask me to hug her.

We talked about each other’s current situation.

“Are you doing well in the studio? Do you still work at the workshop?”

“Yeah, now that I’m getting some recognition, I can sell things with my name on it.”

“Good.”

“Liza, what about you?”

“I like it all. I entered the Faculty of Magic at Eternia Academy. I was lucky enough to be the top student this semester.”

“congratulation.”

“… And while I was in school, I met someone I liked.”

“… … .”

My heart sat down heavily.

“I’m sorry for saying something strange all of a sudden. If you were at the temple during the day, I could have met you. It was a pity that I couldn’t introduce you to senior Elliott.”

“… … .”

“I had good feelings with senior Elliott throughout the semester and decided to date a while ago.”

I’ve been feeling it ever since I saw them coming here and not letting go of each other’s hands. I was just denying and avoiding this fact.

“You seem like a nice person.”

“yes. The senior came to visit me as a guest when I was staying at the family’s mansion after leaving the Shincheonji Lorail Hall. We became close when we learned that he was from Eternia. The senior stayed at the mansion and helped me a lot in preparing for the entrance exam.”

“… … .”

“Senior Elliot knows what kind of person my uncle is, and he protected me. He’s the eldest son of the Felton family, so even my uncle can’t mess with him. Even now, I was able to come here because of you.”

Duke Darren Felton, head of the Felton family, was now in the position of leader of the Imperial Knights. Eliot was the heir to a prestigious family that boasted the greatest power in name and reality.

A position I will never reach. People who live in a different world than me.

“I’m sorry for coming so suddenly and saying strange things. Still, I had to say this.”

The reason Liza waited for me until night was to sort things out with me.

“… Can you tell me why?”

“Why… ?”

“Why did you change your mind?”

It’s a lame question, but I really wanted to hear it. If you listen to all the reasons, even if it hurts right now, you will be able to understand it someday. My mother left me without giving a reason and I suffered for a long time because of it.

“… … Should I listen?”

“yes. I have to listen.”

Lisa thought for a long time before opening her mouth.

“Everything has changed since then. It’s my fault that you almost died. You wouldn’t have been hurt if I hadn’t insisted on going to find the star fragment.”

“… … .”

“You tried your best to protect me, but in the end you almost lost your life. Luckily, the race eventually backed out, but under normal circumstances we would all be dead.”

“It was then that I realized the reality. If I only cling to memories and emotions, I won’t be able to move anywhere, and in the end, both of us will have a hard time. I thought about what it would be like if there were seniors in the place where you were. If you were my senior, you would have defeated the race and stayed with me until the end, eventually finding the star fragment. A senior is someone who is strong and reliable enough to do that.”

“… … .”

“Above all, you can’t stay by my side anymore, but you can.”

“… … .”

“Sorry.”

When I heard it, it seemed so natural.

I was a fool. In a corner of my heart, I expected Liza to be able to keep our love firm no matter what adversity. It was impossible to maintain a liking while ignoring all differences in social status, physical distance, wealth and talent.

Anyone in Liza’s position would have made the same choice.

The only thing I had more than that man was the memory of Liza. Liza’s life was blooming brilliantly, and the days ahead were long. In the future, in better conditions, in a better environment, meeting better people, and having better experiences, the memories and attachments of childhood will be overwritten with other memories.

And that was good for Liza.

It hurt so much, but now I can accept it enough.

My part in Liza’s life is over.

Chapter 4: Abduction

“I will leave tomorrow morning. I’m not sure when I’ll come back again after that. Maybe we’ll see in a few years. In a few years you won’t be here either… … .”

“yes.”

“Can you come over to say goodbye at dawn?”

“… … no.”

We couldn’t communicate like before, but we were also childhood friends who had been together for a long time. But I couldn’t say goodbye prepared. I didn’t want to drag myself in front of the ugly last road.

Lisa bowed her head. The moonlight was obscured by clouds, and it became dark for a moment. I couldn’t tell what kind of expression Liza was making.

“… … yes. I’ll go in first. Then, goodbye here.”

“yes… . Goodbye, Lisa.”

“you also. You must be healthy. I hope to see you again someday.”

“yes. Stay healthy too.”

Liza returned to the temple first. She will understand. I needed time alone to sort out my feelings.

I stayed alone and finished walking the promenade I used to walk with Liza when I was a child. Then we stopped at the edge of a pond illuminated by the moonlight. And he sat down on the rock where he stayed with Liza when he was young.

I looked around. There was no place where the memories of Liza were not buried.

I sat there and cried for a couple of hours.

The time I was allowed with Liza was up to this point. In front of it, I was blocked by a huge wall that I could not do anything about.

The reason Liza and I were able to become so close is because we grew up together in a special space called an orphanage where differences in abilities and social status could be ignored. It wasn’t because I was special or because Liza and I were linked by fate. It’s just luck, and that luck is over now.

I took out the necklace I had made for Liza from my pocket. He remembered that there was already a necklace with a valuable jewel on Liza’s neck. This meant nothing now.

I closed my eyes and dropped the necklace into the pond.

my love ended like that

***

After breaking up with Liza, I focused on learning the job. That was the only thing I could do in frustration.

One day, a jeweler who runs a large store showed interest in the accessories I made.

“I don’t think the crafting technique is far behind other artisans. Could you make something every week and bring it to our store?”

As my skills were recognized and I signed a contract and sold a few pieces, the number of people looking for my products gradually increased. Before I knew it, I earned enough income to live alone, and in the summer of 16, I left the Lorail Building and became independent.

There were also unexpected encounters after independence.

It was when I stopped by the jewelry store to deliver the goods. In the store, a married couple, a male aristocrat with a belly and a lady with arms crossed with him, were looking at the goods.

When I saw the couple, I was hardened to stone. The woman with arms crossed with the pear-shaped aristocrat was my mother. It was the first time I had seen it in 8 years, but I recognized it at once. It was just as I remembered it. But my mother didn’t seem to know who I was.

Mother called someone’s name outside the store. Then two children who looked to be about five or six years old ran into the store. The couple hugged each child and looked at the jewelry.

My mother was starting a new family and living.

I stared blankly at it and then left the place.

For a while, I was stuck in a place where there were no people, and I got my emotions under control. It was accepted a long time ago and it’s all in the past. He said he had no relationship now.

What can I do? This was the life I was given.

If eight years had passed and he ran into Liza, would he be able to accept it calmly? This question remained like an afterimage and disturbed my mind.

On days when I had free time, I occasionally went to the Temple of Achates. Other orphans my age also left the temple to find their own way to live. I sat in the empty chapel and thought about the life and destiny that had been given to me.

Everyone in the world dreams of a wonderful and brilliant life, but not everyone can be like that. Not everyone could become a king, not everyone could become a knight commander, a great wizard, or a hero.

Some have to be nuns, some have to be prostitutes. Someone has to pull the wagon and tend the garden. Someone has to work the metal. In order for the world to run smoothly, someone has to become a tiny cog and engage the world even if it is crushed under pressure.

Goddess Acates saved me twice. Once, he took me before I died of starvation after losing my mother, and twice, he saved me, who had my stomach pierced in a race. Where is the goddess willing to go through such trouble to use me?

I couldn’t easily affirm my future.

Perhaps it was Liza who was chosen by God, and I was just a consumable to decorate Liza’s childhood.

After independence, I rented a place a little away from the studio and lived there. The floor creaked so much that it hurt my ears, the windows didn’t open well, and it was an old house with rats crawling on the ceiling every night.

When I lay in bed, I had a lot of thoughts, so I couldn’t fall asleep easily.

When I couldn’t sleep, thoughts of Liza popped into my head. What kind of classes did Liza take and who did she meet? How are they adapting to Eternia Academy, which is a gathering place of geniuses from all over the country?

After that, I made up my mind and tried to erase Liza from my mind.

My metalworking skills are improving day by day. The craftsman who taught me saw my work and smiled dejectedly, urging me to do it in moderation now.

Even so, he did not stop and stayed alone in the workshop at night to learn handicraft techniques.

***

It was midsummer, so it was quite hot even after the sun went down. I was still alone in the workshop, working. I checked the calendar. A year had passed since the day Lisa and I went to find the star fragment. I looked back on that moment and fell in sentiment.

A bright light suddenly poured through the darkened window. It was strange. I stuck my face out the window and looked around. The world was bright as if the sun had risen again.

Did I not even know the morning was coming because I was so preoccupied with my work?

No, it can’t be. Time was too short for that. The clock in the studio was just past 12.

I didn’t even know if there was a fire. I hurriedly packed my things and left the studio.

Standing on a city street, I looked around. There were no red flames or dark smoke anywhere. Only then did I raise my head, realizing that an intense light from the sky was illuminating the ground.

A huge meteor was flying across the sky. The meteor emitted a dazzling and brilliant light with a long tail.

Her mouth dropped open in admiration at that intense and beautiful figure.

The meteor rushed into the northwestern sky and soon disappeared.

The memory of going to find a piece of the star with Liza passed by like a kaleidoscope. At the same time, as if the gravity of the earth pulled the pieces of that star, an indescribably strong gravitation pulled me to the place where the star flew away.

As if possessed by something, I visited the prostitutes who guarded the streets at night, the drunkards in taverns, and the city guards, asking them.

“Did you just see a meteor pass by?”

They all treated me like a freak. I was the only one who saw a meteor in this city.

I wasn’t sure if this was a revelation from heaven or if I had gone mad and had seen something wrong. However, once I saw it like this, I couldn’t go back to my normal life.

I ran to the house as if being chased and packed my clothes. I came out with the money I had saved up and a dagger I had prepared in case a thief came in.

Before dawn, I left the city and set out on a journey to find the Star Fragment again. A meaningless death might be waiting at the end of this reckless journey, but I didn’t hesitate at all.

***

Silverine soaked in the bathtub, flicked the foam with her fingers, and wrinkled her brow. She turned and looked at the window. For through the wide-open window she heard the sound of horseshoes heading toward her mansion.

Silverin, who was having a good time after a long time, shook her head.

Soon after, she got out of the bathtub, dried her hair roughly with a towel, and put on a gown.

When she left the bathroom, the maid was waiting for her.

“A messenger from the society came and delivered some letters and left.”

“Why are you sending messengers without using stitches?”

Stitch was a magical tool with wings attached to a small, round metal sphere. For wizards, it was widely used as a substitute for a pretext.

“The messenger said, the dean did not use the magic tool because it was an important matter.”

“Uselessly careful… What are the old friends?”

She glanced at the letters on the silver tray and motioned for the maid to leave. After the maid greeted her lightly and left, Silverin picked up the letter and came out to the terrace. Then I sat cross-legged in an armchair and studied the correspondence.

A total of five letters were sent to her. The three contained trivial regards and requests. She threw all three pages on the table without even reading them.

The remaining two were letters from the dean of the academy’s magic department and a student who had graduated from the academy.

Silverin broke the seal on the letter from the dean first.

It was written to prepare to return to the academy next semester in order to complete the entrance exam and academic schedule.

There was also a subdued expression of pressure for not using the ‘recommendation letter’ system, which is the tradition of Eternia Academy professors.

Eternia’s professors had other duties besides teaching and research, and that was to discover hidden talents in the world.

This was a duty based on the academy’s founding philosophy of Bern Arnst, the founder of Eternia.

Bern Arnst faced countless times that unsalted geniuses grew up in a terrible environment and became evil and were destroyed, and he founded Eternia to prevent this.

Today, after hundreds of years, the meaning has faded somewhat, but Eternia’s founding ideology of Article 1, Paragraph 1 is still firmly ‘Lead the talents of the world to the bright.’

It was the ‘letter of recommendation’ system that granted special admission to exceptional talents in accordance with Article 1, Paragraph 1 of the Founding Philosophy.

Even after becoming a full professor, Silverin had never discovered talent and brought it to the academy.

Silverin also benefited from this ‘letter of recommendation’ system and entered Eternia. However, because of the cases in which some professors misused recommendation letters as a tool for ‘solicitation’ of nobles for their own comfort and benefit, they had antipathy against this system.

“What can I do when there is no one who has sex?”

Silverin threw the dean’s letter on the table and listened to the student’s letter. After graduation, the student who sent the letter was working as a researcher at the Magic Society under the guidance of Silverin.

It was somewhat strange that it was sealed with magic that could not be broken unless it was the recipient. Magic seals are only used for confidential information.

She broke the seal and checked the contents.

It contained information that a large-scale magical explosion was detected in the Roin Basin, known as an unexplored area near the Palangka Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent.

The Roin Basin was a dangerous zone closely watched by the Society. It is a place called the ‘Land of the Dead’, infested with the so-called undead and monsters.

After reading through and checking the last sentence, Silverin closed her eyes and supported her tilting head with the tips of her fingers.

‘Judging by the location of the occurrence, it is likely to be a sign of large-scale black magic.’

I felt like I was going to get a headache.

Because these three letters of ‘black magic’ meant that all the rest of the vacation was blown away.

Chapter 5: Abduction (2)

It was still early for the sun to set, and there was no problem with the wagon road across the meadow.

But the coachman stopped the carriage.

“Beyond this leads to unexplored lands. I’ve heard quite a bit about the news of the coachmen who tried to cross this road and were killed. I’ll just do it this far Even if you give me more money, I can’t go. No matter how old or insignificant I am, I know that life is precious.”

I packed my things and got off the wagon.

“This is enough. Take a look.”

“Are you going to keep going?”

I nodded.

“I don’t know what the pitiful story is at such a young age, but I wish you Goddess Acates to take care of you.”

“thank you.”

“There are many ghouls in the unexplored lands ahead, so hide yourself at night. Just because you see a blue light at night, don’t blindly follow it. Luminous ghouls emit light from their backs to attract people. All I can say is this.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

I lightly bowed my head to the coachman and walked along the carriage road.

As we progressed, the wagon became rougher and weeds grew, making it difficult to set foot on.

I was entering the savage land in earnest.

Occasionally in the vicinity of the carriages we encountered shattered wagon wheels and the rotting carcasses of horses. Rotten flesh hung here and there from the wooden planks and wheels, as if there had been an explosion.

I covered my nose because of the flying flies and the stench.

I left the carriage road, half part of nature, and turned toward a wooded area. Before the sun went down, we had to find a place to hide.

I moved along the boundary between the forest and the meadow. In the meantime, I found an old tree with exposed roots. Digging a root gap just below the trunk of the tree revealed a space large enough for one person to enter. It seemed like enough to hide.

I had a simple dinner in the neighborhood. Then it erased the traces of the meal and went under the root. Then they blocked the entrance with dirt and spent the night.

Early in the morning, I heard the dull, noisy footsteps of a four-legged beast. It seemed that they were walking around in groups of about a dozen, not just one. I could feel it better because I was under the ground.

The cries of the four-legged animal were not those of any wild animal in my memory. It was the most hideous, ghastly cry I had ever heard in my life.

When dawn broke, I scooped up the dirt and came out to the ground. And, as usual, we ate breakfast of dry bread and beef jerky.

I myself wondered where the courage to step into the unexplored land of ghouls and corpses in a city of two-legged people and warm stew came from.

Maybe he lost his cowardly head because he had already pierced his belly skin.

I moved again toward the northwest unexplored land where the stars had blown away.

***

“In a way, ghouls are also mysterious beings.”

The children looked shocked at the words of the priest standing in the church. Even the children knew what a ghoul was. ‘Are you mysterious? The ghoul?’ It is a look that For children, mystery was a word used in the world of dreams and innocence.

“A ghoul was originally a human. Even a person who lived an extremely ordinary life becomes a completely different entity when he dies and transforms into a ghoul. I have the same body, but there are thorns on my back, and my strength is four or five times stronger than the one I used in my life. Thick new canines grow from the gums. All of his human instincts and memories disappear, and he becomes a monster with a strong appetite for living creatures.”

A child raised a hand.

The priest motioned for him to speak, and the boy hurriedly asked a question.

“Why is that?”

“Um… In a way, you can say that ghouls are relatively common monsters, but I still don’t know why. Some scholars disagree about whether death is a process of evolution or a curse that takes away rest.”

A child who heard that shouted.

“I don’t want to become a ghoul.”

Then the priest laughed and said.

“Then you just have to burn to death.”

I took a deep breath.

“Huh!”

It’s a dream.

It is a dream that leaves an unpleasant aftertaste. The memory of taking classes at Lorail Hall as a child came to me in a dream. However, I did not remember the terrible sound of burning to death.

Nearly four days had passed since we camped in unexplored land. Perhaps because of the heinous atmosphere, the number of strange dreams increased. I took several deep breaths to calm my pounding heart.

I carefully removed the leaves covering my upper body with my hands.

It was just dawning. Just in case, I held my breath and listened to see if there was a sign around.

After about 5 minutes, I confirmed that there was no sign of anything, so I cleared the leaves and got up. I cleaned up and packed my things.

There were many traces of ghouls around the site where I slept. I swallowed my saliva. If the ghouls passed by, even talking in their sleep, I would have been dead.

I thought I should pay more attention to my sleep.

I started moving again.

After crossing the forest area, a vast wilderness unfolded. It wasn’t good. I had to cross this place, but it was so vast that it was difficult to hide when camping. I couldn’t even see a good place to draw water.

There is no other way. I just have to speed up a little more.

I just kept walking until noon.

I checked the water tank. I had about half the water left, but I didn’t know how far I would have to walk.

As the sun warmed the ground and created a haze, I rested for a while in the shade beside a rock.

After noon and a couple of hours passed, the clouds gradually began to form. When it rained, there was nowhere to hide. I retook my steps.

The sun was blocked by the clouds, and it got darker and darker, and the rain fell drop by drop.

It seemed like something was moving at a distance. I rubbed my eyes and looked there.

It was a ghoul. As the sunlight faded, the ghouls began crawling out of their burrows. I thought ghouls were only active at night, but that was purely my mistake. The ghoul crawled out little by little as there was no sunlight.

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Judging by the movement of the clouds, it wasn’t just a shower.

I ran all of a sudden. He intended to disappear from the ghoul’s sight by crossing the small hill in front of him.

However, the ghoul’s cry could be heard from the other direction. It seemed that the ghoul’s tunnel was not one. Moreover, this time it was quite close.

The ghoul roared loudly again. Then he started chasing me.

I ran to the crest of the hill. Shortly thereafter, a small cabin appeared below. There was no other place to escape. I ran towards the cabin at full speed.

Dozens of ghouls were running behind me at breakneck speed.

I went inside the cabin and hung the doorknob. The ghouls that followed me started headbutting the door. I looked inside the cabin. It was used as a warehouse.

However, the items stored were a bit strange. Oiled torches, coal, gunpowder, and barrels of oil were lined up.

The ghoul’s hand broke through the door. The ghouls who coveted my body were tearing open the door with terrifying momentum.

“Damn, damn.”

It was then. A scene from a dream passed through my mind.

‘Then I just need to burn to death.’

I immediately took out the flint. Then he picked up a torch and lit it.

All the doors were ripped open and ghouls burst into the cabin.

I raised a flaming torch and threatened the ghoul.

It worked. Seeing the fire, the ghouls screamed and retreated.

I stepped out the door brandishing a torch.

Damn.

Dozens of ghouls surrounded the cabin in an instant. The ghouls were salivating at me from a distance of three or four steps.

One or two drops of rain fell in torrents.

“No no!”

The torch didn’t go out right away, but it was gradually losing power. I hurriedly picked up another torch and lit it. It was even worse. Rainwater had penetrated the roof and was slowly soaking the torches and coals.

I could never get through the night in this state.

The ghouls swung their hands to strike my torch, or stomped in place to pounce on me, watching my liver.

I lifted a bunch of torches with one arm, tucked them under my side, and covered them with a cloak from the rain. And ran out of the cabin. The ghouls were already destroying the back of the hut where the light of the torches could not reach.

“Damn it.”

No breakthrough was seen.

It was then.

Booung

A dull shockwave echoed over the hills to the northwest. Soon after, a pillar of pure white light soared into the sky from where the sound was heard. The ghouls who saw this were shaken.

I didn’t know what that light was, but I had no other choice. I sprinted toward the pillar of light.

The ghouls didn’t attack me because of their torches, but they followed me and kept the siege. The ghoul’s running speed was so fast that it couldn’t be compared to mine, so it was impossible to escape.

I climbed up the ridge of the hill and looked across to the epicenter of the light.

“What is that?”

Beyond that was a huge crater. And in the center was a huge meteorite half buried.

“⋯!”

And in that stone, there was a sword that glowed when a bird struck. A column of intense light surrounding the sword stretched into the sky.

“⋯Do you have a sword?”

I ran with all my might into the center of the crater.

The ghouls couldn’t chase me as close as before. It seemed to be wary of the light emanating from the center of the sword.

Before I knew it, dozens of ghouls had swelled to hundreds taking advantage of the commotion. The ghouls were somewhat cautious in their movements inside the crater. Like a predator aiming for its prey, lowering its body and making a sound, the ghouls slowly tightened their grip around me with slow steps.

Ghouls filled the inside of the crater from all directions.

My heart felt like it would explode.

I reached the center of the crater. As I moved closer to the sword, the pillar of light oscillated even more.

I narrowed the distance to the point where I could touch it with just my sword and hand.

I have no other way.

I gulped and put my hand inside the pillar of light. Then he grabbed the handle of the sword and pulled it up.

There was no heaviness peculiar to metal. Its shape was similar to that of a thin long longsword. However, there was no sense of weight. It was long enough to be held with two hands, but there was no difficulty in holding it with one hand.

I picked up my sword and looked. I couldn’t believe it. From the blade to the handle of this sword, everything was made of light.

As I held the sword in my hand, the pillar of light that reached the sky gradually faded.

Several ghouls surrounding me roared loudly. Soon after, the ghouls, like wolves, continued to roar simultaneously.

As the pillar of light disappeared, the ghouls gradually narrowed the siege. There was no time to indulge in the mysterious figure of the sword. I gritted my teeth and took a guarded posture. The confrontation with the ghouls continued for a while.

Soon after, the one who was drooling in front threw himself and tried to attack me.

I reflexively swung the knife at the ghoul’s body.

Smack!

With the sound of flesh splitting, the ghoul’s upper body was neatly cut in two vertically and plummeted to the floor.

“What is this?”

I didn’t feel any resistance when I cut the ghoul. It was as if he had just swung it into the air, but the ghoul’s hard bones and flesh were split in two. It was an astonishing cutting power.

Another jumped at me. I swung my sword in a large semicircle.

Booung!

A shockwave of white light flew along the trajectory of my swing. The shock wave wiped out not only the ghouls that attacked me, but all ghouls in its path.

“What, how did you do it?”

The sound of a ghoul kicking the ground came from the back of his head.

I immediately turned around and swung the knife in the other direction.

Again, the shockwave wiped out everything in its path.

It was jaw-dropping power. However, when the shock wave was released, my body’s energy was drained in an instant.

The frequency of the ghouls throwing themselves at me increased. Perhaps because I was wary of the light, I mainly aimed at my back, where I couldn’t see the sword very well.

“Damn it.”

I swung the sword with only my reflexes, but there was no option to block that many ghouls.

There was also another problem.

As time passed while holding the sword, vision became blurry and dizziness arose.

This sword was eating my sanity. As I gradually got used to the sword, I was convinced.

After another slash at the ghoul that was attacking me with its mouth open, I staggered greatly.

“… Damn it.”

Taking advantage of the opportunity, three ghouls threw themselves at me at the same time. I stepped backwards, dodged one, and cut off the heads of two ghouls at the same time.

Then, he stanced again and thrust his sword into the back of the remaining one.

Rotten blood gushed from the ghoul’s back.

Even a little movement consumes a lot of energy. I felt dizzy as if all the blood had drained from my head. My mental energy was so exhausted that I felt like I was going to vomit. I shook my head wildly to clear my mind.

The light emitted from the sword was gradually fading. It seemed to respond to my mental powers. Less than five minutes after holding the sword, I was on the verge of passing out.

“Let’s hold on a little longer. a little bit… .”

Taking advantage of the moment I lost my senses, a ghoul jumped out and slashed my side with its claws.

A terrible pain came over me, as if the flesh of my side had been ripped at random.

I gritted my teeth and thrust my sword into the muzzle of the ghoul that attacked me.

He grabbed his side with his left hand. Blood leaked out.

In the aftermath of the bleeding, I felt like I was about to pass out.

It was then.

Quaang!

An explosion echoed from the corner of the crater. Startled, I reflexively crouched down. My ears were deafened by the aftermath of the explosion.

All the ghouls’ attention was focused on the explosion.

I turned in the direction of the explosion.

Where the explosion occurred, red flames the size of a house and black smoke soared. Around it, ghouls were shattered in the aftermath of the explosion.

And in the flames, the silhouette of a person swayed.

Am I looking at nothing?

I closed my eyes and opened them. It wasn’t in vain. As the flames gradually subsided, the silhouette became clearer. In the smoke, In-young slowly walked forward.

A gust of wind blew the smoke away, revealing the woman’s figure.

A large cone hat and dark red hair that came down to his waist. It was a tall woman wearing a black dress that left one thigh exposed.

A small ball of fire floated above the woman’s hand.

The woman tossed the sphere aside like a swallow.

A strong wind rose from the place where the sphere landed, and in an instant, a whirlpool of red flame erupted.

She walked out slowly and waved her hand.

Then, a huge whirlpool of flames swept across the crater and swept away the ghouls with a roar.

The ghoul colony, which had been crowded like a swarm of ants, quickly turned into mayhem.

It was an overwhelming sight, as if a natural disaster had occurred, the first time in my life. I couldn’t believe that this transcendent power came from just one person.

I don’t know what it is, but I lived for now.

My legs gave out and I sat down on the floor. The sword in my hand was gradually losing its light and fading. I couldn’t stay conscious any longer.

I lost consciousness and hit my head on the dirt floor.

Chapter 6: Abduction (3)

I vibrated from all directions. It rained and the flames were extinguished to some extent. Silverin frowned when she saw the ghoul’s severed arm still wriggling on the floor.

Silverin looked around and organized the situation in her head.

The remaining ghouls fled, and it seemed that they would not come for a while. It was fortunate that it was not related to black magic.

Silverin approached the boy who was lying on the floor.

She grabbed the boy by the collar and dragged him to one side. Then he sat with his back against a large meteorite.

The unconscious boy’s neck was bent helplessly downward. She pushed the boy’s chin up with her fingertips and examined his face.

young.

Crunchy hair. The fine skin, as if it had just passed puberty. His features, which have not yet been completed, show the shape of a handsome man. She checked the boy’s forearms and palms. His right arm was moderately muscled, and his palm had calluses.

Did you learn the sword?

At such a young age, the boy wielded a strange sword in the land of the dead, fighting ghouls to the death.

What brought the boy to the land of the dead that no one explores. How did you come to know here?

What kind of sword was he wielding?

Silverin looked at the half-buried meteorite supporting the boy’s back.

It had a deep hole in its center, as if something had been inserted into it.

Seeing this, Silverin’s eyes widened.

Even though Sylverine had gone through a lot before and after childbirth, this situation was extremely confusing even for her.

Silverin retrieved from her memory the legend engraved on the scrolls stored in the Great Library of Enmion, the archive of records for the elves.

who received the revelation. A sword of light embedded in a meteorite. A man loved by God.

And a boy who seemed to have jumped out of that legend was sitting in front of her.

How am I supposed to accept this?

There was something to check first before making any conclusions.

As she removed her hand from her chin, the boy’s head tumbled back down.

Silverin got up from her seat and took a step back from the boy. Then he took out a canteen and lightly splashed it on the boy.

When there was no response, she poured all the water from the canteen onto the boy’s head. Then, after shaking off every drop, he threw the canteen on the boy’s head.

Silverin said with a dull sound.

“wake up.”

Then the boy shook his head.

“Uh, huh?”

The boy, who came to his senses, brushed his hair and raised his head. He looked at Sylverine with his eyes wide open and his mouth open, as if he was still awake.

Silverine put her hand on her waist and looked at the boy.

“What are you?”

“⋯?”

“How did you know this place?”

The boy closed his eyes and opened them. It seemed he couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality.

He rolled his eyes and opened his mouth hesitantly.

“I saw the stars fall.”

As Silverin glared at the boy without moving, he added a word.

“I have followed that… .”

“You want me to believe that?”

The boy nodded as if it were natural.

It was impossible to accurately locate this place simply by looking at the trail of stars.

“Do you know how to use magic or detect magic?”

“Not at all.”

Silverin was speechless for a moment at the boy’s confidence.

She had previously met tribes who claimed to have received divine revelations. The so-called saints and apostles. They did something reckless without really thinking about it, and they were full of self-confidence that had no basis.

And in this boy, the appearances of the ‘Revelators’ were faintly overlapped.

“Yeah, anyway. Where do you belong?”

“Before I came here, I trained in metalwork in a workshop in Haman.”

“I am not asking that. Where did you learn the sword?”

“I have never learned a sword.”

That’s an odd answer.

I thought I had at least learned swordsmanship, procrastinating on crawling to the ground after death, but metalwork.

“What about the family?”

“…”

The boy’s eyes, which had remained calm the whole time, shook for a moment.

Silverin didn’t miss his subtle reaction.

“Do you have no family?”

The boy nodded wordlessly.

The word family seemed to stimulate his emotional vulnerability.

The messy puzzles in Silverin’s head were put together bit by bit.

If you had someone you love, and someone who truly cares for you and guides you in the direction of your life, you wouldn’t have done the crazy thing of chasing the pieces of the stars to this land of death.

The boy’s recklessness was understandable now.

“How old are you?”

“I am sixteen years old.”

“Well… … . nice.”

The boy tilted his head at Silverin’s ambiguity.

“Can you show me the sword you used?”

“… .”

“Don’t worry, I have no intention of taking it away. No, I don’t know if it’s possible to steal it in the first place.”

“After pulling it out of a meteorite and swinging it, the sword disappeared…”

“Call me.”

“I don’t know.”

“Since you held it and swung it, it was your sword. If I hadn’t seen you as the owner in the first place, it would have been impossible to even hold it in my hands.”

“… … .”

Hearing her words, the boy thought for a moment.

Soon after, the boy raised his hands to shoulder height and closed his eyes. After a while, a sword of pure white light appeared on the boy’s palm.

‘Did he listen to my advice and get his senses right away?’

The more powerful the sword is, the more important it is to handle the sword than the owner’s physical strength.

The corners of Silverin’s mouth went up slightly.

“It’s quick to learn.”

When she put her hand on the sword body, it passed through the sword body without feeling anything. Silverine couldn’t even touch the sword.

“Hmm… .”

He didn’t show it, but it was a fresh shock to Sylveryn. During that time, he had encountered numerous sword masters, and had accompanied someone who had reached the so-called level of swordsman. Among the famous swords they handled that would go down in history, they had never seen a sword of this type before. only heard in legends.

The owner of this absurd sword is a 16-year-old boy.

What’s more, the boy seemed oblivious to the amount of nonsense he had gotten his hands on.

The problem was that there must be a lot of scoundrels from all over the continent aiming for such a famous sword, but this boy seemed to lack the strength to defend himself.

The boy was placed in too good a position to be killed by a dog. For Eternia founder Bern Arnst, this is something to lament.

“I’ve seen enough. You can put it in now.”

As soon as the words were finished, the sword disappeared.

“So the affiliation… Didn’t you?”

The boy nodded with a puzzled expression.

“name is?”

“This is Damian.”

“Where to return?”

“I’m going back to Haman, where the workshop I used to work at is located.”

Silverin evaded the boy’s gaze and responded casually.

“Haman… . Yes, it is a quiet and peaceful place.”

“……?”

A lot of thoughts ran through her head in the blink of an eye. Silverin chewed her lips carefully due to internal conflict.

‘You’re just sending this back home?’

“Your injuries look serious.”

Silverin took out a potion bottle containing a purple liquid from a small leather bag hanging from her waist. Then she held out the potion bottle as if she were giving it to the boy, and after thinking for a while, put it back in her bag.

“What can you give me if I save your life?”

“All I have is a small amount of money I saved while working with that sword.”

“All that remains is the body.”

At the word body, Damian’s body stiffened for a moment.

“… … .”

“Do you like hanging out with people?”

“… … Nope.”

“You’d better get used to it.”

Damian chewed on Sylverine’s meaningful words and opened his dry mouth, perhaps thinking that things were going badly.

He seemed to be mistaken that Silverin expected a high value from him. Things that would be useful if you erased debts, such as status or a strong support.

The opposite was true.

The boy had connections and affiliations, so the fewer things he had to do with things like this, the better for Silverin.

Silverin took a piece of parchment out of his pocket. Opening it wide, he uttered an incantation. Soon after, the parchment was slightly scorched and a letter was engraved.

She handed this parchment to Damian. The contents were written in ancient characters and the boy could not decipher them.

“Sign it.”

Damian accepted the parchment and fell into anguish for a moment.

‘Yes, all the arrogant thoughts in my head will pass.’

Silverin was well aware that Damian had no other choice.

If Silverin had abandoned Damian here, he would have died without a doubt.

As Damian dragged the parchment for a long time, Silverin sighed and said,

“don’t worry. If I had a bad heart, I would have turned you into a puppet without these scraps of paper.”

Strictly speaking, this was not a bill. Rather, it was more like a contract to protect and raise the boy.

“I don’t have ink, so what… .”

Silverin looked at Damian’s bleeding side.

“ah.”

He pressed his index finger firmly against his blood-soaked collar and immediately wrote his name on the bottom of the parchment.

Silverin took the parchment back, and she too bit off the flesh of her index finger. Then he signed it with his own blood.

Silverin whistled. Then an orb flew from the sky in front of her, flapping its wings like a bee.

She slipped the parchment onto the sphere’s feet. Soon after, the sphere flew off somewhere in the blink of an eye.

Only then did Silverin take out the potion from her bag and throw it at Damian.

“Sprinkle on the wound. If you sit there smelling like blood, the ghouls will come again.”

Damian seemed concerned about what was written on the parchment.

“What did I sign?”

“A contract to make a kite.”

“What kite is it?”

“The kite between master and disciple.”

The boy’s eyes widened like rabbits.

He hurriedly poured the potion on his wound and said, as if he was anxious about being taken away.

“Why?”

His demeanor became quite serious.

“It’s not common to see a kid your age who slices up a ghoul like that.”

Damian shook his head.

“That’s not my strength.”

‘Ohh.’

She had seen countless children of Damian’s age. At this age, it was natural to be proud and intoxicated by the power easily obtained through lineage or magic tools.

In a situation like this, it is possible to get drunk with the feeling that he was chosen, but Damian firmly drew the line.

Silverin swallowed a satisfied smile.

It’s unique. The boy knew his limits. Still, following the revelation, I came to this land of death, taking all the risks with my bare body. In the first place, it was rare to see a child with such a spirit. It was different from the roots of children who grew up finely in aristocratic families.

Damian did not easily release his psychological wariness towards her.

“But who are you to take me as your disciple?”

Silverin said as she brushed her long, wind-blown hair over one shoulder and let it hang down on her chest.

“Smooth.”

Silverin thought about what plausible modifiers could be used to describe herself in one word.

There were so many modifiers people gave me, but there was nothing I really liked. There were a lot of things that would be embarrassing to say with your own mouth.

In a way, it was natural for Damian to be wary of himself. There is nothing in the world more suspicious than a person who blindly does a favor.

As expected, there was nothing else in Silverin’s mind. The word that can guarantee ability and trust to everyone.

“Have you heard of Eternia Academy?”

At Silverin’s sudden question, Damian stiffened like a stone statue.