episode_0007

The massive walls of Wihäim are an artifact created by a wizard named Gräimbell, who reached the realm of Great Mage through Armed Sorcery.

While typical Armed Sorcery can only construct armaments like swords, shields, or spears, Gräimbell was a monster who went further, reaching the realm of creating fortresses and siege weapons. He was a grandmaster who not only elevated Armed Sorcery from a third-rate magic to a legitimate one but also created a new magical system specifically for Armed Sorcery.

It’s no wonder Gräimbell is mentioned as one of the great wizards who founded Wihäim. In recognition of him, the Alliance Leader composed those who guard Wihäim’s walls solely of those who had mastered Armed Sorcery, just like Gräimbell.

That tradition continues to this day.

“Is this a valid pass issued officially?”

Hans, one of the wizards guarding the walls, asked, shaking the pass handed over by a merchant. The merchant then nodded with a confident expression.

“Why would you ask something so obvious? It’s a pass officially issued through the Alliance, indeed.”

“Hmm…”

“More importantly, please let me through quickly. We’ve already been waiting for over an hour, haven’t we? It would be better to enter quickly for the sake of the people behind us.”

The merchant pointed a hand at the long line stretching behind him and shouted. But Hans didn’t budge.

He took out a hollow crystal ball, something guards naturally carry, and slipped the pass right in. It was a magic tool created to verify if a pass was genuine. A tool that glows yellow if genuine and red if fake. As soon as the pass the merchant handed over entered the crystal ball, it emitted a red light.

There was no need to look further. Hans clicked his tongue and tore the pass to shreds. At his ruthless action, the merchant leaped up and flushed red.

“Ah, no! No, why would you tear it like that!!!”

“Your pass was not genuine. Therefore, entry is not permitted according to proper procedures.”

“What kind of nonsense is that! How much did I pay for that pass!”

“Unless the pass was issued directly through the Alliance, most are fake. Please address fraud inquiries to the place where you purchased the pass, and now please move aside. As you said, there are many people waiting behind you.”

“Wh-what is this—!”

The merchant’s neck veins bulged as he advanced toward Hans. But he couldn’t take more than one step. A golden longsword had appeared at his waist, where there had been nothing before. The longsword, constructed with Armed Sorcery, emitted ominous magical power just by existing.

“…Shit.”

The merchant cursed under Hans’s chilly gaze and turned his body around. He then got into the carriage he had brought and began moving in the opposite direction of Wihäim. Hans didn’t turn his head toward the next visitor until the merchant’s back was almost out of sight.

“……?”

It was then. Hans’s eyes spotted a small child, wearing a conical hat, walking toward the city walls, having left the line.

Watching the towering walls with curious eyes, and walking while clad in shabby clothes unlike the luxurious hat on their head, was quite peculiar.

“…Haa.”

‘Today seems to be full of tiring things.’

Thinking so, Hans excused himself to the wizard who was next in line after the merchant and shouted toward the approaching child.

“He~y.”

Even though he didn’t raise his voice much, the voice imbued with magic was more than enough for the child. The child turned their head toward Hans at the voice that gently burrowed into their ears. Then, their face, hidden by the hat, was fully visible.

‘Good-looking.’

That was the only thought. Hans, as if bothered, gestured for the child looking at him to go away.

“Kid, if you want to enter Wihäim, get in line. Or hold your mom’s hand tightly.”

“I don’t have a mom?”

A sudden, fatal blow. Hans cleared his throat, feeling the gazes of the wizards looking at him like trash.

“Ahem… then join the line. Just cutting over to the side won’t get you in first.”

“My master told me to go this way?”

“Master…?”

Master, you say. Hans furrowed his brow and glared at the child.

‘Has delusion set in at that age?’

Becoming a wizard’s disciple at a young age? It’s a common thing. But that’s a story that applies only to the children of noble families, not to a commoner wearing such shabby clothes.

To begin with, such people might see a wizard once or twice in their lifetime, if at all. Even nobles find it hard to see wizards often, let alone commoners. But a master? And a master of a wizard who can freely pass through Wihäim without formal entry procedures? It was absurd.

Still, Hans opened his mouth just in case.

“What’s your master’s name?”

“Ena Renatus.”

“…Who?”

“Lady Ena Renatus. She said everyone would know if I said ‘The Beginning’?”

Of course, it was a name he knew. He also knew the epithet “The Beginning.” But Hans couldn’t help but freeze on the spot for a moment.

The first reason was that the name of an unimagined big shot had popped out from the child’s mouth, and upon closer inspection, the second reason was that the hat the child wore was exactly the same as the one Ena usually wore.

Furthermore, when he overlaid his vision with magical power, he could even see lightning bolts jumping from the hat.

There was no room for doubt. There was only one person on the continent who possessed destructive and threatening lightning-natured magic like that.

“I greet the disciple of Lady Ena.”

Hans immediately bowed his head toward Asel.

Disciples of the Alliance’s Great Mages gain high status simply by being so. The first meeting with such individuals was extremely important. After the first meeting, it didn’t matter much, but the first meeting had to be treated in a manner befitting their status. That was the tradition.

So, it was natural for Hans to change his attitude instantly. However, Asel couldn’t help but be flustered by the sight of the burly, unfamiliar man suddenly bowing down to him.

“Uh, um…”

“…”

An awkward confrontation continued like that. Asel scratched his cheek and stared at the top of Hans’s head, which was slowly starting to show thinning hair, while Hans stared down at the ground endlessly, blinking his eyes.

‘When is he going to tell me to raise my head?’

‘When is he going to raise his head?’

Thoughts running parallel crossed the two people’s minds. Asel had never experienced speaking informally to someone much older than him as if it were breathing, and Hans couldn’t imagine that Ena wouldn’t have informed him of Wihäim’s tradition.

The two people’s standoff continued until Ena and Evelyn returned, having miniaturized the carriage.

“…What are you doing?”

Ena blinked her eyes at the bizarre sight unfolding before her and asked. Asel looked at Ena, who was picking up her hat, and shook his head as if he didn’t know either. Ena lightly ruffled her disciple’s hair and shifted her gaze toward Hans.

“Stand up.”

At the quiet words, Hans immediately straightened his upper body. Even as he did so, he didn’t make direct eye contact with Ena. Although there was no need to, Hans showed the utmost respect to a Great Mage, one of the most prominent figures within Wihäim.

He immediately knelt on one knee, bowed his head slightly, and spoke.

“I greet the Great Mage of the Alliance.”

“Yes. Can we go in?”

Ena immediately got to the point. Hans replied as if accustomed to it.

“Of course.”

“Okay. Keep up the good work.”

“Yes! Travel safely!”

Ena waved her hand toward Hans and stepped inside the city walls. Asel and Evelyn followed right behind Ena. Asel passed by Hans, who was bowing his head low, and muttered in a small voice.

“Good luck.”

Evelyn added a word.

“Why is your head empty?”

Hans did not hold back.

*Bonk.*

“Ouch!”

***

“This is a newly released external magic power source! Wizards who want to test it, please line up here!”

“An ancient magic book brought from the demon realm will be auctioned today. If you are interested, please stop by.”

“My, my master made a new reagent! If you drink it, lost hair will grow back—”

“Five gold coins!”

“Six gold coins! Bring it over immediately!”

“Kya, kyaaaah!!”

Noisy sounds came from all directions. Asel walked through the bustling downtown of Wihäim, looking around with interest. He had expected a static atmosphere for a city of wizards, but unexpectedly, the streets were full of vitality.

When he shifted his gaze, he saw giant golems walking around, emitting heavy footsteps like *thump thump*. Their backs were laden with brightly glittering jewels of various colors, all of which were high-grade, having grown by absorbing mana over a long period.

“Those are jewels provided to Gem Sorcerers. The better the quality of the gem, the more mana it contains, the higher the spell efficiency increases.”

Ena, reading his gaze, explained. Asel said, “Ah,” letting out an exclamation of admiration, and nodded.

Gem Sorcerers, you say. Are there wizards who handle magic through gems as a medium?

Asel wondered just how many types of magic currently existed, and continued to walk, following Ena. As he did so, something moved rapidly across the sky. A massive shadow fell upon the ground, and Asel and Evelyn lifted their heads.

*Whoosh!*

Soaring across the vast land was a monster bird covered in flames. The monster bird, overwhelming in size and radiating a large amount of heat into its surroundings as it moved forward, felt profoundly mystical just by looking at it. Asel, mouth agape, stared at the bird circling in the sky.

‘It’s a being made of mana.’

He instinctively recognized the essence of that bird. The magic power he had dimly awakened by watching Zerbil and Ena’s battle had expanded his senses. Thanks to that, he could vaguely sense not only the bird’s essence but also the numerous residual magic energies and the barrier spread throughout Wihäim.

[Hmm?]

Just then, the giant monster bird, sensing Asel’s gaze, slightly lowered its head. Then, Asel and the monster bird’s eyes met. Asel winced at the fiercely burning eyes, but the monster bird observed him up and down regardless, and muttered with a voice mixed with laughter.

[Look, another strange monster has entered.]

That voice rode on the mana and was transmitted to Asel. To be precise, it was transmitted only to him. The message sent by a spirit could not be heard by anyone other than the designated target.

“…”

But Ena sensed the faint residual mana and slightly tilted her head toward the monster bird. The monster bird, meeting her blue gaze, twisted the corner of its mouth crookedly and flapped its wings.

[Looking again, it seems a monster brought a monster? A being brought by a wizard who tears the sky apart with lightning…]

“Parnin.”

Ena quietly uttered. Then, the monster bird called Parnin burst into laughter.

[Alright, alright. I’ll be on my way now. My contractor is already nagging me to hurry. It’s probably another strange experiment this time.]

“…”

[Then, see you next time. Two monsters and one human.]

Parnin left those words and gave a big sweep of its wings. Simultaneously, its form turned into a single flame and vanished instantly beyond the horizon. Asel looked at the red trajectory left in the sky, his eyes sparkling. Ena watched him silently for a moment, then chuckled faintly and turned her gaze away.

‘Let him find it amazing.’

There was no reason to rush over and tell Asel right away that Parnin was actually a high-ranking fire spirit who had escaped because the Spirit World was boring, and its contractor was a crazy arsonist.

Instead, she simply patted Asel, who was standing still, on the shoulder. Asel, finally snapping out of it, started walking again, following Ena.

About 10 minutes passed like that. The bustling downtown had now been replaced by a lush forest spreading around the three people. There was none of the gloomy atmosphere typical of a forest. Only vast mana and vitality floated in the air.

Asel sensed the mana circling around him and lightly waved his hand. As he did so, the mana softly brushed past his fingers. Although he couldn’t feel it in detail, Asel thought the sensation was like a child sulking as if asking to play.

The mana that had brushed past didn’t just move away but began to wrap around Asel again.

Suddenly, Zerbil’s words came to mind. He had said his Mana Affinity and Responsiveness were excellent, right? He didn’t know exactly what that meant, but Asel guessed it might mean that mana behaved in a friendly way like this.

He hadn’t felt it in the slum, but after dimly awakening his magic power and coming to a place rich in mana, he could clearly perceive their presence. He didn’t sense a self, but he could definitely recognize the mana’s purity.

‘Feels good.’

Asel lightly shook his bangs and wore a small smile, feeling the lingering mana energy.

Ena, who already knew his talent, smiled gently at the sight.

On the other hand, Evelyn covered her mouth with her hand, thinking her younger brother might have suddenly gone strange. But Asel paid them no mind and enjoyed the mana wrapping around his body.

As they walked a little further like that, Ena suddenly stopped and spoke.

“We’re here.”

At the calm voice, Asel, who was lost in mana, returned to reality. He raised his head and shifted his gaze towards where Ena was pointing.

“It’s our house.”

Standing there was a mansion intimidating enough to make one shrink just by looking at it. White lightning roughly wrapped around the main gate, and lightning bolts squirmed atop the lightning rod stuck on the mansion’s peak, scattering bolts of lightning throughout the mansion.

*Crackle.*

Small flashes of lightning sparked from where the lightning touched. Along with that, the magic tools roughly strewn about the garden began to squirm as if they had gained life.

A scissor-like object trimmed the sporadically grown living trees, and white lightning poured from a kettle, burning fallen leaves and twigs. In addition, the sound of lightning striking could be heard everywhere.

No matter how you looked at it, it was not a normal mansion. Asel’s mouth fell open at the lightning bolts randomly striking around, and Evelyn’s lips trembled as she quietly muttered.

“…Is this an execution ground?”