Things That Don’t Change (2)

“Are you nervous?”

“Um… do I look like I’m not nervous?”

Even from the side, it was clear that she was tense.

Yona was staring at the entrance door of the Mage’s Tower in front of her, her fair face stiff.

And Alec was quietly looking at her profile.

‘There shouldn’t be a way…’

Alec doesn’t believe Yona’s claim that she was a man.

To be precise, he doesn’t fully believe it, but there’s a slight uneasiness that Yona’s words might be true, that she really was a man and came from another world.

Separately from that, what if there is magic that can change gender?

Not about whether Yona was originally a man or not, but if there’s magic that simply changes a woman’s gender to a man, what then?

Yona would ask for it without thinking too deeply.

That’s what Alec was worried about.

Perhaps because of this, Alec also couldn’t let go of his tension.

The two people standing in front of the entrance to the Mage’s Tower took a deep breath.

One thinking there must be a way,

And the other thinking there must not be a way.

“Well, let’s, let’s go.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Even as he said this, Alec pushed Yona’s back, who wasn’t moving at all, as they entered the Mage’s Tower through the entrance.

And at that familiar reception desk, Alec stood in front of the same human receptionist they had talked to yesterday.

Instead of Yona, who had stiffened up, Alec spoke to the receptionist with an inwardly gentle smile.

“We’ve come to see… Alevian. Could we meet him?”

The receptionist seemed to recognize the two of them as well.

Rather, it would be strange not to remember such unique-looking individuals, making them even more memorable.

“Yes, you’re the ones with the appointment, right? This wa—”

The receptionist’s words were cut off before she could finish saying “This way.”

The blonde elf, Alevian, appeared from somewhere and rushed over to hug Yona tightly, causing the receptionist to stare with wide eyes, unable to finish her sentence.

“Our pretty one, why did you come so late?”

Yona was struggling to push Alevian away after being hugged so suddenly, but either due to the difference in strength or because Alevian was hugging her so tightly, she couldn’t push him away at all.

After struggling uselessly in Alevian’s embrace, Yona finally gave up resisting and stood still.

Alevian buried his face in Yona’s nape, savoring her scent, and only let her go when he was satisfied.

“Alright, alright… Come this way, Yona. Oh, baldy, you came too. You can come along.”

Alevian’s strange eyes sparkled as he smiled brightly at Alec as well.

Alec reluctantly smiled back awkwardly, and Alevian walked towards the interior of the tower, holding Yona’s hand tightly, passing through the lobby.

The receptionist watched their retreating figures with a dazed expression.

“By the way, Alevian, why are you here anyway?”

The question she had forgotten to ask yesterday.

She was going to let it slide, but she was still curious.

She wanted to know why Alevian, who should be in Evian, was in the Mage’s Tower, and what he was up to.

“I’m a mage, after all. I’m occupying a position of sorts in the Mage’s Tower. Besides, with our pretty one not in Evian, there’s no particular reason for me to be there.”

“…Uh, but your disciple is in Evian, isn’t she?”

Freaky.

The goblin mage.

She’s Alevian’s disciple but also works as an adventurer.

“A disciple is a disciple. Our pretty one is our pretty one. Our pretty one is more important, you know? To me.”

“Ugh…”

Yona frowned.

Still, considering how much Freaky follows and likes Alevian, it felt a bit off to hear Alevian thinking like this to her face.

…On second thought, she probably doesn’t like it.

“Baldy, did you take good care of Yona?”

“Ah, well… Just, so-so.”

Alec didn’t know why Alevian was so fond of Yona, but he smiled awkwardly, at a loss for words.

Most people are wary of Alevian, and Alec is one of them.

Alevian, the strangely off-putting elf.

*

“Wh-what is this.”

Yona unconsciously took a step back.

She was so startled that Alec habitually moved to block her front, and Yona instinctively put her hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t be so surprised. This one’s already tamed and gentle.”

Alevian stretched out his hand.

The rather large beast sitting in front of them extended its bird-like head to allow Alevian’s hand to reach it, and Alevian slowly stroked its head.

To Yona, the eagle-like head and upper body, along with the lion’s lower body and wings extending from its back, were quite familiar.

Familiar in the sense that she had seen it in games or novels she enjoyed — the name griffin.

The beast, five or six times larger than Yona, was unexpectedly purring, enjoying Alevian’s touch.

Although Yona knew what it was, seeing it in person for the first time was still frightening.

If that large eagle-like beak were to peck her…

“It’s alright. Now, griffin. Give us a ride.”

As Alevian spoke in a leisurely voice, the griffin made a growling sound and lowered its posture even more.

Looking at it now, there was even a saddle fitted between the wings extending from its back, and the saddle had a backrest to secure the riders.

“It’s faster to ride this to get to my room. You’re my honored guests, I can’t treat you the same as others, can I?”

With Alevian saying that much, there was no choice.

Moreover, with Alevian already mounting the griffin and beckoning them, it was hard to refuse.

“I’ll get on first.”

Given its size, the saddle had six seats installed.

Alevian sat in the very front, and Alec leaped up with a thud and sat in the third seat.

“Yona, here.”

Alec extended his hand to Yona.

Yona looked at his hand for a moment before grasping it and putting her foot on the stirrup.

“Hup.”

As Alec lightly pulled, Yona’s body was lifted up, and she found herself seated between Alevian and Alec.

“Alright, we’re taking off. Hold on tight.”

With Alevian’s words, the griffin’s wings slowly began to flap.

Every time those wings covered in pure white feathers flapped, wind rose, and Yona watched the sight with fascination.

“This is amazing.”

“Yeah, it’s amazing.”

The back, exposed except for the part covered by the saddle, was covered in fur, not feathers.

Touching the brown fur, there was still the characteristic stiffness of short fur, but there was also a softness that could be felt with each touch.

In front was the back of a snow-white eagle’s head.

And looking back, there was a swaying tail like that of a scorpion.

Looking down slightly, there were both lion’s feet and eagle’s talons.

‘This is really amazing…’

“Now, we’re flying.”

With Alevian’s voice, the griffin’s wing beats became more intense, and a strong wind rose.

Then their bodies floated up, but because the eagle head rose first, Yona staggered backward without realizing it.

“Eek, eek?!”

As soon as Yona’s body fell backward, Alec supported her.

He unconsciously ended up wrapping his arms around Yona’s waist, but while Alec’s face turned red, Yona didn’t seem to mind particularly.

“Hey, hold on tight. Baldy, what are you going to do if I fall?”

“Ah, that… okay.”

Being told to hold on tighter, Alec gripped Yona’s waist more firmly.

With one hand holding the handle of his seat and the other wrapped around Yona’s waist, Alec savored the soft sensation of Yona’s waist.

*

The wind brushing through her hair.

The villages faintly visible below.

Although she was scared for a moment when her body first lifted off, Yona quickly adapted to it.

“Wow, this is really amazing?”

“Is, is that so.”

Yona was smiling broadly like a child entering water.

Her hair was fluttering in the wind, tickling Alec’s face, and unaware that Alec was intoxicated by the faint scent drifting from her hair, Yona kept looking down and up, constantly exclaiming in wonder.

“We’re almost there.”

Alevian also turned to look at Yona, smiling.

Yona, laughing like a child, looked so innocent, and Alevian really liked her that way.

The griffin flew for quite a while.

If it had flown in a straight line, they would have arrived quickly, but because Yona was enjoying it so much, they intentionally circled around the tower, resulting in a rather long flight.

The destination was the 13th floor of the tower.

As the griffin landed on a prepared pile of hay, stirring up wind, Alec jumped down first and extended his hand to Yona.

“Be careful coming down.”

“Okay.”

After Yona took Alec’s hand and came down, Alevian also dismounted from the griffin.

“Now let’s go, my pretty one. To the one who can fulfill your long-held wish.”

“Oh, really?”

Yona’s eyes sparkled at those words.

If it’s her long-held wish, there’s only one.

At Alevian’s words about going to fulfill that, Yona’s heart started to race.

“Is it really possible?”

“If I were in charge, I’d give you a definite answer, my pretty one. Unfortunately, I’m not in charge. So I can’t be certain. But there’s no expert in that field like that person.”

“…Is it really possible?”

While Yona’s voice was full of expectation, Alec’s voice was full of disappointment.

He had hoped there would be no way, but Alevian’s words suggesting there might be a way increased his disappointment that much more.

“Maybe.”

Alevian walked ahead with an enigmatic smile.

Yona, full of expectation, and Alec, visibly disappointed.

The two followed, their faces wrapped in contrasting emotions.

“It’s here.”

The place where Alevian stopped was a room with a nameplate that read “Life Transformation, Escara—”

“Life Transformation…?”

“Well, you can think of it as the name of the magic. Explaining what it means would take too long. That’s not what you came here to hear, right?”

That’s true.

Tension gradually began to settle on Yona’s face.

“Escara, we’re coming in.”

Okay.

With a consenting reply, Alevian opened the door without hesitation.

The room that was revealed was not much different from a library, but as soon as the door opened, a fragrance approached — clear and pure like flower scent, tickling the nose.

“It smells completely different from Alevian’s lab.”

“That’s rude, my pretty one. Such words are rude.”

“But it’s true.”

Alevian lightly pinched Yona’s cheek and then entered the room.

The room was quite spacious, with bookshelves stretching to the left and right, each side having five or six shelves.

With that many bookshelves, and in the center of the room — visible as soon as the door opened — was a desk, and in front of that desk was a rectangular table surrounded by black leather sofas, all well-organized, revealing the neat personality of the room’s owner.

“Welcome, Alevian. Is that the child you mentioned?”

Her hair, trimmed in a short cut, sparkled with a purple hue.

Her eyes, also tinged with purple, sparkled like stars, seeming full of intelligence.

Her coy face was full of smiles, looking fresh,

And her height, slightly taller than Yona, showed off her slender figure well.

“Come in. So, your name is—”

“Yona, it’s Yona.”

Every relaxed action of hers assured that she was older than Yona.

Even with the natural informal speech, Yona didn’t feel offended and unconsciously responded politely.

“I see, Yona. Nice to meet you. I’m Escara, specializing in life transformation magic.”

“I, I see.”

Although she didn’t really understand, Yona nodded anyway.

“Come sit here. It’s better to start talking right away, right?”

Escara naturally sat at the head of the sofa.

Alevian sat on Escara’s left, while Yona and Alec sat side by side on her right.

Once seated, Escara snapped her fingers with a click.

Then, from somewhere, a tea table approached.

Without anyone pushing it, the tea table naturally approached, and with a clattering sound, saucers and teacups flew in and were placed in front of each person in turn.

“Wow…”

While Alec kept his mouth shut and stayed still, Yona couldn’t hold back her amazement.

With the continuous amazing sights, Yona couldn’t hide her excited heart.

After the cups were placed, a teapot flew over and poured tea into each cup with a gurgling sound.

A plate with a few pieces of cookies also settled in the middle of the table.

“Then, shall we get to the main point?”

“Yes, yes!”

Yona hadn’t even touched the teacup or the cookies.

As Alec also tensed up at Escara’s words, both Yona and his gazes focused on Escara at the same time.

“You were originally a man, and you were in another world. Then you were suddenly summoned to this world, and in the process, you became a woman. So you want to return to being a man. That’s it, right?”

Yona nodded so vigorously at Escara’s words that it seemed like a buzzing sound could be heard.

It was accurate. Exactly as she said. Yona didn’t even feel the need to provide additional explanation.

“Escara, I told you it completely matches the case you were looking for.”

Only Alevian was leisurely savoring the tea, sipping it.

She looked alternately at Escara and Yona with a strange smile.

“Anyway, it’s not like there’s no precedent. Although it was a very long time ago, there was one person who was a man and became a woman.”

“You mean… the Goddess of Marriage?”

“Yes. You too… right, looking at your clothes, I can tell. You would know. Anyway, it’s not like there’s no precedent, so it’s right to think it’s possible. And a lot of research has been done based on that.”

Escara smiled brightly while looking at Yona.

“If you, as you say, were really originally a man. And if you became a woman’s body for reasons unknown, then… yes. Yes.”

Only the sound of Yona swallowing could be heard.

Escara spoke to Yona with a confident tone.

“It’s possible.”

In theory, but.

However, Escara didn’t say that part.

And hearing those words, Yona’s face bloomed with joy.

In contrast, Alec’s face wilted in despair.