episode_0016

The girl and the frog sat side by side on a rugged hill.

The refreshing mountain breeze gently tousled the girl’s long hair.

Without a moment’s rest, the girl chattered incessantly. The topic was the world outside the well.

Towering buildings reaching towards the sky, the city lights that never went out even at dawn, and the solid walls that stretched endlessly beyond the horizon.

The frog silently listened to the girl’s words. The long conversation finally came to an end. The girl finished her story and turned to the frog.

Her lips, as red and enticing as mountain ash berries, finally parted.

“…Someday, I want to show you too.”

***

“…Young master?”

Somewhere, the voice of a driver calling me could be heard.

My drowsy eyes blinked open suddenly.

Lulled by the swaying vibrations, it felt like I had fallen asleep. I seemed to have dreamt something, but I couldn’t quite remember the details.

The dreamy feeling lingered, leaving my mind still foggy. The driver, seeing me like this, spoke again.

“…Young master? Are you alright? Is there any discomfort…?”

“No, I’m fine. Are we there yet?”

“Yes. Right ahead is the gate of the capital. You have to pass through there to enter. However, external vehicles are not allowed in this direction… I apologize…”

The driver spoke with a slightly embarrassed expression.

There was no need for me to be escorted. I only had a small travel bag with me.

“No, I’ll find my own way from here. Thank you for your trouble.”

“Oh, not at all…”

As I nodded, the driver, looking apologetic, even took off his hat to bid me farewell.

The excessive politeness still made me uncomfortable, as I was not used to it.

“Oh…”

As I stepped out of the car, before me unfolded a tall and sturdy wall that seemed familiar.

The grand spectacle momentarily left me speechless. The capital’s wall continued beyond the horizon, its end unseen. It was far beyond comparison with the old walls of a rural area.

I took in the magnificent view, but for some reason, my mood kept plummeting.

I hastened my steps for no reason. After walking for about ten minutes, the main gate of the capital began to come into view.

There were two entrances. One had a long line, while the other was deserted.

At the crowded entrance, strict and thorough inspections were being conducted. It seemed like the speed at which people were passing through was slow.

After much deliberation, I decided to line up at the crowded entrance. The deserted one didn’t seem like a place prepared for me.

I could feel the glances of people around me turning towards this direction. Perhaps it was because of the mask I was wearing. Now, I had to endure the discomfort.

After standing in line for a few hours, I finally faced the guard conducting the inspection.

“ID… Huh, look at this. Why are you wearing something strange on your face? Who are you?”

The guard who saw me spoke with a rude attitude.

Although I didn’t feel great, it might be a natural reaction as a guardian of the city.

Instead of responding, I chose to simply take out my ID from my pocket and hand it over.

“Name… Yoo Jinhyun… and…”

My name mixed with a suitable character from my mother’s surname, creating a new identity crafted by the disguise.

The guard looked at me and the ID alternately with a suspicious gaze. Now, his other colleagues were also watching us.

After a thorough check, the guard brought his finger to the ID. As he touched it lightly, a purple stamp appeared on the ID in response.

The face of the guard who checked my identification suddenly changed color.

“Oh… not recognizing your status… and not using the mage-exclusive gate…”

The guard’s attitude did a complete 180-degree turn. So there was a separate gate for mages. No wonder there were no passersby.

“…It just happened that way. Is the verification done?”

“Um… excuse me, but what’s that on your face…?”

The guard cautiously asked, glancing at my face.

“It’s for healing. I have some wounds on my face. If you need to verify, then…”

“Oh, no. I can’t be so rude.”

The guard quickly waved his hand.

“I apologize for the inconvenience. Please come in. Welcome to Masada, the last fortress.”

The guard, returning my identification, warmly greeted me. Not even my luggage was inspected, leaving me feeling a bit disappointed.

I nodded politely and passed through the gate. After passing through a dark tunnel for a moment, I soon saw bright light pouring in from the front.

As I emerged from the exit, the reality of the capital that I had only heard of unfolded before me.

Tall buildings stacked layer by layer.

Wide, straight roads extending in all directions.

A clean river running through the city center, lined with planted trees.

Numerous people with flawless bright faces walking around.

I had lived my whole life in a humble village and had only briefly visited a small satellite city.

After that, I traveled through underdeveloped border areas with the chief and my sisters.

The sophisticated scenery of the capital was overwhelmingly shocking to me.

“…Someday, I definitely want to show you this.”

For a moment, it felt like someone’s voice was ringing in my head. I shook my head to dispel the melancholy.

But according to the chief, someone was supposed to meet me at the main gate.

“Hey. If you keep wandering around with that suspicious mask on, won’t the security guards come to arrest you soon?”

I was about to look around when a young woman’s voice suddenly spoke up. I turned my head.

However, behind me, there was only an elderly-looking crow perched with gray feathers. There was no human shadow to be found anywhere.

Thinking I misheard, the crow opened its beak, and the woman’s voice echoed again.

“I saw you correctly. I’m the one who came to meet you.”

“W-what?”

I had seen the chief and my sisters interacting with crows many times, but seeing a talking crow was a first. The strange sight left me feeling slightly dazed.

“I’ve been sitting here for two days waiting for you. Well, Jaehyuk didn’t properly inform me of your arrival time.”

The crow suddenly began to complain. It was quite impressive how it could speak so fluently.

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine. It’s not your fault. Let’s move to another place first.”

After finishing speaking, the crow spread its wings and flew off. I followed it in a daze.

The crow led me to the back of the large buildings on the main road. We passed through a cafe street, walked along a street lined with bars, and went through a few alleyways before finally landing in front of a shabby greenhouse at the end of an alley.

-Caw!

The crow cawed lightly, looking at me. It seemed to be urging me.

-Creak!

After hesitating, I cautiously stood in front of the entrance to the greenhouse. The iron door opened on its own, as if gesturing for me to come in.

I finally stepped inside. The crow that had been watching me all along flew up into the sky.

The inside of the greenhouse was filled with warm air. The faint smell of leaf mold was also subtly present. Various tropical plants of unknown names flourished in every direction.

I continued to walk along the narrow gravel path among the plants. Before long, I could reach a space similar to a lounge with a sofa and a table.

And I could see the back of a woman rummaging through a cupboard in the corner.

“Hey…”

“It’s almost done. Just sit there and wait for a moment.”

I was about to speak when an immediate response came back, as if someone had eyes on the back of their head.

The voice that had been coming from the crow’s mouth was now echoing from the woman’s throat.

Following her words, I sat on the sofa next to the table.

-Clatter

“Huh…?”

After a while, I heard a sound and turned my head. I could see teacups, a teapot, and a teaspoon floating in the air. Steam was rising from the teacup.

The floating items landed right in front of me. The teaspoon jumped into the teacup and stirred it clockwise on its own. The subtle tea fragrance spread further around.

“Is this your first time seeing Yumdong?”

I was mesmerized by the sight. Suddenly, a voice spoke right next to me, and I turned my head.

The woman on the adjacent sofa was staring at me intently. She appeared younger than her age, with a dignified outfit of a shiny skirt and a dark top. A delicate and refreshing scent lingered around her.

But despite her appearance, her eyes seemed to reveal a deep abyss.

“I’ve seen the director try several times. Each time, he ended up breaking the cup and causing a scene…”

“Haha… He’ll never be able to do it even after 50 years. Yumdong’s magic requires delicacy instead of force. It’s not easy for a young magician to achieve. Even more so for a powerful one.”

The woman chuckled, covering her mouth.

“By the way, the crow from earlier…?”

“I borrowed its body for a moment. I can’t wait there myself forever, you know.”

“Borrowed…?”

“Yes. As the bond with the owner deepens, it naturally happens. It’s good to get used to it. You’ll see even more things in the future.”

The woman changed the subject and chatted on for a while. I listened to her gossip about the weather yesterday and a traffic accident today. I was used to listening to someone’s chatter, so fortunately, I didn’t feel any discomfort.

“Oh, excuse me. Sorry about that. Anyway, as I was saying…”

The woman, who had been talking for a while, suddenly seemed to remember something. She cleared her throat, straightened up, and looked at me.

“Ahem. Nice to meet you. My name is Haewolhwa. I am currently the head of Yoram and the one who approved your enrollment recommendation.”