《Hidden Forge: Lucem Ac Tenebras》


 Favorite Character Poll

    Hey all! This here is just the character poll since I wanted it to be separate from the main story. Anyway, would love to know what you all think of the characters so far. If anyone feels the need to discuss best (current) girl at this point, I won''t stop you, but I haven''t written all the characterization for all the characters, so... yeah...Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    I may have possibly missed a few characters, but whatever. I''ll be more thorough next time... probably...


    Also, I decided to make it so you have two votes since I always hated just having one when authors put me on the spot to pick my favorite. Aren''t I the best?

 Lucem and Tenebras: Origins (Sneak Peek)

    Underneath a roof made of rubbish a young child wailed, yet his cries were drowned out by heavy, sulfur-colored raindrops pelting the cement. No passersby heard his cries. Even if they heard, they would still ignore the child due to his unkempt appearance.


    ¡°Shhhh. Don''t worry, Tenny.¡± Another boy yelled over the roar of the rain. ¡°We''ll be okay.¡±


    ¡°B- but. It''s loud, Luc.¡± The boy named Tenny replied through his tears.


    Wrapping his arms around his little brother, Luc said, ¡°Don''t worry. I''m here.¡±


    Downpours were a common occurrence in the area. That being said, sleepless nights came as no surprise for the two boys. However, the rain abated before sunrise and the pitter-patter of leftover water droplets lulled the younger of the two to sleep. Luc, on the other hand, gazed at his little brother held in his embrace. If ever there was a gaze to display brotherly love, it was this. No matter what, even if he had to sell his very soul, he would protect and provide for Tenny.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    At the end of the alley, a movement caught Luc''s attention. A chubby man wearing black and white nylon attire stared back with unfeeling eyes. To that man, Luc and Tenny probably looked like no more than dust in the wind.


    Before long, the man went on his way as though the two boys never existed in the first place. Perhaps some children would hold a grudge or spurn the world or some god for treating them unjustly, but not Luc. The only thing in the world that mattered was his brother. The only reason he had done everything in his power to survive was because he could not leave his little brother alone.


    Carefully, he lay his brother down on the single dirty pillow they owned and pulled the similarly filthy blanket over him. Once he was sure his brother would not wake, Luc stood and strode toward the street. From there, he turned left and embarked upon his short journey toward Duke Ferall''s palace.

 Chapter 1: Whats the Matter? Scene One (Rewrite)

    An irritatingly high-pitched ring pierced Ian¡¯s eardrums, waking him from a peaceful dream. Mind still enfolded in a haze of tiredness, he questioned his sanity for choosing such a terrible alarm. He groaned and rolled over to grab the phone from the charging station on his nightstand. After what seemed like seven thousand attempts at hitting the snooze button, he finally succeeded and the room fell silent.


    I need to get up¡­ but it¡¯s so~ warm¡­ Ian thought as the warm quilt wrapped around his body did its best to seduce him into falling back asleep. Unfortunately, he had been late for work the last time he gave in to temptation. Therefore, he decided to deny the irresistibility of the quilt¡¯s embrace to force himself out of bed¡­ after five more minutes of rest.


    Half an hour later, his bloodshot eyes opened wide in panic. Not fully aware of himself, he looked around in a daze until he realized where he was.


    Ugh¡­ what time is it? He thought while grabbing his phone. When he saw the time, he bounded from his bed and sprinted to the bathroom across the hall.


    After brushing his teeth and using the toilet at the same time, he darted back to his bedroom and haphazardly threw on his security uniform. Obviously, there was no need to take any clothes off since he had not been wearing any in the first place. Who sleeps with clothes on, anyway?


    While pulling his pants up, he grabbed his phone, keys, and wallet. He slipped all three into different pockets with one hand while tightening his belt with the other. Although his preparations were hardly satisfactory, he sprinted to the front door of his apartment and hastily threw on his steel-toe boots.


    ¡°Ah, forgot my ID badge,¡± Ian muttered. Cursing himself for nearly forgetting the most important item, he removed his boots again and ran back to his bedroom. When he stepped through the door, he turned toward a table below the window. On top of the wooden surface lay his badge.


    How did I forget to grab it when it was right next to my wallet and keys? He asked himself while trotting toward the table.


    Right when he reached out to grab the badge, everything turned dark. The table no longer stood in front of him. The carpet no longer tickled his feet. The drop ceiling no longer hung overhead. Everything disappeared.


    ¡°What in the world?¡±


    Ian looked around, but could not see a single thing. He lifted his hand in front of his face, but could barely even see the outline of it. The air felt stuffy, stale, and cold enough to chill him to the bone. Baffled by the unforeseen situation, he stood completely still.


    While trying to make sense of the situation, he heard a drop of water splash against a puddle. Multiple echoes reverberated around him, making the sound seem louder than it truly was.


    ¡°Ah, my phone,¡± He reminded himself. Upon realizing he had a source of light, he pulled his smartphone out of his pocket. ¡°It might be old, but it works.¡±


    When he unlocked the screen with his fingerprint, the sudden brightness emanating from the screen caused him to squint. As usual, he closed the alarm clock app but then pulled up the flashlight button. Immediately, a light on the back of the phone illuminated his surroundings.


    ¡°My God¡­¡± Ian muttered. ¡°This is totally a cave.¡± The fact was solidified in his mind by the slight echo of his voice.


    Out of curiosity, he slowly moved the light from left to right, taking in the entire scene before him. From what he could tell, he stood in a cavernous chamber of sorts. The chamber looked fairly open, save for the stalagmites and stalactites sprouting from the ground and ceiling. At the other end of the chamber he noticed a crawlspace. Perhaps it led to another part of the cave.


    All of the stone around him was reddish brown and reminded him of the rocky surfaces of the Grand Canyon. Wondering what it felt like, he knelt and rubbed his fingers against the stone floor. It felt smooth yet wavy.


    Another water droplet fell nearby, plunking into a small puddle. Ian looked at it, mesmerized by the ripples.


    Did I get teleported or something? He asked himself, not that he knew the answer.


    Then, an idea suddenly popped into his head. He spun around and shone his phone¡¯s light in the direction he had come from only to find himself face to face with a stone wall.


    Is it¡­ rippling?


    Furrowing his brow, he closely examined the wall. To his surprise, a large, oval-shaped portion of it looked like fog swaying in the breeze or perhaps like a miniature ocean with gentle waves.


    ¡°This is the place I just came from, right? Hmm¡­ I wonder if I can go back through.¡±


    With that thought in mind, he reached out with his right hand. Just before touching the surface, he hesitated. If he stuck his hand through, then the possibility of a dangerous outcome existed. He retracted his dominant right hand and instead reached out with his left.


    Better safe than sorry, he thought.


    When his middle finger touched the wavy haze, the tip of it vanished before his eyes. Startled by the sudden change, he winced, but felt no pain. For a moment, he stood still, unsure if he wanted to pull out or push through. However, he decided there was no point hesitating and moved his arm forward until his entire hand disappeared. Then, he pulled it back out, half-expecting it to be missing. But, it was still attached. Full of mixed emotions, he opened and closed his fingers.


    ¡°If that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± he muttered. Lifting his gaze, he stared at the haze. ¡°Is it a portal or something?¡±


    With a shrug, he suppressed his fears and jumped through, only to find himself back in his bedroom. Looking backward, he saw a similar oval-shaped haze in front of his wooden table. It floated in the air like steam above a hot spring.


    ¡°Hah¡­ Hahaha¡­ HAHAHA! AWESOME! A portal. I have a portal in my room. Oh my God¡­ there¡¯s a portal. In. My. Room.¡± Ian could have sworn he was losing his mind. He shook his head in disbelief, not knowing what to make of the situation. However, he did know one thing. ¡°Looks like I have the flu. Yeah. Better call in sick.¡± Not even considering any of the ramifications, he called the security company that employed him to call off work.


    Without further ado, he retrieved an old backpack from his closet. Since it sat unused for a few years, a few cobwebs coated the surface. After brushing them off half-heartedly, he tossed the pack onto his bed and proceeded to rummage through his closet for supplies. Finally, he had found an opportunity to use some of the survival gear he had obtained from his park ranger training. Of course, he quit that particular job after a harsh pay cut two weeks in, but now he felt thankful for the tools that came along with it. A pocketknife, a lighter, matches, an LED flashlight, an emergency tent, an emergency blanket, non-perishable food, portable cooking utensils; anything useful got stuffed into the pockets.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Once he felt satisfied with the items in his pack, he quickly changed into khaki-colored cargo pants and a gray t-shirt. Of course, he packed two extra sets of the same outfit just in case. He then sauntered to the front door and threw on his steel-toe boots. Putting the boot on his right foot made his knee feel uncomfortable as usual.


    Then, he grabbed three water thermoses from the kitchen and filled them with ice water. Using carabiners, he hooked them onto one of the straps on the pack. Wondering whether or not there were any other items he could bring, he scratched his head while staring absentmindedly at the bulging travel pack.


    ¡°Oh, right. The bowie knife,¡± Ian said, clapping his fist into the palm of his other hand. Cursing himself for almost forgetting about it, he reached toward the top shelf in the closet and grabbed the knife. Although he had purchased the knife on a whim at a flea market, he never found an actual use for it until now. With a silly grin on his face, he strapped the sheath to his belt at his left hip, making him feel even more adventurous.


    Now he felt ready to explore beyond the strange portal. Filled with eager expectation, he threw the now fifteen kilogram pack over his shoulders and practically skipped through the portal. Without a second thought, he left behind the dreary and lonely bedroom to be greeted by the dark, stuffy cavern.


    Before going anywhere, he turned on the LED flashlight, illuminating the cavern. Compared to the phone, which only lit a limited area, the flashlight allowed him to see the entirety of the chamber.


    Watching his step on the uneven ground, he sauntered toward the crawlspace at the opposite end of the chamber, crouched, and shone the light into it. It certainly looked safe enough. Shrugging, he held the flashlight between his teeth and began crawling through. Even though his adventure was just kicking off, a childish excitement bubbled within him. How long had it been since he felt such a thing? Looking back, it must have been at least eight years, considering he could not recall embarking on an exciting adventure since high school.


    The floor felt rough and damp. A few water droplets dampened his hair and back. Sometimes the tunnel widened enough to give him room to stretch. Sometimes it closed in until he had barely enough room to squeeze through. Along the way, he wondered if he should turn on some music to stave off the unnerving quietness. Then again, it could also be a bad idea.


    Several minutes later, he thought, Oh, is that the end of the tunnel?


    Curious about what lay before him, he crawled onward, the tunnel widening as he went, until he reached an edge overlooking a larger cave that led both right and left. Since the drop looked no more than a meter, he hopped down. As soon as his feet touched the floor, he stood straight and stretched his arms into the air, brushing his fingers against the stone ceiling in the process. An involuntary groan of pleasure slipped through his lips. Nothing beat a good stretch, except things that beat a good stretch, of course.


    After stretching out, he shone his flashlight in both directions in an attempt to investigate the two paths he could take. One snaked downward in a serpentine fashion until it curved off to the right several meters ahead. The opposite direction curved off to the left with a gradual incline. After some careful consideration, he decided to shut off his flashlight. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Lo and behold, he began to make out the shape of the rocks, which meant a source of light existed nearby. Although he could by no means consider himself a professional spelunker, he decided the uphill path led toward the light source. Even if his conclusion turned out to be wrong, he could always turn around.


    Once more, he turned the flashlight on and headed off. Along the way, he saw water dribbling down the walls in places as well as a white material that looked like salt, not that he felt like taste-testing it or anything.


    While meandering through the cave passage, he noticed that the surrounding air began to feel heavy and thick, as though pressing against him. Sure, it felt odd, but it caused him no pain. That being said, he ignored it for the time being. Instead, he focused on the fact that he could see a lot better now. He was definitely approaching the light source. In fact, he could probably turn off his flashlight without worries, which he did in order to save battery.


    After rounding a few more bends in the passage, the ground gradually turned to clay, then dirt, and finally grass. Although he felt slightly disappointed at the ease of navigating the simple cave, he stood triumphantly in the exit. However, the sight before his eyes blew him away. Speechless, he gaped at the scenery.


    He stood on a mountainside overlooking a grand forest. Trees jutted out in groves anywhere the ground was flat enough to support their growth. Miles of bountiful forest spread outward as far as the eye could see, bathed in morning light. Pines, birches, maples, and many other trees he did not recognize littered the woods. Further into the distance, he could see a clearing containing a walled city.


    Taking a deep breath, he smelled seawater. Perhaps an ocean could be found on the other side of the mountain. Out of curiosity, he looked upward, only to be amazed by the height of the mountain. Just based on his own experience, it would be hard to judge the height, but he guessed that the peak probably reached at least two thousand meters above sea level.


    For a while, he remained silent, taking in the sights. Eventually, though, he said to himself, ¡°Yeah, this has to be a different world. There aren¡¯t places like this on Earth anymore.¡±


    A cheesy grin spread across his lips. An entire land to explore. The world at his fingertips. How could he not be excited?


    However, his high spirits did not last long, for the surrounding air pressed even harder against his skin at a disturbing pace. Within seconds, he fell to his knees, vision swimming violently as a sharp pain pierced into his brain. Little by little, the pain seared through his entire body, forcing him to the ground. Grunts of agony escaped his lips. It felt like getting run over by a truck.


    Something in the air was trying to invade every pore on his body. He curled into a fetal position. He clutched his head. Eyes shut tight, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. His body¡¯s natural reaction to reject the invasive influence created a whirlwind of confusion within his body and mind.


    What felt like hours passed while he struggled to breathe or even stay conscious. Bright white light prevented him from even opening his eyes.


    Am I going to die?!


    The sudden thought frightened him to his very core. Sure, his life hadn¡¯t been a bed of roses, but he definitely did not want to throw it away, especially after finding a door to a new path in life.


    Then, amidst the constant stream of blinding whiteness, a barely noticeable black speck flashed into existence but just as quickly flickered out. Due to the searing pain, Ian thought he was losing his mind as several more black specks flickered in and out of existence, darting around with random trajectories. Before long, a blizzard of dark particles clouded his vision even though his eyes remained shut. As more and more particles appeared, the pain throughout his body began to die down.


    Strangely enough, the dark particles gave off the feeling of a child desiring to play freely on an open playground. Upon thinking such a thing, a pleasant sensation coursed through him, and the dark particles raced toward him in tandem. Although he had no idea what was happening, something about the flashing particles simply felt right, as though they had always belonged with him. At the same time, the white light backed off, almost like it willingly made way for the little black particles.


    A moment later, Ian¡¯s eyelids shot open. Carefully, he pushed himself into a cross-legged sitting position. Something felt unquestionably¡­ different. Looking at his sweaty palms, he could tell something about his body had changed. No, something now existed within him that he could move around at will. Immediately, he tried moving it, but a vision-splitting headache surged into his brain.


    ¡°Haaaaaah¡­ better leave it alone for now. Definitely going to have to figure it out later, though. But, man, this is really weird,¡± Ian said, shaking his head once the pain dissipated. ¡°Guess I should head for that city first.¡±


    Sighing, he stood and looked toward the city.


    ¡°A new path in life, was it?¡± Ian muttered, recalling the heavy thought from the absurd experience just now. He lowered his gaze and looked at the trees swaying gently in the breeze. If he could find something to help him find some fulfillment in life to leave behind his measly history, what might it be? Perhaps some sort of adventure or mercenary guild existed, but the thought of joining one did not really appeal to him. Either way, he would need to travel to that city to figure out his options.


    With his destination settled, Ian set his sights on the walled city in the distance. It was time to start moving forward.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Ah! I forgot to pay rent yesterday!¡±

 Chapter 2: Whats the Matter? Scene Two (Rewrite)

    ¡°Haaah¡­ glad that¡¯s done and over with,¡± Ian muttered while sporting an exasperated expression. That blasted landlord raised the late fee again because of the neighbor who never paid on time. Finishing the process wasted a good hour of adventuring time. Unfortunately, letting go of the apartment could be disastrous since a portal now resided there. No, his portal resided there. Letting others find out about it or use it would irritate him to no end. After all, it would be like sharing a fifty dollar steak with someone. It wasn¡¯t going to happen¡­ probably.


    With the annoying chore out of the way, Ian stood on a flat section of the mountainside, scouting for a good route to take down the slope. Heading in the right direction would not pose any problems thanks to his superb sense of direction. Therefore, the only issue would be unforeseen obstacles.


    ¡°Well, can¡¯t stand around all day,¡± he said, taking his first true step of adventure.


    At first, he kept to a slow pace in order to admire the scenery and avoid tripping. Falling down a steep slope was, most assuredly, not on his to-do list.


    Every once in a while, he used the Bowie knife to carve arrow-shaped markings in the trees. Only a few minutes into his travels and he was already getting use out of the wonderful tool.


    Birds chirped overhead. Wind whistled through the branches and leaves. Natural smells of dirt and moss tickled his nose. Yes, this was adventure.


    Although I want to take all this in, I might not make it to the city at this rate, Ian thought. As such, he decided to try something he had not done since his senior trip in high school, downhill running. Although not particularly safe, he felt confident he could maintain it for a little while without trouble. With a preposterous grin spread across his lips, he grasped the handles of his backpack and dashed down the slope, flitting between trees and deftly vaulting over a few streams and even a boulder. Of course, such a thing had its dangers, but the rush of adrenaline wiped away any hesitation. After a few years of motionless security work and grueling training needed to keep the job, he had forgotten how much he loved doing crazy stunts like this. Laughter erupted from his belly. How could he have gone so long without this?


    Beads of sweat began to trickle from his pores. His breaths became sharp and shallow, burning his lungs. Out of necessity, he gradually came to a stop and rested his hands on his head, breathing heavily. Perhaps he was not as in shape as he thought.


    A twig cracked nearby, startling him. Immediately, he spun around. A black bear sniffed the dirt near the area he just ran through. It looked at him. Ian¡¯s mind whirled in a frenzy as he tried to recall what to do in case of a bear encounter.


    The bear snorted and wandered off as though Ian did not even register on its radar. A sigh of relief slipped from his lips. For a few moments, he trained his gaze in the direction of the bear. However, it did not seem like it would return. That being said, he resumed his journey at a slower pace.


    Around noon, he could no longer see the city in the distance due to the forest canopy. Either he had arrived at the bottom of the mountainside or did not have far to travel before reaching it. Before going any further, he ate a few granola bars and downed half a thermos of water.


    For the next several hours, he trekked through the woods at a decent pace, hoping to arrive at the city before nightfall. Making camp in the woods would likely suffice, but after running into that bear, he had his misgivings about doing so. Admiring nature would have to wait.


    The journey began to feel monotonous by the time evening rolled around. However, as the sun began to set, he would realize monotony was a good thing.


    In the corner of peripheral vision, Ian noticed something move. Consequently, he spun about to find out what it might be, but immediately regretted his decision. A wolf-like creature standing on its hind legs approached from the trees. It had a stocky frame covered from head to hind paw with brown fur matted with blood. Sharp, bloodied claws protruded from its hands and feet. Pointy ears twitched at irregular intervals on its head. Dark, semi-intelligent yet bloodthirsty eyes examined Ian as though trying to decide which limb to devour first, all the while licking its bloodstained fangs.


    Werewolf? Ian asked himself as his fingers tightened around the handle of his Bowie knife. Hopefully, he would be able to maintain his grip in spite of his sweaty palms.


    The werewolf stepped toward him with a menacing gait, only to halt a few meters away. Its ears twitched wildly as it turned its gaze to Ian¡¯s left. For a moment, the werewolf stood still, but then scurried away on all fours into the woods.


    Finally realizing he had been holding his breath, he exhaled heavily and slumped to the ground. He sat there, trembling until his body relaxed a little.


    I think I almost died just now¡­


    A minute later, he found out why the beast fled. Voices yelled in the direction the werewolf was looking at right before leaving.


    ¡°I think it went this way!¡± A man exclaimed right before bursting into the small clearing where Ian sat. Behind him, four more people cantered into the clearing. The first guy wore silver plate armor with a bear sigil on the chest. Two others wore steel plate armor. Another wore leather armor. The last wore an attention-grabbing white robe embroidered with golden silk. They all looked around the age of twenty-five.


    The man looked at Ian. Ian stared back.


    ¡°A traveler?¡± the armored man asked, his concerned expression visible in spite of his helm. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    In response, Ian shrugged and said, ¡°Not quite.¡±


    ¡°Was it a werewolf?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It went that way,¡± Ian answered, pointing into the woods.


    ¡°Thanks. Name¡¯s Blake, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Ian.¡±


    ¡°Take care on your way to Concinnata, Ian. We need to hurry and kill that thing before it murders anyone else,¡± Blake said, saluting briefly before leading his group after the werewolf. Each person nodded to Ian as they left.


    Once the people were out of sight, Ian muttered, ¡°Good people. I guess the city is called Conncinnata. Hopefully the people there are all decent like them.¡± Sighing, Ian gathered his confidence and stood. ¡°Oh, just realized we speak the same language. Nice. Would be nice if the written language is similar as well, though I don¡¯t expect much.¡±


    From there, he resumed his trek toward Conncinnata, all the while praying to avoid any more dangerous creatures along the way.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    * * * * *


    ¡°Hey, Blake, where do you think that guy was from?¡± the girl in the white robe asked while struggling to keep up, blond hair and robe fluttering in the wind as she ran. ¡°His clothes were really clean and a little strange.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, don¡¯t care,¡± Blake replied. ¡°Not my business, and he looked capable enough to travel without problems, so I¡¯m not worried about it.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Trevin?¡± the girl asked, unsatisfied with Blake¡¯s answer.


    Shrugging, the stout rogue answered, ¡°Love at first sight, Blanca?¡±


    ¡°Eh? No. Was just curious,¡± Blanca answered. Can¡¯t deny he was a little attractive, but he seemed a little weak. Besides¡­ she gazed at Blake¡¯s back.


    ¡°Save your breath, Blanca,¡± Blake said. ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on finding and killing the werewolf before there are anymore victims.¡±


    In response, the others nodded.


    * * * * *


    Meanwhile, Ian sauntered toward the city gate, eyes fixed on the enormous wall. Standing at least twenty meters high at the lowest section, it exhibited strength. Battlements rose from the wall at regular intervals. Outside the walls, a moat the size of a river bordered the city, leaving only a sturdy, cobblestone bridge connecting the city to the outside world.


    As Ian crossed the bridge, the sky began to turn purple, signifying late evening. Many people, from beggars to merchants, crossed as well. On the other hand, hardly anyone left the city.


    When Ian arrived at the gate, he stopped, awestruck by the sheer size of it. Shaking his head, he moved on. People were giving him the ¡®oh, a tourist¡¯ look. Contrary to his expectations, nobody needed to go through security detail, though a number of soldiers in plate armor stood guard. Was this land so safe that security checks were deemed unnecessary? Either way, Ian needed some questions answered.


    Although the guards maintained stern expressions that made them feel standoffish, he knew such a thing was necessary since he had been a security officer himself until now. When he approached the nearest guard, a young man who could barely be considered an adult, the guy stiffened nervously, but did not look overly wary. That was a good sign.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir,¡± Ian asked, adopting a polite tone one might use when speaking to a superior, ¡°is there a place I could find info about the city?¡±


    In response to Ian¡¯s polite approach, the young guard visibly relaxed and answered, ¡°For sure. We get quite a few travelers such as yourself, so there¡¯s a tourist building just past the gate. Never been there myself, but it should have what you need. Oh, and I heard it¡¯s pretty much all free thanks to funding from the Crown, may the king live forever. You¡¯ll know it¡¯s the right place since there¡¯s a sign over the door with a scroll design. There are words there, too, but I can¡¯t read, so I ain¡¯t got any idea what it says. Place shouldn¡¯t be hard to find. It¡¯s only a stone¡¯s throw away.¡±


    This kid talks a lot¡­ Ian observed. However, he maintained a polite expression, nodding the entire time. Once the kid finished speaking, Ian said, ¡°Okay, got it. Thanks for the info.¡±


    ¡°No problem, mate. Hope you find Conncinnata to your liking,¡± the young guard replied with a friendly grin. Then, he added, ¡°If you see the beauty that works there, please tell her Sam said hello.¡±


    ¡°Uh, sure,¡± Ian said, giving the man the respect of a confirmatory nod as he left. Just as the young guard stated, he found the building almost instantly. Before entering, he looked around curiously at the structures and layout of the city. Everything was compact, allowing less than a meter between buildings, most of which built with wood and stone. On the other hand, the cobblestone street looked like it had been constructed with the size of merchant carriages in mind. Glass-topped, metal poles lined the streets, illuminating the area with bright white light as the sun set below the horizon. Since they did not seem to contain flames, Ian wondered if they ran on magic, if such a thing existed. Truly, Ian felt like he had jumped back in time.


    Moving on, he grasped the iron handle and creaked open the braced wooden door. Air slipped through the open door, sending a musty smell rushing into his nostrils. Within, he realized the inside did not feel as large as the outer structure. Perhaps another room lay beyond the far wall, behind the counter. While sauntering to the counter, he examined the wooden shelves on both sides. Papers and scrolls filled every shelf, but the lettering looked completely foreign. The closest thing Ian could compare it to would be the latin characters he needed to study for a class back in university before dropping out. Consequently, a heavy sigh escaped his lips due to realizing his prior concern was right on the money.


    ¡°Can I help you, sir?¡± A woman asked with a calm, soothing voice from behind the counter. Having overlooked the woman before, Ian turned his gaze toward her. A gentle and welcoming smile greeted him. Both her voice and face exuded a mature air even though her age could not have been more than Ian¡¯s. Her dirty blond hair was tied into a long ponytail but there were still bangs which curved over the left side of her face. Even though she wore a loose-fitting tan-colored cloth shirt and a black knee-length skirt, her modestly curvaceous figure remained visible. Her fair skin radiated youthfulness that belied her mature facial features. Although she by no means had the appearance of a model, her attractiveness had a simplicity to it that would put anyone at ease.


    Ian noticed all of her features in a single glance but practically ignored her appearance in order to focus on the task at hand. As such, he approached the counter and answered, ¡°I was hoping to get some general information about the city and possibly find work, preferably an apprenticeship.¡±


    ¡°I see. Are you able to read by any chance?¡± the woman asked while brushing her bangs away from her face.


    ¡°My own written language, yes. Seems to be different here.¡± Of course, he could not say he came from another world. Or perhaps doing so would be a good idea?


    ¡°You must be from an outer village, then. Corello or Rettin, perhaps?¡±


    Ian blinked a few times at the unfamiliar names.


    ¡°I guess not,¡± the woman said. ¡°Anyway, if you are interested, there are classes at the local institute for learning Common.¡±


    So, Common is the written language. Learning it will probably have to wait for now. Ian pondered. Aloud, he replied, ¡°Maybe another time. For now, an apprenticeship takes priority.¡±


    In response, the woman nodded while reaching below the counter. After rummaging around for a few moments, she revealed a piece of parchment. It took Ian a minute to figure out it was a map, most likely of the city or at least a section of it. One thing of note was the fact that rather than words, only pictures marked important locations. Sliding the map toward him, the woman explained, ¡°This is a basic map of the Southern District.¡± She pointed at the map with one hand while brushing her bangs away from her eyes with the other. Continuing her explanation, she said, ¡°Most places that would be of interest to you are denoted here.¡±


    From there, she explained which pictures signified the different types of shops and businesses. Everything from smithies and tailor shops to the Merchant Guild had its own symbol. There were even symbols for the Adventurer Guild and Mercenary guilds he had assumed would exist in this world. However, adventurer-ing and mercenary-ing did not sound particularly enjoyable or stable. The thing that appealed to him the most was the smithies.


    Then, noticing a symbol the woman did not explain, Ian asked, ¡°What¡¯s this one?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, that¡¯s¡­ brothels¡­¡± the woman answered, blushing slightly.


    ¡°Ah, I see. Guess I can¡¯t work there then.¡±


    ¡°Pft!¡± The woman failed to refrain from laughing at Ian¡¯s totally sincere comment.


    It took him a bit to realize what he just said, but when he did, his face flushed bright red and he facepalmed. Hoping to move on from his ignorant statement, Ian asked, ¡°How many smithies are there?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to sell yourself to the dens of iniquity?¡± the woman asked, smirking.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ absolutely not. Now, smithies?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. Couldn¡¯t resist. Anyway, let me mark the ones that might take you in,¡± the woman said while grabbing a quill pen. From there, she circled a handful of smithies on the map for him to try. On top of that, she even marked which ones focused on weapons or everyday tools or jewelry with poorly drawn symbols. During the process, she said, ¡°There are two big ones in particular that take in apprentices, but you can try the others as well.¡±


    Then, she slid the map toward Ian and said, ¡°That¡¯ll be three shillings.¡±

 Chapter 3: Whats the Matter? Scene Three (Rewrite)

    Is she asking for money? Ian pondered. After all, he had never heard of shillings until now. On top of that, the guard, Sam, told him information would be free.


    Apparently, the dilemma showed on his face since the woman inquired, ¡°Do you not have money?¡± Her voice sounded confused and her face asked why a person would walk around without money.


    In return, Ian looked her straight in the eye and said, ¡°A guard at the city entrance told me information was free here, though.¡±


    Without batting an eye, the woman raised her brow, pointed to the paper on the table, and replied, ¡°This is a map, though.¡±


    Is she mocking me?


    ¡°He also said to say hello, now I think about it.¡±


    ¡°Was it Sam?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°My brother¡¯s friend. Ignore him. Now, three shillings?¡±


    ¡°Fine. You keep it,¡± Ian asserted. ¡°I¡¯ll find my way around without it.¡±


    Before he could turn around, the woman smirked and suggested, ¡°How about another form of payment?¡±


    The question sent a shiver down his spine. Where, exactly, was this heading?


    ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± he cautiously asked.


    ¡°Pft, no need to be so on guard. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll sell you into slavery or something for three shillings,¡± the woman answered, giggling. ¡°You see, I enjoy learning about others¡¯ Innate Gifts. It¡¯s something of a hobby. So, you tell me yours, and I give you the map. How about it?¡±


    Now Ian¡¯s confusion soared to new heights. What were these Innate Gifts she spoke of? Learning some common sense would definitely be in his best interests.


    Once again, his confusion displayed itself on his face and the woman noticed. She looked at him in surprise and asked, ¡°You must be from the middle of nowhere if you never tested your Gifts. What kind of backwater village did you sprout out from?¡±


    I feel like I somehow got profiled as a hick. Not the most pleasant feeling¡­


    ¡°Wait here,¡± the woman said as she opened a door behind the counter. A minute later, she returned carrying a cube approximately twenty centimeters in length. Two blue orbs the color of ice protruded from opposite sides. The woman gently set the box on the counter and said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask why this is here.¡±


    That just makes me more curious.


    Aloud, Ian skeptically asked, ¡°What do I do with it?¡±


    ¡°Never seen a Search Box before? Well, place your hands on the orbs, and it will show your Gifts on the obsidian square atop the box,¡± the woman explained with anticipation oozing from her voice.


    After a brief moment of hesitation and suspicion, Ian slowly reached out and placed a hand on each orb. Coolness spread into his hands upon contact.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the woman said, sporting an amused grin, ¡°it¡¯s only slightly invasive.¡±


    ¡°Wha-?¡± Ian did not even have the chance to speak a single word before finding out what she meant. At first, slight vibrations tickled his palms. Subconsciously, he attempted to tear his hands away from the orbs, but to no avail. A tingling sensation similar to goosebumps tickled the inside of his hands. From there, it began to feel as though thousands of tiny insects squirmed and burrowed through his arms, eventually spreading throughout his entire body. When it reached his head, it sounded like flies buzzing and bouncing around the inside of his skull. No one would ever hear what his crotch felt like.


    Exactly three minutes passed during the procedure, followed by the subsequent release as the tingling sensation squirmed back into the box. ¡®Invasive¡¯ turned out to be a huge understatement. In fact, an overwhelming desire to smash this so-called Search Box into oblivion filled his soul. Unfortunately, doing so would probably incur some debt.


    As soon as possible, he tore his hands away from the orbs. A blue, shimmering light atop the black cube then grasped Ian¡¯s attention. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the light formed letters, most likely Common. They looked vaguely reminiscent of Latin characters he saw a friend studying back in college, not that he could read those either.


    ¡°Oh, wow, didn¡¯t expect that¡­¡± the woman muttered while glancing over the results.


    Turning his attention to the woman, Ian watched her face turn from curiosity to surprise. The exaggerated movements of her eyebrows belied her mature expression from before. Her light brown eyes opened wide, and they sparkled, reflecting the luminescence emanating from the box.


    ¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± Ian asked with unmasked curiosity.


    The woman struggled to pull her attention away from the box enough to answer, ¡°I guess you could say blacksmithing will probably be easy for you. It may even be to the point that your Gifts affected you subconsciously when you decided to aim for smithing.¡±


    Although the thought of his Gifts altering his mental state worried him, Ian currently cared more about getting a specific answer. As such, he clasped his hands together and asked, ¡°So, what are they?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem that worried about any psychological repercussions.¡±


    ¡°I am, but can you tell me what it says specifically?¡±


    In response, the woman tilted her head while adopting a completely ¡°innocent¡± expression and said, ¡°That information will cost you five silver.¡±


    Again with the stupid money¡­


    ¡°And why does it cost so much?¡± Ian asked in spite of the fact he had no idea how much five silver was when compared to three shillings.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Well~¡± the woman replied, ¡°to be honest, it would normally cost ten silver if you went to the academy or a guild to get tested.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like these boxes are hard to come by, then. Where¡¯d you get it?¡±


    ¡°I told you not to ask, remember?¡±


    ¡°That only makes me more curious,¡± Ian muttered, glaring intently at the woman.


    Shrugging, the woman brushed her bangs away from her face and said, ¡°At least it¡¯s a discount.¡±


    ¡°Haaaaaaah¡­¡± Ian sighed, thoroughly exasperated by the conversation. By all accounts, this woman had reached a frightening level of skill in scamming. However, she had a playful attitude which made it hard to feel angry at her. In fact, it felt as though she did not intend to scam him in the first place.


    A sound of paper sliding against wood pulled Ian from his musings. Looking at the counter, he saw the woman pushing the map toward him with her forefinger.


    ¡°I nearly forgot about the map,¡± Ian muttered.


    ¡°I know,¡± the woman replied. ¡°Anyway, feel free to come back if you need anything else. When you do, ask for Aria. That¡¯s me, by the way.¡±


    She says that like I¡¯d willingly come back here to get scammed again, Ian thought. Well, better safe than sorry. Thinking such, he asked, ¡°Am I missing something?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give your name in return,¡± Aria answered, nonchalantly shrugging while tilting her head and raising a brow.


    ¡°Name¡¯s Ian. So, anything else?¡±


    ¡°Nope. You¡¯re good to go¡­ for now,¡± Aria answered, grinning cheekily.


    I knew it, Ian thought while shaking his head in disbelief. He had unwittingly gotten involved with a troublesome person. Ready to end the conversation, he turned and left the building. Since the visit took a heavy toll on him mentally, he strongly desired to try his hand at smithing to relieve built up stress. All things considered, he looked forward to it.


    * * * * *


    Aria watched the young man, Ian, exit the building. During her five years of working at the Visitor Center, she had met several interesting people, many of which she tricked into letting her find out their Gifts. Even so, none of them compared to the young man just now. He was definitely worth keeping an eye on, and not because of love or anything¡­ probably¡­


    Well, he had a certain charm to him, but honestly, she simply desired to see what he might accomplish in the future. Many people had more Gifts than him, but not that many at high quality, not to mention the first one.


    Shrugging, Aria retrieved her book from below the counter and resumed reading where she left off before Ian interrupted her.


    Still, those Gifts¡­ Yeah, she wasn¡¯t going to forget him anytime soon.


    {???????} {High Fire Affinity} {High Fire Resistance} {Medium Earth Affinity} {High Physical Affinity} {Medium Curse/Charm Resistance}


    * * * * *


    Footsteps echoed through the stone halls of Ursa Keep. A young man strolled around the edge of the fourth floor of the West Tower, gazing through the open windows as he went. A cool, evening breeze whistled through his slightly wavy blond hair. At the rear end of the tower, he reached his destination, a large wooden door. He stepped through. The door creaked ominously, showing its age.


    ¡°You¡¯re late, Edmund,¡± A man sternly asserted, his voice deep and regal. Atop his head sat a golden crown imbued with four gems symbolizing the four main elements. Sapphire for water, Topaz for earth, Ruby for fire, Emerald for wind. A fur cloak made from a werebear rested on his shoulders, concealing most of a white silk shirt. The others in the room wore similarly majestic clothes. In comparison, Edmund always felt underdressed in his black shirt and pants. The only thing signifying his connection to these people was the decorative sword sheathed at his hip, its golden pommel reflecting the light of the gold-plated chandelier hanging overhead.


    ¡°Sorry, father,¡± the young man replied, bowing. Snickers could be heard at one end of the room. His second brother, Baldrik, no doubt.


    ¡°Come to my quarters afterward. For now, we must begin,¡± the king said.


    ¡°Yes, father,¡± Edmund replied while taking his seat furthest from the king but on the man¡¯s right where all six of his sons sat. The opposite side seated the council members.


    From there, the others in the room discussed many political issues he held no interest in. However, he listened, absorbing all information. Eventually, the king looked at Edmund and asked, ¡°How is the situation with the bandit group calling themselves Equilibrium?¡±


    ¡°Finished. All the leaders are dead,¡± Edmund replied calmly.


    ¡°Tch. Not like bandits would be difficult to deal with,¡± Baldrik sneered. As usual, Edmund ignored him.


    Also ignoring the insult, the king asked, ¡°Considering I asked you to take care of it yesterday, how did you take care of it so quickly?¡±


    ¡°An adventurer called Nightstalker took care of it,¡± Edmund replied.


    Murmurs of acknowledgment rose from the people seated at the table. The king rose his hand, silencing them. Then, he said, ¡°If it was Nightstalker, then there is no doubt the group is finished. The roads will be a little safer now. Moving on¡­¡±


    From there, Edmund had no part in the conversation. In fact, he rarely got called to these meetings in the first place. By the end of the meeting, he recalled why he never minded missing them either. Boredom quickly set in.


    When the king dismissed everyone, he sent Edmund a look that basically said, Don¡¯t forget to come to my quarters.


    Of course, he never forgot. Either way, he hurried out the door and hastened to his father¡¯s chamber. He waited patiently at the door for his father to arrive. As expected, the king made him wait for over an hour before finally showing up.


    ¡°Come,¡± the king said, opening the door.


    Edmund nodded and followed.


    Before doing anything else, the king removed his cloak and haphazardly tossed it onto a nearby chair. The man continued without stopping until he reached a table with a large pitcher of wine and a few glasses on top. He poured himself a glass and chugged it. Then, while pouring a second glass and keeping his back to Edmund, the king asked, ¡°So, why were you late today?¡±


    Edmund¡¯s eye twitched at the question. Although the true answer probably had something to do with Baldrik delaying the message, he had no proof. Instead, he answered, ¡°I was in the midst of receiving the report from the guild when I was notified about the meeting.¡±


    Well, at least the answer held some truth to it.


    The king proceeded to gulp down his second glass of wine, most likely Red Sherry, a novelty from Sumaris. Edmund remained silent. When the king began pouring a third glass, he said, ¡°I guess that¡¯s fine, but I¡¯ll tell you now. Lying to your king is an unpardonable offense.¡±


    Edmund stiffened.


    The king turned and chuckled, all the while taking sips from his glass of wine. ¡°I found out about your nighttime gallivanting.¡±


    Nervous sweat began forming on Edmund¡¯s palms and forehead.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± the king said, adopting both a serious expression and tone. ¡°At least one of my children is learning about the world.¡±


    Edmund blinked a few times. What exactly was his father saying?


    The king gazed out the window and muttered, ¡°If I need any help, I trust your friend, Nightstalker, would be willing to take requests from you?¡±


    Edmund nodded and answered, ¡°Yes, father. I¡¯m sure he would be happy to oblige, as long as he gets paid, of course.¡±


    The king laughed a hearty laugh. ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s how a mercenary should be. Now then, you may take your leave.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, father,¡± Edmund said, bowing. Without further ado, he left, leaving the king alone with his drink.


    ¡°If he wasn¡¯t a bastard, I¡¯d be tempted to name him my heir¡­¡± the king muttered as he fell into a lonely stupor.

 Chapter 4: Whats the Matter? Scene Four (Rewrite)

    When Ian stepped outside, his spirits sank upon realizing night had already fallen. The streetlights illuminated the area with pure white light. A few people walked to and fro. However, he found himself in a quandary. Where should he make camp? Of course, he could walk back inside in order to ask Aria where the best place to camp would be, but how could he just waltz back inside after leaving in such a manner?


    Sighing in resignation, he muttered, ¡°Pride won¡¯t put food in my stomach.¡±


    This time, when he entered the building, he saw Aria set down a book behind the counter. Being able to read while working sounded rather nice.


    ¡°You again?¡± Aria said, grinning. ¡°I think you just broke the record for the fastest return time.¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ yeah. I forgot how late it was. Is there somewhere in the city I could set up a tent?¡±


    Placing a finger to her lips, Aria thought for a moment. Then, her eyes flickered and she answered, ¡°There is a campsite for travelers down the road from here. Take care not to get robbed or anything, though.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought the city seemed like such a nice place.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no such thing as a perfect city,¡± Aria retorted while shrugging.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll actually head out, then,¡± Ian said, resigning himself to a chilly night¡¯s sleep. Then, out of genuine curiosity, he inquired, ¡°How late do you stay open?¡±


    ¡°As long as I feel like. Why?¡±


    Ian had no words. Why would someone willingly work overtime? Once again, he sighed and bid farewell to this incomprehensible woman.


    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t just come back ten seconds from now?¡± she asked, grinning cheekily.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ian affirmed while opening the door.


    ¡°See you later, then,¡± Aria called out as Ian closed the door behind him.


    From there, he followed the road until he reached a bridge crossing over a small river. On the opposite side, he saw several tents and wagons surrounding a small pond connected to the river. Considering the number of well-kept trees and shrubs, the area looked more like a park than a campsite.


    As Ian approached the campsite, he heard men singing. A chorus of deep voices melded together, composing a somber yet pleasant melody. Past a line of trees along the edge of the road, he found a stone path leading the main camping area. In the center, a few people sat around a fire. They sang their hearts out, the only instruments their tankards and the crackling flames.


    One of the men facing Ian stopped singing in order to observe him. Well, he could certainly be called a man, but his stature leaned more on the short and stocky side. Thick muscles bulged against his clothes. His beard dripped with ale. The other three also ceased their singing to look at Ian.


    Are they dwarves? Ian wondered.


    ¡°Welcome, lad! How¡¯s about ye join us by the fire?¡± the first man heartily exclaimed.


    ¡°Aye!¡± the others followed suit, raising their tankards into the air. All of them had similar physiques and comparatively brown and bushy beards.


    In answer, Ian said, ¡°I¡¯d be happy to join you after I get my tent set up.¡±


    ¡°No problem, lad,¡± the first man said, leading the others back into song.


    From there, Ian searched out some thicker bushes and set up his emergency tent behind them, all the while wondering if the men might actually be Dwarves. Would it be rude to ask?


    Afterward, he returned to the fire pit with a thermos of water and some jerky. When he sat down on one of the many logs near the fire, they ceased their song once more.


    ¡°So, lad, what brings ye to the city?¡± the oldest-looking of the bunch asked.


    ¡°Hoping to become a blacksmith,¡± Ian answered while nibbling on his jerky.


    ¡°Oh? A future smith in the making! What¡¯s yer name, lad?¡±


    ¡°Ian.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Rogar. These fools are Voldak, Darrak, and Bennar,¡± the man said, gesturing to each of his friends in turn.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Ian said, nodding, though he knew he would forget at least one of their names.


    ¡°Aye. How about some ale to celebrate our meeting?¡± Rogar asked, smiling from ear to ear.


    ¡°Would it be rude to decline?¡± Ian asked in return.


    ¡°Ye don¡¯ drink, boy?!¡± Darrak exclaimed in surprise.


    ¡°Shush. Some people don¡¯t,¡± Rogar said. ¡°Must have your reasons, but if you ever visit Bolcan, drink anyway.¡±


    ¡°Where is that?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s our Capital,¡± Rogar answered, following up with a swig of ale.


    Tilting his head, Ian asked, ¡°I hope I¡¯m not being rude, but are you Dwarves?¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡± They all said in unison, each following up by gulping down their tankards of ale.


    ¡°I figger¡¯d you wouldn¡¯ know since you didn¡¯ even know the name of our Capital,¡± Rogar said while holding his tankard out for the youngest-looking dwarf, Bennar, to refill it.


    Excitement welled within Ian¡¯s chest. Sitting beside a fire with actual Dwarves truly made him realize how different this world actually was.


    ¡°Ya seem like a good lad, Ian,¡± Rogar said. ¡°How¡¯s about I sell you something at a discount?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit broke right now,¡± Ian replied while scratching his head.


    ¡°Ah, ¡®tis a pity,¡± Rogar muttered, gulping down more ale. ¡°Well, good luck to ya with learning smithing, then.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Do ya happen to know any Dwarven folk songs?¡± Rogar asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°No, sorry.¡±


    ¡°Would ya like to learn one?¡±


    Ian¡¯s lips curled into an excited grin as answered, ¡°Sure. Sounds like fun.¡±


    ¡°Alrighty then!¡± Rogar exclaimed, raising his tankard into the air, prompting the other three to do the same. ¡°It goes like this¡­¡±


    Wielding a sword like a mountain strong,


    Hraevis the Bold took up his arms.


    In spite of his strength, he did not live long,


    For in battle he fell to old man Death¡¯s charms.


    Led his people he did, against all great foes.


    His enemies quaked in their final throws.


    A legacy he left, for all to adhere,


    Never fall back, nor fall to fear.


    Aye! Aye! Let all proclaim!


    Hraevis the Bold did not die in vain!


    Curious about the origin of the song, Ian asked, ¡°Who was Hraevis the Bold?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s an old folktale about the first Dwarven King. Legends say he lost his life in a great battle thousands of years ago,¡± Rogar explained. ¡°The history doesn¡¯t really matter. Let the Whitebeards worry about history. However, a song and drinking to his memory? That matters!¡±


    Shrugging, Ian tried to join in the next time they sang but failed miserably. All the Dwarves broke into uproarious laughter to the point that a merchant peeked out from his tent nearby to angrily request they shut their pint-sized lips. The insult took Ian by surprise, but the Dwarves only laughed more at the man who retreated back inside his tent, all the while grumbling about the noisy midgets.


    Curious about the man¡¯s insults, Ian asked, ¡°Are Dwarves not well-liked here?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯ say we¡¯re disliked here, unlike the Daemonkin,¡± Rogar answered, shrugging. ¡°But, you¡¯ll meet people like that where¡¯er ya go.¡±


    ¡°Daemonkin?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°Ne¡¯er met one?¡± Rogar asked. ¡°Not surprising, I s¡¯pose. Probably best you don¡¯t meet any. No good when Humans and Daemonkin meet.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°You live under a rock, lad?¡± Darrak asked, his cheeks now rosy from the alcohol.


    ¡°Yer bein¡¯ rude again, Darrak,¡± Rogar chided. ¡°Your turn, Voldak.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure, boss,¡± Voldak, the shortest of the group, replied. He proceeded to grab a large barrel with one hand and poured the contents, likely water, over Darrak¡¯s head, thoroughly soaking his entire body. The now soggy Dwarf instantly sobered up. Then, Voldak tossed the barrel to Bennar, who brought it over to the pond to refill it. Apparently, he held the role of gopher in the group.


    ¡°Kid¡¯s my great grand-nephew,¡± Rogar explained, chuckling. ¡°Teaching him the ways of the world one barrel at a time.¡±


    While the young Dwarf filled the barrel, Ian noticed a well-armed group walking down the road. Immediately, he recognized them as the ones he met previously. As a bonus, he saw a bloodied werewolf corpse draped over the arms of the man in front.


    What was that guy¡¯s name again? Ian pondered.


    ¡°Ya know ¡®em?¡± Rogar asked, noticing Ian¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Sort of. Met them in the woods earlier. They inadvertently prevented my becoming that werewolf¡¯s dinner.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Yer quite the lucky lad!¡± Rogar exclaimed, patting Ian on the back. The impact nearly knocked the wind out of him.


    For another hour or so, Ian spent his time laughing and singing with the Dwarves. By the end of the night, he learned three Dwarven folk songs and more than a handful of short person jokes. Apparently their people enjoyed poking fun at their own stature.


    Rogar and Voldak dragged a drunken Darrak to their tent. A large peddler wagon was parked right next to it. It certainly explained why Rogar offered to sell him something.


    ¡°See you in the mornin¡¯, lad,¡± Rogar said just before entering his tent.


    ¡°G¡¯night,¡± Ian replied.


    In order to stay warm for a little longer, he remained seated near the fire for a few minutes. SIghing, he gazed into the night sky. No familiar constellations, two moons¡­


    ¡°No wonder it seemed brighter than normal,¡± he muttered. Once he felt relaxed, he returned to his tent, retrieved his emergency blanket, and fell asleep.

 Chapter 5: Whats the Matter? Scene Five (Rewrite)

    A vast ocean of darkness spread out as far as the eye could see. Absurd levels of pressure condensed against his skin. Wading through proved incredibly difficult. One step here, one step there, yet not getting anywhere.


    Where was this place?


    Surely, he would find no living thing in this place. Simply existing there filled him with dread. In spite of it, he waded on.


    Onward he trudged through the ocean of darkness. Onward, onward, always onward.


    In the distance, he noticed two olive-shaped mounds even darker than darkness itself.


    Stop, he did. Stare, he did.


    The two objects simply floated, unmoving, like stones in the sea.


    Curiosity led him closer. He needed to know what existed in this ocean of darkness.


    Stare, he did. Wonder, he did¡­


    Only to regret he ever traversed this plane.


    Slits cracked across the two objects, splitting them across the middle. They slowly pulled back to reveal eyes, irises red like hellflame rounding harsh, reptilian pupils. The eyes gazed hungrily upon him.


    Regret, he did. Fear, he did.


    A dark miasma closed in like a fog, increasing the surrounding pressure tenfold. His heart raced as it sank into a pool of dread.


    Ian jolted from his slumber with a start, brushing his head against the tent roof in the process. Beads of sweat trickled down his face with reckless abandon. Worry seeped into his heart. Dizziness swarmed his vision. Groaning, he wiped his face using his shirt, only to realize it was already drenched with sweat. On top of all that, his throat was parched.


    ¡°What... a nightmare¡­¡± he grumbled, panting unsteadily between words. The image of two fiery eyes was burned into his memory. ¡°It¡­ was just a dream¡­ haaah...¡±


    Sighing, he crawled outside in order to refill his water bottles at the pond. The sun barely peeked over the city wall in the distance, casting shadows across most the campsite. Birds chirped in the branches overhead.


    Seems peaceful¡­ he thought while hoping to forget last night¡¯s nightmare.


    At the waterside, he knelt. The dewy grass dampened his knees. He scooped the cold water with cupped hands and splashed it on his face. Afterward, he stared at his reflection which bobbed and waved on the surface. It felt as though he was looking at his inner self that wavered with the flow around it even when he put on a confident front to make others think nothing bothered him.


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Clicking his tongue, he lamented the fact that a werewolf or nightmare so easily threw his heart into disarray. Once more he splashed water over his face. Living in this place provided an opportunity to overcome negative emotions pumped into him over the years by others and himself.


    ¡°Didn¡¯ sleep well, lad?¡± Rogar asked from behind.


    Startled, Ian looked over his shoulder and replied, ¡°Man, don¡¯t sneak up on people like that.¡±


    Rogar shrugged and chuckled. ¡°Ya look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    Ian stiffened. The statement hit close to home due to the nightmare.


    ¡°Had a bad dream, did ya?¡± Rogar asked.


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Ian answered while filling his water bottles.


    Rogar plopped down on the grass beside Ian and said, ¡°Some people would probably tell ya it¡¯s a bad omen.¡±


    ¡°But not you?¡±


    ¡°Aye. Not me. No such thing as omens. Jus¡¯ a world filled wit¡¯ people suffering from consequences of choices, whether it be theirs¡¯ or another¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Interesting take on life,¡± Ian muttered. To be honest, he could not help but agree to an extent.


    ¡°I s¡¯pose. So, where¡¯d ye get those containers?¡± Rogar asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°My hometown,¡± Ian swiftly replied.


    ¡°Nice craftsmanship. Ne¡¯er seen such a material. How¡¯s it made?¡±


    ¡°Dunno. All I did was buy it,¡± Ian answered.


    ¡°Shame. Woulda¡¯ been nice if I could get me hands on some. They¡¯d probably sell quite well.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll be able to get you some next time, then,¡± Ian replied.


    ¡°Oh? If ye can, I¡¯d appreciate it. Could strike a deal with you then. If yer hometown has anything else like that, I bet you an¡¯ I could make a fancy fortune. Anyway, we¡¯re gon¡¯ be leavin¡¯ right quick. Thought I¡¯d also remind ye to buy from me when I come back during the harvest season.¡±


    ¡°Heh. Sure, as long as I¡¯ve got money,¡± Ian replied, grinning at the cheeky old dwarf.


    Rogar stood and leaned back into a stretch. Then, he said, ¡°Was nice to meet a friendly lad right before leavin¡¯ the Human Capital. Try not to turn into a beast¡¯s dinner before the next time I see ya, Ian.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll certainly try. See you later, Rogar.¡±


    While sauntering toward his wagon, Rogar muttered, ¡°All we can ever do, I s¡¯pose. Tryin¡¯ to live.¡±


    Once the merry party of dwarves left, including an incredibly hungover Darrak, Ian returned to his tent. Talking to Rogar helped calm his nerves somewhat. Smiling, he stretched and yawned before hastily packing his tent away. For some reason, it did not fit as well as before, but he forced it into the pack anyway. Next stop: finding a place to take him as an apprentice.


    * * * * *


    About an hour later, Ian stood in front of the first of the two main smithies Aria had circled on the map. Standing at least five stories tall, its size dwarfed the surrounding buildings, most of which stood only one or two stories tall. Smoke wafted from metal smokestacks on the roof. Busy-looking people flurried in and out of the large double doorway. The doors themselves were propped open with stone doorstops. Most of the buildings were made of stone but enormous logs braced the corners and individual floors in perpendicular fashion. Only the top and ground floors had windows, including a display window to the right of the door. All in all, the place exuded an air of manliness.


    Taking a deep breath, Ian prepared himself to enter. He took a step toward the building¡­ and bumped into a man passing by.


    ¡°Ah, sorry,¡± Ian apologized, only to realize the man kept walking without really noticing him. Ian sighed. Navigating through a crowd was certainly not his strong point, considering most people back home used airborne transportation like hover cars and public transportation like suspended magnetrains for transportation, whereas he walked everywhere.


    He took another step¡­ and bumped into another person. Bumping into others every few seconds certainly felt jarring. On the other hand, everyone around him seemed to be accustomed to it. However, he eventually stumbled through the front door to the smithy, all the while mentally thanking Aria for the map. Without it, finding his way through the crowded streets would have been a nightmare. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Inside, more than a hundred people lined up for multiple venues, perhaps for differing products. Voices could be heard throughout the building saying things like:


    ¡°I need a new sword! The last one I bought shattered in my last battle!¡±


    Or, ¡°My friend told me I could get quality armor here. Do you do fittings?¡±


    Or even, ¡°Could you make me a silver necklace with a diamond-shaped pendant, please?¡±


    Based on the snippets of conversation Ian heard while meandering around the shop, this particular smithy seemed to have a mixed but mostly positive reputation. Such a thing was probably given considering the size of the establishment.


    Unfortunately, he had no idea where to go. If possible, he needed to find a free attendant, apprentice, or someone similar in order to ask about a possible apprenticeship.


    After wandering around aimlessly for a few minutes, a middle-aged woman walked up to him. Although she looked rather plain, her apron indicated her position as an attendant of sorts.


    ¡°Hello, sir. Do you need help finding anything?¡± she asked courteously. An air of professionalism surrounded her demeanor. It felt rather scripted. Perhaps Aria¡¯s spontaneity could be considered unusual. As annoying as Ian thought it was at the time, he preferred it to the almost robotic attitude of the woman currently speaking to him.


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Ian answered, ¡°but I was hoping to find out if I would be able to become an apprentice here.¡±


    The woman¡¯s face softened as she replied, ¡°I see. I will take you to see Master Smithson then.¡±


    Even before she finished speaking, she gestured for Ian to follow. She proceeded to lead him through a door behind the venues. Although they garnered a few glances, it seemed that bringing someone to the back happened often based on the lack of reaction.


    As soon as the woman opened the door, a blast of heated air rushed past. To Ian¡¯s surprise, the door led directly to the smithing area. The breaths of bellows and clanging of hammers resounded throughout the massive space. Countless forges lined the wall. The heat they generated almost felt palpable. Numerous vents built into the walls allowed some of it to escape but the room still crackled from the sweltering heat.


    Not giving him any time to adjust to the sudden rise in temperature, the attendant led Ian all the way to the rear end of the room. Without even needing to be told, he immediately figured out who this ¡°Smithson¡± person was.


    Standing over an anvil and swinging a hammer with nigh inhuman precision, a ridiculously muscular man that would make professional basketball players look like twigs worked away. His short, messy blond hair and tanned skin glistened in the light of the flames due to an abundance of perspiration. His blue eyes, brimming with vitality, focused on the metal like a starving man to food. A large pointed nose noticeably poked out of his face, making one wonder if he would be able to see anything if he crossed his eyes.


    With each swing of the hammer, the man¡¯s sweat-soaked cloth shirt wrinkled and stuck to his skin. Some of the leather straps that took the place of buttons had been undone, exposing a forest of chest hair. The man also wore brown pants that fit tightly around his thighs, only giving breathing room to his calves. His leather boots looked enormous, at least US size 15, possibly bigger. Ian nodded to himself and decided the man was basically a blond version of Arnold Schwarzenegger.


    The attendant woman held a hand in front of Ian, indicating for him to stop. Several minutes passed while they waited for the man to finish his task. Eventually, he inspected his handwork and set it on a nearby table. Then, he hung up his tools on hooks while approaching his visitors.


    ¡°So, what might we have here, Linda? Someone get bad equipment?¡± The burly guy asked loudly in order to be heard over the din of hammering, sizzling, and other sounds. His deep voice resonated with Ian, though, oddly enough, his speech contained a hint of a Russian accent. Perhaps it was an accent unique to this world that only sounded similar to Russian.


    Linda, the attendant, answered, ¡°This young man wishes to become an apprentice.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see! Good, good. It is always good to have more people interested in our craft!¡± the big guy exclaimed with a wide smile. Then, he abruptly stuck his hand out toward Ian and said, ¡°My name¡¯s Allon Smithson. Nice to make your acquaintance.¡±


    ¡°Likewise. I¡¯m Ian Hayes,¡± Ian replied while grabbing Allon¡¯s beefy hand. It felt like his own would be completely engulfed, not to mention Allon began squeezing harder than normal for a greeting. In response, Ian put more strength into his handshake. After all, what kind of man would he be if he got overwhelmed in a handshake?


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHA! Good man!¡± Allon enthusiastically exclaimed while releasing his grip. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m willing to take you in. The initial training fee is thirty silver. Initial commision is thirty percent, though it will increase as your skill increases.¡±


    *Dudun*


    Ian¡¯s heart practically smashed through the floor. Within his mind, he screamed, NOOOOOO!!! Why the moneyyy?! Aren¡¯t apprenticeships supposed to be free?! Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this sooner, Aria?!


    Apparently, his feelings appeared in his expression, since Allon said, ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t have enough, eh? I can¡¯t really make exceptions to the rule even though I want more apprentices here. Try doing some work somewhere for a bit and come back. I¡¯ll be glad to have you when you do.¡±


    It seemed Allon Smithson had already decided that Ian would join. Too bad he did not know Ian could be more stingy than a squirrel with his acorns.


    ¡°Thank you for the consideration,¡± Ian replied solemnly, ¡°I will do my best to earn enough, then.¡± Even while speaking, his mind cried out in frustration.


    ¡°Linda, can you show him out? I need to finish this sword for Captain Ferys.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    As the woman led Ian out, Allon called out, ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger, Ian my boy!¡±


    In response, Ian gave the man a wave of farewell. Perhaps they would meet again, but first he would attempt to try out some other smithies. Without a second glance, he exited the establishment.


    ¡°Good riddance¡­¡± Ian muttered, ¡°Why is it necessary to pay for this? I hope it¡¯s not like this everywhere. If it is¡­ haaah¡­¡± His neck literally began to hurt due to the stress.


    Over the next few hours, Ian experienced even worse encounters at the other smithies. The replies he got mostly consisted of¡­


    ¡°Well, we have no fee, but you will need some backing for us to take you in.¡±


    Or,


    ¡°The fee is fifty silver per month.¡±


    Or, best yet,


    ¡°No. You don¡¯t look like Blacksmith material.¡±


    Some of the owners did not even take a second glance at him before shooing him away like a stray dog. Perhaps some sort of god of play like Loki existed and was messing with him?


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s basically what Rogar said,¡± Ian sulked while traversing the market street. ¡°I¡¯ve been at the mercy of these peoples¡¯ choices all day¡­¡±


    All options exhausted, he headed back toward the Visitor Center with a sore expression. According to the map, the Visitor Center was just north of the Southern Gate. Considering the excessive height of the towering walls, finding the place would be rather simple. Along the way, he made sure to kick every pebble in his path. At least the afternoon sunlight felt pleasant. That was a plus.


    Once again, he found himself in front of the blasted wooden door. This wasn¡¯t going to be a regular thing, was it?


    He sighed as he pushed open the heavy door. Lo and behold, there Aria sat behind the counter, setting down a book with one hand while brushing her bangs away from her eyes with the other. When she saw Ian, she smiled and waved.


    ¡°Welcome back,¡± She greeted. Honestly, Ian had no idea whether or not she was attempting to be humorous. Either way, her friendly yet cheeky smile lessened his anxiety by a small margin.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m back again,¡± Ian grimly replied.


    Aria tilted her head and asked, ¡°Did it not go well?¡±


    In answer, Ian shook his head. He followed up by crossing his arms on the counter and slamming his head onto them. ¡°You didn¡¯t say it would cost money to get an apprenticeship.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask, not that I even knew about blacksmith apprenticeships in the first place,¡± she calmly retorted.


    ¡°Haaaah¡­ Are those all the smithies in town? I really don¡¯t think anything else you mentioned last night would suit me.¡±


    ¡°Not even the brothels?¡±


    Ian grinned slightly, though he kept his face firmly planted on his forearms. ¡°No, not even the brothels.¡±


    For a moment, Aria ¡®hmm¡¯d and rested her chin in her palm. After a few moments of thought, she said, ¡°There is one more smithy run by my friend¡¯s dad, but he never took in apprentices.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot,¡± Ian replied. After all, he had nothing to lose at this point.


    With her chin still resting in her right hand, she held out her left and said, ¡°Map.¡±


    Lifting his head from the counter, he retrieved the wrinkled, sweat-stained map from his pocket. When he handed it over, Aria held it up by the corner between her forefinger and thumb, only to raise an eyebrow at its soiled condition.


    ¡°You must have been running everywhere for it to end up like this¡­¡± Aria said.


    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Ian replied. He regretted the fact no sarcastic remarks popped into his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just give you a new one since the ink might smear on the old one,¡± Aria said.


    ¡°Not if I have to pay three shillings.¡±


    The statement made Aria giggle for a moment until she regained her remaining professionalism, which was not actually all that much compared to most of the geezers he met earlier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Aria replied, smiling at the sweaty young man on the other side of the counter, ¡°think of it as a reward for working hard or something.¡±


    Now, it was Ian¡¯s turn to raise a brow. This woman certainly did not seem like the type of person to give stuff away for no reason. As such, he asked, ¡°You just don¡¯t want to touch it, right?¡±


    In response, Aria simply shrugged while tossing the soiled map into a trash bin. Then, she pulled out a new map of the Southern District without markings. From what he understood from his interactions over the past two days, there were two main districts, North and South. Supposedly, most of the Northern District was owned by nobles and was even home to the royal palace, the Ursa Keep. It was large enough that he could see it from almost anywhere. Overall, the city had a rather simple setup.


    As soon as Aria marked the location of the smithy on the map, Ian thanked her and hurried off to give the apprenticeship thing one last shot. Perhaps he would finally spin sevens. Or it could end with him on the streets...

 Chapter 6: Whats the Matter? Scene Six (Rewrite)

    Walking briskly, Ian made good time on the way to the final smithy mentioned by Aria, though not without bumping into a few people in the most crowded areas. However, due to a long day of constantly traveling on cobblestone road while weighed downfifteen-kilogramlogram backpack, his feet burned with soreness. As a result, he greatly anticipated finality for his search.


    The smithy happened to be located in the far southeastern corner of Conncinnata. Apparently, the area consisted mainly of residential areas. Because of that, he ended up having difficulty finding the smithy itself. When he finally discovered its location, he realized, to his dismay, that he had passed it by multiple times.


    As it turned out, the smithy was hidden behind the owner¡¯s house, which looked far nicer than the other homes in the neighborhood. Most of the nearby houses looked no bigger than a trailer home at best. However, the supposed blacksmith¡¯s house obviously contained multiple rooms and even a second floor. Various gardens full of colorful flowers skirted the edges of the building. The lawn itself probably spanned at least a full acre. A stone wall taller than Ian surrounded the entire property.


    A dirt path led from an opening in the wall to the front door. Another path split off from it and curved around the house to a small stone building, likely the smithy. Considering the eccentricity of the house compared to the other buildings in the vicinity, it came as no surprise that he had overlooked it.


    Even though he felt awkward walking straight onto a person¡¯s property, Ian decided to follow the dirt path to the smithy in the back. No other shops in the area had closed yet and countless people still milled about the streets, so it only followed that the owner would keep his smithy open as well. Without further ado, he opened the door to the stone building.


    Inside, he discovered a shop area. Many types of armor and weapons were neatly displayed on racks and stands. Although the place did not compare in size to any of the previous smithies, something about the weapons seemed completely different from the other shops.


    Curious, he picked up the nearest sword and examined it. Turning it around and glaring at it did not help him pinpoint why it felt different. All he knew was that these works of craftsmanship made everything else he had seen today look no better than butter knives.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± a gruff voice asked from Ian¡¯s left.


    When he faced the counter, he saw a middle-aged man both taller and bulkier than himself by a good margin. Apparently, the man entered through a door behind the counter while Ian had been engrossed in studying the sword. The man looked curiously at Ian with purple eyes the color of late sunset.


    Purple eyes? Ian wondered in amazement. Surely, colored contacts did not exist in this world. The unusual coloring threw him for a loop.


    Another look verified that the rest of the man could be considered fairly normal. He had jet-black hair tied back in a short ponytail. A dark 5 o''clock shadow grew on his angular chin. His clothes, although similar to Allon Smithson¡¯s, looked more used in comparison.


    Responding to the man¡¯s previous question, Ian said, ¡°The girl at the Visitor Center told me about this place.¡± The man¡¯s eyebrows rose in curiosity. However, Ian ignored it and continued speaking. ¡°She said you don¡¯t normally accept apprentices, but I¡¯m at the end of my rope here, so I figured it would be worth asking if you would be willing to take me in.¡±


    For a moment, the man remained silent with pursed lips and furrowed brows, his penetrating gave briefly sending a chill down Ian¡¯s spine. Then, after a few moments, he asked, ¡°Aria did tell you I don¡¯t take apprentices, right?¡±


    Seems he¡¯s quite familiar with her¡­ Ian noted. Shrugging, he answered, ¡°Yes, but none of the other smithies would take me since I don¡¯t have backing or money. Figured this was worth a shot.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t take apprentices, so there wasn¡¯t really a point for you to bother coming here.¡±


    Truthfully, the man brought up a legitimate point. However, Ian had no idea why he stubbornly decided to haphazardly charge over to give this place a shot even though he expected the man to decline anyway.


    ¡°Not sure what to tell you,¡± Ian straightforwardly replied, ¡°other than I felt like it was worth trying.¡±


    ¡°Not the best reason,¡± The man said. ¡°If you want to buy that sword, though, I don¡¯t mind selling it to you.¡±


    Well, the man at least had some business sense.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t really have money, so I was just looking at it,¡± Ian replied, regretting the fact he lacked the funds to buy such quality equipment. However, on a whim, he asked, ¡°May I ask something?¡±


    Seemingly unperturbed by Ian¡¯s refusal to buy anything, the man answered, ¡°Sure, ask away.¡±


    For a second, Ian hesitated since he did not know if the difference only existed in his imagination, but he went out on a limb and asked, ¡°Is there a reason your weapons feel so different from all the others I¡¯ve seen today?¡±


    To Ian¡¯s astonishment, the question visibly interested the man.


    Rubbing his chin, the man asked, ¡°What exactly do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ian answered, shrugging, ¡°They just feel different somehow. Maybe it¡¯s just me, or maybe you¡¯re the best blacksmith in town or something?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The man chuckled at the polite insinuation, but quickly straightened his face and asked the follow-up question, ¡°Are you familiar with Dark Matter?¡±


    ¡°Say what?¡± Ian responded, raising a brow. As he recalled, theories about dark matter existed but never reached the point of being proven.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ What are your Innate Gifts?¡± the man asked, noticing Ian¡¯s confusion.


    Oh, so it has something to do with those Gifts, Ian realized. Answering the man¡¯s question, he said, ¡°I have no idea, but Aria tested me with a strange box, though she wouldn¡¯t tell me what they were unless I paid five silver.¡±


    ¡°Really? That stingy girl lowered the price that much? Are we talking about the same person?¡±


    ¡°It actually was a discount? ... Uh, well, anyway, yeah, pretty sure it¡¯s the same person.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ alright, then,¡± the man muttered. He followed up by grumbling to himself for a few moments.


    ¡°So¡­ are your weapons different, then?¡± Ian inquired in an attempt to steer the conversation back on track.


    In response, the man stared at Ian with an unflinching gaze as he raised his right hand and asked, ¡°Can you see this?¡±


    ¡°See wha-¡± Ian did not even finish his question before falling silent, for the man¡¯s thick, blistered hand began emitting little black particles similar to the ones he saw during that seizure session upon first arriving in this world. The particles drew his whole and utter attention as they danced around the blacksmith¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Apparently, you can see them¡­¡± the man muttered as the particles swiftly retreated back into the man¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Eh? Is that a bad thing? Wait, forget that. I have loads of questions right now.¡± Yeah, Ian had questions. If questions were bullets, he would need a Gatling gun ASAP.


    ¡°Ask later,¡± the man replied somewhat sternly. ¡°I need to go speak with Aria for a bit. Wait here.¡±


    Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?! I want my questions answered! Ian exclaimed within his mind. However, it was already too late, for the man brushed past before he was even aware of the guy¡¯s movement.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Ian muttered. Well, he would probably have a few minutes to himself, so he may as well admire all the shiny weapons and armor.


    * * * * *


    Aria sat on her stool behind the Visitor Center calmly reading the last few pages of her book. It had been a wonderful tale full of adventure and romance and she highly anticipated the thrilling climax¡­ only to be disturbed by a gust of wind that startled her into dropping the book on the floor. She stared at the poor book, mourning the fact that she had been so rudely interrupted. Knowing who stood on the other side of the counter without even having to look, she frowned and asked, ¡°So, what can I do for you, Mr. Marlow?¡±


    ¡°You sent a kid over to my place. I need to know his Gifts,¡± the man bluntly answered.


    Puzzled, Aria tilted her head and asked, ¡°Are you talking about Ian? Don¡¯t tell me... you actually plan on taking him in?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t really have a choice. Just let me know his Gifts.¡±


    Aria was stunned speechless. Earlier, when she first mentioned Mr. Marlow to Ian, she had zero doubts he would be sent away in a heartbeat, not that she would ever let him know about it. Apparently, it turned out okay for him. Maybe Ian would even thank her and give her a tip¡­ no, scratch that thought. Such a thing would probably never come to pass. From what she could tell, that guy lived as frugally as her, if not moreso.


    ¡°Are you going to write it down for me or not?¡± Mr. Marlow sharply asked, breaking Aria from her musings.


    ¡°Oh, sure. That¡¯ll be ten silver.¡±


    Mr. Marlow cocked his brow and replied, ¡°That kid mentioned you offered it to him for five.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Aria clicked her tongue. Of all the things they had talked about, why did that fact have to be brought up? ¡°Fine, five silver. This will never happen again, just so you know.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll say the same thing the next time that kid comes here asking for something,¡± Mr. Marlow said, waving her off while sporting a sly grin.


    In response, Aria stared the man down while grabbing some paper and a quill. Maintaining her glare, she proceeded to inscribe Ian¡¯s Gifts on the paper. Even while writing, she wondered if there had ever been a time a conversation with Mr. Marlow that didn¡¯t end with bickering. Usually, the old geezer somehow came out on top, which irritated her to no end. To some extent, they got along fine, but mostly because of his wife and daughter being such absolute angels.


    As soon as she finished writing, she shoved the paper toward the man. Ignoring her sulking, the man swiped the paper and closely inspected it.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s no wonder he wanted to be a blacksmith. It¡¯s basically hammered into his soul. Hehe,¡± Mr. Marlow said, chuckling at his own pun. Aria did not chuckle. Continuing with a more serious expression, the man muttered, ¡°I suppose his Gifts are rather surprising, but the unknown Gift is there, just as I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°I noticed it, too. Is it important?¡± Aria asked.


    ¡°For me? Yes. For you? No.¡±


    ¡°Tch¡­¡±


    ¡°Either way, do you happen to know where this kid came from?¡±


    In reply, Aria shrugged and said, ¡°I have no idea, but he probably came from some obscure village looking for work. You know, kinda like that Ice Queen everyone has been raving about for the past year?¡±


    Without giving any hint of affirmation, Mr. Marlow kept his gaze trained on the sheet of paper. Although he somewhat expected the question marks, the other Gifts certainly took him by surprise. Such talent couldn¡¯t be bought. What kind of idiots turned him down today? In fact, he almost felt jealous. If his own Gifts had been that high during his younger years, then¡­


    ¡°So, is that all you wanted?¡± Aria inquired.


    ¡°Oh, yes. By the way, will you be coming over to visit Bianca anytime soon?¡±


    ¡°Maybe when I have a day off,¡± Aria answered while brushing her hair away from her eyes.


    ¡°Alright, be sure to let her know. She gets lonely if you stay away for too long.¡±


    Sighing, Aria replied, ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±


    ¡°See you later, then,¡± Mr. Marlow said as he sauntered toward the door.


    ¡°See ya, you old fogey,¡± she replied, only to realize he had already vanished. ¡°Tch¡­ that wimp, running off before I could insult him¡­ Still, to think he accepted Ian as an apprentice. The world won¡¯t end, right?¡±


    Shaking her head, she reached down to grab her book from the floor. She stopped.


    ¡°That geezer didn¡¯t give me my money¡­¡±

 Chapter 7: Whats the Matter? Scene Seven (Rewrite)

    When the middle-aged man returned, Ian had only finished checking out a few of the items in the smithy. Not much time had passed, right? Without a doubt, this old guy was way too fast.


    ¡°I¡¯m back. Thanks for waiting,¡± the man said. In his right hand, he held a piece of yellowish paper.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Ian replied, his hazel colored eyes shimmering, ¡°I wasn¡¯t even close to looking at everything.¡±


    After all, weapons were awesome. If he had to choose between playing with a sword and eating a good steak, he would, ten times out of ten, play with the sword in one hand while eating the steak with the other.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± the man said somewhat disinterestedly. ¡°You¡¯ll be making better stuff than this in time. These are all failures. I only sell my quality stuff by direct order.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Wait, does this mean you are taking me in?!¡± Ian questioned with evident astonishment leaking from his voice.


    ¡°Yeah. I figured you would have realized it when I asked you to wait.¡±


    ¡°Oh, true. Should have thought of that,¡± Ian muttered.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± the blacksmith said, ¡°you can use Dark Matter, or, at least, will be able to. So, I have no choice but to teach you about it before you end up hurting yourself or others.¡±


    Ian¡¯s excitement instantly died. Were those black particles actually dangerous or something? Why didn¡¯t anyone mention anything about this until now?


    ¡°By the way,¡± the man continued, ¡°my name is Gaelan Marlow, but just call me Gaelan. No need for stuffy titles like ¡®master¡¯ or anything.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ian spoke, still worrying about the danger of the dark particles, ¡°I¡¯m Ian Hayes. Thanks for the opportunity.¡±


    ¡°No problem. However, this is a first for me, so it may be difficult at first,¡± Gaelan explained.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Ian replied. Then, he politely asked, ¡°Would it be alright if I set up my tent on the lawn outside?¡± After all, finding a place to stay without worries was at the top of his priority list.


    ¡°No need for that, either,¡± Gaelan answered. ¡°My home has several guest rooms that hardly ever get used except when Aria comes over. I¡¯ll ask my wife to get one ready for you.¡±


    Doing celebratory fist pumps within his mind, Ian smiled and said, ¡°Thank you very much.¡± He would have done the fist pumps for real if his sense of shame had not kicked in first. Most assuredly, this moment could be considered his happiest since arriving in this world.


    ¡°Come,¡± Gaelan said, leading Ian outside. On the way to the house, he mentioned, ¡°Also, one rule: don¡¯t lay your hands on my daughter.¡± The man¡¯s purple eyes blared with overprotectiveness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t need to be concerned about it,¡± Ian replied in an attempt to assuage the man¡¯s worries. In fact, the man reminded Ian of his uncle at this moment in time. Although Ian spoke with sincerity, Gaelan most likely did not believe his words. Of course, Ian liked women, but his past experiences scarred him emotionally. As a result, emotional readiness for any type of relationship lay far in the future.


    When they stepped through the back door, Ian found himself in an entranceway connected to a quaint living room. Everything looked far cleaner than he expected. In fact, the room practically sparkled. A calming fire burned within a fireplace to the right. In front of it, an ornately carved wooden table rested on a bear rug. Further past it, a leather couch sat in silence waiting to be sat upon. It was the first couch Ian had seen in this world, so the sight of it briefly shocked him. Next to it, there was a wooden rocking chair. Opposite the fireplace, shelves were bolted to the walls, mostly filled with books and novels. On either side of the shelves were end tables decorated with white candles standing on metal frames.


    Breaking Ian¡¯s observations, Gaelan called out, ¡°Aella?! Can you come here for a minute?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a moment, dear!¡± a woman called out from another room.


    Noticing that Gaelan had already removed his shoes, Ian set his backpack down, breathing a sigh of relief as he did so. Afterward, he set about removing his own pair of boots, which happened to catch Gaelan¡¯s attention along with the backpack.


    ¡°Nice craftsmanship on your gear,¡± the man mentioned.


    ¡°A dwarf I met yesterday told me the same thing,¡± Ian replied, slipping off his left boot. Another sigh of relief.


    ¡°Only two days in town and you already met Dwarves, eh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. A nice old Merchant named Rogar, along with his friends.¡±


    ¡°You met Rogar?!¡±


    ¡°You know him?¡± Ian asked, stopping with his right boot half-removed.


    ¡°Aye, I do,¡± Gaelan replied, adopting a noticeable amount of the Dwarven accent. ¡°He supplies me with metals from Mount Bolcanus.¡±


    ¡°Small world¡­¡± Ian muttered as he finished removing his other boot.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    A moment later, a woman entered through a doorway across the room. Her appearance was stunningly beautiful. Compared to most of the women Ian had seen in the city, she was a little shorter, perhaps 160 centimeters tall or so. Curly white-blonde hair hung gracefully over her shoulders to her bountiful chest. Her eyes were sky blue and her skin was fair. She also had a petite nose and thin lips which curved into a gentle smile. Contrary to her comely visage, her day dress looked rather plain as though used for housework.


    ¡°You wanted me, dear?¡± the woman asked, her soothing voice seemingly able to melt the hardest of hearts. ¡°Oh, a visitor. How unusual.¡±


    This is Gaelan¡¯s wife?! Ian thought, taken aback. She looks no more than twenty-five¡­


    ¡°Well,¡± Gaelan answered, ¡°to be honest, I decided to take this kid in as an apprentice. Would you be so kind as to get a room prepared for him?¡±


    The woman, Aella, looked extremely surprised by the statement. However, she replied, ¡°I suppose I can get one ready.¡± Then, looking at Ian with gentle eyes, she asked, ¡°What is your name, young man?¡±


    Young man? I¡¯m twenty-six¡­ How old is she? Ian wondered. For a moment he forgot to answer, but shook himself out of his surprise and replied, ¡°My name is Ian, ma¡¯am. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet a young man with good manners,¡± Aella said. ¡°I pray you find our home a welcome place, even if my husband ends up nagging you from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Gaelan tried to say something but gave up upon receiving a sharp glance from his wife. Some sort of invisible communication existed there but Ian totally missed it.


    Once the short exchange ended, Aella curtsied slightly and wandered off to get Ian¡¯s room ready. Honestly, he didn¡¯t really care how nice the room looked as long as there was a roof over his head. Cleanliness would simply be an added bonus.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°Well, you met my wife,¡± Gaelan said, his face beaming with pride. ¡°So, how about you and I have a little chat in the meantime?¡±


    Without waiting for Ian, Gaelan trudged over to the couch and plopped down. Then, he looked back and slapped the other cushion a few times as a gesture for Ian to sit. Although the butterflies of visiting another¡¯s house for the first time flitted within his stomach, he wasted no time in taking the seat next to Gaelan, which turned out to be even softer than he imagined.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Gaelan said, adopting a serious tone, ¡°before we do anything else, I need to explain a few things to you.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ian affirmed. At this point, he felt more afraid of fainting from exhaustion than anything Gaelan might say, considering whatever the man said would probably be important to stay awake for.


    Rubbing his chin, Gaelan said, ¡°First, I¡¯ll need to explain why I decided to take you in. The reason is because of something called Dark Matter, which you didn¡¯t seem to be familiar with. To explain it, I¡¯ll need to tell you about a friend of mine, since he studied magic more than anyone else I knew. Anyway, he discovered there are two types of magic, and he called them Dark Matter and Light Matter. ¡®Two sides of the same coin¡¯ as he phrased it. Oh, he was actually the one who invented the Search Box you saw Aria use before.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, that stupid thing¡­¡± Ian muttered, nodding in remembrance.


    ¡°Unfortunately, he died during the last war.¡±


    ¡°War?


    ¡°War with the Daemonkin. Do you not even know about that?¡±


    ¡°Only from Rogar mentioning it briefly last night¡­¡±


    Gaelan sighed. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to explain quite a bit to you, then¡­¡± For a moment, the man remained silent with eyebrows furrowed in thought. Then, he said, ¡°You aren¡¯t from Regnoras, or rather, this world, are you?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ian responded, perplexed by the sudden question. However, Gaelan asked in complete seriousness. Although hesitant to say he came from Earth, Ian answered, ¡°Uh, yeah. I just got here yesterday morning. How¡¯d you know?¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Gaelan muttered, ignoring Ian¡¯s question. Then, he folded his hands together on the back of his head, looked at the ceiling, and said, ¡°The friend I mentioned wasn¡¯t from this world either.¡±


    ¡°So there are others from Earth in this world¡­¡± Ian muttered. Of course, the thought had briefly crossed his mind before, but he did not spend much time thinking about it. How many people from Earth lived in this world?


    ¡°Maybe, but the only ones I¡¯ve ever knowingly met are you and Dustin.¡±


    ¡°Dustin?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°Ah, yes, the friend I mentioned. His name was Dustin Crawford.¡±


    ¡°Dustin Crawford?!¡± Ian exclaimed, nearly jumping off the couch.


    Looking confusedly at Ian, Gaelan asked, ¡°Did you know him?¡±


    ¡°Well, kinda,¡± Ian replied. ¡°He worked for my dad a long time ago but went missing when I was six. I guess he ended up here...¡± Although he had been young at the time, he could still recall the moment his father found out Dustin had gone missing. No other time did his father lose his marbles so badly. Looking back on it now, Dustin must have been in charge of something important.


    Man¡­ remembering my parents ruined my mood¡­ Ian mused.


    ¡°Hoh~, how interesting,¡± Gaelan said, nodding. ¡°Anyway, back to the subject of Dark Matter. My friend, Dustin, studied in the Daemonkin country since more of them use Dark Matter than any other race. Unfortunately, he got accused of being a spy and was executed...¡± Gaelan fell silent for a few seconds, likely recalling his friend. He sighed, then continued, ¡°Before his death, he discovered a few important things you should know. One, there are the two types of magic, Light and Dark Matter. Two, although difficult, it is possible to switch from being able to use Light Matter as a base to using Dark as a base.¡± Furrowing his brows, Gaelan asked, ¡°Now that I think about it, you said you just got here yesterday, so does that mean you started with Dark Matter?¡±


    In response, Ian thought back to the painful memory of when he saw the black particles for the first time. If Light and Dark Matter made up the magic of this world, then he had seen both. Nodding, Ian confessed, ¡°It was a fairly painful experience¡­¡±


    ¡°Painful?¡± Gaelan asked, brows furrowed in contemplation. ¡°Dustin never experienced pain when he got magic for the first time or when he transitioned¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m pretty sure the Light Matter is what made it so painful,¡± Ian said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t til the dark particles showed up that the pain went away. It was kinda strange, but the dark particles felt like they were supposed to be a part of me or something...¡±


    ¡°Weird. Are you sure you¡¯re human?¡± Gaelan joked, grinning from ear to ear.


    ¡°Quite sure. Been one for as long as I can remember,¡± Ian retorted.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Dad?¡± a sweet yet reserved voice spoke from the doorway opposite the entrance. Both Gaelan and Ian craned their heads to see the girl shyly leaning around the door jam.


    ¡°Yes, pumpkin?¡± Gaelan asked, darting over to the girl who Ian presumed to be the man¡¯s daughter.


    When Ian looked at her, his first impression, uncharacteristically, was: Big¡­ Of course, he was not thinking about her stature, since her height could only be considered petite at best. However, her modest day dress curved around her ample bosom. Hoping not to earn the ire of his newly acquired mentor, Ian averted his eyes to the girl¡¯s face. She looked almost identical to her mother save for purple eyes, the same as Gaelan, and golden-blond hair a shade darker than her mother¡¯s. It curled illustriously down to her shoulders. If he had to guess her age, he would have to say twenty at best.


    Ian breathed a sigh of relief that the girl¡¯s attractiveness trended less to the sensual and more to the ¡®I want to make sure this girl never gets hurt¡¯. Well, it wasn¡¯t much better, but it was something. After all, he needed to keep in mind the warning his mentor gave him only minutes earlier.


    ¡°Umm, I didn¡¯t know you had a visitor,¡± the girl said, apparently disappointed. ¡°So, I¡¯m not sure there is enough food¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my beautiful girl,¡± Gaelan said in an attempt to soothe her worries while he bent over to hug her and rub his cheek against hers.


    Meanwhile, Ian amused himself by thinking, Daughter-con spotted! Well, Gaelan¡¯s daughter looked rather embarrassed, considering she sent a worried glance toward Ian before quickly averting her eyes. Compared to everyone else he had met in this world, Gaelan¡¯s daughter definitely won the award for the most shy.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Gaelan spoke, temporarily returning his attention to Ian, ¡°this is my wonderful daughter, Bianca. Since you¡¯re basically my servant now, you need to help me keep the boys away from her.¡±


    That¡¯s a little different than what he said earlier, but whatever¡­ Outside his mind, Ian only shrugged.


    On the other hand, Bianca complained, ¡°Dad, stop. Your beard tickles. Also, mom is going to get mad again if you keep scaring people away.¡±


    In response, Gaelan froze. A second later, he stood straight and exclaimed, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go eat dinner! Come, Ian!¡±


    At Gaelan¡¯s behest, Ian followed him into the next room that Bianca just came from. It turned out to be the dining room. Another brick fireplace, though unlit, was built into the wall on the right as they entered. In the center of the room was a large rectangular dining table, fully set with an array of delicious-looking casseroles and soups that smelled just as delicious. Six chairs surrounded the table.


    Of course, Ian got the jitters from not knowing which chair to use. He waited as Gaelan took the seat at the head of the table and the two women took seats to his right. Afterward, Gaelan gestured for Ian to take the seat directly on his left. Before eating, Gaelan said a short prayer of sorts.


    ¡°We thank thee, o¡¯ Lightbringer, for what you have provided. May you continue to provide for years to come as you have in years past. May your light fill the land.¡±


    In unison, Aella and Bianca muttered, ¡°May your light fill the land.¡±


    Although Ian did not participate, the others did not appear to have any qualms about it.


    Although slightly uncomfortable from eating at their table for the first time, he felt extremely happy inside. During the meal itself, he struggled to stifle a tear. After all, how many years had it been since he last ate a meal with other people? Two? Three? The last instance he could recall was with his friend who disappeared from his apartment complex a few years prior.


    After the meal, Aella, with candle in hand, showed Ian to the room she prepared for him. From the dining room, through the kitchen, up a flight of stairs, and at the end of the hall, there was his room. A bed, a nightstand, a dresser, and even a wardrobe furnished it. A thin candle on the nightstand lit the room surprisingly well.


    ¡°It might be on the small side, but I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± Aella said.


    ¡°No, this is more than good enough,¡± Ian replied happily. ¡°I was honestly expecting to sleep on the ground outside until a couple hours ago, so this is fantastic.¡±


    Aella smiled and said, ¡°Sleep well, then, Ian.¡±


    ¡°You too, uh¡­ Mrs. Marlow?¡±


    ¡°Aella is fine.¡±


    ¡°Then good night, Aella,¡± Ian said, bowing slightly, displaying his ignorance of etiquette within this world.


    Nodding, Aella retreated to her own bedroom near the stairs. With that, Ian stepped into his new room and took a deep breath. Grinning, he dropped his backpack next to the bed and collapsed on the mattress. Although a bit rough compared to his bed back home, it certainly beat sleeping on the ground. He blew out the candle and darkness swept in. Only the dim light of stars filtered through the blinds covering the nearby window. Not even a minute later, he fell fast asleep.

 Chapter 8: Whats the Matter? Scene Eight (Rewrite)

    The same old high-pitched ringtone startled Ian from his sleep. At first, he kept his eyes screwed shut due to the annoyingly bright light filtering through the window above his bed. Even so, he shut off the alarm out of habit.


    Eh? I never leave my blinds open¡­ Ian thought. Oh, right, I¡¯m in someone else¡¯s home.


    Realizing he lay in an unfamiliar bed, he grabbed his phone to check the time. Of course, it read 6:31, a minute after his alarm. In spite of the smartphone¡¯s age, it certainly did its job.


    ¡°Only seven percent battery left¡­¡± Ian muttered. Even though he did not exactly need the phone in this world, the low battery symbol still stressed him out. After shutting it off, he slipped it into a side pocket of his backpack which leaned against the headboard.


    Feeling more refreshed than usual, he hopped off the bed and stretched his arms into the air. With a silly grin plastered on his face, he anticipated an interesting day. Supposedly, Gaelan would be teaching him more about the world and Dark Matter before getting into the actual blacksmithing element of his apprenticeship.


    Before he could go anywhere, a faint odor tickled his nostrils. He pulled his shirt to his nose. Twitching at the smell, he remembered he had worn the same sweaty clothes for two days already. Immediately, he changed into a clean set of clothes and placed the dirty ones behind his backpack. Hopefully, there would be an opportunity to take a bath sometime soon.


    Then, he exited his room, descended the narrow stairwell, and walked outside. From what he had been told the previous night, there was an outhouse somewhere in the backyard. Barefoot, he trotted over to the wooden shed as soon as he saw it. As he approached it, he realized, I feel way younger for some reason. I don¡¯t even feel pain in my knee from that injury a few years ago¡­ Did the Dark Matter do it?


    Once he finished his business in the outhouse, he stepped outside to see Bianca only a few meters ahead wearing a white nightgown.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Bianca practically froze solid when their eyes met.


    ¡°Good morning, Bianca,¡± Ian greeted with a friendly smile. Apparently, the girl was six years younger than him based on the dinner conversation. However, the way they celebrated birthdays in this world differed from Earth, so he could not be totally sure. Either way, she almost looked like a child in his eyes, the key word being ¡®almost¡¯.


    ¡°Ah, um¡­ good morning, Mister Ian,¡± Bianca replied quietly, her purple eyes darting to and from Ian¡¯s face. A noticeably curious glint displayed itself in her gaze. Obviously, she did not feel comfortable around him yet. In fact, Ian wondered if she felt nervous around all strangers due to her father¡¯s steady overprotectiveness.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to just call me Ian. Putting a title in front makes me feel old,¡± Ian said.


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± the girl sheepishly replied, ¡°Since you are older, I thought it would be proper¡­¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­¡± Ian sighed. It hurt a little to be seen as old by a young woman only a handful of years younger than himself. Although, he probably would have experienced the feeling sooner if he had bothered to exert effort in expanding his social life over the past few years. Moving on, he said, ¡°Call me whatever feels most comfortable, then.¡±


    ¡°Uuu~¡± she whimpered cutely, ¡°Sorry, it seems like I bothered you, mist-, er, um¡­ Ian¡­¡±


    Perhaps it would have been better to ignore the prefix in the first place. This girl was dangerous. That whimper actually succeeded in pricking his heart.


    ¡°Well,¡± Ian said, casting away the urge to feel attracted to a girl several years younger, ¡°I¡¯ll let you go. I¡¯m going to go relax for a few minutes before your dad starts teaching me anything.¡±


    Yeah, that¡¯s a good way to put it¡­


    ¡°Okay, um¡­ Ian¡­ Actually, do you mind if I just call you Mister Ian?¡± Bianca asked, shifting her weight in a manner displaying unease.


    ¡°Uh, sure¡­¡± Ian replied somewhat passively.


    ¡°Also,¡± Bianca added while Ian began his retreat to the house, ¡°breakfast should be ready in a little while.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thanks,¡± Ian replied, leaving the girl to her business.


    A half-hour or so later, Ian once again exited his new bedroom with a refreshed smile. His remaining clean clothes now hung neatly in the wardrobe and many of his belongings now lay safe within dresser drawers. All the while, he continued to look forward to the interesting things he would learn, but at all times kept the thought in the back of his mind to be more cautious around Bianca in the future. Otherwise, he worried he may end up losing his hard sought after apprenticeship.


    * * * * *


    In the kitchen, Bianca pulled a dish similar to a quiche from the oven that took up a large portion of the wall at the front of the house opposite the stairwell that led to the upstairs bedrooms. Plenty of wooden pantries lined the wall opposite the dining room. Beneath her bare feet, the wooden floor creaked with each step.


    While she sliced the quiche into triangular pieces, the sound of feet trodding down the nearby stairwell distracted her, causing her to slice her finger ever so slightly. Since the cut looked no worse than a papercut, she decided to ignore it.


    Looking at the stairs, she saw Ian duck under the doorway to the kitchen. He nodded at her.


    ¡°Um, I¡¯ll get you a plate,¡± Bianca said while stepping toward a nearby cupboard. ¡°My parents probably won¡¯t be up for a little longer, so it¡¯s fine if you just go ahead and eat.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ian replied casually, ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡±


    While Ian focused on his food, Bianca studied his face. For some reason, she could not read beyond his physical expressions no matter how hard she tried. Normally, she would be able to react to a person based on their thoughts, but doing that with Ian proved to be impossible due to a thick fog of murky darkness clouding his mind.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Later, when Gaelan started teaching Ian about basic magic theory, Bianca watched from a distance out of curiosity toward this stranger. Questions filled her mind. What kind of person knew nothing of magic at that age? Where did he come from? How should she act around someone if she did not know their thoughts?


    Eventually, she came to the conclusion that she would simply have to grow accustomed to Ian over time. Maybe she would see past that cloudy darkness sometime in the future.


    * * * * *


    Throughout the day, Ian received a crash course on things he would need to know as Gaelan¡¯s apprentice. His new mentor covered everything from the basics of magic to the basics of currency. Supposedly, Innate Gifts fell under three main categories - low, medium, and high - and it mainly applied to elemental affinities and resistances. Currency even followed a similar tier system. Two shillings equaled one copper, sixty copper equaled one silver, and ten silver equaled one gold. Supposedly, the two systems correlated in terms of value as the tiers increased, though Gaelan said it was purely coincidental.


    Around midday, Gaelan pulled out some books and said, ¡°If you¡¯re going to help at my shop, you¡¯ll need to learn to read.¡±


    A few minutes passed as the man attempted to explain the foreign characters. Before long, Ian realized he would struggle to learn from Gaelan in this aspect. As such, he interrupted his mentor by saying, ¡°Please stop. You explained the magic and stuff really well, but you suck at teaching this.¡±


    ¡°Tch. Do you want to learn or not?¡± Gaelan fumed, pride visibly smashed.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ I do,¡± Ian answered, ¡°but is there anyone you know that could teach me quickly rather than blather on about how ¡®this¡¯ means ¡®that¡¯ and is similar to ¡®those¡¯ and so on and so forth?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should grind you up and feed you to my chickens?¡± Gaelan threatened with a frightening smile.


    ¡°You have chickens?¡± Ian asked in an attempt to evade the threat. Honestly, he couldn¡¯t tell if the guy was serious or not.


    ¡°Yes, we do,¡± Gaelan answered, ¡°You didn¡¯t hear them this morning?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ you¡¯re less fun to mess with than Aria¡­¡± Gaelan complained. Then, he said, ¡°Speaking of Aria, she may be able to teach you. She reads all the time and teaches her younger siblings, so she could probably do it¡­ for a price.¡±


    ¡°Might be worth asking,¡± Ian muttered while flipping through the pages of a book with a sore look on his face. ¡°Free would be nice, though¡­¡± he added, resting his cheek on his palm. Apparently a bit of stubble already started growing.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never get anything free from that girl,¡± Gaelan said, crossing his arms, ¡°unless she owes you a favor or something.¡±


    Since midday just passed, Ian figured he should have enough time to run to the Visitor Center and back.


    Going there is becoming a regular thing, isn¡¯t it? Ian brooded. Then, facing Gaelan, he said, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll run over there now, unless you wanted to add something else before I leave.¡±


    In response, Gaelan shook his head and said, ¡°Be quick about it. If you¡¯re late for dinner, I won¡¯t leave you any food. That¡¯d be detrimental for you since we¡¯ll start smithing tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Awesome!¡± Ian excitedly exclaimed. He stretched, palms reaching for the cloudless blue sky. From there, he waved and said, ¡°Alright, see ya later, Gaelan.¡±


    In return, Gaelan saluted nonchalantly with two fingers.


    During the walk to the Visitor Center, he thought, As long as the portal is still in that cave, I should head back to Earth to see if I¡¯m still employed¡­ If not, I¡¯ll need to quit and collect my final paychecks in order to keep up on rent. Then, I¡¯ll need to find a way to bring in some income in both worlds that won¡¯t require my presence over there.


    As he left Gaelan¡¯s property, he turned right and headed straight toward the main market street about a kilometer away. From there, he took his time meandering toward the Southern Gate. During the trip, he sulked over his lack of money. Several shops sold tasty-looking treats he had never encountered before, and his tongue cried out to taste them.


    At some point, he caught a glimpse of the royal castle in the distance. In a way, he wondered how much the monarchy affected the daily affairs of the people in comparison to the government of Earth which lorded over every aspect of the citizen¡¯s lives behind the scenes.


    Before long, he arrived at the Visitor Center once more. Upon entering, he saw Aria sitting on a stool behind the counter with chin resting in one hand while setting a book down behind the counter with her other hand. The cover looked different from the one he saw yesterday. How much did this woman actually read?


    Noticing Ian, Aria smiled and asked, ¡°Did Mr. Marlow send money with you?¡±


    She didn¡¯t even say hello¡­


    Aloud, Ian answered, ¡°No. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± Aria replied, sighing, ¡°Well, welcome back, I guess. Remind that old man to pay me back when you go back there.¡±


    Yep, there was no way he would be getting free lessons.


    ¡°Uh, sure¡­¡± Ian replied. Walking up to the counter, he hesitantly asked, ¡°May I ask you for a favor?¡±


    Tilting her head, Aria brushed her hair away from her eyes and answered, ¡°That depends on what it is.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ how do I put this nicely? Well, basically, Gaelan wanted to teach me how to read Common, but he¡¯s terrible at it, so I decided to ask you instead.¡± For some reason, his instincts told him not to mention the idea originated with Gaelan.


    A prideful glint flashed across Aria¡¯s eyes as she replied, ¡°I may be able to do it in the mornings before work. How much would you be able to pay me, though?¡±


    Although she did not give much outward indication of it, she felt inwardly excited at the prospect of teaching this young man. Not only would she be able to observe his growth, but she would also be able to see Bianca more often. Either way, it was a win-win situation.


    ¡°Could I give you an I.O.U.?¡± Ian hesitantly inquired.


    ¡°A what? An eye-oh-you?¡± Aria asked in return, a confused expression plastered on her face. Apparently, I.O.U.¡¯s did not exist here.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a contract stating I will eventually pay you back at some point,¡± Ian explained. ¡°We would each sign off on it to show we agree to it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that could work, I suppose,¡± Aria thoughtfully replied, understanding radiating from her eyes. However, she looked slightly conflicted as she muttered, ¡°Although I prefer my money up front, I think I could handle it.¡±


    ¡°Would two copper per lesson be alright?¡± Ian asked, almost begging.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit on the low side, but I¡¯m no professional, so I can¡¯t complain.¡±


    ¡°Nice!¡± Ian exclaimed. Without realizing it, he pumped his fist in celebration, causing Aria to giggle at the strange gesture.


    A minute later, Aria produced a surprisingly detailed ¡®contract¡¯ to be signed by the two of them. Although Ian could not read it, save for the number four, he figured Aria did not seem like the type of person to scam him twice¡­ probably.


    After he signed it, Aria gave a gentle smile and requested, ¡°Could you tell Gaelan I¡¯ll be coming over the morning to start teaching you? Wouldn¡¯t want to miss out on Bianca¡¯s cooking.¡±


    ¡°That soon?¡± Ian asked in surprise.


    ¡°Is there an issue?¡±


    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Ian replied, placing his hand over his chin. ¡°He¡¯s going to start teaching me actual blacksmithing tomorrow, so I guess we can split the lessons equally.¡±


    ¡°Lessons from me in the morning and learning from that old geezer in the afternoon?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Ian replied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to let him know I¡¯ll be there in the morning, then, and every morning after that, too.¡± Aria reminded him.


    Having overworked himself in the past, Ian concernedly asked, ¡°Won¡¯t you get worn out?¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you worried about me?¡± Aria retorted with a sly grin.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ nevermind¡­ See you in the morning,¡± Ian grumbled while waving farewell.


    ¡°Bye,¡± Aria replied, chuckling.


    And so, Ian¡¯s life in Regnoras truly began.

 Chapter 9: Forging a Foundation Scene One (Rewrite)

    After the first lesson with Aria, Ian realized learning Common would be easier than he initially anticipated, especially since he could follow Aria¡¯s teaching without breaking a sweat. Every once in a while she would get distracted and follow bunny trails, but for the most part, it went surprisingly well.


    Since Aria needed to go to the Visitor Center around midday, she bid farewell to both Ian and Bianca before leaving. Now, the time had come to learn blacksmithing. Grinning from ear to ear in expectation, Ian practically skipped to the back door of the forge since Gaelan instructed him to use it instead of the front door. Along the way, he noticed smoke billowing from a smokestack above the building.


    As the door creaked open, sunlight illuminated the dimly lit forge. Smells of smoke, metal, and coal filled his nostrils. The air around him rippled from the excess heat.


    Inside, he found a shirtless Gaelan using the bellows to stoke the flames. Blue-tipped orange flames flickered within the forge made of brick and stone built into the same wall as the back door. With each press of the bellows, Gaelan¡¯s bulky muscles bulged and heaved. Noticing the man¡¯s iron biceps, Ian looked down at his own arm and wondered if it would look the same someday. However, that ridiculous farmers tan needed to be avoided no matter what.


    Before long, Gaelan noticed Ian¡¯s presence and put away the bellows. Wiping away the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, he jokingly accused, ¡°Finally decided to join me, did you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Aria¡¯s lesson just finished. And, just so you know, she¡¯s a far better teacher than you,¡± Ian replied, grinning.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever,¡± Gaelan said, waving him off. ¡°Listen, it¡¯s hot in here and always will be, so let¡¯s focus on the task at hand for now. We can crack jokes later.¡±


    ¡°Uh, sure thing,¡± Ian said, slightly thrown off since he had expected Gaelan to snap back in a joking manner. However, it seemed the man took the forge rather seriously and did not consider it a good place for shenanigans.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Gaelan said with an instructive tone, ¡°for now, just watch my movements. By the end of the day, I hope to have you understand what it means to stand in my forge.¡±


    In response, Ian simply nodded. From what he could tell, he needed to take this as seriously as his mentor.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to form a chisel to show you some of the basic movements,¡± Gaelan explained. ¡°Make sure you pay close attention, since I¡¯m going to have you try your hand at this as many times as I can whenever I don¡¯t have orders to fill. It¡¯s best to learn by doing. It¡¯s how the Dwarves taught me, and that¡¯s how I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    He learned blacksmithing from Dwarves?! Awesome! Ian thought, thoroughly impressed. Based on lore from Earth and even his encounter the other day, Dwarves probably took the top spots in the blacksmithing industry of Regnoras. Although it may be slightly cliche to think so, Ian figured it was fine since Dwarves were pretty awesome.


    Then, Gaelan said, ¡°I already used the bellows to increase the strength of the fire. Fire needs air, so you¡¯ll be using the bellows more than most of the tools in here. I¡¯ll show you how to use it later. It¡¯s quite simple.¡±


    Gaelan proceeded to grab a small steel ingot from a crate using a long pair of tongs held in his left hand. ¡°Although you won¡¯t get burned due to your High Fire Resistance, it is still important to do this the proper way. Using your hands to stick the metal into the flames can cause impurities every once in a while. I know since I tried it.¡±


    ¡°High Fire Resistance?¡± Ian asked, stuck on the unfamiliar term.


    ¡°It¡¯s one of your Gifts. I guess I forgot to tell you about them. Ask me about them later.¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­ wait, did you mention sticking your hands into the fire?!¡± Ian exclaimed. Even with resistance, would that not cause pain?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Anyway, don¡¯t interrupt me from this point on. Just watch and listen,¡± Gaelan said with strong conviction. ¡°A lot of people think it might be fun to take out stress on the metal while forging it, but accuracy is most important. Randomly putting in strength leads to low quality products.¡±


    That made sense. Actually, Ian himself had thought about how fun it could be to swing a hammer at a piece of metal. Apparently the job would be different from his initial expectations.


    From that point on, the two remained silent. First, Gaelan began by heating the steel within the raging flames that lit the room with an eerie glow. As soon as the metal touched the fire, the flames converged around it, supposedly at Gaelan¡¯s urging since small black particles floated around him. While watching the process, Ian wondered what type of Gifts his new mentor had.


    The flames heated the metal until it turned red, then orange, but as it began to turn yellowish-white, Gaelan pulled it from the fire and set it on the nearby anvil. Awestruck by the process, Ian carefully observed as the man swung forth with very practiced movements. Although Ian was not capable of discerning it at this point in time, Gaelan struck the piping hot metal at a consistent pace in particular spots. Whenever the metal began to cool, he stuck it back into the fire and repeated the process.


    Later, the metal took on a shape close to that of a chisel, but it still needed a few adjustments. At this point, Gaelan clamped the metal to the anvil and expertly molded it into a perfect chisel. Dark Matter danced from his hand to the chisel and a few particles collected within it. Slowly, the remaining particles dispersed and Gaelan released the chisel from the clamp. Now all it needed was a handle.Stolen story; please report.


    Using tongs to hold up the metal which was still piping hot, Gaelan carefully inspected his work. Grimacing, he clicked his tongue and said, ¡°It¡¯s a bit low quality since I focused more on letting you see the process, but it will have to do as an example piece for now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s low quality?¡± Ian asked. ¡°It looks perfect.¡± Honestly, it looked more sturdy and usable than any chisel he ever saw back in the tool stores of Earth.


    ¡°It could certainly sell for a decent price to any person that would not use it to make a living,¡± Gaelan replied, ¡°but it is by no means a masterpiece that could last many lifetimes. It would be a disgrace to sell this in my name, or even my shop.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Ian muttered, slightly disheartened.


    ¡°Make no mistake, though,¡± Gaelan continued, ¡°there are no mistakes in blacksmithing. If it isn¡¯t good enough, you melt it down and redo it.¡±


    The statement ¡®there are no mistakes¡¯ grabbed Ian¡¯s attention. So far during his twenty-six years of life, he had piled up mistake after mistake until it dragged him to the pits of emotional and social anxiety. Therefore, he knew at this moment that choosing blacksmithing as his path would never lead to regret. If ever he made a mistake, all he needed to do was fix it.


    I can apply this to my life as well¡­ Ian thought while clenching his fist. Perhaps blacksmithing truly could help him forge more than just a stable income.


    ¡°Alright, your turn,¡± Gaelan said with a cocky grin.


    ¡°Uh, seriously?¡± Ian asked. ¡°I have no idea how you did any of that.¡±


    Gaelan scratched his head and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to give you directions while you work. If it comes out bad, you¡¯ll just have to keep doing it over and over until you get it right. Oh, I subconsciously used Dark Matter earlier, but don¡¯t worry about that yet. I¡¯ll explain that part when you can actually forge something decent.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I guess I¡¯ll give it a shot,¡± Ian said, shrugging. ¡°A chisel again?¡±


    ¡°You can certainly try, but I¡¯ll be happy if you make something close. Also, use the scrap in the corner so that we aren¡¯t wasting money.¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ you could have said that before I grabbed from the same crate as you¡­¡±


    For the rest of the day, Gaelan directed Ian through the different steps of the process. From what he understood of the explanations, the technique for this type of forging was called ¡®upsetting¡¯ which caused the metal to flatten out into a near chisel shape. The first ten or so attempts resulted in abysmal failures, twisted pieces of metal nowhere close to usable tools. Contrary to Ian¡¯s preconceptions about his new mentor¡¯s attitude, the man never once laughed at or made fun of his failures. Instead, he seriously and patiently guided Ian through the process.


    At some point, Ian decided that taking off his shirt like Gaelan would be a good idea, which earned him a thumbs up from the geezer. Sometime around Ian¡¯s fifteenth attempt, Bianca brought them glasses of water. The two shirtless men gratefully downed the liquid in one go. However, Bianca almost dropped the porcelain cups when she saw Ian shirtless. Considering his leaner muscles took shape through modern weightlifting techniques, it would not be hard to imagine the difference between his well-toned muscles and the bulky muscles most of the men of this world had. Even so, poor Bianca did her best not to stare at him too much before leaving. Lucky for Ian, the two men were too busy to notice anything and quickly resumed the hardcore training.


    From the start, Ian habitually shied away from the flames. Noticing it eventually, Gaelan grabbed Ian¡¯s wrist and shoved his hand into the flames. After that, Ian quickly overcame his inbuilt fear of burning. In fact, he became so fascinated by the orange and blue flames lapping at his hands that he ended up playing with it for a few minutes. Gaelan simply watched him out of curiosity since witnessing a person¡¯s first experience with magic was considered the same as watching your child walk for the first time. Before long, a blood vessel burst in Ian¡¯s nostril and a splitting headache prevented him from playing any longer. While stifling the blood flow with a cloth, he realized that wielding the flames as naturally as his mentor would likely take some time. After all, learning about something and actually experiencing it were completely different things.


    Near the end of the day when the sky turned reddish-purple due to the setting sun, Ian finally succeeded in forging a somewhat usable chisel. Although the level of craftsmanship fell miles short of even Gaelan¡¯s ¡®failure¡¯, Ian asked if he could keep it as a memento of his first success, to which his mentor agreed with an understanding grin.


    However, even as Gaelan complimented his new apprentice, he considered how quickly the kid picked up the technique. For some reason, he felt like he had just watched someone relearn the process after forgetting it for a long time. Honestly, the kid didn¡¯t just have the Gifts for it, he also had the innate talent, and to a frightening extent at that.


    ¡°At this rate, it won¡¯t even take you a month to make small things like this on your own,¡± Gaelan said.


    ¡°Thanks. That was actually really really enjoyable. Is there any way I would be able to take a bath or something, though? I feel like a slug crawled all over me.¡±


    ¡°We have a small tub, but you¡¯ll have to use it last,¡± Gaelan answered. ¡°Also, slugs don¡¯t exactly crawl. It¡¯s more like sliding.¡±


    ¡°Meh, doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Ian said. All he cared about at the moment was the fact that a bath awaited him in the near future.


    While the two returned to the house, they saw Aella at the doorway. She watched the two sweaty, shirtless men traipse toward the house. Well, at least, she stared at her husband, and with the gaze you might see on a predator eyeing its prey. Ian did his best to ignore it.


    ¡°Dinner is ready,¡± the woman gracefully told them as she spun back around and entered the house.


    ¡°Thanks, honey.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡±


    That night, dinner passed rather quickly for Ian. Not only did he feel much more at home than the previous night, but he also anticipated a warm bath after a good meal.


    Apparently, the family needed to share a bath and would take turns based on parents first, then children by age, and finally guests. As long as he got the chance to clean himself, it was all good either way.


    Upon entering the bathroom, he realized the bath water felt lukewarm at best. Grinning cheekily, he put his newly learned Fire Affinity to use and reheated it, although the action gave him a headache. After relaxing for a while, he returned to his room down the hall and plopped onto the bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he thought to himself, I need to go back to Earth for a bit within the next few days. Hopefully Gaelan will understand.


    Then, with his first day as an apprentice blacksmith under his belt, he pulled the quilt up to his chin and slowly drifted off while mentally celebrating the fact that he finally found something that could bring him some fulfillment in life.

 Chapter 10: Forging a Foundation Scene Two (Rewrite)

    The cooing of roosters woke Ian just before sunrise. Although he knew about them before, today was the first time the noisy creatures actually woke him up. Considering he lived in the city his whole life, the boisterous animals surprised him.


    Forcing himself to sit up, he groaned due to his sore muscles. The previous night, while waiting for his bath, Gaelan told him about his Gifts, including High Physical Affinity. Considering how much manual labor he carried out yesterday, it seemed to have increased his endurance by some margin. Even so, the resulting tiredness caused him to crave freshly brewed coffee. Perhaps bringing some to this world would be a good idea.


    After putting on some clean clothes that Aella had been so kind to wash for him, Ian left the room and headed downstairs, yawning a few times along the way. A few stretches made him realize that his t-shirt felt slightly tighter than before. There was no way his muscles grew that fast, right?


    Deciding not to worry about such a thing, he shrugged it off and descended the stairway to the kitchen. Surprisingly, Bianca was already awake and making breakfast. Somehow she avoided spilling anything on her dress the entire time. Recalling his own attempts at cooking, Ian wondered how she accomplished such a thing.


    Yawning again, Ian casually greeted, ¡°Good morning, Bianca.¡±


    ¡°Oh, um, good morning, Mister Ian,¡± she replied, only briefly glancing at him before returning to cutting something that looked like red celery.


    Seeing her reach over the counter that had obviously not been constructed with short, er, vertically challenged people in mind put a smile on Ian¡¯s face. Honestly, he couldn¡¯t help thinking it looked cute in a way. Then, noticing the vegetable beneath her knife, Ian curiously asked, ¡°Is that rhubarb?¡±


    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know what rhubarb is, but this is redstick,¡± Bianca replied, still focused on chopping the thing.


    Redstick¡­ how uncreative¡­ Ian mused. Considering he never tried rhubarb before, he hoped rhubarb and redstick were synonymous. After all, food was one of the few things he could find enjoyment in, so finding new things basically served as a hobby.


    ¡°Mind if I try some?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s okay,¡± Bianca answered, finally looking up at him. She blinked upon seeing the young man practically drooling over the vegetable. Realizing how close he stood, she nearly dropped the knife. Although his height unnerved her, she inwardly told herself she only needed to grow accustomed to him over time. However, she did not know how long it might take, especially when considering the fact that seeing his thoughts or intentions remained impossible.


    After a sigh of relief at not losing her grip on the knife handle, she grabbed a piece of redstick and handed it to Ian, who gratefully accepted it. The look in his eye reminded her of an overexcited dog for some reason.


    As his teeth sank into the sinews of the vegetable, sweet and sour juices dribbled onto his tongue. It tasted exactly how he expected rhubarb to taste. Most likely, the two things simply ended up with different names in different worlds. Nibbling on it, he savored the sour taste. Sour was one of his favorite flavors, right behind salty, sweet, savory¡­ okay, all flavors were good. How could he choose between them when they had different good points?


    ¡°Thanks, Bianca. It¡¯s really tasty,¡± Ian said while shoving the remainder of the stick into his mouth.


    ¡°Oh, um¡­ Y- You¡¯re welcome,¡± she sheepishly replied, returning to her cutting board.


    While chewing, Ian curiously inquired, ¡°May I ask what you¡¯re making?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ a surprise?¡±


    If Ian didn¡¯t know any better, he would have thought she simply made it up as she went along based on the way she said that. Perhaps it could be considered an attempt at friendly banter?


    ¡°Well, alright. Need any help?¡± he asked. ¡°Since I¡¯m practically freeloading, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡±


    In reply, Bianca shook her head back and forth, causing her curly golden hair to flutter along with the motion. Then, she said, ¡°Thanks for the offer, but it¡¯s okay if you wait elsewhere.¡±


    Shrugging, Ian said, ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll go wait on the couch, I guess.¡±


    * * * * *


    Bianca eyed Ian as he ambled toward the living room. Even though she told him she did not need help, it honestly would have taken a load off her shoulders. The only problem was that she did not think she could focus on cooking if he stayed any longer. Even having her dad mull around the kitchen proved enough of a distraction to make major mistakes, so someone unfamiliar would probably cause a disastrous result. At least, she imagined pulling out a living loaf of bread from the oven, complete with beady red eyes and sharp needle-like teeth. The only three people she ever felt comfortable cooking with were her own mother, Aria, and Aria¡¯s younger sister.


    Staring at the chopped redsticks, she sighed. Getting used to Ian as quickly as possible would be good even if only to receive help in the kitchen. Even so, waiting could be good too, since he would probably wear out from his studies and training.


    Wondering if she could have handled their conversation better, she picked up one of the redsticks and turned just enough to face the spot where Ian stood a few seconds earlier.


    ¡°Here,¡± she quietly said while recalling the short exchange, ¡°I bet you¡¯ll like it¡­ No, that doesn¡¯t sound right. Hmm¡­ Maybe, after he asked if he could try it, I could have said, no, but maybe if you help in the future. No¡­ that sounds a little rude and stuck up¡­ Oh, I should have smiled. Then, I could have said, trying it is fine, so do your best today¡­¡±


    Setting the redstick back on the cutting board, she closed her eyes and sighed again.


    ¡°I guess I should get back to making¡­ whatever it was I was making¡­¡± she mumbled.


    * * * * *


    Both Gaelan and Aella came downstairs shortly before Bianca finished baking some sort of breakfast pie. Apparently, everyone eating breakfast together did not happen often in the Marlow household since the parents tended to sleep later than their daughter. As a result, Gaelan proclaimed that they would all need to eat together, which likely would have transpired anyway whether or not he said anything.


    Shortly after the statement, Aria waltzed through the back door like she owned the place. The expression on her face showed surprise and she made a snarky comment to Gaelan about always sleeping in. However, she dropped any further conversation with him in order to help Bianca set the table. Once again, Bianca worried whether or not they had enough food for everyone. One look revealed such a worry to be baseless. Aria assured the girl there would be plenty to go around.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    During the mostly quiet meal, Ian said, ¡°Hey, Gaelan. I need to go back to my wo- home soon. Would it be a problem?¡±


    He almost said ¡®world¡¯ but decided to replace it with home since he did not know if telling the other three people about his origin would be advisable.


    In response to the dubiously vague question, the others¡¯ faces lit up with surprise. Even Bianca stopped with a fork halfway to her mouth. Sounding out their worries, Gaelan asked, ¡°Why? You just started and now you want to go back?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry. It would only be a few days at most,¡± Ian clarified. ¡°I have a few things I need to take care of and possibly a few things to bring back here.¡±


    To Ian¡¯s surprise, Aria, Aella, and Gaelan all looked relieved for some reason, though their expressions displayed various background thoughts. The most obvious one was Aria due to the promise of money. Besides those three, Bianca briefly released a sigh. Of course, Ian understood Gaelan¡¯s concern, or maybe even Aria, but Bianca and Aella, too? Honestly, he found himself at a loss on what to think of the reactions of these people he only met a few days prior.


    In contrast, he recalled the moment he told his parents he would be moving out, and their reaction basically consisted of, ¡®Don¡¯t let the door hit you on the way out¡¯. Compared to that, these people that could barely be called acquaintances treated him far better, like he was an actual human with feelings. If he could spend the rest of his life around people that cared about him and he could care about in return, how wonderful would that be?


    Breaking Ian¡¯s train of thought, Gaelan replied, ¡°Good. I feared I had taken you on as an apprentice for nothing.¡±


    Ian¡¯s cheerful feelings fluttered out the window.


    Scrunching his brow and rubbing his beard, Gaelan asked, ¡°Are you actually able to go back? That seems strange to me¡­¡±


    Apparently Gaelan possessed experience in keeping his mouth shut. He did not even come close to mentioning Earth.


    ¡°Do you live across the sea?!¡± Aria chimed in interestedly.


    ¡°No, but I suppose it¡¯s not much different,¡± Ian answered. Supposedly, from something Gaelan mentioned previously, the mountain where the portal existed stood just north of the Catankra Sea, which spread out from the south coast a few kilometers away. So, in a way, his home could be considered close to the sea.


    ¡°So, do you have a way there and back?¡± Gaelan asked with justified curiosity.


    ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± Ian replied.


    ¡°I see¡­ Mind if I go with you?¡± Gaelan inquired with one brow raised.


    Ian blinked in surprise. Aella dropped her fork. Aria looked at him like he¡¯d finally lost his mind. Bianca simply gazed worriedly toward her father.


    ¡°Are you sure about that, Sweetie?¡± Aella worriedly asked.


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Gaelan replied as though it his statement was the most obvious course of action.


    ¡°Um, dad, what about the orders for the shop?¡± Bianca asked.


    ¡°They can wait. If the customers come by, tell them I left to gather some special materials or something. It¡¯s not exactly a lie,¡± Gaelan calmly answered.


    What are you planning on stealing from Earth?! Ian exclaimed within his mind.


    After a pause, Ian said, ¡°It probably won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    Well, it could be awkward if anyone saw Gaelan walk out of his apartment after a few days of inactivity, but it would probably be fine.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Gaelan said, clapping his hands together while smiling excitedly. ¡°When do you plan on going?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡±


    Honestly, who wouldn¡¯t be excited about the prospect of visiting a mysterious place for the first time? However, Gaelan¡¯s expression worried Ian.


    Sighing at her husband¡¯s impulsiveness, Aella muttered, ¡°What an interesting breakfast this turned out to be¡­¡±


    Recalling his initial journey toward the city, Ian worriedly asked, ¡°Do werewolves show up often outside the city?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not. Why do you ask?¡± Gaelan asked, chuckling at the strange question. However, Ian noticed that Bianca twitched slightly at the mention of werewolves. Perhaps she feared them or something.


    ¡°Since I ran into one on the way to the city, I just thought I should ask,¡± Ian explained. ¡°Are there any other dangerous creatures I would need to watch out for?¡±


    When Ian mentioned he actually ran into one, Aella gasped, Gaelan raised a brow in bewilderment, Bianca looked at the floor, and Aria suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Whaaat?! You ran into that thing? And you lived without even knowing about Gifts?!¡±


    Ian shrugged. ¡°I got lucky, since some heavily armed group showed up right after I crossed paths with it.¡± While he spoke, Ian noticed Bianca fidget a little. Maybe she despised werewolves as much as he despised needles.


    ¡°My goodness. You certainly are quite lucky,¡± Aria said, shaking her head.


    ¡°Indeed, considering that monster killed over twenty people last week,¡± Aella added while staring at Ian with a concerned look in her eye.


    Not the greatest mealtime conversation¡­Ian thought.


    Meanwhile, Gaelan glanced at his daughter and raised a brow. Even he thought her reaction strange. Well, perhaps not too strange, since he quickly shifted his attention to Ian and said, ¡°Normally, the more dangerous creatures shy away from civilization, so you don¡¯t have to worry about anything, especially since I¡¯m going with you.¡±


    Ian almost forgot about that fact due to the easygoing interactions. During their first meeting, Gaelan zoomed past him in a single second. Recalling that instant assured Ian of safety. Honestly, he felt thankful he agreed to let the guy come along.


    ¡°Also,¡± Gaelan continued, ¡°werewolves are strong compared to most of the people here, but you should be able to handle one on your own after some training. Actually, let¡¯s add combat practice to your apprenticeship. How¡¯s that sound?¡±


    The suggestion sounded like a good idea to Ian, if not for his mentor¡¯s lips curving into a sinister grin. What exactly was the man planning?


    ¡°I guess that would be helpful¡­¡± Ian hesitantly answered. However, he had a feeling he may end up regretting the decision, although getting stronger would certainly become necessary in this world.


    ¡°So, may I ask when you plan on leaving, Ian?¡± Aella inquired. By the looks of it, she had gotten over her husband¡¯s hasty decision and settled for going along with it.


    ¡°Probably tomorrow, if it¡¯s not a hindrance,¡± Ian answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Gaelan interjected with a dismissive wave. ¡°Men don¡¯t need time to prepare.¡±


    Aella pinched her husband¡¯s forearm, causing him to grit his teeth.


    * * * * *


    After breakfast, Ian began his lesson with Aria, during which she created a list of the 128 characters used in the Common alphabet. Basically, she told him to memorize it within the week, though it felt like a threat the way she phrased it. When they finished the lesson a couple hours later, Aria mentioned she would be going to the market with Bianca since she had the day off. For some reason, Ian considered Bianca reclusive, but apparently his assumption missed the mark.


    During the rest of the afternoon, Ian learned a new technique from Gaelan called drawing out. In theory, he could accomplish it by hitting a piece of heated metal on four sides, drawing it out into a longer piece. His assignment for the day involved making nails by using the new technique. Compared to the chisel, Ian found the nails far easier to fabricate.


    Satisfied with the work Ian accomplished in only two days, Gaelan ended early in order to save energy for the next day¡¯s trip to Earth.


    That evening, the meal melted on Ian¡¯s taste buds. Bianca even cooked fresh steaks made from the meat a domestic beast unique to Regnoras. Although Ian did not know of the creature, he loved it almost as much as the sirloins from his favorite restaurant back on Earth. Following the meal, Aria bid them farewell and returned home while the others prepared for bed.


    The next morning, Ian and Gaelan left for the Southern Gate, complete with travel packs and supplies.


    ¡°I could have made it here in a few minutes if I didn¡¯t have to slow down for you, Your Slowness,¡± Gaelan said with a sly grin and light bow once they reached the gate. Several people ambled to an fro, creating a steady flow of traffic in and out of the city.


    ¡°Ah, yeah, right. You would have known exactly how to get there, too, I¡¯m sure,¡± Ian replied, only slightly salty.


    ¡°Oho~ Well, are we going or not, my foolhardy apprentice?¡± Gaelan asked.


    ¡°Haaaah¡­ We¡¯re already walking¡­¡± Ian dryly muttered.

 Chapter 11: Forging a Foundation Scene Three (Rewrite)

    The late summer sun kissed the horizon when Ian finally found the cave from which he originally arrived in this world. Finding it proved more difficult than he initially anticipated. His ears rang due to the number of lame jokes Gaelan cracked over the past few hours.


    ¡°You know, you probably should have marked the entrance since there aren¡¯t any landmarks around here,¡± Gaelan suggested.


    ¡°I could have, but if others came here and found the portal, that would be detrimental for me,¡± Ian replied.


    In response, Gaelan pursed his lips and said, ¡°You probably wouldn¡¯t know, but this mountain is something of a sacred area. Nothing really travels the slopes aside from plants and animals.¡±


    ¡°Why would nothing come up here if it is a sacred area?¡± Ian asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this place turn into a pilgrimage route or something if that was the case?¡±


    ¡°Normally, that would be true,¡± Gaelan answered, ¡°but this mountain, Mount Sacris, is rather mysterious. Most people are unable to even come close to it, much less climb it.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then why are we able to come up here?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°Could have something to do with Dark Matter, but it might not be so simple, considering I¡¯ve never heard of anyone climbing these slopes,¡± Gaelan answered while rubbing his chin. Apparently, he did not know the answer.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ Great, just great. I¡¯ve only been here a few days and yet I¡¯ve already involved myself in something mysterious¡­¡± Ian quietly muttered.


    Taking out his trusty LED flashlight, Ian prepared to lead the way to the portal within the cave. However, Gaelan stopped him and asked, ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the flashlight?¡± Ian spoke, pointing at the device in his hand. ¡°Basically, it¡¯s a really bright torch that shines in one direction without burning up oxygen like a flame torch.¡±


    ¡°What? Ox-itchin?¡± Gaelan asked, frowning with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°...It¡¯s a molecule we need to breathe,¡± Ian explained. Within his mind, he thought, Seems I failed to take into account that the periodic table hasn¡¯t been studied here yet¡­


    ¡°So, another way of saying air?¡±


    ¡°Not quite. Maybe I¡¯ll explain it some other time, though it¡¯s kind of complicated and I would totally botch it if I tried to teach you.¡±


    ¡°You know, you¡¯ve used more strange words in this short conversation than in all of the past three days¡­¡± Gaelan pointed out.


    Desiring to return to Earth before sundown, Ian flipped on the flashlight and shrugged. Shining the beam of light into the passage, Ian started walking with Gaelan following behind. Curiosity gleamed within Gaelan¡¯s purple irises when he saw how much the silver device could illuminate. It only served to increase his expectations of other interesting things he could find in this land called Earth.


    Water dripped from the walls and ceiling and echoed around them while they wandered through the winding serpentine cavern, boots grinding against the rugged stone floor. When they reached the small ledge Ian marked previously, he vaulted onto it and gestured for Gaelan to follow. Crouching, Ian placed the flashlight between his teeth and crawled into the small tunnel.


    ¡°I could widen this if you want,¡± Gaelan offered.


    ¡°Really?! That would be nice, though leaving the entrance to this tunnel small would probably be good just in case anyone else ever makes it up here.¡±


    Nodding, Gaelan hopped onto the ledge and said, ¡°Step back for a bit.¡±


    Ian backed out of the tunnel and stood next to Gaelan. His mentor then placed both hands on the cave wall near the entrance. Small dark particles floated around his arms and into the stone. Within seconds, the entire cave rumbled and cracked. Rocks and dust fell from within. Ian¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the tunnel begin to expand, almost like pumping air into a balloon made of stone. A few seconds later, Gaelan sighed and wiped his brow.


    ¡°Whaddya think, kid?¡± Gaelan asked, lips curled into a cocky grin.


    ¡°How long will it take for me to do that?¡± Ian asked in return.


    ¡°Depends.¡±


    ¡°On what?¡± Ian asked while ducking through the small tunnel entrance Gaelan left.


    ¡°You, obviously,¡± the man replied, following his apprentice into the widened tunnel.


    When they reached the cavern where the portal made its home, Ian said, ¡°That tunnel was a lot shorter than I thought.¡±


    ¡°I assume you had to crawl last time?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Well, portal¡¯s over here,¡± Ian replied, wandering straight toward the far wall. For some reason, he found it a simple task to find the exact spot even though he could not see the foggy, oval-shaped portal in the dim light at first. When they reached it, he faced Gaelan and asked, ¡°You ready?¡±


    In response, Gaelan gave a cocky grin and nodded. Contrary to the man¡¯s age, his face radiated youthful anticipation.


    ¡°Alright, follow me,¡± Ian said right before hopping through the portal.


    Before following, Gaelan observed the action. In his opinion, it looked no different than a person splashing through a wall of soup. Setting aside curiosity on how the portal worked for the time being, he stepped through, only to be stunned by the sudden change of scenery.


    Once again, Ian found himself in his room, bed just as messy as before. In contrast to the last time he stood here, he now had a visitor. Right away, he took out his phone and placed it on the charging platform on the nightstand next to his bed. Afterward, he moved toward the door. To the right of the doorway, about the same height from the ground as the door handle, there was a rectangular touch-screen panel with a thin blue slider. By sliding his finger up after touching the slider, the lights gradually brightened, causing the two men to squint since they had mostly traveled in a dark cave for the past few minutes.


    When his eyes adjusted to the change in light, Gaelan observed the room with great interest. The construction struck him as totally different from the norm in Regnoras. The most intriguing aspect for him was the fact that he could sense the structure of the entire building which meant it was composed of something besides wood.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to need some day-long learning session about this world, right?¡± Gaelan asked offhandedly.


    ¡°Nah,¡± Ian answered, ¡°Explaining about all the necessary technology to you would take forever, and would not be worth it since you aren¡¯t planning to live here.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Gaelan muttered while stooping to rub his hand on the carpet. ¡°This rug covers the entire floor. How extravagant.¡±


    This is extravagant? Really? I guess it¡¯s something I took for granted, Ian thought. Even though he had technically lived on the poverty level, he may as well have been a noble or something by the living standards in Regnoras.


    During his ponderings, Ian spoke with a clear, almost monotone voice, and said, ¡°Miri, could you turn on the lights in the kitchen, please?¡±


    [Yes sir. Also, it has been four days, seventeen hours, and thirty-two minutes since you last made any requests. Is there a need to send for medical assistance?]Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Gaelan¡¯s eyes darted around the room, displaying his confusion toward the electronic female voice echoing around them. He could not help wondering if it was some sort of ghost servant or something.


    Ignoring the confusion on his mentor¡¯s face, Ian answered ¡®Miri¡¯ by saying, ¡°No, but I will need to access my Jungle account after my phone charges.¡±


    [Very well, Ian.] Miri replied.


    With that out of the way, Ian faced Gaelan and explained, ¡°Miri is a basic artificial intelligence. In other words, a fake personality used to make life more convenient.¡±


    ¡°Oh, something like a homunculus, then,¡± Gaelan replied, nodding slightly.


    ¡°Homunculus? Artificial humans you mean?¡± Ian worriedly asked, considering his father once worked on a project to create one but failed. However, it supposedly led into whatever the irritating researcher studied now.


    Shaking his head, Gaelan answered, ¡°No. It¡¯s basically just a dextrous golem. Not sure how they¡¯re made exactly, but it¡¯s nothing like a human.¡±


    The answer soothed Ian¡¯s worries to an extent. Intelligent homunculi roaming around was something he would rather not see become a reality.


    Then, Ian let Gaelan explore and examine the small apartment while he walked to the kitchen in order to cook something. Basically, it involved pulling a box of frozen lasagna from the freezer and sticking it in the oven. While waiting, he meandered over to the living room and sat on the black leather couch.


    A minute later, Gaelan joined him and muttered, ¡°You can get water in your bathroom without using a well. Everything here is so convenient. And this couch¡­ it¡¯s incredibly soft and comfortable.¡±


    Head leaned back and resting on the edge of the couch, Ian said, ¡°Yes, it is. We can get a few things here to bring back, but the one thing I¡¯d really like to do at some point is get some plumbing hooked up at your place.¡±


    ¡°That would certainly be nice, but it¡¯s a big project. Only a few of the richer nobles have any plumbing right now, and even then, it¡¯s not that great. The Dwarves are far ahead in that aspect.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Dwarves teach you blacksmithing? Couldn¡¯t you just ask one of them to help with that?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but they charge a lot for it, even for friends.¡±


    Pursing his lips, Ian fell into thought. Honestly, he could probably figure out how to install some plumbing by searching the internet, but he figured it could wait. Then, he gazed through the sliding door window leading to his veranda and his mind wandered on to other things.


    Considering night had fallen, he assumed time flowed similarly in the two worlds. As a result, he would have to wait until morning to go out and purchase everything he needed. In the meantime, he decided to work on setting up a secondary source of income through selling any handcrafted items he made during his apprenticeship. On top of that, Gaelan even gave him a few basic tools like chisels and hammers to get him started after hearing his plan. However, Ian would need to buy items from Earth for his mentor in exchange. Either way, selling handcrafted items in a modern age of perfected mass production tended to be hard to find yet incredibly popular if made well. Therefore, selling some of his works on Jungle, the popular site for online sales, could prove fruitful.


    A sudden beeping pulled Ian from his musings. Grunting from soreness after a long hike, he stood and ambled into the kitchen. He retrieved the piping hot, steaming tray from the oven and placed it atop an oven mitt on the table. The smells of melted cheese and tomato sauce rose with the steam and tickled his nostrils.


    Gaelan hesitantly rose from the absurdly comfortable couch and wandered toward the kitchen, stepping around the modern, oval-shaped coffee table in front of the couch. Along the way, he gave it one last curious glance. The steaming tray instantly stole the man¡¯s attention, though. He crossed over from the carpet to the tile, yet another foreign material to him.


    While gorging himself, Gaelan mentioned how good the strange pasta dish tasted, only to discover that it had been prepared in a factory. The surprise on the man¡¯s face practically asked what kind of heresy this world had come to.


    After putting the dirty dishes in the sink and filling them with water, Ian retrieved his smartphone from his bedroom. Although not fully charged, he removed it from the charger and turned it on. Instantly, it blew up with notifications, most of which annoyed him.


    {19 Unread Messages}


    {4 Missed Calls}


    {Your energy is full! Come back and raid with friends in Devil¡¯s Heart!}


    {Email received from T.E.S.A.}


    Besides the game notification, the rest consisted mostly of messages from work and, astonishingly, some of his family. First, he checked the email from the security company that stationed him at the factory.


    ¡®Your employment has been terminated due to undeclared absence.¡¯


    ¡°Haaaah¡­¡± Ian sighed. Of course his employment would be terminated if he did three no-call-no-shows in a row.


    Next, he scrolled through the missed calls and texts, most of which turned out to be sent from that irritating mother of his. A majority of the texts from her went something like:


    ¡®T.E.S.A. notified us about your termination of employment. What do you think you are doing? You needed that job. Go find another one immediately and stop embarrassing the family.¡¯


    Apparently she still believed she could make his decisions for him. He adamantly refused to fall back into living as her puppet, especially since he had finally found a path for himself elsewhere. Therefore, he ignored her messages and deleted them.


    A few of the messages contained coupon spam he had signed up for, but the most recent message came in from his younger sister a few hours prior and it read:


    ¡®Mom told me to talk to you. I¡¯ll be stopping by tomorrow morning, so make sure you at least have some boxers on.¡¯


    Ian closed his eyes, pinched his forehead, and groaned.


    ¡°Hmm? Something wrong?¡± Gaelan asked while eyeing the small device Ian had been tapping on for the past few minutes.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ My sister will be here tomorrow morning¡­¡± Ian soberly answered.


    ¡°And that¡¯s a bad thing?¡± Gaelan asked in return, raising a brow.


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Ian replied. ¡°She is what you might call a, uh, ¡®lady of the night¡¯ so to speak¡­¡±


    Shock appeared on Gaelan¡¯s face as his mouth gaped. ¡°Your sister is a harlot?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°Not quite, but I suppose it¡¯s similar,¡± Ian said while scratching his chin. Meanwhile, he thought, I guess it¡¯s not so different since she¡¯s a porn actress. Even though it¡¯s pretty much a normal job here, she¡¯d probably be considered no different than a shameful prostitute in Regnoras. Either way, it¡¯s still awkward to be near her knowing about it¡­


    ¡°Wow. Did not see that coming,¡± Gaelan muttered, furrowing his brows and rubbing his beard.


    ¡°Honestly, in this world, it¡¯s a huge business in high demand,¡± Ian explained while plopping down on the couch next to Gaelan.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Gaelan almost keeled over in his seat. ¡°Do you participate in this nonsense?¡±


    Shaking his head, Ian replied, ¡°Nah, it never appealed to me, I guess. Always got called old-fashioned because of it.¡±


    ¡°Good. I probably would have kicked you out of the house otherwise in order to keep you away from my daughter.¡±


    Whoa. That¡¯s intense. I guess it¡¯s a good thing I was more old-fashioned, Ian thought. Truthfully, one reason he sank so low on Earth was because he never really found pleasure in the bountiful amounts of entertainment pervading society. Even the game on his phone only served as a means to keep in touch with his cousin.


    ¡°Well, anyway, do you think you could just treat her normally?¡± Ian requested.


    ¡°Of course. Just because I¡¯m not okay with her profession doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t treat her like a person,¡± Gaelan replied, assuring Ian of his position. In fact, the man¡¯s expression caused Ian to feel foolish for thinking his mentor would do anything else.


    Moving on, Ian said, ¡°Miri, turn on the News, please.¡±


    [Certainly.] The electronic voice replied from a nearby ceiling speaker.


    Then, a decorative panel cranked outward before sliding into the wall opposite them. Behind the panel was a black, rectangular object that Gaelan showed interest in. It practically caused the man to forget the recent conversation.


    While the panel rose, Ian walked over to the kitchen to grab glasses of water for them before returning to his seat.


    To Gaelan¡¯s surprise, the black rectangle flickered and images popped into view along with sounds. Although it could be considered typical for a News broadcast, it was all a new experience for the old blacksmith. For the next few minutes, the two watched the screen in complete silence, much to Ian¡¯s surprise. By the looks of it, his mentor figured out the use of the television.


    Most of the headlines and stories were fairly benign and full of the heavily altered accounts Ian had become accustomed to picking apart for the truth. After a while, Ian remembered his glass of water and lifted it to his lips when the News anchor said, ¡°In other news, a recent law passed which allows the more radical groups of Nature Purists to practice their belief of pursuing nature¡¯s origin through nudity without getting arrested.¡±


    ¡°Pffffffttttt!¡± Water spewed from Ian¡¯s mouth like an exploding faucet.

 Chapter 12: Forging a Foundation Scene Four (Rewrite)

    ¡°What is wrong with these people?¡± Ian muttered while using a towel to soak up the water that spewed from his mouth earlier. The previous News announcement left him fairly dumbfounded. Apparently, the radicals of the Nature Purist movement had gained enough influence to get national laws put in place for their beliefs. Something about it did not sit right with him.


    ¡°How am I supposed to answer that? If you don¡¯t understand the people of your world, then it¡¯s doubtful I would do any better,¡± Gaelan retorted, answering the rhetorical question. The man, still sitting on the couch, ran a hand through his black hair, which he had untied. In Ian¡¯s opinion, he looked very similar to Aragorn from the old Lord of the Rings movies, especially with the five o¡¯ clock shadow. Too bad his purple irises ruined the image.


    ¡°Well, based on what they said, I¡¯m pretty sure it will cause conflict within the group since the supposed leader doesn¡¯t exactly adhere to that,¡± Ian said.


    ¡°Still, your world is crazy,¡± Gaelan replied. ¡°Is all the stuff they said on that box actually going on?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Ian answered, standing up with the damp towel in hand, ¡°A lot of it gets altered, though most people prefer not to worry about it and let themselves get swayed by half-truths. That last bit, though, seemed true enough, as strange as it was.¡±


    ¡°Hoh~? You are probably the strange one here, aren¡¯t you?¡± Gaelan asked, cackling for a moment, ¡°Although we¡¯ve only known each other for a few days, I get the impression that you fit in better in Regnoras rather than here.¡±


    At Gaelan¡¯s words, Ian stopped drying off the coffee table and fell into deep contemplation. He could not deny the statement. After all, besides the initial painful experience of obtaining Dark Matter or running into a werewolf, he enjoyed every moment of living in Regnoras. It gave him a sense of belonging.


    ¡°On another note,¡± Gaelan continued, ¡°the magic here is¡­ strange.¡±


    Raising a brow, Ian asked, ¡°What do you mean? There¡¯s never been magic in this world.¡±


    In response, Gaelan furrowed his brows, rubbed his beard, and said, ¡°There is. It just feels¡­ asleep, I suppose. If there wasn¡¯t any magic, I doubt that gateway between worlds would have appeared in your room. There are probably more out there, too, considering Dustin made it to Regnoras as well.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I forgot about him¡­¡± Ian somberly muttered. Then, he thought, Wait, doesn¡¯t that mean there might be others who can use magic here?


    Lifting a hand, Gaelan said, ¡°I¡¯m going to test it.¡±


    Dark particles emitted from his uplifted hand even as he spoke. They dispersed around the room like the feelers of an insect. Later on, Ian would come to understand the function behind it, but for now, he could only observe with a puzzled expression.


    A minute later, the particles raced back into Gaelan¡¯s arm and he frowned. Face scrunched in concern, he said, ¡°It would seem that I can¡¯t recover any magic here after using it. Any magic we use will be severely limited. The Dark Matter stored in our bodies will gradually run out.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by Dark Matter in our bodies?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the little black things you see when we use magic comes from our own bodies. Ambient Dark Matter is invisible to everyone without exception, though I didn¡¯t understand everything Dustin explained about it. Did I never mention it?¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. Explains why I don¡¯t see black dots everywhere, though,¡± Ian replied as he resumed wiping up the water on the table.


    Shrugging, Gaelan leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. Silence fell over the room aside from the squeaking generated by the hand towel rubbing against the faux marble surface. Once Ian finished drying it, he wandered over to the kitchen to hang the towel on the oven handle. Along the way, he yawned. He felt more tired than he had in several days. Looking around the corner at his mentor, he said, ¡°We may as well go to sleep now. Do you want to sleep on that couch or my bed?¡±


    ¡°The couch, for sure,¡± Gaelan instantly answered without hesitation.


    Recalling the times he slept on the couch, Ian understood the man¡¯s decision. Without further ado, he retrieved a spare quilt and pillow from his closet for the man. Prior to falling asleep, he took a shower and showed Gaelan how to use it after he finished. One does not simply use the shower at a friend¡¯s house, however, especially when from an otherworld city lacking plumbing. At least the man proved good at adapting to unfamiliar scenarios and quickly figured it out. Afterwards, Ian left the guy to it and plopped down on his foam-topped mattress and pulled out his phone.


    ¡°Miri, pull up my jungle account.¡±


    [Very well.] Came the electronic reply. Immediately, Ian¡¯s phone opened a web page for the account. Then, he took pictures of the chisels, hammers, and other tools his mentor gave him. Sitting against the headboard of the bed, he hoped these items would open the doorway to earning enough to keep the apartment.


    ¡°Miri, what¡¯s the average selling price for handcrafted chisels or the other tools I took pictures of?¡±


    [..........A single chisel runs anywhere from five dollars to several hundreds depending on quality or popularity of the craftsman.]


    ¡°That much?! Seriously? Man, I need to get popular quick. I guess I¡¯m just starting out, though, so let¡¯s set the prices around twenty or so dollars and see how it goes.¡±


    With that, he set up the data entries with the pictures. While waiting for drones to pick up the merchandise, he set his phone back on the charging station and relaxed on the memory foam beneath his back.


    ¡°I should buy some of this stuff to bring back to Regoras with me¡­¡±


    * * * * *


    The next morning, Ian awoke to his shrill 6:30 a.m. alarm, head pounding in rejection of the noise. At first, he rolled out of bed thinking he needed to go to work but shortly remembered he could go back to sleep without worry. Rolling back under the covers, he dozed off again.


    Around eight o''clock, he finally woke up again feeling more refreshed than earlier. Before crawling from the covers, he stretched. A groan slipped from his lips. Afterward, he climbed down from the bed and stepped over to his dresser to put on clean clothes.


    Craving cereal, he wandered toward the kitchen. Along the way, he briefly glanced at the couch. Wrapped comfortably in the tan quilt, Gaelan snored away, hair untied and sprawled all over the place. Although startled by the sheer amount of hair, Ian walked more carefully in order to avoid waking him.


    Before anything else, though, he started a pot of coffee. After all, he had already suffered through one caffeine headache over the last few days and did not feel like experiencing another. While it brewed, he poured cinnamon squares into a large bowl, but several knocks on the door interrupted him. Apparently, the noise woke Gaelan as well, considering the man rolled off the couch and hit the floor with a thud. A low groan followed.


    Sighing, Ian left the open box and dry cereal on the counter and ambled over to the door. Although he knew his sister would be standing on the other side of the door, he wondered why she showed up so early in the morning.


    When he unlocked the door and swung it open, lo and behold, there stood his twenty-three year old little sister. Even now, he struggled to come to terms with the fact that his baby sister had grown up. It made him feel old. Staring back at him through similar hazel eyes, she leaned on one leg, hands resting on her hips. A sleek visor-like object, an ARV, rested atop her head, flattening some of her short brown hair. The last time they saw each other, her hair reached halfway down her back but she obviously cut most of it off since then. Contrary to her profession, her clothes looked rather ordinary, consisting of a blue v-neck shirt with an eagle logo around the left chest area and tight-fitting jeans. Her thin, glossy lips curved into a gentle smile as she looked up at him and said, ¡°Hey, Ian, long time no see.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Hey, Alayna. I guess it has been a while, hasn¡¯t it¡­¡± he replied.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°So, you gonna let me in?¡± she asked with an almost pleading look in her eyes. Obviously, her acting skills were still top-notch.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± Ian evasively answered while backstepping from the doorway.


    ¡°You know,¡± Alayna said while entering, ¡°I¡¯ve never actually seen your apartment.¡±


    Unsure how to continue the conversation in any way, Ian simply waited for her to set down her purse and remove her sandals. Since she was his sister, he did not pay much heed to her generously endowed rear end hugged tightly by her jeans. However, he did briefly wonder how many people touched her there due to her profession.


    ¡°So this is your sister, eh?¡± Gaelan tiredly asked, still haphazardly wrapped up in the quilt and lying on the floor between the couch and the coffee table.


    Visibly startled, Alayna froze and stared at the man. Her thoughts swirled in confusion. Since when did Ian have friends? What kind of friend was he? What was he doing on the floor like that? And, most of all, what was with those locks of silky black hair that would easily fit into a hair product commercial?


    Noticing his sister¡¯s hesitation, Ian shut the door and explained, ¡°That guy is my mentor, Gaelan. Your knocking woke him up, by the way.¡± Although not meant as a jab, the statement sounded like one once it escaped his lips.


    Practically ignoring the slightly accusatory statement, she asked, ¡°Mentor? What kind? Mom said you lost your job.¡±


    At least her voice lacked the incriminating air his parents would have brought with them if they visited instead. Actually, that probably explained why their mother sent her over in her place. Their older brother lived even further away, so he was not a viable option either, not to mention his personality. In the end, sending Alayna probably served as their mother¡¯s attempt at pulling him back into her strings of influence. She always did love to feel in control of everything around her.


    Moving on from the negative thoughts, Ian said, ¡°He¡¯s a blacksmith, and a good one at that. And, yeah, I lost my job due to taking an apprenticeship with him, so, for the foreseeable future, I¡¯ll be learning under him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I guess mom was just overreacting like usual, then,¡± Alayna replied with an understanding tone. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I can just visit like a normal person, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah? I guess that¡¯s fine,¡± Ian hesitantly answered. Truthfully, he still struggled with feeling awkward around her due to knowing her profession. It made him uncomfortable, but he certainly didn¡¯t despise her or anything.


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®I guess¡¯ and fine¡¯? I¡¯m your sister, and haven¡¯t seen you for two years!¡±


    Well, she seemed upset¡­ maybe¡­ perhaps it was sarcasm?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t mean anything by it,¡± Ian replied. ¡°Feel free to sit down or something while I grab my cereal.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet? Did you just wake up? Must be nice~¡±


    Rolling his eyes, Ian ambled back to his bowl of dry cereal and brewed coffee. A strange feeling of forgetting to do something tugged at his mind, but he decided to ignore it.


    ¡°Gaelan, you want some cereal?¡± Ian called out.


    ¡°Uh, sure?¡± the man answered unassuredly, reminding Ian that his otherworldly mentor probably had no idea what cereal was. He would probably enjoy it anyway.


    Meanwhile, Alayna approached Gaelan and crouched right in front of his face, though she kept her knees in front of her and rested her arms on them. Although the man¡¯s purple irises caught her off guard at first, she concluded it was due to colored contacts or something. Moving on, she asked, ¡°So, mister blacksmith guy, how is my brother? Is he gonna become a good smither person?¡±


    Although slightly thrown off by the girl¡¯s speaking patterns, Gaelan sat up against the couch, pulled his hands out of the quilt, and reached up to gather his hair back into a ponytail using twine. While doing so, he answered, ¡°He certainly has talent, but how far he takes it is up to him.¡±


    From the kitchen, Ian could hear the conversation and worried what his sister might mention. However, he decided to let it flow onward. If he planned to live with Gaelan for a while, it would definitely be better for the man to know more about him.


    ¡°So, he finally found something he¡¯s good at, did he? Well, I guess he was pretty good at a lot of things in the first place. Probably why he ended up here¡­¡±


    Intrigued, Gaelan inquired, ¡°What might you mean, miss sister of my apprentice?¡±


    ¡°Name¡¯s Alayna. Anyway, he was always good at a lot of stuff, ya know? But, well, a bunch of people expected awesome things from him and whatnot and he kinda cracked under the pressure, I guess. Uh¡­ maybe it¡¯s better if he explains it since that¡¯s only what I saw from the sidelines and everything. He¡¯ll probably tell you, though, since you¡¯re his new employer, er, mentor, or something.¡±


    Rubbing his beard between forefinger and thumb, Gaelan said, ¡°I see. Sounds like something that might be more of an issue here compared to where I¡¯m from¡­ Oh, you can call me Mister Marlow, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Sure. So, where you from, Mister Marlow?¡±


    ¡°Middle of nowhere, I suppose,¡± he vaguely answered.


    ¡°Oh, so from the country? You¡¯re a rare breed around here, then,¡± Alayna said, grinning.


    Catching onto the ice-breaking nature of her statement, Gaelan cracked a friendly smile of his own and retorted, ¡°Of course I¡¯m a rare breed. People like me don¡¯t show up everywhere.¡±


    ¡°Heh. Yeah, Ian found a good person. Please, take care of him. Or, beat him into the dirt if you have to. Either way works,¡± Alayna said. Despite the joking nature of her words, the kind nature behind them did not pass over Gaelan¡¯s head. Contrary to his expectations of the possibilities of her character, she turned out to have a kind and watchful heart. Now, he understood why Ian asked him to treat her like a normal person. In fact, if Ian never mentioned her profession, he never would have guessed it. Even when crouched in front of him, she kept her legs closed in a reserved manner. Honestly, it was an unusual experience for Gaelan to meet a young woman like her after running across a few floozies back in Regnoras. In a way, it served as something of an eye-opener for him.


    A moment later, Ian walked around the kitchen wall with two bowls in his hands. One, he set in front of Gaelan. The other, he set on the other end of the table. Then, he made a second trip to grab two mugs filled with coffee and handed one to Gaelan. Although the man raised a brow upon seeing it, he refrained from asking about it due to Alayna¡¯s presence. As soon as he shoved a spoonful of cereal into his mouth, his brows raised to an exaggerating degree. Once again, the quality of the factory-made food took him by surprise.


    In between bites, he glanced at Ian, who sat down cross-legged across the table, and said, ¡°Sounds like you had some issues here before finding me.¡±


    ¡°I guess you could say that,¡± Ian replied. Honestly, he didn¡¯t know exactly how to reply. Up until now, every conversation with his new mentor flowed like a lively river. This conversation, on the other hand, looked like it might become a dam in that river.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Gaelan muttered before falling silent for a minute.


    Alayna, who sat cross-legged at another side of the table, glanced awkwardly between the two of them. However, she decided to remain silent. This conversation needed to be left solely to her older brother.


    ¡°So,¡± Gaelan resumed, ¡°my take on what your sister said is that you pretty much struggled to find anything to hold your interest and ended up following whatever others told you to pursue.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah, I guess,¡± Ian hesitantly replied. His barrier of false confidence cracked.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I think I get the picture a little now,¡± Gaelan muttered with a nod, ¡°Smithing is an outlet for you? Are you going to give it up due to the pressure once the newness of it wears off?¡±


    ¡°No, sir,¡± Ian answered assuredly. Although he struggled to stick with anything in the past, blacksmithing was the first thing he truly believed would allow him contentedness in life.


    The middle-aged blacksmith stared hard at his new apprentice for a few seconds before adding, ¡°Yeah, I believe you can do it. I mean, you were practically made for it. But, as I said before, how far you go is up to you, and you alone, understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ian answered. The man gave him guidance he never received while growing up. No path forced onto him by others lay before him. Rather, Gaelan simply gave him a guidestone to show a general direction, a possibility. A ventured, yet unfettered path awaited him, and he would take it.


    Raising a finger, Gaelan added, ¡°One more thing. Always remember that there are no mistakes in blacksmithing. That¡¯s not just a motto for the materials you craft. It¡¯s something my own mentor hammered into me; something to live by. The reason I taught you how to make a chisel first is that it is a symbol to show you that you can carve out your own future from the stone, or rather, your life.¡±


    Something to live by¡­ The phrase reverberated within Ian¡¯s mind. Although he had goals and ambitions, he lacked a creed to live by. In his mind¡¯s eye, he could imagine a chisel chipping away at his soul, forging a new image of himself piece by piece, and it all started with Gaelan teaching him about blacksmithing. A deep gratitude welled within his heart, though he had no idea how to express it.


    Once he finished pondering the hazy, ever-changing image of his future, he raised his eyes to meet his mentor¡¯s, grinned, and said, ¡°Thanks for having me.¡± Compared to the first time he said such a thing, this time felt like it held more weight. It felt more genuine.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Gaelan replied, smiling broadly enough for small dimples to appear beneath his beard. ¡°Well, moving on from that, I assume we¡¯ll be running those errands and heading back?¡±


    ¡°Head back?¡± Alayna questioned, tilting her head. Her brows furrowed into a puzzled expression, yet her hazel eyes, almost like a sharper version of Ian¡¯s, radiated curiosity. The two men, having almost forgotten about her, looked at her.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Ian answered. ¡°We can¡¯t exactly do any smithing in this apartment, you know?¡±


    Gaelan chuckled at the thought of such a thing. If they forged anything there, the place would likely burn to the ground, especially since their magic could potentially run out before stopping any fires.


    ¡°Well, makes sense, I guess. You gonna be gone a lot from now on, then?¡± she asked curiously.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Ian shrugged. ¡°I plan to come back from time to time, though. Oh, now that I think about it, do you think you could spread the word that I¡¯ll be selling handcrafted works on Jungle?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already selling? Da~ng, you¡¯re quick. But, yeah, I guess I could tell a few people, maybe spread the word on social media and whatnot, though you gotta do me a favor in return,¡± Alayna said, grinning slyly from ear to ear. That scared Ian. That particular smile never meant anything good for him.


    ¡°Uh¡­ that depends on what it is,¡± he hesitantly replied.


    ¡°You have to come hang out with me more often and stop acting so awkward around me.¡±


    ¡°Dammit¡­ Oh, I said that out loud¡­¡±

 Chapter 13: Forging a Foundation Scene Five (Rewrite)

    ¡°What kind of reaction is that?¡± Alayna asked, clearly offended, or perhaps pretending to be.


    ¡°Uh¡­ nothing?¡± Ian hesitantly replied, averting his gaze.


    In response, Alayna glared at him. The short bickering between siblings caused Gaelan to chuckle. Then, Ian looked at Gaelan and, in an attempt to change the subject, said, ¡°Yeah, so, let¡¯s go get that stuff I mentioned before.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t ignore me, bro!¡± Alayna exclaimed as she crawled around the table to put her older brother in a sleeper hold.


    ¡°Gah! Hey! Sto- urgh¡­¡± Ian struggled to stammer out while his sister, despite her smaller stature, tackled him to the carpet.


    During their wrestling, Gaelan laughed wholeheartedly, briefly drawing the attention of the brother-sister duo rolling around on the carpet. However, they quickly resumed their little tussle, or rather, Alayna choked Ian until he tapped out.


    ¡°That makes the score 1,054 for me and still zero for you,¡± Alayna said, grinning smugly while holding her fingers in the shape of an ¡®O¡¯.


    Clicking his tongue in between coughs, Ian rolled his eyes. After all, how could he hurt his little sister? Or so he told himself.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I get it¡­ I¡¯ll call you next time I come back, yeah?¡± Ian conceded after he finished coughing and sputtering. Of course, he didn¡¯t hate her or anything, but the awkwardness in speaking with her after discovering her profession had hindered their relationship for five years now. Now, at the ripe old age of twenty-six, he figured it was about time he tried to set it aside. Why let something so simple interfere with the good relationship they shared as children?


    ¡°Good,¡± she said, confidently placing her hands on her hips. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll spread word about your little thingamajig after you hang out with me. Deal?¡± To top off the question that sounded more like a threat, she stuck her tongue out at him.


    ¡°Haaaah¡­ fine¡­¡± Ian muttered, sore loser that he was.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got some errands to run, so I¡¯ll have to say bye for now. See ya, bro. You too, Mr. Marlow. Was nice meetin¡¯ you, by the way,¡± Alayna said, dropping her harsh attitude in exchange for a polite smile.


    ¡°Likewise, Miss Alayna,¡± Gaelan replied as he stood and gave a gentlemanly bow. A grin cracked across her face since the quilt wrapped around him made it look rather awkward. On the other hand, Ian gave her a nonchalant wave of farewell while still sprawled out on the floor.


    A few minutes later, Alayna left the apartment. The room suddenly felt much quieter.


    Still standing in front the couch, Gaelan noted, ¡°You have a good sister. A very interesting woman, she is.¡±


    ¡°I guess. Anyway, when are you going to lose the quilt?¡± Ian asked, raising a brow as he looked up at Gaelan from the floor.


    ¡°Oh, I left it on since it was so comfortable, not to mention the fact that your sister was here,¡± the man answered, finally dropping the quilt to reveal his hulking figure bereft of clothes save for the boxers Ian lent him. Cut and burn scars covered the man¡¯s body. Although some obviously resulted from blacksmithing, many looked more like battle scars.


    Confused, Ian furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the scars? Isn¡¯t there healing magic in Regnoras?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Gaelan peered down at his apprentice with a raised brow that wrinkled his forehead. ¡°Ah, the scars¡­ hmm¡­ I must not have mentioned it before, but those of us who use Dark Matter can¡¯t be healed from the magic based on Light Matter. I don¡¯t really know why.¡±


    ¡°What?! Why not tell me such a thing right away?! Isn¡¯t that super important to know?¡± Ian exclaimed, shooting up to a sitting position to glare at his mentor.


    ¡°I simply forgot to mention it. No need to get your spine all twisted. Man¡­¡± Gaelan nonchalantly replied while reaching for his clothes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether to be angry about the fact that you forgot something so important or be worried about that spine twisting saying¡­¡± Ian muttered while scratching the back of his neck. ¡°Either way, that fact that I can¡¯t be healed by magic¡­ that blows.¡±


    ¡°Well, some herbal remedies work fairly well,¡± Gaelan mentioned in an attempt to comfort Ian a little.


    ¡°Eh? Does that mean there are potions or something?¡±


    ¡°Huh? You mean those nasty concoctions made by witches? Never drink those. Ever. Period,¡± Gaelan firmly asserted, face contorted in disgust.


    ¡°Uh¡­ nevermind, then,¡± Ian said while awkwardly averting his gaze. Apparently, something convenient like regenerative potions did not exist. If necessary, it might be possible to cross back over to Earth to seek modern medical attention if he ever needed it. In fact, buying some basic over-the-counter medicines later on sounded prudent. Then, nodding, he said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go buy a few things. I don¡¯t have a ton of savings, so we might be somewhat limited until I can earn enough off the things you teach me to create.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to work off the cost of materials pretty soon, you know,¡± Gaelan mentioned. A heavy aura of business-minded seriousness surrounded him.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, sure¡­¡±


    Although Ian thought about the material costs before, he hoped purchasing a few quilts, pillows, and mattress pads would appease the man for now. Well, he would definitely learn a lot of things from the man, too, so it also served as a thank you gift.


    ¡°Well, then, let me just finish this coffee first¡­¡±


    * * * * *


    Streaks of morning sunlight shone through the clouds rolling gently overhead as Ian led the way down the main road which now served as more of a guideline than an actual road. As expected, Gaelan couldn¡¯t help gaping at the metallic vehicles flying overhead, the dull hum of their anti-grav engines whirring as they whizzed by. Even the few ground vehicles driving by amazed him. Besides vehicles, the enormous modern buildings lining both sides of the road also impressed him.


    Then, noticing a large, dome-like structure across the street taking up a large portion of land stuck out to him. A large parking garage stood next to it, towering over its surroundings. Curious, he pointed at it and asked, ¡°What¡¯s that place, Ian?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Ah, that. It¡¯s called the V-R-Cade. It¡¯s an entertainment plaza. No reason for us to go there.¡±


    ¡°Really? What kind of entertainment?¡± Gaelan hesitantly asked, recalling the profession of Ian¡¯s sister. Well, he wasn¡¯t totally off the mark.


    ¡°Games, mostly,¡± Ian vaguely answered. ¡°There are a bunch of devices that allow you to experience an artificial world.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I guess you wouldn¡¯t need such a thing,¡± Gaelan said, briefly chuckling.


    ¡°Well, even before making my way to Regnoras, it never held much appeal for me,¡± Ian replied dryly. ¡°I tried a few, but never got into them. Real things always held more impact for me.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Anyway, how does all this stuff work?¡±


    ¡°Electricity mostly. It¡¯s a bit like lightning, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Hoh~, how interesting,¡± Gaelan muttered while rubbing his beard.


    About two blocks further, Ian led them around a corner toward their destination, an enormous four-story building complex paired with an equally large parking garage built for both air and ground vehicles. Flashy signs along the outer walls indicated all the stores represented within. The inability to read any of it did not deter Gaelan from marveling at all of it, however.


    ¡°This is rather overwhelming¡­¡± Gaelan muttered just loud enough for Ian to hear. Then, he asked, ¡°Is this what you felt like when you first came to Concinnata?¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Surprise, perhaps.¡±


    Ian shrugged. ¡°Not too much. I¡¯ve seen a lot of the stuff there in history books and even in books or movies. It certainly felt different though.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Then, are all public spaces enormous like this one?¡±


    ¡°Maybe compared to Concinnata, but I¡¯d say this one is medium-size at best compared to other shopping centers.¡±


    ¡°Incredible¡­¡± Gaelan muttered as they approached the swiveling entrance doors. A few other people walked to and fro around them, though it did not strike him as particularly unusual save for the weird black things most of them wore over their eyes. However, as soon as they stepped through the other side of the spinning door, which he hesitated to step into at first, he halted, totally taken aback by the thousands of people wandering the halls. Special windows made up most of the ceiling, regulating the sunlight filtering through. The hustle and bustle of bodies and voices echoed around them, slightly disorienting him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act too surprised, or someone may peg you as a tourist and try to rob you,¡± Ian suggested, raising his voice over the din of the crowd.


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Gaelan replied. After calming himself and practically shutting off his sense of the vibrations in the floor below him, he observed the nearby people. Then, with furrowed brows, he leaned toward Ian and asked, ¡°What are the things most of these people are wearing on their faces?¡±


    ¡°Oh, those¡­¡± Ian wrinkled his brow at the mention of the expensive gadgets that almost every man, woman, and child probably owned two of. ¡°Those are called ARV, Augmented Reality Visors. They are similar to that artificial world thing I mentioned earlier, but simply add information and stuff to the real world.¡±


    Gaelan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t all of this like stepping into the realm of gods?¡±


    ¡°Not even close,¡± Ian answered, an amused chuckle slipping from his lips. ¡°It¡¯s just science. You should see the stuff the military uses. Some of it is out of this world, sometimes literally.¡±


    ¡°Just looking at the everyday things the people here use, I can¡¯t imagine what would happen if dangerous objects were brought to Regnoras,¡± Gaelan muttered to himself.


    Weaving through the crowd with practiced ease, Ian led Gaelan to the first store on his list, a coffee shop. Smiling widely, Ian said, ¡°This is definitely the most important stop today.¡±


    Gaelan sniffed the air as they entered. A slightly familiar scent, delicate and pungent yet earthy, tickled his nostrils. Then, eyes shimmering with expectation, he asked, ¡°Does this place sell that stuff you made this morning?¡±


    ¡°Yep, and I plan on buying quite a bit to bring back, along with a french press, considering it won¡¯t require electricity,¡± Ian explained while glancing along the shelves searching for the best sales. Now that he thought about it, perhaps he could purchase a surplus at some point and attempt to sell it, or perhaps grow his own beans in the future. A red tag then caught his eye. ¡°Oh, Moondoe¡¯s is rather cheap today. Nice.¡±


    It only took a few minutes to find everything he needed. Arms stuffed with bags of coffee beans along with a box containing a french press, he approached the self-checkout register. The AI program quickly and conveniently scanned all the items, though he now realized it felt far less personable than any store in Regnoras.


    As the two of them exited the shop, Ian nearly dropped his merchandise upon seeing a familiar face. Luckily, Gaelan had offered to carry the bag containing the french press, meaning he didn¡¯t have to worry even if he did drop anything. In the hopes that the person wouldn¡¯t notice him, he attempted to calm himself and continued onward. But, to his dismay, that irritatingly unforgettable face looked in his direction and took a half-step back upon recognizing him.


    ¡°Ian? You are Ian, right?¡± the woman asked, immediately causing him to go stiff. The woman lifted the ARV from her eyes, revealing her dark brown eyes, which were completely glued to him at this point. Her long and curly black hair wavered around her shoulders as she faced him. A baby carrier holding a baby boy, no more than a year old and small stuffed animal in hand, was strapped to her chest.


    ¡°Hey, Lauren¡­¡± Ian said, doing his best to hold back any emotions that could possibly surface during this unexpected meeting which should have had near-zero chances of occurring in a city of 500,000 people. However, as luck, or rather, the lack thereof, would have it, he had bumped into one of the handful of people on his list of ¡®those I never want to see again¡¯. A storm of curses swirled within his mind.

 Chapter 14: Forging a Foundation Scene Six (Rewrite)

    Noticing Ian¡¯s odd behavior despite only knowing him for a few days, Gaelan raised a brow. He had the feeling that quite a lot had transpired between these two young people in the past, a feeling that turned out to be on the mark.


    ¡°How have you been?¡± Lauren asked, smiling gently in spite of the awkward air between them. Contrary to her intention, the smile resulted in Ian¡¯s heart twisting in pain due to unwanted memories.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I guess,¡± he evasively answered, obviously showing an attitude of not wanting to be near her. Not asking how she was in return added to that sentiment since it conflicted with his moral compass of proper manners.


    ¡°Uh-huh, I see¡­¡± Lauren muttered while awkwardly averting her gaze. A short silence followed which Gaelan imagined manifesting as malleable tactlessness.


    ¡°Well, it was nice to see you again, but we¡¯ll get going now,¡± Ian said, giving Gaelan a look to urge him to leave as well. However, as soon as he tried to walk away, Lauren spoke up.


    ¡°Um, Ian?¡¯ she shyly interjected, casting her gaze toward the floor, ¡°I-, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    When Ian looked back with a startled expression, he saw a look on the woman¡¯s face that made it seem as though she might break into tears at any moment, throwing him for a loop.


    What? What in the world is going on here? Ian asked himself. Unsure of what to do, he looked to Gaelan for assistance, though the man returned the look with a sharp gaze which clearly said something along the lines of, ¡®How dare you make a woman cry? Fix it.¡¯


    Exasperated, Ian sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. What was this insanity? All he wanted to do was buy coffee and be on his way, but now he had drama, pretty much the antithesis of the wonderful drink. Unfortunately, he could practically feel his mentor¡¯s accusatory glare piercing the back of his skull. Those purple irises of his radiated with an emotion so similar to ferocity that it frightened him. Perhaps Gaelan was a bit of a feminist?


    ¡°Haaah¡­ okay, what do you mean by saying sorry?¡± Ian asked, turning to face the woman that caused him a truckload of hurt in the past.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ that I hurt you,¡± she answered, a few tears streaming from her eyes now. Ian felt totally out of his element now.


    ¡°Uh, yeah¡­ it¡¯s fine¡­¡± Ian ambiguously replied in the hopes that this emotionally torturous scenario would simply end already.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not! I wanted to find you and apologize a long time ago, and I can¡¯t take it anymore. It hurts, you know?¡± Lauren retorted, voice loud enough to draw the attention from many of the shoppers around them.


    I don¡¯t know, and all these onlookers are making it worse¡­ Ian thought. This situation was not one he had ever planned for, and having so many spectators only made it worse. It didn¡¯t seem like Gaelan had any interest in stopping it, either. After a deep breath through his nose, Ian placed a hand on Lauren¡¯s shoulder to prevent her from saying anything else and sharply yet quietly said, ¡°Okay, okay. I get it. If you really want to apologize or something, we can go do it somewhere with fewer people watching, yeah? Having all these eyes on us is irritating.¡±


    ¡°Food court?¡± Lauren suggested while rubbing her eyes with her palms.


    ¡°Nah, Jinko¡¯s is better, and you can pay,¡± Ian said with a slightly commanding tone, at which Lauren nodded in consent. Of course, he was not taking advantage of the situation for revenge. Not. At. All.


    However, Lauren obviously knew Jinko¡¯s Restaurante was his favorite place to eat, considering he got along well the Jinko, the old man who ran the place.


    As soon as they started walking toward the other end of the mall where the restaurant was, Lauren finally noticed the burly man with black hair and noticeably purple eyes following them. The gray t-shirt clinging tightly to his muscular frame intimidated her somewhat.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± she cautiously asked out of curiosity.


    ¡°My mentor, Gaelan. I hope you don¡¯t mind him tagging along,¡± Ian said, though his tone displayed zero politeness as though saying the man would come with them whether she liked it or not.


    ¡°Oh¡­ okay¡­¡± Lauren muttered, apparently unsure how to take it. Then, her boy looked up and Gaelan, and the man smiled. The little boy laughed and waved his arms in response, soothing any misgivings she held.


    Following the nearly dead silent trip through the crowded complex, the trio, along with the oblivious and cheerful baby boy, were seated at a boot in the quiet restaurant. Ian and Gaelan sat on one side while Lauren sat on the other.


    As one considered to be a regular, Ian knew a majority of the employees, and they generally knew what he would order. One of the waiters he was most familiar with approached the table with a child¡¯s highchair in hand and greeted them with a friendly smile.


    ¡°Good to see you¡¯re not alone for once,¡± the waiter noted. Then, he looked at Lauren and said, ¡°Pretty sure I haven¡¯t seen you in a while either.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is what it is,¡± Ian replied.


    Picking up on the awkward air, the waiter dropped the conversation as is and took their drink order before moving on to another table to take orders. A minute later, he returned with waters for all of them and said he would give them a few minutes to ¡®decide¡¯ on their order. During that time, the inevitable conversation ensued.


    ¡°Um¡­ anyway, I wanted to apologize,¡± she said while putting her son in the highchair.


    ¡°I noticed¡­¡± Ian sourly replied.


    Meanwhile, Gaelan picked up the menu and held it inconspicuously in front of his face while sipping at the tastiest water he ever tasted. He hoped to give them as much privacy as possible.


    Reading Ian¡¯s mood, Lauren asked, ¡°Uh, I guess you aren¡¯t really keen on seeing me, are you?¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ I guess. It¡¯s awkward,¡± he replied. Yet another awkward silence rose between them until Ian finally said, ¡°So, we meet randomly, and you want to apologize. You¡¯re not going to say you regret leaving me or something, right?¡±


    For a moment, Gaelan glanced over the top of the menu, which he couldn¡¯t read anyway. The conflicted expression on Lauren¡¯s face verified his thoughts in terms of comprehending their relationship.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°Uh, no, that¡¯s not it, exactly¡­¡± Lauren answered.


    This is definitely going on my list of most awkward experiences in my life¡­ Ian thought. Then, he glared at her and asked, ¡°So, what then? Apologize and call it good?¡±


    Once again, Lauren looked on the verge of tears, though she did her best to hold it in. ¡°I just wanted to say sorry. A lot¡¯s been going on, and this is something that¡¯s been bothering me for years.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you just wanted to clear your head,¡± Ian dryly alleged. Honestly, he was at the point of not caring why this woman wanted to apologize. An unforeseen yet simple desire to take a few jabs at her for a bit of revenge had surfaced within him. Even so, spiting her sent a sharp pain through his own heart in return. Maybe - no - surely, it was the wrong approach, but his inner pain slowly morphed into anger while exposed to her presence. He wanted to vent. He needed to. It just so happened that Lauren made for a perfect target as the initial cause of his inner pain.


    ¡°Ian,¡± Gaelan sternly whispered into his left ear, ¡°Your hands. Look at your hands.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Ian glared at his mentor, having nearly forgotten about him. Briefly, the thought of punching the man crossed his mind, but it struck him as odd. Brows now furrowed due to the strange statement, he lowered his gaze to his clenched fists resting on his lap. Immediately, he blinked several time in surprise. Numerous black particles were floating around his forearms.


    What¡¯s this all about? He thought. Puzzled, he looked to Gaelan for an answer, but the man shrugged. All Ian could do was sigh and return his attention to Lauren. Based on her expression, she seemed confused by their interaction just now, maybe even a little uncomfortable as well.


    On the other hand, she certainly recognized that look of his. It was the same look he would make whenever something he didn¡¯t understand irritated him, like the time they visited a zoo while skipping classes and saw an exhibit for genetically modified animals. The memory briefly put a smile on her face, though the grin vanished as quickly as it appeared.


    During the awkward silence, Ian calmed down a little, especially after seeing the Dark Matter particles. He made a mental note to ask Gaelan about it later, even if the man had no idea what happened. Anyway, now that he could think more clearly, Lauren¡¯s apology didn¡¯t feel so bad. Of course, he still felt the lingering twinges of pain due to her actions almost seven years ago when she cheated on him, but that was in the past. If he was going to take the new path he had been given, he needed leave behind the old one while learning from the mistakes he made and pains he suffered while traversing it.


    Suddenly, another customer knocked over their glass. For a moment, Ian thought he could hear the crack of a breaking chain when it shattered on the tile. He felt like he had suddenly flown free from a mental shackle holding him back. Perhaps it was coincidental, but it certainly meant something to him personally. The corner of his lips curled upward slightly as he looked Lauren in the eye and said, ¡°Sorry, I got a bit worked up.¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay?¡± Lauren said, obviously puzzled by the sudden shift in his attitude.


    ¡°So, are you ready to order?¡± the waiter asked, startling the two. Ian looked at him and wondered how he appeared out of nowhere like that.


    Gaelan obviously wasn¡¯t surprised, since he asked, ¡°Is the person that dropped that glass alright?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Nice to see a courteous person around this guy for once,¡± the waiter said, grinning slyly.


    Ian clicked his tongue, though Lauren giggled ever so slightly. Gaelan simply shrugged and said, ¡°If that¡¯s so, then¡­¡± he pointed a thumb at Ian, ¡°I¡¯ll have what he¡¯s having.¡±


    ¡°You want your regular, Ian?¡± the waiter asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    From there, the waiter took Lauren¡¯s order, as well as for her son, and wandered off. A little while passed without much conversation until the food finally arrived. None of them really felt like anything else needed to be said. While Ian and Gaelan dug into their steaks, Lauren focused on feeding some sliced hot dogs and fries to her son before eating her own salad. During the meal, few words were spoken aside from Gaelan¡¯s compliments of the food and the occasional excited cry from Lauren¡¯s son.


    Once the meal ended, the group left the restaurant. Ian asked if Jinko was there, but, apparently, the old man had the day off. Before going their separate ways, Lauren, with expression still slightly downtrodden, said, ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll head out, then. I¡¯m glad I was able to meet you here today, and¡­ uh¡­ thanks for hearing me out I guess.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem,¡± Ian contemplatively replied. ¡°At first, I thought I never wanted to see you again, but I think it was for the best.¡± Then, grinning slyly, he added, ¡°Not sure I¡¯m totally over it yet, though.¡±


    Lauren giggled a little before saying, ¡°Well, see you around, I guess.¡±


    ¡°See ya.¡±


    With that, they waved farewell to each other and went their separate ways, disappearing into the crowd.


    * * * * *


    For several minutes, Lauren walked around aimlessly, totally lost in thought. In fact, she completely forgot what she even came to the mall for originally. Truthfully, she probably felt more perplexed by the unexpected encounter than Ian.


    Looking back, she still felt a massive amount of guilt weighing on her shoulders from the time she left him for another man. At the time, it had seemed so right, only to feel so wrong years later. Despite marrying the man she left Ian for, things did not end up as peachy as she imagined they would be. She grimaced when she realized she was rubbing her arm where her long sleeve covered a fresh bruise.


    Lips quivering, she gazed through the glass roof. The past was in the past, and she had to live with the choices she made. Even if she wondered if staying with Ian back then would have been better, it wouldn¡¯t help her now. Thinking about it would probably just lead to more problems with her husband. Apologizing certainly helped, but would everything go well from now on?


    ¡°Probably not¡­¡± she mumbled to herself.


    * * * * *


    Later in the afternoon, Ian and Gaelan exited the shopping complex carrying a large number of bags containing all sorts of items including coffee beans and french press, pillows, memory foam mattress pads, quilts, a few other miscellaneous items Gaelan found interesting, and even some over-the-counter medicine. Honestly, Ian was surprised by how much he could carry now without exerting much effort. Then there was Gaelan who didn¡¯t break a sweat even when carrying twice the load, even if he held fewer items.


    It was an investment¡­ an investment¡­ Ian kept telling himself. Each time he thought about how he ended up spending almost eighty percent of his hard-earned savings in one sitting, he winced.


    ¡°So,¡± Gaelan casually inquired in an attempt to spark up a conversation, ¡°you glad you got to talk it out with that woman?¡± Even while asking such a thing, he couldn¡¯t help feeling surprised by how much he had learned about this young man in less than a week. If he had been able to have a son, would it have been like this; knowing all the dirty details of the young man¡¯s life?


    ¡°Honestly? I¡¯m not completely sure yet,¡± Ian answered.


    ¡°Heh, seems like this world is rather rough on a weakling like you.¡±


    ¡°Tch. Maybe.¡± Ian shrugged off the comment. ¡°However, what was with the Dark Matter while I was talking to her? Any ideas?¡±


    Gaelan tilted his head. ¡°Perhaps. Either you were angry enough for it to activate without you noticing, or maybe it actually amplified your anger. I honestly don¡¯t know for sure since I¡¯ve never seen such a thing. Not a lot of humans use it, remember?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ makes sense¡­ Well, how about we head back to your place now? I could really use the fresh air and some blacksmithing.¡±


    ¡°We should probably stay in your apartment thing tonight,¡± Gaelan urged.


    ¡°Ah, yeah, probably true,¡± Ian muttered, glancing at the setting sun. For some reason, it didn¡¯t bother his eyes all that much even when he stared right at it, though he barely noticed at the time. Figuring it was almost four in the afternoon, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s do that, then. Also, now that I think about it, how would Dark Matter even affect my emotions in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Gaelan groaned. Explaining all of these things was becoming a daunting task.

 Chapter 15: Forging a Foundation Scene Seven (Rewrite)

    At the break of dawn, Ian and Gaelan headed back through the portal and arrived in the dank caverns within Mount Sacris. Of course, Ian made coffee before leaving to avoid the possibility of a caffeine headache. The two of them exited the cave and traversed down the mountainside. The rising sun cast warm beams of light across the sky, contrasting with the crisp morning air of the forested region.


    Ian took the opportunity to admire everything around him: the diverse species of trees, the colorful flowers and ferns, and the skittering animals. One of the creatures looked similar to a squirrel but its dark eyes radiated intelligence far above its peers. Long brown fur similar to feathers protruded from the tips of its ears. Another distinct feature was the fluffy tail which dwarfed its main body. The little creature followed the two for a few minutes before losing interest and darting back into the undergrowth.


    During the first couple hours, even while marveling at the forest, Ian kept his eyes peeled for danger. But, Gaelan¡¯s nonchalant attitude eventually rubbed off on him, at least until they accidentally crossed between a mother bear and her cubs. Somehow, the bear didn¡¯t bother him all that much compared to the werewolf, especially since the situation created an opportunity to see his mentor in action.


    Instead of some extravagant battle like Ian expected, Gaelan simply planted a foot on the ground. A surging ripple of earth rumbled out from beneath his foot and toward the bear. The earth surged at his will and rose into a mound, startling the charging beast long enough to overwhelm it and pin it to the ground. In a strange way, the earthy coffin reminded Ian of when kids bury each other in the sand while visiting the beach.


    ¡°That is awesome!¡± Ian exclaimed, almost involuntarily. Seeing magic used properly for the first time outside of the forge filled him with glee as though he reverted back to a child. Compared to virtual reality¡¯s fabrication of magic, the real thing gave him the same heart-racing thrill as a giant subwoofer.


    ¡°Perhaps, but this much is fairly doable even for some with low Earth Affinity,¡± Gaelan calmly replied.


    Excitement oozing from his voice, Ian said, ¡°So basically, I¡¯ll be able to do that as well. Nice.¡± After all, what guy wouldn¡¯t be excited at the prospect of moving the earth at will? Of course, he knew beforehand that such a thing would eventually be possible, but seeing it firsthand truly cemented the fact in his mind.


    Upon seeing his apprentice so excited to someday use magic, Gaelan smiled. It reminded him of when his father taught him the basics. Suddenly feeling awkward about the unfamiliar emotion, he wiped the smile off his face and said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    Ian nodded, and the two resumed their journey. He looked back one last time at the bear violently thrashing in an attempt to escape from its prison of hardened dirt. The two cubs nonchalantly lay down next to their mother as though nothing was wrong, which he found rather humorous.


    ¡°Will that bear be able to get out of that?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°Eventually. I only made it strong enough for temporary restraint.¡±


    Impressed, Ian stopped worrying about the beast. Leaving it behind, they traversed through the woods without any other issues until reaching the treeline. Early afternoon sunlight shone upon the city wall standing proudly in the distance. Both Ian and Gaelan looked at each other and realized something they should have thought of earlier.


    ¡°These bags kinda stick out like a sore thumb, don¡¯t they?¡± Ian rhetorically asked.


    ¡°Indeed they do¡­¡± Gaelan muttered. The two contemplated their options for a minute until he offered, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, so just leave it all here for now.¡±


    Tilting his head thoughtfully, Ian asked, ¡°Would it even be much of a problem to carry these through the gate, though?¡±


    Gaelan shrugged and set down all his bags by his feet. Then, he rubbed his beard and said, ¡°It might not be an issue, but explaining where it all came from could prove troublesome for you or draw unwanted attention to you in the future. Always best to err on the side of caution.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good, I guess. What did you have in mind for bringing it inside?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret, at least for now,¡± Gaelan answered with a sly grin.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ should have known. It¡¯s not like you ever remember to explain important things to me anyway,¡± Ian muttered while giving the man a sour look.


    The big guy rolled his eyes and said, ¡°Just go ahead and leave everything here and meet me back at the house.¡±


    He said that like he would get there before me¡­ Although, considering that one instance from the first day we met, I wouldn¡¯t put it past him, Ian thought while setting everything on the grass. After a brief wave of farewell, he casually traipsed across the open field toward the gate. Along the way, he stretched and rubbed his sore shoulders. Sweat also accumulated enough for his clothes to stick to his skin. If traversing between worlds became a commonplace event for him, then he definitely needed to figure out a better way to transport everything.


    Upon reaching the bridge leading across the moat, Ian thought to stop by the Visitor Center and let Aria know of his return. She would likely want to be notified in order to resume the lessons. However, as soon as he stepped through the entrance to the building, he saw an unfamiliar man behind the counter. The man stood at least a head shorter than Ian due to bad posture. His pale, dry skin clung about his bones as though it might fall off at any moment. Thin black hair drooped from his head like a mop. Dark brown eyes sitting above sunken cheeks looked up at Ian with an almost apathetic gaze, almost to the point of lifelessness. Clearly, the man suffered from some sort of disease which made him look far older than his actual age.


    ¡°What can I do for you, sir?¡± the man asked, his voice feeble and raspy.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I was just dropping by to say hello to Aria while passing by, but I guess she isn¡¯t here,¡± Ian answered. He tried his best to not focus on the man¡¯s frailty or even let any pity or condescension show in his expression.


    ¡°I see,¡± the man quietly said, nodding weakly. ¡°She had the day off today. I assume you are a friend of hers?¡±


    ¡°Kind of. I¡¯ll just head home and let her know I¡¯m back some other time, then,¡± Ian said, briefly giving the man a wave of farewell while backing out through the still open door.


    ¡°Very well. Have a nice day, sir,¡± The man replied.


    With that, Ian shut the door, sighed, and resumed his casual walk back to Gaelan¡¯s house. Thoughts about what kind of disease might have been plaguing the man filled his mind. Perhaps he could ask Aria about it later.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    * * * * *


    When Ian arrived at Gaelan¡¯s house, he stepped through the front door for the first time since joining them in their house. The room he entered contained many high-quality furnishings. Most likely, it served as a parlour. It certainly gave off an air of formality that made him uncomfortable.


    Stepping through the door opposite the front entrance led him to the dining room, but he continued on to the living room at the rear of the house. The first thing he noticed in the room was the pile of bags and boxes stacked behind the couch. Apparently, Gaelan really did arrive before him. In fact, the man himself was sitting on the couch with his right arm around Aella who happened to be reading a book of some sort.


    Noticing Ian even before Gaelan, Aella turned her head, smiled gently, and said, ¡°Welcome back.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Mrs. Marlow¡± Ian replied, smiling in return. Although the greeting was as simple as could be, it still filled him with comfort. Such a thing never occurred with his own mother back on Earth. It made him wonder if he could possibly consider these people a second a family.


    ¡°Like I¡¯ve said before, just call me Aella, dear,¡± she corrected before refocusing on the book in her lap.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll try to remember that next time,¡± Ian said. He then took out the box containing the french press and checked the contents. ¡°Argh! You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me!¡± he cried out, startling the two on the couch. Bianca also peeked into the room to see what happened.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Gaelan asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s broken¡­¡± Ian quietly replied. If one could mourn an inanimate object, he certainly did so at that moment. Even Gaelan furrowed his brows in disappointment.


    ¡°What¡¯s broken?¡± Aella asked, her curiosity rising in concern for the items that came from Ian''s hometown.


    ¡°It¡¯s a coffee maker,¡± Gaelan answered, his voice tinged with pride for knowing something about an object from another world. Briefly, he glanced at Ian and nearly laughed upon seeing the young man holding the box as though he had just lost a pet or something.


    ¡°What¡¯s coffee?¡± Bianca inquired from the doorway.


    ¡°It¡¯s a drink from Ian¡¯s homeland that¡¯s similar to tea, I suppose,¡± Gaelan answered.


    Eyes glimmering with curiosity, Bianca asked, ¡°Is it good?¡±


    Gaelan shrugged. ¡°To me it is. It¡¯s a little on the bitter side, though.¡±


    Chiming in, Aella suggested, ¡°If you¡¯re desperate to fix it, I¡¯m sure Barton could handle it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ian asked, instantly perking up.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Gaelan confidently replied. ¡°Man¡¯s the finest glass worker in the city. At least, he claims to be¡­¡±


    Did Mrs. Marl- er¡­ Aella know the carafe was made of glass beforehand? It was still in the box¡­ Perhaps it has to do with her magic?


    Interrupting Ian¡¯s thoughts, Gaelan asked, ¡°So, up for some training before dinner?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I was hoping for a day off¡­¡± Ian groaned.


    ¡°You already had a couple of those. We¡¯ll need to get you toughened up so that you don¡¯t need me to babysit you all the time. Although¡­ I¡¯ll probably go with you again either way.¡±


    At least he¡¯s honest¡­


    ¡°Um¡­ could I go with you next time as well?¡± Biance shyly asked.


    In a knee-jerk reaction, Gaelan¡¯s head whipped around to face his daughter and he immediately asked, ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ well, it sounds like a really interesting place,¡± she answered. Then, almost to herself, she quietly added, ¡°I could find new recipes, see new things, learn about new plants¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it¡­¡± Gaelan hesitantly replied, at which his daughter gave an adorably pleasant smile that could warm the even coldest of hearts. Satisfied with the reply, she waltzed back into the kitchen with a skip in her step. She even struck into humming a catchy tune.


    Once she was out of earshot, Gaelan¡¯s eyes moistened ever so slightly as he muttered, ¡°Haven¡¯t heard her sing or hum that song in years¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re always in the forge,¡± Aella retorted, giving him a quick flick on the forehead. ¡°Now, are you two going to get your training in or not? I have to admit it¡¯s a tad difficult to read with everyone chattering around me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re going,¡± Gaelan replied, rubbing his forehead. Craning his neck to look at Ian standing behind him, he said, ¡°Come on, time to train.¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ fine.¡±


    Before heading outside, Gaelan kissed his wife on the head. Her lips curled into a happy smile. Even while walking through the door, Ian wondered how they could go from a quip to a kiss in only a few seconds. It was truly an unfamiliar sight.


    * * * * *


    ¡°Hahahahaha! You¡¯re supposed to block that!¡± Gaelan chided through a cheeky grin.


    Opposite the man, Ian bent over coughing. A right hook from his muscular mentor had just landed on his gut. Once his coughing spree finally ended, he raised his head and stood straight. Both men faced each other shirtless and barefoot. Taking a deep breath, Ian prepared himself for another whooping and muttered, ¡°Wasn¡¯t expecting a spar¡­¡±


    ¡°Hoh~ It seems you still have energy. Good. Very good. Let¡¯s go again.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this somewhat counterproductive?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°Of course not. Let¡¯s put it like this: while in your world, I realized the place was absurdly peaceful, so I decided to pound some pain into you early on to prepare you for any dangers down the road.¡±


    Is this guy serious? No, wait. He¡¯s totally serious¡­ Ian thought while squinting at his mentor. Will this even help at all, though?


    ¡°I¡¯m taking it rather easy on you, so just do your best to keep dodging or blocking my attacks for now,¡± Gaelan instructed.


    Sighing in resignation, Ian pulled from his limited combat arsenal and assumed a defensive boxing stance he learned back during his high school boxing days. He hoped the stance would offer enough mobility for his current needs.


    Upon seeing the defensive stance, Gaelan grinned and lashed out with a sharp kick aimed at the rib cage, yelling out a loud ¡®Haap!¡¯ in the process. In Ian¡¯s eyes, the man¡¯s leg blurred, but it looked similar to a low kick from Muay Thai, or perhaps even Tae Kwon Do. Either way, he knew focusing on such a thing could get him seriously injured. Despite initially expecting another punch, he reacted just in time to block by raising his own leg to stop it.


    ¡°Gah! Ouch!¡± Ian exclaimed as the kick cracked against his thigh, sending him off balance.


    ¡°Get used to it!¡± Gaelan retorted while throwing a quick jab toward Ian¡¯s chest since his guard dropped due to the low kick.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Ian groaned as the fist landed squarely on his chest, knocking the air out of him.


    ¡°Heh. If you see a chance to strike back, then give me your best shot!¡± Gaelan exclaimed before jumping in and throwing a right straight toward Ian¡¯s jaw.


    Even though the wind had been knocked out of him, Ian righted himself, coughed, and raised his guard again. Adrenaline pumped through his veins and pushed him to his limits. He narrowly ducked below the swing that looked like it might kill him if it landed. Seriously, was this geezer actually trying to off him? However, instincts told him to go for a counter. He did.


    Honestly, the sudden movement on Ian¡¯s end briefly surprised Gaelan. He watched with great interest as his apprentice closed the distance and attempted to jab his abdomen. Although he knew he could dodge the hit, he decided to allow it to land, figuring it would be better for Ian in the long run.


    Flesh cracked against flesh. The initial slap of his jab landing on Gaelan¡¯s abdomen startled Ian. Pain shot through his arm. On top of that, hitting someone with all his strength was a new and unfamiliar experience, even when considering his attempts at boxing several years earlier.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Ian cried out, retreating a few steps.


    ¡°Hahahaha! You have weak wrists!¡± Gaelan interjected. ¡°We definitely need to toughen you up!¡±


    Due to preoccupying himself with checking his hand, Ian never saw the heel hurtling through the air toward his face until it was too late.


    ¡°Whoops¡­¡± Gaelan muttered as Ian fell to the ground completely unconscious.

 Chapter 16: Forging a Foundation Scene Eight (Rewrite)

    Ian¡¯s eyelids slowly flickered open. The first thing he noticed was a kink in his neck. On top of that, his brain throbbed as though repeatedly smacked by a rubber mallet. The soreness caused him to groan. Briefly, confusion swam through his mind as he tried to gather his bearings. The cool damp rag resting on his forehead certainly helped.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake,¡± Bianca softly said.


    In an attempt to find the origin of the voice, Ian rotated his head. A dull pop from his neck forced him to stop. Out of the corner of his eye, he could somewhat tell Bianca had dragged one of the dining chairs into the room and was sitting within arm¡¯s reach.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m awake,¡± Ian mumbled. Worried about the fact that he could not recall much after the start of the spar with Gaelan, he asked, ¡°So, what exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ well, I think dad was training you but accidentally knocked you unconscious. Sorry,¡± Bianca answered, apologizing despite having no need to actually do so.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess I vaguely remember now. He really whacked me a few good ones,¡± Ian said, grimacing. Recalling the events only aggravated him a little. Yes, only a little¡­


    ¡°Well, um¡­ my mom is finishing dinner now, so if you feel well enough to eat, it should be ready soon,¡± Bianca said, still looking down at him with a concerned expression.


    Almost without realizing it, Ian found himself caught up in her gaze, momentarily charmed by the subtle emotions locked deep within her bright purple eyes. Gradually, his gaze fell to her lips. They looked so supple and inviting. He almost felt tempted to touch them. Suddenly realizing where his thoughts were heading, he coughed, blinked a few times, and shook himself out of the daze.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m fine,¡± Ian assured her. Telling her what just went through his mind was absolutely unthinkable.


    ¡°Oh¡­ well, I¡¯m going to go help my mom since you¡¯re up. You can lay here for a bit longer if you want. Dad should be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ian gratefully replied.


    With that, Bianca stood, effortlessly lifted the heavy-looking wooden chair with one hand, and walked through the doorway.


    She lifted that chair like it was a piece of tofu¡­ Ian thought. The girl he pegged as petite and cute probably saw the chair as no more than he would see a small piece of styrofoam. Truly, the common sense of Earth held no clout here. While lost in thought with hands folded over his chest, Gaelan¡¯s voice startled him.


    ¡°You dead yet?¡±


    ¡°No. You disappointed?¡± Ian retorted, slowly opening his eyes to glare at the man standing over the back of the couch. Actually, now that he thought about it, when did the guy come in? He never heard that dull creaking sound the back door always generated.


    ¡°Not really. Anyway, just so you know, I just went to ask a friend to help out with your training,¡± Gaelan said, changing the subject.


    ¡°You have friends?¡± Ian jokingly remarked.


    ¡°I do. Do you?¡± Gaelan immediately retorted. Ian walked right into that comeback. After letting it sink in a little, Gaelan continued, ¡°Either way, I don¡¯t think I have what it takes to teach you how to fight, considering I may accidentally kill you if I¡¯m not careful.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re saying I could have died?¡± Ian asked, totally shocked.


    Gaelan shrugged. ¡°Possibly.¡± He also rubbed his chin and offhandedly muttered something about needing to shave.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ and here I thought I was lucky to have someone strong training me,¡± Ian complained, shutting his eyes. Unfortunately, doing so reminded him of the throbbing pain in his head and neck.


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny my own strength, but it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m capable of actually teaching you. I got a bit ahead of myself since you¡¯re my first apprentice, I guess,¡± Gaelan said.


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Ian said, opening his eyes, ¡°I got the impression that you were adamant about not taking apprentices. Why¡¯d you accept me?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Gaelan fell into thought for a few seconds before answering, ¡°Most people use Light Matter, so it would be impossible to teach them my specific techniques for strengthening material. There was another reason in the past, but it doesn¡¯t really matter at this point.¡±


    ¡°I guess that makes sense¡­¡± Ian conceded. Although he felt curious about the other reason, the first already felt like enough of an answer. One thing stuck out, however. ¡°So, is Dark Matter stronger than Light Matter?¡±


    Making unfamiliarly extravagant gestures, Gaelan explained, ¡°Generally, no. As far as what I understood from what Dustin told me, they are mostly the same. Two sides of the same coin he called it. They are the same for all the normal magic and physical abilities, but they each have specialized abilities as well. Light repairs. Dark has something else. Dustin never figured out exactly how it worked, but it usually does some strange things to different people.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Like what?¡±


    ¡°Like~, I, for instance, can teleport, as Dustin called it, to places within my line of sight. Other than that, I know there are some clans of Daemonkin that can change form whenever they swear allegiance to someone and receive a new name. For some reason, it¡¯s rather common among those particular tribes.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Explains how you got here so quickly earlier.¡±


    ¡°Um, dinner is ready¡­¡± Bianca called from the dining room doorway. She looked like she had been waiting for an opportune moment to speak up.


    ¡°Oh! Thank you, my sweet pumpkin!¡± Gaelan exclaimed, quickly darting over to hug her in his massive arms. He followed up by rubbing his beard on her cheek.


    Practically ignoring her father, Bianca turned her attention to Ian and asked, ¡°Will you be eating?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I could use some grub,¡± Ian happily replied. Too much new info was getting pounded into his brain nowadays and some good food would definitely help relieve the tension of learning.


    ¡°Um¡­ There aren¡¯t any grubs in the food¡­¡± Bianca replied, visibly confused and slightly disturbed.


    ¡°Uh, nevermind.¡±


    * * * * *


    Later that night, Ian plopped down on the new memory foam pad atop his bed and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Candlelight danced on the wooden planks, generating strange shadows. Thoughts about Gaelan¡¯s previous words filled his mind. He wondered how much Dark Matter affected his emotions. He pondered what sort of unique ability he could possibly get.


    Mind swimming madly, he focused on the small flame dancing above the candlestick sitting on his nightstand. A silly grin appeared on his face, and he pointed a finger at it. He could feel the movement of the Dark Matter within him as it raced forth to connect his thoughts to the small flame. A gentle wave of his finger stretched the flame into the air until it burned as long as the candle itself at an angle that defied physics. A wave in the other direction pulled the flame with it. Gradually, his thoughts eased as he directed the small flame to dance through the air. He became a conductor and the flame played as his orchestra. He pulled the flame away from the wick and into the air. A memory popped into his head about when he and his siblings used to play with sparklers, he spun the little flame in a circle through the air directly above him.


    *Throb*


    A dull pain slowly surfaced near his temples. Immediately, his smile vanished and he stopped playing with the little flame. He mentally pulled at it until it floated directly above his finger.


    Looks a lot bigger than before¡­ he thought while bringing it back toward the candle. The closer his finger drew to the candlestick, the more he realized the flame had grown far too big. Almost instinctively, he attempted to shrink the flame by floating it between both hands and imagining himself squeezing a balloon. It ended up feeling as strenuous as squeezing a rock. After a brief struggle that increased the throbbing in his temples tenfold and caused sweat to form on his forehead, he succeeded in shrinking the flame to its original size. He hurriedly returned it to its place atop the candlestick and allowed himself to go limp on the mattress pad.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ wasn¡¯t expecting that to be so difficult¡­¡± He said, staring at the ceiling again. Despite the minor headache, his thoughts gradually returned to everything that had transpired over the last few days and he quietly reflected, ¡°I¡¯ve learned quite a bit here. Been incredibly lucky, too¡­ How long will it last, I wonder?¡± For a few seconds, he remained silent, but then he rolled onto his side and mumbled, ¡°Not like anyone is going to answer me¡­¡±


    Gradually, his view blurred and his eyes shut. He quickly fell into a deep slumber, completely unaware of events taking place in the greater world of Regnoras.


    * * * * *


    Far from the comforts of Conncinnata and deep within the bounds of Beastkin territory, a lone wolf darted through the shadows below the canopy of the sacred Aesirr Forest. His dark silhouette blended into the darkness of night. Two streaks of silver fur along his spine stuck out when viewed from above. His tail whipped back and forth with his rapid movements. Predatory eyes, one green and one blue, pierced the darkness in his path. A sharp glint of moonlight filtering through the massive Saafir trees native to the forest reflected off them. In contrast to his massive size, each powerful step generated no more than a soft padding sound.


    Suddenly, an unfamiliar scent drifted into his nostrils. Out of curiosity, he changed directions and followed it until reaching a small clearing. Several bipedal creatures wandered into the clearing seemingly from nowhere. The sight surprised the wolf. So many things were wrong with this picture. First of all, what were humans doing in the sacred forest? Why were they wearing ferns, or even nothing, unlike the other humans he had occasionally crossed paths with in the past? Upon hearing voices, he listened carefully to sate his curiosity.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this place beautiful?¡± the obvious head of the group asked the others, wonder oozing from voice.


    ¡°Indeed it is, Brother Cohen,¡± a woman answered with a similar tone. Several others murmured in agreement.


    Nodding, the Cohen human raised his arms toward the sky and exclaimed, ¡°Here we can see Mother Earth¡¯s beauty as it originally was!¡±


    Instantly, the wolf wondered, What is this crazy human talking about?


    In response to Cohen¡¯s exclamation, several more murmurs of agreement sounded out, louder than before. Just from what he could see from the bushes, the wolf counted at least twenty humans. Although the evident leader human wore ferns around his waist, he wondered why some wore nothing at all. Perhaps they never discovered clothes like other humans?


    An older man with graying hair who looked like a skinny bag of bones stepped forward and asked in a gravelly voice, ¡°Brother, I take it this is the place you obtained Mother¡¯s gift?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Brother Davis. This is the place that Mother led me to. The first time I arrived here, she gave me her gift. Now that you all have come with me, you shall receive one as well,¡± Cohen replied, tone laced with reverence.


    ¡°When will we receive this gift?¡± the elderly man asked.


    ¡°You all felt that warm pleasant feeling upon arriving here, yes?¡± The others all nodded and Cohen continued, ¡°Well, that was Mother giving you the gift. Now, we must experiment to figure out which gifts you all received.¡±


    A young girl, no older than sixteen and garbed in ferns like the leader, stepped forward and asked, ¡°Brother, do you know why Mother is giving us these gifts, or why we were chosen?¡±


    ¡°Good questions,¡± Cohen replied with a wide approving smile. ¡°You see, Mother wishes for us to return her to her illustrious natural form. Under her guidance, I chose the most devoted of our brethren to lead the way in fulfilling that task.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the girl shrunk back in awe and bowed humbly, ¡°thank you for this great honor.¡±


    ¡°Why leave out the others?¡± another woman asked.


    ¡°Unfortunately, some are less devoted than others. Also, too many of us receiving gifts would likely lead to conflict among ourselves. Therefore, it is best for the most devoted of us to lead the way as her avatars of retribution!¡± Cohen explained with fanatic fervor. Every other person nodded in compliant understanding.


    At this point, the wolf breathed deeply through his nose and quickly lost interest in the conversation between all the strange humans. Without further ado, he skulked away from the clearing and resumed his travels with the end goal of finding a new tribe to run with. Memories raced through his mind as he dashed through the undergrowth once more. He could vividly recall the final moments of his tribe. The final words of his mother as the sickness took her plagued his mind every moment of every day. Even if it went against their ancient code, he would secure a future for himself, just as she wished.

 Chapter 17: Forging a Foundation Scene Nine (Rewrite)

    The sharp clanging of Ian¡¯s new hammer echoed throughout the shop upon striking a small slab of piping hot metal clamped to the anvil. Beads of sweat dripped from his face and bared upper body with each swing. Starting at the break of dawn, Gaelan began teaching him a new technique called peining used to spread out metal with the rounded side of the hammer. Now, several hours into it, he felt like he was beginning to grasp the concept.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Gaelan called out over the bang of the hammer and the roar of the flames. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll get it right by the end of the year!¡±


    The humorous jab threw Ian off just enough to strike the wrong spot, resulting in a deformed metal handle.


    ¡°Thanks a lot¡­¡± Ian groaned while grabbing his shirt from a nearby table in order to wipe the sweat off his face. Dabbing away the perspiration made him realize just how much his beard had grown out since arriving in Regnoras. Several of the coarse hairs poked his hand through the fabric.


    ¡°You need to be focused enough to not get distracted by such a small comment,¡± Gaelan retorted. His lips curled up into a sly grin.


    ¡°Of course I do¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the bell for Gaelan¡¯s shop area rang. The sharp metallic sound briefly startled Ian since he only heard it a handful of times over the last few days.


    In response to the bell, Gaelan stood, stretched, and said, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll head up front.¡± He stepped through the doorway connecting the two areas but poked his head back through and said, ¡°Hey, Ian, you come up here too. It could be good for you to see how I handle it.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Ian replied. Once his mentor left the room again, he stared at his failed product and sighed. Despite his desire to grasp onto the idea of always being able to rectify his mistakes, he could tell that the disappointment of failures still weighed heavily in his mind. Hopefully he could conquer that mindset over time. With a shake of his head, he cleared his thoughts and returned the tools to their proper places on racks or hooks attached to the walls. As soon as he finished, he threw on his sweat-stained t-shirt and pushed open the creaky wooden door leading to the shop.


    A few paces ahead, he saw Gaelan speaking with a man he recognized, much to his surprise. Coincidentally, he was the same man who led the hunt for the werewolf Ian encountered on his first day here. In contrast to their first meeting, however, the soldier guy wore simple clothing and leather clogs. It certainly gave a different impression than the shiny armor from before.


    The man noticed Ian as well but no hint of familiarity shone in his eyes at first. Instead, he simply raised his brows in surprise, faced Gaelan, and asked, ¡°You take in apprentices now?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly. He¡¯s kind of a special case,¡± Gaelan answered. ¡°His name¡¯s Ian. Ian, this is Blake, a fairly regular customer of mine.¡±


    ¡°Ian?¡± Blake asked, tilting his head slightly. ¡°That sounds familiar¡­¡±


    ¡°Hello again,¡± Ian said, nodding courteously. He switched on his customer service mode almost instinctually.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re that guy from the woods the other day,¡± Blake said, snapping his fingers in realization.


    ¡°Oh, you know each other? Man, Ian, you really get around for someone without any friends,¡± Gaelan said, grinning from ear to ear.


    Bastard¡­ Ian thought. He barely managed to maintain a polite smile as he said, ¡°I believe it¡¯s been a little over a week.¡±


    ¡°Yes, during the hunt for that werewolf,¡± Blake said, nodding.


    ¡°Oh, so you crossed paths with Blake¡¯s unit back then,¡± Gaelan muttered as he recalled the conversation from before their trip to Earth.


    Probably shouldn¡¯t mention I forgot his name¡­ Ian thought.


    ¡°Still¡­ it surprises me that you actually took in an apprentice after so many years,¡± Blake said, turning his attention to Gaelan. ¡°I mean, you denied quite a few prominent people over the years. Can¡¯t imagine many of them would appreciate your decision.¡±


    ¡°Since when did I ever cater to their whims?¡± Gaelan retorted, chuckling briefly.


    ¡°Good point¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± Gaelan added, this time more seriously, ¡°I didn¡¯t have much of a choice with him.¡±


    He¡¯s mentioned that before. Is he just referring to Dark Matter?


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Blake asked.


    ¡°Not much. Just some personal stuff. He does an alright job, though,¡± Gaelan said, noticeably dodging the question. ¡°Now, you said you needed your armor repaired?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± Blake picked up a sack by his feet. The contents clinked together when he lifted it. ¡°If you could do so, I¡¯d really appreciate it. The last few months have really taken a toll on it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem at all,¡± Gaelan said, taking the sack. ¡°It¡¯ll certainly be a good opportunity for teaching the lad a few things.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ is he good enough to help with that?¡± Blake asked worriedly, and rather understandably at that.


    ¡°Certainly. Wouldn¡¯t have said so otherwise,¡± Gaelan replied, assuaging the man¡¯s concerns.


    ¡°Alright, then. When will it be done?¡±


    ¡°Give me three days. Oh, and bring some of your mother¡¯s muffins when you come back.¡±


    Bowing slightly, Blake said, ¡°Thanks for this.¡±


    As the man left the shop, Gaelan turned to Ian, held out the sack full of armor, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡±


    Later in the afternoon, the heavy thud of a large hammer striking plate metal resounded within the small smithy. The smells of burning coal and metal wafted around the two men. Flames crackled in the forge nearby, almost creating a music along with the offbeat rhythm of the hammer.


    ¡°Alright, now here,¡± Gaelan instructed after pointing out a specific point on the steel armor resting between them on a short stone table. Leather was grafted to the surface of the table to prevent scratching on the armor.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    At Gaelan¡¯s instruction, Ian swung the heavy two-handed hammer over his head and straight onto the exact spot with all his strength. Meanwhile, Gaelan himself kept the piece steady by holding it with tongs in both hands. Supposedly, this style of smithing was used for bigger projects and generally required an assistant who would be called a striker. Even while filling the role, Ian wondered how many mistakes he would have made if they didn¡¯t practice for a few hours beforehand.


    A few more strikes later, Gaelan raised a hand to stop him and began inspecting the armor. While the man did so, Ian stepped back and rested the large hammer, which looked similar to a sledgehammer, against the nearby scrap table. Instantly, Gaelan said, ¡°Don¡¯t put it there. The scraps might get on it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, my bad,¡± Ian replied. He carried the hammer to the nearby wall and leaned it there. Then, he sat on the closest stool, placed his hands on the back of his head, and took a few deep breaths. To be honest, he felt glad to be done with the strenuous activity.


    ¡°Alright, looks good,¡± Gaelan said as he stood and carried the armor over to a clean table. ¡°Didn¡¯t take nearly as long with you here. Thanks for showing up.¡±


    ¡°Who are you, and what did you do with Gaelan?¡± Ian asked, smiling.


    ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± the man asked, raising a brow. Apparently, the joke went right over his head.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ It¡¯s just something of a joke since you¡¯ve never expressed thankfulness for my coming here or anything,¡± Ian explained.


    ¡°Oh. Haven¡¯t I? I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve at least said something positive¡­¡± Gaelan muttered, rubbing his chin. Then, he dropped the thoughtful attitude and added, ¡°Besides, jokes aren¡¯t funny when you explain them.¡±


    Of all the things that had to be the same between our worlds, Ian thought with a roll of his eyes. In an attempt to change the subject, he said, ¡°I can¡¯t imagine doing this alone. I mean,¡± he wiped a layer of sweat from his forehead and held out his now sweat-drenched hand, ¡°look at this. This is insane.¡±


    Gaelan shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s difficult, but doable. Now, what do you say to a break until my friend shows up to train you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I forgot about that¡­¡± Ian muttered. His head drooped at the prospect of even more exhausting activities. Despite his weariness, curiosity caused him to anticipate meeting the person who would train him.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Gaelan said, ¡°I¡¯ll warn you now, but he¡¯s a bit of an oddball.¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay. Not really sure how to take that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you meet him. Now, let¡¯s go grab some food. My stomach¡¯s been rumbling since before we started on this thing.¡±


    Ian nodded and followed his mentor all the way to the kitchen. Briefly, he felt surprised to not see Bianca there but then furrowed his brows and wondered if such a thought could be considered rude.


    Meanwhile, Gaelan rummaged through the cupboards looking for something simple. The sound of footsteps descending the stairwell stopped him after the third cupboard, though. Moments later, Bianca appeared in the archway and looked between the two with a confused gaze.


    ¡°Um, do you want me to make¡­¡­¡­ something for you?¡± she asked. For a few seconds, she paused rather noticeably upon noticing Ian¡¯s shirtlessness.


    This time around, Gaelan noticed his daughter¡¯s gaze, stared at Ian, and ordered, ¡°Go put a shirt on.¡±


    ¡°Oh, forgot I took it off¡­ and aren¡¯t you shirtless as well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine for me.¡±


    Shaking his head, Ian couldn¡¯t help grinning in mild amusement. Apparently it was totally fine to traipse around shirtless anywhere but in Bianca¡¯s presence. Of course, he knew the fallacy in such a thought. Just a few days immersed in the culture of this world showed him that a man with no shirt would be treated no different than a topless woman.


    While ascending the stairs, he noticed Bianca¡¯s eyes glued to his upper body. He struggled to keep his lips from curling upward. Behind him, Gaelan called out, ¡°Bianca?¡±


    Immediately, she flinched in surprise and tore her gaze away from Ian. ¡°Ah, um, yes dad?¡±


    ¡°You offered to make something?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right¡­¡± Bianca quietly answered. She walked into the kitchen, though not without a final quick glance in Ian¡¯s direction.


    Ian himself proceeded into the bathroom and washed his face with water from the bucket sitting on the dry sink. A mirror bolted to the wall behind it hazily reflected his beet red face that had yet to cool off from the hard labor. Although the mirror lacked the clear reflective properties that could be found on Earth, it certainly served its purpose well enough. Furrowing his brows, he looked at his shoulders. They looked wider than he remembered. All of his muscles already looked noticeably tougher than before. He rubbed a hand across his chest and couldn¡¯t believe how much his muscles firmed up in only a few days. Did the addition of Dark Matter actually have such an effect?


    Sighing, he moved onto his room and threw on a clean shirt since the one from earlier was probably still sitting in the smithy somewhere. Then, he walked downstairs again to find Bianca alone in the kitchen making something similar to a sandwich. The bread here had slightly different properties since they did not use yeast.


    ¡°May I ask what¡¯s on ¡®em?¡± Ian inquired.


    ¡°Eh? Oh, just some salted meat and cheese,¡± Bianca answered. As usual, she somehow didn¡¯t notice him until he spoke to her. To Ian¡¯s surprise, she carried two of the sandwiches to him and said, ¡°Here. One for you, one for dad.¡±


    ¡°Made one for yourself, too?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes?¡± she replied, tilting her head at the question.


    ¡°Anyway, thanks,¡± Ian replied as he took the sandwiches and walked toward the dining room in order to avoid falling too deep into her gaze. However, he ended up glancing back. When he did, the girl quickly averted her gaze and trotted toward her own food. Ian blinked. Then, he sighed and traipsed into the living room. Since Gaelan was already sitting on the couch, Ian took a seat next to him and handed over one of the sandwiches. In return, the man handed over a cup of water, which Ian downed in a few gulps.


    While the two of them munched on the sandwiches, someone knocked on the back door. Because they knocked on the back door rather than the front, Ian assumed the person must be familiar with the Marlow family.


    ¡°I guess he showed up a bit earlier than expected, though it¡¯s not all that surprising,¡± Gaelan said, standing in order to walk over and open the door for the guest.


    A man completely garbed in dark clothing and a black cloak stepped through. Along with his clothing, even his leather shoes looked like they had been designed with quick movement in mind. His entire outfit looked well-used but he obviously kept it as clean as possible. Although he looked somewhat short next to Gaelan, he probably stood close to Ian¡¯s height, but his build obviously trended to the slender side. Strangely enough, a large waterskin hung from his shoulders by leather straps. When Gaelan closed the door, the young man removed his hood, revealing a youthful visage. His hair, gold like rays of sun, was tied in a short ponytail that barely reached his shoulders. His bright blue eyes shone with admiration for Gaelan. A bit of blond stubble poked out from his angled chin and an ¡®X¡¯ shaped scar on his cheek marred his otherwise handsome appearance. At a quick glance, Ian guessed he and the young man were about the same age.


    ¡°Thanks for coming, Edmund,¡± Gaelan said.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my pleasure, sir!¡± The young man giddily replied.


    ¡°Hah! Always the energetic one, aren¡¯t you?¡± Gaelan remarked in a friendly manner.


    ¡°So, is this the guy you told me about?¡± Edmund asked, pointing at Ian.


    ¡°Yes. This is Ian, my new apprentice.¡±


    Even before Gaelan could finish speaking, Edmund approached Ian with an astonishingly agile stride, stuck out his right hand, and said, ¡°Hello Ian. Name¡¯s Edmund. Nice to meet you.¡±


    Ian cast off his surprise at the sudden greeting and overly energetic behavior, grasped the young man¡¯s outstretched hand, and said, ¡°Nice to meet you, Edmund.¡±


    Suddenly, Ian realized that the other¡¯s hand closed tighter. He couldn¡¯t just sit back and let himself be overpowered in a handshake. In response, he tightened his grip. Doing so gave him deja vu due to the previous time he did this with that Allon Smithson guy.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ have you never done combat training?¡± Edmund asked, tightening his grip even further.


    ¡°No. Just physical training,¡± Ian answered, following suit. Briefly, he thought the young man¡¯s eyes darkened, but perhaps it was just his imagination.


    Eventually, the handshake reached the point that Ian worried whether the bones in his hand could handle the stress. Right when he could feel his bones begin to crack, Edmund loosened his grip and let go. The guy muttered something before smiling like nothing ever happened. Although barely audible, it sounded like ¡®not bad¡¯ or something.


    While Ian opened and closed his hand due to lingering pain, Gaelan interjected, ¡°Alright, since you two have met, let¡¯s go ahead and get started.¡±


    ¡°We just ate, though,¡± Ian mentioned.


    ¡°Ah, right. Then¡­ we¡¯ll wait a few minutes and then get started.¡±

 Chapter 18: Forging a Foundation Scene Ten (Rewrite)

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s begin!¡± Edmund exclaimed.


    Contrary to Ian¡¯s expectations, the young man only led them to Gaelan¡¯s backyard. It certainly gave them enough room for plenty of activity, but he hoped to go to somewhere interesting like an official training ground or even the forest. First, though, he hesitantly asked, ¡°Are we going to spar?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Edmund immediately answered. ¡°We might do a little sparring later, but before anything else, I need to figure out your current capabilities.¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ alright. What should I do, then?¡±


    ¡°First, show me how you would react if you knew you were about to end up in a combat situation.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ian glanced around awkwardly, unconfident about the meaning of the statement. After a few seconds of fumbling, which drew a snicker from Gaelan, Ian raised his arms into a similar boxing stance he used previously.


    In response, Edmund¡¯s eye twitched and his expression dulled. ¡°You¡¯re stiff. It doesn¡¯t suit you at all. ¡®Tis no wonder Gaelan requested my assistance.¡±


    The statement itself did not bother Ian, but the brief propriety in Edmund¡¯s speech certainly garnered his curiosity. Unfortunately, the unnaturally proper dialect never came up again. Instead of worrying about it, he refocused on the task at hand and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°That stance will be useless to you in most situations. We¡¯ll need to fix it before moving on to anything else,¡± Edmund bluntly answered.


    ¡°How is it useless?¡± Ian asked while dropping the stance.


    ¡°It might work well enough against weaker people that can¡¯t use magic, but you would be torn to shreds in a battle against an experienced Magi.¡±


    The statement did not fully answer Ian¡¯s question but made enough sense for him to accept the explanation. On top of that, this was the first time he could recall someone referring to magic users as Magi.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Edmund said, ¡°I can tell you haven¡¯t seen a lot of magic used in combat, so watch me for a moment.¡±


    Ian nodded and watched in anxious expectation. To his surprise, Edmund lowered his stance and raised both hands in front of him with palms facing the sky. Suddenly, a loud pop echoed around them. Water flowed into the air from the waterskin on Edmund¡¯s back and quickly snaked around his body in lithe, rippling circles. Slow and graceful movements of Edmund¡¯s fingers guided the stream. It almost looked like a sea serpent protectively wrapping itself around him. The gentle control over the water contrasted greatly with Gaelan¡¯s rough usage of earth.


    ¡°This is generally how I start an upfront battle,¡± Edmund said. ¡°Like this, I am prepared for either attack or defense at the same time.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really use much magic yet, though¡­¡± Ian disdainfully remarked.


    ¡°That is fine. Gaelan said he¡¯ll handle that part of teaching you. Now, watch.¡±


    After a brief nod, Ian narrowed his eyes and focused on the young man several paces ahead of him. The water wrapped more tightly around Edmund¡¯s body. At the same time, he leaned slightly to his right. A moment later, his body lurched in that direction. Ian only saw a blur whiz past him. The breeze Edmund¡¯s dash generated brushed against him as though someone turned on a powerful fan for only a few seconds.


    Ian blinked in surprise and thought, How fast is he? That acceleration can¡¯t be healthy¡­


    ¡°So, understand now?¡± Edmund asked from directly behind Ian.


    ¡°Understand what?¡± Ian asked in return.


    ¡°The reason your stance won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ Not really. I guess it won¡¯t help against magic much, but I barely saw you move,¡± Ian answered. At the same time, he spun around to face Edmund, but found himself staring at a water javelin inches away from his head. He immediately understood the implications. If Edmund wanted him dead, his life would have been forfeit without him even realizing it. Sweat trickled from his forehead at the thought.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe I need to rethink my approach,¡± Edmund muttered while scratching his head. His eyes glazed over for a moment as he retreated into his mind. Then, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your Physical Affinity.¡±


    ¡°Uh, high, I think?¡± Ian replied.


    Edmund sighed and looked to Gaelan for confirmation. The guy simply rested on the grass a few paces away without a care in the world but said, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s right. Hasn¡¯t done any formal training, though.¡±


    ¡°Hmm..¡± Edmund hummed and turned back to Ian. ¡°So, High Physical Affinity but no training even though we¡¯re about the same age¡­ are you from some sort of outskirt village?¡±


    ¡°Uh, not exactly, but I¡¯m also not from here¡­¡± Ian stammered, averting his gaze. Despite practicing in front of the mirror for this exact situation, lying about his origins still proved difficult.


    ¡°Alright. This makes a little more sense now,¡± Edmund said, nodding. Then, he perked up once more and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve decided. We¡¯ll spar first. Then I¡¯ll decide how to train you.¡±


    The constant stream of water that had been circling around Edmund for a few minutes suddenly rushed back into the waterskin, causing it bulge slightly.


    ¡°Before we start, mind if I ask you something?¡± Ian inquired.


    ¡°Sure. That is what I am here for,¡± Edmund replied with a toothy grin.


    ¡°Do you always carry that waterskin just for fighting?¡±


    ¡°Indeed I do,¡± came the reply, ¡°Although it¡¯s not exactly common practice, I¡¯m not the only person who carries one. It¡¯s also a backup water supply for emergencies.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ Gaelan never mentioned anything about carrying something of your element for use as a weapon¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, in his defense, it¡¯s not like people with Earth Affinity need to carry a jar of dirt around with them,¡± Edmund mentioned, finger pointing toward the ground. ¡°Although, I¡¯m sure sailors would have good reason to do that, what with all the sea serpents and everything.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Sea serpents¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure Gaelan mentioned that the seas are dangerous here, but sea serpents? Really? Shaking away the thought, Ian said, ¡°So, what I get out of what you said is that you can¡¯t conjure water out of thin air.¡±


    ¡°Not with my level of Affinity, no¡­¡± Edmund replied. Briefly, his eyes darkened and he grit his teeth. However, the odd moment of negative emotions vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. He continued speaking without skipping a beat. ¡°There are small amounts of water in the air and in the plants around us. I can feel it, just like I can feel the hairs on my head, but it¡¯s too strenuous for me to gather more than a drop. Maybe one day I will become capable of such a feat, but it normally requires High Water Affinity, whereas I¡¯m still at the Medium level, unfortunately.¡±


    Ian nodded. After fatiguing himself by playing with the flame from his bedside candle previously, he could understand, to an extent, the inability to use abilities that are obtainable yet far out of reach. In his eyes, Edmund already used water like a master, but he had no basis for that assumption. Both of them had room to grow.


    ¡°Now, shall we?¡± Edmund said, donning a cheesy grin while lowering himself into a stance vaguely similar to kung-fu.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ yeah,¡± Ian sullenly replied. ¡°I have a feeling this is going to become painfully repetitive¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Edmund said. ¡°Now, try to attack me.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay.¡±


    Since he had nothing else to fall back on, Ian adopted his boxing stance, which Edmund rolled his eyes at, albeit in good humor. Ian breathed deeply and inched forward. Edmund remained still. Assuming the guy would only defend, Ian shrugged and lunged forward with a careful jab.


    Next thing he knew, the world flipped upside down and his body plopped on the dirt at Edmund¡¯s feet. Stunned, he remained motionless.


    ¡°First lesson. Don¡¯t stop moving in a fight even if you¡¯re down,¡± Edmund said right before kicking him in the ribs.


    Ian grunted as the boot crashed against his ribcage. The impact brought brought him back to his senses and he rolled away. Holding his side, he stumbled to his feet. ¡°So, uh, urgh¡­ man, that smarts¡­ Anyway, just a thought, but couldn¡¯t I just focus on magic?¡±


    ¡°Only if you want to be at a disadvantage against beasts unaffected by it. Like~ hagbeasts or gannas, for example. Those are just the most common ones.¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ I don¡¯t even know what those are.¡±


    ¡°Still doesn¡¯t change the fact that they¡¯ll counter all of your magic. Now, come at me.¡±


    * * * * *


    For several minutes, Bianca leaned on the windowsill near the back door watching Ian¡¯s training session. Each time Edmund hit him, she winced. Honestly, she felt thankful that she never needed to train like this, especially with Edmund. She never liked seeing the images within his mind and always struggled to either avoid him or consciously block out his thoughts. Other than his memories of visiting her father, anything else she saw from him only disturbed her, sometimes to the point of making her feel queasy.


    Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder and recoiled from it. Only her mother could do such a thing.


    ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to frighten you,¡± Aella apologized.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡±


    Aella looked past her, grinned, and said, ¡°Seems you were watching them. Maybe you want to join?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ It looks¡­ painful.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure Ian¡¯s been through worse. I do believe this will help him later on, though.¡±


    ¡°For traveling?¡± Bianca asked.


    ¡°Well, perhaps other things as well¡­¡± Aella answered, still observing the two young men sparring. Of course, it was currently one-sided, but she knew that would not last forever.


    Bianca eyed her mother curiously. To an extent, she could tell that her mother garnered a unique interest in their new boarder. She contemplated whether or not to inquire about the reason for the interest but decided against it and held her peace.


    The two of them watched the training session in silence for a few minutes. Eventually, Aella said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it. I¡¯ve got a few things to take care of in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Bianca replied. After her mother left the room, she watched a little longer before growing tired of the one-sided beating. With a small sigh, she decided to return to her room. Strangely enough, she didn¡¯t see her mother along the way.


    Upon entering her room, she closed the door behind her and stepped over to the bedside. Then, she crouched and pulled out a small wooden box from underneath. She unlatched it, revealing a pan flute. The humble instrument bore the wear and tear from years of use. With a smile on her face, she sat on the edge of her bed and brought the panflute to her lips. A few moments of silence followed while she considered which song to start with. Eventually she settled on one and blew the first note. A mellow hum played through the other end of the chute. Somehow, the little instrument still sounded as delightful as the day her father gave it to her. She couldn¡¯t help smiling more with each following note. The somber yet beautiful tone resonated within her mind. Before long, the music sucked in her entire soul. She sang the words to the song within her mind while playing.


    Before you were born, I loved you,


    And since then, I have watched over you.


    My Child, My Child, I will be there for you,


    My Child, My Child, I will watch over you.


    When you grow wings and fly, and strive for great things,


    I will stand by your side, and I will lift you up.


    My Child, My Child, I will be there for you,


    My Child, My Child, I will stand beside you.


    When you are taken away, by the one that you love,


    I will watch from afar, and I will stand behind you.


    My Child, My Child, I will be there for you,


    My Child, My Child, I will stand behind you.


    Someday when I¡¯m gone, if you feel lonely or sad,


    Just look to the sky, and know I loved you.


    My Child, My Child, I¡¯m still there for you,


    My Child, My Child, I¡¯m still watching over you.


    My Child, My Child, I will be there for you.


    As the final note played out, Bianca slowly lowered the panflute from her lips. Without realizing it, tears streamed down her cheeks in the middle of the song.


    ¡°Strange¡­¡± she muttered while wiping away the tears, ¡°I¡¯ve never cried while playing that before¡­¡±


    * * * * *


    Meanwhile, before Bianca returned to her room, Aella closed the door to her own bedroom and immediately plopped down face first on the bed. She pulled one of the pillows toward her and pressed it over her face. With every ounce of breath, she groaned into the pillow. Afterward, she rested her head on it, closed her eyes, and sighed.


    A few minutes later, she heard the familiar sound of her daughter¡¯s panflute. The tune pricked her heart. When was the last time she heard it? One year? Two?


    As the muffled music played in the other room, Aella found it continuously more difficult to hold back tears. It brought back so many memories; the happiness when she and Gaelan found out they would be able to have a child; the ecstatic joy in her husband¡¯s eyes as he penned the words to the first and only song he ever composed; the birth of their beautiful baby girl¡­


    Suddenly, she realized the music had stopped. The ensuing silence weighed on her. So many years had gone by in the blink of an eye. Countless glimpses of fond memories flashed through her mind.


    With a deep sigh, she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. The same thought reverberated in her mind over and over and over.


    Do not waver. Do not waver. Do not waver.


    When she opened her eyes again, she realized her daughter began playing another song. Her lips curved into a pleasant smile. She could only hope that her precious family would be able to travel on the new path brought about by Ian¡¯s arrival in this world...

 Chapter 19: Forging a Foundation Scene Eleven (Rewrite)

    An exhausted groan slipped from Ian¡¯s lips as he mouthed, ¡°Nine hundred ninety-eight, nine hundred ninety-nine, one thousand.¡±


    With that, he collapsed into the dirt, wheezing. He barely avoided splashing his face in the vomit he had spewed halfway through his reps. Every muscle fiber in his body quivered and felt like jelly. Countless drops of sweat oozed from every pore on his skin. The weight of Edmund sitting on his back only worsened the situation. What kind of insanity brought the guy to the decision of making him do one thousand push-ups?


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± Edmund said, clapping slowly. ¡°Now, do another thousand.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Ian exclaimed as best he could muster under the influence of fatigue and weight of a full-grown man. ¡°Do you -hah- have something -hah- against me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. You have a long way to go before you could survive against any trained person or even mid-tier monsters. Even low-tier ones would probably give you trouble. By the hero¡¯s blood, you wouldn¡¯t even be able to beat a small bear on equal footing,¡± Edmund retorted, gesturing wildly to emphasize his points. ¡°Therefore, do your next thousand.¡±


    A lash of water suddenly smacked the back of Ian¡¯s thigh. He winced and sucked in his breath. Both of his thighs already turned beet red several minutes earlier due to repeated strikes whenever he paused his repetitions. Perhaps training would pay off in the long run, but knowing that didn¡¯t help in quelling the overwhelming urge to throw in the towel. Just the thought of doing another set made him dizzy. Despite that, he forced himself back into the push-up position.


    Does he have to sit on my back, though? Ian thought wearily. Shaking away the notion, he took a deep breath and began the next set. His body shook wildly with each rep.


    Along the way, he needed to pause several times to catch his breath, resulting in sharp lashes on his thighs each time. This kind of brutal and agonizing training would never pass as a constructive regimen back on Earth. In fact, he didn¡¯t even believe himself capable of completing the first thousand. In the short amount of time since acquiring Dark Matter, his body obviously improved beyond anything he could have imagined. Still, knowing he could accomplish new feats did not make them any easier. If anything, all of this new training, in spite of its simplicity, dwarfed the difficulty of all his previous regimens.


    By the time he reached five hundred, his muscles were shaking so badly that he could barely move. Sweat and fatigue blurred his vision. Even the dirt looked as inviting as a million dollar bed.


    ¡°Heh. You¡¯re shaking pretty bad, Ian,¡± Edmund said, pointing out the obvious.


    Exhaustion prevented Ian from retorting. Otherwise, he would have loved to smack the guy into next week. Still, he continued. Little by little, he lost grip on reality. Up and down over and over. He completely lost track of how many times he pushed off the ground, only to be halfway pulled back to full awareness whenever Edmund called out each hundred. Five hundred. Six.


    Finally, Ian neared the one thousand mark for the second time. His body felt weightless and his vision darkened around the edges. He could no longer feel the presence of the young man still sitting on his back. With only a handful of repetitions remaining, his arms gave out. He collapsed. The cool, moist dirt welcomed his face like a loving wife.


    ¡°Haha! So close, Ian!¡± Edmund exclaimed, chuckling all the while. ¡°Come on, now. Try to finish the last few.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Ian groaned. He wanted it to end. No other thoughts even crossed his mind. As his consciousness began to fade, he recalled all the times he failed to finish things he started. Ruined relationships, half-hearted projects¡­


    A heavy sigh escaped his lips. The sudden memories irritated him. Why did he even decide to stay in this world in the first place? Obviously, he desired change in the mediocre life he brought upon himself on Earth. If he gave up inches from the finish line here, he knew it would come back to haunt him in the long run. So, despite having nothing left in his metaphorical tank, he planted his palms on the dirt and pushed. Every muscle fiber ached and shook as he struggled to lift his own weight. Both arms felt like jelly, sure, but jelly would have to suffice. Little by little, he forced himself far beyond his limit. His lungs and muscles burned as though raked over hot coals. A handful of times, his muscles gave way, causing his body to lurch toward the grown.


    Finally, he succeeded, and a roar of pride echoed from his vocal chords almost unintentionally. Although it might have seemed a minimal achievement in the eyes of others, he considered it a huge step in the right direction.


    Edmund¡¯s voice rolled through one ear and out the other. It barely registered that the guy basically said he only needed to do a few more.


    Four push-ups later, Ian fell again. He forced himself back up. Six more. Fell again. Three more. Edmund called out the number nine hundred ninety-nine. One more.


    A wave of relief swept through Ian as he reached the peak of his final repetition. Then, the world darkened. He fell asleep.


    * * * * *


    Standing over the now unconscious Ian, Edmund stared at him with lips pursed. Honestly, he never expected the guy to finish two-thousand push-ups. In fact, he nearly called it quits the first time Ian collapsed, only for the guy to force himself back up. In a strange way, he considered it a rather inspiring endeavor.


    Actually, the entire thing was supposed to serve as more of a test to gauge how seriously they could take training in the future. If Ian could approach any training with the same force of will, then he could probably close the gap between himself and most others his age without much difficulty, at least in terms of physical ability. Magic was a wholly different matter. Still, the whole situation made Edmund feel some respect for the guy. Compared to the fools he grew up with, people like Ian were much more pleasant to spend time with.


    ¡°I assume that¡¯s the end of your little test, then?¡± Gaelan asked, sitting up behind him.


    Turning to face the man he respected most, Edmund answered, ¡°Yes, sir. Wasn¡¯t really expecting him to finish, though. At least, not with me sitting on his back the whole time.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Can¡¯t say I expected it, either,¡± Gaelan muttered while rubbing his chin. ¡°If you had seen the place he came from, you would probably laugh at the average person. They are truly weak. Pretty sure none of them even use any magic.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Explains why he¡¯s so weak despite everything he¡¯s got going for him,¡± Edmund said, recalling the moment when Gaelan showed up at the Ursa Keep to recruit his help. Hearing about the fact that the fact his role model accepted an apprentice surprised him. Until now, doubts filled his mind concerning the decision. After all, what kind of person could be capable of living in the shadow of the greatest non-Dwarven blacksmith of modern times? Somehow, Ian¡¯s tenacity set him at ease. Perhaps they could get along better than he thought.


    ¡°Well,¡± Gaelan said, ¡°Let¡¯s carry him to bed. No, we¡¯ll wash him first. Then we¡¯ll put him in bed.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Edmund readily replied.


    * * * * *


    Early morning sunlight filtered through the slightly fogged window above Ian¡¯s bed, preventing him from falling back asleep after waking to the cooing of roosters. Instantly, the intense soreness in his muscles made him groan. At least the memory foam soothed the aching.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I did that many push-ups yesterday¡­¡± Ian muttered. ¡°Wait, that was yesterday wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Worried that he may have slept for more than one night, he quickly sat up, only to immediately fall back down in reaction to a sharp contraction of his abdominal muscles. It felt like a sack of rocks had been surgically implanted in his belly.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He groaned while sinking back into the memory foam. The soft bedding felt pleasant against his sore and aching muscles.


    For a few minutes, he simply lay there, completely motionless. He grimaced upon realizing he never got the chance to stretch the lactic acid out of his muscles after the strenuous exercise.


    Eventually, he forced himself to basically roll over the side of the bed. He landed on his hands and knees. With a deep breath, he placed a hand on the bedside and pushed upward. Now standing, he immediately stretched his hands into the air and grunted. A few more stretches later, he figured he limbered up enough to wander downstairs in search of vittles.


    ¡°I guess my lessons come first¡­ Wait, does Aria even know I¡¯m back?¡±


    Considering he spoke with that frail-looking man previously, he wondered if he should run over to the Visitor Center.


    Maybe not¡­ he thought, rubbing his sore muscles. I¡¯ll just wait until she comes over again or something.


    Without further ado, he trudged into the hallway and down the stairs. To his surprise, he didn¡¯t see anyone. Perhaps he woke earlier than normal. From there, he meandered outside in his bare feet in order to use the outhouse. The dewy grass gently nestled against his soles with each step. Afterward, he returned to the kitchen to brew his coffee.


    In the kitchen, he cleaned out the woodstove and placed new logs inside. Then, using flint and steel, he generated a few sparks. He reached out with his senses to expand the sparks into a small flame. A second later, he tried expanding the flame in a similar manner to when he played with the flame on his bedside candle previously. The fire quickly engulfed the firewood, startling him. Luckily, he didn¡¯t get a headache this time.


    While boiling water over the flame he started, the stairs creaked, drawing his attention. Moment later, Bianca appeared in the doorway. She was wearing the same nightgown as when they ran into each other outside before.


    ¡°Mornin¡¯, Bianca,¡± Ian greeted, wincing slightly due to waving with a sore arm.


    ¡°Oh, good morning, Mr. Ian¡­¡± She tiredly replied.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be in your way by making coffee will I?¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s fine. I can start making breakfast after you¡¯re done.¡±


    She hesitated for a moment there. Seems she¡¯s still not totally comfortable with me¡­ Ian thought.


    With that, Bianca left the room.


    Shrugging, Ian boiled some water and brewed fresh coffee in the newly repaired french press. After pouring it into a mug, he walked over to the living room. The first thing he noticed was Bianca trying to light a fire in the fireplace. Although a little morning chill never bothered him personally, he knew the same could not be said of many people he knew, particularly his sister.


    Back when they were children, she always used to turn up the thermostat whenever their mother left them with a babysitter. Then, he would always turn it back down. It usually ended in a wrestling match. He would always lose. Their older brother would simply watch with a condescending frown from the nearby rocking chair¡­


    Still mulling over the strangely nostalgic memory, Ian raised a hand toward the fireplace. He focused on the small sparks generated each time Bianca struck the flint and steel together. A small flame whooshed over the logs at his beckoning, startling Bianca into reeling back with a yelp of surprise.


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Ian apologized. ¡°Probably should have said something before doing that.¡±


    Bianca blinked at him, dumbfounded.


    In an attempt to make up for his carelessness, Ian stepped over to offer a hand. In response, she shook her head to clear away her astonishment and accepted it.


    Briefly, Bianca opened her mouth as though she wanted to say something, but quickly sealed her lips. She then glanced up at Ian for a moment before scurrying toward the kitchen.


    Wondering if she wanted to tell him not to do that again or something, Ian shrugged and sat on the couch. For a few minutes, he simply sipped at his coffee while mulling over all the different ways he could have handled the situation better.


    The next thing he knew, the back door swung open. Startled, he spun around, only to lock eyes with Aria.


    Before even greeting him, she sniffed the air and asked, ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡±


    ¡°Good morning to you too,¡± Ian sarcastically replied.


    Aria raised a brow, rolled her eyes, and, in good humor, replied, ¡°Right, good morning to the guy who didn¡¯t bother to tell me he was back in town, preventing me from resuming his lessons.¡±


    ¡°Well, you weren¡¯t there when I stopped by before.¡±


    ¡°I know. My coworker told me some guy came looking for me and basically described you perfectly.¡± Then, she smirked and added, ¡°Said you were handsome, too. Maybe you could work at his Aunt¡¯s brothel?¡±


    ¡°...No thanks¡­¡± Ian muttered.


    Aria chuckled while removing her noticeably worn out shoes. Afterward, she walked over to the couch and asked, ¡°So, is that drink the thing I¡¯m smelling?¡±


    ¡°Probably. It¡¯s a drink I brought back from my hometown.¡±


    ¡°Mind if I try some?¡±


    ¡°Nah. Should be some left in the kitchen. Give me a second and I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    A minute or so later, Ian returned with a mug for her. While handing it over, he asked, ¡°Do you plan on giving me a lesson today?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have come over if I didn¡¯t,¡± she answered, taking the cup from him.


    ¡°Good,¡± Ian muttered. ¡°I could use a break from the physical stuff¡­¡±


    Aria sipped the steaming hot drink. Although she winced at the heat, her eyes widened, and she said, ¡°It¡¯s surprisingly good despite being bitter.¡±


    ¡°I know. The caffeine is giving me a much needed energy boost, too,¡± Ian said.


    ¡°Caffeine? Well, I don¡¯t know what it use, but if you brought a bunch of it here, you could probably sell it.¡±

 Chapter 20: Forging a Foundation Scene Twelve (Rewrite)

    Aria flinched in surprise as Ian¡¯s head thumped against the table. Briefly, she worried that he somehow died, but the thought quickly vanished when she noticed how deep his breaths were. The guy fell asleep in the middle of the lesson. To be honest, she didn¡¯t know whether to feel upset by the fact that he passed out while she was trying to teach him of to be worried about his well-being.


    Eventually, she came to a conclusion and nodded. She pulled a small book from her travel sack and whacked Ian on the back of the head with it.


    Startled, he immediately woke up. With eyes wide open, he glanced around the room, obviously trying to gather his bearings.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°Because you fell asleep,¡± Aria answered.


    ¡°I was just resting my eyes, though.¡±


    Raising a brow, Aria replied, ¡°Your head slammed against the table.¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ sorry¡­¡± he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°Still interested in continuing the lesson, or did you want to stop for now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay for now,¡± Ian casually replied, despite a gaping yawn seconds later. The bags under his tired eyes made him look even more worn out.


    ¡°You sure?¡± Aria asked, unconvinced by the previous statement. If he was truly tired, a nap before his blacksmithing practice in the afternoon would be advisable.


    Stretching his arms above his head, Ian answered, ¡°Yep. It¡¯s fine. I can sleep when I¡¯m dead.¡±


    Aria furrowed her brows at how easily he brought up his own death. Although the statement discomforted her, she decided to ignore it. Instead, she plopped the book in her hand onto the table in front of him. Drawings of seven knights in shining armor were stitched onto the leather cover.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°A children¡¯s book I picked up at the library for you to try reading. Want to try?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ maybe?¡± Ian hesitantly answered. Sure, he had come a long way in a short amount of time thanks to their spoken language being the same, but he still maintained a wariness toward actually attempting to read an actual book, even if it was a children¡¯s book. Looking at the title, he realized he could somewhat read it. He roughly translated it as ¡°The Seven Heroes¡± which caught his interest. If he could read the title, then perhaps he could also read the contents as long as they remained simple. In the end, he said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡± Aria asked, scrunching her brow in confusion at the strange saying.


    Realizing he once again said something unfamiliar to the people of Regnoras, Ian said, ¡°Just meant I¡¯d try reading it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Aria muttered with glimmer of understanding in her eye. ¡°Well, while you read it, I¡¯m going to go spend some time with Bianca, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Ian replied, politely waving her off.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll check back every so often to see if you¡¯re done.¡±


    With that, Aria stood and pushed her chair backward with her knees. The legs scraped along the wooden floor like chalk against a chalkboard. She quickly apologized and pushed the chair back under the table before leaving.


    Now that he had the room to himself, Ian took a closer look at the book. It looked worn as though used excessively by hundreds of people. The rough leather binding would likely begin to give way sometime soon. Following his curiosity, he carefully flipped through the rough pages. He quickly found a handful of beautiful and intricate hand-drawn etchings. Near the beginning, most depicted a young boy on a farm or in cityscapes. By the end, however, the drawings contained warzones with surprisingly graphic detail.


    ¡°This is considered a children¡¯s book?¡± Ian whispered to himself, shocked by the level of grim material he found by simply flipping through the pages. One of the pictures even showed a man getting decapitated by a shadowy creature. Grimacing, he wondered whether or not he made a mistake in deciding to read this little story with less than thirty pages.


    A sigh slipped from his lips as he rubbed his forehead. He couldn¡¯t just tell Aria that he suddenly changed his mind. Preparing himself, he took a deep breath and opened the book to the first page to begin reading. Although he struggled to comprehend some of the words due to the unfamiliar writing, he quickly realized the book read similarly to a poem. In fact, it vaguely reminded him of the old classic, Paradise Lost.


    In times of old, foul demons roamed.


    Men at their mercy, never to own their own homes.


    Tired of fear, and weary of pain,


    A man gathered his courage and went on a journey.


    For several years, he trained in forests, plains, and seas.


    During his travels, others joined him.


    Six like-minded men did he gather.


    Full of courage and full of valor.


    Throughout the world, these seven became known as heroes.


    They slaughtered monsters and banished demons.


    Thanks to these seven, men now had hope.


    Therefore, mankind went to war.


    Men fell, demons fell, and death filled the land.


    In overwhelming darkness, the seven heroes proved their valor.


    Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months.


    And at daybreak of the seventh month, the Lord of Demons appeared.


    That vile darkness, that foul enemy.


    Over the land and across the sea.


    Men knew of the appearance of the dastardly demon king.


    Oh, yes, that dastardly demon king.


    The seven fought bravely, wielding courage as a weapon.


    The Lord of Demons fought back, wielding fear and darkness as a weapon.


    The fight was long and arduous,


    But all things must come to an end.


    Though tired and weary, the seven men seized victory.


    Oh, what a joyous victory.


    After years of toil and years of strife, men were now free.


    People danced in the streets with glee.


    The first man, the journeyman,


    A king he became.


    A city he founded.


    And a future he forged.


    By the time he finished reading as much as possible with his limited knowledge of Common, Ian leaned back in his chair, thoroughly impressed with what he read. Not only did his understanding of the language noticeably improve, but the story also drew him in. Still¡­


    ¡°How is this considered a children¡¯s story?¡± he mumbled toward the ceiling. After all, many of the details could easily frighten a young child.


    Another thing that stood out to him was that details concerning the ¡°demons¡± basically described the Daemonkin. Those details were very negative and exaggerated. Some felt forced enough to make him cringe. As a result, he came to the conclusion that this story had been written by someone with a grudge against the Daemonkin, or that the story was used as a tool to make children wary of Daemonkin or something. Such misdirection was commonplace in the history of Earth, so Regnoras probably had some of that as well.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    For a few minutes, Ian simply sat in the chair pondering the story while inwardly celebrating the fact that he reached a point in his language cramming where he could read a relatively simple book.


    At some point, Aria poked her head into the room and asked, ¡°Are you finished?¡± The way she leaned through the doorway necessitated an unconscious action of brushing her bangs away from her eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, I''m done,¡± Ian replied, turning his gaze toward Aria. ¡°The story was a bit too gruesome to be a children''s story in my opinion.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps...¡± Aria replied. She then placed her forefinger on her lower lip and walked over to the table to sit down once more. ¡°Not sure if you knew, but it is considered to be a fanciful take on actual history, so the battles are hard to dismiss, I suppose.¡±


    Ian raised a brow and muttered, ¡°Actual history, is it?¡±


    From his personal experience, he knew history was written by people in charge or winners of conflict. Sometimes, nothing was written at all, resulting in Dark Ages. As a result, he could not help feeling skeptical of the accuracy of a fanciful tale such as this, especially the parts with a demon king or whatever it was. Most likely, it was just a reference to the king of the Daemonkin that he had previously learned about from Gaelan, not to mention that the guy pointed out that Daemonkin only differed from humans in appearance, and to a minor extent at that. Perhaps Gaelan fit into the minority with that opinion, but Ian preferred to believe Gaelan''s words of experience rather than a fantasy story written for children.


    Suddenly, Gaelan¡¯s voice echoed from the other room, startling both Ian and Aria.


    ¡°You almost done in there?¡±


    ¡°We will be done soon!¡± Aria called out in answer before Ian could say anything. Facing Ian again, she said, ¡°I need to head over to the Visitor Center anyway, so we can stop here. You might want to try reading some other stories for more practice as long as you aren¡¯t too tired.¡±


    ¡°If I feel up to it,¡± Ian replied, shrugging. ¡°Will you be back tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll see you then,¡± Aria said.


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    With that, Ian helped gather up all the learning supplies. Once they removed everything from the table, they placed it all on a nearby shelf and headed into the living room. Gaelan was lying on the couch... with his head resting on his wife¡¯s lap. In contrast, and as serene as ever, Aella occupied herself by reading a book in one hand while rubbing Gaelan''s head with the other.


    The peculiarly peaceful scene struck Ian as unusual. Back on Earth, he never saw such interaction between his own parents, or anyone else he knew for that matter.


    ¡°Alright, let''s get right to it then,¡± Gaelan replied. Then, he stood up and gave his wife a kiss. In response, Ian averted his gaze due to feeling disconcerted by the unfamiliar scene while Aria turned away out of embarrassment.


    ¡°I''ll be back tomorrow, so farewell for now,¡± Aria said.


    ¡°Let me get the door for you,¡± Gaelan said.


    ¡°No, thanks. It''s fine,¡± Aria replied quickly.


    Gaelan went ahead and opened the door for her anyway, which caused her to grimace. She still walked through, however.


    ¡°See you tomorrow, Aria,¡± Ian said while giving her a small wave. In response, Aria gave him a slight nod before leaving.


    Now, with Aria gone, Gaelan said, ¡°Let''s go, then.¡±


    Nodding, Ian followed his mentor outside. During the short walk to the smithy, he glanced at Aria¡¯s figure in the distance and asked, ¡°By the way, do you and her not get along well or something?¡±


    ¡°Aria?¡± Gaelan shrugged. ¡°It''s more of a thing where I take my jokes a bit too far with her sometimes since she is around all the time... I think.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I could definitely see that being the case¡­¡± Ian muttered, scratching his chin while thinking back on the few interactions he saw between the two.


    ¡°Speaking of her, what story did she have you read?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it was something about seven heroes.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Gaelan responded, brows furrowing and expression darkening. ¡°That one¡­¡±


    Noticing his mentor¡¯s sullied expression, Ian wondered if the response had anything to do with the noticeable anti-Daemonkin sentiment oozing from the pages of the book. Curious about Gaelan¡¯s thoughts on it, Ian added, ¡°Aria said the story was loosely based on history, but it felt more like a personal jab at the Daemonkin to me.¡±


    In response, Gaelan''s visage changed from dark to surprised. ¡°So you noticed that, did you? Hmm... Actually, I happen to have an older version of that story which is more accurate about the actual events the story is based on, but it is written in an archaic language. If you feel like reading it later, then I don¡¯t mind translating it for you.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ sure? Before that, you know an archaic language?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was part of my education while growing up,¡± Gaelan answered, briefly casting his gaze toward the ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty cool,¡± Ian said, visibly impressed. Then, he muttered, ¡°Kinda makes me wish I took my secondary language classes more seriously back in the day¡­¡±


    The two then walked into the smithy and toward the forge, at which point Gaelan said, ¡°I actually have an order to work on, so I''ll use this opportunity to teach you a few new things.¡±


    ¡°Awesome,¡± Ian said, grinning from ear to ear.


    ¡°Oh, and instead of training with Edmund today, I''ll be teaching you a little about using Dark Matter, and we will alternate the training each day,¡± Gaelan added nonchalantly.


    ¡°Oh? Sounds good,¡± Ian replied, excited at the prospect of learning how to use magic properly without getting headaches every time.


    ¡°Alright, we''ll be making a sword today. Many smiths take several days to make a high quality sword, but I''ll show you how to cut down on the time,¡± Gaelan said, laughing at his own pun.


    Several hours later, a shirtless Gaelan held up a one-handed steel longsword to give it a once over before declaring it a finished work. They lost some time since Gaelan already reforged it once because the quality did not live up to his personal standard, which he blamed on the fact that he was trying to teach Ian the principles behind the process. Either way, the sword turned out spectacularly, impressing Ian beyond compare. The forging of the sword involved variations of the techniques he previously learned, so this situation was like a confirmation that he was building ¨C no ¨C forging his foundation for the future by learning to make simple things first. If he were to apply that to his life in general, then it meant he would need to take care of simple things before tackling any big issues. At least, that was what he took from it.


    ¡°Alright, you ready for some magic training?¡± Gaelan asked with a toothy grin while sliding the new blade into a simple scabbard.


    ¡°Yessir,¡± Ian replied wholeheartedly.


    Nodding, Gaelan proceeded to lead Ian to a less grassy area of the lawn that looked like someone hacked at it with a giant axe for several hours every day for several years.


    ¡°Let''s train your Earth Affinity first, since it is more likely to be of use in surviving here,¡± Gaelan explained. ¡°We can work on your Fire Affinity after you start getting used to Dark Matter.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ian replied while nodding, ¡°so what should I do?¡±


    ¡°Take off your boots first. It will help while you¡¯re first starting out,¡± Gaelan told him, at which Ian removed his steel-toe boots. ¡°Alright,¡± Gaelan continued, ¡°you can feel the dirt beneath your feet, right?¡±


    Once more, Ian nodded.


    ¡°Focus on the feeling of the dirt for a few minutes, and make sure to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. It¡¯ll help with focus since you¡¯re not used to it,¡± Gaelan said firmly.


    Although slightly confused, Ian did as he was told and focused his gaze on the ground. However, Gaelan crossed his arms and said, ¡°Don''t look at it, feel it.¡±


    This time, Ian raised a brow, but decided to try closing his eyes while focusing on the feeling of the cool dirt beneath his feet. At first, the action did not feel strange at all, but after a minute or two, his heart began to beat slightly faster, as though adrenaline was pumping through his veins. It took a moment for him to realize that the adrenaline-like feeling was coursing through his body toward the ground, in spite of the fact that the sensation was barely noticeable. If he had been doing anything besides focusing on the dirt beneath his feet, he would not have realized anything was even happening.


    As the sensation coursed through him and into the ground, he started to feel as though his body was expanding into the dirt. Unfortunately, a dull pain began throbbing in his head. As a result, he opened his eyes and stopped focusing. Upon opening his eyes, he spotted a few black particles floating around his body, but they quickly retreated into his pores, which startled him to some degree.


    Out of curiosity, he looked up at Gaelan, who was rubbing his bearded chin while sporting a perplexed gaze.


    ¡°What, something wrong?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°Hmm, not really. Did you feel a bit of pain in your head just now?¡± Gaelan asked in turn.


    ¡°Yeah, a little. It wasn¡¯t too bad yet, though,¡± Ian answered.


    For a few moments, Gaelan simply stared at Ian, making him uncomfortable. Eventually, Gaelan said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you will have any difficulties in using Dark Matter itself, but your fortitude is a bit lacking, hence the headaches.¡±


    ¡°Fortitude? Like mental fortitude?¡± Ian asked, confused by what that had to do with Dark Matter.


    ¡°It is like stamina, but for magic. At least, that is how my own teacher put it,¡± Gaelan explained.


    ¡°Oh, I see. Makes sense...¡± Ian muttered. Apparently, he would not be able to use magic in unlimited amounts. That was slightly disappointing.


    Gaelan shifted his weight and said, ¡°Go ahead and keep trying to ''feel'' the ground beneath your feet. Do it until you sense an oncoming headache. Then stop. Then start again when it no longer feels like a headache is coming.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ian said, pursing his lips. Basically, it was training to increase his fortitude, which would then increase his ability to use Dark Matter at will. In other words, it was like push-ups for the mind.


    While Ian began his mental exercises, Gaelan sat down cross-legged a few meters away in order to watch his apprentice. After the previous display, he came to the conclusion that Ian would likely have no trouble using magic in the future. In fact, the display had been so perfect that he briefly thought he was looking at someone who had used magic for years. It initially made him think his eyes were playing tricks on him. In contrast, Ian''s fortitude was absolutely abysmal and would need a lot of training to even reach the level of a child. Never had he seen such a strange occurrence in his many years of life, but there was a first for everything. Well, at least watching over this young man spiced up his life a little and would likely keep him entertained for a good while longer. At such a thought, a grin of expectation spread across his lips. Having Ian around would surely be an enjoyable experience.

 Chapter 21: Behind Closed Doors Scene One (Rewrite)

    Morning sunlight peeked over the treetops in the distance. A calm breeze wafted over from the sea a few kilometers away. Colorful and exotic birds chirped from atop the city walls. Unfamiliar fish splashed about in the moat outside the city. Active squirrel-like rodents scurried from place to place, scavenging seeds or fruits from nearby bushes and trees as well as trash generated by the people of the city.


    Taking in a deep breath of fresh air, Ian gazed out over the open plain to the south of Conncinnata. His lips curled upward into a pleased grin without him even realizing it. Seeing such a beautiful scene so early in the morning invigorated him, and a hope of never getting used to these sights settled within his heart.


    Now if only this soreness would go away¡­ he thought, thinking back on the rigorous training both Edmund and Gaelan put him through over the past month. A little over month was more than enough time to pick up on how crazy these people could be while training him. After all, one does not simply get used to doing thousands of push-ups and sit-ups, not to mention all the running, sparring, and Dark Matter practice.


    Once more, he gazed toward the forest from behind the safety of the Southern Gate. Brief glimpses of his encounter with a werewolf in those woods flashed across his mind¡¯s eye. Despite all of his training, he doubted whether he could handle such a situation by himself. No matter how inviting the forest looked right now, he knew the possibility of danger also lurked within. Traveling by himself for the first time with knowledge of the dangerous beings that occasionally traversed the forest made him anxious.


    ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have read through that bestiary yesterday¡­¡± he muttered, ignoring the few people walking around him.


    The bestiary was one of the books on the bookshelf in the Marlow''s living room, and Gaelan had strongly advised him to read it before venturing alone. Some of the creatures in it were the same as the animals on Earth, but there were plenty of dangerous ones that could not be found on Earth as well, including werewolves, goblins, and many other varieties of strange beasts. Although the limited information he could actually read would likely prove useful, the reality of dangerous creature still perturbed him. To think he had actually wandered so gleefully in such a dangerous place when he first arrived in Regnoras...


    In an attempt to calm his nerves, he rested a hand on the simple pommel of the new sword Gaelan helped him craft. Its cool steel gave him something to focus on.


    Some armor would have made me feel a little safer... Ian thought. After all, his basic cargo pants and gray shirt did not off much in the way of protection. ¡°Haaah¡­ Oh well. Can''t stand here forever.¡±


    With that, he traipsed forward toward the woods, keeping his fingers glued to the sword hilt the whole way.


    When he reached the treeline, the entire forest was bathed in the gentle caress of the morning sun. All shades of green leaves shivered in the treetops, casting wavering shadows upon the dewy grass below them. A cool breeze carrying the scent of fresh soil and fragrant flora whistled between the branches. Shrubs, flowers, and wild berry bushes littered the forest floor, adding some color to the scene.


    Breathing in the scent of nature, Ian meandered into the forest. Twigs and leaves cracked beneath his feet. Birds chirping echoed throughout the forest. Here and there, a squirrel or other small critter darted past.


    Within moments, he found one of trees he marked back during his first venture in these woods. For a while, he ambled along, following the same path as the previous few trips. Just as his nerves began to relax, the sound of cracking twigs sounded out somewhere behind him. Immediately, his awareness peaked, and he spun 180 degrees to face the sound. It originated a fair distance away but quickly closed in.


    As a precautionary measure, Ian hid behind the largest tree in the nearby vicinity. It turned out to be easily wide enough to hide his entire body. Despite hiding, his heart rate quickened. Fight or flight kicked in hard like a rough gear shift.


    Seconds later, Ian heard the thumping of footsteps and breathing of a weary creature. Part of him wanted to see what was there, but another part of him did not. He hoped it would pass by without any trouble. Unfortunately, the footsteps slowed no more than a few meters to the other side of his hiding place. The creature sniffed the air.


    ¡°Human...¡± It growled. The deep and gravelly voice sounded like stones grinding together, easily causing one''s skin crawl.


    Upon hearing the voice, Ian stiffened. Since he read that bestiary earlier, he knew that only a few creatures could speak. All of them were dangerous in their own right.


    Since the creature obviously knew he was there, Ian removed the travel pack from his shoulders and prepared himself for the worst. Briefly, he wished Gaelan hadn¡¯t gotten so many orders over the past week. When the guy traveled with him, shrugging off the feeling of danger was a simple affair, but now sweat trickled from his palms due to anxiousness. Even though he trained hard for just such an occasion, the anticipation of engaging in a life or death situation gave him pause. Hoping to stave off the nervousness and anxiety, he took a few deep breaths and gripped the one-handed longsword with his dominant right hand.


    ¡°You... can''t... hide... human...¡± The creature hissed, struggling to speak each word.


    Before Ian could fully prepare his mind for confrontation, the creature stomped toward him, snapping a fallen branch beneath its foot.


    Ian flinched at the sudden crack. Taking a deep breath, he summoned his courage, unsheathed his blade, and spun on his toes from around the tree.


    Seeing Ian come out from behind the tree, the gray-skinned creature stared daggers at him with beady eyes. A handful of black gnarled hairs sprouted its wrinkled scalp. Its dry lips curled into a barbaric snarl, distorting its otherwise flat nose. Two tusk-like fangs poked out from its fatty lower lip. Compared to Ian, the creature stood a head and a half shorter but had a far more stocky and burly stature. Save for a tan loincloth tied haphazardly around its waist, the creature was completely naked, revealing several white tattoos on its left shoulder and left calf along with several bleeding wounds. To top it all off, the monster wielded a misshapen spear in its right hand. The rudimentary weapon was made of wood and bone. Half-dried blood dripped from the raised spear tip.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Based on the bipedal creature¡¯s appearance, Ian believed it to be a hobgoblin, one of the weakest creatures capable of speech. The bestiary also mentioned that hobgoblins tended to live as tribal nomads, which made them fairly dangerous thanks to their overwhelming numbers. Recalling that information, Ian scanned the forest for any other hobgoblins. Although the trees prevented him from seeing too far, he concluded that this particular hobgoblin likely ended up separated from its tribe after some sort of conflict. Knowing that made him feel a bit more confident, but he reminded himself not to lower his guard.


    Focusing on the hobgoblin, Ian raised his blade in a defensive stance to prepare for the advance of the creature. It also searched the area as though searching for other humans before dashing toward Ian, pulling back its spear in preparation for a powerful thrust.


    Even though sweat coated his palms and his heart pounded with adrenaline, Ian felt strangely calm compared to the moments before facing the hobgoblin. In response to the sudden attack, his muscles reacted instantly as the bloodied tip of the spear sped toward his face.


    All the training pounded into his body the last few weeks started to come to fruition as Ian dodged right with a quick step. The spear whistled past inches from his cheek. Using the hobgoblin¡¯s momentum against it, he swung his sword across its abdomen. The toughness of the hobgoblin¡¯s skin startled him enough that he almost lost his grip on his sword. Still, he followed through as much as possible, gouging deep into the creature¡¯s side.


    To Ian''s shock and disdain, he felt a sharp pain on the back of his left calf. A sharp cry of pain escaped is lungs. At the same time, the hobgoblin growled in anger at its own injury.


    Surprised by the counter to his own counter, Ian hopped away from his enemy. He winced at the pain from the fresh cut on his calf. The hobgoblin itself tumbled to the ground before rolling into a kneeling position ten paces away.


    For some reason, his thigh suddenly stung. He glanced down to see that a tree branch sliced through his pants and scraped his leg. Luckily, it didn¡¯t stab him. The close call reminded him to stay aware of not only the enemy, but his surroundings too, though such a feat was easier said than done. Both Edmund and Gaelan warned him several times to keep the environment in mind during a fight. Since the damage was only surface level, he refocused on the hobgoblin just in time to see its spear careening toward his face again.


    This time, Ian dodged left, hoping to obtain some distance and reestablish his stance. The gash on his leg stung, but the adrenaline helped him ignore it for now.


    The spear hurtled past where he had been standing and plunged deep into the trunk of the tree that scraped his thigh. The handle wobbled in the air, vibrating with a sound similar to a yardstick snapped at the end of desk. Briefly, Ian considered slicing the handle, but the hobgoblin dashed in and yanked it from the trunk before he could follow through with the action. Splinters shot out in every direction, forcing both of them to raise their free arms to protect their eyes.


    Once again, the enemy turned and thrust its bone spear at Ian''s face. Like the first time, he dodged right. However, this hobgoblin was not so simple. Not giving Ian a chance to counter like before, it halted mid-thrust and swiped the weapon sideways, catching Ian off guard. The sharp bone spear tip sliced through his left side just above his left hip, returning the favor for Ian¡¯s previous attack. This time, the wound was deep, though it did not quite reach his organs.


    Again, Ian cried out, but quickly clenched his teeth and powered through the pain. If he faltered here, then all the beatings from sparring with Edmund over the past several weeks would have been for naught. Angered, he lashed out with his tempered blade. This time, the hobgoblin was the one taken by surprise as he mustered every ounce of strength and plunged the blade through its eye. The blade made a harsh suction sound as it pierced the brain, followed by a cracking noise when it penetrated the back of the creature¡¯s skull. Black blood splattered both onto Ian and the trampled grass below them.


    ¡°AAAHHHHH!¡± Ian shouted as he kicked the hobgoblin¡¯s suddenly limp body, ripping the blade back out of the its eye socket as it collapsed in a bleeding heap. The quick movement resulted in more black blood and reddish bits of flesh spewing around with the arc of his backswing.


    ¡°Hah... hah... hah... I... did it...¡± Ian muttered, gasping between words. Both his arms fell limp at his sides while he looked up at the forest canopy. He could feel drops of blood dribbling down his arms, from his abdomen, and down his leg. He gazed blankly at the streams of light filtering through spaces between leaves. Once more, he felt the cool morning breeze upon his face now speckled with black blood and red brain bits. It was a very surreal feeling.


    After a few moments of simply standing there, he fell backwards onto the bloodstained grass, heaved a sigh of relief, and closed his eyes.


    Now that he could calm down, his adrenaline subsided. Unfortunately, that also meant his wounds began flaring up, sending sharp pain throughout his body. Recalling the wound on his side, he opened his eyes and lifted his head from the ground in order to inspect it. Around the wound, his shirt was completely bloodstained. With a groan, he let his head fall back against the soft grass.


    ¡°Haaaah¡­ this sucks¡­ I should have used my Earth Affinity¡­¡± he whispered, feeling upset at himself for forgetting something so important during the fight.


    The pain slowly worsened, causing his face to contort.


    ¡°Man¡­ now what should I - ouch - do?¡± He pondered aloud.


    Grunting, he forced himself to open his eyes and sit up. Considering he only wandering a short distance into the forest before running into the hobgoblin, returning to Gaelan¡¯s house for aid seemed like the best, if not the only course of action. The gash on his waist obviously needed immediate attention. In an attempt to stifle the blood flow, he ripped off his shirt sleeves and the bottom halves of his trousers, tied them together, and bound the makeshift bandage around his waist. Although unsure if doing such a thing could be considered proper procedure, he needed to do something, and a large bandage was the best idea he could come up with. Now he just needed some painkillers and stitches...


    With makeshift first-aid out of the way, he lifted his sword from the ground and frowned at the bloody mess coating the entirety of the blade.


    ¡°Better not let it stay like this.¡± He told himself as he wiped off the blade on some clean grass further away. Once it looked clean enough, he returned it to its sheath. He also walked back over to his pack to grab out a handkerchief for wiping his face. After wiping off the hobgoblin guts, he looked at it, and his gag reflex kicked in.


    I just killed something, didn''t I? Ugh, don''t puke... don''t puke¡­


    Alas, he vomited. Disgusting chunks from breakfast spewed all over the ground at his feet. He placed a hand against the nearest tree to brace himself as several more waves of nausea rolled up from his stomach, causing him to vomit several more times. By the end, he felt even more miserable. All of it only served to make the pain from his wounds even more unbearable.


    Once the nausea finally passed, he used a clean part of the handkerchief to wipe his mouth. Afterwards, he held it up and muttered, ¡°Yeah, not using this anymore...¡± As a result, he discarded it onto the dirt. With that, he swung his travel pack over his shoulders again and limped back toward the city, all the while rueing the fact healing magic would not work on him.

 Chapter 22: Behind Closed Doors Scene Two (Rewrite)

    As Ian walked up to the Southern Gate of Conncinnanta, several passersby cast concerned glances his direction. Who wouldn''t be worried by a person covered in cuts and gashes, especially with a blood-soaked cloth tied around his waist?


    One young woman with dirty blond hair and pale green eyes emerged from the gates around the time Ian reached the bridge. She immediately spotted the blood-soaked cloth wrapped around his waist. Determination burned in her steady gaze as she beelined straight for him. Her garbs were very traditional for anyone focused on healing magic. Those gold embroidered white robes were standard for anyone in her proficiency.


    With hurried steps, the woman stepped up to Ian and asked, ¡°Excuse me. I don''t mean to be rude, but would you like me to heal you?¡±


    For a moment, Ian blankly stared at the woman. A stranger offering help struck him as unusual. Such a thing had never happened to him back on Earth. Nevertheless, Gaelan mentioned that a day such as this might come and advised him to come up with an excuse to refuse healing. Since he had no better ideas, he went with the very clich¨¦: ¡°Thank you for the offer, but I would prefer to leave these wounds as a reminder of my failure in battle.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see¡­ are you sure about that? It looks pretty bad,¡± the woman asserted.


    ¡°Very sure,¡± Ian stubbornly replied. However, he thought, You have no idea how much I want you to heal me, woman... and I gave such a stupid answer too... I feel like a moron.


    ¡°If you say so...¡± the woman hesitantly said. Since Ian was rather firm, at least on the outside, the woman let him be, though she did shoot several concerned glances back at him until he was out of sight.


    I need to hurry back to Gaelan''s house and get some of that medical salve he mentioned before¡­ Ian thought as he limped onward. In hopes of keeping himself from passing out, he firmly gripped the shoulder straps of his backpack.


    While passing through the Southern Gate, several of the guards stared at him. Some of them whispered with worried expressions and tones. One of them shifted his weight awkwardly as though hesitating on whether to offer assistance.


    On his way past the Visitor Center, he noticed a familiar face in the alleyway to the left of it. Over the crate cradled in her arms, the person also happened to notice him. Seeing Ian''s dreadful appearance, Aria hastily set the crate down and sprinted over. Well, ran as quickly as one could while wearing a long skirt. When Ian saw her set down the box in order to run over, he felt a bit exasperated since he was in a hurry. On the other hand, it was nice to have someone worry about him like this.


    ¡°Are you okay? What happened?¡± Aria worriedly probed while examining all his body¡¯s wounds. Aside from the major gashes on his hip and calf, he had sustained a few cuts in other places without realizing it, likely from when the hobgoblin yanked its spear from the tree during the battle.


    ¡°I''ll be fine. I was just unlucky enough to run into a stray hobgoblin while I was out,¡± Ian said. Slightly annoyed by the interruption, he stared at the ground and kicked the cobblestone street with his toe.


    ¡°A hobgoblin? You really are unlucky... Do you want me to take you to a healer?¡± Aria asked.


    ¡°Nah, I''ll head back to Gaelan''s house for now,¡± Ian replied.


    ¡°Why? That gash on your waist is really bad. Going to a healer would definitely be a better choice,¡± Aria asserted, leaning toward him with brows furrowed to emphasize her point.


    For a moment, Ian remained silent. Mild irritation welled up within his heart, but Aria was not a person he wanted to be angry at. Also, he never knew when Dark Matter might affect his emotions, so he suppressed it like he had so many times before. Instead, he stared into the worried eyes of the young woman in front of him. Her eyes that had the same light brown color as grains of sand darted between his own eyes, trying to discern the truth his well-being. How could he be mad at her sympathy?


    ¡°Haaah...¡± Ian sighed, ¡°I''ll tell you later why I can''t see a healer. For now, I need to head back to Gaelan''s house.¡±


    At Ian''s words, Aria scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. She frowned and replied, ¡°Let me see if my coworker can cover for me. I''ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ No thanks. I''ll be fine on my own. You have work.¡±


    ¡°No, I insist.¡± Aria firmly stated. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to my house instead since it¡¯s closer.¡±


    ¡°Uh, oka-¡± Ian tried to say, but Aria had already turned to run back to the Visitor Center without waiting for a response. ¡°Haaah... ouch...¡± Once again, Ian tried to sigh, but it really irritated his wound whenever he did so. Realizing this made him want to sigh even more, but he refrained from doing so out of self-preservation. This was turning out to be a long day¡­


    Grunting due to the pain in both his left abdomen and left calf, Ian waited for Aria to return. Based on her uncharacteristically insistent attitude just now, she would probably return in no time at all.


    A minute later, she slammed open the front door, hurried over, and remarked, ¡°Good thing you didn''t die on me.¡±


    ¡°Huh? That''s pretty dark. Don''t worry, I won¡¯t die... probably.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh...¡± Aria replied, unconvinced. Still, she led the way down the main road that led to the Marlows¡¯ home. Along the way, she glanced down at Ian''s bloody abdomen and asked, ¡°Why can''t you go to a healer?¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ ouch. Because it won''t work on me,¡± Ian answered vaguely. Honestly, he did not feel like speaking as even those few words caused him a fair amount of pain.


    Unexpectedly, Aria fell silent for several seconds, and her face scrunched up.


    Noticing her strange reaction, Ian asked, ¡°Is that unusual?¡±


    ¡°...Yes. Are you going to explain the reason healing magic won¡¯t work on you?¡± She asked, voice laced with anxiousness.


    ¡°It hurts to talk, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry.¡±


    The two fell silent. Awkward stomach butterflies made Ian feel like he said something wrong. After mulling it over, he commented, ¡°Seems like it bothers you for some reason.¡±


    Aria blinked a few times as though unsure of how to respond.


    Despite the pain in his side, Ian did not want to leave any room for misunderstanding and asked, ¡°Gaelan once told me a lot of Daemonkin can¡¯t receive healing either. Is it because of that?¡±


    She hesitantly nodded.


    ¡°Huh. I guess his warnings to keep it a secret were on the mark, then, if even a friend could become suspicious.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you are human, right?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not, then my parents certainly have some explaining to do,¡± Ian replied, hoping humor would ease her concerns. However, he thought, Not that I¡¯d go out of my way to speak to them.


    Aria snorted at the unexpected comment but shortly reverted to a reserved demeanor. Again, awkward silence hung over them like a cobweb. The unusual atmosphere did not disappear until she confessed, ¡°Sorry if I came across as rude. It¡¯s just¡­ well, both my father and grandfather died in the war when I was younger. The moment we heard about it was¡­ rather traumatizing. I really do apologize if my reaction annoyed you¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s a completely understandable reaction,¡± Ian replied, falling deep into thought. The sudden revelation caught him off guard and cemented the need for discrepancy when deciding to tell others healing magic did not work on him.


    For a while, they silently continued down the road until Aria tried to break the awkward air by saying, ¡°Normally, I wouldn¡¯t notice anything like this, but it¡¯s rather uncomfortable having so many eyes on us.¡±


    In response, Ian nodded, but he was starting to feel slightly dizzy. Had he lost enough blood to feel lightheaded?


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Aria asked, ¡°You look really pale.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I''m not sure,¡± Ian replied, craning his neck to look at her. ¡°I''ve never had an injury like this, so I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡± Aria moved her gaze between Ian''s face and the wound on his side. ¡°Well, we should be there soon. Actually, I was going to show you where my house was before all this in case you ever needed to contact me but forgot to do so. I suppose now would be as good a time as any.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. You did mention that before,¡± Ian muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t mind as long as we hurry to apply whatever medicine you have. I have stuff at Gaelan''s place that will help with the pain.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. My house is about halfway between here and there, so it isn¡¯t out of the way,¡± Aria said. Although she did not realize it, a pleased smile spread across her lips. Ian did not notice either since he was looking straight ahead while thinking about how much he needed medical attention. Weakness penetrated his muscles a while back. Who knew how much longer he could maintain consciousness?


    The two continued down the street in silence, save for a few pained grunts on Ian¡¯s part, all the while drawing curious and worried glances from those passing. Ian¡¯s leg injury prevented them from traveling as fast as they would have liked, but, eventually, they reached the road which marked the end of the market district and the start of the residential district. Several dirt paths branched off from the main road leading to groups of houses. Just before one of the dirt paths on their right, Aria pointed toward a street corner where a large oak tree towered over its surroundings.


    ¡°See that tree there? It''s the biggest one around here, and my house is at the end of that path,¡± she explained while pointing it out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it before while passing through here. Always thought it weird that such a huge tree would be allowed to grow so tall in a city like this,¡± Ian remarked, though more to himself than Aria.


    From there, she led Ian down the dirt road past the oak tree to a group of small houses circling a quaint garden. An assortment of colorful flowers and shrubs grew around a small pond in the center. Little bubbles floated to the surface from small fish swimming near the bottom. A strange tree grew out of the water near the far bank. It looked similar to the thin vine-like trees Ian had seen in pictures of the Amazon River, but its bark radiated a bluish-green hue rather than brownish-green as found on Earth. Pink flowers similar to lotuses sprouted from its trunk and branches. A sweet aroma like honey and lemons wafted from them.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Noticing that Ian''s attention on the tree, Aria asked, ¡°Have you never seen an Illotis Tree before?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Ian instantly answered.


    ¡°Oh, I see. There are a few legends about it, but I can tell you about them some other time,¡± Aria said.


    When Aria led him to the left of the small garden, Ian noticed a group of children playing nearby. One of the children noticed them and yelled, ¡°Look, everyone! It''s Aria!¡±


    Within seconds, all of them turned and shouted similar things as they dashed over.


    ¡°Aria''s back already!¡±


    ¡°Aria, play with us!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Ian,¡± Aria apologized, turning to face him with pursed lips, ¡°This might take a moment.¡±


    It¡¯s all good. I¡¯ll just continue bleeding to death while you get rid of them, Ian thought.


    Before long, a group of at least fifteen children between the ages of five and ten surrounded Aria. Some of the youngest ones grabbed her hands and gently tugged on them. All of the children had beaming smiles on their dirt-covered faces.


    ¡°Sorry, everyone. I can''t play with you right now.¡± Aria tried to tell them.


    One of the older children, a young girl with similar features to Aria, examined Ian. ¡°Hey, Sissy, is this guy your husband?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What? No, he''s not,¡± Aria answered, attempting to keep her cool. Even so, a hint of a blush appeared on her cheeks. The young girl, who was apparently Aria''s younger sister, noticed and sent a suspicious glare toward Ian.


    ¡°Pft. Hahahaha- ah, ouch.¡± Ian started laughing, but the pain stopped him. He really needed to treat his wounds.


    ¡°Listen, Farryn. He is hurt, so we need to get him a bandage,¡± Aria explained to her sister.


    ¡°Is that blood?!¡± The girl named Farryn asked in shock. The other children followed suit with similar looks of surprise. One younger child had no idea what was happening though, and looked at his playmates in confusion. He also had the same dirty blond colored hair and sandy-brown eyes as Aria and Farryn.


    Once the children went back to playing, Aria turned to Ian and said, ¡°Sorry about that. I''ll take you to my house now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± Ian assured her, briefly glancing over at the children with a gentle gaze. Although his wounds certainly took priority at the moment, seeing these children acting with such animation reminded him of his cousin''s three children he used to play with so often in the past. It filled his heart with nostalgia. Perhaps he could spend some time with them in the future if he ever found spare time during one of his Earthbound supply trips.


    Aria led him to a modest one-story home. The whole way there, she continuously twirled her bangs around her finger, lost in thought. She led him to a plain wooden door, pushed it open, and stepped inside. Then, she gestured for Ian to follow.


    ¡°Need help taking off your shoes?¡± Aria asked while removing her own.


    Ducking slightly to avoid smashing his head against the doorway, Ian answered, ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Ian found himself in a narrow hallway with three doorways on the right and four on the left. At the end of the hallway, there was an open doorway that led to a dining area complete with a brick fireplace. Slabs of oak composed the flooring in the house, but the floor in the dining area was made of stone.


    Looking back at him, Aria said, ¡°Give me just a minute.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Mother! Are you here?!¡± Aria called out while removing her worn-out leather shoes. Ian noted that they measured about half the size of his steel-toe boots.


    ¡°Yes! Do you need something?¡± A woman''s voice yelled back from one of the rooms at the end of the hall. Shortly thereafter, a woman that looked like a slightly older version of Aria, save for a few wrinkles on her forehead and a noticeable stomach pudge, walked into the hallway from the furthest door. She wore a somewhat discolored brown day dress. When her dark-brown eyes caught sight of Ian, a smirk formed on her thin lips.


    ¡°Is this the Ian that you spoke of before?¡± The woman asked Aria. However, the smirk disappeared when she returned her gaze to Ian and noticed the bloodstained cloth around his waist.


    ¡°Yes, I need to treat his wounds,¡± Aria answered, pointing at Ian, who happened to be struggling with his boots.


    Aria¡¯s mother gave the unfamiliar young man a quick once-over before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll get some ointment and bandages. Meet me in front of the pantry after you help the man with his shoes, alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother.¡±


    With that, Aria stepped over to Ian to assist him, much to his relief. As soon as the first boot slipped off, her face scrunched up at the odor. She briefly glanced up at him with mild disgust before moving to the second boot.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ian said, running his fingers through his hair. ¡°Sorry, I know they stink.¡±


    Grimacing, Aria replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My brother¡¯s are worse.¡±


    Suddenly, a nearby door slammed open, and a young man in his late teens poked his head into the hallway.


    ¡°You talking about me?!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ not now, Ryann,¡± Aria groaned.


    The young man, obviously one of Aria¡¯s siblings since he looked like a male carbon-copy, furrowed his brows at the strange scene before him. ¡°You helping random people again?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Those are some nasty cuts¡­¡± Ryann muttered. He pursed his lips for a moment and locked eyes with Ian. Once his sister removed the second boot, he noticed the sword at Ian¡¯s hip and offered, ¡°Want me to wash your blade for you? Not good to leave any blood on it if you can help it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already intruding quite a bit¡­¡± Ian muttered in response.


    Ryann rolled his eyes and stomped over, ripping the blade from its sheath. ¡°An injured man shouldn¡¯t turn down an offer of help.¡±


    ¡°Good point,¡± Ian replied, shrugging.


    Ariana chimed in, ¡°You¡¯ll hear about your brazenness from Mom later. Now, Ian, follow me.¡±


    Slightly hesitant to walk straight into someone else'' home, Ian gave Aria a questioning look.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Aria said


    Nodding, he stood and followed her down the hall. From behind, he heard Aria¡¯s brother swing open the front door and leave the building while muttering about the quality of the blade.


    Sighing as he followed Aria, he looked down at his side and realized just how bad the wound had gotten. The blood had soaked completely through the makeshift bandage and seeped into his cargo pants. Well, his pants were basically shorts after ripping off so much of them earlier.


    Once they reached the doorway to the dining area, Ian ducked through, just as he had done with the front door. Briefly, while limping down the two small steps into the next room, he wondered how tall the builders of the house had been. At the other end of the room, he saw Aria''s mom rummaging through a small food pantry filled with preservation jars and bags of grain. She ignored the food, though. Instead, she used a small amount of Wind Affinity, from what he could tell, to pull a small jar from the top shelf.


    ¡°Could you sit on the stool over there, please?¡± Aria''s mom instructed. The stool she had pointed out stood below a small window near the pantry. A small wooden box filled with bandages and stitching supplies sat on the floor next to it. After setting down his travel pack and sword sheath against the nearest wall, Ian did as Aria''s mom asked and plopped his weary rear end on the stool. The stool wobbled slightly but seemed sturdy enough.


    Nearby, Aria sat down on one of ten rickety dining chairs surrounding a large rectangular table at the center of the room. She planted an elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand, waiting for the imminent show of a friend in pain.


    Moments later, Aria''s mother walked over with a bowl of cool water and the glass jar which contained some sort of suspicious greenish-gray ointment.


    ¡°Could you take off that bloody mess of a rag and lift up your shirt, please?¡± Aria''s mother asked.


    ¡°Uh, sure,¡± Ian replied. At her behest, he removed the bloodstained cloth and tried to lift his shirt. Much to his dismay, the blood-soaked polyester and cotton shirt clung to the wound because of clotted blood and pus. ¡°Ugh, this is gonna hurt...¡± Ian groaned, struggling to remove his shirt from the wound. Patches of scabs stuck to the cloth as he pulled it away.


    ¡°Do you want me to do it for you?¡± Aria''s mother offered with a dangerously sly undertone.


    ¡°No, it''s fine...¡± Ian replied, frightened by her tone. Traumatic memories of his own mother tearing off bandages from the many cuts and bruises he sustained as a child flashed through his mind¡¯s eye. For a few more seconds, he tried to gingerly remove the shirt from the gash. Trickles of blood oozed from sections of the scab that broke during the process.


    ¡°This is taking too long,¡± Aria''s mother said. Before Ian could do anything, the woman reached out and tore the shirt away from the wound in one go, just as he suspected she might.


    ¡°Gaaaah! Owowow!¡± Ian yelled. Blood trickled from the ghastly-looking wound.


    ¡°Hmm... It''s quite bad, but certainly not fatal,¡± Aria''s mom muttered while kneeling to inspect the gash. With that, she dipped a clean rag in the water and rinsed the wounds on his side and calf. Once they looked relatively clean, she nodded in satisfaction. She set down the bloodied cloth and grabbed some stitching supplies. Using the flame from the nearby fireplace, she sanitized the needle and began stitching both gashes. Ian stared directly at the ceiling in an attempt to ignore it, clenching his teeth. Needles bothered him more than any other physical object. Each time it pierced his skin, he cringed.


    Once finished with the stitching, the woman spread a dab of the grayish-green medicinal ointment over the oozing gash with a fresh cloth. The moment she placed her hand on the wound, Ian winced. However, a cold and tingly sensation permeated through his body a few seconds later. The pain dulled within seconds, and the bleeding stopped almost instantly. Although this particular ointment was different from the kind the Marlows owned, it apparently had much stronger effects.


    ¡°Hmhm~ it works quite well, doesn''t it?¡± Aria''s mother confidently asked.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± Ian acknowledged, truly surprised by the effectiveness of these simple ointments. Modern medicine certainly beat it in terms of quality, but the ointment definitely worked as a stand-in.


    ¡°Now, let''s put this bandage on it.¡±


    Still holding up his shirt, Ian let Aria''s mother wrap cloth bandages around his waist and leg. After hooking it in place with a few pins, she stood and observed her handiwork, eventually nodding with approval.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ian said gratefully. This was far better than the makeshift bandage he had originally worn.


    ¡°You are very welcome,¡± Aria''s mother said, smiling in a way that made her look just like her daughter. ¡°Just try not to move around too much or do anything crazy that might open the wounds again, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem. I''ll probably just rest when I get back to Gaelan''s house,¡± Ian said. ¡°Oh, you knew I live with Gaelan, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aria told me she is teaching you how to read and write Common over there,¡± Aria''s mother answered, flashing him a sly grin.


    ¡°I see,¡± Ian said. He had no idea what to make of that grin on her face. ¡°Well, thanks for doing this, but I do need to head back to Gaelan''s house so that I can take some medicine that will prevent infection.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Medicine that prevents infection?¡± Aria''s mother asked, noticeably interested in such a notion. Aria also perked up at Ian''s nonchalant comment.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. Is it something not readily available here?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°Of course not. I forgot my daughter mentioned you aren¡¯t from here¡­ Anyway, healing magic is so prevalent in Concinnata that such a thing is only necessary for people with horrible diseases, and it is terribly expensive,¡± Aria''s mother answered with a downcast gaze.


    ¡°Hmm... I see...¡± Ian muttered. Perhaps he should look into buying a large amount of antibiotics to bring back to Regnoras if he ever earned enough money. Eventually, he said, ¡°Anyway, I do need to get going.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. I''ll walk you to the door,¡± Aria''s mother announced. Then, she turned to Aria and asked, ¡°What are you going to do, dear?¡±


    ¡°I''ll walk with him to the Marlows¡¯ place just in case,¡± Aria answered.


    ¡°Oh? I see... hmhm~¡± Aria''s mother muttered. Due to her mother''s attitude, Aria averted her gaze, which only encouraged her mother to grin even wider.


    With that, Ian carefully lifted his travel pack over his shoulders and wrapped his empty sword sheath around his waist. Aria''s mother walked the two to the door. As soon as Ian stepped outside, he saw Ryann drying the blade of his sword.


    Briefly glancing at them, the young man muttered, "Give me just a moment. Almost done."


    Once finished, Ryann handed the sword over, handle first, and Ian returned it to its sheath.


    "Thank you, uh, Ryann was it?" Ian said, unsure of the young man¡¯s name.


    "Yeah. No problem. Don''t let that thing rust after I bothered to clean it for you."


    "Manners, son," Aria''s mother remarked, though the young man simply shrugged before waving goodbye and walking back inside the house.


    Now that he had his sword, Ian and Aria stepped off the small porch. Before they walked too far, Aria''s mother smirked at him and said, ¡°Don''t be a stranger now, Mister Ian.¡±


    By now, he started to catch on to what the woman had been insinuating, but he dismissed the thought for the time being.


    After bidding goodbye and thanking her yet again, Ian and Aria walked back toward the main street. Just like before, the group of children ran over and tried to get Aria to play with them, but she ended up putting frowns on their faces for a second time. The children returned to playing in the mud while Ian and Aria headed toward the Marlows¡¯ house.


    I wonder what Gaelan will say... Ian thought.

 Chapter 23: Behind Closed Doors Scene Three (Rewrite)

    The moment Ian and Aria reached Gaelan''s home, the sun already peaked in the partly cloudy sky. Along the way, feverish shivers sapped Ian¡¯s strength.


    ¡°You look terrible...¡± Aria said. She intended to remain silent, but the words came out anyway.


    ¡°Well, thanks,¡± Ian replied sardonically. Then his tone turned serious as he said, ¡°Haaah... Yeah, I don''t feel so great. Definitely need to sleep.¡±


    When they reached the backdoor, Aria opened it for him. Normally, it would have bothered him if he wasn¡¯t the one holding the door, but his weariness prevented him from worrying about such a thing. Inside, he realized his hands were shaking enough to turn the simple act of removing his boots into an unbelievably arduous task. Eventually, Aria helped him remove both his shoes and backpack. Afterward, he left her by the door to do whatever she wanted and beelined into the kitchen toward the antibiotic pills he stored inside a cupboard the medicine cabinet.


    When he stumbled through the doorway without paying attention to his surroundings, Bianca jumped at the unexpected intrusion. The last thing she expected while cleaning the dishes from lunch was a person invading her little domain.


    A moment later, she realized it was Ian who ran into the kitchen. Confused by the fact that he had already returned from his trip, she stared with furrowed brows. She only figured out what he was doing when he opened the cupboard containing medical salves and strange pills he brought back from his homeland. Then, she looked at the left side of his shirt and ripped pants to see that they were covered in blood. She gasped, drawing Ian''s attention.


    ¡°Oh, you were here. Sorry if I startled you,¡± Ian quickly remarked before resuming the hasty act of rummaging through the cabinet searching for the capsule of antibiotics. He could already feel a cold sweat forming on his brow.


    ¡°Um... are you okay?¡± Bianca hesitantly asked while walking over to him. Already aware of the similar magical constitutions between Ian and her father, the blood on his clothes caught her less off guard than others in Conncinnanta.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. I think...¡± Ian distantly replied. ¡°Oh, there it is. Why was it in the back?¡± He murmured to himself.


    ¡°Do you need medical salve?¡± Bianca asked, calming down since such a thing was a common occurrence.


    In response, Ian shook his head and answered, ¡°Thanks, but I got some at Aria¡¯s place.¡±


    ¡°Did you know healing magic doesn¡¯t work on this guy?¡± Aria asked from the doorway, once more startling Bianca. She really didn¡¯t know what to think about all these surprises today.


    ¡°Um, yes, since dad is the same way,¡± Bianca answered after collecting herself. ¡°I thought you were working today.¡±


    ¡°I was, but then I saw this guy walking into the city with blood pouring out of his hip. Also, what''s this about your dad not being able to receive healing?¡± Aria replied. During the back and forth between the two women, Ian forced down an antibiotic pill.


    ¡°Um... actually, I don''t really know how to explain it...¡± Bianca said with downcast eyes. Sure, she knew her dad could not be healed by magic, but she never really thought much of it until Ian came along with the same issue. Were there actually things she did not know about her own Father?


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Actually, is that why he took you as an apprentice, Ian?¡± Aria asked, turning to the man in question who happened to be gagging on his pill.


    ¡°Huh? Uh, I guess so. He hasn''t totally explained it to me either,¡± Ian half lied. After all, he had no idea how much of the Dark Matter issue a secret. However, it was true that Gaelan had only given him a vague reason for taking him on as an apprentice, and Ian suspected there might be more to it. Both of the girls looked at him as though they knew he hadn¡¯t spilled the beans, but he just shrugged and said, ¡°I''m going to go to bed now, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°I guess you need the sleep...¡± Aria muttered, her tone indicating dissatisfaction. On the other hand, Bianca simply watched Ian walk upstairs to his room, which Aria took note of. The two of them remained silent until they heard the click of Ian¡¯s bedroom door shutting. Curious, Aria looked at her friend and asked, ¡°Do you like him?¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Bianca was definitely more than a little surprised by such a remark. ¡°I... don''t know...¡±


    Aria stared at Bianca for a few moments before sighing. ¡°Sorry, nevermind.¡±


    ¡°Um... okay...¡±


    The two of them avoided each others¡¯ gaze due to the awkward atmosphere. Since the two of them had gotten along with each other since they were children, a situation like this was rather unusual. Surprisingly, Bianca broke the silence first.


    ¡°Um, I don''t know much about him... but he is strange...¡± Bianca muttered.


    ¡°Ian? I would have thought that was obvious,¡± Aria remarked, smirking. Generally, Bianca was a good judge of character. In fact, her assumptions would nail a person¡¯s attributes so accurately that it was scary. Recalling a few instances, she hesitantly asked, ¡°What exactly do you mean by strange?¡±


    Bianca shifted her weight, grabbed the hem of her skirt with both hands, lowered her sunset purple eyes, and said, ¡°I can''t see his mind at all... It''s like trying to see a dark object at the bottom of a murky river...¡±


    ¡°Wait, what? See his mind?¡± Aria asked, taken aback. Although Bianca had always been good at reading people, she never mentioned anything so abstract before.


    ¡°I haven''t told you that I can see people''s minds?¡± Bianca asked, brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°I thought I told you before...¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay. This is new,¡± Aria said, pinching the bridge of her nose. ¡°Seriously, what is with your family? You¡¯ve apparently got a Unique Gift. Neither Gaelan or Ian can be healed by magic¡­ Weird people just flock around you, don''t they?¡±


    ¡°Um... that... includes you too...¡± Bianca pointed out.


    ¡°Oh... right,¡± Aria muttered. After all, she had Low Charm as an Innate Gift. A smile appeared on her lips as she said, ¡°I suppose we are all just a bunch of strange people, aren''t we... haaah...¡±


    Bianca giggled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    In response, Bianca scratched her nose, grinned, and answered, ¡°You sounded like Ian just now.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± Aria went silent for a moment. A moment later, her lips curved into a sly grin and she said, ¡°You didn''t have to point that out.¡±


    Then, she stepped toward Bianca in a menacingly playful manner.


    Bianca''s eyes widened. She knew where this was going. Before she could run away, Aria jumped her and tickled her.


    Although Ian was already under his quilt upstairs, he heard Bianca''s laughter and screams. He thought it strange, but at the same time, he smiled. It was his first time hearing her laugh. With that thought in his mind, he slowly fell into a deep sleep¡­


    * * * * *


    Ian tossed and turned below his bedsheets. They felt like lead, crushing him beneath their weight. Beads of feverish sweat crawled out from every pore on his body. He felt awake, but at the same time, he felt asleep.


    Unable to tell if he was dreaming or conscious, he looked around the room. Everything bobbed and waved as though submersed in the ocean. Still, it was the same old bedroom in Gaelan''s house.


    Deciding it might be a good idea to change his sweat-drenched clothes, he tried to move. He couldn¡¯t. Anxiousness welled up within him. The familiar sensation of inescapable fear clutched his heart.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Although his head was out of sorts, he once again looked around the room. However, he slightly regretted it afterwards, for standing in front of the closed bedroom door was an unfamiliar man. Well, that was not completely true, since he looked exactly like Aella, but taller and broader. The man''s short, white-gold hair glowed with pure iridescence. A golden ring circled his sky-blue irises. In contrast to Aella, his jaw was square and perfectly shaved. Not to be shadowed by his facial features, a robe of pure white laced with black and gold embroidery dotted with strange symbols loosely covered his entire body. Somehow, as Ian continued to look at the man, his unease disappeared, although his fever remained.


    ¡°Ah, you look so pitiful right now...¡± the man said, his voice was smooth like a flowing river yet just deep enough to calm even those with the hardest of hearts.


    Ian tried to reply, but found that he could not. He could only watch the man slowly glide toward his bedside.


    ¡°You are in such a miserable state.¡± The man said. ¡°It feels so strange... so strange indeed...¡±


    ''What is strange?'' Ian wondered. In fact, it was pretty much the only thought he could muster.


    ¡°I was not going to help you at all, but you will surely die if the toxin spreads. So, I shall help just this once. Remember this: be more careful in the future.¡±


    Suddenly, a bright light enveloped Ian, forcing him to close his eyes. Or were they already closed? He couldn¡¯t tell, not that he cared since a strangely comfortable warmth enveloped his body. For some reason, it even felt nostalgic in a way, though he did not know why.


    When the light dissipated, Ian glanced around the room expecting to see the man, but nobody was there. On top of that, he no longer felt feverish. The surroundings distorted and he found himself floating in a dark space of nothingness. For the first time in his short life, he felt at peace. Unable to stay awake, if his current state could even be called ¡®awake¡¯, he slipped into a deep slumber he had not experienced in a long time. He dreamed of living a childish life where everything was perfect and nothing was wrong with the world. It was a peaceful and happy dream¡­


    * * * * *


    Aella sat on the side of Ian''s bed using a damp cloth to wipe away his sweat. A few hours earlier, both she and Gaelan had been astonished to find that Ian had returned ahead of schedule. They ended up even more stymied when they discovered his ridiculously high fever and the gaping wound on his side. The two of them spent most of the day taking turns watching over him but they both ended up staying in the room when the fever reached the point where it could take Ian¡¯s life.


    Aria and Bianca stood outside the room peering through the barely open door. It was already dark outside, but Ian had yet to wake. They worried for his safety. If he had been awake, the sentiment would have moved him to tears.


    All of a sudden, Ian stopped tossing and turning. His ragged breaths slowed and his unconscious body relaxed. Somehow, the fever instantly disappeared like a shadow fleeing from the light. The occurrence struck them as odd.


    ¡°I wonder what happened,¡± Aella said, face wrinkled with concern.


    ¡°It looks like his fever vanished... how strange...¡± Gaelan muttered, rubbing his beard.


    ¡°Um... is he okay now?¡± Bianca asked sheepishly from the doorway.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Aella answered, though her voice leaked hints of uncertainty.


    ¡°...Let¡¯s allow him to rest for now,¡± Gaelan suggested. ¡°We can check on him again in the morning.¡±


    Although everyone hesitated to leave Ian alone, there was nothing they could actually do to help. That being said, Aella, Aria, and Bianca all nodded at Gaelan''s suggestion.


    ¡°Aria, you can just stay here tonight if you want,¡± Gaelan said.


    ¡°Okay, I''ll do that. Thanks.¡±


    With that, everyone began getting ready for bed. As she usually did when she stayed the night, Aria slept in Bianca''s room. Although everyone wanted to sleep, the only one who actually got a good night''s rest that night was Ian.


    When Ian woke the next morning, he felt surprisingly refreshed. The fever dissipated. His muscles no longer trembled with weakness. The only downside was that the wound on his hip still hurt. On top of that, he felt like he had forgotten something important. Delving deep into his memories, he recalled that there had been another dream, if he could even call it such. Although he had no idea if it had been real or not, he did remember the warning from the unfamiliar man about being more careful.


    ¡°Haaah... even if that guy didn¡¯t say anything, I would have been more careful in the future anyway,¡± Ian thought aloud. ¡°But, man, that guy definitely looked a lot like Aella...¡±


    Deciding there was no use worrying about it now, he shrugged and crawled out of bed. He put on some clean cargo pants and fresh shirt. Of course, he had not been wearing anything besides boxers before.


    With that out of the way, he headed downstairs to make some coffee. Until his gash healed, he would probably have to stay in Regnoras, so he began his usual routine. However, said usual routine generally implied that Bianca was awake to make breakfast for him. Contrary to his expectations, she was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Strange... she is usually down here by now. Dawn has already broken...¡± Ian muttered to himself. Since she was not downstairs yet, he took the initiative to start a fire in the stove. Although he could not start a fire from nothing, starting one required little effort these days. He could already envision himself flinging balls of fire around despite how far in the future that would actually be.


    After setting a pot of water over the fire, he walked over to the sole window in the kitchen which overlooked the Marlow''s front lawn. He recalled the events of the previous day with mixed emotions while waiting for the water to boil. In contemplative silence, he watched the morning breeze rustle the branches of a large willow in the front lawn. If he had died in the battle yesterday, his family probably would have never found out. Perhaps the Marlows and Aria would have noticed he was gone, but that was probably it. Honestly, Ian felt that such a measly impression upon the world was rather... sad. If he was going to live, then wouldn''t it be better to leave a mark on history? What better way would there be to do that on his current path than to become the greatest blacksmith that ever lived?


    ¡°That''s a pretty bold undertaking...¡± Ian muttered to himself.


    ¡°What''s a pretty bold undertaking?¡± Gaelan asked.


    Ian jumped. The man never made a sound coming downstairs. Whirling around to face his mentor, he exclaimed, ¡°Gah! Don''t sneak up on people like that!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Gaelan nonchalantly replied, waving him off. He looked Ian over for a moment before saying, ¡°Looks like you are alright.¡± Compared to the man¡¯s normal calm demeanor, his current expression was far more serious.


    ¡°Yep. The gash wasn¡¯t too bad, so I guess I''m fine,¡± Ian said.


    Raising his brow, Gaelan asked, ¡°You do know your fever last night was bad enough that it could have killed you, right? Hobgoblins hunt all sorts of vermin, so it is not unheard of to end up sick or poisoned after being wounded by one.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ian asked, brows raised in surprise. If that was the case, then he had been through a much closer brush with death than he originally thought. After all, antibiotics would not be able to fend off poisons.


    Gaelan smiled more genuinely than ever before and reached around Ian''s back to rub the back of his head, pushing it downward in the process. ¡°Well, it''s good to see you in one piece, though.¡±


    Although Ian felt slightly uncomfortable due to the unfamiliar physical interaction, he felt surprisingly happy inside. He could not recall the last time someone had done something like this with him.


    ¡°So, what were you talking to yourself about just now?¡± Gaelan asked curiously after releasing his iron grip from his apprentice¡¯s head.


    ¡°Ah, that...¡± Ian muttered. Embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Haha, uh... I was thinking that if I am going to live, then I might as well become the greatest blacksmith in history... or something...¡± Now that he said it out loud, it sounded far-fetched.


    ¡°Hoh~ Looks like my apprentice is getting some pretty big dreams in that small head of his,¡± Gaelan jested with lips curled into a snarky grin.


    ¡°Huh. For some reason I feel like punching you. Can''t imagine why...¡± Ian sardonically retorted.


    ¡°Hoh~, how about you give it a try!¡± Gaelan exclaimed, maintaining his snarky grin.


    During the back and forth, Ian noticed dark circles under Gaelan''s eyes. Curious, Ian changed the subject by asking, ¡°Did you not sleep well last night?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Gaelan answered, his grin softening into a friendly smile. ¡°Back to the blacksmith thing, though. If you want to be the best blacksmith, you will eventually have to visit Bolcan, the capital of the Dwarven Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°That''s really far away isn''t it?¡± Ian asked, briefly recalling his conversation with Rogar and his fellow peddlers.


    ¡°Well, sure it is. That¡¯s still far in the future, though. For now, you still have a lot to learn from me before you can dream of being the best,¡± Gaelan said. He gazed out the window with a nostalgic expression. It was a similar face to the one he would make whenever he mentioned Dustin Crawford, the former scientist that had stumbled into Regnoras and somehow become his friend.


    Suddenly, the sound of water boiling over and sizzling in the flames caught their attention.


    ¡°Ah, forgot about that,¡± Ian said while hurrying over to remove it from the flame. Luckily, he did not have to worry about the heat anymore. High Fire Resistance really was a convenient ability. After grabbing it, he walked over to the french press already prepped with ground coffee beans inside.


    While Ian was pouring the boiling water into the carafe, Gaelan jokingly said, ¡°Good job forgetting something was on the fire.¡±


    ¡°This one¡¯s on you,¡± Ian quickly retorted.


    ¡°A bit childish to shift the blame,¡± Gaelan said with a shrug.


    ¡°In that case, I''m not sharing now,¡± Ian firmly decided out loud.


    ¡°Were you going to before?¡± Gaelan asked. After all, Ian rarely shared his first batch.


    ¡°Uh... probably not...¡±


    ¡°That''s what I thought,¡± Gaelan said. For a few moments, silence filled the room, but Gaelan broke it by asking, ¡°So, feel like manning the storefront today rather than helping in the forge?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I can do that,¡± Ian answered. Obviously, his attention was focused on his coffee, but he knew he could not go anywhere today. Although the fever broke, the gash on his side was still there, meaning travel of any sort was out of the question.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Gaelan said, nodding slowly. ¡°Now that that''s out of the way, let me make you my famous egg sandwich since Bianca probably won''t be up any time soon.¡±


    Considering Gaelan''s previous attempts at cooking during the last month, Ian grimaced.

 Chapter 24: Behind Closed Doors Scene Four (Rewrite)

    Shoes tapped upon the stone floor of Gaelan¡¯s small weapon and tool shop. If one were to listen closely, he or she would notice a noticeable rhythm. Unsurprisingly, the one tapping his foot was Ian. For the first couple hours of watching the shop, he occupied himself by admiring different weapons. Unfortunately, he ran out of things to marvel at and ended up sitting on the plain wooden stool behind the display counter, all the while humming a catchy tune his friend used to play over and over. His foot subconsciously tapped to the rhythm.


    He itched to go through the doorway right behind him and help in the forge. However, the wound just above his left hip would likely reopen if he were to do any blacksmithing. Being confined to the shop area bored him to no end despite agreeing to it. Due to the nature of Gaelan''s smithing, as well as his location, customers were few and far between. In short, no customers visited the shop yet even though morning had already gone and passed.


    For a while, Ian sat on the stool with chin in his hands, impatiently eyeing the shop entrance for people as the seconds ticked by. All of this reminded him why he had avoided customer service jobs after high school.


    Then, around noon, the door swung open, and a small party entered. The small brass entrance bell tinkled above their heads. The party consisted of four members, two men and two women.


    The man who entered first held the door for the others. He looked about thirty years old or so and had a fairly tall and sturdy build. His appearance was plain save for his noticeably large and pointy nose. Also, his clothes were fairly common for one of humble birth in Conncinnanta, consisting of a simple woolen shirt and loose-fitting leather trousers. Before closing the door behind his party, he greeted Ian with a friendly wave. Although the man looked confused by Ian¡¯s presence, he quickly moved on to look at some armor.


    The second man was the shortest in the group, yet his lean build indicated a high level of dexterity. He donned a sleek appearance and walked with a smooth, decisive stride. Well-kept clothes added to the man''s sleek impression. His short black hair was slicked back with some sort of hair product and his eyes exuded intelligence. He only acknowledged Ian with a slight nod.


    Behind the men, the women observed all of the displayed equipment with inquisitive gazes. Based on their curiosity, this was likely their first visit. One of them was rather tall and blocked Ian''s view from the redhead behind her. Ian surmised that the taller woman was likely only a few centimeters shorter than himself. Adding to her stature, chiseled muscles bulged underneath her comparatively large clothing. Silky black hair parted around her face, barely tickling her shoulders. In a way, her smooth facial features belied her toned body. A quick glance in Ian''s direction revealed piercing brown eyes which glowed like purified amber. Also, it was Ian''s first time seeing a woman that wore pants in this world, although they were certainly baggy enough to adhere to the societal norms of modesty.


    Behind the taller woman, Ian noticed the second woman picking up a rapier from a display rack. She examined the blade with her back turned to him. As soon as the first woman moved enough out of the way for Ian to see the second woman, he was surprised to see her long, fiery red hair which reached straight down her back with only a hint of curliness. Ian couldn¡¯t recall seeing a single redhead during his time in Concinnata. For a few seconds, he hoped the woman would turn so that he could see her face. It was just plain curiosity... really...


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± the first man said from the right side of the room.


    ¡°Did you need help with something?¡± Ian asked with his best customer service smile. Maybe one day he would be able to be as real with customers as Gaelan, but that day was not today.


    ¡°Sort of,¡± The sturdy-looking man answered. ¡°I was just wondering if you were helping out here or something since I never saw you here before. Of course, I¡¯ve only been here a handful of times, so please forgive my curiosity.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Ian said, nodding. Inwardly, he did his best to memorize the face of this customer just in case he happened to be a regular or something. Continuing, he said, ¡°Yes, Gaelan took me on as an apprentice about a month ago.¡±


    ¡°Apprentice?¡± The man looked confused. ¡°I always thought he did not take apprentices... I must have been mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Well, I got lucky, I suppose,¡± Ian replied. In order to not seem rude, he asked, ¡°I take it you come here often enough to notice such a thing, then?¡±


    ¡°I guess...¡± The man answered with a heavy nod. Then, he gestured at the sleek-looking man and said, ¡°My friend Kane and I have come here from time to time over the last few years. My name is Rodger.¡±


    ¡°My name is Ian. Nice to meet you,¡± Ian introduced himself in return.


    When Ian gave his name, the redheaded woman who had been looking at the rapier jumped slightly and quickly spun on her toes to face him, catching his attention. He locked eyes with her. Bright eyes that were of the same green as a grassy plain stared back at him in shock. Her tender lips barely opened as she hesitantly asked, ¡°Ian?¡±


    For a few moments, he stared blankly at the young woman that looked strangely familiar. Then, it hit him. ¡°Sarah?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It really is...¡± The red-haired woman''s eyes suddenly displayed anxiousness, and she began to tremble ever so slightly. Her small hands tightened upon the handle of the rapier until her knuckles turned white. ¡°No... no, no, no...¡± she whispered while shaking her head back and forth. Then, before Ian could say anything, she turned and bolted out the door... with the rapier in hand.


    ¡°Hey, kid!¡± The sturdy-looking woman called out, glaring at Ian with accusative undertones. ¡°Did you do something to Sarah?¡±


    The fact that she called him a kid irritated the fire out of him. However, he was in a far more confused state than the three customers. Why did she run? He asked himself, trying to wrap his mind around the situation. His heart leapt into his throat. They were friends, weren¡¯t they? Even before that, wasn¡¯t she dead?


    Ian stared blankly at the open doorway, not knowing what to do. Surprisingly, a warm sensation budded within his heart. Emotions that once felt distant drew close. As he continued to stare at the doorway, he felt a growing necessity to chase after Sarah. Seeing her again so unexpectedly threw him for a loop, but he believed that if he did nothing right now, he might never see her again. Recalling the moment three years prior when he heard about her disappearance, he determined to chase her down. He did not want to lose the sole person who had been his friend amidst the hardest time in his life for a second time. His heart boiled with the desire to confront his friend; to find out why she had run away; to find out what happened to her almost three years ago.


    Filled with motivation, he abruptly stood, startling the three that had arrived with Sarah. ¡°I''ll be back shortly. Let me grab Gaelan,¡± He said. With that, he opened the door to the smithy and yelled, ¡°Hey, Gaelan, I need to go do something, but there are people here! Switch out with me!¡±


    Before Gaelan could mouth a single word to his foolhardy apprentice, the door slammed shut.


    ¡°What''s gotten into him?¡± Gaelan asked himself, scratching his beard in contemplation.


    The three who came to the shop with Sarah were even more confused. The woman nearly followed Ian out the door, but the tall man, Rodger, stopped her in her tracks by grasping her shoulder from behind.


    ¡°Let them be, Valerrie¡± He said.


    ¡°What are you saying? Didn¡¯t you see how upset Sarah was?¡±


    ¡°That guy obviously has a longer history with her than we do.¡±


    ¡°And that is what I¡¯m worried about.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The sleek-looking man, Kane, mentioned, ¡°She also ran off with one of the shop¡¯s items.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ that is true¡­¡± Valerrie muttered. Then, she clenched her fists in frustration and complained, ¡°That girl is always causing me heaps of trouble.¡±


    ¡°And yet you help her anyway,¡± Rodger commented.


    ¡°And yet I help her anyway¡­¡±


    Suddenly interrupting their banter, Gaelan swung open the smithy door while saying, ¡°Sorry about my apprentice, folks. Hope you¡¯re willing to settle for an old geezer like myself helping you out.¡±


    ¡°The fault is our own, sir,¡± Rodger replied, bowing his head ever so slightly. ¡°Our party member accidentally walked off with one of your wares, so your¡­ apprentice¡­ ran to get her.¡±


    Gaelan raised a brow. What kind of fool would ever think to steal from him?


    ¡°Well, it seems like they already had some history together,¡± Valerrie added. ¡°She acted rather out of character. If you could forgive her, we would appreciate it.¡±


    Gaelan¡¯s eyes widened upon hearing that Ian knew this little thief. It would seem that an interesting evening awaited him. Setting aside his thoughts on the subject for the time being, he smirked and replied, ¡°Mercy shouldn¡¯t be too difficult in this situation. Now, could I interest you in some new weapons or armor?¡±


    * * * * *


    Within seconds of exiting Gaelan¡¯s little store, Ian sprinted through the lawn¡¯s front gate, barely avoiding the little sign which said Marlow Smithy while speeding past. Ignoring the near collision, he dashed into the middle of the street and searched in every direction until he spotted Sarah¡¯s distinctly red hair in the distance to the North. Without further ado, he broke out into a dead sprint again, drawing the attention of a few bystanders with his sudden burst of speed.


    The wind bristled against the front of his body as he darted past every other pedestrian. He focused his attention on Sarah''s distant figure. Several minutes passed. He continued to chase after her, and his surroundings gradually became unfamiliar. He had never traveled this far north in Conncinnanta before, but he ignored the unsettling thought.


    Further and further he chased her, gradually closing the distance. In spite of the plain dress Sarah was wearing, he found it difficult catching up to her. Even with tennis shoes instead of boots he was not quite fast enough.


    Although he did not realize it, a cheesy grin was plastered on his face. For some reason, this chase was making him excited. Adrenaline pumped through his veins. He sprinted faster than he ever had before. The experience excited him enough that he did not notice the air burning in his lungs or the sweat staining his gray shirt and khaki colored cargo pants.


    Minute by minute, he closed the distance, but Sarah was still a good ways ahead. Then, she slowed down and looked back. Even though she was still more than a block away, Ian could clearly tell that she was extremely startled upon seeing him chase after her. Almost instantly, she took off with renewed vigor at an even quicker pace than before.


    Within seconds, he knew she would outrun him. What kind of Physical Affinity did she have to do that while wearing a dress?


    Without thinking too much about it, Ian tried something similar to what he had seen Gaelan use against the black bear almost a month before. He quickly halted and planted his right foot onto the ground. The now familiar cool sensation of Dark Matter particles coursed through his veins into the ground, connecting his consciousness to it as though creating an extra body part out of it.


    Sighing in relief that he actually succeeded, Ian stepped toward Sarah, but his head immediately began to throb and blood trickled from his left nostril.


    Nearby, someone said, ¡°Ah, he must only have Medium Earth Affinity and overexerted himself just now.¡± Other spectators seemed to agree. For a moment, Ian glanced at them and wondered how they could guess his level so easily, but refocused on his goal. Due to the sudden headache, Ian cooled down enough to realize that Dark Matter had put him into an almost drunken state just now. Normally, he would not have been so brazen as to use such a large amount of Earth Affinity just to stop someone from running away.


    ¡°Well, I guess it turned out alright...¡± he muttered while using the hem of his shirt to wipe away some of the blood from his nose. Just as he was about to walk over to Sarah, he realized that the gash in his side was throbbing. Luckily, it was not bleeding, so he ignored it.


    With that, Ian trotted over to Sarah who was now lying on the ground holding her nose... which also happened to be bleeding.


    ¡°Looks like we are bloody nose buddies, eh?¡± Ian jested.


    Rather than say anything, Sarah looked up at him with a blank stare. Her face contorted with unease.


    ¡°So,¡± Ian spoke with a straight face, ¡°why did you run away just now?¡±


    For a few moments, she said nothing. A silent awkwardness filled the area. Onlookers curiously observed the strange duo. As the silence continued, Sarah nervously eyed the people around them, which caught Ian''s attention.


    ¡°Ah, I forgot. You aren¡¯t a fan of people...¡± Ian muttered, drawing Sarah''s attention back up to him. ¡°Do you want to go somewhere else to talk for a bit?¡± Ian asked. A few ripples in the ground beneath his foot signaled that he was not going to let her run again, bloody nose or not.


    Surprisingly unperturbed by the rippling cobblestone, Sarah nodded.


    Smiling, Ian reached out his hand to help her up. Briefly, he thought she might not grab it since she hesitated. However, she did reach up to grab it after wiping the blood off of her hand. While reaching out, she hesitated again, but eventually grabbed Ian''s outstretched hand. He then pulled her to her feet. Once on her feet, Sarah wiped the dirt off of her long dress.


    When Ian looked at her small nose, he saw that her blood was... frozen? It was strange, but he ignored it for the time being.


    ¡°Uh, now that I think about it, I have no idea where we are...¡± Ian said, shyly scratching his head. ¡°Would you be able to find somewhere to talk?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sarah quietly answered. All sorts of emotions flitted across her face. She glanced at Ian for a moment before turning away again. Inside, she felt embarrassed. She did not know what to say. She was scared. She was nervous. Something as unexpected as seeing Ian again had never crossed her mind as a possibility before, and she ran away from him without thinking. Well, he chased her down, which frightened her yet made her feel thankful at the same time.


    ¡°One second. I need to fix the road real quick.¡± Ian said, breaking Sarah from her contemplation.


    Ian stepped over to the spire and reached out toward it with his right hand. Black particles swirled around his arm as he willed the dirt and stone to sink back to its original position, or at least as close to its original position as he could get it with his lack of experience. By now, his head was pounding, which made him realize how much he overexerted himself. Thinking such, he sighed.


    While Ian set about returning the street to its original state, three men dressed in well-kempt black and gold uniforms approached them. Silver bear insignias were pinned to simple caps atop each of their heads. Gold strips of woolen material were sewn to their shoulders. Two of the men only had one stripe while the man in front had three. Ian assumed it signified rank.


    Over his shoulder, he heard Sarah breathe out an exasperated sigh. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was directed at the three men or himself.


    The man with three gold stripes stepped directly beside Ian and asked, ¡°Is there a problem, sir?¡±


    ¡°Uh, not really. Just trying to fix this real quick.¡±


    The man glanced up at Sarah and raised a brow. Then he furrowed them. ¡°You look familiar¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably your imagination,¡± she instantly replied, despite one of the other officers pointing at her with a stunned expression.


    ¡°Well, then¡­¡± The lead officers said, ¡°What transpired here?¡±


    ¡°We had a personal dispute,¡± Ian answered, voice strained due to the exertion of using magic with low fortitude.


    The officer raised a brow again. ¡°And the circumstances?¡±


    ¡°She accidentally left¡­ my store with one of my products. I had to chase her down,¡± Ian explained. He nearly mentioned that it was actually Gaelan¡¯s shop she stole from, but, for some reason, his subconscious convinced him to refrain from doing so.


    ¡°Oh, I see. Understandable. It does seem that you avoided involving anyone else, so thanks for that. Would have been annoying for us if you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave you to it, then. I¡¯d help, but no one in my patrol can use Earth Affinity. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ fine,¡± Ian replied, wincing in between words due to a sharp throb near his temple. ¡°Only right that I clean up my own mess.¡±


    ¡°If only more people had that attitude¡­¡± The officer mumbled. He sighed. Then, he turned to his men and said, ¡°Come on, you greenhorns. We¡¯ve got to get you to your assignment.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The two younger officers acknowledged.


    With that, their patrol left Ian and Sarah to their business. After ¡°fixing¡± the road, he stood. A wave of pain shot through his hip. Gritting his teeth, he examined his wound again. Pus leaked through onto his shirt.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Sarah asked, eyes glued to the steadily growing stain on his hip.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± Then, with a sly grin which belied his bloody nose and pale face, he asked, ¡°So, where are we going, miss self-proclaimed Queen Weeb?¡±


    ¡°Kek...¡± Sarah winced at his comment.

 Chapter 25 Volume 1: Behind Closed Doors Scene Five (Rewrite)

    A little after noon, Ian realized that Sarah had led him to a small park. A few families were sharing picnics together near a bubbling stream which flowed as far as the eye could see to either direction of the park. Several oaks, maples, flowers, and bushes swayed gently in the breeze throughout the area. All of the vegetation were planted in well-organized rectangular blocks.


    Sarah led him across a small wooden bridge to the other side of the stream. The planks creaked under their weight but held firm. A thicker set of oak trees stood above the rest of the park in the middle of the park. They beelined straight toward a clearing among the trees. In the center of the clearing was a large boulder with countless names carved into it. Numerous bundles of flowers were piled around it in a respectful manner. From what he could tell, this boulder, which was at least twice as tall as him, was a monument. The solemn atmosphere made him wonder why Sarah brought him here but, before he said anything, she sat cross-legged on the grass in front of it and Ian followed suit.


    Leaning his cheek on an uplifted palm, Ian asked, ¡°So, why did you run away from me after not seeing me for three years?¡±


    ¡°Right to the point, already?¡± She asked. However, she did not seem particularly surprised. A minute of silence passed while Ian waited for her to answer. Eventually, she soberly muttered, ¡°I''m probably not the same person you remember...¡±


    ¡°Haaah... such a clich¨¦ statement...¡± Ian sulkily remarked.


    ¡°That''s... uh, I guess...¡± Sarah was taken aback. Although she was not sure what to expect, she was certainly not expecting him to say that.


    Staring at the monument with a very serious expression, Ian said, ¡°People change no matter where they are.¡±


    ¡°Are you referring to your parents?¡± Sarah inquired.


    ¡°Well, sort of,¡± Ian answered while furrowing his brows. ¡°I was referring to when my mother said I had changed and despised me for it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± Sarah replied before going silent.


    ¡°So,¡± Ian continued, ¡°what I''m trying to say is: I don''t care if you¡¯ve changed.¡±


    Once again, silence fell between the two of them. Far away, the sounds of children''s laughter echoed faintly over the rustling leaves.


    Desiring to reconnect with his friend, Ian said, ¡°I was pretty bummed when you disappeared three years ago. Gave you up for dead.¡±


    Sarah looked like she was hesitating to reply. Eventually, she said, ¡°I didn''t really want to see you again...¡±


    Ouch... Ian thought as he winced on the outside. Sarah''s response hurt, and he had no idea how to take it.


    ¡°Uh, I guess I actually have mixed feelings about it...¡± Sarah continued, scratching her head.


    Ian was curious now. He wanted answers. Although he was tempted to pepper her with questions, he refrained in order to let Sarah speak.


    ¡°I''ve... been through a lot of-¡± she briefly scanned the surroundings with a sharp glance, ¡°-shit since coming here...¡± Sarah muttered.


    Been a while since I heard a woman swear... Ian thought.


    Focusing her gaze on the monument, Sarah maintained a solemn expression as she said, ¡°The anime I used to force you to watch... is full of lies. There was no happiness here in this new world; no brand new life for me. Just getting by is a struggle now, especially since-¡± She abruptly stopped mid-sentence. ¡°Uh, nevermind...¡±


    Come on...you have to finish sentences like that, Ian thought, frowning. Once again, silence fell. Ian was going to have to add this to his list of top ten most awkward conversations. Another minute or two passed before he broke the silence by asking, ¡°If you could go back, would you?¡±


    ¡°To Earth? I don''t know...¡± Sarah answered. ¡°It''s not even worth thinking about at this point.¡±


    ¡°Even if I said you could?¡± Ian asked.


    This time, Sarah gave him a strange look. ¡°Don''t tell me you have a way to get back...¡±


    In response, Ian smirked and said, ¡°May~be...¡±


    ¡°Oh my God... you have a way back to Earth. You¡¯re like a damned protagonist...¡± Sarah said in astonishment. ¡°If I had had that... no, nevermind...¡± When her sentence cut off again, her expression soured.


    Seriously, stop doing that, Ian thought. By now, he knew there was something she was trying to hide, but it would do him no good to prod. The times when his mother had done the same to him pounded that lesson into him.


    ¡°When did you arrive here?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°A little over a month ago, I guess,¡± Ian answered.


    ¡°A month and you can use Earth Affinity like that already? You need a nerf...¡±


    ¡°A what?¡± Ian asked. He was sure he had heard those terms before, but could not recall what they meant.


    ¡°Wait... you said you are Gaelan''s apprentice, right?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°Yeah, why?¡± Ian replied.


    ¡°You do know how famous he is, right?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Ian hesitantly answered. In all honesty, he did not get out much. Even when he did, finding out about Gaelan''s reputation was not a priority at all. Therefore, the best he could do was conjecture on the subject.


    ¡°My god... you have so much protagonist syndrome that I feel like I''m going to be sick... Don''t tell me your Innate Gifts are OP as well,¡± Sarah said with furrowed brows.


    ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t really know. Gaelan said I have High Fire Affinity, High Fire Resistance, Medium Earth Affinity, High Physical Affinity, and a couple extraneous ones,¡± Ian clarified. He left out the question mark section, considering he had no idea what they actually were, and the Medium Curse/Charm Resistance since it was practically useless.


    ¡°Oh! My! God!¡± Sarah exclaimed as she rolled onto the ground face down. Like a child, she clobbered the grass with her fists, pounding holes into the dirt. Apparently, her Physical Affinity was not half bad either. Of course, her running speed earlier clued Ian in on the fact that she was faster than him, too. Still, he chuckled at her tantrum. For some reason he felt like bragging a bit.


    Eventually, Sarah calmed down. With her face still planted in the grass, she muttered with a muffled voice, ¡°Well, I guess there are people with better Gifts than you, but still... you have it good. Like, seriously. I only have High Ice Affinity, Medium Ice Resistance, and Medium Physical Affinity, yet people thought I was the greatest thing since sliced bread.¡±


    ¡°Your Gifts aren''t too bad,¡± Ian pointed out despite only having Gaelan, Edmund, and himself as comparisons.


    ¡°I know. That''s why you are OP,¡± Sarah complained. ¡°Oh, your fortitude sucks ass, though, doesn''t it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what Gaelan told me,¡± Ian admitted. The speckles of dried blood below his nose was too much of an indicator to deny it.


    ¡°I guess you aren''t too OP, then. You¡¯re probably super limited when you use it,¡± Sarah said. For a moment, she fell silent again, but then said, ¡°Man, it''s strange talking to you again, especially about magic. It kinda feels like a dream.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I think I know what you mean.¡± Ian replied. ¡°I never expected to run into someone I know, let alone someone I thought was dead.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sarah pursed her lips. ¡°You think other people from Earth are here?¡±


    ¡°Possibly,¡± Ian answered. ¡°I''ve heard of at least one so far.¡±


    Rolling her head in the dirt in order to look at Ian, she asked, ¡°Really?¡±


    Ian tried his hardest not to laugh at her dirty appearance. After stifling a chuckle, he said, ¡°The guy was Gaelan''s friend.¡±


    ¡°...You''re kidding.¡±


    ¡°Nope, and Gaelan has even gone to Earth with me a couple times,¡± Ian said.


    ¡°So you do have a way back. I want to stab you right now,¡± Sarah said. She was joking, right?


    ¡°Speaking of stabbing,¡± Ian said, pointing at the rapier sitting on the grass next to her, ¡°you stole that.¡±


    Sarah sat up and looked at the rapier as though she had not even remembered bringing it this whole way. ¡°Uh... I guess I should return it, shouldn''t I?¡±


    ¡°Yep, so show me the way back,¡± Ian said, giving her a threatening smirk.


    ¡°Okay¡­ uh¡­ does that mean we¡¯re done here?¡±


    ¡°We still have plenty of time for interrogation along the way back,¡± Ian answered, maintaining his smirk. ¡°I still need to ask what you¡¯ve been up to for the past few years.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Ian stood and patted dirt off his pants. Then, he extended a hand to Sarah. Unlike the previous time, she grabbed it without hesitating, though an exasperated sigh escaped her lips.


    As soon as they set off side-by-side toward the road, Ian asked, ¡°So, seriously, what have you been doing in Conncinnata?¡±


    ¡°I joined the Adventurer Guild. What else would I be doing?¡± She replied.


    ¡°Wanted to follow in the footsteps of your favorite anime characters?¡± Ian asked with a knowing grin.


    ¡°Kek... no... of course not,¡± Sarah answered, averting her eyes. Then, she looked back at Ian and asked, ¡°Why didn''t you join the Adventurer or Mercenary Guilds? You probably could have become famous.¡±


    ¡°Didn''t want to,¡± Ian answered. ¡°Went to the Visitor Center to look for other options instead.¡±


    ¡°Visitor Center? They have something like that here?¡± Sarah looked befuddled when she asked that.


    Ian halted, shook his head, and muttered, ¡°Yeah, they do.¡±


    From there, they ended up reminiscing about stupid stuff she used to force him to do for her online videos and even heartwarming experiences like the time Ian dragged her from her den to his family¡¯s Thanksgiving dinner. That one was an awkward experience for all of them except Alayna. Despite all of the fond memories, Ian never once heard Sarah¡¯s unique laughter. The most he got from her was a pained nostalgic smile that fell short of reaching her eyes.


    Around the time the surroundings became familiar to Ian again, Sarah surprised him by asking, ¡°How are my parents?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Ian paused and rubbed a hand over his beard.


    ¡°Are they out of jail yet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that was a while ago, but,¡± he paused again, scratched the back of his neck, breathed deeply through his nose, and hesitantly explained, ¡°They passed away in a car accident a few months back.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Sarah did not look surprised, or even upset. Honestly, Ian expected as much.


    ¡°Was it their fault?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Were they drinking?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Did they take others with them?¡±


    Ian hesitated. Thinking back on it, he recalled hearing that a mother and her young child were in the vehicle Sarah¡¯s parents had crashed headlong into. Sighing, he answered, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sarah groaned and kicked a loose stone. It hurtled through the air at a ridiculous speed until out of sight. Gaze downcast, she mumbled, ¡°Dammit. They should have died alone.¡±


    Ian did not know how to continue the conversation from such a statement. In the end, they traveled the rest of the way to the Marlow¡¯s home in silence.


    Later in the evening, they arrived at the front gate. Since the sun was setting, the air began to cool and now carried with it the chill of an early Autumn breeze.


    ¡°Uh, do you think Master Gaelan will be angry? From what I have heard, he is a bit standoffish,¡± Sarah asked, face shrouded with anxiousness.


    ¡°Nah, he¡¯ll probably be cool with it,¡± Ian answered, shaking his head. ¡°Not sure why people would think of him like that. He is actually really friendly. Well, I suppose his humor is a bit dry and is usually made at the expense of others, so it could make sense to see him that way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Sarah muttered. She still seemed hesitant to walk back in after running off with the rapier earlier.


    ¡°Come on. I bet Gaelan will want to talk with you, anyway,¡± Ian said as he stepped through the gate. Not wanting to be left behind, Sarah trotted after him.


    While walking toward the smithy with hands in his pockets, Ian noticed that smoke was no longer rising from the smokestack. Either Gaelan was done smithing for the day, or he had stopped in order to entertain the three members of Sarah''s party. Thinking about it now, running off on them like that was rather rude despite the necessity of such an action. It ended up coming down to which choice he would regret least, and the Dark Matter helped him make the choice to chase Sarah down. Looking back, he regretted nothing.


    When Ian opened the door to the shop, no one was there. Considering the possibility that Gaelan might still be in the smithy itself, he led Sarah to the back room. Once again, there was no one there. The fire died hours earlier by the looks of it. Since entering a smithy was an unusual experience for Sarah, she looked around out of curiosity.


    ¡°You can just leave the rapier on the table over there for now,¡± Ian said, pointing at a wooden table in the corner of the room.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sarah replied, immediately following Ian¡¯s instruction. She looked stiff. Perhaps anxiousness still clung to her.


    Most likely, Gaelan was already inside the house, so Ian led Sarah to the back door. Before he could open it, she asked, ¡°Is it actually okay for me to go in?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. I live here. That makes you a guest,¡± Ian answered without hesitation.


    ¡°What? You live here?¡± Sarah asked, taken aback.


    ¡°Is that strange?¡± Ian asked in return.


    ¡°Yes, it''s strange,¡± Sarah answered. She bit her lip in frustration before saying, ¡°I had to work my ass off just to rent some space, and you get free living quarters. It''s not fair, not fair at all.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see...¡± Ian muttered. Since he was not sure how to respond to that, he simply opened the door.


    Upon entering, Ian was immediately greeted by Gaelan with, ¡°Oh, if it isn''t my rude apprentice who ran off on his customers earlier.¡±


    There was a humorous grin on his face, which was a good sign. By happenstance, the aforementioned customers were sitting on the couch drinking... coffee. Seeing that, Ian''s eyebrow twitched.


    ¡°Yeah, I''m back,¡± Ian replied in monotone. We are almost out of coffee. What is Gaelan doing sharing it? he thought. Well, on the bright side, more people would be willing to buy it when I have enough to sell.


    ¡°Hoh~ I see you even brought the Ice Queen back with you,¡± Gaelan added when Sarah cautiously stepped inside behind Ian.


    ¡°The what?¡± Ian asked. Realizing that Gaelan was talking about Sarah, he faced her, raised his brow, and grinned mockingly.


    ¡°Don''t say anything,¡± Sarah snapped, sending a sharp glare that could pierce stone in his direction.


    ¡°It''s not like I was going to mention anything about how you still have a weeby title or anything,¡± Ian said while smirking and struggling to stifle a chuckle.


    ¡°Ugh... I said don''t say anything. It hurts to be reminded of that,¡± Sarah muttered. Her brows furrowed in frustration.


    ¡°I''ve never seen Sarah so expressive,¡± The woman from earlier muttered. She was sitting on the rocking chair by the fireplace elegantly sipping her coffee with a pleasant expression.


    As soon as the woman spoke, Sarah''s glare turned in her direction. ¡°Got a problem with that, Valerrie?¡± She asked.


    ¡°No. It''s just interesting,¡± The woman named Valerrie answered nonchalantly with a wave of her hand. Her calm demeanor threw Ian off, considering he only saw anger from her earlier.


    ¡°Good to see you are okay, though. You had us worried,¡± the bigger guy from Sarah''s party said. If Ian remembered correctly, his name was Rodger. It would seem that he was rather soft-spoken for a man of his size. Upon hearing Rodger''s words, the sleek looking guy, Kane, nodded.


    ¡°You didn''t have to worry. I was fine,¡± Sarah firmly replied.


    ¡°Ha! Sure you were,¡± Valerrie said. ¡°Your reaction when you saw Master Gaelan''s apprentice made me think he hurt you before.¡±


    ¡°Ian wouldn''t do something like that!¡± Sarah exclaimed, vehemently shaking her head. The sudden outburst startled everyone, including the man in question. Ian was completely dumbstruck by his friend''s behavior.


    ¡°Hoh~ it seems like my apprentice has a good friend,¡± Gaelan said, dissolving the awkward silence that nearly swallowed everyone in the living room.


    ¡°Eh? Uh... sorry. It was rude to yell like that all of a sudden...¡± Sarah apologized to Gaelan as her face flushed with embarrassment. To Ian''s amusement, she bowed like a Japanese person would when apologizing.


    ¡°Anyway, you three know she is fine now, right?¡± Gaelan asked Sarah''s party members.


    In response, the two men nodded and Valerrie said, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°In that case, we should get going,¡± Rodger said, which Kane and Valerrie agreed to.


    ¡°Are you staying here for a while, Sarah?¡± Valerrie asked.


    ¡°Uh, for a minute,¡± Sarah answered.


    ¡°Master Gaelan said you two were probably from the same homeland, so I assume you have some catching up to do. You know where to find me if you need me,¡± Valerrie said with a gentle smile.


    Rodger, Kane, and Valerrie set their cups down on the coffee table and stood together. ¡°Tood-a-loo~¡± Valerrie said. With that, the three members of Sarah''s party left after brief farewell waves, leaving Gaelan, Sarah, and Ian in the living room.


    ¡°That''s a good friend you have there,¡± Ian mentioned, almost quoting what Gaelan said a minute ago about Sarah.


    ¡°Uh-huh. I was lucky I met her, or I might have ended up on the streets,¡± Sarah replied. Her face alternated between a downcast gaze full of sadness and a one of fond nostalgia.


    ¡°That rough, huh?¡± Ian muttered.


    ¡°Uh... yeah,¡± Sarah replied. A silence followed for a few moments.


    ¡°So, Miss Ice Queen, would you care for some coffee?¡± Gaelan asked.


    ¡°Coffee?!¡± Sarah perked up at the thought of drinking something she had not tasted in three years.


    ¡°Hahaha! Look at that face!¡± Gaelan exclaimed, pointing at Sarah.


    ¡°You actually have coffee?¡± Sarah asked while looking back and forth between Ian and Gaelan.


    ¡°Yeah, we do,¡± Ian answered. Turning his head toward his mentor, Ian asked, ¡°I assume you have some questions, Gaelan?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Gaelan answered with a shrug. ¡°I do find it interesting that the famed Ice Queen is actually someone from Earth, though. Come, sit.¡± With a wave of his right hand, Gaelan gestured toward the couch before taking the rocking chair by the fireplace.


    Since this place felt like his own home now, Ian waltzed over to the couch and plopped down. In contrast, Sarah looked like an awkwardly constructed robot while she shuffled over to the couch.


    ¡°Bianca~!¡± Gaelan called out with a hand cupped around his mouth. A few moments later, his daughter peeked into the living room. Upon entering, she noticed that the previous guests had left in lieu of Ian and a pretty, red-headed stranger wearing a dirty day dress. The stranger looked back at Bianca out of curiosity, but ended up glaring at Bianca''s chest instead. Of course, this was not the first time another woman gave her that look, and she did not even have to look inside their head to know what it meant.


    ¡°Um... did you need me, Dad?¡± She asked, turning her attention to her father.


    ¡°Would you please clear these cups and get two new ones for Ian and his friend?¡± Gaelan gently requested.


    ¡°Friend? Oh, um, okay,¡± Bianca replied with a slight nod, causing her curly golden hair to bob slightly. Doing as her father requested, she grabbed the empty cups and returned to the kitchen to grab new ones.


    ¡°So, uh, Master Gaelan?¡± Sarah cautiously probed. She nervously folded her hands in her lap.


    ¡°Gaelan is fine,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Oh, uh, okay. So you know about Earth or something?¡± Sarah asked. Of course, she had heard about the man from Ian, but she needed to experience it to calm her nerves.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Gaelan muttered. ¡°Before that, your name is Sarah, correct?¡±


    Sarah nodded as though a master of one way conversations.


    ¡°Sarah, then.¡± Gaelan nodded. ¡°I suppose you knew Ian back on Earth.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah.¡±


    ¡°We were neighbors, and I kept her from starving to death,¡± Ian chimed in.


    ¡°I would have eaten even if you didn''t come over,¡± Sarah pouted.


    ¡°What would you have eaten? Ramen?¡± Ian asked, doubtfully raising a brow.


    ¡°Tch... Ramen is a staple food group,¡± Sarah retorted.


    ¡°Hoh~ You are very different from what I imagined,¡± Gaelan remarked. As usual, he was rubbing his beard between his forefinger and thumb.


    ¡°Right back at you,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°So, do you want to go to Earth with us during our next trip?¡± Gaelan asked.


    ¡°Eh? Back to Earth? Ian asked me if I would want to go, but it still feels a bit surreal,¡± Sarah said, casting her gaze toward the wooden floor.


    ¡°You plan on coming this time, old man?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°You plan on getting another beating?¡± Gaelan retorted with a raised brow.


    ¡°Didn''t get enough scars during the last trip.¡±


    ¡°That''s some grim humor...¡±


    Meanwhile, Sarah looked back and forth between Ian and Gaelan with avid curiosity. In her eyes, it was like observing a relationship between a father and son who pretended not to be close in front of others.


    ¡°Um... Don''t worry, this happens all the time.¡±


    ¡°Guaah!¡± Sarah exclaimed, startled by the unexpected voice. When she looked up, she saw Bianca standing behind the couch with a small tray topped with four steaming cups of coffee in one hand and a dining chair in the other.


    ¡°Oh, sorry, I didn''t mean to startle you,¡± Bianca apologized. Even though her hands were full, she gave Sarah a polite half-curtsy.


    ¡°Uh, no problem?¡± Sarah muttered. ¡°It''s not like I was scared or anything.¡±


    ¡°Heh, sure you weren''t,¡± Ian said, chuckling at his friend''s awkward behavior. At the same time, Bianca gave Sarah a blank stare that almost seemed to be asking: ''Why are you lying?''


    While Sarah was unwittingly drawing attention to herself, Bianca set the tray on the coffee table. Of course, the first one to snatch a cup was Ian.


    Then, Bianca set the wooden chair down right up next to the left side of the couch. By happenstance, Ian was sitting on that side. Surely, it was just a coincidence.


    When Sarah grabbed a cup, she looked at it for a solid minute before taking a sip. Just one sip was enough to bring back all sorts of memories from Earth. She recalled even more about her parents, Ian, and the few friends she had had in spite of being a shut-in.


    ¡°Are you crying?¡± Ian asked. His voice held a hint of concern.


    ¡°No, I''m not. The steam got in my eye,¡± Sarah said, even as she wiped a tear away.


    ¡°Um... you are from the same place as Mr. Ian?¡± Bianca asked.


    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Sarah answered, still wiping away tears with a frilled sleeve.


    ¡°Oh...¡±


    ¡°So, are you coming with us to Earth, Sarah?¡± Gaelan asked, pulling the conversation back on track. Unfortunately for Sarah, it also ended up with, at least in her view, intense gazes sent her way.


    ¡°Uh, I guess I could,¡± Sarah answered. Then, recalling what Ian and Gaelan mentioned during their bickering, she looked at Ian and asked, ¡°You said you got hurt. Was that on the way back to Earth?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Check it out,¡± Ian said, proudly lifting his shirt to reveal the pus-stained bandage wrapped around his waist.


    ¡°Don''t show me something like that! That''s disgusting,¡± Sarah said, placing her hand over her mouth as though she was going to puke. Realizing that he wasn''t going to get sympathy or impress anyone, Ian pulled his shirt back down.


    Sarah gave in to curiosity and asked, ¡°What is it from?¡±


    ¡°A stray hobgoblin.¡± Ian answered.


    ¡°Ah. Uh... was that yesterday?¡± Sarah asked with a stunned look on her face.


    ¡°Yeah, why?¡±


    ¡°Oh, one got away,¡± she muttered just loud enough for the others to hear.


    ¡°Hoh~?¡± Gaelan piped in. ¡°So that was your doing?¡±


    ¡°It was a raid.¡± Sarah answered. Although she said it like it was a matter-of-fact, Ian had no idea what she meant by ''raid''.


    ¡°And Ian here just so happened to run into a stray? My apprentice has bad luck for sure. First that werewolf and now a stray hobgoblin. What''s next? Exiled Dragons?¡±


    ¡°That''s a bit too much,¡± Sarah mumbled.


    ¡°Um, can I go with you next time?¡± Bianca asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°What?¡± Gaelan asked, startled by his daughter''s request. ¡°Let me think about it.¡±


    ¡°But, dad, you said that last time, too...¡±


    ¡°There isn''t really a problem, is there?¡± Ian asked, following up his question with a sip of his coffee.


    ¡°I guess not,¡± Gaelan muttered. However, his face blatantly displayed hesitancy through furrowed brows.


    ¡°Think my wound will be healed enough to go tomorrow?¡± Ian asked. His voice was laced with excitement. After all, he still needed to sell his first products, not to mention the need to stock up on coffee and other supplies.


    ¡°Maybe since the Ice Queen and I will be with you,¡± Gaelan absently answered. Then, he muttered, ¡°What am I thinking allowing my sweet daughter to go to that crazy place?¡±


    ¡°Awesome, I''ll go get my stuff ready,¡± Ian said while standing. ¡°You need to bring anything, Sarah?¡±


    ¡°No, not really... I just have something I need to take care of before I can go anywhere,¡± Sarah answered with a thoughtful look in her emerald-colored eyes.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Ian muttered.


    ¡°Meet us at the Southern Gate at sunrise, then,¡± Gaelan instructed.


    ¡°Okay, I''ll be there,¡± Sarah said, nodding. Since that was settled, she chugged the rest of her coffee before walking over to the door. ¡°Oh, Ian?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Another pained smile spread across her lips as she said, ¡°It was good to see you again.¡±

 Chapter 26 Volume 1: Behind Closed Doors Scene Six

    Edmund opened his eyes. As usual, he woke before the break of dawn. Wind whistled outside the rounded stone walls of the tower he had called home for all of his twenty-two long years of life. The wooden shutters covering the single window in the middle of the outer wall creaked and rattled. Thin streaks of moonlight streamed through the cracks, bringing a soft glow to the otherwise pitch dark room.


    Shivering due to the morning chill, he hesitated to pull back the quilt which Ian had given him a few weeks earlier. The soft fabric had surprised him at first. Thinking back, he recalled the moment when Gaelan suddenly appeared at the castle two fortnights ago. Initially, he was startled when the man he thought of as more of a father figure than his own birth father showed up just to ask him to train his new apprentice. Edmund only accepted the request at the time due to curiosity about what kind of person could convince the stubborn blacksmith to change his stance on never taking apprentices. It was only supposed to be a one-time thing. Now, after more than a month of training the weakling every other day, he found himself wondering whether or not he could call Ian a friend. Growing up without any friends of his own left him without any comparisons. What exactly was a friend, anyway?


    After listening to the wind for a few minutes in reflective contemplation, he threw the covers to the side and swung his feet off the bed. He breathed deeply through his nostrils before exhaling a visible mist of air. It reminded him that summer was nearing its end. Harvest season was almost upon them. Bandit subjugation missions would likely start popping up any day now. His lips curved upward at the prospect of completing them.


    Since he needed to head to the Guild office, he stood and stretched, yawning in the process. The straw mattress groaned upon being freed from his weight. Following his morning routine, he waved a hand toward a bowl of water on the shabby nightstand at the end of his bed while stepping toward the armor stand in the corner furthest from the door. Six steps, to be precise, just like every other morning. He stopped directly in front of the stand just in time for the suspended stream of water to reach his outstretched palm. It bubbled into a spherical form as though forming an amorphous third limb, an extension of his own body. Under his will, it floated to his face and swirled over his skin. The frigid embrace from the airborne ball of water eliminated any remaining grogginess from his mind while he lifted the black hunting cloak and garbs from the armor stand. While sliding on the pants, he waved the ball of water back to its bowl. After adorning the rest of his garments, he retrieved all of his pouches and weapons from a nearby wooden table, worn and splintered from decades of sitting in this room. He also grabbed the large waterskin from the floor below the table.


    Fully prepared, he approached the window and unlocked the shutters. Unsurprisingly, the wind swung them wide open. He caught one in each hand since he did not want to replace them again. He then climbed onto the windowsil and carefully pulled the shutters tight behind him.


    Standing on the small ledge which jutted out from beneath the window, he looked down at the large river which wound past this side of the Ursa Keep. The wind instantly blew his hood off and whipped at his hair.


    A sudden rap on the door to his room nearly startled him into falling of the ledge. An angry voice yelled from the other side.


    ¡°Hey! Edmund, you little sack of skat! If you''re in there, then get out here so I can have someone to practice on!¡±


    Baldrik¡­


    Grimacing, Edmund ignored his half-brother¡¯s spiteful words and dove from the ledge without a second thought.


    As his body sliced through the air like an arrow, he released all the water from his waterskin and wrapped it around himself. All the sounds of early morning became muffled within the liquid shield. Moments before crashing into the river, he extended a portion of his shield toward the surface, connecting the body of water to his own. Without breaking momentum, he extended his control to the river itself and used the current to angle his body enough to smoothly glide through the water, barely avoiding a collision with the stone-ridden riverbed. A dull splash echoed deeply from behind him where he initially jumped in. Bubbles surged past in every direction as he pushed himself downstream with the undercurrents generated at his will. His initial momentum from plunging several stories through the air gradually slowed to the speed of a horse¡¯s gallop. Higher speeds were still impossible to maintain with his current Affinity level and fortitude.


    Every so often, he propelled his body to the surface in order to breathe. Occasionally, it would startle a passerby. The action probably made him look like some sort of flying fish from afar. Most people with water affinity never traveled this way due to the generally unnecessary mental strain, so it tended to take others by surprise. However, their thoughts did not matter. This was training. The more he forced himself to use Water Affinity, the sooner he would reach the coveted title of Magi. Then, and only then, could he make a fool of those who mocked him over the years. Imagining Baldrik one day groveling at his feet especially motivated him to push his body and mind beyond its limits on a regular basis.


    Before he knew it, the familiar star-shaped boulder, which had remained lodged in the riverbed behind the Adventurer¡¯s guild for as long as he could remember, came into view. Using his self-generated currents, he streaked toward the surface and broke through into the air. He cartwheeled onto the manmade cobblestone riverbank. Most of the bubble he used to keep himself dry underwater returned to its place in the waterskin. Any excess was returned to the river. Every movement was executed with practiced fluidity. Despite that, he breathed deeply multiple times to catch his breath from the exertion on his mind and body while using his sleeve to wipe away the thin layer of sweat on his forehead. Taking inspiration from Ian, he stretched before moving on. The simple act made a surprising amount of difference.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Edmund glanced upward at the grandiose steeple of the Church of Lucem across the river. The crystalline, seven-pointed star at the top reflected the light of the stars still hovering in the sky before sunrise. It was always a sight to behold. Although he did not put much stock in many of the church¡¯s teachings, he respectfully pressed two fingers, index and middle, to his forehead. A second later, he raised them toward the sky before pulling his hand down in a straight line. Every time he did it, he wondered what the action meant. He doubted anyone did.


    With the religious salute out of the way, he meandered toward the rear gate of the Adventurer Guild, a building equal in splendor to the church, but twice the size. The difference in size displayed the priorities of the populace, or at least their court representatives. He honestly did not care either way. He simply set the strange thought aside and stepped through the gate, all the while hoping to find some interesting requests to fulfill while Ian was out of town.


    * * * * *


    Around the same time Edmund entered the grounds of the Adventurer Guild, Sarah slammed onto the floor after rolling off the bed in her sleep. Immediately, she bounded to her feet and pulled all the water molecules in the room to her side to form a handful of ice shards. It took several seconds for her to figure out she was safe in her own room, small as it was. Sighing, she dissolved the shards back into the atmosphere, returning the already lacking humidity to the stuffy air.


    A quick glance toward the small window above her bed made her realize she woke up before sunrise¡­ again. She couldn¡¯t recall the last time she slept restfully through the night. The thought of returning to Earth for the first time in years only made it worse, considering she had rolled around nervously for hours before falling asleep. She didn¡¯t even know why she agreed to go. There was nothing there for her anymore.


    Like the night before, a wave of nervous nausea crept up on her. Groaning, she sat on the edge of her bed and hung her head while waiting for it to pass. Meanwhile, she glanced over at the drawer of her old wooden nightstand. For a few moments, she hesitated to open it, but she eventually did. It took some jostling to force it open. She then reached in and pulled out a small black pouch. From within the pouch, she removed a small camcorder. Several minutes passed as she stared at it. In a way, she regretted keeping it, but she could never bring herself to throw it away. It had been such a large part of her life. It also led her to falling into this world. While fixated on it, she couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous of Ian. From her perspective, it looked like a decent life here had been handed to him on a silver platter, whereas she struggled to get off the streets for more than a year.


    Angry at herself for thinking such a thing, she hastily returned the long dead camcorder and pouch to their dusty place in the drawer. Cursing under her breath, she slammed the drawer shut tight in the vain hope that it would never open again. Tears began rolling from her eyes. Emotional pain siezed her heart. She wished she could truly feel happy to see Ian again. She truly did.


    Moments later, before she could process her emotions, someone knocked loudly on the door.


    ¡°Sarah? You alright?¡± Valerrie asked from the other side. ¡°I heard a crashing sound from downstairs.¡±


    Struggling to wipe away any evidence of crying, Sarah answered, ¡°Yeah, I just fell off the bed.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Well, let me know when you¡¯re ready to head to the orphanage, okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sarah listened carefully as her friend¡¯s footsteps descended the rickety stairway outside her room. Each creak grew further away step by step. She appreciated the woman¡¯s constant worrying from time to time, but sometimes it just came across as overbearing.


    With her friend out of earshot, she breathed in deeply through her nose and out through her mouth. She pursed her lips as she tried to muster the motivation to prepare for her little journey. Today was going to be a long day.


    At sunrise, Sarah and Valerrie walked to the nearby orphanage. Sarah carried a wrapped package in solemn silence.


    When they arrived at the front gate, they could already hear the playful chatter of children running amok in the small courtyard. Sarah couldn¡¯t help glancing through the fence toward the children while waiting for the priestess to greet them. It only took a moment to spot the wild and unkempt red hair of a young boy stumbling about with a face full of laughter. A lump formed in her throat. Seeing the boy always confused her heart. It was always a contradictory mix of happiness and regret. Luckily, the priestess arrived at the gate before any memories could overwhelm her.


    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Miss Sarah,¡± the quaint woman garbed in white linen robes said. ¡°I thought you might show up today.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Well, I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Is that for Clayton?¡± the priestess asked.


    ¡°It is,¡± Sarah answered while handing over the top of the gate.


    The priestess took the package and examined it for a moment before returning her attention to Sarah and asking, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to see him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s best this way.¡±


    Sarah¡¯s words sounded hollow to her own ears. There was no conviction in them.


    ¡°If you say so¡­¡± the priestess dejectedly replied. She obviously did not believe there was any truth in Sarah¡¯s statement but refrained from pursuing the topic.


    After one last glance at the redheaded child, Sarah bid farewell to the priestess and spun on her toes. Pain clenched her heart as she walked away. Behind her, Valerrie followed with a concerned expression. She only knew how to give her friend some space to think.


    Without a single word spoken between them, they eventually arrived at the guild headquarters.


    ¡°I suppose I won¡¯t see you for a few days,¡± Valerrie said.


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±


    ¡°Make sure you take care of yourself, then. Don¡¯t do anything too reckless.¡±


    Sarah barely smiled. ¡°You too.¡±


    The two gave each other a farewell hug before going their separate ways. Valerrie entered the guild while Sarah headed toward the southern gate.

 Chapter 27 Volume 1: Behind Closed Doors Scene Seven

    The sun slowly rose above the horizon, casting long shadows across the city of Conncinnata. Exotic violet-feathered pigeons cooed from the rooftops. People with bags under their eyes meandered along the streets. Most of which were heading to workplaces. Among the people was a group of three traveling down the main road drawing curious glances from others.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ these sacks are heavy,¡± Ian groaned.


    Gaelan chuckled and said, ¡°Just think of it as extra training.¡±


    ¡°But why do I have to carry your stuff too?!¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ I can carry my own luggage if it¡¯s too much for you, Mister Ian,¡± Bianca offered with concern radiating from her eyes.


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine,¡± Ian muttered without thinking. He inwardly cursed himself for feeling like he needed to maintain a strong appearance in front of her. Although, even without his useless pride, he probably would have said the same thing. After all, Bianca had walked with an excited spring to her step from the moment she woke up this morning. Even Ian could tell she was looking forward to this small adventure he took for granted.


    Suddenly, Gaelan stiffened, much to Ian¡¯s surprise. Wondering what was up, Ian followed Gaelan¡¯s gaze until his eyes landed on a familiar face. A bear of a man with blond hair and blue eyes also noticed them and altered his course in order to cross paths with them. The man grinned, but his eyes glowed with a competitive ferocity. Within moments, they were standing face to face.


    ¡°My, my. If it isn¡¯t the famous Master Marlow himself!¡± Allon Smithson exclaimed, slamming his hand onto Gaelan¡¯s shoulder with enough force to crack the street.


    Not budging an inch despite the powerful slap, Gaelan returned the favor with equal strength and replied, ¡°Oho~ It seems the equally famous Master Smithson is in a good mood this morning.¡±


    Startled, Ian stared at the two burly smiths who were clasping each other¡¯s shoulders with enough strength to snap a tree in half. Then, he glanced at the cracks that spread through the cobblestone from their firmly planted feet. Sweat formed on his forehead. A simple movement from these guys cracked the street. He knew they were strong, but it still caught him off guard. On the other hand, Bianca sighed and stepped back a few meters as though she had seen this many times before. Ian assumed it was for a good reason and followed suit.


    ¡°Sorry, Mister Ian. Dad and Mister Smithson are a little feisty whenever they meet.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I can see that.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t this a little beyond feisty, though? The ground even rumbled slightly. Ian widened his eyes upon feeling the influence of both Gaelan¡¯s and Allon¡¯s Earth Affinity in the earth below their feet competing for control. The soil beneath the cobblestone groaned as though being torn apart. The commotion even drew the attention of strangers.


    Eventually, Allon noticed the two off to the side and without breaking concentration said, ¡°Well, hello there young miss, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it has,¡± Bianca replied, smiling politely. As she continued speaking, Ian couldn¡¯t help thinking she looked like a doll with an unchanging expression. ¡°You look well, Mister Smithson.¡±


    ¡°Why thank you. And¡­ Aren¡¯t you Ian?¡± Smithson asked, raising a brow. A perplexed expression slid onto his face. His concentration broke just enough for Gaelan to take advantage of the moment and push him back a step while smirking like an evil villain.


    ¡°Yeah, nice to see you again,¡± Ian answered.


    ¡°You¡¯re with this old man, so¡­ he took you as an apprentice? I¡¯m shocked.¡±


    You don¡¯t look shocked, Ian thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you have room to speak to them, Master Smithson,¡± Gaelan chided with a condescending tone.


    ¡°Obviously, I have the upper hand and, therefore, the luxury to speak with other people, Master Marlow. You, however, seem to be struggling?¡±


    ¡°Hoh~ You must be in a good mood to be joking so early in the morning!¡±


    Ian leaned toward Bianca and quietly asked, ¡°Will this take a while?¡±


    In response, Bianca tilted her head thoughtfully and answered, ¡°Um¡­ probably not?¡±


    Eyebrows furrowed, Ian thought, What¡¯s with the uncertain response?


    Meanwhile, Gaelan glared into Smithson¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Unfortunately, I need to go with my apprentice and daughter somewhere and am in a hurry. Since you¡¯re going to lose anyway, do you mind giving up here?¡±


    Pushing back, Smithson retorted, ¡°Me? Lose? You jest. If you are in such a hurry, then perhaps you should give up.¡±


    ¡°Stubborn bag o¡¯ muscles. Just admit I¡¯m better and stronger than you.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha! Better at being a sore loser, are you?¡± Smithson retorted. The cracks in the ground spread further as he spoke.


    A vein popped out on Gaelan¡¯s forehead. Then, he grinned slyly and said, ¡°You should probably back off, friend.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    All of a sudden, a sharp crack sounded out from several meters behind Ian, Gaelan, and Bianca as a huge chunk of dirt and stone with the circumference of a grown man launched into the air. Everyone watching the scene was startled, especially Ian and Smithson since neither of them noticed Gaelan reaching out that far with his Earth Affinity.


    ¡°Like I said,¡± Gaelan repeated with a confident smile, ¡°you should probably back off.¡±


    The earthen boulder arced through the sky at an obscene angle until it almost vanished from sight. Then, it plummeted straight down toward Gaelan and Smithson with frightening velocity. Smithson¡¯s face paled at the sight.


    Returning his gaze to Gaelan, Allon Smithson frowned and said, ¡°You are crazy.¡±


    ¡°You should probably move, yeah?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to hit you as well. There¡¯s no way you can control it from that far away.¡±


    ¡°You underestimate my power!¡± Gaelan retorted with a chuckle.


    Ian¡¯s brows twitched at the statement. Did this guy happen to see that quote while messing around on his phone the last time they visited Earth?


    Smithson grimaced and replied, ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I did. Controlling earth from that distance is impossible even for those with High Affinity. We¡¯re both in for a world¡¯s worth of hurt.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all simple math, friend. Simple. Math. It¡¯ll squash you and I¡¯ll be barely okay.¡±


    That isn¡¯t simple math! Ian screamed in his head as he stared at the two men. This had gone way too far beyond ¡®fiesty¡¯. This was just plain deadly.


    The huge chunk of dirt and stone steadily plummeted toward Gaelan and Smithson. Everyone in the vicinity, including Ian and Bianca, paled while backing away. Ian worriedly looked at Allon Smithson. Was one of the few people who welcomed him to this unfamiliar land going to die today?


    Under the weight of Gaelan¡¯s confident gaze, Smithson finally decided to let go of his stubbornness. His influence quickly retreated from the earth and focused entirely on the ground just below him. At the last second, he glared at Gaelan one last time before launching himself backward with the stones beneath his feet.


    Ian blinked, and the next thing he knew, the boulder slammed into the street inches in front of Gaelan. The crash of the boulder colliding with the ground caused Ian to flinch while worrying for his mentor¡¯s safety. Debris exploded in every direction. People closest to the impact shielded their faces from the flying dirt and stone fragments with their arms. One person even strained while using Earth Affinity to form a small shield out of the street and ducked behind it.


    Nearby, Bianca muttered, ¡°Ugh. Mr. Smithson always brings the worst out of dad.¡±


    A shocked expression flashed across Ian¡¯s face at the unfamiliar tone in her voice. Then, he was more surprised when the cloud of debris and dust began to swirl around the point of impact while fusing back together. Riotous laughter could be heard from within the dust cloud.


    Ah, I didn¡¯t need to worry about this guy in the first place, Ian realized.


    A minute later, all the debris in the air collected back into a boulder under Gaelan¡¯s will. It rested next to him as though it had never smashed into the ground in the first place. If not for the two small craters where the boulder originated and crashed back into the ground, no evidence would be left behind. The people watching were startled by the level of control over the Earth element Gaelan displayed since barely any dust reached them.


    ¡°Now,¡± Gaelan said, focusing on Smithson, ¡°help me clean up.¡±


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Allon Smithson, one of the most distinguished blacksmiths in the human kingdom, sighed with a defeated expression and replied, ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Ian was surprised by this development. He didn¡¯t expect Smithson to agree so easily.


    Suddenly, Gaelan spun around, looked Ian dead in the eye, and said, ¡°You help too.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got Earth Affinity and you¡¯re my apprentice. It¡¯s only natural that you help clean up this mess Smithson made.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who made this mess,¡± Smithson corrected with a sigh. Then, he smiled in a friendly manner and added, ¡°That¡¯s just like you to push the responsibility on me, though.¡±


    Gaelan ignored the comment and asked Ian, ¡°You coming over here to help me or what?¡±


    Ian could only sigh while wondering if he chose the wrong mentor. Even so, he begrudgingly sauntered over and helped the two master blacksmiths return the road to its previous state. Well, they weren¡¯t artists, so it looked as unorganized as a Picasso painting. At least wagons could travel across it. By the time they finished, all the spectators had left. Most people had already arrived at their workplaces. Only a few people passed by occasionally but barely gave more than a curious glance at the three men and Bianca.


    ¡°You¡¯re as crazy as ever, you old geezer,¡± Smithson grumbled as soon as they finished. Then, he looked at Ian, who was sweating like a pig on a treadmill due to the exertion of Dark Matter that he still hadn¡¯t adjusted to, and said, ¡°You have surprisingly high Earth Affinity. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to come to my smithy instead of working under this guy?¡±


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine,¡± Ian said. He couldn¡¯t muster up any more words than that.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to bring him to the top,¡± Gaelan added.


    ¡°Top?¡±


    ¡°You have too many apprentices. His abilities won¡¯t shine under you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ That¡¯s quite the provocative statement,¡± Smithson muttered. Then, he faced Ian and said, ¡°Good luck working with this guy in the future, then.¡±


    Ian nodded weakly after wiping his brow with the neck of his shirt.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Smithson said, returning his attention to Gaelan, ¡°how have you been? I haven¡¯t seen you since the blacksmith competition a few months ago.¡±


    ¡°Things are going well. Got a few orders from the king recently. It seemed like he¡¯s trying to strengthen the knights.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I also got orders from his Majesty. It¡¯s all mass production weapons and armor, though.¡±


    Gaelan raised a brow. ¡°Really? That¡¯s odd, considering there haven¡¯t been any major conflicts recently.¡±


    ¡°I thought the same thing. It¡¯s not on the level of war preparation, but it makes me wonder what his Majesty is up to.¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that we have to do our jobs.¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    While the two blacksmiths conversed, Ian watched them with a confused expression. Weren¡¯t they at each others¡¯ throats only a few minutes ago? Suddenly, a breath tickled his ear as a young woman whispered to him. It was Bianca


    ¡°Um¡­ Although they don¡¯t seem like it, they are friends. They just have fierce competition as business rivals.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I guess that makes sense, but still¡­¡±


    Wasn¡¯t this too much to be considered a competition?


    While Ian was sighing about the relationship between the two smiths, Gaelan faced him and said, ¡°We probably shouldn¡¯t keep your friend waiting any longer.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. I forgot because of your antics.¡±


    Gaelan shrugged. Then he nodded toward Smithson and said, ¡°We have something to do, so I¡¯ll see you next time, Allon.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t throw a boulder at me the next time we meet.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Just remember you¡¯ll never beat me!¡±


    Smithson sighed but replied, ¡°I¡¯ll overtake you eventually. Still, it was good to see you in good health. Don¡¯t die before I take all your business.¡±


    With that, Ian, Gaelan, and Bianca waved goodbye to Smithson and resumed walking toward the Southern Gate. Ian wondered what kind of crazy people he got himself involved with along the way.

 Chapter 28 Volume 1: Behind Closed Doors Scene Eight

    Ian, Gaelan, and Bianca continued toward the gate where they found Sarah leaning against the stone wall. She was toting a leather sack that likely had supplies in it. However, in contrast to the civilian clothes that Ian, Gaelan, and Bianca were wearing, Sarah was wearing an impressive light armor set. Although not decorative, it''s bluish white sheen was very eye-catching. It was a similar color to the sky during a sunny day but was slightly less blue. Unfortunately, it appeared to have been scratched and chipped in battle many times and also had remnants of bloodstains on it here and there.


    ¡°Hoh~ it seems your friend has a set of mithril armor, Ian. She must have fought some tough opponents for it to get damaged, though,¡± Gaelan said, obviously impressed with the armor.


    ¡°So that''s mithril,¡± Ian said quietly while admiring the splendor of the armor Sarah was wearing. The dings, scratches, and inconspicuous bloodstains caught his attention, making him recall what Sarah had said about having it rough. It was a grim reminder that this world was much more dangerous than the comfortable land called Earth.


    When she saw the trio approaching, Sarah waved and moved to meet them halfway. Upon reaching them, she greeted them with a, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Mornin'',¡± Ian replied nonchalantly.


    ¡°Good morning, young lady,¡± Gaelan said.


    Bianca gave Sarah a nearly unnoticeable nod before saying, ¡°Good morning, Miss Sarah.¡±


    ¡°So, are we leaving right away?¡± Sarah asked. Her face looked somewhat anxious.


    ¡°Yeah, you alright with that?¡± Ian asked in return.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Just as the four were about to exit the city, a voice called out from behind them. ¡°Oh?! I see some familiar faces!¡±


    The four turned to see a hooded man garbed fully in black leather. At his waist was a short sword that had been forged by Gaelan and on his torso there were several holsters for daggers and throwing knives.


    ¡°Nightstalker?¡± Sarah asked pensively.


    ¡°Oh, it''s Ed,¡± Ian groaned as he recalled all the torturous physical training from the past month.


    In a moment, Edmund caught up to them and bowed politely. ¡°It is good to see all of you this fine morning.¡±


    ¡°Good to see you too, Edmund,¡± Gaelan said, grinning.


    Rising from his bow, Edmund looked at Ian and asked, ¡°I was under the impression that you were going home two days ago. Did you delay your departure?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I got into a scuffle with a hobgoblin and got injured,¡± Ian explained.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Edmund''s face lit up. ¡°Did my training come in handy at all?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it did. Thanks,¡± Ian answered.


    Leaning toward Ian, Sarah cupped her hand over her mouth and whispered in his ear, ¡°Do you know Nightstalker?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Nightstalker?¡± Ian asked aloud, slightly confused.


    ¡°Ah, that''s a nickname I somehow picked up while adventuring in my spare time,¡± Edmund clarified.


    ¡°But you know him?¡± Sarah whispered in his ear again.


    Ian nodded.


    ¡°Hmm... to think you know the Ice Queen,¡± Edmund said, calming down a bit. Beneath his hood, his curious blue eyes examined Sarah.


    ¡°Uh... what? Got a problem?¡± Sarah asked apprehensively.


    ¡°No, it''s just interesting,¡± Edmund answered, drawing a frustrated ''kek'' from Sarah. Continuing on, Edmund looked back to Ian and said, ¡°You really get around.¡±


    ¡°We were originally from the same place.¡± Ian pointed out. Hearing this, Edmund''s eyes lit up.


    Meanwhile, Bianca looked at the others who were talking but had no idea how to join the conversation, or even if she should try to participate in the first place. Both Edmund¡¯s and Sarah¡¯s minds felt like whirlwinds of suffering. As a result, she began fidgeting due to the uncomfortable images.


    ¡°Well, it was good to see you, Edmund,¡± Gaelan said, ¡°but we should probably get going since it is a decently long journey.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Edmund said, his eyes turning downcast. ¡°In that case, have a good trip.¡±


    ¡°See ya, Ed.¡± Ian said.


    Sarah gave ''Nightstalker'' a hesitant nod while Bianca gave him a barely noticeable wave.


    With that, the group of four began to walk away, leaving Edmund alone. However, a thought popped into his head that made him perk up. ¡°Hey, do mind if I go with you?¡± He asked excitedly. Although it meant delaying the missions he just obtained from the Adventurer¡¯s guild, going with Ian¡¯s group seemed like a good opportunity to distract himself from the annoyances back home.


    Once more, Ian, Gaelan, Bianca, and Sarah turned to face the young man. Then, they all looked at each other.


    Facing Ian, Gaelan said, ¡°It''s up to you, kid. It''s your home, after all.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Ian thought for a moment. ¡°I guess it''s not a problem as long as he doesn''t make a scene over there.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Edmund exclaimed in celebration, bowing slightly.


    ¡°Not causing trouble? Good luck with that,¡± Gaelan said, grinning.


    ¡°Hahahaha! Good one!¡± Edmund replied. At least he knew how to laugh at himself.


    ¡°I wonder if the group will grow any more...¡± Sarah muttered with brows furrowed. With the addition of Nightstalker, whom she had just now discovered was named Edmund, she was already beginning to feel uncomfortable.


    Now a five person group, they exited Conncinnanta and headed south into the forest. After joining, Edmund made the trip far more lively. He pointed out places where he had gotten into scuffles with jealous adventurers and strong monsters. He also pointed out to Ian some herbs and edible berries that he could use in an emergency.


    Around midday, Sarah realized where they were heading and asked, ¡°Uh, you know we are going straight toward Mount Sacris, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Yeah, that''s where the portal is,¡± Ian answered.


    ¡°What?! Are you serious?¡± Sarah was evidently startled. ¡°You mean you can go up there?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°You can cross the barrier?¡± Edmund inquired.


    ¡°I guess. I didn''t even know there was one until Gaelan mentioned it before,¡± Ian answered with a shrug.


    ¡°Oh, I see...¡± Edmund trailed off. For the first time during the trip, he fell silent. Based on his expression, Ian figured he was pondering something.


    After that short exchange, the group quietly ventured toward the mountain. Upon reaching the initial slope at the bottom, Edmund said, ¡°This is about the farthest anyone has been able to go until now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sarah chimed in, ¡°I''ve tried coming here before, but couldn''t go up at all. It was like there was an invisible wall.¡±


    ¡°Edmund,¡± Gaelan spoke seriously, ¡°don''t be too surprised about Ian''s home later.¡±


    Looking at Gaelan with a confused expression, Edmund said, ¡°Well, I did think it was weird that we were going to Mount Sacris... and that Ian and the Ice Queen wer-


    ¡°Sarah,¡± Sarah corrected.


    ¡°Uh... yes.¡± Edmund resumed his sentence. ¡°-that Ian and Sarah were from the same place but she seemed unsure of the direction while Ian was aware of it.¡±


    ¡°I guess that was strange, huh?¡± Ian asked.


    ¡°Very,¡± Edmund replied with a nod. ¡°However, it doesn¡¯t bother me if you don''t explain it. I''ll just find out the reason for the inconsistencies later.¡±


    ¡°Inconsistencies,¡± Gaelan muttered. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of that. You might want a good cover story, Ian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it is something I can come up with later,¡± Ian replied. ¡°Let''s go.¡±


    Once again, the group of five moved onward. Ian followed the path he had marked a month ago, leading the group up the mountainside. Along the way, both Sarah and Edmund were looking around curiously. Although the surroundings might not have been any different, they both felt strange walking on previously untrodden ground. On the other hand, Gaelan and Bianca both followed directly behind Ian without any qualms.


    While crossing over a small downhill stream that Ian had barely taken note of before, he saw Bianca trip in his peripheral vision. Even with heavy travel sacks strapped to his back, he quickly turned to catch her. During the action, a brief thought of glamorously catching her like a hero flashed through his mind, but reality was never kind. When he tried to catch her, he slipped on a damp rock and fell sideways. Well, he did break Bianca''s fall, but he ended up falling into the stream. Although Bianca was not heavy, his personal backpack had lots of hard objects in it which were painful to lie on top of. Luckily, the stream was only a few centimeters deep and less than a meter wide, so only his backpack and some of his shirt were wet.


    ¡°Uuu~ sorry Mister Ian,¡± Bianca apologized while still lying on top of him. Nearby, Ian could hear Edmund laughing.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Gaelan asked, stepping over to them. Ian noticed that the question was directed more at Bianca than himself.


    ¡°Yes, dad. Thank you, Mister Ian,¡± Bianca replied to her father and thanked Ian at the same time.


    ¡°No problem.¡± Ian groaned. On the inside, he thought, Are you going to get off me now? This is rather uncomfortable for me. Then, he found himself looking into Bianca''s eyes that were the same purple as the sky when the sun is about to sink behind the horizon. Normally, he did not pay much attention to it, but her eyes were dreamy. Not only that, they looked mature, like the eyes of one who has seen and experienced many things.


    ¡°Let me help you up,¡± Gaelan said while extending a hand toward his daughter. Removing her gaze from Ian, Bianca grabbed her father''s outstretched hand. A moment later, she was standing next to her father and looking down at Ian who was still lying with his upper body in the shallow stream and his legs  on the grass. During that short moment when their eyes had been within a few centimeters of each other, she had tried to peek into Ian''s mind, but was once again unable to see anything. For some reason, it was much like her mother''s mind. Deep down, she decided to one day see deep within both of their hearts. She had always wanted to see her mother''s in order to have a closer relationship with her, and now wanted to see Ian''s because, well, she was curious as to why she could not see within his mind.


    Down on the ground, Ian sighed. ¡°Nobody wants to help me up?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Gaelan answered.


    ¡°Do it yourself,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°Haha! I''ll help you, Ian,¡± Edmund said, stepping over. Just like Gaelan had done for Bianca, Edmund helped Ian up.


    ¡°Thanks, bro,¡± Ian said.


    ¡°Bro?¡± Edmund was confused by the strange title. ¡°We aren''t brothers, though.¡±


    ¡°Don''t have to be,¡± Ian replied. He had forgotten that the people of Regnoras did not always use the same terminology. ¡°Where I''m from, we say ''brother from another mother'' or something. Basically, you don''t have to be brothers to act like one.¡±


    ¡°Oh. That''s interesting. It¡¯s like being sworn blood brothers,¡± Edmund said. He crossed his arms, put one hand on his chin, and nodded like he just comprehended something profound. ¡°We don''t have to be brothers to treat each other like brothers. I like that.¡±


    This guy... taking it like the greatest philosophical idea of the century... Ian thought.


    ¡°So are we going or what?¡± Sarah asked, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Haaah... yeah,¡± Ian said.


    With the short delay out of the way, Ian resumed leading the group toward the cave under the afternoon sun. Upon reaching it, Sarah shivered and asked, ¡°Do we have to go in there?¡±


    ¡°What? Are you claustrophobic?¡± Ian asked in return.


    ¡°Uh... no?¡± Sarah answered while averting her gaze.


    Yep. She''s claustrophobic, Ian concluded.


    When Ian turned on his flashlight, Bianca and Edmund both looked at it with wide eyes.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Edmund asked.


    ¡°It''s like a torch, but better,¡± Ian explained. He had learned from his experience with Gaelan to give explanations that did not leave them with more questions.


    With that, Ian led the way through the tunnel. He entered first, followed by Bianca, then Sarah, then Edmund, then Gaelan. A few minutes later, Ian arrived at the crawlspace which Gaelan previously widened and stopped. Turning to the others, he said, ¡°I will go through first, so make sure to follow behind me.¡±


    In response, the others nodded.


    ¡°Did you explore this whole cave?¡± Edmund inquired.


    ¡°Not yet, but I would like to after I get established as a blacksmith,¡± Ian answered.


    ¡°Oh, I see. Let me know when you do. It seems like it would be fun,¡± Edmund said, grinning with childish excitement.


    ¡°You guys are crazy...¡± Sarah muttered.


    ¡°Alright, follow closely,¡± Ian said, ignoring Sarah''s remark.


    With that, Ian ducked slightly and began walking through the tunnel. The others quietly followed, though Sarah grimaced along the way. The tunnel caused her to feel uncomfortable. When they reached the other end, Ian waited until the other four made it to the cave with the portal in it. Once Gaelan appeared, Ian walked over to the portal and asked Gaelan, ¡°Do you want do demonstrate?¡±


    With a shrug, Gaelan said, ¡°Sure, why not?¡± Without hesitation, he jumped through the portal, startling the other three.


    ¡°Holy sh*t! Is that really a portal?!¡± Sarah exclaimed. Her cursing drew the attention of both Bianca and Edmund, but they were currently more focused on the fact that Gaelan had just disappeared.


    ¡°Who is next?¡± Ian asked, smiling at the reactions of the three.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll go,¡± Sarah volunteered, sticking a hand into the air. She completely forgot about her claustrophobia at this moment due to how startled she was by the existence of a portal besides the one which brought her to Regnoras in the first place.


    ¡°Go for it, then,¡± Ian said.


    Sarah trotted up to the portal and stuck her hand through. ¡°Oh my god. It¡¯s real.¡± Then, she stepped all the way through.


    Ian looked at Edmund and Bianca. As he suspected, Edmund stepped forward.


    ¡°Guess I''ll go next,¡± Edmund said, shrugging. He too stepped through the portal, although not without playing with it a bit first. His eyes glowed with avid curiosity under the light of Ian¡¯s flashlight.


    ¡°So, Bianca? Do you need me to hold your hand?¡± Ian asked with a joking grin.


    ¡°Um... n- ¡­um... yes...¡±


    ¡°What? Are you serious?¡± Ian asked. He was a bit taken aback.


    In response, Bianca looked at him and nodded. Although Ian was confused, Bianca was actually thinking that holding his hand might allow her to get a better glimpse into his mind. It was not because she simply wanted to try holding a man¡¯s hand or anything.


    ¡°Haaah... okay. Hopefully Gaelan won''t get mad...¡± Ian muttered to himself. Then, he held out his empty hand for the girl in front of him which she grabbed with slight hesitation. Once their hands were locked together, Ian led her through the portal. As he had suspected, Gaelan glared at them as soon as they arrived in the apartment bedroom. As a result, he immediately let go of Bianca''s hand. Meanwhile, Edmund was looking at all of the furniture in awe while Sarah simply stared at it blankly.


    ¡°So, I was thinking Sarah and Bianca could sleep in here while Gaelan, Edmund, and I sleep in the living room. Sound good?¡± Ian suggested. Everyone else agreed.


    Since it was evening, Ian got everything ready for several people to sleep. First he got some blankets and pillows for Gaelan, Edmund, and himself. It was certainly good that he had bought extra during the last Earth-bound trip with the thought that something like this might happen. Then, while Sarah was showing Bianca how to use the shower, Ian brought fresh bedding into his bedroom for them to use. After finishing, he looked toward the portal while thinking about how much his life had been moving forward since it appeared.


    ¡°...¡± Ian was silent for a moment. His eyes weren''t playing tricks on him, were they? As worry rose within his heart, he rubbed his eyes and looked again. Unfortunately, his eyes were not playing tricks. The portal was gone.