Chapter 15
After what felt like hours of wandering in circles, I finally stumbled back to the cabin. By then, night had fully settled.
Every muscle in my body still ached from the fight earlier. In the distance, I spotted the old man pacing near the treeline, his eyes scanning the dark. He looked ready to rush into the forest before his gaze found me.
Without delay, he rushed at me.
“Caelith! Where in the world have you been?! And what happened to you?!”
“An ogre suddenly appeared while I was hunting goblins.” I didn’t have the strength to explain further.
“Ogre?!” His eyes went wide. “Didn’t I tell you not to go deep into the forest?! What happened to it? How did you survive?”
I met his gaze, too exhausted to muster anything more than a flat answer.
“I killed it.”
“Come again?”
“I said I killed it, Gramps. Why are you staring at me lik—ACK?!”
I felt a sharp pain in my forehead as the old man gave me a hard flick.
“What was that for?!” I shot back, annoyed.
“You little brat, do you even realize what you just did?” he continued, his voice in disbelief. “You killed a creature that most third-level core mages have trouble dealing with. I don’t want to know how you managed to do it alone”
‘Not like I want to get into details either way.’
I waved my hand. “Can we not do this right now? I barely made it out alive. The last thing I need is a lecture.”
“Oh, now you understand?” He sighed. “Caelith, with that reckless attitude of yours, you're bound to get killed one day.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll keep that in mind… Right, I still have to ask—what are these?” I took out the crystals from my pocket, showing them to him.
The old man’s eyes flicked to them, and he rolled his eyes in irritation, clearly seeing that I was trying to change the topic.
“Those are mana shards.”
“Mana shards?”
“Remember when I told you Wraiths are physical manifestations of mana?” the old man asked. “When they die, the mana that forms their body doesn’t just disappear. It condenses into these crystals.”
“What can I use these for then?”
“You can absorb the mana within them to strengthen your own core. But I don’t suggest doing it right now.”
“Right, I still have my exam tomorrow,” I muttered, tucking the mana shards back into my pocket.
“Before you go, Caelith, I have a question I’ve been meaning to ask.”
I leaned my head slightly. “Hm?”
“Why do you keep pushing yourself so hard for Ascalon?”
I stood still for a moment, taking in his question. Now that I thought about it, I’d never really put much thought into that.
“I…don’t know, to be honest,” I admitted, my eyes drifting to the night sky. The stars shimmered quietly above. “Maybe I just want a better life for me and my sister… I’m not really sure yet.”
“I see,” he said, nodding slowly. “Take this, it’ll heal most of your injuries.”
He threw a potion at me, “Good luck on your exams tomorrow, Caelith.”
“Thanks, Gramps.” I murmured, chugging the content down
The next morning, I made my way back to the blacksmith to pick up my sword. Today was finally the day of the exam, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about it.
I pushed open the door, the familiar scent of metal and coal immediately washing over me. The blacksmith’s eyes lit up the moment he saw me.
“Ah, you’re here, kid! Perfect timing—I just finished your sword.”
He reached behind the counter and held it out with both hands. To my surprise, he’d even added a scabbard along with it.
I wrapped my fingers around the hilt and slowly drew the blade. Compared to before, all the rust was gone. The steel gleamed with a silvery sheen, and faint, flowing patterns shimmered along its surface.
“How’d you like it? Took me ages to bring it back to its full glory.”
“It’s perfect…” I whispered, my eyes still locked on the sword as my fingers traced along the edge of the blade.
‘Ack-’
A sharp pain shot through my finger, and I yanked my hand back, a thin line of blood started trickling down.
‘That’s sharp…gotta be careful with this thing.’
I inspected further, strangely enough, the blood seemed to be drawn into the blade, as if the sword itself were absorbing it.
‘What is this?’ My eyes widened as I watched the blood completely vanish into the blade, the faint patterns along its surface start glowing.
A voice suddenly snapped me out of my trance.
“Hey, kid, do you hear me? You’ve been staring at that thing for a while now.”
“H-huh? Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, sheathing the sword. “Did you say something, boss?”
He let out a low grunt. “I was asking if you were planning on giving that sword a name.”
“A name, huh… let me think…”
It didn’t take long before a name popped up in my mind.
“Ah! I got it. Why not call it Balmung?” I said with a small smile.
The sword trembled faintly in my hand as soon as the name left my mouth.
“Interesting name, kid… it’s not my place to judge.” He shrugged. “If you got anything else that needs to be fixed, just bring it here, though it won’t be free next time.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you again.”
Slipping the scabbard behind my back, I stepped outside and headed toward the courtyard where the exam was being held. Compared to last week, the place had been completely transformed.
In the back, Professor Lucian and the other instructors busily set up the testing area, casting spells fortifying the surroundings.
“Hey, are you ready for the exam?” one student whispered to his friend.
“Hell no! I’m still nervous as hell, even after training nonstop all last week.”
“Yo, check out that guy—did he bring a sword? This is a magic exam.”
“Who cares? Bet he thinks he’s some kind of hero or something.”
I walked past them, ignoring their whispers and curious stares, and settled beneath the shade.
‘Now, where is that idiot Kaelo—’
“Tch, if it isn’t the commoner trash,” a disdainful voice sneered.
I twisted my head toward the source and my face immediately sour. I almost forgot this annoying bastard existed.
There was Dorian, striding confidently, flanked by his three equally insufferable lackeys.
“Can I help you, O great noble one?” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
His face flushed red as he lunged forward, seizing my collar. “Watch your tone, trash! Did you really think I’d just let you off after what happened last time?”
“Ah, you mean that time I knocked you out with a single hit?” I replied, tilting my head ever so slightly.
“Y-YOU!” he sputtered.
“What? Planning on starting another fight?” I said coolly, staring him down with a threatening gaze. “Or did you already forget how that ended for you?”
His glare intensified, as though he wanted nothing more than to just kill me right here and now, tightening the grip on my collar. People were already beginning to shift their attention our way.
Finally, he let go, shoving me aside.
“We’re leaving,” he spat, glaring back at me one last time before turning to his three lackeys, who scurried after him.
I nonchalantly patted at my collar, straightening it as if nothing had happened, before I saw who was in front of me and let out a quiet sigh.
“Well damn… I was expecting them to start throwing hands.”
Kaelon stood there with his arm crossed, watching me with a smug grin.
‘This bastard’s been watching the whole damn time…’
“Thanks a lot for the help,” I remarked, “You really just stood there and watched.”
“Come on, don’t act like that. If they’d actually thrown a punch, I’d have been there in a heartbeat. You know you can trust me,” he replied slyly.
‘Trust? The last thing I trust is you.’
…
Dorian and his lackeys retreated to a secluded corner of the courtyard, where he slammed his fist into the wall in frustration.
“D-Dorian… are you really just going to let that commoner walk away?” one of his lackeys stammered.
SMACK
“You really think that?” Dorian snapped, slapping him across the face.
Lackey One’s anger rose, but he swallowed his indignation. “Then… what do we do?”
“Shut up and let me think.”
After a moment, a nasty grin spread across his face, the gears in his head turning.
“Once the exams are over, I want you to dig up everything about that commoner—family, friends, secrets—I don’t care. Find it.”
His three lackeys smirked, exchanging sly glances with one another.
“As you command, Sir Dorian. That lowly commoner won’t dare act arrogant in front of us nobles again.”
