Summer was almost over, and the lessons of House Sholod were likely to be concluded before autumn arrived.
Yuric planned to leave Acrocadena once he finished his classes. This was because the ruins of the lost Magic City, Berjik, were still much further east from here.
Brett looked very reluctant upon learning that Yuric would soon depart. He was no less than a true magic master to the boy.
“Surely we will meet again, Young Master.”
“Yes, I will become a great mage…! And later, I will definitely show you the potion I made!”
“I look forward to it.”
Brett, who had thoroughly grasped the fundamental principles of magic, could now study sufficiently on his own. However, if he encountered any difficulties, he could refer to the books in the library or seek help from high-ranking mages.
In fact, Baron Sholod had achieved an even more astonishing growth.
Just a few months ago, the Baron, who knew nothing about illusion magic, could now use fairly advanced illusion spells. The Baron, who had always believed that magic was only meaningful for combat spells, no longer talked incessantly about alchemy with Brett.
“Thank you, teacher… I have walked the path of combat magic all my life. But learning and mastering illusion magic this time has made me deeply consider what the true utility of magic really is.”
Yuric smiled slightly and bowed his head.
“It’s truly fortunate that His Grace is satisfied.”
“If the teacher leaves, it will truly be heartrending.”
“Where there is a meeting, there is also a parting, and where there is a parting, there will be another meeting.”
“Yes, that is the way of life.”
The two men shook hands firmly. It was a handshake between those who had not only discussed magic lessons but also the meaning of life.
And Yuric enjoyed a happy and pleasant dinner with the Sholod family, departing from Acrocadena two days later.
At dawn, the carriage station was bustling with mercenaries and mages. Many appeared to be students from the magic academy, proudly displaying their exclusive badges on their chests. For young men like them, such identification meant a sense of belonging.
This time, four transport carriages moved together as usual. Although the spring had passed and the attacks by monsters had decreased, the eastern regions were never completely safe. Not long ago, a group of monsters had attacked, wiping out an entire caravan.
“It seems like something big is about to happen.”
Mercenaries, who loved rumors and superstitions, started talking enthusiastically as soon as the carriages began moving. Of course, Yuric found their stories interesting. Some were preposterous, while others seemed quite plausible.
Living beside dense forests and deep mountain ranges, the scenery in the east was truly breathtaking. The painter Yuric couldn’t just stand by and watch; he sketched skillfully even inside the moving carriage. People often peeked at his drawings, curious about what a student from the magic academy might draw.
Yuric had to pass through three villages before reaching the next city, taking roughly a week. He would also need to camp for about three days along the way.
Thus, Yuric arrived at the last stronghold and major city of the east, 【Lianther】.
Lianther, ruled by the Eastern Border Count, was practically the capital of the east. Due to the tendency of people in the east to cluster together to defend against monsters, Lianther housed nearly half a million people, making its city walls immensely vast. No wonder the people called it the last stronghold.
Naturally, with so many people and plenty of work, the mercenary guild’s status here was as high as in the south. There were three guild buildings alone, and there were seemingly hundreds of mercenaries loitering nearby looking for jobs. Despite this, there was no shortage of work.
Of course, since Yuric still had a full purse, exploring the city was his top priority rather than finding work.
In the grand square of Lianther stood a massive statue of a goddess pouring water from a vase onto her shoulder. When asked, the locals explained it was a statue symbolizing the god of hot springs. The people of the east seemed to believe more in the god of hot springs than in divine spirits.
As expected, Lianther had numerous hot springs, fortunately with affordable fees. The border count ensured low fees so that many could enjoy the hot springs. Thanks to this, Yuric could enjoy the hot springs without worry.
And when sitting in the hot springs, one naturally heard various rumors. Most of them were about monster sightings, of course.
There was also a branch of the Mage Tower in Lianther, though it wasn’t as active as other branches. Easterners, who preferred attack magic, tended to enroll in magic academies that offered immediate combat training, rather than in the Mage Tower, which emphasized research and investigation.
Still, given the easterners’ love for combat magic, the combat magic they researched here produced excellent results. Naturally, there were many related books, and Yuric bought one on combat studies titled “Mana Theory and Application.”
“Isn’t that Yuric?”
Of course, there were mages at the branch who recognized Yuric, a famous figure from the Mage Tower. Having participated in countless lectures, many mages had seen his face, even if they didn’t know his name.
“Pleased to meet you.”
“What brings you to the east?”
“I came to study the history of the east as well as take a look around.”
“I see.”
When word spread that Yuric had visited, other mages came to shake his hand and greet him. Particularly after he became known as a Dragon Knight, his fame soared even higher.
That evening, Yuric held a casual discussion with the mages from the branch and rested comfortably in the accommodations provided by the branch. Of course, the branch had also set up hot springs underground, allowing him to enjoy them without additional fees.
On a crisp autumn day, Yuric spent several days at the branch, truly enjoying a leisurely respite.
During this time, he did not neglect his research on the lost Magic City, Berjik.
“The cliff overlooking the Demon Mine at the far eastern end of the continent.”
While searching through the branch’s library, Yuric stumbled upon an old book about Berjik and saw a drawing of the Magic City Berjik.
There was a large tower on a high cliff. …Yuric felt a strange sense of familiarity.
“This… Could it be…”
Yuric quickly rummaged through his bag, pulling out the drawing paper he had made years ago in the south.
“…I found it.”
It was a drawing of the Watchtower from the south.
The tower depicted in the old book and the Watchtower looked quite similar, although the old book lacked the demon eye-like feature present in the southern version.
Yuric recalled the story told by Grand Mage Oromor about the Watchtower in the south.
– Long ago, there was a special task force formed to destroy the Watchtower.
– And they failed. Twenty men set out, and only six returned.
– The Watchtower isn’t a building.
– It’s a gigantic living creature.
Yuric felt something intense flash through his mind.
“What if Berjik is also a living creature capable of moving on its own?”
Honestly, he had never considered such a hypothesis. He had only thought that it might have been moved somewhere by magic or a curse, but who would have imagined that Berjik could move on its own!
Reflecting on it, the moving cane, Fertika, could also be seen as a self-moving living being in some sense. Just because it’s a tower doesn’t mean it can’t move. Especially ancient magic, which can turn imagination into reality.
“What if it moved on its own and went somewhere… Where did it go, and why?”
Of course, it was possible that the Watchtower in the south was the Magic City Berjik. However, this was just one possibility among many, and deeper research was needed.
While Yuric was leaving the library, a young mage named Kavor rushed to find him.
“Mr. Yuric, I found you. The branch manager wants to see you.”
When Yuric entered the branch manager’s office, the manager greeted him warmly.
“What brings you here?”
“It seems someone from the countess’s residence came.”
“From the countess’s residence?”
“Sometimes, the countess visits the branch directly to personally take on requests. Perhaps she heard the rumor of your arrival and came looking for you.”
After explaining the situation, the branch manager gestured for Yuric to enter the reception room. Inside, there was an elderly man and a woman assisting him.
Yuric bowed deeply and introduced himself.
“Mage Yuric.”
“I am Head Court Mage Tartarus. This is also Court Mage Sarahane.”
“It is an honor to meet you.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you. You are the only living Dragon Knight. I never thought I would see one in my lifetime.”
“Your position is far too great for my abilities.”
Tartarus gestured for Yuric to sit opposite him.
“What brings you here?”
“To be frank, a Demon has appeared.”
“Where?”
“About five days south of here, in a village. A patrol team discovered it, but only a few survived. In fact, a subjugation team was sent earlier, but there has been no news. They might have perished.”
“Is it that strong?”
“We prepared adequately, but it seems stronger than expected, or perhaps it’s not just one Demon.”
Yuric nodded.
“What happened to the village?”
“I don’t know the exact situation, but it looks like the village was completely destroyed. Demons are generally ruthless.”
Tartarus’s voice had dropped significantly.
“The subjugation team included three Court Mages. I thought they would handle it easily since they had experience with Demons, but I never expected it to turn out this way.”
“The situation seems serious.”
“That’s why we’re preparing more thoroughly this time. Hearing that you were at the branch, I came here to extend the invitation.”
It was none other than the Head Court Mage. This showed how seriously they valued the existence of the Dragon Knight.
“Have you gathered all the personnel?”
“We’ve gathered twelve so far. We plan to add three more.”
“I see.”
“However, having a Dragon Knight like you join us would be a huge help. Of course, His Grace has promised generous rewards.”
Without hesitation, Yuric nodded.
“Understood. I will join the subjugation team.”
He couldn’t just watch as Demons ran rampant. The moment he heard the news, Titon’s index finger had already begun to burn hot.
This would be his third encounter with a Demon.
With enough experience and his own growth, he was ready for battle.
Enhanced combat skills compared to before.
Newly acquired Dragon Incantation magic.
Controlled Index Finger magic.
Even the moving cane, Fertika, which assists him in every aspect.
Yuric was prepared for his first battle as a Dragon Knight.
