BTCATL 53

BTCATL

Posted by Ali, Released on August 11, 2025

Chapter 53

“Thank you, Spirit Mage…!”

“Be careful from now on, okay?”

“Yes, yes!”

I wiped the beads of sweat forming on my forehead and soon began running through the forest.

After being intoxicated by Neovis and overcoming its aftereffects, though I was technically on leave, I started handling light requests one by one.

Lucy and Christina kept whining that they wanted to stay with me, but when the Tower Master came in person a week later with a grim smile, they quickly shrank back and left with sullen faces.

Rubelia had been there less than three days when the kingdom sent an official protest document and she left crying.

At first impression, she was the epitome of a cold and proud princess, but the more I saw her, the more she looked like a paperwork slave for the kingdom.

-When do you think we can return?

-Well… The activity in the south and east is still very active. Let’s keep observing for now. On top of that, we haven’t fully uncovered the Neovis incident yet, so sending you back immediately is a bit risky.

The originally planned one-month stay had already long passed. I contacted the Tower Master, but the reply was to wait a little longer.

It didn’t really bother me, but I was somewhat worried by the hoarse, cracked voice of the old man on the other end.

Wondering how to spend the time, I decided it was no longer appropriate to just lounge around and started taking on a few requests little by little.

Certainly, the northern tower had been a harsh workplace; compared to the north, the requests coming to the western tower were relatively lighter.

“Asila.”

While writing reports after returning to the tower, Kalios suddenly barged in with a wide grin.

“Let’s go out and have some fun.”

I stared blankly at the man who appeared out of nowhere.

“…Where?”

“The Kantana Empire.”

Bang!

“That sounds like a terrible idea for ‘fun’!”

There was a dull thud from behind him blocking the door, and Kalios grabbed his head.

Then he abruptly turned to glare at Johan behind him.

Unbothered, Johan gave a crooked look and then bowed to me.

“Sorry, Asila. I need Asila for something.”

Blinking at Johan’s serious expression, so unlike Kalios’ smiling face,

“An epidemic?”

The word that came from his mouth was quite serious.

Johan moved us to Kalios’ office and spread out a large map on the table.

“There’s an epidemic outbreak around this area. There have already been quite a few deaths, and since we’re getting requests for help, it must be pretty severe.”

Pointing to the capital of Kantana, Johan dragged his finger downward.

“And it’s spreading rapidly.”

As I skimmed the papers listing personal info and symptoms of those infected, I paused.

The symptoms seemed like a cold, but the words beside it couldn’t be ignored.

“…Feels similar to a monster’s effect?”

Kalios, who had been watching me intently, nodded once.

“If it were an ordinary epidemic, we wouldn’t be getting requests at the tower.”

His expression darkened as he confirmed that the spirit mages who patrolled the west had verified it personally.

“Fortunately, it’s treatable. A large number of water spirit mages have been dispatched, and by temporarily infusing mana, the energy dissipates quickly.”

But that’s not the problem.

Johan pointed to the capital of the Kantana Empire.

Specifically, the Imperial Palace.

What about the Imperial Palace?

“It seems like the Kantana Emperor is suffering from a similar illness, but much worse. No matter how much mana is infused, the monster energy doesn’t dissipate. We’ve already sent many water spirit mages, but it’s useless.”

Only then did I understand Johan’s request for my help.

The disease is incurable.

And my power isn’t about healing — it’s about turning back time for the target.

“…Can you do it?”

A dark shadow hidden behind Kalios’ face was hard to conceal.

Ah, right. Kalios is the prince of Kantana.

As I looked at him quietly, he sighed.

“He’s my younger brother. We’re not very close, but it would be a problem if he were gone… Please, Asila.”

I gazed at the butterflies fluttering gently in the air.

I couldn’t give a definite answer.

I’d only recently become aware of this innate power, and I’d barely used it once.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure. I still didn’t know how much or how well the butterflies could rewind the target’s time.

Power grows through use in various situations, and neither I nor the spirits had many chances yet.

Besides, since it’s a healing-type ability, I couldn’t exactly ask someone to get hurt.

And this case was different.

Crown Prince Lutein had physical injuries, but now the symptoms themselves weren’t clearly visible.

Could I do it?

I didn’t know.

But.

I glanced sideways at Kalios watching me.

Though he said we weren’t close with a cold voice, the light flowing in his blood-red eyes was definitely worry.

Not the kind of worry out of obligation, but sincere concern.

A man with a harsh and cruel personality who wouldn’t blink if someone died beside him was biting his lips.

This was the first time I’d seen Kalios like this.

There was a faint light in his anxious expression as if he wanted to grasp something at all costs.

He must care deeply.

I knew how painful it was when hope and expectation are crushed, but I understood the feeling of clinging to even the slightest straw.

So I nodded.

But I made sure to add,

“I don’t know if I can do it or not.”

“I know.”

Kalios replied firmly but with great relief, then grabbed my hand.

With a familiar twisting sensation, we suddenly appeared in front of a dock.

“…The sea?”

Instead of moving directly to the Kantana Imperial Palace as I expected, I blinked at the rolling sea before me.

But Kalios headed confidently towards someone, who seemed to be waiting and handed something to him.

Not long after, Kalios came over to me.

Two thin pieces of paper that looked like tickets fluttered in his hand.

“We’re taking the ship?”

Kalios ran his hands through his messy hair, looking annoyed, and nodded.

“There are only two places on the continent I can’t teleport to directly, and Kantana Empire is one of them. Of course, once you’re inside, it’s fine, but you can’t go directly to the empire from other places.”

Kalios looked up at my face and paused.

Without a mirror, I couldn’t be sure, but I think my expression was like: ‘You?’

Judging by Kalios’ grimace, I was almost certain. If Lucy saw it, she’d probably laugh and roll on the floor.

But it was understandable.

Kalios’ full name is Kalios von Kantana — the older brother of the ruler of Kantana Empire.

Logically, he would come and go there more often than anywhere else… or so one would think. Of course, I didn’t know his full circumstances, so it was just a guess.

“…I locked it.”

“Huh?”

Kalios suddenly lowered his head and whispered in a small voice.

“I locked it, so I can’t unlock it either.”

When he lifted his head, his face was flushed red.

What I read from it was nothing but shame and embarrassment.

Wait a minute.

“You locked it?”

The man who was usually proud and brazen nodded shyly, his eyes as red as his face.

When he made a contract with Nyx in childhood, he lost control and a huge amount of mana exploded. For some reason, that mana never returned but gathered to create a barrier.

Although it mixed and melded with natural mana, it basically blocked even his own mana and teleportation.

He tried to extract the mana but it didn’t work well because it had already mixed with natural mana, making it hard to separate.

In short, he unintentionally set up the strongest barrier in Kantana — so strong even he can’t enter.

“Excuse me, may I see your ID?”

Perhaps we looked suspicious wearing our hooded robes, the ticket inspector stopped us after seeing our first-class tickets.

“Huh?”

I was about to silently show my ID and watch when Kalios’ reaction startled me.

Was he trying to vent his embarrassment on the inspector? His fierce attitude was serious.

Before Kalios could say anything, I hurriedly shoved my watch in front of the inspector’s chest.

“You’re a spirit mage! Spirit mages often travel today! I-I’m sorry! Have a good trip!!”

The inspector flinched at Kalios’ intensity first, then turned pale upon seeing the emblem on my watch.

After locking eyes with Kalios, his face turned ashen, and he hurriedly ran off while bowing.