BTCATL 22

Chapter 22

After I was finally able to clearly sense mana, I expected Callios to push me harder—but instead, he gave a surprising order.

“Take the day off.”

He said it just as I was getting ready to head down to the training grounds, barging into my room without warning.

I blinked.
“Why?”

Callios, sitting casually on the chair in front of Abella’s desk—she had gone out somewhere early in the morning—shrugged.

“Being able to sense mana means you’ve awakened a new sense. Let your body adjust to it first. Instead…”

His red eyes gleamed as he rested his arms over the back of the chair.

“Let’s go check out what northern spirit mages actually do.”

Before I could even process his words, he suddenly appeared right in front of me and scooped me up into his arms.

“What are you—!”

“You should hold on tight.”

He sang the words like a tune and made straight for the window.

“Wait, no—put me down! Callios!!”

The dizzying view of the ground stretched far below. The room was already ridiculously high up to begin with.

[What are you doing?]
[Hey, human!]
[What are you trying to do with Asilla?!]

The butterflies shimmered with light as they fluttered around, slapping Callios in the face with their wings.

But he didn’t seem to care at all as he climbed up to the window sill with me still in his arms.

It was a height that looked like we could fall at any second.

“Ugh…!”

The fact that he was holding me in a so-called “princess carry” had long slipped my mind. The only thing I could feel was the sheer terror of falling to my death if he even slightly lost balance. I reflexively grabbed onto his shoulder.

“Aaaahhhh!”

I heard a vaguely familiar shriek from somewhere nearby.

At the same time, a smile curled up on Callios’s lips.

A bad feeling crept down my spine.

“Here we go.”

A short whisper tickled my ear.

Just as I thought, he’s not actually going to jump— Callios stepped off the edge.

A sharp wind tore at my face.

A chilling sensation of gravity dragging me downward.

The ground rushed up fast.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impact.

And then—

“You can open your eyes now.”

Callios’s voice, tinged with laughter, gently coaxed me.

I slowly cracked my eyes open.

Blinking, I found familiar blue eyes filling my vision.

“…Rudin?”

[Asilla!]
[It’s Asilla!]

The nymphs soared through the air, letting out clear, ringing laughter.

I was still nestled in Callios’s arms, seated on something.

Looking down, I finally realized we were flying—riding through the air.

A massive bird I recognized, shimmering softly.

Jin.

“Your hands are so soft.”

At his words, I glanced down and saw my hands still gripping his shoulder and arm. Flustered, I quickly tried to push away from him.

Or at least I tried—but Callios didn’t let go. He was looking down at my hand again with that strange gaze.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Only when Rudin growled did Callios slowly let go. His ears were flushed a bright red.

Was he feeling sick? I was just about to ask when Jin suddenly wobbled beneath us.

I gasped and instinctively reached out to grab Rudin.

[So weak, aren’t you?]
[Can’t even handle our energy.]

The butterflies flitted their wings, mocking Jin.

—[Ran away.]
—[Fled, it did.]
—[Guess it was scared of the two dark ones.]
—[What cowards.]

I remembered how Jin had fled when he saw the Nyx spirits in the tower master’s room.

It had been fine when I rode him with Rudin, but maybe having two dark spirits now was too much.

I glanced below. A terrifying height… My face began to pale.

Maybe one of us—either me or Callios—should get off? But at this altitude?

As I was hesitating—

“Callios, get lost.”

Rudin, still staring dazedly at my hand, casually smacked Callios and threw out some harsh words.

“Wait, Rudin.”

“…Ah, sure.”

Before I could even call out to Rudin over his absurd demand, Callios responded like it was nothing.

Still wearing that blank expression, he raised a hand and waved it.

Before I could say a word, shadows curled around his body, and then—he vanished right before our eyes.

I blinked at the sight of someone disappearing in an instant.

Jin, who had been wobbling, stabilized shortly after.

“…I really don’t like that guy.”

I was still staring blankly at where Callios had disappeared when Rudin muttered beside me.

“What?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Asilla, now I can finally see you properly.”

Rudin’s blue eyes curved with warmth.

“Did he tell you where we’re going?”

I shook my head. I had no idea where we were headed—or even why.

One moment I was snatched up (?), carried off (?), and dropped (?), and the next I was on Jin’s back.

“That damn bastard…”

Still smiling, Rudin quietly muttered curses in Callios’s direction.

From inside his robe, Rudin pulled out a map and pointed to a location.

It wasn’t in the Empire. Much farther north.

“Where’s that?”

“Sedden, a territory in the Kingdom of Druaz. We received a request from the marquis who governs it.”

In the Sedden territory, there was a massive forest, and people had been mysteriously disappearing there.

At first, it wasn’t taken seriously. It was a vast forest with no formal paths, so people getting lost wasn’t uncommon.

But after a week, then a month, and still no trace of those who had entered—the forest was blocked off and an investigation began.

Even then, the investigators also vanished.

Knights with combat skills were sent, but the result was the same.

Because the forest was located in the heart of the kingdom, this disruption affected not only the marquis but the entire nation.

Eventually, even royal mages were dispatched—but they too disappeared. And so, the Spirit Tower was contacted.

It was highly likely that magical beasts were involved.

“The tower master recommended bringing you along since you’ve entered the adjustment phase after sensing mana. Plus, he has a personal relationship with the marquis.”

Rudin smiled kindly, as if to reassure me.

“If you just learn how to control the spirits, you’ll become a full-fledged spirit mage of the Northern Tower. Think of this as a way to learn how assignments are handled. Of course, you won’t have to actually do anything.”

Some time passed before Jin let out a cry and slowly descended to the ground.

I grimaced. A faint foul smell hung in the air.

[Eek!]
[Feels awful!]
[Disgusting!]

The nymphs, who had been chattering atop Rudin’s shoulder and hand, shuddered and vanished into light.

They weren’t the only ones uncomfortable.

[Those who ruin nature.]
[I can sense it—feels like another breach opened.]
[It never ends.]

The butterflies’ fluttering voices were sharp.

“You’re here.”

A bored voice poked at my ears.

Callios was already leaning casually against a tree, a shadow trailing behind him.

He was here first.

Whatever weird state he’d been in atop Jin was completely gone now.

Then, a middle-aged man in formal attire approached us briskly.

Rudin, having helped me down from Jin, turned and shared a brief hug with him.

The man bowed to both Callios and me as well.

“Thank you for coming, Sir LaZerdin, and spirit mages. I am Hans von Sedden, the marquis of this land.”

His face was gaunt, as if he had been through a lot.

“Not at all. After the request, has anyone else entered the forest?”

Rudin got straight to the point. The marquis’s expression darkened visibly.

After a long pause, he finally answered.

“…Yes.”

It was a heavy affirmation.

Callios’s eyes narrowed beside me.

The shadow writhing lazily at his neck lifted its head.

“You must be brain-dead, huh?”

At his sharp outburst, Rudin and I turned our heads almost simultaneously.

“You…!”

“Isn’t it common sense that if the Spirit Tower accepts a request, the odds of a magical beast being involved are extremely high? It wasn’t even a delayed response—we took the request and came right away. And yet, you let another person enter the forest within a single day? That’s not just stupid—it’s outright idiotic, don’t you think?”

Before Rudin could stop him, Callios unleashed a barrage of insults with a crooked stance, glaring at the marquis.

Rudin, clearly irritated, let out a long sigh and spoke.

“I had no intention of being that rude, but it was a foolish move, Hans. I distinctly requested the entire forest be sealed off.”

The marquis’s pale face crumpled. He looked like he might cry any second.

“I’m sorry. I received word that my wife’s condition had taken a turn for the worse… I couldn’t stop her. She said she would regret it for the rest of her life if she didn’t go, even if it meant dying in that forest…”

He bowed his head deeply, face twisted with sorrow.

“Please. Please, save her. I beg you, LaZerdin…!”

His wailing plea echoed across the plains like that of a wounded beast.

“…How long has it been since she entered the forest?”

Rudin asked after a long silence.

“Four hours. It’s been four hours.”

“How long does it usually take to reach the forest’s center?”

The marquis bit his lip anxiously.

“You can’t take a carriage inside, so normally four to five hours on foot… Why do you ask?”

I looked toward the enormous forest ahead.

This wasn’t any ordinary forest. The trees were all massive.

The stench seemed to grow stronger. The butterflies near me fluttered as if in agreement.