Red Tree Crossroad

Neigh!

Snort, snort.

The horses, having galloped across the wilderness for two days straight without rest, made noisy protests. They were complaining about wanting to rest soon.

The adults soothed their horses while applying for entry permission to the Red Tree Crossroad.

Red Tree Crossroad had a mid-to-low grade barrier, a C-class one. As its name suggested, an enormous red tree formed the core of the barrier.

A tree with crimson leaves, branches and roots—resembling a blazing sunset—was adorned with hanging fabric and sacred ropes, with a large obsidian monument placed in front of it.

As we entered the crossroad, other nomads who were already staying there surrounded us with weapons in hand. Their intention wasn’t to attack.

It was simply customary to maintain vigilance until a new nomad group received entry permission from the obsidian monument.

When Teacher Sena, her head wrapped in bandages, stepped forward from our group, the surrounding nomads stirred.

“Isn’t that a School Nomad? Their leader must be a Mana User… did she get injured like that? This doesn’t look good…”

“No wonder things seemed chaotic outside… have they brought calamities with them?”

Their gazes grew cold.

Even amidst those frigid stares, Teacher Sena confidently approached the obsidian monument, followed by our mobile barrier creaking along on its cart.

She unwound one of the sacred ropes binding our stone barrier and wrapped it once around the obsidian monument in front of the red tree. With a deep humming sound, the obsidian lit up.

Everyone held their breath as they watched the obsidian.

The light dancing within the obsidian moved around before forming a single number.

-4.

“Ah…” 

My mother, Baek Song-i, the nomad’s guide, let out a sigh.

The other surrounding nomads stirred again.

“Four days? Their aggro level must be astronomical.”

“Tsk tsk… that nomad might be completely wiped out at this rate.”

Harsh predictions, but accurate assessments. When the crossroad barrier resonated with our mobile barrier, it would grant a stay permit based on our aggro level. Normally, groups received at least a 20-day stay permit.

The longer one stayed in one place, the higher the aggro level would rise, attracting calamities, but a mid-grade barrier like the crossroad’s could guarantee safety for 20 to 30 days.

But just four days… this revealed just how high our nomad’s aggro level had climbed.

The other nomads who had surrounded us clicked their tongues disapprovingly before dispersing back to their own areas.

Finally, when everyone had left and only our Sena School Nomad remained, Teacher Sena turned around with an awkward smile.

“As you can see, our situation isn’t great. Seems we’ve been thoroughly looked down upon by the other nomads. Please be especially careful during our stay here. Anyway, we’ll spend two days here regrouping, then depart on the morning of the third day. Our destination is the Talon School Caravan. If anyone plans to leave the nomad, please let me know by then.”

“Understood.”

The adults answered in unison.

Teacher Sena nodded, then looked toward us students and emphasized.

“And since the Red Tree Crossroad isn’t one we usually visit, there are many unfamiliar nomads here. Students, please don’t wander alone, don’t stay out late, and be careful.”

“Yes!!”

We responded with loud voices.

Teacher Sena smiled faintly and said energetically.

“Alright! Let’s find our spot and rest!”

Creak. Creak.

As our procession continued to find an empty area in the crossroad, I found myself staring for a long time at the number ‘4’ prominently displayed on our mobile barrier.

+ – + – +

The meat broth was warm. Taking a bite of well-roasted wind reed sent up wisps of steam.

Wind reed, which resembled asparagus, was dense and soft like castella cake when you bit into it.

It tasted nutty with a hint of sweetness, followed by a refreshing sensation that cleared both nose and eyes.

It washed away all the day’s fatigue.

People ate it raw too, but roasting it over the campfire like this intensified its flavor and aroma.

Though I was sharing a meal with my parents, we didn’t talk much today.

I used to chatter endlessly to mom and dad, but after joining the Sena School Nomad, I gradually spoke less and less.

Every time I said something, I got scolded by the teacher and the other kids… so I became increasingly quiet, eventually keeping my thoughts to myself even around my parents.

I still managed to talk with Yuria, but even she didn’t truly understand what I saw or what I was thinking. And if she didn’t, my parents certainly wouldn’t.

‘No one knows why I keep ignoring Teacher Sena’s instructions, or why I do strange things during training…’

Suddenly my chest felt cold.

A world where no one could see what was so clearly visible to me.

It felt good to be special in a way, but lonely at the same time.

While I was lost in these mixed feelings, tearing into a piece of wind reed, my mother offered me another stalk she had stuck by the campfire.

“Eat more. I saw you were busy experimenting again today.”

Cough!

I almost choked.

“What? Experimenting?”

Experiment? That wasn’t a commonly used word in the Star Continent. Why would mom suddenly say that?

Mom answered casually.

“Wasn’t that what you were doing? Running around plucking wormwood, deliberately annoying Temurin, smirking at Kallin.”

How did mom know all this when she was at the front of the caravan?

More importantly…

“How did you know about experiments? I mean, how do you even know that word?”

When I asked in surprise, mom narrowed her eyes.

“You told me last year. About that Earth place? You said that world understands everything through experiments. That you have to know exactly what you’re doing or it’s inefficient. So I figured you were experimenting to find out how to gather more magical power.”

“…Did I say all that?”

“Yep.”

Mom casually slurped her broth.

My face burned.

I wanted to pull a blanket over my head—a blanket that didn’t even exist here!

‘She knew everything… and here I was thinking mom and dad didn’t understand anything…’

As always, mom knows everything.

“So, any results?”

Dad, who had been quiet until now, joined in. Apparently, he’d also guessed why I was behaving strangely.

I lowered my head in embarrassment and answered softly.

“Yes… I’ve finished my experiments now. And I can gather magical power faster. Maybe three or four times faster than others…”

My voice grew smaller despite having done nothing wrong.

In a world filled with people who couldn’t sense magical power, claiming to gather it three times faster than others would sound wildly arrogant.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they laughed at me or scolded me.

But mom and dad simply nodded decisively.

“That’s impressive! Well, you’ve always said you could see magical power.”

They not only believed me without question but seemed to expect it.

“Three times faster? Then you could become a Mana User soon, right?”

I nodded unconsciously at mom’s sparkling gaze.

I could sense my internal state. I felt the magical power filling me completely.

Before, there were many empty spaces inside me, but now I was filled to the brim. Ready to overflow at any moment.

To me, this could only mean one thing.

“Actually… I think I touched the threshold while fighting the orc. If I have the right catalyst, I’ll cross the barrier and become a Mana User.”

Becoming a Mana User at 14 would be unbelievable to most people… but mom and dad trusted my words. They exchanged glances and nodded.

“Then this might be our opportunity.”

“I agree.”

“What are you talking about?”

What’s with the sudden agreement?

When I asked, confused, mom explained while taking a big bite of wind reed.

“Munch, munch. About following Teacher Sena to the Talon School Caravan. I was worried it might be too dangerous, but I’ve decided now.”

Dad added while sipping his broth.

“Slurp. Right. The important thing isn’t having Teacher Sena tutor you… but rather putting her in our debt and asking her to help us get you into classes with other teachers at the caravan. There are not only 1st Circle mages there but several 2nd Circle mages too, which would be good for you. The journey will be dangerous, but… if we spend all our savings to reinforce the protective talisman and mobile barrier, we should manage somehow.”

Ah, mom and dad really did understand everything. They knew exactly what I needed.

Broader learning.

That single phrase struck my heart.

Could I learn magical theories there that Teacher Sena couldn’t explain?

How would other mages explain magical power?

Would anyone there understand the world I see?

Could they help clear this frustration?

Mom studied my expression and teasingly said.

“And of course, Yuria is going with Teacher Sena too, so you should go along, right?”

Mom’s mischievous expression made me yelp.

“Mom! It’s not like that!”

“Oh? What’s not like what? Mumbling ‘Yuria, Yuria’ in your sleep with that sleazy expression…”

“Aaaah! That’s not true!”

Maybe it was the release from prolonged tension, but our family dinner that evening felt exceptionally warm.

Not just our family—other families also seemed to be having heartfelt conversations they hadn’t been able to have for a while.

Glancing over, I saw Yuria laughing brightly as she chatted with Teacher Sena.

“Nice.”

It was the kind of scene that made you smile for no reason.

But that evening,

a fight broke out after all. Just as Teacher Sena had warned.

The Red Tree Crossroad had many unfamiliar nomads, and some of them were truly unsavory types.

As we were resting after dinner, Monggu burst in with a thoroughly battered face.

“Help us!”

“What’s going on?”

Sensing trouble,  Temurin jumped to his feet.

Beside him, my father had already grabbed his bow and arrows.

“They’re beating up the kids! They’ll die!”

“Explain clearly.”

Teacher Sena, who had stepped outside her tent, cut in. Everyone in our area had come outside.

Monggu swallowed hard and explained.

“Kallin, Mukuru, and Yuria went shopping, but people from the neighboring area started harassing Yuria, and a fight broke out. But we’re completely outmatched, so I barely managed to…”

That’s all he managed to say before—

“Lead the way.”

Teacher Sena, gripping her dagger, strode forward radiating killing intent. The adults grabbed weapons and followed. The only students left in our area were me and Lidia.

“W-what should we do?”

Lidia was flustered, but I had already dashed into my tent to grab my bow and longsword.

The moment I heard Yuria’s name from Monggu’s lips, rational thought became impossible.

Harassing her? A one-sided beating?

Yuria?

‘I’ll kill them all.’

Humm—

The magical power sleeping within me resonated with this thought that I unconsciously muttered.

Magical powers from all directions focused on me.

<Can you really do it?>

They were clearly expecting something.