Chapter 92

Whoooosh!!!

Wind surged up from the bottom of the continent, sweeping across the bridge.

People’s hair fluttered—sky-blue bob cut, short blonde hair, long tied-back black hair, and my own messy white hair—together they resembled colorful grass swaying or multinational flags flapping in the breeze.

Creak! Creak!

The cart loaded with food, necessities, and the miscellaneous artifacts we’d collected from the demon’s relic site struggled against the wind.

Neigh! Neighhhh!

The horses kept getting frightened, requiring me to stroke their necks several times to calm them.

Everyone kept their mouths firmly shut.

“…Why is the atmosphere like this?”

Lytol wondered about the suddenly heavy mood, but it couldn’t be helped.

“It feels like it was ages ago…”

Yuria reminisced.

“Se-seeing this sky makes our time in the Tower of Co-Covenant feel like a dream.”

Monggu was also lost in reminiscence. His stuttering habit had diminished considerably compared to before, but it hadn’t completely disappeared. For a while, I’d felt melancholic thinking his stutter was a remnant of the tragedy we’d experienced… but now it just seemed like a unique characteristic.

Suddenly, lyrics that adults used to sing came to mind.

-Even upon bottomless despair, time gently piles dust…

That’s right.

We had returned to our homeland, the 7th Continent, and were crossing the Sky Bridge.

An arched bridge connecting the continent and the Floating Island. Above and below it, magical metals as thick as mountain peaks and smooth as blades sewn together the torn land.

Last time, so many people died here. Of the hundreds of Jack Caravan members, only the twenty-three here survived. Time might have piled dust over sorrow, but the storm blowing over the Sky Bridge seemed to stir that dust again.

I looked up at the sky.

The demon’s relic site had been thoroughly destroyed, so besides the “magical joints,” there was nothing that could be called treasure. We loaded the remaining odds and ends that might be useful for magical research or making simple tools and departed. Fel fired the return signal flare in silence. That was yesterday.

And now,

After a long time, we could see a sky full of stars.

The brightest visible stars were Erasmus and the Southern Sea. When hit by sunlight, Erasmus’s walls gleamed golden, and the Southern Sea cast dark blue wave shadows amid the sunlight.

I stared intently, hoping to catch a glimpse of human shadows, but whether due to the rippling atmosphere or the walls being much higher than I expected, there was nothing moving to be seen.

‘I’ll find out when I get there.’

Now I could go anywhere through the Tower of Covenant.

But even with such encouraging thoughts, somehow my mood wouldn’t improve today.

Happy to return to my homeland,

Sad to return to my homeland,

I simply moved forward quietly.

Perhaps because the demon’s relic site had lost its function, the Lightning Calamities that were common last time couldn’t be found now, even if I strained my eyes.

We smoothly passed through the Sand Plateau and crossed the Sky Bridge.

The wind that had been blowing fiercely soon subsided.

“Finally…!”

“Ahh…”

“Like this…”

The sounds bursting from the group were impossible to tell whether they were cheers or sighs.

Up ahead, a blue barrier shaped like an upturned bowl came into view, and within it stood gray city walls over 40 meters tall. And behind those walls, buildings much taller than the city walls jutted up everywhere.

“Incredible…”

The third floor of Ganda’s Stairs was high, but it didn’t have this densely packed, massive feeling. The first city I’d ever seen. I marveled at its grandeur.

An ancient relic site. Humanity’s final sanctuary built upon it.

The final destination dreamed of by all nomads.

“Lanciel City…”

We had finally arrived.

Though this whole situation was quite different from what I had vaguely imagined.

+ – + – +

Bang! Boooom!

Waaaah!

Fireworks exploded along the inner wall of the blue barrier.

Our puzzled faces were projected onto the outer walls of tall buildings.

Waaaah!!

Everywhere we turned, people raised their hands high and cheered.

Only the road we were traveling on remained wide open.

As we slowly made our victory march, crowds continuously threw beautifully wrapped sweet snacks at us.

“It’s a Lanciel City tradition. Sweet things are naturally fitting for those returning from the battlefield!”

Hwarin explained. Even she, who had seemed depressed throughout the journey, appeared to be in better spirits now that she was receiving her hometown’s welcome.

“Whoa…! So delicious!”

“Eeek!”

Yuria and Monggu popped soft white rice cakes the size of two fingers into their mouths and clutched their cheeks.

“It… it melts in my mouth…”

“My, my tongue is sticking…”

With both of them stuttering, it was hard to tell who was Monggu and who was Yuria.

The two of them frantically caught the flying snacks, unwrapped them, and tossed them into their mouths. I’d heard that proper etiquette during a victory procession was to eat whatever was offered… they were certainly showing themselves to be the most courteous among us.

They said such a grand welcome procession with all citizens voluntarily participating was rare even in Lanciel City’s long history. That’s how significant our achievement was.

A period of long-awaited peace had come to the Sand Plateau and Floating Island by resolving the demon’s relic site.

With the city free from calamity concerns, it would flourish more than ever by trading with Trimacos City in the Saharan Plains, Muksi beyond it, and even as far as the Green Wetlands and Alpine Mountain region for the next few years.

However, seeing this welcoming crowd gave me mixed feelings.

The people here were quite different from the strange mages of Ganda’s Stairs and also from the wilderness residents I knew. Not just different, but…

‘An entirely different era. A different world.’

They kept talking about cities, but I never expected such a dramatic difference.

Magical vehicles, fireworks exploding in the sky, bright signs on every building… those countless glass windows and the people living within them, their leisurely and diverse lives.

It was like an incredibly advanced metropolis.

‘…Just like Earth.’

We lived on the plains, enduring cold winds, wrestling with beasts and calamities… while right next door, people lived like this?

Actually, I thought I wouldn’t be particularly impressed by cities at this point…

When my parents used to constantly sing about needing to live in a city and preparing for the city entrance exam… I guess there was a reason after all.

+ – + – +

While Lanciel City, built with magic, was a showcase of skyscrapers surpassing Earth’s metropolises, what truly reminded me this was the Star Continent was the lord’s castle at the city center. Built upon the core of an ancient relic site, the lord’s castle towered over all other buildings and looked down authoritatively over the entire city.

Boom!

The castle gates closed. The noisy sounds of the welcome celebration instantly faded away. The people who had been throwing and catching sweet foods moments ago were now either going off for a drink or, unfortunately, returning to work.

‘Is this what peace is…?’

I’d seen it in Earth human memories… but this sensation, peace, was something I’d never personally felt before.

It feels somewhat ticklish and fragile. Not a bad feeling at all.

A guide approached.

“Young Master Fel. Congratulations on your return.”

Fel shook his head and gestured toward me.

“Ah… excuse me. Divine Mage. It is an honor to welcome you.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

The guide was a tall young man with black hair and kind eyes. Befitting someone representing House Jack, he was himself a 2nd Circle mage.

“The mayor is currently resting in preparation for tonight’s banquet. Miss Ann and Secretary Wei Dun are preparing for the banquet. I suggest we first assign your accommodations so you can rest from your journey before the banquet… would that be acceptable?”

A good idea. I was eager to unpack and rest. Everyone probably felt the same.

“Then I’ll guide you right away.”

The guide promptly led the way.

“Just a moment.”

But I held him back briefly. I turned to face my companions. Taking a deep breath, I gave them my instructions.

“Baek Jun-woo Research Nomad, listen up. We’ll be staying in Lanciel City for a week. I’d like to tell you all to rest well, but… I think you all realized from our recent battle that we’re not in a position to do so. It’s fine to rest for a day or two, but don’t let your guard down, and absolutely don’t neglect your training. During our stay in Lanciel City, I expect everyone to succeed in <Connection> and become familiar with using the ‘joint.'”

<Connection> was a spell derived from the newly created <Browse>.

Just as my Gift [Simulation] combined with <Spear Ghost>’s summoning incantation became <Browse> which could view past records, I discovered that other mages could also develop unique abilities by incorporating <Spear Ghost> into their own Gifts.

“Yes, sir!”

My family members answered vigorously.

Thanks to them drawing the beast’s attention briefly, I was able to save my life. I was grateful, but… in a way, simply diverting attention once—that was the extent of their help, which also made me sigh.

We needed to become much stronger.

Lytol, the 4th Circle mage, needed to perfect his combat style like an outboxer,

Del, the 3rd Circle mage, needed to develop unexpected moves beyond conventional magic.

Horatio and Hwarin, both 2nd Circle mages, needed powerful spells to supplement their lacking firepower.

Fel, a 3rd Circle mage who had just achieved 1-star Ki-blood, needed to further refine his spear technique to maximize <Spear Ghost>,

And Yuria, who had risen to become a 2nd Circle mage and 2-star Ki-blood magic practitioner, needed to contemplate the harmony between Circle and Ki-blood.

The key to fulfilling all these goals was <Connection>.

A Gift is a mage’s innate identity.

If they could embody even a little more of the world’s records related to their Gift through <Connection>, they would break through their current limitations and realize the direction they should pursue.

Once that breakthrough occurred, I believed each would also discover their own tailored application of the “magical joint.”

And as for Monggu…

Honestly, I don’t know. Since he abandoned the path of a mage, he’s now completely beyond my prediction range. I’ve provided him with 9th class equipment beyond the 10th class equipment… and his firepower seemed quite decent when fighting the beast…

I don’t know. I’ll have to wait and see.

“Still… you’ve all worked extremely hard from the demon’s relic site until now. Let’s forget about our difficult battles, at least for today, and get some proper rest. Now, shall we go in?”

With that, I put aside my complex thoughts and our entire journey, turning around—only to find Yuria looking at me with a smile.

I think I know why. I was unintentionally imitating Teacher Sena’s tone from when she used to lead the nomad… she must have noticed. …I hope it wasn’t too funny.

Trying to maintain a dignified appearance, I followed the guide into the lord’s castle.

“Then… I’ll see you at the banquet later.”

As soon as we crossed the threshold, we separated from the Jack Caravan people. It seemed they were being assigned to different accommodations than our nomad.

The fifteen Jack Caravan members disappeared down the left corridor, and the rest of us walked along the wide and magnificent central corridor.

It was a wonderland.

Artifacts from different eras decorated the colonnade and lobby, with the harmony of cold metal, warm wood, and neutral stone pleasing to the eye.

Since everyone was apparently preparing for the banquet, there were hardly any people around, making the place quite empty.

…Wait, what’s this?

“Captain. What do you think?”

Hwarin asked, noticing me looking around.

“About what?”

“Since this entire lord’s castle is an ancient artifact, I thought you might see something different.”

“Ah, well… I don’t see anything in particular…”

My voice trailed off.

Hmm, did I see wrong?

With such small talk, we passed through the colonnade and reached the spot where the paths to the accommodations and banquet hall diverged.

There, Fel asked the guide:

“Is Ann at the grand banquet hall? I don’t need room assignment, I’d rather help with the banquet.”

The guide gave an awkward smile.

“Miss specifically instructed that you must rest, no exceptions.”

“Oh, come on. I’m fine. I just want to see her face briefly.”

“Um, young master.”

The guide lowered his voice and spoke carefully.

“Please understand your sister’s feelings.”

Fel blinked for a moment, then broke into a smile.

“Is she preparing some surprise gift? That’s not like her… Alright, I understand. I’ll tell my sister later that you tried to stop me. Haha. Oh, by the way… I’m sorry. What was your name again?”

“Riksha, sir.”

“Ah, that’s right. Of course.”

Fel scratched his head sheepishly. The guide, smiling good-naturedly as if it didn’t matter, called over other staff who were waiting nearby.

“Now, the accommodations branch off from here. You two please follow Emily, and you two follow Jim. And…”

He immediately began assigning rooms to everyone.

But I couldn’t focus on that.

‘I didn’t see wrong, did I?’

I looked around again. A chill was gradually spreading through my chest.

Then suddenly, my eyes met Yuria’s.

She opened her eyes wide and mouthed:

‘Right?’

I nodded.

Yes. I think so. No. I’m certain!

As I saw Yuria’s hand moving toward her waist, I quickly shouted:

“Everyone! Battle stations!!!”