As I was about to arrive in Monfigt, I had to go through a checkpoint and pay my entrance fee. They didn't ask many questions: Where was I coming from? Where was I headed?
After telling them I'd be staying here for a few days, I asked where Luka's inn was—the one Leo had recommended. They gave me directions and let me into the city. They also told me to be careful; I suppose because I'm a kid. I didn't take it lightly, and I'll trust their words.
I really expected more questions. They didn't even bother to check my backpack. Everything was simple… too simple.
The constant murmur of the city rose up beyond the gates—a mix of voices, footsteps, and metal clanging in the distance—which stood in stark contrast to how easily they'd let me in.
I kept walking. What I saw didn't differ much from Auspect, but there were clearly more races roaming around here: more dwarves, more demons, elves… but few dragons.
"Good afternoon, I'd like a room."
"For how many days?"
"Six. I hope that's not a problem."
"Not at all, there are a few available."
"One more question: do you have any issues with animals?"
"Are you carrying one with you?"
"A nearly newborn bird."
"Hmm… as long as it doesn't disturb the others at night, it's fine."
—Thank you very much.
I paid for my stay and quickly settled in to eat and sleep, so I could recover my energy from the trip.
***
The next morning, I went out in search of something for lunch, heading to another place Leo had recommended for its freshly baked bread.
I accomplished my goal and looked for a place to eat alone with Rika.
Looking around, I spotted a church.
For a moment, the thought crossed my mind to go inside and look at the list of the gods' representatives, since Ravenscroft hadn't wanted to tell me the names of the current ones.
Things only Ravenscroft understands.
I approached slowly when shouts could be heard nearby.
"Who do you think you are to tell me what to do!"
The noise disrupted the normal flow of the street. Some people stopped, others just quickened their pace, avoiding looking directly.
Little by little, people began gathering at the scene of the conflict.
My desire to see the plaque vanished instantly.
"Tch."
I couldn't hide the click of my tongue at the commotion. Disappointed, I headed in another direction.
It wasn't worth staying.
I reached a quieter spot where I could sit down. The street's bustle was far behind me, now just a distant echo. I took Rika out of my backpack.
"Come on, wake up…"
She struggled to open her eyes. How could she sleep so soundly and peacefully?
When she sat up, I placed her on top of my backpack. It was time to eat.
I took a bite of bread for myself and, with my free hand, took a little out of my mouth and gave it to her.
As I fed her small pieces of chewed bread, I felt a chill run down my spine. The air around me felt heavier, as if something didn't quite fit.
Piercing stares directed at me.
Out of pure instinct, I concealed my aura. And I continued eating with Rika, appearing calm.
I scanned my field of vision, trying to figure out where those people were coming from.
I could barely make out one person's foot and their blue aura.
For a moment, amid the movement of the crowd, I thought I saw a silhouette pause… staring directly at me before disappearing into the crowd.
What should I do? If I leave now, they might come after me. If I stay, there could be trouble.
I looked in the direction of the passing crowd when I saw a group of five girls about my age.
I hesitated for a split second too long… and felt the gaze behind me drawing closer.
This is my only chance to escape.
I flashed a fake, surprised smile at the group. I quickly tucked Rika away and headed toward them.
"Excuse me," I said in a slightly raised voice. As I got closer, one of them glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, clearly annoyed by the interruption. "Excuse me… Could you help me for a moment?"
"Help you?" said one, frowning. Most of them had their backs to me until one nudged another with her elbow.
"Hey, hurry up," said another, "we're going to be late."
"Yeah, yeah…" she replied, without stopping.
"Do you know how to get to—?"
I hadn't even finished saying where I wanted to go when one of them took my hand.
"What's your name?"
I blinked, surprised.
"Drake…"
"Don't worry, Drake," she said with a slight smile. "We'll take you wherever you want to go."
They exchanged glances, sharing little knowing laughs that I didn't quite understand.
I didn't care.
Are they still there? Are they watching me?
I don't know. As I walked with them… I didn't look back.
…
Conversation was sparse at first. Most of them were minding their own business, chatting among themselves without paying me much attention.
Except for one.
Amanda.
At first, she hardly said a word. She walked slightly apart from the group, as if she didn't quite fit in.
"Are you from out of town?" she asked in a low voice, without looking directly at me.
I nodded.
"From Auspect."
There was a brief silence.
I thought that would be the end of it… but it wasn't.
"And… are you an adventurer?"
I shook my head slightly. "Not yet."
Another silence.
But this time it wasn't awkward.
It was… different.
For some reason, I didn't feel the need to choose my words carefully.
"And you?" I asked.
She hesitated for a second… but instead of stepping back, she took a small step closer.
"I want to be a mage."
That was enough.
"What kind of magic?"
Her eyes changed.
"Light magic… well, that's what I'm trying for."
For the first time, she looked directly at me.
And without realizing it… I let my guard down.
Her expression changed completely.
The shyness was still there… but now there was something else. Interest.
"It took me a long time to learn…" she said, this time with more confidence. "An adventurer taught me, but…"
And she kept talking.
And I listened.
And I replied.
And, without realizing it… the conversation began to flow.
It was strange.
But talking to her… it didn't feel like talking to anyone else.
…
We talked a lot more.
In that church, according to Amanda, there were constant fights over the representatives of the gods. Some boasted of their strength and claimed they could defeat them, while others defended them tooth and nail. For those reasons, there were constant quarrels.
As she spoke, the distant murmur of the city remained, mingling with our voices.
"Usually they want to face Bennett Roque, the current human representative of Zeus."
Her words surprised me. A human representative of Zeus.
"They say he could be king… but he doesn't want to."
"Why is that?" I asked.
"I honestly don't know. They say he has the power to become the sovereign of the sword, but his ambition for combat and money aren't worthy of a leader."
"And the other one, who's impossible to defeat: Thordek, the dwarf who's four hundred years old and counting, representative of Hephaestus."
I brought my hand to my chin.
"Impossible—isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"
She smiled and continued explaining.
"Impossible to dethrone from his position. In combat, he'd been defeated more than once, but when it came to blacksmithing, no living being could compare to him in creating his works of art."
I thought about it for a moment; Ravenscroft had told me about him, but I don't recall him mentioning that it was only in combat.
"Looking at it that way… I suppose it means defeating him in every aspect."
"Yes, apparently so," she said, accompanied by an amused giggle.
Time flew by, and we agreed to meet the next day to keep chatting and go to the forest so she could show me the magic she could cast. She agreed enthusiastically, since her sister and her friends aren't interested in magic at all.
I suppose that's normal for people our age.
I returned to the inn and went straight to my room. I think I remember Amanda's face clearly from when we met tomorrow: black hair, brown eyes, shy… but with a calmness I didn't expect to find in someone my age. She's a little taller than me.
I think I'll be able to find her without any trouble.
***
We met right where we'd parted ways yesterday. We went through border control and headed a little way into the woods.
The atmosphere was different from that of the city. Calmer… more genuine.
"I don't know many spells, but it's better than nothing," she said, keeping her hands behind her back. "Don't make fun of me, okay?"
I shook my head and nodded.
"I wouldn't dream of it."
She fell silent and began to concentrate, bringing her hands together and raising them slightly, just to the level of her stomach.
"Water ball."
Gradually, a medium-sized sphere of water formed in the palms of her hands.
"How's that?" she asked excitedly.
I timed it. Five seconds to pull it off.
"Amazing," I said, clapping my hands. "Can you teach me another one?"
"Yes, but give me a moment. I need to recharge."
As she took a seat, I couldn't stop thinking about one thing and needed to ask her.
"Amanda. Did that adventure teach you that?"
"Yes. He was very patient with me, because it took me a long time to get it right."
"How long is a long time?"
"About three days without a break."
—Incredible.
She blushed a little, but beyond that, I could sense that her gaze was trying to tell me something, and little by little she gathered the courage to ask.
—I can tell by your face that you have something to say. You cast spells too, don't you?
I feigned surprise and answered with another question.
—Why do you think that?
"Your face says it all."
"You're half right." I raised my hand slightly and conjured the water sphere, but without saying a word. "I only know how to cast a water ball and a fire ball."
The spell formed without a sound, but not without weight. I felt the mana settle as if it already knew the way.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"How…? How did you do that so fast? Are you some kind of genius?"
I shook my head slightly.
"Not at all. That's just how I was taught."
"I don't cast the spell directly… first I create the water, then I shape it."
"I'll try it."
On her second attempt, the sphere appeared faster. More stable.
"Water ball," she said as I cast the spell toward the ground. "It's so much easier," she murmured, surprised. "And it doesn't tire me out as much."
"Who taught you that trick?"
"A grumpy old man who passed through my town."
I smiled a little as I said it.
"I see… and how did you do it with the fire?"
"I imagined the fireplace at home, when you hold your hands close and feel the heat of the fire rising little by little up your body."
"I'll keep that in mind, but before trying fire, I'll show you the other two spells I know."
"Don't worry, take your time. That old man also told me once: 'Spells don't change; what changes is the living being who uses them.' Every body is different, so you shouldn't worry about your progress."
She stood up and once again concentrated mana in her hands to recite a spell I was familiar with.
"Goddess of Light, be my guide and illuminate my path. Spirits, arise."
A spirit similar to the ones I summoned appeared, but hers was different… warmer. Its light didn't just illuminate; it comforted. It was gentle, almost as if it were breathing.
Is it because she's more innocent than I am, or because she's a girl?
She dismissed the spirit quickly, but she didn't stop there.
"Pay close attention to me; this will blow your mind."
I nodded and focused all my attention on her movements.
"Goddess of the Sun," she opened her arms and, just like her delicate hands, "illuminate my path." In a swift motion, she pointed an arm, clenching her hand slightly. And blind those who stand in the way. Flash!
The last thing I heard was her fingers snapping, and a white glow completely covered my vision for an instant.
I let out a groan as I rubbed my eyes a little with my hands. She burst out laughing, unable to contain herself; she had lured me into her trap.
I laughed at her joke, too. It was the first time I'd had such a pleasant and fun time with someone my age.
The first time… that something felt normal.
And not just that.
I'd learned a new spell, without Ravenscroft.
***
The sky was beginning to turn orange, and the forest was growing quieter.
"Amanda," I said. "Do you want to be an adventurer?"
"I think so…" she replied, looking straight ahead. "What about you?"
"I'm not sure yet… but it's the closest thing."
She stopped short and looked me straight in the eyes.
"Can you imagine if one day we were adventure partners?"
Her enthusiastic expression made me happy and got me thinking about it a little. Just two days ago we were complete strangers; today, friends; maybe someday, adventure partners.
"That would be really great, actually, haha."
The day was over for us. We were outside her house.
—Drake… Will we see each other again tomorrow?
—I don't think so tomorrow, but the day after tomorrow I can come pick you up at your house.
—Are you sure about that? I remember you mentioned yesterday that you'd only be in Monfigt for a few days.
Her words left me speechless. For a moment, I forgot that I was only passing through this city.
I could only nod in response. I didn't know why… but I made no effort to promise her anything.
She went into her house with a smile, and I returned to the inn.
Ready to rest and welcome a new day.
***
I was about to leave this city; all that remained was to cross the border when a guard spoke to me.
"Young man. Are you leaving as a tourist?"
"Has something happened, sir?"
"Yes, very strange things are happening in Aurenthia right now. And guards are being transferred from the cities to the villages. You'd better go home."
Everything is getting very strange. As if fate were telling me to turn around and go back immediately.
"I'll take your word for it, but I'm still leaving—I'll be back before the sun sets."
"If you say so, go ahead."
"Thank you very much, with your permission."
…
On the way, I came across a construction site, but it wasn't a house or anything like that.
The constant sound of hammers and metal clanging filled the air. Several men were working nonstop, covered in dust and sweat.
They were laying wood and metal on the ground, forming a structure resembling a ladder.
I didn't hesitate and approached, curious, to ask.
"Sir, what kind of construction are you working on?"
"The future, child."
"The future?"
"Yes, the future is called a railroad."
"What is that?"
That man looked at my confused face and patiently began to explain it to me.
"A beast made of metal that can transport both people and materials and objects in the shortest time and with the greatest comfort."
It didn't fit with the world I knew. The words came out of my mouth without thinking.
"Fascinating."
"But for now, we're just building the tracks where it will run. It will be a few years before it goes into operation."
"I suppose it will be expensive and hard to access."
"Yes, at first, but who knows, maybe one day both you and I will ride one without any trouble."
"I'll look forward to that day."
"Yes, boy, now go home before nightfall. Don't leave this world before you've ridden a train."
"Sure, see you later, sir."
"Goodbye, boy, and take care of yourself."
I had planned to stay for the full seven days, just as I'd agreed with my parents. Now that I had a friend, I could train a little more with her.
But something didn't feel right.
Ever since the temple… ever since that feeling of being watched… nothing felt the same. It was as if something had set its eyes on me… and hadn't looked away since.
I clenched my fists without realizing it.
I didn't know what it was… or where it was.
But I did know one thing.
If I stayed… I would find out.
And this time, I wasn't sure I wanted to.