Chapter 887
“Dangerous?”
Ian hesitated, his expression serious, and the shop owner burst out laughing, clearly pleased with the child’s reaction. Holding up a gem the color of amber, she whispered softly.
“It’s a sealing stone that drains a wizard’s power.”
“…!”
“It was like that in the past. Long ago.”
“And now?”
“As you can see, it’s just a pretty amber-colored gem.”
She picked it up delicately between her fingertips and murmured with a hint of regret.
“Back then, it was said to possess power rivaling that of a magic-sealing stone. But over time, it lost all its strength. No one knows why.”
“Sounds like a legend.”
“Not quite. There are records of its use. It was even part of the crack control system in the Clifoford Monastery. Look.”
Ziiing! Ziiing!
The shop owner’s orange eyes instantly shifted to a golden hue. So she was a mage. Ian watched silently, intrigued.
But the gem remained still. Even with her magic, there was no reaction.
“The structure is definitely a magic stone… but it doesn’t respond to magic. It’s a strange and rare specimen, so I’m researching it hard to uncover the cause. All I’ve found so far is its name: ‘Idgal.’ Oh, and please don’t mention this to anyone else.”
Because if word got out, she’d have to pack up and run again.
Ian nodded slightly and asked,
“Are you affiliated with the Magic Department?”
“No, I’m the owner here.”
“But you’re a mage.”
“Being a mage doesn’t mean you have to be with the Magic Department. That place is full of lunatics—I don’t care for it much.”
Her sole focus was magic stone research. She’d wandered the world for years as a mercenary and claimed to have seen nearly every magic stone out there. She wasn’t sure how much longer she’d keep at it, but for now, she was settled here at Joy Department Store, fully immersed in her studies.
Ian looked up at her and muttered,
“But—”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t you just tell me not to use magic?”
“Haha! You’re still inexperienced, after all!”
“Hey, the magic stones behind you—they’re glowing.”
“Huh?”
The shop owner spun around in surprise. The colorful magic stones lined up on the display were all shining brightly.
She rushed over, but thick smoke was already filling the room.
“Ah! What’s going on here?”
Boom! Crash!
Drawers toppled left and right as the owner frantically ran about. Taking advantage of the chaos, Ian quietly slipped out of the shop. His instincts told him it was dangerous to stay.
‘I’ll have to come back later to restore Crony’s voice.’
Bang! Boom!
If the shop was still standing by then.
Ian flinched at the sound of shattering glass. The sign hanging above lost its grip and fell at his feet.
—“Dr. Seokseok” Ako’s Laboratory
He stored the shop’s name in his mind.
“Damn it! What did you do this time?”
“Not what I did—help! Fire! There’s a fire!”
“Ako’s place is blowing up again! Everyone, put up the shields!”
“Hey, you should report this or something.”
“Forget that—help put out the fire, you idiots! If you want to die, just keep standing there!”
As thick smoke billowed out, nearby shop owners gathered, shouting complaints. The shopping district quickly descended into chaos. Ian approached Romandro and Hana, who were both exhausted and sitting down.
“Romandro, are you okay?”
“Y-yeah, Ian.”
“And Hana?”
“I’m fine too. Did you finish your errands?”
“Yeah. If you’ve bought everything, let’s head back.”
“Got it!”
Hana rubbed her aching knees as she stood. Dark circles under her eyes showed how tough the day had been.
Romandro glanced toward the ransacked magic stone shop and asked,
“What happened over there?”
“The owner’s a bit… unusual.”
Ian thought of the amber gem. It seemed like a forbidden magic stone, but how did she come to possess it?
Anyway—
‘Idgal.’
The name kept echoing in his mind.
Romandro might know something, but since the owner asked him not to say anything, it was best to keep quiet.
‘I can look up the records at the Magic Department later.’
“Why the long face, Ian? Need to buy anything else?”
“No, no. Let’s just go.”
“Phew—thank you, thank you…”
Hana, who had been worried, suddenly burst into tears of relief. Their luggage was already piled high; buying more would mean hiring porters.
“Let’s go, young master. I’ll lead the way.”
Meanwhile—
Ako, having put out the fire, sat down at a table, sweat cooling on her brow. If the shop had burned down again, the merchants’ guild would have banned her from the department store.
“Damn. Thought I was a goner.”
Covered in soot and ash, she was just catching her breath when she froze in surprise. The Idgal gem she’d left on the table was glowing.
“…?!”
What the hell? Why now? She hurriedly picked it up, but had no clue what was causing it.
Was it a reaction to the explosion? What exactly had just blown up? Heat? Smoke? The stone had been dormant for years—why now?
‘Or could it be…?’
Snap!
Ako rushed outside and looked around. Ian Hadel was gone. His body had stopped awkwardly, his face confused—but then slowly shifted to one of joy.
“Whoa! No way! Seriously?!”
The Idgal responded to Ian Hadel? What a fascinating turn of events!
As Ako jumped and shouted, the shop owners returning to their stores after putting out fires smacked her on the back of the head.
“You’re the crazy one.”
“Yeah, someone please take that lunatic away.”
Ako grabbed the hand of the one who hit her and sparkled with excitement.
“Ian Hadel—where does he live?”
“What? Suddenly? Dunno. He’s rich, so probably near Central Street. If you want to find him, ask the Magic Department.”
“Magic Department…”
“Yeah. And while you’re at it, why don’t you just get lost?”
“Magic Department—!”
“Hey, are you listening?”
“Waaahhh!”
The shop owners watched Ako’s wild antics and felt a strange sympathy for Ian Hadel.
They didn’t know what had caught her interest, but the kid had already tasted a life far too extravagant for his age. Tsk tsk.
“Ha! Ha!”
Barsabe exhaled sharply and swung her sword. Her movements were precise and fluid—no way you’d think she was just a child.
As the faint shimmer of sword energy flickered, the family’s swordsmanship instructor tapped her arm with a stick.
“Magic is leaking. Focus.”
“Hu! Ha!”
“Your body is a vessel for magic. At your age, you need to strengthen that vessel. Controlling your magic flow is just as important. If you let magic leak again, ten laps around the training ground.”
“Yes, sir!”
Sweat dripped from Barsabe’s chin.
Even as the daughter of Captain Herchi, her talent was exceptional. Her hunger to grow was fierce, and she absorbed everything she learned like a sponge. If she kept this up, she might enter the royal palace before reaching adulthood and take command of the royal guard.
‘Even with noble warrior blood… truly impressive.’
Ha! Just as Barsabe finished her stance, plunging her wooden sword into the air, she spotted a familiar face watching from afar. Ian Hadel. The instructor handed her a water bottle, and Barsabe raised it, calling out.
“If you want to come over, come on!”
Who was she calling? The instructor turned his head, and Ian came running over.
“You ran away yesterday.”
“I wasn’t running away—I was asleep.”
“Same difference.”
Barsabe replied gruffly, and the instructor chuckled as he tidied up the training ground. So this was the ‘wizard’ kid he’d heard about.
“All done for today. Not as tired as yesterday.”
“Errands?”
Barsabe slung her wooden sword over her shoulder.
“I checked out some mansions and bought the things I need for enrollment.”
“You went to Joy Department Store? What about the mansion?”
“I have a few options but haven’t decided yet. Oh, and I met a student named Ethan Enerjes at the department store. Do you know him?”
“Ethan?”
Barsabe’s eyes narrowed. She tried to recall but couldn’t quite place the name. It sounded familiar, but not clearly.
“Maybe. I’ll know when I see his face.”
“I see.”
Ian nodded as if satisfied and changed the subject. He had a reason for coming all the way to the training ground.
“By the way, I noticed magic flowing through your sword earlier.”
“…!”
You noticed? It was faint and fleeting.
“The magic you use as a magic swordsman doesn’t feel much different from a mage’s.”
“That’s right. We don’t use incantations like mages, but the essence is the same. With enough training, you can even create weapons from magic. I’m not there yet, though.”
“You’ll get there soon enough.”
“Humility is the warrior’s virtue. Pride before the blade is a fatal mistake. They say if you lift your head too high, your neck will be cut.”
Versabe’s sharp words drew a quiet smile from the instructor who had been eavesdropping. Still, he treated the younger boy with a respectful air, as if acknowledging his seniority despite being the elder brother.
“Then, do magic swordsmen have tests like wizards do? I’ve already played the harp called the Light of Prophecy,” Ian said.
“There’s no such thing for magic swordsmen. Unfortunately, a wizard has to awaken their ‘energy’ first.”
“Energy?”
Ian wondered if it was similar to the ‘Path of the Soul’ Romandro had mentioned. Curious, he pulled up a chair and sat down.
“A magic swordsman’s power stays dormant unless triggered by an external stimulus. Back in the day, many died without ever knowing they were magic swordsmen. There was no way to find out without meeting a wizard.”
The Jacques family had produced many skilled magic swordsmen, partly due to their bloodline but largely because of their proximity to the royal palace. Talented children were sent straight to the magic department for power infusion and identification.
Versabe himself had his talent confirmed at seven and was admitted to Enerjes.
“So how do wizards recognize magic swordsmen? Do they just send out magic to everyone they meet?”
“If you recklessly pour magic into ordinary people, they can’t handle it and die. Except for healing magic, it can cause fatal injuries, so you have to be careful. Didn’t the magic department teach you this?”
“No, not yet.”
Versabe hung his wooden sword on the rack and added, “I’m not too familiar since I was awakened through the magic department, but they say the meeting between a wizard and a magic swordsman sometimes happens by fate.”
A faint connection, where a wizard senses the subtle power of a magic swordsman—a small bond.
“There are also signs to recognize a magic swordsman: a personality that values conviction and honor, a fiery spirit like a blazing inferno, and…”
Versabe trailed off, clearly deciding not to mention the ‘dirty and reckless temperament.’ Magic swordsmen had pride, after all—definitely off the table!
When Versabe turned his back, pretending not to notice, Ian followed the boy obediently.
“Are you done training? I want to join you.”
“What are you talking about? Dinner’s coming soon!”
“Then let’s eat first.”
“You’ll just pass out again.”
“No, I’ll eat with you and come back out.”
“…Really?”
“Really!”
“Well, if you insist that much… Have you ever held a sword before?”
Ian shook his head at Versabe’s question. Oh dear, his very first student! The boy shrugged as if resigned.
“Then I’ll teach you. Just keep up, and don’t hold me back.”