Flashback.
The light faded. Just as I caught sight of the summoned angel, standing tall enough to touch the ceiling, a sudden, inexplicable wave of relief washed over me. Of course. A miracle. Why hadn’t I thought of it before?
“Ma-ruuuuuuh!”
Ansol’s breathless cry burst out immediately. The angel’s eyes, which had been gently closed, slowly opened and looked down at me.
At that moment, a radiant glow erupted from the angel’s entire body, and the wave of magical energy enveloping Maru surged upward like a towering tide. I stared blankly at the spectacle.
Then, when the light and the wave collided, a thunderous boom echoed through the room like a lightning strike.
The clash happened right in the middle—exactly at the center. The two forces met head-on, unleashing dazzling flashes of light that crackled wildly with intense electrical discharge.
The radiant light tried desperately to break through, while the magical wave fought fiercely to push it back.
The two powers locked in a fierce tug-of-war, holding their ground for a long while. Even Helena watched with dazed eyes, stunned by the battle unfolding before us.
Then, suddenly, I realized something. The angel’s face was tightly contorted, its whole body trembling. And though the light was still winning, it was gradually weakening.
“Ugh! Uuugh! Uuuugh! …Pa, paaah!”
Maru’s groan, which had abruptly stopped, spilled out again. Trembling, he called my name with great effort.
Was it because of the collision? His face was deathly pale as he searched for me, a sight so pitiful it broke my heart. Without thinking, I clenched my small hands and silently prayed. Please, Maru, hold on.
Then it happened.
It was a song. Like a single, flowing melody. A beautiful angelic song I had never heard before—not even when saving thousands of legendary heroes.
It was truly miraculous.
As the angel’s song continued, the fading light slowly regained its brilliance. Not only that, it split into hundreds, then thousands of beams, pushing forward with renewed strength—like a candle burning its last flicker before going out.
Everything else fell silent. No sign of the clan members, no howling wind filling the warehouse. Only the faint angelic song echoed softly, ringing deep in my ears.
The result was…
The magical wave was slowly, very slowly, receding.
I had no idea what was happening or what this phenomenon meant. All I could do was hold Maru’s hand tighter and focus all my attention on what lay ahead.
Then, the relentless magical wave that had been fiercely battering us suddenly faltered.
Seizing the moment as if it had been waiting for this chance, the angel’s eyes snapped wide open, and it stretched out both hands.
And then—
With the angel’s shout, my vision was suddenly washed in blinding white.
At the same time, I could clearly feel the wave of energy collapsing inside Maru’s body, even if I couldn’t see it. The angel’s radiant light poured in like thousands of streams, bathing Maru’s form.
A moment later, the angel vanished with a weary expression, as if its task was done. The warehouse fell eerily silent—no noise, no wind, no song, no light. All of it disappeared in an instant. The only thing left was…
I slowly lowered my gaze.
There, resting peacefully, was Maru—his back adorned with thirteen softly glowing wings.
The graduation ceremony was over.
Since the group was small, it was a simple affair and finished quickly. Right after, I waited in the lobby with Helena for the trainees to gather. They needed time to pack their things and come down.
“Isn’t that a bit much? Doing that in front of all the trainees…”
I turned to the voice beside me and saw Helena rubbing the bump on her head. When I looked at her steadily, she blinked with a reluctant expression. You just confessed your own guilt.
“I sent them for training, but all they do is spout nonsense. What? Love? Pregnancy?”
“I was just telling an old story. And maybe indulging a little in my own desires.”
“Well, then. Good for you.”
“It’s the last day, after all. And with so little time left in life, shouldn’t we do what we want?”
I sighed and shot Helena a glance. So little time left in life, huh? When you think about it, that’s true. A dragon’s soul in a human body was never a perfect fit.
“How much time do you think?”
“Hmm. About three or four years?”
“Three or four years…”
“Could be less if you factor in acceleration. From a human perspective, maybe. But for me, it’s just a blink of an eye. So please understand.”
Originally, she was supposed to be out exploring the human world and avenging the great hero, but she’d been stuck here for two months. No wonder she was frustrated.
I nodded quietly, beginning to understand.
“…This is over now, so let’s give you a break. Good work.”
“That’s music to my ears. There’s a place I’ve been dying to visit.”
“A place you want to see? Where?”
“Oh, I’m planning to visit a building called the ‘Brothel.’ I want to experience life as a courtesan. I think the reactions will be quite entertaining.”
Entertaining reactions. I didn’t even need to guess who she meant. It was a bit of a twisted hobby, but it didn’t concern me. I waved my hand, meaning ‘do as you please,’ and changed the subject.
“Anyway, now that the ceremony’s done, what do you think?”
“You mean about the trainees? I did my best within my limits.”
“Enough with the long explanations. Just give me the gist.”
“Hmm. Cha Hee-young is exactly as expected. She’s shown decent growth and potential. Of course, from a user’s perspective. And as for Jegal Hae-sol…”
Actually, Cha Hee-young’s potential was top-tier even among users, but Helena’s tone was lukewarm. Considering Helena’s true identity as Magna Carta, the Dragon of the End Times, that was probably a generous assessment.
I thought it best to check later with the Third Eye. Now it was Jegal Hae-sol’s turn. What would the Dragon of the End Times say about him?
“……”
“……”
But no matter how long I waited, Helena didn’t continue. She seemed like she wanted to speak, her lips moving slightly, but her expression was ambiguous.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Well, you said you didn’t want a long explanation. But no matter how I think about it, I can’t just sum it up briefly like before.”
Helena protested in a tone that sounded very troubled. I thought for a moment, then rubbed my chin.
“Could it be because of something like this? The Wisdom Eye that looks down from the heavens. For example, understanding the principles of magic, or having the minimum qualifications to reach the source.”
Helena looked at me in surprise. Then her eyes softened into a gentle curve.
“Oh? Where did you hear that? If you truly understand the meaning, that’s a very accurate description.”
“Right here.”
I tapped my chest. Helena nodded with a strange expression, then crossed her arms and glanced toward the stairs. I followed her gaze and caught the presence of two people coming down. They must have packed their things yesterday.
Helena’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“To put it simply, I’d want to make him my successor.”
“Is he that good?”
“Of course, having a human as a successor is impossible. But Jegal Hae-sol is different. In thousands of years, I’ve only seen about five or six humans with that level of talent. If he had been born in the ancient Hall Plain, he would have undoubtedly ruled an era.”
“I see.”
That was a sufficient evaluation.
I calmly stood up. The chatter and footsteps had grown close.
Just as I was about to leave, Helena’s voice stopped me.
“Actually, I have a question, Clan Lord.”
“You didn’t call me ‘Mother,’ so I’ll allow it.”
I heard Helena laugh softly.
“It’s nothing much. But is that child doing well? I haven’t seen him in two months, so I’m quite curious.”
“That child… Maru?”
I paused, then looked over as two women slowly appeared, one carrying a bag. I spoke quietly.
“He’s doing well.”
After bringing them from the Mercenary Academy and finishing some tasks, the day had quickly faded.
After dinner, I returned to my office to finish some overtime work, but maybe I’d eaten too much. My stomach felt a bit uneasy, so I sank into my chair to settle it. Nearby, Maru and Dodo were playing… Wait, when did this guy get up on the desk?
Dodo, who had been quietly staring at me, flapped his wings and flew over to gently nip my neck.
I sighed and shook my head. What kind of grudge did I have in a past life to deserve this? Every time I looked at her, she’d bite something—anything within reach. Honestly, by now, I was almost ready to give up. But with that kind of stubbornness, you have to admit, it’s impressive in its own way.
With that thought, I ignored Dodo, who was nibbling at my neck, and quietly focused on Mar. Of course, I activated my third eye.
< Resident Information (Native Status) >
Name: Mar
Class: — (Undecided)
Nation: — (Undecided)
Clan: — (Undecided)
True Name / Origin: ? / Fairy Forest
Gender: Female (0)
Height / Weight: 114.1 cm / 20.25 kg
Alignment: Lawful • Pure
[Strength 7] [Endurance 12] [Agility 21] [Vitality 17] [Magic Power ???] [Luck ???]
Currently, this being cannot be defined. She shouldn’t even exist, yet through her own will combined with strange phenomena, she is literally a living miracle.
The power of her new wings still lies dormant within, gradually melting into her essence. She cannot yet wield all her abilities. However, once she undergoes the common awakening process all fairies experience and gains control over her powers, she will transform into a definable entity. (Due to the aftermath of these strange phenomena, her growth will accelerate dramatically.)
< Achievements (0) >
< Unique Abilities (1/1) >
< Special Abilities (1/1) >
< Potential Abilities (1/3) >
Miracle of the Sky (Rank: S Plus)
—
—
So much about Mar had changed—her true name, height, weight, stats, situation, abilities, everything.
Whether these changes were good or bad was still too soon to tell. Judging by what my third eye showed, I’d only understand once Mar completed her awakening and became a definable being. For now, I was just grateful she’d barely survived and was growing up healthy, waiting for that day to come.
Just then, Mar, who had been sitting quietly engrossed in something, suddenly looked up and smiled brightly. She struggled to her feet, waddled over, and proudly held out what she’d been reading.
“Daddy! I finished this whole book today!”
It was a book—a pretty thick one, at that.
I calmly asked, “Mar, what kind of book is this? Who gave it to you?”
“Umm, Bbangbbang unnie gave it to me.”
Bbangbbang? Oh, Vivian.
“Ah.”
I immediately checked the title. Mar was growing at lightning speed in every way. What if she was reading something strange?
But then I saw it was about magic power, and I let out a relieved breath.
“Phew. That’s a relief.”
“Hmm?”
“No, it’s nothing. Still, that’s amazing. You really read the whole thing?”
“Yup! Look! Like this… and then… yah!”
At that moment—just as Mar let out a cute little battle cry—a spark exploded right before my eyes. When I came to, Mar was frozen in surprise, and I could feel the scorching heat of the Sun’s Glory burning at her waist.
Silently praising my resistance to magic, I scooped her up.
“Mar, you can’t use that kind of power recklessly. If you do, you or others could get hurt.”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay. Just don’t do it again, alright?”
“Okay!”
As I gently scolded her, Mar nodded vigorously. Then she wrapped her arms around my neck, showering me with “I love you, Daddy” and “Daddy, you’re the best,” acting all spoiled. Hm. Not a bad feeling at all. Is this why dads become total softies for their daughters?
While patting her back, I glanced toward the door, sensing someone slowly approaching.
And sure enough, a moment later—
Knock knock.
Just as expected, someone was knocking at the door.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Ah, suddenly I felt like throwing in a love scene. I came up with a fun idea—not something explicit, but a lighthearted moment that could bring a smile. Plus, it might help boost Nam Da-eun’s presence a bit. But if I add it now, it would disrupt the flow of the story, so I’m just waiting for the right opportunity. Haha.
Alright then, let’s wrap up the summary and daily life parts in the next chapter and get started. I have a feeling the Steel Mountain Range arc will be longer than any other—between preparation and the actual conquest.
To the battlefield!