"All in all, things have been going fairly well. Getting better, at least. That mana beast you fought was the only real threat the captains couldn't handle. With it gone, they've been managing to deal with the rest of the monsters without too many casualties." Magnus paused, having just finished recapping what happened while Seraline was unconscious. He'd skimmed over some details but made sure to include everything important. Seraline had been mostly silent, occasionally nodding or lost in thought.
"Oh, and there's going to be a banquet tomorrow," he added, breaking her reverie.
"They invited me as the guest of honor, but now that you're awake, they'll probably want to invite you too."
"A banquet?" She echoed, the word lingering in the air. Her expression shifted as if weighing something. After a moment, she spoke, her tone tinged with hesitation—a rare sight for Magnus.
"I don't think I should go. I wouldn't be a very interesting guest of honor. You've seen me at celebrations before."
Magnus thought back to the celebration in Luden. He nodded with a shrug, conceding the point. It wasn't that she'd been awkward—just... out of place. Back then, she hadn't mingled or joined in any of the conversations. Instead, she'd lingered on the sidelines, watching people talk, dance, and eat, more like a guard than one of the celebrated. After a moment's thought, he responded.
"Well, I won't push you if you're really against it. But it could be fun—especially for Halen. He's barely left your side since you've been unconscious. I doubt that'll change even now. If not for yourself, maybe think of it as a way to thank him." Her gaze drifted to Halen, who at some point had gone from leaning against her to curled up, fast asleep. She realized she'd been absentmindedly running her fingers through his hair the entire time.
For a moment, her expression softened before she answered, "I'll think about it."
Magnus smirked at that.
"Fair enough. Anyway, you've been out for so long, you're probably starving. I'll let the others know you're awake and ask someone to bring you some food." He started to turn but paused when she stopped him.
"Wait, I want to ask you something." Magnus glanced back.
"What's on your mind?"
"The map you and the others searched for—is it related to why you wanted us to take an assignment in the northeastern region?" Magnus blinked, surprised. He hadn't expected the question, though it made sense. He had mentioned the map in his recap but hadn't explained its significance.
After a brief hesitation, he answered, "Well... no point in hiding it now. You're right. I had a few reasons for choosing this assignment. Part of it was the rewards, and part of it was wanting to help you. But mostly... I wanted to get closer to Larter Village, near the northern edge of the region. Once we finished here, I'd planned to let you head back while I went there."
He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"But, uh... things didn't exactly go as planned."
"I see. But why?" Seraline asked, her curiosity plain and unfiltered. Magnus didn't blame her—he'd have asked the same in her position.
"Well..." He hesitated, then decided there was no point in skirting around it.
"If we're being completely transparent, it's because some people I know are trapped there. From what I've gathered, they, along with others in the village, are stuck because of some... creature. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but it's nasty. It's been picking them off whenever they try to leave, and if they don't get help soon, I don't know what'll happen." Seraline's expression shifted, growing more serious as she absorbed the weight of his words.
"What kind of creature? A monster? Mana beast?" She pressed.
Magnus shook his head.
"I'm not sure. Like I said, I don't have all the details. Whatever it is, it's elusive and abnormal. It's part of what I talked to Monlam about back in Dimfield Village—he had some information, but not much. I considered asking for your help, but... I realized that probably wasn't a good idea."
Her head tilted slightly, curiosity piqued.
"Why? I would've been willing. This sounds like exactly the kind of challenge I wanted from this assignment."
Magnus let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair.
"Seraline, I wasn't exaggerating when I said this thing is abnormal. The people I'm going to help? Three of them are Master-level knights." Her eyes widened at his words, the weight of them sinking in. What were Master-level knights? They were individuals powerful enough to act as professors at Takerth Academy and were considered one of the pinnacles of power in this world. And Magnus was telling her that three such individuals needed help.
"Even though they haven't fought it directly, the fact that it's been able to evade them for so long while still launching attacks says enough about how dangerous it is," Magnus continued.
"That's why I didn't ask you. The only reason I'm going is because I'm considered a Pseudo-Master, and I'm confident I won't get myself killed." Seraline's gaze dropped, her silence speaking volumes. Magnus could tell she understood, though she didn't say it outright. And for what it's worth, he was being honest, even if he wasn't sharing everything. If it were just a mana beast, he might have considered bringing her. With her, Mia, Gerald, and Marcos working together alongside him, they probably could have handled even a Master-level mana beast. But this was no ordinary threat—it was a glitch, something that didn't belong in this world's system.
Just as the Command Console allowed him to bypass the aura of knights with absolute force, glitches operated on similarly broken logic. It was like a player in a fantasy game trying to fight a GM. No matter how skilled or overpowered the player is, a single command from the GM could ignore every advantage, spell, and resistance and render them powerless.
Magnus didn't dive into the technicalities, but Seraline's silence told him she grasped the gravity of it. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet but resolute.
"So, you're saying I'm too weak to be anything but a liability if I went with you." His mouth tightened.
"Yes. Even if you've gotten stronger despite losing your arm, it'll take time to adjust. And even then, it just won't be enough." A heavy pause followed, broken only by Seraline's deep breath.
"I see. Thank you for being honest with me." As always, Magnus couldn't quite tell what she was thinking. Seraline was an enigma—open and candid in what she said, yet impossible to read unless she chose to reveal her thoughts. He waited, and after a few beats of silence, she spoke again.
"So, when do you plan on leaving? Heading to that village?" Seraline asked.
Magnus paused, thinking it over. "Probably the morning after the banquet. The only reason I haven't left already is because I wanted to make sure you were okay when you woke up and that I was here to heal you if needed. But now... it's best I head out as soon as I can."
Seraline nodded.
"Got it. In that case, after you leave, I'll stay here for a bit—at least until I can fight properly again. When I get back to Arlcliff, I'll figure out a good excuse for the academy about why you didn't return with me."
"Thanks. Oh, and if you don't mind, could you let Eveline know I'm dealing with an abnormality? She'll understand what I mean, and hopefully, she'll take precautions just in case something goes wrong," Magnus requested. Seraline hesitated but gave a small nod. Magnus wasn't entirely sure if Eveline could do anything about the situation. She had her own restrictions, and he was far from the academy. Still, he preferred she know what was happening. In the worst-case scenario, at least Celia and the others would know why he didn't come back, instead of being left to wonder.
Meh, I'm probably just overthinking this. Think positive.
Magnus shook off the thought and clapped his hands lightly.
"Alright, that's enough of that. Let me go get you that food I promised." He headed for the door, trying to lighten the mood. With a soft click, the door shut behind him, and his footsteps echoed through the wooden halls as he walked toward the double doors leading to the council room. This time, the doors were closed—not cracked open as they had been before—so he knocked. A moment later, Elip's voice called out from inside.
"Come in."
Magnus pushed one of the doors open and stepped inside. The council room was much the same as before, but now nearly all the elders were present, along with Elip. Magnus had learned that Elip, as one of the most senior captains, often worked closely with the elders, acting as a bridge between them and the other captains and guards. They were gathered around the large table in the center of the room, which, like always, had been cleared to make space for a map of the village. It seemed they were marking off areas that were deemed safe while crossing out sections as they decided where to move their forces next.
"Oh, it's you, Magnus. What is it?" Elip asked a hint of surprise in his voice. Magnus wasn't really the type to seek people out unless prompted, so this was unusual.
"I just wanted to share some good news—Seraline's awake," Magnus replied. The room went still for a moment. Elip and the elders froze, their eyes widening as the words sank in.
"What?" Elip nearly shouted, his voice full of shock and relief. The elders exchanged glances, and soon smiles spread across their faces.
"That's wonderful news," one of them said warmly.
"Indeed," another chimed in.
"We've been feeling a bit guilty, you know," the female elder added.
"That someone so young and talented got so gravely injured protecting our village. It's a relief to hear she's okay." Her words were met with solemn nods from the others, a shared sentiment passing silently between them.
"How is she?" Elip asked, before quickly correcting himself.
"I mean... after losing an arm, that's bound to have a big impact, especially on someone her age." Magnus let out a thoughtful hum, dragging his words a little.
"Eh... honestly, she seems fine for the most part. It surprised me if I'm being honest. Still, I'll keep an eye on her."
He paused before adding, "Oh, and I mentioned to her that she's free to come to the banquet tomorrow night. Is that alright?"
The elders glanced at each other before breaking into light laughter.
"Of course! We planned to announce her as a guest of honor anyway, even if she couldn't attend. It's the least we could do," one elder assured him.
"If there's anything else she needs, let us know. We'll do everything we can to accommodate her."
Magnus shook his head.
"She didn't mention needing anything, but she hasn't eaten in a while. I was hoping to get her some food."
"No problem," Elip said immediately.
"Once we're done here, I'll make sure someone delivers food to her room."
"Perfect." Magnus smiled, glancing around the room. It was then that he noticed one elder was absent.
"By the way, where's Elder Rodgir? I don't see him here with you guys," he said. The atmosphere in the room shifted the moment the question had time to hang. A faint melancholy crept into their expressions, and Elip hesitated before answering.
"He's probably out on one of the balconies," Elip said carefully.
After a pause, he added, "I'd give him some space if I were you. But... if you do happen to run into him, try to be gentle. He's dealing with a lot right now."
Magnus wasn't sure what Elip meant, but he nodded in understanding.