Steam drifted lazily out of the open door to the fifth-floor bathroom as Magnus stepped into the hallway, a towel slung around his waist. Compared to the last time he bathed here, he looked far more relaxed—and, more notably, he was practically dry. Basker's reminder about the wonders of fire-based elementrix magic had saved him the usual hassle of toweling off. Of course, if he was already dry, there wasn't much reason for the towel. Except for one: he still had no idea where his clothes were.
Seraline was the one who brought me back to my room last night. If anyone knows where my uniform is, it's probably her.
With that thought, Magnus headed down the hall toward her room. His bare feet tapped lightly against the wooden floor, the sound echoing in the quiet corridor. When he reached the door, he knocked, the sound resonating through the wood. A moment later, he heard a soft thud from inside, followed by footsteps. The door opened to reveal Seraline. Her skin glistened faintly with sweat, strands of hair sticking to her face—evidence of a recent workout.
"Oh, you're up. I thought you'd be asleep a lot longer after last night," she said, stepping aside and motioning for him to enter.
Magnus slipped into the room and shut the door behind him, letting out a breath.
"Yeah, last night was… an experience. I've never been drunk before," he admitted. Seraline grabbed a damp rag from the end of her bed and dabbed at her face. She moved carefully, mindful not to disturb Halen, who was still fast asleep on the bed.
"I could tell. It was odd seeing you so open." Magnus smirked faintly and shrugged.
"I'm just glad I didn't accidentally blow anything up or drown someone. Magic and alcohol are probably a terrible mix. Oh, and thanks for taking me back to my room—Marilyn mentioned it." Seraline shook her head, lowering the rag.
"It's fine. Honestly, you weren't that bad. A bit more energetic than usual, but I think the villagers had more fun with you there." That lined up with what Marilyn had told him earlier, so Magnus simply nodded. A quiet pause settled over the room, his thoughts wandering to the hazy memories of last night. Specifically, to the reason he'd drunk so much in the first place. His gaze drifted back to Seraline. She seemed as calm and composed as ever, though it wasn't like she was expressive, to begin with.
Who'd have thought it would take getting sent to a world of magic for me to finally get a confession? Should I be happy about it, or just confused?
Seraline's voice broke through his reverie.
"So, what did you need?" Her words snapped him back to reality. He blinked, suddenly remembering why he was standing there in nothing but a towel.
"Oh, right. Since you brought me back last night, do you know where my academy uniform is?" She paused briefly before gesturing toward the balcony door.
"It got dirty during the banquet, so I washed it and hung it out to dry." Magnus crossed the room, pushing open the door. Sure enough, his uniform hung neatly over the balcony railing, swaying gently in the morning breeze.
"Perfect," Magnus said aloud, stepping out onto the balcony and shutting the door behind him. It only took a couple of minutes to remove his towel and change into his freshly cleaned uniform. When he returned to Seraline's room, he found her back at her workout.
In the center of the room, she was doing one-armed push-ups. For most people, losing an arm would be a major setback, but in Seraline's case, it felt like the opposite. She executed each push-up effortlessly, her movements precise and controlled. Even more impressively, she wasn't using her palm—she balanced on her fingertips, each push-up landing with rhythmic certainty.
"Have you gotten used to having one arm yet?" Magnus asked as he leaned against the far wall, watching her.
Seraline paused for a fraction of a second before continuing her exercises.
"I'm not sure. It's hard to explain. When I'm doing something that takes focus, like training, it's easy to adapt. But habits are harder. I'll reach for something without thinking or try to do something only to realize I can't anymore." There was a quiet, introspective tone in her voice. It wasn't regret exactly, nor did it seem like sadness. But it was impossible to ignore the weight hidden in her words. Losing something so integral to her life couldn't be brushed off completely. Even if she might recover that missing piece someday, for now, it was something she had to live without.
"I see," Magnus murmured, half to himself as his gaze drifted to the window. The early morning sun was beginning to filter through the Verdant Woods, its rays painting soft patterns of light across the room. For a while, silence fell between them, broken only by the steady rhythm of Seraline's movements. Then, without warning, she spoke.
"You don't have to think so much about what I said last night." The simplicity of her words caught Magnus off guard. He turned his attention to her.
"Oh? I didn't expect us to address that. I was ready to just stuff it into a corner of my mind," he joked with a faint chuckle. But the humor faded as Seraline raised her head, meeting his gaze.
"I meant what I said, Magnus. But it's not something you need to dwell on. I can tell you're not in a position for that kind of thing right now, and neither am I." She punctuated her statement by lowering herself into a push-up so deep her face almost touched the floor. Then, with a powerful motion, she pushed off and landed upright on her feet.
"Really?" Magnus raised a brow. She wasn't wrong. He wasn't in any place to pursue a proper relationship, especially not with his uncertain future. He didn't even plan on staying in this world. But her bluntness piqued his curiosity.
"Yes. After all, the question was about marriage. Feelings now might change in the future. Nothing is guaranteed—not for me, not for you. Even becoming my family's matriarch isn't set in stone."
Her gaze remained steady as she added, "I imagine the same applies to you?"
Magnus didn't need to think much before nodding with a grin.
"Yeah, I suppose so." The atmosphere shifted subtly. It wasn't heavy or awkward—just different. Seraline allowed herself a brief smile, one of those rare expressions that said more than her words ever could.
"In any case, you're leaving today, aren't you?" She asked.
"That's right. I've got everything packed in my storage ring, and the route to Larter Village is memorized."
"Hmm." Seraline gave a small nod.
"In that case, we'll meet you downstairs to see you off." Magnus tilted his head, surprised. Noticing his expression, Seraline glanced toward Halen.
"When he heard you were leaving, he said he wanted to see you off." Magnus followed her gaze to the sleeping boy on the bed, his expression softening.
"Is that so..." He muttered, almost to himself, before shrugging.
"Alright, I'll see you both down there." Seraline nodded, and Magnus turned, stepping out into the hallway. As he made his way toward the stairs leading down from the fifth floor, he glanced around, even poking his head into the council room. It was empty—not a single elder or anyone else in sight. Aside from himself, Seraline, and Halen, the fifth floor seemed completely deserted. It wasn't too surprising; the banquet was just yesterday, and he figured the elders had plenty to handle now that the celebrations were over.
Descending the stairs, Magnus navigated the winding hallways and labyrinthine structure of the village hall. Gradually, the faint sounds of people moving about reached his ears, growing clearer the closer he got to the first floor. By the time he reached it, the usual scene of bustling doctors, nurses, and helping hands unfolded before him. It was less chaotic than before—most of the injured were stable now, and the focus had shifted to ensuring their comfort and recovery.
As Magnus stepped into view, a handful of people noticed him, and a wave of cheers erupted.
He blinked, momentarily confused, until he caught snippets of their conversations. It was the banquet-goers—those who'd seen his "performance" last night. Marilyn had filled him in on some of it, but as Magnus listened to their chatter, he realized there was even more he had apparently done than she'd mentioned. His only response was a series of awkward laughs as he made his way through the crowd. Thankfully, the attention didn't last long—he spotted Marilyn helping a nurse carry supplies to one of the rooms.
She caught sight of him as well, her face lighting up with excitement. With a quick gesture for him to wait, she disappeared into a nearby room. She reemerged a few minutes later and made her way over to him.
"Magnus, are you leaving?" She asked as she approached.
He nodded.
"Yeah, I'm waiting for Seraline and Halen. Apparently, Halen wants to see me off. After that, I'll be heading out."
"Perfect! We just finished setting everything up," Marilyn said, her tone brimming with enthusiasm. Magnus tilted his head, confused.
"Huh? What do you-" Before he could finish, Marilyn grabbed his hand and started pulling him through the crowd. Magnus followed, bewildered, as she led him toward a room tucked into the far corner of the first floor.
When they reached the door, Marilyn pushed it open and called out, "He's here."
The room was mostly bare, one of the few spaces in the village hall that hadn't been converted into a temporary ward for the injured—likely because it was too small for that. Inside, however, Magnus saw Elder Rodgir, the other village elders, and a familiar trio: Elip, Rasan, and Mary. They were mid-conversation but stopped as soon as the door opened, their heads turning to face him. Their expressions made it clear they'd been waiting for him.
"There he is!" Rasan called out with a wide grin, raising his hands in mock celebration.
"Magnus, you look good," Elip said, his tone casual. Mary, standing beside him, couldn't resist adding her own twist, a sly grin spreading across her face.
"Yeah, for someone who drank that much last night, I think we all expected you to look a lot worse."
Magnus shot her a knowing look, the kind that carried equal parts mockery and accusation. He didn't need to say it aloud—everyone in the room knew Mary's prodding had been a key reason last night had spiraled the way it did. But Mary, unsurprisingly, didn't seem interested in bringing up her role in the chaos. Before Magnus could respond, Marilyn stepped in, her unusually sharp tone cutting through the banter.
"Mary..." The warning in her voice was unmistakable, and the look she gave her sister spoke volumes. Clearly, Marilyn still hadn't completely forgiven her sister for last night's events. Mary opened her mouth as if to defend herself, but her words shifted halfway through. Instead, she shrugged, letting out a resigned sigh.
"Yeah, yeah, fine." With Mary's teasing out of the way, Magnus's attention shifted to something else in the room—the stack of boxes placed on the carpet in the center. They stood out against the otherwise sparse interior, where chairs and couches had been piled against the walls to make space. The boxes, wrapped in cloth and tied securely with ropes, looked like they belonged in the cargo hold of a carriage.
As Magnus's gaze lingered on them, Elder Rodgir stepped forward, his cane tapping against the floor as he spoke.
"Once we learned you'd be leaving soon, we put this together as quickly as we could. It's about a month's worth of food and water, along with a few other supplies we thought might come in handy on your journey." Magnus's eyes widened in surprise as he looked from the elder to the stack of boxes.
"A month's worth? Seriously?" Before he could protest, Marilyn stepped up beside him, her voice warm but firm.
"Please don't turn it down. We have plenty of supplies, and a lot of people worked hard to prepare this on such short notice." Elder Rodgir and the other elders nodded in agreement.
"That's right," Elip chimed in.
"Think of it as a gift."
"Or, if that's not good enough," Rasan added with a chuckle, "you can think of it as payment for that performance last night. I don't think I've had that much fun drinking in years."
Magnus caught the way Mary opened her mouth, clearly ready to toss in her own words, but Marilyn's sharp glance silenced her before she could get a sound out. With everyone chiming in, Magnus's resistance melted away. He let out a small laugh and nodded.
"Well, I doubt I'll be able to eat or drink all of it, but I appreciate it anyway." He approached the stack and began transferring the boxes into his storage ring. For perhaps the first time since Luden had given it to him, the ring was nearing its full capacity. Just as he finished, the sound of footsteps came from behind. He turned, along with everyone else in the room, to see Seraline at the doorway with a slightly groggy Halen in tow. The boy rubbed his eyes, looking like he could have used at least another hour of sleep.
"Looks like someone had a long night," one of the elders joked, glancing at Halen. Seraline gave a small nod as she looked down at the boy.
"He tried to stay up with me when we got back to my room," she explained. Halen, still rubbing his eyes, perked up when he spotted Magnus. His sleepiness seemed to fade as he quickly ran up to him.
"Are you really leaving?" he asked, tugging lightly on Magnus's uniform. Magnus looked down at him with a gentle smile and nodded.
"Afraid so. Some friends of mine need my help somewhere else, and I've got to go lend them a hand."
Halen's expression fell, his head lowering slightly. Seeing the sadness on the boy's face, Magnus reached out and patted his head.
"Don't worry, we'll see each other again. I just have a few things to take care of first." Magnus wasn't entirely sure what Seraline planned for Halen's future. The boy clearly adored her, and Seraline seemed fond of him as well, but would she take him back to Arlcliff City? It wasn't like he had any family here. Then again, who knew how Seraline's family would react to her bringing him along?
Still, Magnus was certain he'd cross paths with Halen—and everyone else in the village—again, whether on his way back to Arlcliff City or at some other point.
When Halen looked up at him, his eyes hopeful, and asked, "Promise?"
Magnus gave him a reassuring nod.
"I promise." The boy's face brightened, and he nodded back. Magnus turned to address everyone else in the room.
"The same goes for all of you. I plan on visiting again, especially after everything you and this village have done for me." Elder Rodgir and the other elders exchanged warm smiles, while Elip and Rasan chuckled. Surprisingly enough, Mary was the one who responded to him, letting out a soft sigh and showing a slight smile as she did.
"We should be the ones thanking you, you know. I'm pretty sure we'd all be dead if it weren't for you and Seraline." Marilyn glanced at her sister with wide eyes, clearly moved that she was actually being genuine with her words.
"Well," Magnus said with a grin, "that just gives me an extra reason to come back. We've got to keep paying each other back."
Mary smirked.
"Sure, just make sure you pay back the right person. My name isn't Wendy, you know?" Magnus rolled his eyes lightly, letting the remark slide as he shifted his attention to Seraline.
"I'll be fine," she said preemptively, her tone firm. Magnus nodded, knowing she was right.
"Well, I guess it's time for me to get going." He gave a wave to everyone as he headed for the door. They all waved back, offering their goodbyes. As he made his way through the village hall, a few others who'd heard about his departure called out their farewells as well. By the time Magnus stepped outside, the sun had climbed higher into the sky, casting a golden glow over the forest. The view was breathtaking, the sunlight filtering through the trees and bathing the ground in warm, shifting patterns.
Man, I didn't think I'd spend so much time here. It almost started feeling like a second home outside of Arlcliff City.
With a soft push off the ground, Magnus leaped into the air. The wind rippled around him as he ascended fifty meters in a single bound, coming to a hovering stop. From this vantage, he could see the entire village—its hall, the campsite, and the distant districts. People were busy moving about, restoring order after the chaos of the past weeks. The sight filled him with a weird feeling. Whatever Mia and the others were dealing with in Larter Village, he felt more ready to face it now then before.
"Alright, that's enough being sentimental. Next stop, Larter Village," Magnus muttered to himself. He mapped his flight path in his head, then bent his knees. With a powerful leap, he shot forward, the air booming as he blurred into the distance. Villagers below looked up, waving and cheering, knowing only the Great Mage who had helped save their village was capable of flying like that.
Back on the ground, Marilyn stood at the entrance of the village hall, her gaze fixed on the direction Magnus had flown. Her expression was tinged with a bittersweet smile as she let out a quiet sigh.
Beside her, Mary watched with a warm yet mischievous grin.
Wrapping an arm around her sister's shoulders, she teased, "Jeez, he just left, and you're already sighing. Am I going to have to get used to you moping like this every time you get a crush on someone?"
Marilyn turned sharply, her face flushing as she shook her head.
"What? No, I just, you..." Her words stumbled over themselves, and she quickly gave up with a frustrated sigh. Mary laughed, pulling her sister closer.
"Fine, you don't have a crush. But you know… if he does come back around here, you'd better be quick. We already know someone who's got their eyes on him. Who knows if there are others?" Marilyn rolled her eyes, shaking Mary's arm off her shoulder.
"You're ridiculous," she muttered, turning to head back inside the village hall. Mary followed her, her amusement undeterred.
"What? I'm just giving you some sisterly advice."