Varyn was left alone in the room with the green-haired woman after the others had exited. She turned towards him with a gentle smile.
"Hello. None of us introduced ourselves, did we? Not the best manners, but that's just how they are. Don't let it get to you," she said with a lighthearted chuckle.
Varyn didn't particularly care about knowing their names. Introductions seemed irrelevant to him in his current state of mind, so he offered a small nod, staying silent.
"You can call me Frendra," she added, extending a hand toward him. "And you are?"
"Varyn," he replied simply, glancing at her hand but not taking it.
She withdrew her hand without missing a beat, unfazed. "Alright, Varyn. I'll wait for you outside. Get ready; we're going somewhere. All your bills have been settled."
Varyn nodded as she left the room. Alone, he instinctively lifted his shirt, checking the injuries he remembered having sustained on the battlefield. Not even a scar remained. 'Was it the beast that healed me?' he wondered, running his fingers over the smooth skin.
It was still surreal that he was no longer just a regular human. He could feel it, the faint presence of something within—a powerful entity lying dormant, yet distinctly alive. He wanted to connect with it somehow but had no idea how to start. After all, he had no experience with beastbinding or magic, and his education was nearly nonexistent. Everything he knew about the magical world and its creatures came from overhearing conversations and observing others during his short time at the military base.
The magic of this world was something almost everyone possessed, though in vastly varying degrees. Regular humans, those without the potential for beast-taming, had small, nearly imperceptible amounts of magic. However, those with the capacity for taming or, even rarer, for beastbinding like him, wielded magic on a different level altogether. This was why beast tamers and beastbound individuals were critical to the war effort.
He thought back, trying to understand how he, someone with no sign of taming potential, had bonded with a beast. It didn't add up. But there was no time to dwell on the mystery.
After a quick wash and change of clothes, he stepped out into the hall where Frendra was waiting patiently.
"Ready?" she asked with a reassuring smile. When he nodded, she led him outside.
The moment Varyn stepped beyond the building, he realized just how unfamiliar his surroundings were. The area he was in now was nothing like the cramped and worn streets of his hometown or the barren terrain of the battlefield. This was the heart of the kingdom.
Towering structures of metal and stone loomed all around him, their sleek, glassy surfaces etched with glowing magical runes. Strange, rune-etched carriages moved along invisible pathways, hovering without wheels as they glided smoothly past the pedestrians. Floating lights hung in the air, casting a soft glow over everything, and small creatures—elementals, he guessed—flitted about like animated lanterns. Varyn's mouth dropped open slightly as he took it all in, captivated.
Despite the kingdom's modern marvels, a touch of the fantastical remained woven into its very fabric. Trees with leaves that sparkled like stars grew alongside the streets, their roots twisting through metal and stone as if they had always belonged there. Nearby, he saw a café nestled in the branches of a massive, ancient tree, its patrons sipping drinks from mugs that glowed with soft, colorful light.
He barely recognized this world as his own. To him, it was a place of possibility and magic, where ancient enchantments blended seamlessly with futuristic innovations.
The kingdom was divided into two parts. One for beast tamers and beast bounds, and the other for regular humans.
He spent his entire life in the latter, which didn't have as many magical elements as here.
This didn't mean that regular humans weren't allowed here. The segregation was for their safety.
He couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever feel at home here, but for now, he just wanted to take it all in, hoping to remember every detail
"Come on," Frendra said, gently pulling him out of his thoughts. She led him toward a sleek, carriage-like vehicle that hovered above the ground, pulsing faintly with magical energy. This wasn't very common, even in a place like this, so as he settled in beside her, he couldn't help but wonder who exactly these people were and what they wanted with him.
The vehicle lifted off the ground, moving forward with a smooth, soundless acceleration.
They traveled for several minutes, the vibrant, crowded city slowly giving way to vast open fields. The grass stretched out in all directions, rolling like an endless green ocean. The noise and energy of the city faded into the distance, leaving behind only the peaceful sound of the wind and the faint hum of the carriage's magical engine.
Eventually, they reached a quiet area with only a few scattered buildings. The carriage came to a gentle stop in front of a modestly large house set against a backdrop of rolling hills.
"We're here," Frendra said, stepping out and motioning for him to follow. As they approached the entrance, her expression turned uncharacteristically serious.
"The person we're about to meet is very… prestigious," she said, her tone cautious. "Be careful. Don't say anything out of place. If you can, it would be best if you stay quiet. He'll be overseeing and studying you for a while, so you'll be spending some time here."
A hint of anxiety crept up on Varyn. He took a deep breath and gave a small nod, silently vowing to tread carefully.
Frendra let out a sigh, her expression showing that there was more to this personality before knocking on the door, which soon swung open to reveal a boy around Varyn's age. He had striking white hair and cold blue, penetrating eyes that lingered on Frendra for a moment before sliding over to and locking on Varyn.