"You've got some impressive Aetheric attributes~!"
Right? I think so too. Crowed's eyes sparkled with excitement as he leaned closer to the screen.
"You're absolutely right."
I responded with a calm smile, trying to appear composed, though I was certain my eyelids were tinted pink now, haha.
Crowed smiled genuinely, looking at me with his blue eyes, clearly happy for me.
"I've never seen someone who possesses only the basic etheric attributes. Everyone I've met always has an inclination toward natural etheric elements."
His words were true... I couldn't recall anyone in the novel who used only basic ether. My eyes widened as I realized his observation was correct, and my memory took me back to the fundamentals of the world in Kyle Between the Shadows.
In this world, there's a supernatural force called ether. Ether is a natural energy that exists everywhere. Fundamentally, ether has no specific attribute or inclination toward any element. However, when ether enters a person, it adapts to the attributes they utilize. The amount of ether one can use is called mana, essentially its capacity.
There are twelve types of ether: seven are classified as natural ether, and five are basic ether.
Natural attributes: Water, Fire, Air, Earth, Electricity, Nature, Ice.
Basic attributes: Light, Darkness, Balance, Void, Spirit.
"Hey? Your name's Arin, right?? Heeey!"
Ah! I had been lost in thought... Crowed was trying hard to bring my focus back. I thanked him for his service and asked for a simple task suitable for a beginner like me. He gave me a mission to eliminate three low-level goblins.
I bid him farewell and headed toward the nearby forest, which conveniently lay behind the guild. There, I could finally test out my etheric abilities. This made my blood boil with excitement.
By the time I reached, it was already late afternoon. I stood there gazing at the white clouds... I've always loved looking at the sky. The trees carried a distinct, fresh scent in the air. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes, immersing myself in the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves.
This feels nostalgic. I love how the novel's author constructed this world so beautifully—
A rustling sound in the grass sent shivers down my spine, almost stopping my heart!
"Ah…!"
A grotesque goblin emerged slowly from behind a tree. It was filthy and small, but it made my face turn pale as I stumbled back to the ground.
"Ahhh! Get away from me, gross thing!!"
Out of sheer instinct, I gathered as much ether as I could and unleashed it. A small beam of light shot out from my hand, creating a deep wound in the goblin's head. The creature vanished the moment it died.
"Ughhh!!"
It screamed in agony before disappearing into the air. Watching it vanish left me feeling queasy… ugh.
And so, I managed to kill the first goblin. Soon after, the second one appeared as I ventured deeper into the forest. This time, although I almost froze in fear when it glared at me and charged, I had learned—by mistake—how to use ether! That's how I defeated it and, later, the third goblin, completing my mission.
On my way back, the sun was close to setting. I exhaled deeply, ensuring the system had stored the stones that dropped from the defeated creatures.
"Good, I'll return before sunset."
I closed the system window and headed toward the guild, which wasn't too far away. Walking past the trees one by one, I thought to myself, "Once I settle down, I'll rent a room at the guild... Maybe I should get dinner too…"
"…What's that sound?"
A faint explosion echoed nearby. Turning toward the direction of the smoke rising in the air, I hesitated for a moment before moving to investigate.
The path ahead was rough and densely filled with trees. When I arrived, I saw an unfamiliar large monster disintegrating into a cloud of smoke, leaving behind a heavy stench. Moving closer, I spotted a figure leaning against a rock.
"He's injured!"
There didn't seem to be any threats around, so I ran toward him. The man was of average height with light blonde hair. His amber eyes barely stayed open, and his pale white skin was streaked with blood.
I quickly grabbed him and hoisted him up. He was light enough to carry on my back, so I hurried toward the guild as fast as I could. I could hear his faint breathing and racing heartbeat…
"Th-thank… you."
I didn't reply. I heard him, but I didn't want him to waste energy talking in this state.
"Don't talk. I'll get you help."
I ran as fast as I could, heading straight for the guild's rear entrance.
"Ah… so many people…"
Come on, Arin. Now's not the time to get socially anxious. You're almost there!
Bursting through the back door, I made my way to the nearest reception desk. The attendant didn't wait for me to speak and immediately opened the door behind her, saying:
"Bring him in! I'll treat him; now go!"
I handed the man over to her. She immediately began tending to his wounds. For a moment, I realized… I saved someone.
Everyone around me started murmuring, their eyes fixed on me. Maybe I should feel proud in this moment, but I… I just wanted to leave.
Lowering my head, I quickly rushed to Crowed, who stood nearby looking bewildered. Things like this rarely happen in a peaceful town like this one…
I rented a room upstairs for the night and said I'd pay tomorrow. Climbing the stairs quickly, I reached the door with my room number, opened it, and locked it behind me.
I took a deep breath. Everyone had been staring at me and whispering. Would I become famous now? I hated the thought of it.
Shaking off those worries, I surveyed the room. It was small and simple: a modest bed with a window above it on the wall opposite the door, a small desk, and a compact wardrobe.
"I really feel like an adventurer now."
Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that none of this was real.
Collapsing onto the bed, I tried not to overthink things. I just wanted morning to come already.
Closing my eyes, I drifted to sleep. It had truly been an exhausting day.
...
Arin sat on the bed, staring at a large man with dark brown hair and deep brown eyes seated on a chair in front of him…
That wasn't the problem, though. That much was expected.
What on earth was he doing here??
Arin's anxious gaze shifted to Kyle, who stood near the corner by the door, looking at Arin with a mix of anger and suspicion.
How did I end up with him??!