The man with dark brown hair was named Gorou. He stared at me with a calm gaze, choosing his words carefully. His eyes were neither hostile nor friendly.
"You saved one of my men, Arin."
He paused for a moment as if testing my reaction, waiting for me to speak. He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if evaluating me.
"I owe you. Ask for whatever you want... Money, influence, or even joining us."
I clenched my fist tightly—not out of tension, but because what he was offering me was a rare opportunity.
Ask for whatever I want…? It seems like I should save this request for the right moment. Looks like I'll be playing my cards faster than I expected.
"Ah…"
I looked at the ground nervously, feeling like my head was burning. Everyone was staring at me—I couldn't afford to waste this chance.
"I want to keep my right to request something for the future."
I told him while gathering my energy to speak. My tone sounded like I had carefully planned my words—and I had. This was embarrassing.
His expression showed slight surprise, but he didn't object.
"Alright… If you need anything, just contact me."
I nodded before turning to check on Kyle. He was watching me silently, his red eyes analyzing every movement I made with unsettling calm.
This man won't trust me easily…
It seems like he belongs to this group, which means the man sitting in the chair before me must be someone very important.
After that, we discussed the events of the incident. Everyone spoke to me—except Kyle. It seemed I was earning their respect.
The team eventually left, leaving me alone. Finally, I could rest. It was still early morning—no time to waste.
"Another long day, huh?"
I sighed lazily, but quickly gathered my belongings and planned my next destination. In truth, traveling alone was new to me. I didn't like being alone. I enjoyed seeing new places with my family… How many years would pass before I saw them again?
After rushing down the stairs, I paid for the night's stay at Levi's place. He was quieter than yesterday, looking incredibly sleepy.
I quickly left the guild. My destination now was…
"Eldoras Falls."
The area was deep within the guild's forest, nestled in the mountains. As I walked, I recalled some details about the waterfall from the novel.
In the novel, this place was more than just a small, peaceful waterfall. In the past, an adventurer who studied forbidden sciences hid a dangerous etherial book here—one that utilized dark ether. This book was an important resource in the story, but it was also incredibly dangerous.
"If it's still here… I will get it and become stronger."
I quickened my pace through the forest, avoiding fallen logs and damp leaves beneath my feet. As I got closer, the sound of rushing water grew louder, as if the area itself was welcoming me in.
Finally, I arrived.
So this is the waterfall…
It was exactly as the novel described—a small cascade of water flowing from a large rock, surrounded by seven slippery, moss-covered stones, embedded into the earth around the pool created by the fall.
"If the novel is right, then…"
I approached the first stone, which was about my height. I tried to recall the feeling of gathering ether from yesterday's goblin fight, then placed my hand on the rock.
The stone I touched faced the waterfall directly. According to the novel, I needed to channel ether into it—then into the three stones to the right, and the three to the left. The stones completely encircled the pool.
This is… kind of exciting. I feel like an important character, thinking about how I can actually use ether. My sister would have loved to study this—ha, she's obsessed with hands-on sciences… I miss them.
I need to focus.
Standing before the stone, lost in thoughts of the past, I snapped back to reality and began following the novel's instructions.
Once I finished, the ground began to tremble. Small rocks on the ground seemed to bounce.
"It's happening!!"
This is amazing! The sound of water shifting inside the pool grew louder. Hesitantly, I stepped forward to see what had changed.
"Whoa…"
Chills ran down my spine. The novel was incredibly accurate. The water looked as if it had been pierced—there was now a circular opening in the ground, leading to an underground chamber.
I stopped staring. Before entering, I needed to do something.
Control the ether…
I sat down, resting my back against the stone facing the waterfall. This feels… kind of embarrassing.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and dove into the depths of my being.
Ether of Balance isn't something that can be controlled by force.
It relies on inner harmony. It depends on your ability to keep your spirit clear amidst chaos.
I felt the ether flow within me—like streams of energy constantly moving through my body, within my etherial soul. The sensation was like warm, pure water sliding over my skin.
But my ether wasn't stable. At times, it rippled, even shrinking in volume. So I tried to guide it—it was like trying to hold water with my fingers.
"Ah… Focus…"
The area was peaceful. The sound of water made my throat dry, and the cool air brushed against my face, soothing it.
But suddenly—
The silence shattered with wicked laughter.
"Kekeke!"
I snapped my eyes open, startled, and saw a figure. No… a monster.
Its entire skin was blue, and it wore a necklace glowing with violet light!
Shit!! It's a lower middle class sorcerer!!