Chapter 13: Awakening of Magic

“This is…”
I frowned as I inspected the frozen goat. The unidentified monster wasn’t native to the Karum Mountains. I could say that with confidence because I had researched the area before taking on this mission.

“Hmm… Why is this thing here?”

As I examined the frozen creature, Rane approached, seemingly familiar with it.

“It’s from another region, isn’t it?”

“Yes. This kind usually appears in remote, snowy areas where it snows year-round. It’s called an Ice Horn.”

As I expected, it was a monster from a different region. I nodded at her explanation, and Rane waved her staff.
A blue chill dispersed, and the ice encasing the Ice Horn began to melt.

“Wha—?!”

Startled by the sudden action, I instinctively raised my sword toward the Ice Horn. But it collapsed in place, already lifeless from the cold.

“Do you think you could skin it?”

“N-no…” I shook my head at Rane’s question.
For adventurers, hunting monsters and harvesting their materials to craft powerful equipment was a natural part of life. Skilled adventurers often mastered the art of skinning animals. But I hadn’t had the time to learn such techniques.

Sure, I could try skinning it, but getting an intact pelt would be another matter.

“Hmm…”

Rane nodded, seeming a bit disappointed by my response.

“Then how about we just take the horn?”

“That, I can do.”

I gripped my sword with both hands. The horn was thick, so it wouldn’t come off with a single strike, but I figured a few good swings should do the job.

“Hiyah!”

With a short shout, I swung the sword downward.
The blade descended in a clean arc under the moonlight, striking the Ice Horn’s gray horn.

Clang!

The sound resonated sharply, like metal hitting stone. It felt like I had just tried to cleave through solid rock. My hands throbbed from the vibration, and I scowled as I looked at them. The horn was tougher than I’d thought—it had even damaged the sword’s edge slightly.

Its hardness was unbelievable. It could easily be mistaken for iron.

Clang!

I swung again, enduring the harsh recoil that traveled through my hands. I didn’t stop, no matter how hard the impact was.

I had no idea how many times I swung, but by the time my hands began to go numb, the horn finally cracked and broke off.

“Phew…”

The severed horn was heavy and solid. I hefted it and handed it to Rane, but she only smiled softly and shook her head.

“That’s yours.”

“Huh? But you’re the one who took it down…”

“I don’t plan on carrying something that heavy.”

“Uhm…”

Was it really okay for me to keep it?
A material of this quality would sell for a fortune.

If nothing else, I could find a skilled artisan and commission them to craft equipment using the horn.

Still unsure, I tried offering it to Rane one more time, but her decision remained unchanged. She handed over complete ownership of the Ice Horn’s remains to me.

In the end, I had no choice but to stuff the large horn into my bag. And while I was at it, I also tried to skin the creature, though the result was more akin to tearing it apart. Without proper skill, the pelt was anything but neat.

Rane and I resumed our journey, heading deeper into the Karum Mountains. From time to time, she would stop and use her magic to sift through the snow, as if searching for something.

Curious, I approached her.
“What are you looking for?”

“The flow of mana.”

“The flow… of mana?”

“Yes. If you happen to spot a concentration of blue energy, can you tell me? That is, if you can see it.”

“Hm…”

I tilted my head. Judging by her words, it seemed that ordinary people couldn’t see this flow of mana.

We continued our exploration until the sun began to set. The temperature in the mountains dropped sharply as night fell, and in the biting cold of winter, the nighttime chill was incomparable to the day.

Rane and I began searching for a cave to take shelter from the cold. Luck was on our side—we found one quickly.

The cave was deep, and the entrance showed signs of previous visitors. Near the mouth, there were remnants of a campfire, along with some leftover firewood. It seemed that other adventurers had used this cave as a base camp for quite some time.

“This place should do,” I said as I laid down the Ice Horn’s pelt on the floor and started preparing the campfire.

The leftover firewood was dry, perfect for burning. The problem was starting the fire. I pulled out a flask of oil and a flintstone from my bag and got to work.

Click! Click! Click!

I struck the stones together repeatedly, trying to create sparks. But the cold wind made it difficult to ignite the fire. After struggling for quite a while, Rane approached me.

“Need a hand?”

“Huh?”

I looked up at her, wiping the sweat from my forehead. A small flame danced at the tip of her finger—just like a lighter.

“Whoa…”

Thanks to her help, we finally got the campfire going. I sat beside her, gazing blankly at the flames as they crackled between us.

“Rane, I have a question.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think I could learn magic too?”

Rane gave me a troubled smile.

“Sorry, but magic isn’t something just anyone can learn…”

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, then raised her hand. Curious, I focused on it. Suddenly, a shimmering stream of blue light began to swirl above her palm.

“Can… Can you see this?”

Rane asked in disbelief, her expression puzzled. I nodded instinctively—those brilliant, flowing currents of blue light were unmistakably visible to me.

“What does it look like to you?”

“It looks like blue wind, swirling upward… almost like flames.”

Upon hearing my response, a bright smile spread across Rane’s face. Then, she extended her hand toward me.

“Give me your hand for a moment?”

I placed my hand in hers without hesitation, and Rane grasped it firmly.

“Can you focus your mind?”

“Focus my mind?”

“Yes.”

Suddenly, something intangible began flowing from her hand into mine. It wasn’t a physical sensation, yet I could undeniably feel it.

A faint presence, moving slowly from Rane’s hand into mine.

“Seris, what do you know about magic?”

I was momentarily speechless. At her question, a flood of memories surged through my mind.

Magic that breathes fire from one’s hands, or transforms the body into living flames. Magic that summons storm clouds, calling down lightning and wind. Or conjures meteors from the infinite reaches of space.

That was my understanding of magic.

“Keep imagining it,” Rane encouraged.

I did as she asked, letting thoughts of magic flow freely. But magic wasn’t something I could define with a single idea.

It was a force that used nature’s energy and one’s willpower to establish personal rules within this world. It was also the pursuit of spiritual mastery, understanding universal truths, and wielding them.

Magic could summon phenomena that defy natural law—it was all these things and more.

“What is your magic?”

Stars swirled together in my mind, countless worlds overlapping. In those worlds, the images of sorcerers began to take shape.

Rane kept asking, “What is your magic?”

In that moment, my sense of self faded. My body vanished, leaving only my consciousness to witness the vast expanse of existence.

An endless river of starlight flowed around me, shimmering as if it responded to my thoughts. It transformed according to my will—at times a fierce flame, at times a gentle breeze, and at other times a cold sheet of ice.

Magic wasn’t something that could be confined to a single form. It was all of these things.

It was an exhilarating feeling, but I knew it wouldn’t last forever. My soul, which had been set free, would have to return to the small body of the girl I was.

The expansive world collapsed, and sensation slowly returned to my limbs.

“Seris, what is your magic?”

Rane’s question echoed once more.

In that moment, I grasped the essence of magic.

I had learned to recognize mana and understood that it could be controlled.

A small spark pulsed from within my chest—a glimmering star, quietly asserting its presence.

I cautiously guided the tiny star within me.

After freeing my hand from Rane’s grasp, I raised both hands gently.

The small starlight nestled near my heart flowed through my body like a channel, extending toward my hands.

“This is…”

Floating above my palms was a radiant orb—a star forming a perfect circle, glowing brilliantly.

Within that tiny star was my world.

And today, the boundaries of the world I perceived had expanded.

Flash!

With a sudden burst of light, the star began to grow.

What had been no larger than a snowflake spread throughout the entire cavern, filling the space without stopping.

But the brilliance didn’t last long.

The mana left in my body was faint, and the light quickly faded.

This was the best answer I could give.

Rane’s azure eyes gleamed with a sparkle of recognition.

The light of my world was now reflected in her gaze.

What had she felt in that moment? And what was her magic?

“What kind of magic do you have, Rane?”

I wanted to know the answer, but I couldn’t ask.

My consciousness began to drift, sinking into darkness.

Had I exhausted all my mana? My senses were gradually slipping away.

Rane blinked slowly, dazed.

The world this small girl had just shown her shook the very foundations of her magic.

Fire, wind, water, and earth—those four elements were the basis of Rane’s magic.

Not just hers, but also her master’s.

And her master’s master had learned the same.

Magic, as Rane knew it, was a force passed down through generations.

It was the culmination of knowledge from pioneers who had explored the world.

But now, Rane couldn’t speak.

If a mage from the Tower asked her, “What is magic?” she would have answered without hesitation, reciting what she had been taught.

But in this moment, Rane couldn’t bring herself to do that.

And for good reason.

“Ah…”

A belated sigh escaped her lips.