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I had nowhere to go now. I couldn't go back to Master Sin Ju—he would be disappointed in me. After all the training, all the effort, and all the faith he had put in me, how could I face him like this? And I had no place to stay here either. I had nothing left.
"I'll just go to the bar," I muttered to myself.
It was the only place that I had ever truly felt comfortable in. If nothing else, maybe I could at least tell Sara and Lina what happened. They were the only people I could talk to right now. Even if they couldn't help, at least they would listen.
I walked through the dimly lit streets, my thoughts a mess of regret, frustration, and uncertainty. The city was lively, but it all felt distant to me now. Every adventurer walking by was someone who had awakened, someone who belonged. I was just a stray, lost and alone.
After a few minutes, I finally reached the bar. The familiar scent of ale and grilled meat filled the air as I stepped inside. I scanned the room and immediately spotted them, sitting together in their usual spot.
"Didn't expect two waitresses to be friends," I said, trying to sound somewhat normal despite the storm in my mind.
"We're actually more than friends," Lina replied with a grin.
Wait—what?! My eyes widened in shock.
"W-what do you mean?" I stammered.
"Yeah, we're siblings," she clarified casually.
"Oh, thank god…" I muttered under my breath.
"You say somethin', kid?" Sara asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
"No, nothing," I quickly replied, shaking my head.
I hadn't expected them to be siblings. They looked nothing alike. Lina had blonde hair and brown eyes, while Sara had jet-black hair and piercing black eyes. If they hadn't said anything, I would have never guessed.
"Well, why do you look so sad?" Lina suddenly shouted, leaning forward with a concerned look on her face.
"Uh… it's kind of a long story," I admitted hesitantly.
"Sit down and tell us," Sara added, patting the seat beside her.
I sighed and sat down at their table, my shoulders feeling heavier than ever. Taking a deep breath, I began explaining everything—how the test went, how my magic failed to be measured, how Reina and Renji had to break the news to me, and how I was ultimately rejected from the guild.
Lina's mouth was slightly open as she listened. "Wait, wait, wait," she interrupted. "You're telling me… the resonance stone couldn't measure your magic at all?"
I nodded. "Yeah… it just said 'error' both times."
"That's insane. That doesn't just happen," Lina said, looking over at Sara for confirmation.
Sara crossed her arms. "It's rare, yeah, but not impossible. There have been cases of unawakened people whose magic was too unstable to be measured."
"But… I don't feel like I'm anything special," I admitted. "I mean, if I really had magic, wouldn't I have awakened by now?"
Sara leaned back in her chair, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Not necessarily. There have been rare cases of delayed awakenings, but they usually happen under extreme conditions—like life-or-death situations."
"Great," I muttered. "So unless I almost die, I'm just a nobody with no magic."
Lina frowned. "Hey, don't say that! You're still an amazing fighter. You held your own against Reina, didn't you?"
I forced a small smile. "Yeah… but it wasn't enough."
"Actually," Sara suddenly said, "I might have some good news."
I looked at her with surprise. "What do you mean?"
"Well, since you still haven't awakened—which is really odd because almost everyone your age has—you could still join the guild… if you at least have one awakened member in your party."
My eyes widened. "Wait, seriously? How do you know that?"
"It's written in the rules inside the guild," Lina chimed in. "You should pay more attention, kid."
I nearly jumped out of my seat. "You mean to tell me… I still have a chance?!"
Sara smirked. "Looks like it."
A wave of relief crashed over me. I wasn't completely out of options yet. My dream wasn't dead. There was still a way in. "You two just saved me from giving up," I said, grinning. "Thank you, seriously. I'll go now and search for someone to join my party!"
"WAIT!" Lina suddenly shouted before I could leave.
I turned back to her. "What is it?"
"Don't bother searching here," she said, shaking her head. "Almost everyone in this city is already in a party."
I froze. She was right. This city was filled with guild members and adventurers who had long since formed their own groups. If everyone here was already in a party, then where was I supposed to find someone?
Sara shrugged. "If you're looking for someone who's not already in a guild, your best bet would be outside the city."
Outside…?
"In that case," I said, determination filling my voice, "I'll go to the forest in search of someone."
Lina looked worried. "The forest is dangerous, you know."
"I know," I said, gripping my sword's hilt. "But I don't have a choice. If I want to join the guild, I have to do whatever it takes."
Sara smirked. "Well, if you're that determined, I won't stop you. Just don't die, alright?"
"Good luck, Zerro!" Lina added.
I nodded. "Thanks. I'll be back soon—hopefully with a party member."
And with that, I left the bar, stepping out into the cool night air. I let out a long breath. I had a new goal now. I wasn't going to give up. If I had to search the entire forest, I would find someone to form a party with.
But as I stood at the city's edge, staring out at the vast expanse of trees in the distance, I couldn't help but mutter to myself—
"Oh man… I really don't have the energy to travel back there right now."
The thought of trekking all the way back to the forest so soon was exhausting. But if I wanted to make my dream a reality, I had no other choice.
I tightened my grip on my sword and took my first step forward.
"Now… into the forest."
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