Upon arriving at the main library of the Heisenberg estate, Arvant quickly walked through rows upon rows of towering bookshelves. Candlelight cast long shadows on the marble floor, and the scent of old books filled the air.
His hand stopped at a section of beginner magic tomes a clearly limited collection. He pulled out three of them.
> Fireball Spell
Water Splash Spell
Small Rock Throwing Spell
Arvant looked at the worn covers and let out a short breath.
"These are minor spells… but they're the only ones available for swordsmen," he muttered, flipping through the pages with a serious expression.
---
On another page, Arvant read about the magic system printed in faded ink:
Mana Sensor I (Low – Mid – High)
Mana Sensor II (Low – Mid – High)
Iron Mage (Low – Mid – High)
Golden Mage (Low – Mid – High)
Diamond Mage (Low – Mid – High)
God Mage
Founder Mage
Arvant squinted, recalling a distant past.
"In my previous life… I reached the level of God Mage," he whispered, his gaze losing focus for a moment.
In this world, balancing swordsmanship and magic was considered impossible for ordinary beings. But heroes… they were the exception. Blessed with limitless potential, true heroes could surpass all boundaries.
Arvant placed the books on the floor. Sitting cross-legged, he opened both palms and began to absorb natural mana.
Unlike sword training, which relied on physical prowess, magic rooted its foundation in the brain. Mana from nature would be channeled into the mind, gradually expanding its internal capacity. But there was a risk—too much, too quickly… could cause fatal brain damage.
"Focus…"
The air around him trembled faintly. Invisible particles of natural mana began to gather, drifting toward Arvant like a gentle breeze. Minutes passed, and then—
WUSH.
A light wave spread from his head down through his body.
"I did it…" he whispered with a small smile.
[Mana Sensor I – Low]
"I need to reach Mana Sensor II – Low… to unlock my Mana Domain."
He closed the books and stood, leaving the room with renewed determination.
---
In the days that followed, Arvant's routine barely changed. Early each morning, he ran around the palace grounds, doing physical exercises to build stamina and reflexes. Afterward, he returned to his magical studies—memorizing spells, practicing, and adjusting his body's rhythm to the flow of mana.
After a month and a half, progress was clear.
[Mid Swordsmanship I → Low Swordsmanship II]
[Mana Sensor I – Low → Mana Sensor I – Mid]
Arvant stood in the backyard, gazing up at the sky partially covered by clouds.
"It's time I trained with Uncle Elric," he said, wiping the sweat from his brow.
---
After searching nearly the entire estate, Arvant finally found Elric… at the stables.
"Uncle!" he called, crossing his arms. "There you are."
Elric, who was feeding the warhorses, turned lazily. His eyes gleamed with mockery.
"Getting cocky, huh, ugly brat?" he said, pushing a handful of weeds toward Arvant's face. "Your face looks like rotting leaves."
Arvant smiled, unbothered. "I came because I want to train… under you."
Elric paused, then shook his head.
"I offered before. Now? Too late." He calmly stroked the horse's neck.
Arvant stepped closer, his expression turning slightly pleading. "Back then… I wasn't ready for your extreme training."
Elric pretended not to hear. Instead, he whispered to the horse, as if speaking to a creature far more reasonable than his nephew.
Finally, Arvant cleared his throat and said flatly, "If you train me, I'll help you get closer to Sandy."
Elric immediately turned, eyes sharp. "You know I'm in love with Sandy?"
"The entire estate knows, Uncle," Arvant replied, expression blank.
Elric let out a long sigh and patted Arvant's shoulder.
"Fine. But only on one condition—give me everything you know about Sandy."
Arvant nodded. "Deal."
"But before that…" Elric's tone grew serious. "You need to reach Mid Swordsmanship II. Only then can you wield the Heisenberg Family's Signature Aura."
Arvant frowned. "So… what do I have to do?"
---
"Come with me to the Ice Forest," Elric said with a wide grin.
Arvant fell silent. The cold wind suddenly felt sharper.
The Ice Forest...
A place inhabited by Tier-2 magical beasts. Its air was cold enough to freeze bone. For a swordsman like Elric—a High Sword Grandmaster—it was a playground. But for a novice?
Death could come at any moment.
"Scared, hero?" Elric mocked with a laugh.
Arvant stood tall. "Fine. But… what's our goal?"
Elric looked away, his tone casual. "First, to give you real battle experience. Second… I want to get Sandy a birthday gift."
Arvant closed his eyes and sighed. "…You're weird, Uncle."
---
The next morning, Arvant found Elric chatting with Sandy, laughing like a smitten teenager.
"Let's go, Uncle," said Arvant.
Elric waved at Sandy. "Bye, Sandy! I'll bring you a present!"
---
They traveled in a simple horse-drawn carriage, sitting side by side. Cool wind brushed their faces, leaves dancing in rhythm with the turning wheels.
"What kind of gift are you getting for Sandy?" asked Arvant.
"Tier-2 Ice Wolf meat," Elric replied without hesitation.
Arvant raised a brow. "That tough meat? Even stray dogs won't eat it."
"For normal people, sure. But Sandy can turn it into a delicious dish. Besides… it's her favorite."
Arvant looked at the sky and closed his eyes.
The sounds of wheels, hooves, and cold wind made his eyelids heavy. Before long, he fell asleep.
---
The dream came again.
The faces of those he failed to protect. Blood, screams, betrayal. A world ruined by his decisions.
This… is my punishment for all my past failures, Arvant thought.
He woke up to Elric singing a love song for Sandy at full volume.
Still groggy, Arvant asked, "How long have I been asleep?"
"We left at nine, you dozed off at eleven, and now it's four. So, yeah… a while."
---
They arrived at a village near the Ice Forest. Cold air struck like a slap. Elric immediately searched for an inn. When he opened the door, a cheerful little girl greeted them at the front desk.
"Welcome!" she chirped.
"Hey, we need two rooms. Where's your father?" Elric asked as he approached.
The girl shouted, "Grandpa! We have guests!"
An elderly man slowly descended the stairs.
"Oh… guests. It's rare these days."
"We'll take two rooms. I'm Elric von Starlight," Elric said proudly.
The old man squinted. "Elric… white hair… big build… arrogant… That's right! You're a Starlight!"
He then looked at Arvant. "And you… are the hero of this era?"
Arvant nodded.
The old man grasped Arvant's hand firmly. "Welcome to our inn, Hero Arvant Starlight."
Nancy snorted, eyeing Arvant from head to toe.
"A hero? But you're skinny, scruffy, and… honestly, your face looks like a rotten peanut."
"Don't be rude, Nancy! You don't know the history! Eighteen years ago, the Twilight Horse descended from the sky...!"
Grandpa Ted launched into a long tale about the birth of the hero and the Starlight name. Nancy, who had been mocking, now looked curious.
Arvant glanced at her. "Rotten peanut? That's a new one."
Nancy grinned. "Most people call me a genius at speaking the truth."
Elric quipped from the side, "More like a genius at being annoying."
Arvant smiled patiently. "If I'm the hero, would you like to be my assistant?"
Nancy frowned. "Assistant? No way! I'm better suited to be a squad leader!"
"Then you'll need to wake up early and endure hunger on the battlefield," Arvant replied flatly.
Nancy puffed her cheeks. "I can do that! As long as I get cheese bread and chocolate milk every morning."
Ted roared with laughter. "Hahaha! Nancy, you're just like your mother."
Nancy pouted. "But I'm cuter, right?"
Arvant nodded slightly. "At least you're honest about that."
Elric yawned. "Enough already. We need rest."
Ted nodded. "Head upstairs. Your rooms are ready."
---
In his room, Arvant sat on the bed, his gaze distant.
"I've done this four times already. There shouldn't be anything unusual…"
The cold began to creep into his skin. He pulled the blanket over himself, closed his eyes, and fell asleep again.
---
The next morning, at eight o'clock.
Arvant came down the stairs, clenching his fists with determination.
"Let's go, Uncle. Let's begin."
Elric stood up from his chair, finishing his conversation with Ted.
"Let's."
"Be careful out there," Ted said with a warm smile.
---
> To Be Continued…