A cup of mana tea to wake up the morning.
Luke nodded at the satisfying aroma and texture.
“It’s well-made again today.”
The effect of the elixir for fatigue recovery, enjoyed after waking up from a deep sleep, was incredible, enough to completely blow away even the remnants of fatigue lingering in Luke’s mind.
Perhaps it was the clattering sound coming from the kitchen, but Yerna had also approached Luke, rubbing her eyes.
They exchanged simple morning greetings and shared tea.
Yerna prepared for work while Luke helped her with her departure.
It had become a pattern they were now so familiar with.
A routine repeated for several months was no longer anything special.
Daily life.
As he immersed himself in the faint sense of stability that word brought, Yerna spoke.
“Lu, as I mentioned last time. I won’t be able to come home for a few days, or, if it’s a bit long, for a few weeks.”
“I remember, you said it’s a long business trip.”
“Right. During that time, I need to stay at Dayton’s house… Is that okay?”
“Hmm, that’s not a problem.”
“Okay.”
At the front door, Yerna suddenly turned around and started speaking rapidly.
“Lu, you have to take care of yourself while I’m gone, okay? If something urgent comes up, contact the Forest Keepers.”
“If something dangerous happens, call me, don’t wander around alone at night, don’t go into alleyways…”
“There might be times when I can’t contact you, but try not to worry too much.”
“And also…”
As Yerna repeated her warnings, Luke interrupted her.
“Enough, enough. You’ve said it plenty of times already. Stop worrying about me.”
“Yeah…”
When Luke waved his hand as if he were tired of it, Yerna scratched her head awkwardly.
“Just say you’ll be back.”
At Luke’s thoughtless words, Yerna flinched.
“…I’ll be back.”
“…? Yeah, take care.”
With those words, Yerna turned her body.
‘Does she look somewhat serious…?’
Not knowing Yerna’s expression, Luke recalled the conversation they had a few days ago.
——
“Lu, can we talk for a moment?”
Yerna asked Luke with a serious expression.
“…? Sure.”
Perhaps because the atmosphere felt different, Luke sat across from Yerna with a serious face as well.
“About that friend of yours. Are you really sure you know him? How did you come to meet him?”
Luke thought while resting his chin in his hand.
He could surmise why Yerna was worried.
After all, thinking that he was associated with a rough-looking adult could only lead to concern.
“Of course, I know him.”
Truthfully, they had only met once, but he decided to sidestep that detail for now.
At the time, he had been extremely tired and had not thought the man’s state was that serious; he had merely allowed Yerna to follow him. Unfortunately, the first impression the man had left on Yerna was very negative.
Thus, even if Yerna asked Luke to never meet that man again, he had no particular words to counter it.
Looking at the surface, he was a ten-year-old girl, and it was easy for someone to associate that appearance with crime.
In fact, he had committed a crime — illegal magic use was a crime.
However, Luke did not wish to sever his connection with the man.
How often would he get a chance to meet a human in the same predicament with a dragon’s heart beating within?
So, Luke spoke on the man’s behalf.
“I understand what you’re worried about, but he has never done anything bad to me. I hope you won’t look at him negatively.”
“…Is that so?”
Under Luke’s earnest gaze, Yerna couldn’t help but soften.
Why was he defending that man so much?
Was it really the camaraderie of those who barely survived in the same circumstances?
Cautiously, Yerna opened her mouth.
“Lu, do you remember… something that happened long ago?”
“Hmm, when you say long ago, which time do you mean?”
Starting off with “long ago” was too vague.
It was impossible to explain everything that had happened in a century.
Yerna flinched slightly at Luke’s question, as if anxious.
This question could be hurtful, she thought.
“So, I mean before I found you in the forest…”
“Ah, are you talking about that time?”
Luke raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.
He had nothing particular to say about it.
He had already said everything way back when.
It was Yerna who couldn’t believe it; he had never intended to hide it.
Explaining it in detail would only lead to similar conclusions.
Luke could only repeat the same explanation.
‘When I came to my senses, I was in the forest.’
There were no memories before that, and no reason to fabricate those memories.
Yerna nodded.
Though she didn’t fully comprehend, her face showed relief.
“Alright, it’s fine if you don’t remember.”
———
“…You’re here.”
Sitting in a slouched posture, looking like a sick or homeless man, was Third, who acknowledged Yerna.
Receiving the man’s gaze, Yerna simply nodded in silence.
“Do you still have no memory?”
The man shook his head.
“…No, since we parted, no matter how hard I try, I can’t remember anything.”
The aftermath of the Circle’s reconstruction must have caused his sporadic memory loss.
He hardly remembered anything before meeting that little girl.
Yerna frowned slightly and muttered.
“That sounds frustrating.”
“I’m just as frustrated.”
Therefore, the only clue he had was ‘Proiten.’
Given that a clue had been presented, he had no choice but to follow it.
“Well, is the conversation over?”
Yerna nodded at Third’s question.
He had alerted Dayton thoroughly, just in case something dangerous happened while he wasn’t around.
With Dayton, he was trustworthy, especially remembering how he had stood up to Luke when he had appeared as a dragon without hesitation.
Surely, nothing would happen.
…He hoped nothing would happen too, in a different sense.
It was up to him to trust Dayton.
“Let’s go to the place you last remembered.”
———
– Don’t get too relaxed at Dayton’s house! Make sure to brush your teeth before bed!
Reading the text that flew in on his phone, Luke chuckled while combing his hair.
“Yerna really worries too much.”
After all, he wasn’t weak enough to be worried about in the first place.
A Third Circle Mage with magic above the 8th Circle.
Even he thought that he was truly a unique monster.
He couldn’t imagine losing in a physical confrontation.
After all, a mage was someone capable of killing with just a gesture.
Isn’t it possible to kill a person with just a Second Circle’s Fire? Even the most basic of Second Circle magic could kill living beings.
The reason Luke didn’t use ‘Fire’ as an offensive measure was simply because that was not his goal.
Let alone what the Third Circle could do.
When it comes to Circle Magic, the Third Circle refers to the authority of manipulating matter.
The authority to manipulate matter itself, including stone and water.
Although anything created or mixed is beyond the scope, it is possible to manipulate naturally occurring elements generated by mana.
This means it’s feasible to rearrange mana to create pure water in midair or generate stone.
It is a basic, straight manner of interfering directly with the Material Plane.
This is a marked difference as a mage.
If one can dominate material, controlling phenomena becomes much easier too.
Hence, a Third Circle Mage is referred to as a true mage.
It is the Circle that has finally begun to step into the power of fine-tuning the Material Plane.
Luke briefly glanced down at his body and shrugged with a grin.
“A mage, huh?”
Magic can be the power to kill, but it can also be the power to pursue knowledge.
In war, it alters landscapes, and with epoch-making inventions, it changes human life.
Therefore, magic has always been worthy of awe.
Because it is always the mages who transform human life.
As he combed his hair and pondered various thoughts, Diana, unable to restrain herself, asked Luke.
“Sister, how long are you going to comb your hair? You said you’d play with me once you’re done!”
“Wait a bit; these things take some time.”
“Ugh… princesses wouldn’t do it like you!”
“Haha.”
When Diana let out a disheartened sound, Dayton also spoke to Luke.
“Isn’t it tiresome managing your hair? Are you not considering cutting it short?”
To Dayton, Luke was a so-called ‘efficiency-focused’ character.
Therefore, even Luke had to know that short hair is generally more convenient.
On the other hand, upon hearing Dayton’s question, Luke halted his combing and gave him a pitying look.
“Dayton, don’t you think it’s quite lazy to cut your hair just because it’s a hassle to comb it?”
“…That’s true, but it is convenient.”
“I apologize, but I have no plans to cut it at this time.”
It wasn’t just a matter of being accustomed to long hair; it was also because it was part of this body.
Hair is one of the parts of the body that magically represents oneself.
Thus, growing it long could play a role in later serving as magical material or offerings.
Consequently, mages often have longer hair.
Just like fresh materials are the best for magical components, freshly cut hair is optimal for magic too.
And naturally, long hair requires care, which applies regardless of gender.
Moreover, everything in this world contains the essence of ‘care’ poured into it.
Good hair quality becomes premium quality material.
That’s why Luke also had his share of know-how in managing his hair.
Originally, such tasks would have been assigned to a servant, but in his later years, having lived like a commoner outside the mansion, he learned to take care of it himself.
Dayton watched Luke, who began combing his hair again without a hint of boredom, and turned to Diana.
“Diana, you should learn from that. Don’t always ask me to comb your hair.”
“Okay, no way!”
Diana shouted cheerfully.
In any case, she loved the sensation of her brother’s gentle hands stroking her hair.
Well, for Dayton, combing Diana’s hair was merely a hassle, not something he disliked, so he simply shrugged.
After all, this phase where she likes her brother would soon pass, and as people say, one should treat her well during such times…
Wouldn’t Diana suddenly enter a rebellious phase one day, spouting things like ‘Don’t wash your clothes with mine!’?
Thinking about that made Dayton feel a twinge in his heart.
Given the large age gap and the fact that he had raised her alone from such a young age, he felt more like her father now than her brother.
Then, does imagining that brought on thoughts about being scolded by a daughter?
‘When that time comes, I think it would be really sad.’
“Hmm.”
As he thought about this, watching Diana chatter beside him with her arms crossed, a sudden thought struck Dayton hard.
‘Wait, if I marry Yerna and adopt Luke, then Diana becomes…’
Would she become Luke’s aunt…?
