Chapter 45

045.

The second rank transcending into the third rank.

This is when one genuinely connects with spirits and begins to use spirit magic rather than ordinary magic.

Although Sinat had already reached the second rank, this was still a remarkable achievement.

The barrier to the third rank isn’t easily breached.

Kalen is an exceptionally special case; neither his constitution nor his disposition is ordinary in any way.

The fact that he doesn’t belong to the five-element system alone shows how unique he is—it’s as if normal standards don’t apply to him.

Therefore, it was rightfully understood that Sinat’s endeavor to reach the third rank would be challenging.

A young girl who purely loves to play, yet strives to uphold the family’s name.

Kalen, sitting in the makeshift training area behind the small cottage, absentmindedly gazed at Sinat who was absorbed in her efforts.

“Let’s take a short break.”

Blamia declared it was time for rest, thus ending the grueling lessons that had stretched since early morning.

Sinat collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath.

Establishing a connection with spirits isn’t an easy feat after all. Simply attempting it drains mana, leading to exhaustion when prolonged.

“Are you alright?”

Kalen approached Sinat and asked.

As she gasped for air, Sinat looked up and smiled upon seeing Kalen standing above her.

“Kal~.”

Sinat then smiled faintly and tapped Kalen’s knee with her head.

It was a silent signal for him to lean down so she could rest against him. Their private communication.

Kalen slowly sat behind her.

Sinat leaned back against him without hesitation.

Her body, drenched in sweat, radiated warmth, giving an idea of how devoted she had been.

“Harder than I thought.”

“It is. Hard.”

“I’m getting frustrated because things aren’t going well.”

“It’s fine; it’s supposed to be difficult.”

“But Kalen managed to achieve it.”

“But I didn’t follow the usual path either.”

Despite being young, Kalen broke through to the third rank, though this was considering his age. With Blamia, the great mage around, Kalen didn’t need to offer advice.

Being there for Sinat as a source of support and comfort was all he could do.

Chack, chack.

Sinat fiddled with her spectacle strap that hung loosely by her side; the two brooches attached to it gleamed beautifully.

“Hm.”

Sinat glanced at the brooches, smiled at Kalen, and then stood up.

“Still not resting more?”

“I’ve rested enough.”

One cannot stop another’s passion at will. As Kalen returned to his place, he observed Sinat beginning to reconnect with the spirit once more.

Their connection lasted into the late hours of the night.

*

“No, Kal.”

Although time was limited, was she not pushing herself too hard?

Ever since starting her studies, Sinat had spent long hours immersed in magical training each day.

Was she the same girl who used to feign disinterest and lounge around? Even before heading toward Hiart, there were signs that things were abnormal.

But after returning, Kalen noticed a distinct change—it wasn’t just something he alone felt.

She seemed to lack her usual ease and calm.

It was as if she were being pursued by something, and evidently, Sinat was overexerting herself.

Kalen casually suggested she take a break and relax, but the answer was always the same: “I can’t yet.”

Sinat never failed to break a sweat. She stayed close to the spirit she named “Kalyong.”

She maintained constant communication.

Other than meal times, Sinat continually practiced her spiritual magic through this connection.

Even though she didn’t miss out on leaning on Kalen for support, her overexertion was unmistakable from Kalen’s point of view.

But what could be done?

She claimed to be fine and refused rest.

Advice can only work when both parties are open to it. If Sinat refused to listen, any talk would be in vain.

Kalen simply aimed to make her feel more comfortable as she leaned on him.

That evening,

The wooden ceiling was a familiar sight.

Kalen had stayed up late watching over Sinat as she relentlessly pursued the door to the third rank. He had only just entered and lain down himself.

Being beside someone who pours their heart into something might be somewhat exhausting.

There was also the risk of becoming inadvertently overburdened by that passion.

Sinat’s drive—was it pure passion?

Or reckless overexertion?

Kalen felt he understood, yet he decided to observe her a bit longer.

What had been decisive, the very thing that made Sinat hesitate to sacrifice herself so much, was the family.

To Sinat, Dranunus was more precious than Kalen and Blamia could imagine.

The opportunity had arisen, so her relentless effort was understandable.

Reaching the third rank wasn’t simple.

Embracing the name Dranunus wasn’t an easy feat.

Kalen quietly sighed as he looked out the window.

The Dranunus family had not fallen—but they were effectively in ruins.

Maintaining its ‘family’ structure was the reason it still retained form. However, surviving without a head of the family only preserved its skeletal structure.

The members that could form the family existed, but currently, the family’s lineage was absent.

This was the current state of the Dranunus family.

Blamia’s departure due to past events was the natural course of action. Reviving the Dranunus family meant the family, now barely sustained, would require the return of Blamia and Sinat.

Sinat willingly bore the Dranunus name.

Blamia would assist the still-growing Sinat.

It was said Blamia was managing her agreement with Lakatus and Hiart properly.

There was no doubt that the opposing power would not sit idly by. Hence, it wouldn’t be resolved in the short term.

Still, as a past top-tier noble and now allied with another top-tier family, the revival could be deemed inevitable.

What remained was Sinat—the worries about the girl, who had to carry the Dranunus name, one that could bring the empire into chaos.

Even now, she was a girl who could smile innocently, despite the dire situation.

Sinat, who called him a friend while he was at rock bottom.

Kalen trusted Sinat could handle it, but also worried if it was too burdensome for such a young girl.

Having been saved by Blamia, and by Sinat in her own way, all he wanted was for Sinat not to be drowned by the heavy weight of this family name.

As he gazed out the window,

Thud.

Something dark flew toward them despite the dark night.

“…Kalyong?”

A name that no matter how often it was said, never felt natural.

Kalen stood up in confusion.

Of course, without the user manipulating mana, spirits cannot manifest from the Spirit Realm to the real world.

Kalen knew Sinat was sound asleep.

With her, the master, sleeping, it was incomprehensible how the spirit Kalyong could move independently.

“How did you…? Arggh!”

Then, a crack appeared.

A crack—there was no other way to describe it.

Kalen felt a splitting headache as something indescribable flooded his mind.

“Save Sinat.”

It was something… something indescribable filled his mind. It wasn’t exactly “heard” as a sound, since it wasn’t verbal communication.

But this was fundamentally different from language or words—hence it was more appropriate to say it was “felt.”

If explained, it was the language of the spirits.

Something incomprehensible to humans began to rampage through Kalen’s mind.

His eyes became red from the strain, and his headache grew unbearable.

Through his blurred, red-tinged vision, he could see the blackened entity looking at him.

“What… what do you mean…? Kehhh!”

Save her… did that mean Sinat was in danger?

Due to the suddenness of the situation, Kalen had many questions but could not utter a word.

The intense pain was overwhelming. The spirit too seemed to recognize it couldn’t continue, shaking its head and dissolving its form. It had returned to the spirit realm.

The brief silence that followed.

Kalen steadied his breathing and stepped out of the room.

“Sinat.”

The loud sound of the door opening echoed.

“Hmmph?”

The girl, who had been sleeping soundly enough to leave stains on her pillow, woke startled by the noise, blinking her eyes.

“Ka, Kalen…?”

The boy with red, bloodshot eyes approached her hurriedly.

Is this a dream?

No, since she had just had a dream about the same boy, this mustn’t be one.

“Are you alright?”

Sinat could only manage, “Eh…?”

The question seemed to be misplaced.

Snapping herself out of her dozy state, Sinat realized that the situation was reversed.

She had overworked herself from the beginning; Kalen’s helplessness was something she had prepared for.

Was her worry significant enough for him to burst into her room in the middle of the night while she was asleep?

Silently memorizing Kalen’s worried gaze, Sinat pulled him into a hug, soothingly stroking his head.

“I’m fine. Kalen.”

Her nightwear might wrinkle, but so be it.

Though she was unclear about the situation, Kalen’s concern mattered more.

Nestled in Kalen’s embrace, Sinat felt warm, knowing she was incredibly precious to him.

And she asked why.

The name that Kalen uttered was that of her contracted spirit.