Chapter 245 – A Calm Day

Chapter 245

A Calm Day

Date : Day 12 of Firstthaw 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.

Hyoren, Jackey and Arianna stood together in the backyard of the manor, watching the dark mist that still clung to Hyoren's body.

After a while, it began to thin. It peeled away from his arms first, then from his shoulders, dissolving into faint wisps that drifted off into the morning air.

Jackey's tabby cat ears perked up at once.

"The darkness is gone!"

Arianna crossed her arms, her light blue eyes following the last wisps until they vanished completely.

"That lasted quite a long time… About fifteen minutes, Leader?"

Hyoren opened and closed his fist a few times, feeling the last faint tingle of the spell leave his skin. Then he nodded.

"That's right. It's one of my longest-lasting spells."

He closed his eyes for a moment and turned his attention inward, gauging how much of his Aethell Reserve the spell had taken.

While he did, Jackey began circling him, swiping at the air with both hands as though the vanished mist might still be hiding somewhere. 

Hyoren didn't even open his eyes. He simply let the Cat-clan Beastkin circle and kept counting.

"The cost matches the duration, though. It's roughly triple Enchant Maledict."

He opened his eyes and smiled.

"Still, it's nowhere near Shadow Bloom. Let alone Lumen Severance."

Arianna giggled behind the back of her hand.

"Ohoho. Lumen Severance took half of your Aethell, Leader. Please don't compare your trump card to a spell you'll be casting all the time."

Hyoren scratched his cheek.

"Well… that's true. If Enchant Maledict, Accel Zone and Mist Dispersion together drained my whole reserve, I'd never be able to use them in a real fight. They wouldn't be worth it. Haha."

Jackey finally gave up on the mist. He planted his feet in front of them and thrust a fist toward the sky, his tail spiraling behind him.

"I can't wait to see Big Bro turn into darkness again! It's so COOL! WOHOO!"

Hyoren and Arianna looked at each other, then burst out laughing at the same time.

Still smiling, Hyoren drew the pocket watch from beneath his tunic and flicked the lid open.

09:25.

He snapped it shut and turned toward Arianna.

"Shouldn't you two be heading to the castle soon, Arianna? You said your father wanted to talk with Jackey again today. It's getting late."

Beside them, Jackey visibly flinched. His tail froze mid-spiral, and his ears slowly began to sink.

Hyoren pretended not to notice.

Arianna's light blue eyes widened slightly. She pressed her fingertips to her lips.

"Oh. Right. I completely lost track of time watching a new spell. Ohoho!"

Without another word, she seized Jackey by the arm.

The Cat-clan Beastkin hadn't moved since Hyoren mentioned her father. He was dragged two full steps before his legs remembered how to walk.

Arianna didn't slow down. She towed him toward the back door with surprising determination, glancing over her shoulder at him with a sweet smile.

"Come on, Jackey. You need to look presentable in front of my Esteemed Father. He told me he expected an adventurer to be a little rough around the edges… but that you were too rough."

Her smile widened.

"That's exactly why I gave you that brush. So first, you're taking a bath. And then I'll brush your fur myself!"

Jackey's boots skidded helplessly across the damp grass as he let out a pitiful yelp.

"Arianna… Please…"

His golden eyes swung toward Hyoren, wide and pleading. Every inch of his face was begging, Big Bro, save me.

Hyoren only nodded at him encouragingly.

"Good luck."

Jackey's ears flattened completely against his head.

Arianna kept pulling him toward the manor, her crimson hair swaying with every determined step, while Jackey trailed behind her like a large, unwilling cat being carried to the bath.

The back door closed behind them.

Hyoren smiled wryly at the mismatched but lovable couple who had just disappeared inside.

Those two…

Watching them, his thoughts drifted back to the evening about two weeks ago, in the middle of their previous rest days.

***

It had started that morning, with a letter bearing the crest of House Akela.

It was addressed to Jackey. Baron Guts Akela was inviting him to dinner at the castle. Hyoren, Elise and Ina were invited as well—as Jackey's family.

Everyone at the breakfast table understood what that meant.

Jackey and Arianna's relationship was no longer a secret. The gossip had already spread across half of Akela. And now the Baron wanted a word with the man who had stolen his daughter's heart.

Jackey had gone pale by the time he finished reading.

Ina, on the other hand, looked positively delighted. She set down her teacup and leaned toward her little brother, her amber eyes glittering.

"Nyahaha. Well, stupid little brother. It was nice knowing you."

Jackey's tabby cat ears twitched nervously.

"B-Big Sis…?"

Ina folded her hands on the table with exaggerated solemnity.

"Baron Guts is a renowned Fire mage, you know. The one who held the western gate against the Goblin King's army. I wonder how long it takes to burn a Cat-clan Beastkin to ash? Probably not very long."

Jackey's tail puffed up to twice its size. He turned desperately toward the silver-haired elf beside Hyoren.

Elise lowered her teacup and gave him a gentle smile. It was the kind of warm smile that somehow made everything worse.

"Fufu. Don't worry, Jackey. If the Baron doesn't burn you, Guild Master Fiona will simply cleave you in half with her greatsword. It'll be quick and painless."

Jackey slapped both hands on the table.

"That's not better, Elise!"

At the far end of the table, Vina covered her mouth with both hands, her shoulders shaking. Lena quietly sipped her tea, though the corners of her lips had curved upward.

Hyoren rested his chin on his hand. He hadn't intended to join in. But the look on Jackey's face was simply too much.

"Don't worry, Jackey. I'll make sure to say something nice at your funeral."

Jackey whirled toward him, betrayal written all over his face.

"BIG BRO!"

That left only one person. Everyone turned toward Arianna.

Surely she would defend him. She was his lover, after all.

Arianna calmly set down her cup and dabbed her lips with a napkin. Then she looked at Jackey with an expression of perfect, refined concern.

"I should mention, Jackey… My Esteemed Mother has broken three training swords this week alone."

She paused thoughtfully.

"And my Esteemed Father has been reading a book on fire magic every evening. A very thick one. Ohoho."

Jackey slowly sank lower and lower in his chair until only his ears and eyes were visible above the table.

And it didn't stop at breakfast. The teasing followed him all day long. Jackey spent the entire day restless. 

By evening, he had scrubbed himself clean and squeezed into his best black formal suit, the one that was still a little too tight across his chest. Yet even dressed and ready, his ears refused to rise from his head.

When the House Akela carriage finally stopped at the gate, Jackey stood frozen in the entrance hall. He stared at it through the open door as though it were a cart bound for the gallows.

Only then did Arianna step up beside him. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently.

"Jackey. You don't need to worry."

Jackey looked down at her. His golden eyes were full of uncertainty.

Arianna's teasing smile softened into something warmer.

"My Esteemed Father asked to meet you because he wants to know the man I chose. Not to punish him."

Jackey blinked slowly, as if the words needed time to reach him.

"…Really?"

Arianna nodded, her fingers still laced with his.

"Really."

A long breath escaped Jackey's chest. His ears lifted, just a little.

Ina was the first to burst out laughing. Elise followed, then Vina, then everyone in the hall. Even Jackey joined in, though his laugh came out somewhat shaky.

And in the end, Arianna had been right.

The dinner turned out to be perfectly reasonable.

There was no fire. No greatsword. Baron Guts greeted them with his usual warm smile and an easy "Now, now…" Throughout the meal, he only wanted to get to know the man his daughter had chosen.

Fiona didn't erupt or demand a duel either. She sat beside her husband, ate with flawless manners and joined the conversation in a calm, measured voice. The cursing Guild Master of the Adventurer's Guild was nowhere to be seen. Within the castle walls, she was the Lady of Akela.

Halfway through the meal, Baron Guts set down his glass and regarded Jackey with good-natured amusement.

"You can relax, Jackey. It isn't unusual for House Akela to take partners from among adventurers. We have always valued strength over lineage."

He gestured lightly toward the woman beside him.

"After all, my own wife was an adventurer before she married me. And as I'm sure you know…"

He smiled.

"She hasn't changed very much since."

Fiona visibly flinched. Her knife paused above her plate for a single heartbeat. Yet she kept her noble mask firmly in place, said nothing at all, and calmly went back to cutting her meat.

Hyoren had to bite back a laugh.

At that moment, he finally understood. Arianna and Jackey had never needed to hide anything from her parents. 

Near the end of the dinner, however, Baron Guts leaned slightly toward Jackey. His voice dropped low, though the warm smile never left his face.

"However… Should you ever break my daughter's heart…"

He lifted his wine glass, unhurried.

"My wife and I will chase you to the very end of the world."

Beside him, Fiona raised her eyes from her plate for the first time that evening and looked straight at Jackey. She didn't say a word.

She didn't need to.

Jackey flinched so hard that his chair scraped loudly against the floor.

For a moment, the dining room was completely silent.

Then everyone burst into laughter. Even Fiona's lips twitched before she hid them behind her napkin.

The memory faded, and Hyoren's thoughts drifted back to the present.

From somewhere inside the manor came the faint sound of splashing water, followed by a muffled yelp. Then Arianna's unmistakable laugh rang out through an open window.

"Ohohoho! Hold still, Jackey!"

Hyoren chuckled.

A quiet warmth settled in his chest. Jackey and Arianna's relationship had been accepted. Then he turned and walked back inside the manor.

***

Hyoren made his way up to his room.

He traded the simple tunic he had worn for the spell test for sturdier clothes, the kind better suited for a day spent walking around the city. He had errands of his own today. And for once, he would be going out alone. Everyone else already had plans or business of their own.

Not long after, he came back down the stairs. He wore sturdy black trousers and a white shirt, with a black mantle draped over his shoulders against the chill that still lingered in the early spring air.

From somewhere on the upper floor, the ruckus of Arianna trying to tame Jackey's fur was still going strong.

Hyoren didn't even glance back. He simply kept walking.

At the bottom of the stairs, Lena was dusting the banister. Her fox ears turned toward him at the sound of his footsteps, and she looked up.

"Master Hyoren. You're going out as well?"

Hyoren nodded as he fastened the clasp of his mantle.

"Yes, Lena. I have a few errands at the blacksmith and the magic tool shop. Then in the afternoon, I'm planning to meet Elise once we've both finished with our own errands."

Lena lowered her duster and bowed slightly.

"Understood, Master Hyoren."

Then she tilted her head. Her bushy tail swayed once behind her.

"Will you be requiring dinner tonight?"

Hyoren tapped his chin.

"I'm not sure yet…"

A small smile crept onto his face.

"But whenever I go out with Elise, she usually wants to eat out. We were just at Martha's two days ago… but I remember her mentioning she wanted ramen."

He glanced up toward the second floor. Another muffled yelp drifted down the stairs.

"So there's no need to prepare dinner for us. Jackey and Arianna won't be back until tomorrow, and Ina might join Elise and me when we eat out."

He looked back at Lena and smiled.

"Please just relax for today. You and Vina deserve it."

Lena's fox ears twitched. For a moment she looked as though she wanted to protest. Then her expression softened, and she bowed again.

"Understood, Master Hyoren. Thank you."

With one last nod, Hyoren opened the front door and stepped outside.

***

Hyoren's first destination was Borin's shop. He pushed the door open, and the small bell above it rang.

A wave of heat washed over him at once.

Near the back, the dwarf was hunched over a grindstone, sharpening a sword. At the sound of the bell, he looked up.

His bearded face split into a broad grin the moment he recognized his visitor.

"Ooh. Hyoren! Finally here to pick up your order? Your shield is ready!"

He set the sword aside, wiped his hands on his leather apron and lumbered over to the counter.

Hyoren nodded. He reached into his storage bag and took out a pair of white-metal gauntlets, the loot they had won from the Fifth Floor Guardian. He laid them carefully on the velvet cloth spread across the counter.

"Yes, Borin."

He tapped the white gauntlets with one finger.

"And I'd also like you to appraise these."

Borin's eyes lit up with a craftsman's curiosity. He picked up one of the gauntlets at once and turned it over in his thick hands, then reached under the counter for a small appraisal tool. 

"Hoo…"

He set down the tool and combed his beard thoughtfully.

"This is a fine pair of gauntlets, lad. And I'd say they suit you well."

Hyoren's curiosity was immediately piqued. He leaned closer.

Borin lifted the gauntlet and pointed at the runes running along the forearm.

"These are called Gauntlets of Enduring. They keep the stance of both your arms steady. Your shield arm will be able to take heavier impacts without buckling. And your sword swings won't be knocked aside so easily."

Then a sly smirk appeared beneath his beard.

"I could buy them off you for 10M Kres. But I'm guessing you'll want to use them yourself, right?"

Hyoren tapped his chin as he looked down at the white gauntlets.

Steady arms… A shield arm that doesn't buckle… That's exactly what a tank needs…

"They're definitely a good piece of equipment. But…"

He reached into his storage bag again and drew out his trusty Ninja Gloves. 

He laid them beside the gauntlets.

"I already have these…"

Borin glanced at the black gloves and combed his beard again.

"That's true. I sold you those myself. You wanted some kind of ranged attack, so you could make use of your Throwing skill, right?"

Hyoren nodded.

Borin's grin returned, wider than before.

"But hear me out, lad. Once you see what I've prepared for your shield… you might change your mind."

Hyoren raised his eyebrows.

"Huh? What do you mean, Borin?"

He honestly had no idea what Borin had made for him. When he placed the order, he had only asked for one thing: a strong shield, stronger than his current Steel Kite Shield, but similar in size. The design itself he had left entirely in the hands of the experienced dwarf blacksmith. 

Borin only chuckled and raised one thick finger.

"Just wait."

Without another word, he turned and disappeared through the doorway into the back of his workshop. 

Hyoren looked toward the doorway Borin had vanished through.

A shield he spent almost a month on…

***

When Borin came back out, Hyoren blinked.

He had been expecting a sturdy, large shield, something similar to his old Steel Kite Shield. And since it was supposed to be made of Mithril-alloy, he had pictured something with the ivory-white sheen of the metal.

But what Borin held in his thick hands was something Hyoren couldn't make sense of.

It doesn't even look like a shield…

It was shaped like a long, slender leaf. The front tapered to a sharp point, and the back narrowed into a slightly rounded base. Its surface wasn't flat. Thin ridges ran down its length like the veins of a leaf, with overlapping segments layered neatly along the edges, as if the whole thing were made of folded plates fitted tightly together.

It was black. Not dull, but a deep metallic black that caught the orange glow of the forge and threw it back in a dark sheen.

It was about as long as Hyoren's forearm, but noticeably thick. On its underside, a pair of leather straps was riveted firmly into place.

Borin set the black object down on the velvet cloth, right beside the white gauntlets. Then he planted both hands on the counter and grinned from ear to ear.

"This is what I made for you, lad. Considering your combat style."

Hyoren looked down at the black thing.

Then up at Borin.

Then back down at the black thing.

Finally, he tilted his head.

"What is this… Borin? I thought I asked you to make a shield…"

He picked it up. It was heavier than it looked. He turned it over in his hands, examining the straps and the strange layered edges. No matter how he held it, it was far too small to block anything bigger than a goblin's dagger.

"This is… what, exactly?"

Borin's grin only widened. He reached over and took the black object back from Hyoren's hands. Then he picked up the left gauntlet of the Gauntlets of Enduring and fastened the black leaf onto its forearm, pulling the leather straps tight with a few practiced tugs.

He held the gauntlet out to Hyoren.

"Put this on."

Hyoren stared at him for a moment, still thoroughly confused. But he took it and did as he was told.

The white gauntlet slid over his left hand and forearm. It fit him snugly, as if it had been made for his arm from the start.

The black thing strapped on top of it pulled his arm down slightly.

Borin crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"Now pour your Aethell into it and say the keyword. 'Shield Form.'"

Hyoren furrowed his brows.

A keyword…?

Still, he raised his left arm and let his Aethell flow into the black thing.

"Shield Form."

A sharp metallic sound rang through the workshop.

The sides of the black leaf split open along its seams. Layer after layer of thin black metal plates slid out from within, fanning outward in rapid succession with a series of crisp clicks. Each plate locked into the next. In the span of a single breath, the plates had spread and settled into a broad, solid surface.

When it stopped, the shield on Hyoren's arm was roughly the same shape and size as his old Steel Kite Shield.

Only now, it was black. And lighter.

Hyoren's eyes went wide.

"What??"

Borin threw his head back and laughed.

"Gyahahaha!"

He slapped his palm against the counter, grinning proudly.

"Neat, isn't it? This is why my promised three weeks turned into almost a month! Gyahaha! I went all out making this thing!"

He reached over and rapped his knuckles against the expanded shield. It answered with a solid, heavy thunk.

"Now try the other keyword. 'Compact Form.'"

Hyoren nodded slowly, still staring at the black shield on his arm.

"Compact Form."

The plates retracted instantly. With another quick series of clicks, they slid back over one another and folded inward, until the shield had returned to its slender leaf shape, resting neatly along his forearm.

Hyoren flexed his left hand. His fingers moved freely.

He turned his arm this way and that, looking at the compact leaf. Slowly, a smile spread across his face.

This is… neat…

Borin combed his beard, clearly pleased by the look on Hyoren's face.

"With this shield, you can free up your left hand without having to store your shield away. You sometimes fight with two weapons, right? Rather than swapping back and forth all the time, you can just make the shield compact whenever you don't need to tank."

Hyoren nodded eagerly.

The Ring of Arsenal makes the switch quick. But this is better… I can free up the ring slot for another backup weapon…

But Borin wasn't done. He raised one thick finger and pointed toward the far corner of the workshop, where a battered wooden target stood propped against the wall.

"Now point that compact form at the target and use your Throwing skill."

Hyoren blinked.

"There's more?"

Borin only grinned and nodded toward the target.

Still confused, Hyoren turned toward it. He raised his left arm and leveled the pointed tip of the compact leaf at the wooden target, the same way he would aim a thrown kunai.

"Precision Throw."

The black leaf flashed.

The sharp tip at its front, which Hyoren had taken for nothing more than the point of the leaf, snapped free. It was a small black dagger. It shot forward in a straight line.

SWOOSH.

The dagger buried itself in the wooden target.

THUD.

For a moment, the only sound in the workshop was the crackle of the forge.

Then Borin burst out laughing.

"Gyahahahaha!"

Hyoren stood frozen with his left arm still raised, eyes wide, staring at the black dagger lodged in the target.

***

Borin's laughter finally settled into a satisfied chuckle. He pointed a thick finger at the black leaf still strapped to Hyoren's arm.

"That dagger has a Return runic array inscribed in it, just like your Ninja Gloves. So you can retrieve it easily."

Hyoren lowered his arm.

“Return.”

The black blade lodged in the target vanished without a sound. In the same instant, it reappeared in the tip of the leaf on his arm, settling into place with a soft click.

He stared at the restored point for a long moment. Then he let out a small breath and nodded slowly.

"Now I get why you said I might not need the Ninja Gloves anymore…"

Borin nodded, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. He crossed his arms over his broad chest and leaned back against the shelf behind the counter.

"At first, I only planned to make you a simple shield out of Mithril-alloy. Then, halfway through the designing phase, I got a streak of inspiration because an old friend of mine sent me a letter about a certain metal."

Hyoren tilted his head.

"A certain metal?"

Borin reached across the counter and tapped the black leaf with his knuckle. It answered with a dense, solid sound.

"This shield, I call it the Umbral Phalanx. It's made from interlocking plates of a flexible metal called Malleium. It can remember a few shapes, depending on the Runic Array inscribed on it."

His grin grew wider beneath his beard.

"Malleium is a rare metal, only found in dungeons. Its strength is about the same as Mithril-alloy. But with that added effect."

Hyoren looked down at the shield on his arm. He traced the thin seams between the plates with his fingertip, and slowly his brows drew together.

A rare metal… Only from dungeons… And all these moving parts, the runic array, a whole month of work…

He looked back up at Borin.

"Rare metal… Isn't that going to cost a lot??? And something this complex. This mechanism…"

Borin uncrossed his arms and scratched his cheek, his eyes wandering briefly toward the forge.

"Well… it's more expensive than Mithril-alloy, since it's rare. And there aren't many blacksmiths who can work with it."

Then he waved one thick hand dismissively and shook his head.

"But pah! I won't charge you extra for it. It's still 25M Kres, just like I told you back then. I'm still making enough profit from it!"

Hyoren narrowed his eyes. He kept staring at the dwarf, unconvinced.

Borin held his gaze for a few seconds. Then his grin cracked, and his eyes drifted off to the side again.

"Well… barely. Gyahaha!"

Hyoren sighed. A wry smile tugged at his lips as he took out his Guild Card.

"Borin. I'm paying 5M Kres on top of the 25M Kres."

Borin's laugh cut off at once. He raised both palms.

"Oi, oi, lad. I said I'm fine…"

Hyoren set his Guild Card on the velvet cloth and slid it firmly across the counter, right under Borin's nose.

"You spent a whole month on this. You went out of your way to find a rare metal for me. Please, just take it."

Borin looked at the Guild Card. Then at Hyoren's face, which made it clear he wasn't going to back down.

The dwarf let out a long breath through his nose and combed his beard. Finally, he picked up the Guild Card with a gruff grunt and took care of the payment before handing it back, though the corners of his mouth were clearly twitching upward.

"Hmph. Stubborn as ever. Fine, fine."

He leaned forward on the counter and jabbed a finger at the black leaf.

"Then make sure you put it to good use, lad. Don't you dare let this one shatter on me like that kite shield."

Hyoren laughed and nodded.

"I won't. Thank you, Borin. Really."

Then Hyoren remembered something. He reached into his storage bag and set the borrowed Steel Kite Shield on the counter.

"Oh, and I'm returning this. Thank you for lending it to me."

Borin picked it up and tilted it toward the forge light. Scratches crossed its face in every direction, and a small dent sat near the rim.

He ran his thumb over the dent and grumbled.

"Hmph. What did you do with it, lad? Use it as a hammer?"

Hyoren scratched his cheek.

"A few thousand goblins on the Fifth Floor."

Borin stared at him for a moment. Then he snorted and set the shield aside.

"Pah. Then it did its job. I'll hammer it out and sell it to some Copper rank who needs it.”

Hyoren smiled hearing that.

He slid the left gauntlet off his arm, the Umbral Phalanx still strapped to it, and stored it in his storage bag along with the right gauntlet and his Ninja Gloves. Then he bowed his head slightly. Borin waved him off with a hearty grin and was already turning back toward his grindstone as Hyoren walked to the door.

The bell rang above him as he stepped out onto the street.

The cool spring breeze washed the heat of the forge from his skin. 

A shield I don't have to put away… A hand that's free when I need it… And a throwing dagger on top of that…

A grin spread across his face, one he couldn't quite hold back.

Umbral Phalanx, huh…

He gave the storage bag a light pat, then set off down the street toward his next errand with a noticeably lighter step.

***

Hyoren sat on the terrace of Dessert and Blessing.

The waitress had just set down his order: a cup of house-blend coffee and a small plate of chocolate cookies. She gave him a courteous bow before returning inside, leaving him alone at the corner table he had come to think of as his.

Elise hadn't arrived yet.

Today, the café was sparse. Only a handful of customers occupied the other tables, chatting quietly over their desserts. The cylindrical heater in the middle of the terrace was still humming, its crimson crystal glowing softly. But its warmth was gentler now. Without the bite of winter, the spring breeze needed far less chasing away.

Hyoren reached into his storage bag and took out a small amulet.

He held it up by its chain and let it turn slowly in the light of the twin suns.

Amulet of Magic Power, huh…

His errand at the Gilded Scale had gone smoothly. Well. As smoothly as anything could go with those two dwarves in the same room.

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he remembered.

***

The brass bell above the door had barely finished chiming before two booming voices greeted him at once.

"Well, well! If it isn't Hyoren!"

"Oi! I was the one who saw him first!"

Behind the velvet-covered counter stood both of the Fireforge twins. Balin stroked his magnificent silver beard with a broad grin. Beside him, Gror jabbed a thick finger at his brother, his shorter fiery red beard practically bristling.

Hyoren smiled wryly. Some things never changed.

He walked up and rested one hand on the counter.

"It's good to see you both.”

He paused.

"I'm looking for something to help with my Aethell. Something that can make my spells more efficient."

Both dwarves turned toward him at once. 

Balin leaned forward with interest.

"Oh? Running dry too often, are you?"

Hyoren scratched his cheek.

"Something like that. My spells keep piling up."

It was true. Healing Light. Accel Zone. Lumen Severance. Enchant Maledict. Shadow Bloom. And now Mist Dispersion. His repertoire kept growing, but his Aethell could only stretch so far. His equipment needed to catch up.

Gror grinned and slapped the counter.

"Then you came to the right place, lad! Wait here."

He disappeared into the storeroom before Balin could say a word. A moment later, he came back and set a small amulet onto the velvet cloth with a flourish.

"The Amulet of Magic Power! It makes your spells about twenty to twenty-five percent more efficient. Cast the same spell, use less Aethell."

Balin stroked his silver beard and nodded approvingly.

"For once, my idiot brother picked the right thing."

Gror's red beard bristled again.

"For once?!"

Hyoren chuckled and picked up the amulet, turning it over in his fingers.

Twenty to twenty-five percent… That's a lot more casts in a long fight…

He looked up.

"How much is it?"

Balin raised five thick fingers.

"5M Kres."

Hyoren didn't hesitate. He took out his Guild Card and placed it on the counter.

"I'll take it."

The twins grinned in perfect unison. It was the only thing they easily agreed on.

By the time Hyoren stepped out of the Gilded Scale with the amulet in his storage bag, the two of them were already arguing again.

***

Hyoren let out a small laugh through his nose.

He lowered the amulet and closed his hand around it for a moment, then returned it to his storage bag. He picked up his coffee and took a sip.

The familiar taste spread across his tongue. A pleasant bitterness, a gentle acidity, and that smooth, nutty finish he had come to love. He set the cup back on its saucer.

New shield. New gauntlets. New amulet. New spell.

Everything was moving forward.

Which means… it's time to think about where we're moving to next…

He reached into his storage bag again. This time, he took out a book.

It was the journal Ina had given him earlier. Green monster hide, bound by her own hands. Its pages were still completely blank.

He ran his thumb along the edge of the cover.

I should start using it…

He took out a pen as well, then opened the journal to its first page.

Right… I need to form a plan for what we should do next…

His thoughts immediately drifted back to the Tenth Floor. To the single corridor. And to what stood waiting at the end of it. A Wall—the Level 60 Goblin Devastator.

Hyoren's grip tightened slightly around the pen. Then he slowly let out a breath.

There's no beating that thing at our level… 

Arianna is already Level 24... She's only a hair away... As long as she kills a few more goblins and reaches Level 25… 

All of us will be eligible for the Silver rank test…

He picked up a chocolate cookie and took a bite. It gave way with a satisfying crunch.

But Ina said Fiona's test is unreasonable…

He remembered the conversation at the Wanderer's Rest. Martha shaking her head. Ronald laughing as he explained it. A Goblin Chieftain, hunted deep within the Forest of No Return, right where the Goblin King's base was.

That's not a test. That's a war… So we should do what that party did. Move to Harvengald and take the test there instead…

He began to write.

Silver rank test → Harvengald.

Then he paused, tapping the end of the pen against his chin.

But if we move to Harvengald… We need to think about a lot of things…

He drew a short line beneath his first note. Then he started listing.

1. Ina's work.

His pen hovered over the words.

First of all… Ina works as the Vice Guild Master… She'll definitely want to come with us to Harvengald. But… what about her work?

He drew a firm circle around the line. Important.

I need to talk to her about this… As quickly as possible…

He wrote the next line.

2. The manor.

Hyoren's pen slowed.

We bought it together. It's our first home. If we move to Harvengald… what happens to it?

He thought of the warm hearth. The backyard where they often practiced together. The always noisy dining room. The comfortable library. Lena dusting the banister, and Vina humming in the kitchen. Jackey and Arianna's noisy ruckus echoing down the stairs. Elise’s planned garden. Ina’s favorite sofa.

He circled the line again.

We need to talk about this among ourselves…

Keeping it, and letting Lena and Vina take care of it, is one option… 

That way, we'll still have a home if we ever come back to Akela…

He wrote the last item.

3. Arianna.

Will her father and mother let her go…?

He thought for a moment, then shook his head slightly.

Then again… Baron Guts and Fiona let their children become adventurers in the first place… Maybe this isn't a concern…

He tapped the pen against the page.

Then the priority is Ina's work and the manor…

He bent over the journal again and wrote beneath the list.

While we wait for these matters to settle, we can grind on the Fifth Floor a few more times…

Waiting for Bloomtide is good too… The weather will be more comfortable for the journey…

He read the words over once. Then he nodded to himself.

Below them, he wrote one final line.

The plan: one month of preparation before departing for Harvengald. Until then, grind on the Fifth Floor of Akela Dungeon.

Hyoren looked at the page for a long moment.

Half a year ago, he had been fighting for his life in the Forest of No Return, desperately trying to reach civilization. The place he had finally reached was here—Frontier City Akela.

Now, he was planning their journey to Dungeon City Harvengald. To the Silver rank. To the Silver-tier dungeon. To whatever came after that.

A small smile formed on his face.

He closed the journal and ran his hand over its green cover once more before returning it to his storage bag.

Then he picked up another chocolate cookie and chased it with a sip of coffee. He leaned back in his chair.

The spring breeze brushed against the orange canopy above him, setting it fluttering softly. Below the terrace, the avenue bustled with merchants, carriages and pedestrians, all bathed in the light of the dual suns.

There were still so many things to decide. Conversations to have. Preparations to make.

But not today.

Hyoren glanced toward the staircase leading up to the terrace.

Soon, a certain silver-haired elf would come up those stairs, probably already eyeing the dessert menu. She would sit across from him, order something far too big, and finish it all with that blissful smile of hers.

And the two of them would spend the rest of this calm day together.