After buying new clothes, Noah didn't head straight back to Terrania Forest.
Instead, he invited Amira to stroll around Araris Village.
It was the first time Noah had truly been able to enjoy the village without anyone chasing him.
Children ran through the dirt roads.
Merchants loudly advertised their goods.
From somewhere in the distance came the rhythmic ringing of a blacksmith's hammer.
So this is how they live...
Simple... but full of life.
A small smile appeared on Noah's face.
He stopped in front of a small food cart.
"Amira."
"What would you like?"
She looked uncertain.
"Anything?"
"In that case..."
Noah bought her several sweets, candies, and snacks that the village children usually enjoyed.
Amira's eyes immediately sparkled.
"Thank you, Mister."
Watching the little girl smile as she tasted candy for the very first time, Noah realized today's trip wasn't only about selling monster gems.
Sometimes...
The simplest things could make someone unbelievably happy.
As they continued walking down the village's main street, Noah's attention was drawn to a modest wooden building.
A sign hung above the entrance.
Bookstore
His eyes immediately lit up.
"Finally..."
"If they have books, I'll be able to learn about this world much faster."
Without another thought, he led Amira inside.
Wooden shelves filled nearly every corner of the shop.
Dozens of books were neatly arranged.
Noah immediately began browsing through them.
But the longer he searched, the more disappointed he became.
Almost every single book was about magic.
The Fundamentals of Magic.
Spellcraft.
Magic Circles.
Magical Creatures.
Magic Crystals.
He kept searching.
"No history books?"
"Politics?"
"Economics?"
"Agriculture?"
"Technology?"
Nothing.
At last, he found something different.
Herbs and Medicinal Plants of Magnora
He flipped through several pages.
"Not bad..."
"At least this will be useful someday."
In a world without modern hospitals, knowledge of medicinal plants might prove far more valuable than he had imagined.
He placed several herbal books into his leather bag.
Then his attention shifted to a shelf displaying writing supplies.
He picked up a slender wooden stick with a sharpened tip.
"Hmm?"
"A pen?"
He examined the point.
Inside was a dark core resembling graphite.
"Interesting..."
"It's almost like a pencil..."
"...except it's made from a plant."
Without hesitation, Noah purchased several of them, along with a few blank notebooks.
As he was about to walk to the counter, Noah suddenly realized something.
"Amira?"
He looked to his right.
She wasn't there.
To his left.
Still nothing.
"Where did she go?"
He quickly searched between the bookshelves.
It didn't take long to find her.
Amira stood motionless before one of the shelves.
She was holding a magic book.
Her eyes never left the first page.
It was as though her entire attention had been absorbed into it.
That was when Noah noticed something.
The book...
Was glowing.
The light was incredibly faint.
It disappeared.
Then reappeared.
Noah rubbed his eyes.
Did I imagine that?
But the glow remained.
He immediately walked over.
"Amira."
The little girl finally snapped back to reality.
She looked embarrassed.
"Sorry, Mister."
"I was just..."
"...curious."
Noah gently took the book from her hands.
He examined the cover.
Nothing happened.
Strange...
Why did it only glow when Amira was holding it?
For now, he kept the question to himself.
Instead, he smiled.
"If you like it..."
"...I'll buy it for you."
Amira's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Of course."
She hugged the book tightly against her chest.
Her smile was so sincere that Noah couldn't help smiling too.
Maybe...
This is the first gift she's received in years.
The sun was beginning to sink toward the western horizon.
Noah and Amira decided it was time to leave Araris Village.
They walked leisurely toward the front gate.
Then Noah suddenly stopped.
In the distance, several mounted soldiers rode past.
Their uniforms were different.
More elaborate.
Heavier.
One of them called out,
"Keep searching."
"It shouldn't be difficult to find a man with black hair."
"The royal mage couldn't possibly have misread the prophecy."
The moment Noah heard those words, his heart skipped a beat.
Without saying anything, he immediately took Amira's hand.
"We're taking another route."
Amira nodded without asking why.
Together, they slipped into a narrow alley, avoiding the group of soldiers.
As they hurried away, Noah let out a slow breath.
So they're still looking for me...
All because of a prophecy.
He quietly shook his head.
This is absurd.
I've only been in this world for a few days.
How could I possibly be a threat to an entire royal dynasty?
But the more he thought about it...
The more he realized one thing.
The prophecy might not be mere superstition.
If it were only a rumor...
The kingdom would never deploy elite soldiers to hunt down a single stranger.
Noah lowered the brim of his straw hat a little further.
For now...
I need to stay hidden.
By the time dusk settled over the land...
They had successfully left Araris Village without drawing anyone's attention.
Their journey back to Terrania Forest had begun.
Noah and Amira drew closer to the grove where Pinix was waiting.
For some reason, ever since they had left Araris Village, Noah had been unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong.
It felt as though someone had been following them from a distance.
He looked back several times.
But no one was there.
Am I just imagining things? he wondered.
The closer they got to Pinix, the stronger that feeling became.
A few moments later, the giant bird came into view between the trees.
Pinix was still standing exactly where Noah had left him.
He hadn't moved an inch.
"Good..."
"You really waited for me."
Noah sighed in relief as he gently stroked Pinix's neck.
But just as he was about to climb onto the bird's back—
"Wait!"
A young woman's voice rang out from behind the trees.
Noah and Amira immediately turned.
A girl with purple hair stepped into view, carrying a staff crowned with a crimson gemstone.
Noah recognized her instantly.
"Lee?"
"You?"
Lee stopped a few steps away.
Her expression was exactly the same as when they had first met in Herkalus Forest.
"So..."
"You survived."
She looked Noah up and down.
"I knew you weren't an ordinary person."
Noah gave her a faint smile.
"Why were you following me?"
Lee didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she asked her own question.
"You're not one of the Cursed, are you?"
Before Noah could reply, Amira stepped forward.
"His name is Noah!"
"Don't call people names!"
Lee blinked, slightly surprised by the little girl's courage.
"Oh..."
"So your name is Noah."
Noah nodded.
"And?"
"Why did you follow us?"
Lee took a deep breath.
"I saw you leaving the clothing shop."
"I've been following you ever since."
Noah was slightly taken aback.
So she's been behind us...
Since we were still in the village?
Lee then shifted her gaze toward Amira.
"At first..."
"I was only curious."
"But then..."
"I sensed something."
"An aura unlike anything I've ever felt."
"It wasn't a monster."
"It wasn't an ordinary human."
"And it wasn't a wild beast either."
"I've never experienced anything like it before."
Noah frowned.
"An aura?"
Lee nodded.
"That's when I remembered an old prophecy passed down by my ancestors."
She slowly lowered the hood of her cloak.
Her purple hair flowed freely in the breeze.
Hidden beneath it was a pair of long, pointed ears.
Noah's eyes widened.
"An elf?"
Lee smiled softly.
"That's right."
"I'm an elven mage."
"I've been traveling in search of a disciple."
She adjusted her hood again.
"My ancestors left behind a prophecy."
"They said that one day..."
"I would meet the person destined to become my apprentice."
"The prophecy also said..."
"'Touch their forehead.'"
"'If something happens...'"
"'Then you've found the one.'"
Lee looked at Amira.
"Little one."
"Come here."
Amira turned toward Noah.
He simply nodded.
"It's all right."
Lee raised a finger.
Slowly, she touched Amira's forehead.
A moment later—
A gentle blue light began shining from the girl's forehead.
Everyone fell silent.
Even Lee herself stared in disbelief.
"Impossible..."
She took a step back.
"The prophecy..."
"...was true."
Amira, who had no idea what had just happened, instinctively touched her own forehead.
"What happened?"
Lee couldn't take her eyes off her.
"You're the one..."
"The one I've been searching for all this time."
Noah remained silent as well.
Amira?
That little girl...
She's the one mentioned in an elven prophecy?
After a long moment, Lee bowed her head toward Noah.
"Noah."
"I have a request."
"Please..."
"Allow me to travel with you."
Noah and Amira exchanged glances.
The request had come completely out of nowhere.
If I bring her back...
She'll learn where we live.
He glanced toward Lucia, who had remained quietly perched on his shoulder in her Rabiba form.
Lucia gave the slightest nod.
A silent sign that Lee posed no threat.
Noah lowered his head slightly.
"Lucia."
"You knew she was following us?"
Lucia leaned close and whispered into his ear.
"I did."
"But from the very beginning..."
"...her target wasn't you, my Lord."
"It was Amira."
Everything finally clicked into place.
That explains it...
Lee doesn't even realize I'm the man she saved in Herkalus Forest.
He turned back toward her.
The sky had begun turning shades of orange.
Night would soon fall.
At last, Noah made his decision.
"All right."
"You can come with us."
"But..."
"I'll explain everything after we arrive."
Lee's face immediately brightened.
"Thank you."
When she saw Pinix up close, her eyes widened again.
"W-What..."
"What kind of creature is this?"
Noah simply smiled.
"You'll find out soon enough."
The three of them climbed onto Pinix's back.
This time, Noah gave a different command.
"Pinix."
"Fly."
"Kooaaak!"
With one mighty beat of its enormous wings, Pinix launched into the sky.
The evening wind rushed across their faces.
Below them, Araris Village gradually shrank into the distance.
Together, they headed back toward Terrania Forest—
Bringing with them a new companion whose arrival would change the course of their journey.