Chapter 2

Chapter 2
## Chapter 2
Ebelstein is a city with a thousand faces.

It was one of those things the romantics at the tavern would say when they were very drunk.

But it couldn’t be dismissed as mere drunken ramblings. A city of that size, housing hundreds of thousands of people, was difficult to find even across the entire continent.

When one finds themselves trapped in the gray and suffocating slums, it is easy to feel that this city is a massive prison. But once you step out and traverse the city, you begin to think that perhaps the tavern drunks weren’t entirely wrong.

Derek left the slums and passed through the commercial district, heading toward the bustling docks. Observing the lively activity there, he felt it was a completely different city from the quiet and decaying alleys.

The shouts of the laborers, the creaking of ships swaying with the waves, the morning activity of workers transporting boxes filled with fish and other goods—all of it created a vibrant atmosphere that was a far cry from the stillness of the slums.

As Derek moved through the pier area, he climbed the stairs leading into the city’s interior, passing imposing buildings and finally reaching the alleys where the mercenaries gathered.

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In the damp morning mist, rough mercenaries, ready to kill for a few silver coins, roamed the streets. The sight of their numerous weapons created a threatening atmosphere, deterring any decent citizen from approaching. Despite being a developed metropolis, Ebelstein still retained its wild side.

*

Derek’s second teacher was a widow named Katia Flameheart.

She was the former lady of the Flameheart family, a noble title that had fallen into disgrace after rebelling against the empire. Now, in her old age, wrinkles were beginning to appear on her forehead and some gray hairs in her hair.

Fallen noblewomen often met tragic ends, unable to adapt to the drastic changes in their lifestyle. Although beautiful, their noble status had been stripped away, and their fates tended to be similar.

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However, those with great willpower found a way to survive. They could become teachers, teaching common people to read and write, or learn to trade. If they were lucky, they could become tutors in renowned noble families. Having lived as noble ladies themselves, they were ideal candidates to teach young noblewomen.

Katia was an outlier among those “lucky” nobles. She did not dedicate herself to writing or showing respect to other noble families.

Being a third-level mage, she chose to live as a mercenary, hunting monsters in exchange for rewards. Instead of a dress, she wore a worn cloak and carried a dagger instead of a pen, carving her way through the harsh world of mercenaries. Her petite build contrasted with her ability to survive in such a hostile environment.

“Hey, you know about magic, right?”

It was by chance that she met Derek, who was eating hard oat bread in a corner of the tavern. By then, Derek had been working in the mercenary world for about four years.

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Covered in dust, his white hair and piercing red eyes looked at Katia. The faint halo of magic in his eyes was different from that of the nobles.

Katia narrowed her eyes, looking at Derek with curiosity.

“Yes? Are you talking to me?”

“Yes.”

Derek stared at Katia, who had suddenly spoken to him.

There were several reasons why Derek had entered the mercenary world.

First, he needed to survive. Regardless of his humble origins, if he risked his life, he could find work in the mercenary world. Tasks like hunting rats in an old warehouse or killing lesser monsters on the outskirts of the city were manageable for someone with the first-level magic knowledge Derek possessed.

Second, he had to meet people. The old man who had taught him the fundamentals of magic had died. While some aspects of magic could be self-taught, having a good teacher was much more effective.

Even in the mercenary world, individuals who knew magic occasionally appeared. People in desperate situations who needed to accept commissions to survive could be found anywhere.

Derek hoped to learn some magic from such people if they appeared, but most mercenary mages were not altruistic. His initial plan to find a decent person within a year had stretched into four years.

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The boy, who was already starting to look like a teenager, was still a child in the eyes of experienced mercenaries. Sometimes beaten by mercenary thugs, and other times using his meager magic skills to defend himself, Derek had developed an admirable tenacity.

“How old are you now?”

Katia seemed to understand Derek’s evident past and spoke calmly.

She was a veteran of the mercenary world, having lived in its misery for a long time. Helping others was rare in that environment. She had seen too many pitiful people and usually ignored them. In that world, every person had their own story.

However, the biggest difference between Derek and the many people with problems in the mercenary world was his age.

Derek was too young.

He remembered her deceased son, who once played innocently in the mansion courtyard. He would be the same age as Derek now. Seeing that boy struggling to earn a living with his limited magic skills was more touching than admirable.

Although she believed it was a thing of the past, Katia could not escape her maternal instincts. Even after losing her son, she remained a mother until death.

*

“Magic is no different from other disciplines. Theory and practice are completely different. You must value both theoretical depth and practical experience.”

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Katia occasionally met with Derek at the tavern to evaluate his magic. At first, Derek was hesitant, but soon he began to absorb Katia’s teachings, learning proper magic theory that he hadn’t learned from the old man.

“You need to clearly know your level to improve.”

There were many schools of magic, but the most common was the nobility’s school of discipline. This classified magic by levels. According to their criteria, Katia was a third-level mage.

Even noble mages had difficulty reaching the third level. Occasionally, some geniuses achieved it during their initiation ceremonies, but those were exceptional cases. Most had to watch as wrinkles began to appear before reaching the third level.

If it was difficult for nobles, it was practically impossible for commoners to reach the third level. A third-level mage was called an “advanced mage” for a reason.

In other words, finding a teacher like Katia was something exceptional.

“How much magic have you used in actual combat?”

“I haven’t used particularly powerful magic. Just small things like lighting a dark place or detecting directions.”

“That’s not very potent by first-level standards, but considering your age, it’s impressive.”

The noisy tavern was not the ideal place for magic classes, but both Katia and Derek were used to those kinds of chaotic environments.

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“However, with that, you won’t even reach the beginning of the second level. You don’t need to master all second-level magic, but learning the basics will be enough to secure your future. At least try to achieve it.”

“I’ll try to.”

Katia had no grand ambitions. Her intention was to offer a little maternal affection and understanding and then move on.

It was impossible for a commoner child, without noble blood, to completely master second-level magic. Teaching him the basics would give him a great advantage in life. That was her small gesture of kindness.

For a time, Katia took Derek with her, teaching him various spells and techniques.

*

The combination of a young prodigy from the slums and a fallen noblewoman was unusual, even in the mercenary world. Occasionally, people showed curiosity, but the relationship between Katia and Derek was not as close as it seemed.

Katia, having spent a long time in the mercenary world, knew that excessive displays of affection caused unnecessary trouble. Derek also understood her values and did not try to overwhelm her.

“You may have refined your magic through experience, but you also need to know the fundamentals. Magic is divided into five branches. Do you know them?”

“Combat, transformation, illusion, summoning, and detection, right?”

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“Correct. It seems the old man taught you the basics. Each branch has spells of different levels. Mastering even a single second-level spell makes you a second-level mage.”

Katia continued giving lessons in the busy tavern.

“Even among second-level mages, there is a hierarchy. Mastering a single second-level spell, or several, influences status. But symbolism is important. Being able to cast even a single second-level spell changes your status.”

While second-level mages are common among the nobility, for common people, it is an exceptional achievement. It requires considerable effort and talent.

“As a mage, you will naturally want to improve. Most focus on mastering high-level spells in their field rather than learning a variety of spells.”

“So, do mages tend to specialize in certain fields?”

“Exactly. It’s important to quickly identify your strengths.”

“I want to learn everything.”

Katia set down her cup and looked at Derek with tired eyes.

“Excessive ambition can slow your progress. Remember my words.”

“Okay.”

Katia was a third-level illusion mage. While she knew some third-level spells, she had mastered many second-level ones.

She couldn’t immediately improve Derek’s skills, but she could guide him in the right direction.

“Starting from the second level, you need to constantly feel and control your inner magic.”

“I had a general idea. Using magic feels like manipulating an internal energy.”

“That’s right. Your practical experience will help you. Try to imitate the flow of magic I’m sending you.”

Katia rested her hand on the wooden table, manipulating her magic. Derek imitated her, feeling his inner magic.

He possessed a considerable amount of innate magic. It was a pity it was rotting in the slums. He had learned the fundamentals of first-level magic from a boastful old man and understood magic control based on harsh experiences.

*‘If he had noble blood… his life would be completely different.’*

Katia had seen too many mediocre mages who pretended to be great just because of their noble lineage. Derek’s magic potential gave her mixed feelings, but it was no surprise.

The world was always unfair. Katia knew that perfectly well. Being sentimental would only hinder her survival.

While she was teaching various magic techniques, something happened.

— *Zas!*

Derek had a sudden realization and unleashed his magic.

Katia frowned.

— *Zas! Bang!*

A massive explosion filled the tavern.

“What…?!”

“What happened…!”

The mercenaries brandished their weapons, looking around in confusion. The sound was like that of a building collapsing, shaking the tavern.

The mercenaries were ready for combat, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Outside, the world was at peace and nothing had changed in the tavern.

“What the hell…? We heard a huge noise!”

“Hey! Look around! There has to be something!”

Katia looked at Derek in the middle of the chaos.

Derek also looked at her.

“Teacher. I just…”

— *Zas!*

Before Derek could say anything, Katia grabbed him by the arm and quickly pulled him out of the tavern.

*

Katia dragged Derek to a secluded alley in the mercenary district. She was going so fast that Derek had to run at a brisk pace to keep up with her.

She gripped his arm tightly, pulling him away from the tavern where the explosion had occurred. They turned several corners and entered dark alleys permeated with the smell of food scraps.

The tension in the air made Derek hesitate to speak. Katia had never been so serious.

When they finally stopped, Katia knelt down and looked at Derek.

“Derek.”

Her expression was complex. Derek couldn’t guess why she looked so serious, only that he felt a growing concern.

Katia briefly closed her eyes, ordering her thoughts.

In her youth, she was a noble lady and later the mistress of the Flameheart family. Now, she was a wandering mercenary. Although she had belonged to the lesser nobility, she knew the inner workings of high society well. This knowledge gave her a somber countenance.

“Listen carefully, Derek. The spell you just cast is an illusion spell called ‘Echo.’ It creates sounds within a certain range to confuse and distract enemies.”

“I imagined so.”

“Yes. And it is… a second-level illusion spell.”

Talented commoner mages were admired even by nobles for their effort and determination. However, their achievements always had a limit.

This was the age of nobility. Magic was a privilege and a source of pride for them. There were lines that should not be crossed.

“…”

Innate talent was considered a blessing, but an extraordinary ability that transcended one’s social standing could be dangerous.

Katia’s expression turned serious as she realized Derek’s potential.