Chapter 44: Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Prison Forest Ground

“Prison Forest Ground?”

I thought to myself. The word ok (獄) I knew meant prison. Had Rahan explained it wrong?

“Is this place a prison?”

“That’s right. It’s the place where an ancient god was sealed.”

Rahan’s explanation wasn’t wrong. There was certainty in his tone. That was why I found it strange. In this world, there were only two gods—

The Sole God, Solar, and the Evil God, Jeozudin.

Moreover, Jeozudin resided within Luseus.

That meant, logically, that the god sealed in the Prison Forest Ground must be Solar.

Perhaps noticing my doubt, Rahan continued,

“As the world knows, there weren’t just two gods. Aside from the two who opposed each other as good and evil, there were also those who stayed as observers.”

“They’re ones who paid no attention to humans. I don’t even know what kind of gods they were. My ancestor never told me the full story.”

There were many things I wanted to ask, but Rahan didn’t seem to know much himself.

So I simply observed the space quietly.

Despite the word forest (林) in its name, not a single blade of grass could be seen here. He had said this was a place that sealed a god—perhaps that was the aftermath.

Even the Evil God Jeozudin had left behind remnants of thought at the moment of death. That lingering thought took the form of Demon Beasts, which threw the world into chaos.

The same must have been true for the ancient god.

“So, why did you bring me here?”

“I understand what this place is. But I want to know the reason why you brought me here.”

Rahan fell into thought, seemingly organizing his mind. I didn’t interrupt his contemplation.

Soon, he opened his mouth.

“To begin with, I never intended to bring you here. This place is known only to a very small number of elves. But after you saw the rift, I had no choice but to bring you.”

“To an extent, yes. Can you keep it a secret?”

“That’s not difficult. But I’m curious—if that’s the case, you could have avoided bringing me here in the first place, couldn’t you?”

“That’s not possible. Lenel and I are being pursued by someone.”

Rahan scooped water from the lake with both hands. The ripples reflected starlight, shimmering beautifully.

“The energy that leaked from this space touched you. It’s faint, but to those chasing me, it’s enough of a clue. To completely erase that trace, I needed to bring you here.”

“So that’s how it was.”

Rahan’s situation far exceeded my imagination. Being chased by someone—something ordinary elves would never experience in their lifetime.

Since the Demon King’s reappearance, humanity’s unity had only strengthened. Unless it was an extraordinary situation, there would be no reason for pursuers to exist.

Even so, I didn’t ask further. Rahan wasn’t a foolish person. If he ever needed help, he’d tell me himself.

There was no need to pry before then.

In the end, my restraint proved right. Most humans couldn’t hold back even small curiosities.

Ten out of ten would try to satisfy their own curiosity—

without realizing that such greed could be rude to the other.

And yet, even in a situation full of mysteries, my composure hadn’t wavered.

Rahan couldn’t help but feel a sense of liking toward me.

“I understand the situation roughly. If it isn’t rude to ask, may I know what you were doing here?”

I roughly understood why Rahan had called me, but a fundamental question remained.

Why was he able to come to this place at all? And what was its true purpose?

There were mountains of questions waiting to be asked, but I was careful not to make him uncomfortable.

“That much, I can tell you.”

Rahan replied without hesitation. It didn’t seem like something he intended to hide.

“I was training in magic. To avoid being found by the pursuers I mentioned before. My mana is peculiar—it tends to leave traces that can be tracked. So I always practice magic here. Lenel does the same. Would you like to see?”

Elves, though not as innately powerful as dragons, were a race deeply attuned to magic. Even if Rahan was young, he was still an elf—his level couldn’t possibly be compared to that of a human.

Rahan slowly raised his hand toward the sky. At the same time, blades of grass began to appear around him.

One by one, the leaves manifested, swirling gently near him. As their numbers grew, their speed increased. Soon, Rahan’s figure was hidden behind the whirl of leaves.

The leaves now spun so fast that they looked like a small tornado.

‘The casting time is long. Doesn’t seem suitable for actual combat. It’s consuming a large amount of mana too… Is Rahan all right?’

Even for an elf, Rahan looked quite young—

which meant a higher chance of making mistakes.

But that was a misconception.

Among the tornado of leaves, ice crystals began to appear.

Not only that—the earthy scent of soil rose as grains of earth mixed into the swirling wind.

Only then did I realize—Rahan’s magic was beyond the boundaries of common sense.

‘Even Retina can’t handle three attributes at once. The last thing I saw her use was only a fusion of fire and ice—two at most.’

Rahan was different. The tornado surrounding him began to take on more and more attributes. At a glance, there were already more than four.

By the time even flames joined the swirling storm—

The tornado surrounding Rahan’s body scattered in all directions.

A gust filled with both heat and frost swept through the space. At the same time, leaves, grains of soil, and other fragments spun out, encircling the area.

“Each of these contains magic of the Third Circle level. It’s a spell no formidable enemy could possibly break through.”

He was right. Ice crystals, soil particles, fireballs, and leaves—all the magic that scattered around contained an immense amount of mana.

It was astounding. In this world, one was called a prodigy simply for producing a single Third Circle spell. Yet Rahan had created hundreds—thousands—of them at once.

Not even Retina could accomplish such a feat.

‘In terms of sheer power, this rivals an Archmage. It feels the same as when I locked eyes with Marquis Wilhelm.’

The Marquis of Wilhelm’s family was one of the most renowned houses of magic. And the magic that could be compared to that of its patriarch—

Even accounting for the racial difference, what Rahan had shown was shocking.

“A bit clumsy, isn’t it?”

Rahan spoke with a faint, bitter smile.

“It’s a great spell, yes. But one that can never be used in real combat. An enemy wouldn’t stand around waiting for me to finish casting.”

He was right. But in this place, there were no enemies for him. In the end, it was a magnificent spell.

And yet—why was it that in his eyes, I saw guilt?

It looked like something he couldn’t hide even if he wanted to.

I let out a quiet sigh. For such a young elf, he carried far too many burdens. I had promised not to pry into his circumstances, but it was difficult to keep that promise.

“What kind of magic can Lenel use?”

I asked, to change the subject. Rahan wasn’t satisfied with himself. No amount of praise could change that.

Rahan understood my intention. He smiled faintly—gratitude flickered in his eyes.

“Lenel, why don’t you show him too?”

At Rahan’s words, Lenel’s face turned red. Was she embarrassed? Her expression betrayed her thoughts completely. Thıs text ıs hosted at novel⟡fire.net

“Lenel, unlike me, uses a sword as well. You could call her a magic swordswoman. You’ll probably fall over in shock once you see her fight.”

Rahan said with a soft smile full of pride—a completely different expression from when he spoke about himself.

The longer his words of praise continued, the redder Lenel’s face grew.

It was a sight that naturally brought a gentle smile to my lips.

‘I roughly understand their situation now. But that only makes me more curious. Rahan’s magic is a step above Retina’s. Even aside from what he just showed, he’s plenty strong.’

That was exactly why I found it puzzling. Rahan was afraid. Were the pursuers really that powerful?

It didn’t make sense. Around Rahan were Garan and other capable members. Could he really believe the pursuers could overpower all of them?

I shook my head. It was a pointless thought. Rahan must have his reasons.

I quietly observed Rahan and Lenel’s training.

For a warrior like me, it would normally be discourteous to intrude upon a magician’s training. Yet they didn’t seem to mind my gaze—perhaps a sign of trust.

After several hours passed—

Rahan suddenly dropped to the ground, exhausted. His body looked completely drained—his mana must have been depleted.

“Phew… it’s about time to leave.”

“There’s an incantation that’s been passed down through my ancestors. I just have to recite it.”

At once, Rahan murmured something in a language I’d never heard before—it sounded like the tongue of the elves.

Soon, a rift opened in the air—the exact same kind as the one I’d seen in the back alley.

Rahan and Lenel stepped inside, and I followed after them. Darkness so deep that not even an inch ahead was visible enveloped us.

Rahan strode through it confidently. Was this space made for elves? His steps showed no hesitation, as if he could see in the dark. I relied solely on my senses to follow him.

Once again, the rift opened—

And before my eyes appeared a familiar street.

A voice rang out. I turned my head. A face I knew well, staring in confusion.

“Rhuin, was it? Has the brainwashing been lifted?”

The voice belonged to Rhuin—the man who had once lived as a puppet of Flower, a person who had been brainwashed by that lunatic Gehenna.

Rhuin let out a sigh and scratched his neck awkwardly.

“Thanks to you, I’m doing well. Once I came to my senses, I realized how insane the things I’d done were.”

Rhuin seemed perfectly fine. I’d heard he had been under brainwashing since childhood—years long enough to warp a man’s entire sense of self.

The fact that he hadn’t lost his humanity meant he’d likely adapt well to society.

“By the way, you’re Sir Leon, right? There was no one around this area just a while ago. May I ask where you came from?”

“I see. I won’t pry then.”

Silence filled the air. Rahan and Lenel exchanged glances—they, too, knew who Rhuin was. Until recently, he’d belonged to Flower. Their hesitation was understandable.

“It was good to see you. I’ll take my leave now.”

Rhuin said, giving an awkward smile—as if realizing how uneasy his presence made us.

“Have you thought about joining the Black Dragon?”