When a massive structure moves, it’s bound to make noise.

So imagine the sound when an enormous flying cruiser, 400 meters long and 55 meters wide, cuts through the air. 

Yet, the peculiar white cruiser hovering in the sky barely made a sound, as if it intended to be gentle on any wounded souls on board.

“‘Saint Holic’… They couldn’t have picked a duller name, could they?”

Aryumun Blushan, the head of the Magic Society, had a particular hobby of collecting flying vessels. He could identify a model’s company, its tuning, and even the exact engine type just by the sound of its engine.

The Saint Holic, however, was not one of Aryumun’s favorites.

“What don’t you like about it?” a mage asked, to which Aryumun clicked his tongue.

“It’s one of those Stella Academy crafts.”

Stella Academy, infamous for its wealth and cutting-edge technology, was known for extravagant feats.

They’d build colossal flying vessels as leisure spots for students, or even install mini warp gates all over the campus, doing things other magical institutions wouldn’t even dare to imagine.

The Saint Holic was one of Stella’s “ridiculous whims”—a giant ambulance-like cruiser designed specifically to retrieve injured students sent out on external missions.

Other magical institutions could easily create something like this, even if not in the same quantity or with the same tech specs. They didn’t, simply because it wasn’t necessary.

A rescue operation could be conducted with a standard combat model, without all the frills and fuss.

But this… this was all for show.

Stella’s headmaster, Elteman Eltewin, was one to indulge in extravagance, and this flying cruiser was proof.

“Tch. Who do they think they’re impressing by parading around in that thing?”

Aryumun grumbled as he observed the Saint Holic, his fatigued eyes narrowing.

The mage standing beside him only shook his head, thinking, *Aren’t you just as extravagant with your collection of cruisers…?*

Moments later, the cruiser landed. Particles gathered in the air, forming a staircase. Two magical warriors appeared, and Aryumun’s expression lit up with interest.

“Well, well…”

There they stood—Instructor Lee Hanwol of Stella’s Class S first-year, and the Academy’s Grand Knight Commander, Arain.

The appearance of these two, who were among the Academy’s elite, only added to the curiosity of why the Saint Holic had arrived at the isolated Namuaran orchard.

Its purpose: to personally retrieve the injured Baek Yuseol.

The fact that such a cruiser was mobilized for a single student was strange enough, but to have two of Stella’s high-ranking mages personally show up as well? Even Aryumun found it intriguing.

Lee Hanwol gave a slight nod, while Arain extended a hand in greeting.

“It’s a pleasure.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” Aryumun responded. “It’s rare to see two young heroes standing side by side.”

“We’re part of an aging generation now,” Arain replied.

“Haha, careful talking about age in front of this old man… *cough!*”

As he finished speaking, Aryumun was wracked with a violent cough, spilling blood, much to the horror of the surrounding mages.

When medics rushed over to help him, he waved them off dismissively.

“It’s nothing. Just a little routine blood cough. Don’t worry about it.”

For an old man coughing up a whole mouthful of blood, the term “routine” hardly seemed fitting, but Aryumun brushed it off, leaving the mages no choice but to back down.

“Where is Baek Yuseol?”

“Yes, yes, I’m wasting the time of two young heroes who’ve come for an invaluable talent.”

Aryumun led Arain, Lee Hanwol, and their accompanying mages to the “Fruit of Healing,” the highest point of Namuaran’s orchard.

The name sounded grand, but in human terms, it was a simple infirmary.

The World Tree’s miraculous fruits allowed elves to recover from wounds and fatigue just by resting there.

While Baek Yuseol didn’t benefit from such effects, he had been treated by medical mages.

“This way.”

As they entered the room, a woman seated beside the bed looked up from her book to meet the gazes of the mages.

Though masked in white and shrouded in a dark robe and dress, Arain and Lee Hanwol instantly recognized her identity.

“We greet the Queen of all divine beasts and spirits,” they said respectfully.

“Ah… it’s good to see you,” Kkot Seorin responded, giving a slight bow.

Aryumun made a sarcastic remark. “Quite an impressive escort you’ve got here, don’t you think?”

“Tomorrow’s newspapers will have quite the headline, won’t they?”

Arain and Lee Hanwol ignored Aryumun’s sarcasm, though they knew he was right.

Mobilizing the Saint Holic and dispatching Stella’s elite mages just to retrieve one student was bound to cause a stir in the press.

But there was no choice.

Their mission was a direct order from Stella’s headmaster, Elteman Eltewin.

Though he hadn’t been protective of Baek Yuseol before, today Eltewin had given a curious order for Baek’s “excessive protection.”

“What’s the student’s condition?”

“He’s much better now. According to the attending doctor, his regenerative abilities far exceed those of a typical mage,” Kkot Seorin replied.

Lee Hanwol nodded, unsurprised.

He’d long been aware of Baek Yuseol’s resilience, thanks to the boy’s frequent stays in the infirmary.

“...What happened to Baek Yuseol’s opponent?”

This time, Arain asked, and Kkot Seorin hesitated, glancing around before cautiously replying.

“His opponent… was Cheoriban, the Invincible. Though Baek Yuseol managed to leave a mortal wound on his chest, he was ultimately defeated and collapsed.”

“...What?”

Arain and Lee Hanwol were both stunned. Even Arain, who was known for his stone-cold demeanor, couldn’t hide the shock in his eyes.

“That Cheoriban… Could it really be…”

“Yes, the very Cheoriban you’re thinking of,” Aryumun confirmed, rubbing his abdomen as if the memory still pained him.

“It’s unbelievable. Even when the Elf King and I joined forces, we couldn’t land a single solid blow on him… yet he was mortally wounded by a mere student.”

The legend of Cheoriban was widely known.

He was the only black mage to survive a battle with the Dark Mage King and singlehandedly brought down the impregnable fortress of Kanadan after 300 years.

No ordinary student should have been able to harm a man of Cheoriban’s caliber.

“Personally… I’d rather this story never get out,” Aryumun remarked. “For the student’s own safety.”

Lee Hanwol and Arain agreed. While Baek Yuseol had injured Cheoriban, he wasn’t anywhere near Cheoriban’s level.

His sharp mind and unique teleportation ability granted him an advantage, and his win was likely due to sheer luck.

If Baek Yuseol gained the title of “the mage who injured Cheoriban,” he would undoubtedly attract the attention of other powerful black mages.

“No matter how much we try to keep it quiet, those in the know will find out. But let’s at least try to handle this discreetly,” Aryumun said, patting Arain and Lee Hanwol on the shoulder before leaving the room.

They stood there, gazing at Baek Yuseol.

“He’s destined for greatness,” Arain murmured.

“And he’s a dangerous one, too.”

Perhaps Elteman Eltewin recognized this, which was why he was personally keeping an eye on Baek Yuseol.

Although they didn’t know the exact reasons, they were certain that Elteman’s judgment had been right.

“Well then, we’ll take our leave with Baek Yuseol,” Lee Hanwol said politely, bowing to Kkot Seorin before leading Baek Yuseol out.

As they departed, Kkot Seorin watched them for a long time.

Or rather… she watched Baek Yuseol.

She’d looked forward to spending a brief, enjoyable weekend with him but had been thwarted by circumstances.

While a sense of emptiness lingered, she consoled herself that Baek Yuseol’s safe return was what mattered most.

“Oh, Ifanel…!”

Remembering her friend, Kkot Seorin quickly stood up. She needed to deal with Ifanel’s deteriorating condition immediately.

Now that everyone had left, she headed toward Ifanel’s garden, leaving the room empty.

Or so she thought.

A soft sound stirred as a pair of pale eyes appeared in the shadows of the curtain.

“Hmm…? Did I miss him? I came to see this Baek Yuseol, and I missed him…?”

It was a young girl’s voice, yet anyone hearing it would know instantly.

She was no ordinary girl. She’d bypassed Aryumun’s temporary barrier with ease, marking her as a mage of at least the ninth class.

“By the way, where’s that little Elteman? Is he around?”

A breeze blew, and a woman appeared—a familiar figure who’d once come to deliver a message to Soya. It was Windy Melsirun.

Wearing a nearly transparent robe, she smiled seductively as she greeted her master.

“Yes, Mother. Did you call for me?”

“Did you properly relay my words to Toa?”

Toa Regron.

The girl called the master of the Green Tower by name as if he were a child, and Windy responded naturally.

“Of course, Mother. I told him you were interested in Baek Yuseol and that he should be delivered to you in pristine condition.”

“That’s right, isn’t it? Then what is this nonsense?”

The girl laughed, her voice carrying a strange, elderly vibe despite her youthful tone.

“Is he defying me?”

Elteman Eltewin had recently achieved the ninth class and ventured into the “Heavenly Realm,” making him a formidable opponent.

“Hmph, I hate to deal with such things…”

While Elteman had something worth protecting, the girl had no such burden.

If she applied enough pressure, he’d be the one to surrender first.

“Well, then… let’s see how far he’ll go to protect one student.”

With that, the girl closed her eyes, her presence disappearing as if it had all been a mirage.

Windy observed the girl’s departure, gazing out the window as the faint hum of the Saint Holic’s engines faded.

“What’s so special about that kid…?”

As someone with limited insight, Windy couldn’t understand the fascination he held for these legendary mages. Nevertheless, she would follow her mother’s will.

It promised to be… a most entertaining endeavor.