The Wind Empire, with its deep-rooted history, was rich in legends and folktales that made traveling between towns far from boring.

“Did you know that until 200 years ago, a gumiho lived here?” 

“Uh-huh…”

Anella forced herself to ignore the chatter of the man at the next table who was practically spitting as he spoke.

“This kid from out of town doesn’t believe a word I say. Ha!”

“It’s understandable! For 28 years, no one believed my story about fighting a two-headed wolf when I was young!”

“Bull! That’s just a plain lie!”

While the men bickered, Anella quickly stood up and slipped out of the restaurant. The cold sweat on her back dissolved in the refreshing breeze of the Wind Empire.

“Phew, this is nice…”

Indeed, the clear air lifted her spirits. Those men, though boastful, weren’t ill-natured; they just wanted to share the local legends and customs with outsiders. 

Good people, good culture. 

A happy country.

…Unlike her own, which was destroyed.

“Hm, let’s think positively!”

She walked carefully in the shadows, scanning her surroundings. Although her movements were intended to be inconspicuous, they were hardly effective. The sun was already high in the sky, and hiding in the shade didn’t make her less visible; in fact, it only made the young foreign girl walking cat-like more noticeable.

“Hey, student. Are you lost? Is this your first time here?”

“N-no! I have a map.”

With her twin braids and the uniform of the Seberun Kingdom’s Magic School, she looked no older than a middle school student. The friendly people of the Wind Empire couldn’t help but show concern for a young girl wandering alone.

As a Black Magus infiltrating the Wind Empire, this kind of attention wasn’t ideal. Especially considering the recent news that Elteman Eltewin had nearly perfected a technique for detecting the mana waves of dark magic, she couldn’t afford to rely solely on her disguise indefinitely.

‘Besides, I’ve been caught before…’

Even her powerful dark magic suppression technique, which concealed her energy from ordinary mages, had been detected by exceptional Stella students like Flame and Baek Yu-seol. Their unique abilities had spared her life, but it had been a close call.

‘But seriously, where and how am I supposed to find what I need?’

The latest order was absurdly vague: head to Taeyusan, the capital of the Wind Empire, and search for traces left by the Witch King.

That was all well and good, but how was she supposed to do that with no clues at all?

She hoped not to encounter the Witch King, but spending more than a week without results would mean her death. She had to take some kind of action.

‘…But what kind of action?’

She felt utterly lost.

With no other choice, Anella wandered through famous tourist spots. She wasn’t trying to enjoy sightseeing; she was desperate for any distraction to keep herself from going insane.

**Taeyusan, Sea Dragon Shrine.**

It was said that an eight-legged, three-tailed dragon of the sea ascended to the heavens from the river at Taeyusan, and the shrine was built to honor this mystical creature. Statues and products related to the sea dragon filled the area, including a massive 30-story-high stone statue.

‘What would anyone do with that…?’

The prices were jaw-dropping, starting at 30,000 credits for a simple souvenir—enough to cover three meals for Anella. As someone who struggled financially, such luxuries were out of reach.

“Hey, student. Here for sightseeing? How about buying a talisman?” 

Lost in thought, an old man nearby waved a talisman at her.

“A talisman?”

“That’s right. Just 5,000 credits. You’re buying luck for 5,000 credits.”

“Ugh… who believes that?”

Anella was an adult—40 years old, in fact. Even though she looked young, she wasn’t going to fall for a trick like that.

“Haha… you don’t understand. Sure, it might seem useless, just as the young lady says. But the belief itself is what’s important. Carrying this talisman gives you the faith that you can succeed when the time comes.”

“…And what’s the point of believing that?”

“There’s nothing in this world you can accomplish without belief. This talisman helps you store that belief so you can draw on it whenever you need.”

“…I see.”

So, it was an item that supposedly “helped you believe” that you could succeed. It sounded ridiculous, but strangely plausible. Normally, she would have dismissed it as nonsense, but in her current situation, with no more than a flimsy raft to cling to, she needed to believe in something.

“I’ll buy it.”

“I also have an item that adds belief to your belief. Interested?”

And so, 68,000 credits disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Holding a handful of talismans and fake divine relics, Anella let out a long sigh.

“Stupid…”

If problems could be solved with such trinkets, no one would ever have to work hard. But having already spent the money, she couldn’t just throw them away. As she put the talismans into her bag, one particular item caught her eye.

A worn-out talisman that Baek Yu-seol had given her long ago.

“…This is a talisman too.”

In the world of mages, talismans were rare. They weren’t exactly considered magic, being closer to shamanism and sorcery.

Shamanism had long been deemed inefficient compared to magic and had faded into obscurity. Yet, stories of those who kept the tradition alive persisted.

Unlike meticulously calculated magic, shamanism was said to draw power from belief and faith.

The idea seemed absurd.

“What is this even for…?”

Her gaze shifted to the old talisman vendor. Since she’d just bought a bunch from him, maybe he’d answer her questions.

“Excuse me, sir.”

“Yes? Want more? No refunds, though.”

“No, it’s not that. I have this talisman I’ve had for a while. Is it also a talisman of belief?”

“A talisman? Let me see.”

When Anella handed over Baek Yu-seol’s worn, torn talisman, the old man’s eyes widened.

“Hm? This is…”

“Do you know what it is?”

Ignoring her question, he frowned, took out his magnifying glasses from the drawer, and examined the talisman closely for a long time.

“This is… an ancient wind spell script that disappeared over 300 years ago.”

“Wind spell script?”

“Yes. Similar to rune language that mages use as the basis of magic, but unique to the Wind Empire’s shamanism. It was said to have died out long ago… how fascinating. It seems to have once held a powerful spell. Young lady, where did you get this?”

“Uh, just… somewhere.”

“Anyway, keep that talisman safe. It might hold some mysterious power.”

Taking back the talisman, Anella looked at it anew.

A single, worn, torn piece of paper.

It seemed absurd to believe that something this small could make any difference.

She had started doubting whether she should trust Baek Yu-seol’s words, or whether belief in it would really help her become human.

‘…It was real.’

He hadn’t lied.

“So… is there any way to use it, or can you translate it?”

“Hmm, you’d need to find a traditional shaman to decipher it. I can’t help with that.”

“I see…”

Disappointed, she accepted the reality. Most shamanic lineages had died out, and expecting a street vendor to decode a real talisman was unrealistic.

Wait.

Did that mean the talismans he sold her were all fake? She was about to voice her frustration when the old man spoke up first.

“Ah, yes. I heard that a young shaman recently appeared. It’s said she’s inherited true shamanic practices. If you’re interested, you should seek her out.”

“A young shaman…?”

“Yes. I heard she’s around your age and quite talented. They say she’s sometimes seen around Castle Road…”

“What’s her name?”

“No one knows. She wears a mask, so few have actually seen her. That should make it easier to find her. There aren’t many masked young shamans around.”

“I see. Thank you…”

Bowing to the old man, Anella walked through the street, staring blankly at the talisman.

Finding the Witch King was important, but she desperately wanted to uncover the secret of this talisman.

‘A young shaman, huh…’

Would she be able to find her?

She hoped so.

---

As she clutched the talisman tightly, walking down Taeyusan’s road, she heard a commotion nearby.

“What’s going on?”

Focusing her dark magic, she saw mages in black uniforms blocking the road and holding back the crowd.

In the center of the scene was an enormous, ornate carriage.

Emblazoned on it was the distinct green emblem of the Starcloud Merchant Guild.

Anella’s eyes widened at the genuine crest, reserved for the guild master and his daughter alone.

‘Is the Starcloud guild leader visiting in person…?’

The true power behind the southern plains, the Starcloud Merchant Guild, which practically sustained the Wind Empire.

“Incredible.”

“No kidding. The Seven Families of Wind themselves came to greet a mere merchant….”

“If they ignore the Starcloud Guild, they could face consequences in the upcoming succession ceremony. No wonder they’re groveling.”

“

Even the chairman didn’t come; it’s just his daughter.”

“Whether it’s the chairman or his daughter, neither likes to visit Taeyusan unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

“It must be something important.”

“Really? They own 30% of Taeyusan’s land but never show up? How arrogant.”

“Arrogant? It’s the Starcloud Guild, after all.”

So, it was Zeliel, the daughter of the Starcloud Guild’s chairman, who had come. Even though she wasn’t even twenty, her arrival could shake the entire country. It made Anella realize just how powerful some people were.

‘Amazing…’

A being from a completely different world.

From afar, she caught a glimpse of Zeliel’s profile. Her cold, stoic appearance seemed even more emotionless than Anella’s own.

‘Why am I even paying attention to this?’

There was no way their paths would ever cross.

Shaking her head, Anella turned and ran toward the castle.