"What—what's going on? What is he—what are you doing here?" Mia's voice trembled with both doubt and confusion.
"The Major General sent me," Magnus explained.
Marcos chimed in after a pause. "Apparently, there's a lot happening back in Arlcliff City. The Major General wasn’t in a position to send reinforcements, so he sent Magnus instead." Hearing this, Gerald frowned slightly while Mia's expression shifted uneasily.
"What... what was he thinking? He sent you here alone?" Her tone carried disbelief more than curiosity. The strain in her voice betrayed the stress bubbling beneath her exhaustion and she turned to Marcos first.
"He can't be here," she insisted, before turning to Magnus.
"Magnus, you can’t stay—it’s too dangerous!" Galven, who had been silent until now, stepped forward and raised a hand, drawing everyone's attention.
"Excuse me, Captain. I don't entirely understand the dynamic between all of you, but I should point out that this young man is more than capable of handling himself. Just a couple of hours before we arrived, my squad and I were ambushed by a swarm of man-eating spiders at G-6—the same ones Gerald reported encountering. If it hadn’t been for him, none of us would have made it out alive." Mia’s brows furrowed at the revelation, while Gerald turned to Marcos with a questioning look.
"The spiders? I thought those bastards only lived in the A-11 block. What’s going on?" Marcos took a moment to try and figure out how to explain everything.
"It seems the infestation spread further than we anticipated. Galven’s right, though. He signaled for help, and when I got close, I saw flashes of lightning. By the time I reached him, the ground was littered with the scorched corpses of hundreds of those man-eating spiders." Marcos shifted his gaze to Magnus.
"As for who was responsible, I could hardly believe it when I found out it was him. Turns out, he’s a Pseudo-Master level mage now, hard as it is to wrap your head around." Both Mia and Gerald stared at Magnus in shock.
"A Pseudo-Master?" Mia repeated, wide-eyed. Galven nodded knowingly.
"Yeah, I had the same reaction. The younger generation surpassing the old is one thing, but I never expected to meet a Pseudo-Master this young."
"Well... this isn’t how I thought today would go," Gerald muttered, leaning back against the table in the center of the room. He studied Magnus as if searching for some kind of hidden layer beneath the surface.
"We’ve only been gone a few months, kid. You’re telling me you reached Pseudo-Master level that fast?" It wasn’t so much a question as him trying to process the idea. Magnus nodded, raising a hand.
"Yeah, it took a bit to get the hang of it, but I managed." He concentrated, and the others watched as the mana around him stirred. One by one, elements began to manifest above his fingers. A flickering orange flame appeared over his thumb, followed by a sphere of rippling water, a compact ball of earth, sparks of electricity, and finally, an icicle forming at the tip of his pinky. Everything fell silent, every face reflecting a mixture of awe and disbelief—even Marcos and Galven, who already knew that Magnus was capable of elementrix magic.
"You've already mastered that many forms of elementrix magic?" Marcos asked, his gaze lingering on Magnus. The fact that Magnus had done it all without incantations wasn't lost on any of them. Casting magic without incantations required the entire mana formation of a spell to be constructed consciously by the mind. A single misstep could ruin the process entirely. To command so many types of elementrix magic at once was like tying together five different kinds of knots simultaneously, each with its own complexity.
"I know a few others, but not all of them. Air elementrix magic has been giving me trouble," Magnus admitted. He wasn’t lying. Air couldn’t be seen unless it was moving fast and mixed with something else. This made visualizing the creation of air from mana nearly impossible for him—at least until he could gain the ability to perceive things normally invisible to the naked eye. Still, with all the other forms of elementrix magic Eveline had demonstrated to him, if he could visualize it, he could learn it. That included even space itself—he had replicated spatial magic after watching Eveline show it off a few times.
Hearing Magnus’s explanation, Gerald finally let out a laugh. It started low but quickly grew louder, catching the attention of a few nearby soldiers. He pushed away from the table and walked over to Magnus, clapping him hard on the back. The force jolted Magnus forward, knocking the air out of his lungs. The elements at his fingertips flickered and dissolved back into invisible mana.
"Look at this kid! Just a few months ago, he was hiding in bushes from bandits, and now he’s out here saving us. We really hit the jackpot with you!" Gerald's boisterous reaction earned a sigh from Marcos, though he couldn't deny the truth in his words. Magnus really was exceptional.
Still, Marcos’s attention shifted to Mia, who had gone completely silent. Her expression was unreadable, but the flicker in her eyes betrayed the storm of thoughts racing through her mind—faster than any words she could have spoken. Gerald noticed too, turning to her with a teasing grin.
"Mia, what’s with the serious face? If we had the supplies, this would be worth throwing a celebration for!" His words snapped Mia out of her thoughts. She blinked, then looked at Gerald.
"Sorry... you’re right. This is good news," she said, her tone softer now. She turned to Magnus with a small smile.
"I’m sorry for how I acted earlier. Things have been… tense lately. But I am glad you’re here, Magnus. It’s incredible that you’ve reached such a high level so quickly. Having you with us will make a big difference."
"It’s fine, Mia. From what Marcos and Galven told me, I’ve got a pretty good idea of what you’re dealing with. No one could blame you for being a little on edge," Magnus replied, his voice understanding. Mia’s smile widened, even if just a little, as the tension in her shoulders eased. Magnus turned his attention to Gerald.
"By the way, what’s this issue with supplies? I heard you two mentioning it earlier when I came over," Magnus asked, his expression curious. Gerald let out a sharp breath, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh, right. Well, it’s like this—we’re running low on food. All the platoons brought just enough supplies for the trip here, a few weeks' stay, and the journey back. But with us all stuck in this valley, we’ve been burning through those supplies faster than planned. The villagers have been generous enough to help, but there’s no way their output can keep up with what we need without them cutting into their own reserves." With three platoons still stationed at the outpost, about a hundred soldiers remained. A hundred mouths to feed and limited resources to draw from. If nothing changed, starvation would hit long before they could deal with whatever was trapping them in the valley.
Gerald’s explanation cast a somber shadow over the group. Mia’s faint smile disappeared as her expression turned contemplative.
"We’ve been trying to ration," Mia added, her voice quiet, "but at this rate..."
She trailed off, staring at the ground, the weight of the situation falling back on her shoulders. Magnus glanced around at their grim faces.
"Oh, in that case, would this help?" He asked, stepping out of the tent. Holding up his hand, he activated the storage ring. With a brief flash of light, stacks of tied-together boxes appeared in front of him, landing on the ground with a solid thud. The pile was massive, towering even over Gerald.
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"Before I got here, I made a stop at Freyborn Village. It's a long story, but the people there were kind enough to give me this for the journey here. It’s mostly dried food and sealed jars of water—enough for about a month. I haven’t touched any of it yet since I only left a few hours ago." The group stared in stunned silence at the pile of provisions.
After a moment, Mia stepped forward, calling out, "Gerald."
Without hesitation, Gerald followed. Magnus stepped aside as Gerald quickly untied one of the boxes, prying it open with his bare hands. Inside, exactly as Magnus had described, were rows of dried and salted meats, carefully packaged. Opening another box revealed sealed jars filled to the brim with fresh, clean water.
Marcos and Galven joined them, staring at the haul in disbelief.
"This... this is way more than just a month’s worth," Galven muttered, looking over at Magnus.
Magnus scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah, they probably expected me to eat three meals a day or something, so they packed extra. Anyway, what do you think? Will this help?" Mia turned to him, her face a mixture of relief and disbelief. Slowly, a smile broke through her exhaustion.
"Yes... yes, it will!" Her voice trembled with emotion, the weight of the situation visibly lifting from her shoulders. For weeks, the burden of deciding who got fed, who got more food, and who went without any had fallen squarely on Mia. She’d known that if things didn’t change, she would soon face the impossible choice of deciding who would be cut off first. But now, that grim reality had shifted.
"As long as we ration this properly and cut down on the number of search parties, we can stretch this for weeks," Marcos commented, his eyes scanning the pile of boxes as he did some quick calculations in his head. Mia nodded, a spark of hope brightening her tired eyes. "
Yeah, and we won’t have to rely on the villagers for more food." It still set a limit on how much time they had to find whatever was causing the trouble in the valley, but the noose around their necks had loosened, if only slightly.
"Actually, I think I might have an idea of how to find the creature we’re looking for," Magnus said, drawing everyone's attention immediately.
"Are you serious?" Marcos asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Yeah, but it’ll take some time. I’ll need a map of the valley with landmarks if you have it, and I’ll have to do some searching on my own. I might also need to talk with the villagers at Larter Village." No one had any idea what Magnus was planning, but after everything—his sudden appearance, his rise to Pseudo-Master level, the food supplies, and now this—they weren’t about to doubt him.
Mia gave a determined nod.
"Whatever you need, Magnus. If you think you can find this thing, we’ll do what we can to help."
"I’ll grab the map," Marcos said, turning toward one of the buildings along the inner wall of the outpost. From its structure, it seemed to be an archive or a small library.
"Gerald, Galven, get any soldiers who still have some energy and start moving these boxes to storage. Once that’s done, start distributing the food and water," Mia instructed, her tone sharp but steadier than it had been earlier.
"We’re on it, Captain," Gerald replied with a teasing grin. He seemed relieved to see Mia regaining her composure. He gestured for Galven to follow and headed toward the barracks to find help.
Galven nodded at Mia before trailing after Gerald. Everyone, from Gerald to Marcos, had witnessed how things had steadily declined. Watching Mia spiral under the weight of their situation had only added to the collective strain. Running low on food was bad enough, but if their leader couldn’t think clearly, hope would have been entirely lost.
Magnus watched the group disperse, a faint smile crossing his face.
"Well, it’s good to see you all haven’t changed much," he commented, turning his attention back to Mia. She glanced away for a moment, letting out a soft sigh.
"I wish that were as true as it seems. But if we’re being honest, you’ve definitely changed the most." Her gaze shifted back to him, and she raised a hand to gesture at his height.
"I’m pretty sure you’ve gotten taller. Not to mention, you’re not as timid as you were back then. I’m not saying you were bad or anything, but you seem... more confident now." Magnus considered her words. He supposed he had changed since arriving in this world. Still, he wasn’t sure if it was growth or simply him adapting to everything that had been thrown his way.
"Well, a lot’s happened since I entered Takerth Academy," Magnus began, his tone casual.
"Met a lot of different people, dealt with a lot of different things. Oh, and did I mention I won the Live Examination? Well, sort of. I won and then surrendered in the final round, but it still counts... I think." Mia’s eyes widened in amazement, her surprise evident.
"Really? That’s incredible, Magnus! Though, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. Considering you’re a Pseudo-Master level mage, I doubt anyone in that competition gave you much of a challenge."
"Eh, there were one or two who gave me some trouble and a few others who would’ve been a handful if I’d fought them," Magnus replied, his mind briefly drifting back to the Live Examination. It hadn’t been a walk in the park, that was for sure.
"Good to see you’re humble about it," Mia said with a small smile.
"A lot of students in the Ten Great Magic Academies tend to have... well, let’s just say egos." Magnus chuckled softly, giving her an understanding look.
"Oh, trust me, I got to see that firsthand." He took a breath and shifted his focus.
"But enough about me. Mia, how are you holding up? I joked earlier, but you and the others really don’t look great. You’ve got bags under your eyes." Mia instinctively raised a hand to her face, her expression faltering. She didn’t need a mirror to know what Magnus was talking about. She was all too aware of how exhausted she looked.
"Like I said, Magnus, it’s been stressful. I haven’t had time to rest with everything going on."
"So, I’m guessing you haven’t been sleeping? For how long? When’s the last time you got a full night’s rest?" Magnus pressed, his concern evident. Mia hesitated, her tone carrying a sharp edge as she opened her mouth to reply.
"It doesn’t matte-" She stopped mid-sentence, noticing the genuine worry in Magnus’s eyes. Letting out a sigh, she softened her tone.
"I don’t really know... probably around two weeks." Magnus didn’t even try to hide his shock.
"Holy shit, Mia..."
If I remember correctly, knights can go a long time without rest because they use their aura to supplement their natural stamina. They can use their aura to handle any energy-draining tasks, letting their actual bodies conserve their strength. It’s kind of like when I puppet my body with the Command Console. But doing that for days on end... no wonder she’s so out of it. Her brain’s had no rest, and her willpower must be hanging by a thread.
"Alright, you’re going to bed," Magnus declared, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Mia blinked, caught off guard. She studied him for a moment before laughing softly.
"Magnus, I’m not a child. You can’t just send me to bed. Besides, I have things I need to-" Magnus raised a hand, cutting her off.
"Me and the others will handle it. And it's not just you, Mia; everyone here is running on fumes." He gestured toward the walls and patrolling grounds, where soldiers moved sluggishly, their exhaustion visible in every step.
"You getting rest will give them a chance to rest too," Magnus said firmly.
"Besides, like I mentioned, it’s going to take me some time to figure out what’s keeping everyone trapped in this valley. While I’m doing that, let everyone take a break—including yourself. That way, if I do find it, I won’t have to deal with it surrounded by half-dead soldiers and sleep-deprived knights." Mia knew he made sense, but her hesitation was clear. Magnus watched as her expression shifted, the internal debate playing out across her face.
"You can’t carry it all on your shoulders, Mia. That doesn’t help anyone," Magnus said suddenly, his voice softer now.
Her eyes met his, caught off guard by his tone.
"I know that look," he continued.
"Feeling like you don’t deserve to rest because so many people got involved in your problems. Because... people died because of them. I’ve been there. Not that long ago, actually..." His voice trailed off, his gaze distant for a moment before snapping back to hers.
"But you won’t help them—or the people still here—by running yourself into the ground. Pushing yourself until you collapse doesn’t fix anything. Clean up your mistakes, but do it the right way, with a clear head. That’s the best thing you can do." For a moment, Mia felt as though Magnus wasn’t just speaking to her—he was speaking to himself as well.
"He’s right, Mia," a new voice interjected. Turning around, Magnus saw Marcos walking over, a rolled-up scroll in hand.
Marcos handed the scroll to Magnus. "
This is a map of the entire valley."
"Thanks," Magnus replied, walking over to the table in the tent and unrolling the map on top of it. He immediately began studying it, comparing it to the gridded map already laid out. While the one Mia and the soldiers were using for their searches was more detailed, it lacked landmarks. The map Marcos had brought filled in those gaps, though it wasn’t as precise. As Magnus worked, Marcos turned to Mia and rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"The supplies issue is handled for now, and we’re putting a stop to search parties for the time being. Gerald and I can manage things for a day. Listen to Magnus—get some rest. We need you at your best." Hearing the same message from both Magnus and Marcos, Mia finally relented, giving a small nod.
"Alright, fine. But if something happens, come get me immediately."
"Of course," Marcos assured her, letting go of her shoulder before joining Magnus at the table.
Mia hesitated, standing still for a moment before heading toward her quarters. As she walked, Magnus’s words echoed in her mind. She stared at the ground, her steps slowing as a lingering thought surfaced. Pausing briefly, she turned to glance back at Magnus, who was now looking at the map with Marcos.
Magnus... what happened back in Arlcliff City for you to think like that too?