Final Destination

As Lucian finished reading the page, he wondered to himself, 

"This diary reads more like a novel, which is making me even more excited. The writer seemed scared of Yasolt's family. Maybe Yasolt is a noble or something. Well, the only way to find out is to keep reading. Let's continue." 

Lucian then flipped to the next page. 

"First day of the journey, not much really happened. We arrived at a nearby village and found a place to eat and stay for the night. We only have a map of the continent as our guide and a couple of silver and copper sols, which should last us a few months. But that's the thrill of adventure, I guess, right? Yeah, even though I'm not new to wandering around, I'm still a little nervous about our situation. As for Yasolt, he's over the moon. I've never seen him so excited just to visit a village."

"Well, I guess I shouldn't judge since it's his first time being so free. I'll let him enjoy it until he goes overboard. I also decided to visit my hometown along the way, and while discussing our next destination, Yasolt suggested we explore the Guston Desert." 

"We'd heard about that place from our camp captain, who told us about his exploration party getting stuck in the underground desert ruins for 13 days after a massive flood blocked all the exits. Even hearing that story scared me, but Yasolt talked like it was a walk in the park. I explained that the place he was talking about was on the other side of the country, but rather than being surprised, he got even more excited, saying, 'Even better. That means our journey will be longer, and we can do a lot more along the way!' Yup, he's in his own little world." 

"But I won't lie, I've always wanted to visit a place like that once in my life. Not to fight crazy beasts or monsters, but just to explore. I know I wouldn't last a second against anything that lives there. So, we agreed to make the Guston Desert our final destination. For now, though, the problem is figuring out how to get there. We know where it is, but the route isn't even on the map, so the only way is to ask around and get help from others."

With that, the page ended. Lucian closed the book and stared at the ceiling of his room, thinking to himself, 

Should I also go on an adventure like that? Would my parents even allow it? 

An adventure, huh? Maybe someday I'll go on one like that. I mean, nearly every reincarnation story I've read has an adventure arc, so who's to say I won't have one too? 

Lucian sat there for a while, lost in thought, until he suddenly heard the front door open. He felt his mother's presence and quickly hid the diary before going to help her. 

The next day, Lucian arrived at Gideon's smithy to continue his channeling training. To his surprise, Gideon had left the village for work, and no one knew when he would return. As Lucian was about to leave, one of the blacksmiths suddenly approached him. 

"You're Lucian, right?" the blacksmith asked. 

"Yes, I am. Did you have something to say to me?" Lucian was confused, as he'd never spoken to anyone else in the smithy other than Gideon. 

"Actually, I have something to give you." The blacksmith reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. 

"Is that a letter?" Lucian asked curiously. 

"Yeah, Gideon left this for you before he went off to work. Here." He handed the letter to Lucian. 

"Okay, then. I'll get back to work now—can't be seen slacking off." After saying that, the blacksmith quickly returned to his workstation. 

'Slacking off, huh? I remember those days', Lucian thought to himself, reminiscing about past events. 

Remembering the letter, he quickly snapped back to the present and opened it to read. 

"Hey, kid. I had to leave the village for an important assignment, and I knew you'd be back after a few days of rest. You're probably here to continue your training, but I won't be around to assist you. Don't worry, though. Just remember your mistakes and what I told you before take it slow. Even though you failed last time, your attempt wasn't completely wrong. This time, follow my instructions and let the mana guide you. Best of luck, and I might even bring you a souvenir if I have time."

"Well, that ended quickly. I expected more information and instructions to follow, but I guess this will be enough," Lucian muttered to himself. "I'm more informed now because of the book, and the spar with big sister Amara also gave me some ideas about mana channeling." 

Lucian was more confident this time, but he wasn't overconfident. He was going to take it slow and steady, following what he'd learned from both Gideon and Amara.