Road Trip

Hei went off to pack in his room, leaving Colt alone in the living room.

But Colt wasn't paying attention to his surroundings—his eyes were fixed on the yard outside, where Seila still sat, waiting patiently.

While Hei was trained as a warrior, Seila was a mage, like Colt.

Both of their fathers had wanted her to take up the sword, to follow in their footsteps. But Seila was different.

She was a prodigy—no one her age in all of Ostines could rival her talent in magic.

Of course, the word prodigy didn't define her. She was also hardworking.

Even right now, waiting for Hei to get ready, she was meditating, focusing on building her mana reserves.

If Colt needed to be perfectly honest, her posture wasn't perfect, a little rough around the edges, but given that she was only fifteen, he found it impressive.

And while she waited, Colt had his own task to finish—sealing his power.

He didn't want to draw attention at the academy. With a level far beyond his age, he would stand out, and not in a good way.

Teachers would start asking questions. Especially the headmaster. Right after seeing Colt, he would investigate him.

So far, Hei and Seila hadn't sensed anything unusual. They weren't the type to probe people's levels casually—not like seasoned adults.

But that wouldn't last forever. If Colt wanted to enjoy his time quietly, he needed to lower his presence now.

His plan was simple: match Seila's level.

And there was no danger. If anything ever happened, he could break the seal in an instant. He would never put his friends at risk for the sake of a disguise.

This was also why he'd written Level 65 on his registration at the Adventurer's Guild.

He'd guessed Seila would be somewhere around that range when they enrolled—and he'd been right. She was currently level 66.

Now, if something happened with his registration, it would seem like he leveled up once but didn't get it registered.

With that confirmation, Colt cast a spell. No, it was better to say he manipulated mana.

At his level, spells were only the tools to easily guide the mana. But he could already guide the mana himself.

So, unless it was anything high-level, he could do it easily without a spell.

A faint "Ah!" drifted through the window. Outside, Seila winced slightly and reached up to touch her head.

Then, as if nothing had happened, she returned to her meditation.

Colt winced inwardly. He hadn't meant to disturb her. It wasn't serious—he had only taken a single strand of her hair for the spell.

Apoligizing to her, he pulled out a lump of iron ore he'd picked up somewhere along the way in his past life from his inventory.

With a touch of magic, he reshaped a piece of it into a small locket.

He opened the locket, placed the strand of hair inside, and cast the sealing spell. When he clasped it around his neck, ta-da, he was now a level 66 mage.

His aura, his magic—everything now matched it.

It wasn't permanent. The seal only altered the impression he gave off and limited his magic to that of a mage at level 66. But he could discard the enchantment at will.

A moment later, Hei stepped out of his room.

"Colt," he said, catching Colt staring out the window. "I understand that it is easy to be captivated by her. But you shouldn't be too openly looking at her," he said.

His voice was calm, but not playful this time.

Colt turned to him. Hei might joke and tease, but beneath it all, he was protective.

Seila was his best friend. And Colt was still just a stranger tagging along

This was also the reason he had called him inside while he was getting prepared.

Instead of being annoyed, Colt respected it.

He was happy that Hei didn't let a random dude near Seila.

"I appreciate your concern," he said sincerely. "You don't have to worry. I won't do anything inappropriate."

Hei gave him a look. "I'm not worried about that. Seila's strong. If you try anything, you'll be the one regretting it."

Colt smiled inwardly. Hei wasn't wrong. Seila could hold her own.

"Thanks for the warning," he replied.

Hei's mood lightened again, and he gave a nod. "Then let's go."

That serious side of his was rare, but it left an impression.

I'm sorry, Hei, Colt thought as they walked. I will be doing something inappropriate... I'm going to marry her.

Well, it wouldn't be inappropriate since she would also want it.

---

Three wagons rolled out from the manor, each drawn by a pair of sturdy horses.

The lead carriage carried five guards of the Ramgan household, vigilant and quiet.

The middle one was for the children.

In the rear, the three Springold house guards and one maid sat beside the luggage, keeping watch over their belongings.

Inside the second wagon, Seila chatted excitedly, her voice full of energy as she recounted everything that had happened since she'd last seen Hei.

"So, the teacher said it was possible—and now I'm officially a D-2 rank hunter!" she said proudly.

"Congratulations, Sei," Hei replied with a smile. "I'm still stuck at D-1. I haven't been able to leave my hometown much."

Their ranks were much higher than they should be at their level.

"It's okay! Once we enter the academy, we'll be going to the Adventurer's Guild all the time. We can take on quests together!" she said, practically bouncing with enthusiasm.

"You're right. I'll have to make the most of that time. Once we graduate, there won't be as many chances."

Colt sat nearby, listening quietly as their conversation drifted through the warm afternoon air.

He looked out the window to keep himself in check—though truthfully, he'd rather watch them talk.

But he didn't want to risk being misunderstood.

"Colt," Hei called, turning toward him. "Are you registered as a hunter yet?"

"Yes, I am," Colt replied. "But I've only completed one quest so far."

"I see. Don't worry. Like Sei said, we'll get plenty of chances to go hunting during the academy," Hei offered with a reassuring nod.

If only he knew, Colt thought. If he found out that one quest was slaying Kayden, and I'm already a C-1 rank... he'd probably faint.

Seila, meanwhile, chimed in with her usual frankness.

"That's only if he passes the entrance exam. Even if his level's close to ours, the exam isn't just about strength."

Her voice was casual, but Colt could hear the challenge tucked between the words. Of course, she wasn't the same Seila he had known.

She was still young, more playful, more naive.

He had met her almost 10 years in the future. So, it was just normal.

"I am happy that Miss Seila is worried about me," Colt said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "But you don't have to. I will pass this exam ranking first."

Hei smirked at that, while Seila let out a laugh—completely unrestrained.

"Sorry to crush your hopes, but I've spent the last three years preparing for this exam. That spot is mine."

Colt smiled faintly. This, he thought, is going to hurt.

In the past, Seila had taken first place. It was a point of pride, a sign of all the effort she'd poured in. And part of him didn't want to take that away.

But he had no choice.

He needed that spot. Of course, one reason was to make sure that Seila recognized him.

Still, he had more important things that needed him to rank first.

And, even though their level was the same, there was no way for Seila to rank first while Colt was there.

Level didn't matter to him. He had more experience, deeper reserves, finer control.

He could cast more spells, manipulate mana more efficiently, and handle pressure like a seasoned mage.

But the most important one was that he could use mana directly instead of using spells.

The written exam wouldn't matter. They'd both pass with perfect marks.

But in the practical trials, there would be no contest.

So he would do it, even if it meant seeing her disappointed.

Forgive me, Seila. Just this once—I have to come first.