When he first saw it, he was so startled by the magic power gushing out from the crevice that he didn't really focus on it. But as he conversed with Lorna, a fleeting glance towards that spot instilled a strange sensation within him.

'Too dense and dark. Was it like this before?'

While shadows were inherently dark and dense, there was something distinctly different about this one. As he squinted, worried it might be a sign of a crack, Lorna called him in a puzzled voice.

"Sir Aile? You seem to have seen all there is to see. Is there something strange?"

"That shadow in the crevice... Hasn't it become a little strange?"

"Pardon?"

Lorna narrowed her eyes, a look of concentration on her face.

"Um.... Exactly what seems strange? It seems to be the same as before."

"..."

Yuder was unable to answer. Even when asked what was strange, he had no precise words to describe it. Lorna, who had been waiting for an answer, sighed and patted Yuder's shoulder.

"It seems you are excessively worried about a potential crack-related issue. Today isn't the only day. You can come back tomorrow and check again. Let's just go back now."

"Will you be back tomorrow?"

"Of course. I will keep coming here to check as long as I'm fine. I cannot let this place be damaged, even if other places might be."

After packing the co-shared journal of the mages left in the guard post, Lorna closed the protective magic circle that covered the Magic Spring. Yuder stared at the Magic Spring, gradually fading like a mirage, while she struggled to move her magic power.

"Do you always have to open and close the formation to go in there?"

"Yes. If we don't, it might be invaded by others or monsters. But I'm worried, the central control formation has been weakened too much due to damage. I need to repair it soon, but I'm not sure if I have the strength..."

After closing the formation, Lorna claimed that she had almost exhausted the day's accumulated magic power. Since becoming a mage in her childhood and undergoing consistent training for many years, she was one of many mages who struggled to move even a single formation, which was a common occurrence in this world.

'Magic power deficiency.'

Yuder pondered on a problem he had never seriously considered before.

To become a mage, one had to be born with the talent to sense magic power, but among those selected, only a few could cast attribute magic. Even fewer could perform powerful attack or defense magic, and those who could do so received treatment no less than high nobility, regardless of their commoner origins. This was why magic tools, which could use engraved magic with a slight amount of magic power, were increasingly popular.

Yuder had always thought it was natural that the magic the present-day mages could perform was less potent than the miracles said to have been performed by legendary Archmages. After all, legends typically exaggerated reality.

But they sincerely believed they could bridge this gap. Yuder recalled the emotions that flickered across Lorna's face when she smiled, asking him if he had ever undergone a magic power responsiveness test and inundating him with questions about his powers, similar to attribute magic.

'Envy... or perhaps resentment.'

It was a feeling he knew all too well from his previous life, frequently directed at him by others. Despite knowing that magic and the abilities of the Awakeners were different powers, they still envied Yuder.

Lorna had proclaimed that through her research, she would solve the issue of magic power deficiency. If that was indeed the case, what would they gain? No matter how much he pondered, there was only one answer.

'Power.'

The ultimate objective of the research, the one many were willing to stake their lives on, inevitably culminated in power. The strange sensation that this seemed so obvious yet perplexing was because he knew how far humans desiring power could go in recklessness.

Yuder cast a fleeting glance back at the Magic Spring Ruins that he had left behind.

'It should have been Kishiar here, not me.'

If that were the case, Kishiar would have better understood this strange feeling that he had, and would have gained much more information while looking at the Magic Spring. But no matter how much he regretted it, he couldn't change the reality that he was alone.

Yuder put his hand into his pocket. He felt a little relief as he sensed the clinking of the hard, round candies inside. As he slowly fumbled with them, he resumed walking, leaving the ruins behind.

---

Lorna and Yuder did not encounter any monsters on their return. Lorna reported the results of their expedition to Union Leader Micalin, who gave his consent for Yuder to accompany Lorna to examine the ruins and their surroundings once a day.

Just like the day before, Yuder spent the rest of the day helping the mages. The number of mages watching him work had increased compared to the day before. His guard was noticeably down compared to before, even when mages came right up to him to ask questions.

The day in the Great Sarain Forest ended earlier than elsewhere. Because of the dense trees, it grew dark as soon as the sun began to set. Even after all the mages had gone back, Yuder stayed out for a long time, surveying the surroundings. He alternated between the desire to dash into the seemingly empty forest immediately and the cold logic that he should stay where he was.

"..."

As time passed, the shadows grew longer. Only when they blended into the darkness, becoming indistinguishable, did Yuder move his hand to take out a candy from his pocket. The sweet taste that filled his mouth as he unwrapped the slightly worn paper and put the candy in his mouth was familiar.

'What the heck am I doing?'

There were hardly any times in his life when he had wasted time so aimlessly.

With a shake of his head, Yuder returned to his quarters. He didn't feel like eating dinner, so he decided to skip it. Today, too, Lusan seemed to be sleeping by the side of the injured, for his bed was empty. Yuder sat on the bed and looked outside. He hadn't noticed when he was with the others, but now that he was alone, he felt unusually on edge due to the sound of the wind coming from the darkness.

'It feels as if someone is watching.'

It seemed like it was just his imagination, but he could never be too sure. He kept his sword, usually left by the side of his bed, close to his body and closed his eyes.

Then, an unpleasant dream overwhelmed him.

Someone seized his arm and yanked him back harshly.

At the same time, a giant tail brushed past his face and crashed into the cliff. With a loud bang, a part of the mountain shattered, and screams echoed from all directions. The overpowering smell of blood made him so dizzy that he could barely stand.

Yuder exhaled heavily, glancing sideways. The one who had grabbed his arm, propelling him backward with surprising speed to avoid the monster, opened their lips, his face furrowed in a frown.

"Be careful."

"..."

He didn't bother to ask when they had arrived, nor did he offer thanks for his assistance. The other wouldn't expect such, anyway.

Kishiar, looking paler than usual, released Yuder's arm and scanned him briefly. His gaze lingered a few times on Yuder's dust-covered face and abdomen, grazed and bleeding from an encounter with the monster.

Before Kishiar could comment on his injuries, Yuder forcibly shifted his gaze and asked a question befitting of his Deputy Commander status.

"I've never seen a monster that big before. I can't begin to guess where it came from."

"The first sighting was near Great Sarain Forest."

Kishiar responded quietly.

"They say it wasn't that big then, but it has been growing larger day by day, to the size it is now."

"Can it really grow that much in such a short time?"

"We only know a fraction about monsters. It's possible that some could have such strange growth patterns."

Wasn't the creature before them the most solid evidence of that? Suddenly, the blood on his frowning face caught his eye. It was a fresh wound, likely caused by a sharp spike on the creature's tail as Kishiar pulled Yuder away.

The monster, as large as a small mountain, was bigger and stronger than any monster they had encountered so far on the Cavalry western subjugation mission. Moans of injured members echoed around them, but the number of collapsed piles of stone made it almost impossible to locate them.

A catastrophe. Yuder suddenly thought, gazing up at the bellowing monster that shook the sky.

There would be no reason for such a monster to appear unless the world was on the brink of destruction. If they did not retreat from here, it was likely that all the Cavalry members here would die or suffer equivalent casualties.

They had fought back, trying to squeeze out every ounce of their strength that wasn't directly flowing to topple a mountain, yet the monster, thought to be shattered and dead, rose again, even bigger than before, scattering its massive roar. The landscape of the entire west seemed to be changing at this rate.

In such a situation, what use could Kishiar be, even if he were here? Yuder acknowledged that his power was stronger than it appeared, but such a gigantic creature would be hard for even Kishiar to strike.

It might be too late to retreat now, but if the precious imperial family member were to die here, it would become an even bigger problem. Not that life could get much worse when one was constantly being criticized... Yuder sighed and opened his mouth towards him.

"The situation isn't looking good. Perhaps it would be better for the Commander to withdraw first."

"Are you telling me to leave just after I arrived?"

"Aren't you here to avoid death? In any case, I'll buy some time. Lead the other members and retreat."

Yuder expected him to agree, but there was no response. When he turned his head, he was surprised to read a rare emotion on Kishiar's pale, distorted face as he looked at him.

"I didn't come here to back down."

He could feel a cold flame in his voice.

"You should retreat, Yuder Aile."