The beautiful elf smiled like a fool as Evo gently ran his hand through her hair. However, she was soon forced out of her comfort zone when she remembered something.
— Evo!
— Hm? — he turned to her, waiting for her to continue.
— What are we going to do with the carcass of that monster?
— What to do, huh…
Evo stared at the monster's body lying against the side of the ship, now headless. Some students came outside to see what had happened and were met with the sight of the enormous corpse. Their reactions were varied—some were even amusing.
After a few moments of silence, Evo made a decision.
In truth, there was no need to think too much. Monster carcasses were worth a lot of money and could be sold at guilds. However, neither Evo nor Elizabeth needed money. That left only one option.
The elf watched Evo as he turned his attention back to her and voiced his decision.
— Let's donate the carcass to the ship's owners so they can repair the damage. Neither of us needs the money anyway. — Evo shrugged.
Elizabeth smiled, pleased with his choice, and nodded.
— That's a great idea.
— But… Evo…
— Hm? — Evo looked at her.
— How long are you planning to keep stroking my hair? — she asked, her cheeks turning red.
Evo found her reaction adorable and decided to tease her a little.
— Hm? Does it bother you? — he asked, looking straight into her blue eyes.
She didn't know what to do. Her mind was a complete mess. If anyone saw them, they might misunderstand—it was a student and an instructor, after all.
— I-it's not… that!
— Hm, then what is it? — he smiled mischievously as he watched her flustered state.
— I-it's just…
— Just what? — he pressed.
— ...
She fell silent, unable to answer. Her mind was on the verge of shutting down. Realizing that if he continued, she might actually faint from embarrassment, Evo decided to stop… for today.
— Instructor, I'm going inside to rest for a bit.
— We can talk more later.
He walked away, leaving her behind, completely lost and unsure how to react.
— What was that…? — she murmured weakly.
Six Days Later
Six days had passed since the monster attack, and the port where they would disembark was now visible. Evo leaned against the railing, watching as they slowly approached. His eyes narrowed as he sensed something on the horizon.
Through his vision, the entire area ahead was overflowing with an energy intertwined with mana.
— What kind of energy is that…? — he murmured softly.
— Oh! You can see it?
A familiar female voice appeared beside him, clearly shocked by this discovery.
— Instructor Elizabeth? — Evo called as she stood next to him.
— What is that energy?
— I've never seen anything like it before.
— That is Natural Energy—or, as the other races like to call it, the Energy of Nature.
— Hm? — Evo narrowed his eyes.
— But if that's Natural Energy, why can't I feel it when you use your spells?
— You're from here, and I believe all your magic and spells are tied to nature.
Elizabeth smiled at his questions.
— You're perceptive!
— I told you before, I'm sensitive to mana. — Evo shrugged, waiting for her explanation.
The elf leaned beside him, mirroring his posture, and looked at the city slowly drawing closer.
— There's a reason for that.
Evo raised an eyebrow.
— A reason?
— Yes. The entire Elven Continent is the source of Natural Energy, and we elves are connected to this place.
— When we leave it, we use that connection to draw out Natural Energy and cast our spells. But when we do that, it mixes with mana.
— And when it mixes with mana… — Elizabeth turned her gaze to Evo.
— It becomes invisible, as if it vanished.
— More accurately, mana camouflages Natural Energy, making it imperceptible.
Evo remained silent for a moment, organizing everything she had just said.
— Wait. — He straightened his posture and looked at her.
— Are you telling me that the entire continent functions like a mana core?
Elizabeth's smile widened, satisfied with his reasoning. Seeing that smile, Evo shuddered, finding the idea utterly absurd.
— You've got to be kidding… — he muttered in disbelief.
— An entire continent as a core and energy source…
A core was what allowed living beings to use mana—humans, elves, dragons, dwarves, beastmen, demons, and, of course, monsters. All of them possessed a mana core within their bodies.
And now she was saying an entire continent was a core.
Evo felt a chill run down his spine. It had been a long time since something affected him this deeply.
— That's exactly right!
— Hahaha!
Elizabeth delighted in the look of shock on Evo's face. It was the first time she had ever seen that expression, and to be honest… she was enjoying it.
Evo always carried that confident, arrogant gaze. Seeing him like this was a treat for her eyes.
After a moment, Evo took a deep breath and regained his composure.
— When you talk about a connection to this place… can it be said that you're linked to the continent as if invisible threads were tying you to it?
— Hmmmm… — she thought for a moment, then nodded.
— You could say it's something like that.
— In truth, it's all quite complex.
She turned her attention back to the port ahead.
Elizabeth fell silent, contemplating the view of her homeland. The scene was almost supernatural—a perfect blend of civilization and nature. They appeared separate, yet at the same time fused into one.
Towering trees intertwined with countless structures, creating a sight both beautiful and enchanting. Everything there radiated peace and serenity.
— Our race is surrounded by mysteries… — she said, her eyes seeing more than what lay on the surface.
— Not even we know much about our ancestors or our origins.
— Everything is covered by a Veil.
— As if something… or someone… wanted to hide the truth.
Evo turned his attention back to the scenery, reflecting on her words.
— Mysteries, huh… — he murmured.
— My life is pretty much the same.
— I don't know even a fragment of the truth yet.
— I've been walking in the dark ever since I arrived in this world.
He took a deep breath, looking up at the blue sky as birds flew peacefully above.
— That woman… even on our second meeting, she didn't say anything… — he murmured.
— What did you say, Evo? — Elizabeth asked.
He turned back to her and shook his head.
— Nothing. — he smiled, once again playing with her hair.
— Let's go back inside and prepare to disembark.
— In just a few minutes, we'll be on solid ground.
He smiled and headed inside the ship.
As he walked, he murmured to himself:
— Maybe here I'll find something…
— Something that gives me at least one answer.
— Just… maybe.