The cold frontier air was piercing as Aelric stood on the edge of a small hill behind the base. The sun had just set, leaving a thin orange streak on the horizon. Below, Averra looked like a town struggling to stay alive—small oil lamps, slightly tilted wooden houses, and the faint smoke from kitchens cooking a meager meal.
Aelric sighed.
"This place… will be my home for a while. Or my tomb."
The Archevalier panel appeared without his summoning it.
[Objective Updated:
— Train Mira (Awakening Pending)
— Survive the First Night]
Aelric glanced at the panel. "Okay… the first one can be arranged. The second… well, we'll see."
Beside him, Mira stood with her hands clasped. She was wearing a thin robe that didn't even deserve to be called training attire.
"Let's get started," Aelric said.
Mira nodded slowly, as usual.
---
The first training session was simple. No swords. No magic. No fancy moves.
Aelric sat cross-legged on the ground. "Sit."
Mira was confused. "Just sit…?"
"Yes. Sit and breathe."
Mira complied.
A cold breeze blew, making her black hair move gently.
"Now, feel the mana in your body."
Mira immediately panicked a little. "But I can't use magic… I've never—"
"Just feel it," Aelric interrupted. "Not use it, but feel it."
Mira paused. She closed her eyes slowly. Her breathing rose and fell unsteadily.
Aelric watched her for a long moment. "Okay… try to think of something."
Mira opened one eye. "What?"
"Water."
"…water?"
"Yes. That's your daily job, right? Remember the feel. The temperature. The movement."
Mira looked hesitant, but closed her eyes again. Within seconds, her face softened slightly, and then her shoulders relaxed.
Aelric smiled—and a panel appeared.
[Resonance Detected]
[Mira: Mana Core Flicker — 3%]
"Ha, it worked," Aelric muttered.
Mira opened her eyes quickly. "W-what?"
"You're starting to feel mana."
Mira's eyes widened. "R-really?! But I don't feel anything…"
"That's normal. But my system can see your progress."
Aelric pointed to his chest. "Here. There's a small spark. That's good."
The girl looked down, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Thank you for believing in me…"
Aelric waved her hand. "Never mind. The important thing is that you want to learn."
They practiced for a few more minutes, until the wind started to get colder.
Then Aelric stood up. "Okay. That's enough for the first day. We don't want you to faint."
Mira nodded slowly, but there was a small smile on her face—the first smile Aelric had seen today.
---
When they returned to headquarters, the front gate closed early. Several soldiers closed the additional boards on the wall, as if preparing for something.
Aelric raised an eyebrow. "This is usually how it is?"
Geros walked over. "It's your first night in Averra, so let me explain."
He pointed east, toward the dark forest stretching away.
"Every night, the Nethervall Abyss sends out small monsters. They're not strong, but they're numerous. If we're careless, someone will die."
Aelric swallowed. "Good. A warm welcome."
Geros motioned for Aelric and Mira to follow him to the watchtower. From there, the view was much clearer. In the distance, small red dots began to appear one by one—the eyes of small demons rising from the darkness.
Mira gripped his sleeve tightly. "They're coming…"
Geros looked at Aelric. "Usually we can handle them. But… today there are more than usual."
Aelric chuckled softly. "Of course. Because I just arrived. This world does have a penchant for dark humor."
The panel appeared.
[Emergency Detected: Demon Horde — Lesser Tier]
[Recommended Action: Prepare Defense / Avoid Death]
Aelric scanned quickly. "Geros, how long until they arrive?"
"Fifteen minutes at the earliest."
"Okay." Aelric turned around. "Mira, come with me."
"H-huh? Me? Why?"
"You're no longer a water girl. You're my apprentice. And my apprentices don't hide under beds when danger strikes."
Mira bit her lip, afraid… but she nodded.
Aelric smiled slightly. "Relax, you won't be going forward. You'll stand behind me. We'll just keep watch."
Mira nodded more firmly.
---
When the town's simple alarm sounded—an iron pipe being struck with a stick—the residents rushed into their homes. The soldiers took their positions. Some carried old bows, others worn spears.
Aelric stood behind the front line with Mira and Geros.
A small hiss came from the trees. Then, one by one, the little demons emerged—shaped like black dogs with short horns, long teeth, and glowing red eyes.
"Shade Hounds," Geros muttered. "There are… twice as many as usual."
Aelric looked at Mira. "Look closely. This is our world."
And as the first monster leaped, the soldier shot an arrow straight at its head. Shhh—hit.
The black ghost fell, vaporizing into smoke.
But then three more appeared from the other side. Another soldier slashed at him, but one escaped and hurtled toward the lower wall.
Aelric instinctively pulled Mira back. "Behind me!"
Geros ran down quickly. "Cover the left line!"
Aelric gritted his teeth. Not out of fear—though he was a little—but because he hated standing around without contributing.
The panel flashed.
[Archevalier Passive Triggered: Potential Adapter]
[Nearby Unit: Mira — Bond Resonance +4%]
[Effect: Minor Mana Stabilization Granted]
Suddenly, Aelric felt a warm current on his back—subtle, like a breeze from behind. He turned slightly.
Mira stood there, terrified… but there was a small glow around her hand.
"Mira… you—"
The girl looked at her hand, confused. "I… I don't know what's happening…"
Aelric stared at the panel.
[Mira — Mana Core Flicker: 8%]
[Awakening Progress: Accelerating]
Aelric wanted to laugh—not because it was funny, but because this was insane.
"Geros!" he shouted. "Guard the left! I'll take care of Mira's rear!"
Geros gave a thumbs-up without looking up.
The smaller demons kept coming, but they were slowly being controlled. The soldiers were getting used to it. And when finally the last sound of the monsters collapsing, the city fell silent again.
Geros walked back, wiping away sweat. "Your first night was quite… intense."
Aelric raised an eyebrow. "If it's like this every night, I'll lose weight."
"According to the reports? This is just a warm-up."
Aelric let out a long sigh. "Of course."
He turned to Mira. "Are you okay?"
Mira nodded quickly. "I… I didn't help anything…"
"You didn't run away. That's already helping."
Mira looked down, but there was a glimmer of pride in her eyes.
The panel appeared once again.
[Vowbound Link — Mira: Bond Level 2]
[Mira: Awakening Threshold 12%]
Aelric smiled slightly.
In one day, his first student had gone further than he could have in a year.
"Tomorrow," he said quietly, "we begin the real training."