"It's freezing… I feel like I'm going to turn into ice. And the city still isn't in sight," Aster muttered through chattering teeth as he guided the horses forward.
Aster was exhausted from maintaining [Flame Mana] and could no longer control it properly. Flame Mana was a blend of mana concentration and affinity with the fire element. Only by sensing the element within one's body and maintaining mana concentration could it be used effectively.
Because Aster still couldn't hold mana concentration for long periods, he tired quickly.
'It's been a while already, and there's still no sign of the city. I should ask Master,' he thought, turning back to look inside the carriage.
Inside, Valorant and Dan were fast asleep, breathing steadily.
'They're sleeping? I'm freezing out here, and they're sleeping?'
Irritation rose within him—but he quickly calmed himself.
'Now I understand how hard it was for Sir Dan earlier…'
Clenching his teeth, Aster continued guiding the horses despite the cold.
***
Valorant rubbed his eyes as he woke. Sitting up, he glanced outside through the carriage window. The sun had already set, and the heavy snowfall showed no sign of stopping—in fact, it had grown worse.
The old man leaned out and looked down the road ahead. The horses trudged forward, their legs buried in snow.
Then something felt wrong.
"Aster."
Only the howling wind answered him.
"Aster."
Sensing that something was amiss, Valorant opened the carriage door, grabbed the frame, and climbed up onto the roof. Snow had piled thickly atop the carriage as he walked toward the driver's seat.
There, he saw what looked like an ice statue—motionless, covered in heavy snow.
Valorant rushed over and knelt beside it.
Aster had nearly lost consciousness from the cold. His body was stiff, his head drooping forward as he barely managed to remain seated.
"Don't fall asleep!"
Green flames flared in Valorant's hand as he placed it on his disciple's body. The flame melted the ice clinging to Aster's clothes and muscles alike.
But the fire was too strong.
Aster began to burn.
Though his consciousness hadn't fully faded, his thoughts were muddled.
'Is Master trying to burn me? If they wanted to warm me, they'd use Flame Mana. Are they… trying to kill me?'
The cold had already begun to affect his mind.
Seeing his disciple engulfed in flames, Valorant panicked and tried to extinguish them—but the fire didn't go out easily.
"Don't be afraid. Everything will be fine," he said, ripping off his own cloak and wrapping it tightly around Aster.
Only then did the flames slowly die down. Warmth returned to Aster's body, and he began to move again—though the cold hadn't completely left him.
Valorant took the reins from his disciple, rested Aster's head against his own shoulder, and continued guiding the horses himself.
Gradually, Aster showed signs of awareness and spoke weakly.
"Master… I had a dream."
His voice was faint, barely audible.
To keep him conscious, the old man spoke gently.
"What kind of dream?"
"You were trying to burn me with your green flames… and you didn't hold back," Aster said, a faint smile appearing on his face.
"Just a dream. Don't worry about it," Valorant replied with an awkward chuckle.
"Are we close to the city?"
"Yes. Look ahead. You can see it now. We'll stay there tonight and continue the journey tomorrow."
As Valorant spoke, he noticed that Aster hadn't replied. Lifting his disciple's head slightly, he looked at his face.
"It feels like your temperature's rising."
Aster sat unconscious, cheeks flushed red, lips trembling. Valorant placed a hand on his forehead to check—and confirmed it.
Aster was burning with fever.
Once again, green flames formed in Valorant's hand as he pressed it to Aster's forehead.
"Endure it a little longer. We're entering the city now," he said, urging the horses to run faster.
Northstat was a city in one of the northernmost regions of the empire, surrounded by towering walls. Though not especially famous among imperial citizens, it was extremely popular among adventurers.
The city gates were open during the day and closed at night—one of the many security measures in place. Still, that didn't mean no one could enter after dark.
The massive gates stood shut, guarded by only two soldiers. Their role wasn't to defend the city, but to inspect those seeking entry.
As Valorant's carriage approached, one of the guards raised a hand.
With a polite tone, the soldier asked,
"Good evening. Please state your name and your reason for entering the city."
Valorant answered briskly,
"One of the Seven Sages—Valorant. I'm in a hurry. Let us pass."
Hearing that name, the soldier froze in shock. After looking more closely, he realized it was true.
"Sir Valorant! My apologies for stopping you. Please, enter the city at once!"
He hurriedly opened the gates wide.
As Valorant moved to guide the horses inside, he paused and turned to the guard.
"Where can we stay for the night?"
The soldier pointed inward.
"Follow that road straight ahead. Near the city center, there's an inn called The Golden Goose."
"Thank you," Valorant replied, driving the carriage onward.
The soldier returned to his partner.
"Who was that?" the other asked.
"Sir Valorant."
"One of the Seven Sages?"
"Yes…"
"What would someone like him be doing here?"
"Must be important business. A man like that wouldn't come to a frontier city like this just to travel."
Valorant scanned the surroundings as he drove, searching for the inn. Near the city center, he spotted the sign for The Golden Goose.
He stopped the carriage in front of it, lifted Aster into his arms, and rushed inside.
The inn's entrance housed a bar, with tables and chairs scattered about—but there were no customers. Only a young woman, around eighteen or twenty, was cleaning the floor.
Hearing the door open, she frowned and said,
"We're closed."
"We need two rooms," Valorant replied.
Seeing the unconscious boy in his arms, the woman understood immediately.
"Follow me," she said, leading him upstairs.
On the second floor, she opened a room. Valorant laid Aster gently on the bed, then sat beside him and placed a hand on his forehead.
"The boy's condition looks bad. I'll call a doctor," she said, turning to leave.
"There's no need," Valorant replied.
"I know how to treat him."
She looked at him in surprise.
"Are you a doctor?"
"No. But I know what to do."
Letting out a deep breath, the woman nodded.
"Then… is there anything else I can help with?"
Valorant thought for a moment.
"Our carriage is outside. There's a companion inside. Wake him up—he knows what needs to be done."
She nodded, then paused at the door.
"If you need anything, call me. I'll be nearby. By the way, my name is Rebecca."
With that, she left.
A short while later, Dan entered the room, his face pale and on the verge of tears.
"I'm so sorry, Sir Valorant. The boy ended up like this because of me."
Valorant replied calmly,
"It's not your fault. Aster just caught a cold. With some rest, he'll recover. We'll continue the journey afterward. This isn't something worth blaming yourself over. Go downstairs, get a room from Rebecca, and rest."
"Yes, Sir Valorant. If you need me, I'll be right there," Dan said, bowing before leaving.
That night, Valorant stayed by Aster's side, caring for him. He repeatedly pressed green flames to his disciple's forehead and body, doing his best to heal him.
***
Morning came.
Aster lifted his head from the pillow and looked around.
The room was unfamiliar.
'Where am I?'
Seeing no one else inside, he got up to step outside.
Suddenly, the door opened, and a completely unfamiliar girl rushed in. She looked him over from head to toe, then shouted toward the hallway,
"Sir! The boy is awake!"
Aster blinked in confusion.
"Excuse me… who are you?"
"My name is Rebecca. I'm the assistant manager of The Golden Goose. What's your name?"
Placing a hand on his chest, Aster replied,
"I'm Aster. How did I end up here?"
"You should go downstairs and ask the old man yourself. He's having breakfast."
Aster followed Rebecca out. As they reached the stairs, Aster stopped and looked down.
The first floor was crowded, and among the people sat Valorant.
Seeing his master, Aster hurried over and sat beside him.
"How are you feeling?" Valorant asked.
"I'm fine. I feel much better," Aster replied quietly.
"Doesn't look like it."
Having grown up alone, Aster felt uncomfortable around crowds. In situations like this, he felt like a fish stranded on land.
"Where's Sir Dan?" he asked, glancing around.
"He went to take care of the horses."
"What's our plan for today?"
Valorant took a sip of his drink and answered calmly.
"We're going to the Adventurers' Guild."