Ch. 373 - Arctic Iceberg Mountain (1)

After vanquishing the mysterious white mirage, Baek Yu-Seol returned to the Azure Frost Magic Academy under the protection of the city’s magic warriors. The atmosphere at the academy had changed drastically.

Whether the magic warriors had been capable of handling the threat or not, the fact that an outsider had stepped in and risked his life to protect the city earned him deep gratitude.  

During his nearly year-long stay in Aether World, Baek Yu-Seol often left the academy on weekends and holidays to visit distant towns like this one. Over time, he developed a good grasp of how locals in remote areas thought and behaved.

‘I didn’t help out for a reward, but hey, a little goodwill can go a long way.’

After all, he did have his own reasons for wanting their favor.

“Goodness, it’s been a madhouse around here. You actually fought that thing off? Truly, thank you.”

The head of Azure Frost Magic Academy, a Class 6 Mage named Bilek, appeared visibly drained. He had likely been scrambling nonstop to manage the aftermath. While magic warriors only needed to focus on fighting, administrators had to deal with the survivors, financial losses, and rebuilding… all equally important yet tedious responsibilities. Some even said that for disaster relief teams, the stress could be worse than going to battle.

“You said you were a student from Stella Academy, correct?”  

“Yes.”  

Baek Yu-Seol showed him his Stella pocket watch, which glowed faintly with mana authentication.  

Bilek examined it carefully and spoke with a curious tone.  

“I caught a glimpse of your fight earlier… Honestly, it’s hard to believe you’re just a student.”  

“I hear that a lot.”  

Bilek then fixed his gaze on Baek Yu-Seol’s nameplate.  

“Baek Yu-Seol… I think I’ve heard your name mentioned in rumors coming from the Central Continent.”  

“Ah, I doubt anyone works harder than me.”

“I see. And this lady with you?”

Bilek turned his attention to Florin, who greeted him with a slight nod, keeping her aura subdued. Thanks to the weakened influence of her [Absorbing Affection] ability, she had better control over it now, though her mere voice could still leave a strong impression. She stayed quiet on purpose.

“She’s part of the task I’m currently working on for Stella Academy.”

“I see. If she’s your client, then it’s only natural for her to accompany you.”

With that, Bilek opened his desk drawer and rifled through some documents. Stroking his beard, he spoke carefully.

“Are you familiar with the Frozen Crystal Mine?”  

‘Here it comes.’  

Baek Yu-Seol silently celebrated and nodded.  

“Yes, I’ve heard about it. It’s one of Trkalanta’s biggest headaches, isn’t it?”  

“Indeed. That’s why we conduct annual purification exercises there and have even built an outpost after securing part of it.”

“That’s impressive.”  

“Not as grand as it sounds… Anyway, we can guide you to our forward base, where you’re likely to find the allies you mentioned. Would you be interested in participating in this year’s training… just for a short while? We won’t force you into dangerous tasks. Think of it as a token of thanks for saving the city.”

“I’d be happy to join. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how I’d get through the northern path on my own.”

“Good. The mission begins the day after tomorrow… at dawn. We’ll meet again then.”  

“Understood.”  

After his talk with Bilek, Baek Yu-Seol stepped out of the academy. Night had already settled in, and the once pristine white city, blanketed in ice and snow, was now shrouded in darkness.

“Let’s find a place to stay for the next couple of days. I know a good spot.”  

“... You’ve been here before?”  

It was a question he often got.  

“There’s something I haven’t told you yet.”

“What is it?”  

Baek Yu-Seol feigned a serious expression, playing it up.

“I’m actually from the future.”  

“... What?”  

Florin froze and stared at him with a blank expression before slowly nodding.  

“I see… That would explain a lot…”

Wait. What? 

“W-wait! I was just joking, so you don’t have to take it so seriously...”  

“Ahaha, I was joking too.”  

Realizing he had been outplayed, Baek Yu-Seol cursed himself internally. He had tried to tease Florin, only to have the tables turned. Although she was still somewhat cryptic to him, falling for such a simple trick stung his pride.

'Just wait... Next time, I’ll come up with a joke that’s impossible to counter. Though, it won’t be easy.'

Despite appearing to be in her early twenties, she radiated an ancient aura that suggested a lifespan far beyond that of ordinary humans. If he wanted to catch her off guard, he’d need to come up with something completely beyond her experience.

‘One thing’s certain…’

In the game, Florin eventually fell in love with the protagonist, Flame, and even managed to transform into a fully human form because of it. An intriguing detail was that, despite living much longer than humans, she had zero experience in romance. This cluelessness became part of her charm, making her popular among female fans who found her inexperience adorable.

‘That’s my window of opportunity! If I aim for that weakness…!’

Baek Yu-Seol felt a surge of excitement, but then reality sank in. Lowering his head, he let out a sigh.

‘Am I really plotting this hard just to win a joke? Using my knowledge from the game, no less? This is pathetic.’

“Hey, um, Sister—”  

“Oh!”  

Whoosh!  

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, causing Florin’s hood to flutter slightly and briefly reveal her face.  

No. It wasn’t just the wind.  

A small figure in black clothing had brushed past her, pushing her aside.  

‘A pickpocket!’  

Before he fully realized what happened, his heart skipped a beat. He worried someone might have spotted Florin’s face in the center of Trkalanta.

'No way, no one could have seen me in that short moment... Right?'  

Desperate to believe no one had noticed, Baek Yu-Seol used Flash and seized the pickpocket by the scruff of the neck.

“Ahhh?! L-Let go of me!”  

“Oh? Should I start by cutting off your hands before we talk?”

“W-what did you just say? You brute…”

“Where’s my knife…? Don’t worry, I’ll make it quick.”

“AHHHHHHH!!”  

Watching Baek Yu-Seol drag the pickpocket off to a secluded corner, Florin tugged her hood down tighter to conceal her face. Even if no one else had noticed, she had lived her whole life with [Absorbing Affection], an ability that allowed her to sense even the briefest looks aimed in her direction.

Still, she couldn’t be certain those glances were truly threatening. Perhaps someone had simply mistaken her for someone else, or maybe it was just a passing gaze from a random bystander.

‘It… It should be fine…’  

She couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy, but it wasn’t as if her anxiety was entirely out of place… after all, they’d only booked one room. It could easily seem suspicious or even insulting for a man to suggest sharing a room with a woman, so Baek Yu-Seol had given an overlong explanation that could have filled ten pages of notes, trying to convince her.

Whether she actually listened or not, Florin had merely smiled and replied, “Sure, that’s fine.”

Of course, they didn’t pick some charming, cozy hotel. Instead, they ended up at an old, secluded inn where the windows rattled ominously in the chill night wind. Despite its dismal appearance, they chose it for practical reasons: it was safe, and the innkeeper was a former mercenary-turned-mage who had cast protective spells throughout the building. While Baek Yu-Seol’s instincts were keener than those wards, extra security never hurt… especially in a region notorious for ‘hunters.’

“Yawn…”  

Gazing idly out the window, he let out a sleepy sigh. Truthfully, those so-called hunters weren’t exactly easy to run into. They took many forms - beastfolk, whether canine or feline, it made little difference - and trafficked human slaves, especially mages. Beautiful elven mages sometimes appeared in these slave markets, but because elves normally inhabited well-guarded territories, such occurrences were rare.

In a place like this - where one or two disappearances would go unnoticed, where ongoing conflicts and skirmishes kept most faces hidden - mages in Trkalanta were prime targets. Baek Yu-Seol’s vivid memory of these hunters stemmed from his time playing Aether World Online, where the main character was a human female mage named Flame. Back then, he had assumed the backstory was just exploitative fluff, but now that this world was his reality, it no longer seemed far-fetched. Truth can be stranger than fiction, and he found it all too believable that the upper echelons might covet beautiful mage captives.

“What are you thinking about?”  

Hearing Florin’s voice, Baek Yu-Seol quickly turned his head.  

She had gone out for a shower earlier and returned wrapped in a modest pink dress that covered every inch of skin. 

He hadn’t exactly been hoping for some unrealistic, cliché event where she’d come out wrapped in a towel like a child…  

But still, in this space where it was just the two of them, her overly secure outfit left Baek Yu-Seol feeling a bit dejected.  

“Is something wrong?”  

“No. It’s nothing.”  

Naturally, he couldn’t bring himself to say, ‘You’re a bit too covered up.’

“Hmm. Should I have worn something more comfortable? But… I’m still not used to showing too much skin.”

He blushed, as if she had guessed his thoughts a little too accurately.

“By the way, you’ve been staring out the window ever since we came into the room.”  

“This city… It’s rotten to the core.”  

“Oh? Is that so? But from what I saw, even the principal seemed like a diligent and decent person.”  

“… Well, depending on your perspective, I suppose a pyramid could look square.”  

A triangle from the front, a square from above.  

“Anyway, you should get some rest first.”  

Perhaps she was a bit tired, she let out a small yawn.  

“What about you, Baek Yu-Seol…?”  

“I don’t sleep much. I’ll just enjoy the city view for a bit before turning in.”  

That wasn’t a lie.  

Ever since arriving in Aether World, Baek Yu-Seol had made it a point to etch the scenery of this world into his memory with exact precision.  

This world was beautiful, possessing a charm distinct from Earth.  

If he ever returned to his original world, he might never see this mysterious and enchanting landscape again, so he was determined to burn it into his mind.  

And that beautiful, mysterious scenery included Florin as well.  

Perhaps that was why he found himself desiring to see her face as often as possible.  

“Alright… then I’ll lie down first…”

Exhausted, she soon drifted into a deep, still sleep. Though Florin didn’t snore or toss about, Baek Yu-Seol carefully spread an extra blanket over her and let out a gentle sigh.

Clang! Clang!

Suddenly, the windows rattled violently, and an intense, electric tension crept in from all directions. It wasn’t killing intent. Whoever was coming wasn’t here to kill.

‘… So someone must have caught a glimpse of her face earlier, after all.’  

Baek Yu-Seol gently gripped the blanket covering Florin.  

The blanket draped over her was a special item crafted by Alterisha. It was imbued with a powerful seal.  

But even such a strong barrier wouldn’t be enough to completely stop the venomous slave hunters.  

Drawing his Teripon Sword, Baek Yu-Seol’s eyes narrowed to a sharp focus. Quietly, he slipped out of the room.

Click!  

As the door closed behind him, Florin slowly opened her eyes. Still cocooned in the blanket, she rose and moved carefully toward the window. The night outside was bitterly cold, and the moon’s light shone with an otherworldly glow.

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