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Chapter 56

But Leonard, who was obviously a teenager, was in the Second Degree External Force Tier?

Even Clara, who had been a receptionist for many years, was speechless for a moment.

“Mr. Leonard, if you would.”

“Understood.”

Everyone in the hall was staring at Leonard. They wouldn’t believe it until they saw it with their own eyes.

Shing.

Leonard unsheathed his sword, and sword energy flared up around it. All at once, everyone let out sounds of amazement.

“So it’s true! He’s young, handsome, and talented?”

“It’s true what they say about the gods from the mythical ages being dead—because they would never be this unfair!”

“First Marianne and now this kid. I don’t understand why such talented people flock to the princess.”

“Loyalty! Friendship! Love! Something like that, I suppose. Don’t you ever dream about things like that?”

“Dream my ass. If you get on the Council’s bad side, it’s over!”

Leonard turned his back to the explorers’ dramatic reactions and calmly sheathed his sword.

Clara’s heart skipped a beat. “Now I’ll need your age.”

“I’m fifteen.”

“Sorry?”

His answer made her freeze on the spot—and also Frances and Marianne.

Leonard’s face did look a little young, but because he was over six feet tall, they’d assumed he’d already stopped growing.

If I had known his age, I would have thought he was in the First Degree External Force Tier, not the Second, Marianne thought to herself.

Frances reached him first and whispered, “Are you actually fifteen? Are you really?”

“Yes,” Leonard said flatly.

“Your face looks young, but I thought you were around seventeen or eighteen... C-can you try calling me ‘older sister’?” she asked.

“I don’t care if you saved my life. The answer is no.”

“That’s petty!”

The curtness of his answer not only made Frances’s and Marianne’s faces fall in disappointment but also the faces of most of the female explorers in the Hall.

Clara was no exception. “Mr. Leonard, Second Degree External Force Tier, age fifteen. I’ve confirmed your information. I’m going to ask you a few more questions, but you are not required to answer them.”

“All right.”

“What is your country of origin?”

It wasn’t a good idea to reveal that he was from the Arcadian Empire, but neither was hiding it. If he declined to answer, it implied that it was a secret that could be used against him. Therefore, Leonard gave the name of the place that had sent him here.

“The Kurdish Kingdom.”

His declaration would make the shadow knights roll in their graves, but neither Clara nor anyone else in Zephyros Hall knew much about the Kurdish Kingdom.

“Kurdish Kingdom, Kurdish—Oh! It’s to the northwest of the Arcadian Empire, correct?” she asked.

“Yes, so I’ve heard.” His answer made him sound like an outsider, making Clara tilt her head. “I’ve been told that’s where I’m from, but I lost my memories and don’t remember anything about my life and childhood in the Kurdish Kingdom. I know that it’s my homeland, but that’s basically it.”

“Ah, I see.” She wrote his nationality down as “Kurdish” and asked a few more questions, which Leonard answered. His registration was over in no time.

The third official member had now joined the Rank B expedition team Aquamarine. Including the captain Frances and Marianne, they were now a group of three. It was a modest size.

It appeared that the crew members that Leonard had seen aboard were only there to take care of the ship and were not official members of the expedition team.

“Okay! You’re all set, Leonard. The only thing left to do is some administrative work that the two of us need to handle, so you’re free to do whatever you like!” Frances said, grinning. “But you’re in a foreign country, so nothing much comes to mind, eh? If there’s anything you’d like to do or any place you’d like to visit, tell me right now. I’ll get you a guide.”

“There is... something I’d like to do.” Leonard thought for a moment.

It would be a good idea to get the lay of the land, and it could be fun to poke around the Magic Tower and the Council’s building, seeing as how they basically ruled the city. Eavesdropping on the other explorers inside Bermuda’s headquarters and briefly befriending people to obtain information was another good choice. But there was a problem.

Even if I do all of this, none of it is related to magic.

Magic was something he wanted to learn about. If he could look into the mystical powers that threw him from Galapagos Island all the way to the Alliance, it could expand his understanding of martial arts.

“Actually, I would like to learn about magic,” he admitted.

“What? Magic?” Frances looked surprised. “But you’re such a talented swordsman. Is your goal to become a magic swordsman?”

“No. I have no intention of formally training in magic. As I said, I would simply like to learn more about it.”

The unknown was something to be feared, and understanding the unknown was paramount. The Sword Emperor Yeon Mu-Hyuk had lived by this principle, and Leonard was inclined to agree with it.

“I was sent here due to a magic explosion. If I had known more about it, it could have been avoided. I managed to survive thanks to you, but you can never rely on Lady Fortune to smile upon you a second time.”

“R-Right! Ahem, I mean, yes, I understand!”

For some reason, Frances was flustered and had a deep red blush on her face. She dashed back to the counter, then quickly returned. She puffed out her chest, as proud as always.

“You want to obtain general knowledge about magic, correct? In that case, one tutoring session should be enough. I’ve just called for a person I know from the Magic Tower, so she can teach you today, just this once!”

Though Leonard was grateful for her generosity, his debt was growing bigger, and he felt the pressure from it increase ever so slightly. “Thank you, Fran. I haven’t done anything in return, yet it seems like my debt only keeps growing.”

“Don’t you worry! If you just stick with my team and stay with u-us like you’ve been doing, you can pay it all back!”

Frances grinned. Marianne was watching from the sidelines, amused, and Leonard was wondering why Frances was so happy that they were going to work together. As usual, none of them were on the same page.

Suddenly, the people in Zephyros Hall turned their attention away when Frances’s friend arrived.

“Fran! Long time no see!”

“Esther!”

A woman who was clearly dressed like a mage stepped into Zephyros Hall elegantly and pulled Frances into a hug. Her dark brown hair reached all the way to the hem of her robe. Based on her appearance, she seemed to be in her mid-twenties. Mages aged more slowly than martial artists, but those who had yet to reach the Seventh Circle were said to have appearances that matched their ages.

However, no matter how many powerful connections Frances had, she wouldn’t be able to call upon a Class 7 mage, the equivalent of a Transcendence Tier knight, so casually. At most, this woman was Class 6, or perhaps Class 4 or 5. If she was considered a Rank B explorer, she would be no lower than Class 3.

In martial arts terms, she would be around the Apex Realm, but I don’t think it’s right to think this way, Leonard thought.

Magic was a power that could transport someone thousands of miles with one piece of paper. Approaching magic from a martial arts perspective might make it even more difficult to understand.

Frances’s friend, Esther, turned to Leonard and asked, “So, you want me to teach this boy about magic, right? Not as an actual student, but just the basics?”

“Yes! Please teach him everything about the Circle system, the elements, and the dangers of magic! Even though we’re friends, anything more than that is too much to ask, don’t you think?”

“Oh, come now. If you’re the one asking, I wouldn’t mind doing it just once. But twice might be too much.”

Esther petted Frances’s head, thinking about how much she owed the girl. The Rank A expedition team Aquamarine had once sailed the Fifth Sea District and was envied by everyone in the Alliance, but it had abruptly met its end one day. At that time, Esther had been a novice who had just become a Class 4 mage, but she had been able to join Aquamarine because she was judged to have great potential.

... And to think that I had abandoned her back then, Esther thought.

Even now, that event seemed like a natural disaster. When Aquamarine was caught up in a conspiracy involving most of the Council members, one so big that even Bermuda was forced to turn a blind eye, it was every man for himself. A Fourth Circle mage like her was worth nothing.

The only one who protected Frances to the very end was Marianne, the girl that the former captain of Aquamarine, Njord, had picked up from who knows where. Her almost simple-minded loyalty had led her to put her life on the line to protect the princess as repayment for giving her a second chance at life. If it weren’t for that, Esther would have likely never seen Frances again.

I’m already grateful for the fact that she doesn’t resent me for running away, so if I can repay her like this a little bit at a time, well, it would be good for me too. I’m still stuck in Class 4 because of the trauma of that day.

Esther’s green eyes settled on Leonard, the new member of Aquamarine. She’d been impressed by his appearance as soon as she saw him, but after hearing the story, his skills and age seemed even more impressive.

But he’s suspicious. He’s a pretty boy and genius swordsman, just like the hero of a fairy tale. Other than Marianne, Frances has no one to lean on, so did he use his good looks to make her lower her guard? Or am I being too paranoid?

Mages were inherently distrustful of others, and that mindset led her to consider him with apprehension.

She’s very wary. Are all mages like this? Leonard thought.

Esther had tried to hide her caution, but it was useless against a martial artist who’d unlocked his upper dantian.

Leonard inwardly scoffed at how obviously she was scrutinizing him. It was understandable for her to be suspicious of people she’d just met, but it would do her no good to be caught like this.

Marianne seemed to notice this as well, as she was looking at Leonard with a shared look of exasperation.

At this rate, things would become even more awkward, so Leonard held out his hand first.

“I’ll be in your care, Ms. Esther. I’m Leonard, the new member of Aquamarine.”

Esther looked at his hand for a moment but didn’t shake it.

“My name is Esther. I am a Class 4 mage affiliated with the Magic Tower of Atlantis. You can drop the honorific. Most mages don’t like to be touched, so I’d advise you to not try to shake their hands during your first meeting,” she said. Unlike Frances, she kept herself at a distance.

Leonard wasn’t offended by her reply and pulled his hand away. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Esther only gave him a single nod before turning back to Frances. “Fran, I’ll try to teach him as much as I can in a day. If there’s ever an occasion you need a mage, call me. Going back to Aquamarine... may be difficult, but I can help you with other tasks.”

“Okay! Thanks for helping me all the time!” Frances said, smiling as cheerfully as usual.

“Good luck with the rest of your Bermuda work. Let’s grab a meal sometime. I’ll make a reservation at a restaurant.”

“All right. Leonard, make sure to learn as much as you can from her!”

Frances and Marianne left Zephyros Hall to do their mountain of paperwork, leaving the other two behind. For a moment, Esther and Leonard looked at each other awkwardly.

“Have you eaten yet?” Esther asked.

“No.”

“Then let’s talk over some food. How can I possibly teach and how can you possibly learn like this?”

She didn’t wait for his answer before turning around. Esther walked a few steps ahead while Leonard trailed behind her, leaving Zephyros Hall. Two pairs of footsteps echoed, exactly in time with each other.

And that was how a former member of Aquamarine met the new one.