A bright morning greeted the day.
Sunlight streamed through the window of the bamboo hut as Ryn opened his eyes and rose from his bed to prepare for breakfast.
When he stepped outside, he saw Richard organizing his belongings.
There weren't many items, yet each was neatly arranged—
as if their owner knew he was about to embark on a long journey.
Ryn asked with curiosity,
"Master… where are you going?"
Richard turned to him and replied calmly,
"I'm heading to the northern forest. I'll be gone for about two weeks.
The Calami have been growing more active lately. Someone needs to deal with them."
He paused briefly, then added,
"As for you… learn magic properly from Aurelia.
And take care of the house while I'm gone."
With that, Richard picked up his modest pack and left without looking back.
Ryn bowed his head slightly to see his master off.
Afterward, he stood there for a while, unsure of what to do.
There was still plenty of time before he had to meet Aurelia.
In the end, Ryn decided to take a walk through Central.
He passed several training grounds—
combat halls, magic academies, and tactical schools.
Some were filled with dozens of trainees, others with hundreds.
A stark contrast to Richard's place, where Ryn had been the only student.
The sight reminded him of his days in Veridian Veil,
when he trained among many village guards, alongside his close friends.
Ryn continued on until he reached the marketplace.
Civilians and soldiers crowded the streets,
their voices overlapping in a deafening chorus.
He saw plenty of delicious food, along with weapons and tools that caught his interest.
But he could only look—
ever since leaving his village, he hadn't carried a single coin with him.
Not long after, he arrived at the Central Library.
He felt the urge to read books about magic,
but a guard stopped him.
"Only Divines-ranked soldiers and above are allowed inside."
Ryn simply nodded, gave up the idea, and walked away.
Eventually, he reached a quiet garden.
The atmosphere was peaceful, a gentle breeze drifting through the air.
Ryn sat down to rest, and before he realized it,
fatigue pulled him into a light sleep.
He jolted awake and shifted slightly before looking up at the sky.
The sun had already dipped far to the west,
golden light stretching through the branches above.
It was time.
Time for him to meet Aurelia—
his new teacher.
Ryn stood up, stretched his still-tired body,
and headed straight for her mansion without hesitation.
When Ryn arrived, the first thing he noticed was the silence.
The mansion, once filled with the chatter of young mage apprentices and bustling footsteps, now stood empty—
as if it had been severed from the outside world.
There were no voices reading spells.
No quiet conversations.
Only the faint sound of wind brushing against the marble pillars.
Ryn stopped before the large black doors and took a deep breath.
Knock… knock…
Moments later, the doors opened without a sound.
The same maid appeared, her expression calm and unreadable.
Ryn bowed in greeting.
She nodded in response, then turned and led the way without a word.
He followed her through the long, deserted corridors.
Dim magical lights revealed faint spell circles etched into the floors and walls.
Soon, she stopped before a door unlike the others—
its surface intricately carved with detailed magic circles, standing open.
She turned to him and spoke softly,
"The ceremony chamber."
Ryn nodded and stepped inside.
At the center of the room stood a small basin of water, resting on a wooden stand.
And before it stood Aurelia—
her posture straight, her expression cold and unwavering.