After finishing my daily training and running outside, I opened the door to the cabin. It was very quiet inside. The only sound was the crackling of firewood in the fireplace. Master Valorant sat near the hearth, warming himself while reading a letter in his hand.
He looked unusually serious, which made me curious about what he was reading.
"What are you reading?"
"Gather your things. We're going on a journey."
"A journey? What kind of journey now?"
"Duke Alaris has summoned me. I have to depart."
"Why would they summon you? You're retired! Or did you perhaps steal something before your retirement? Ha-ha-ha!" I tried to lighten the mood with a joke.
"Very funny. Just get your things. We leave immediately."
"Being summoned even in retirement must mean it's something important."
"Yes, it's very important. I'll explain on the way. We need to move quickly—before the snowfall worsens."
After hearing him say that, I started packing my things. I dressed warmly, wrapped a scarf around my face to keep it from freezing, and threw on the cloak Master had given me.
Once I was ready, Master and I left the cabin. To protect ourselves from the bitter cold, we began running using our Flame Mana.
Master ran ahead of me. He looked like he was worried about something. As for me, I couldn't stop thinking about the letter he received.
[Why would someone summon a retired person? And if it's the duke, it must be a serious matter. I should ask Master directly.]
"Master Valorant!"
"Yes, I hear you."
"You said you'd explain why they summoned you."
"Yes. Duke Alaris wouldn't summon me without good reason. I believe there's been some kind of issue with the Elves."
"An issue with the Elves?"
"The Flame Kingdom shares a border with, and is allied to, the Elven Nation of Yggdrasil. If something's happened there, the Elves may have turned to humans for help—or they might have summoned me specifically to assist with a matter involving them."
"What kind of help could they need?"
"I'm not sure. The Elves don't trust easily. They only confide in those they deem trustworthy."
"Are you saying you're one of those people?"
"Yes. I've had strong ties with the Elves in the past… and a few memories. That's why they trust me."
"What will we do once we leave the forest?"
"According to the letter, a carriage should be waiting for us there."
It took us quite some time to get out of the forest. But thanks to Flame Mana, we moved much faster than normal.
Since it was a winter day, the temperature was extremely low, and snow was falling steadily. The snowfall was so thick it made visibility difficult. Still, we managed to reach the forest's edge quickly, and just as the letter said, a carriage was waiting.
When Master saw the carriage, he began walking toward it. I followed behind him. As we neared, someone stepped down from the front of the carriage and started walking toward us.
"Greetings. My name is Scott. Duke Alaris sent me to retrieve you—one of the Seven Sages, Sir Valorant."
[One of the Seven Sages? Why would he personally come for Master?]
"Hello. It's been a while since anyone called me like that. Just call me Valorant."
"In that case, I'll address you simply as Valorant. I thought you'd be alone. Who's this boy?"
"He's my student."
"Hello, my name is Attu. Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise. I hadn't heard you'd taken on a student."
"I hope my student won't be a problem."
"Not at all. The duke's only order was to bring you. Everything else is secondary. Please, board the carriage at your convenience and we'll be on our way."
"Then let's go."
Master and I climbed into the carriage. As I sat down, I realized this wasn't an ordinary carriage—it was luxuriously decorated, with golden patterns carved everywhere. Anyone would immediately recognize it as a noble's transport.
Once we were seated comfortably inside, I decided to ask about what Scott had said earlier.
"Master Valorant?"
"Yes?"
"Why did he call you one of the Seven Sages?"
"There's a reason for that. I'm one of the Seven Sages of this world."
"What does that mean exactly?"
"Among Elestars—and among all mages—there are a few individuals recognized as 'Sages'. They are granted that title due to their vast knowledge, experience, and mastery over their element and magic."
"So if I read and train a lot, will I become a Sage like you?"
"No. Strength and knowledge alone aren't enough. People must acknowledge your greatness, and you must accomplish something truly exceptional. Only then will they call you a Sage."
"Becoming a Sage sounds really difficult."
"There's nothing easy in this world—so don't be surprised."
"I'll find out more about Sages if I ever get the chance."
"If you go to the Mage Academy of Chronos, you might find plenty of information—maybe even about me."
"Mage Academy? Really?"
"Yes, just like how I've taught you magic and swordsmanship, they train other young mages like you there. Would you like to study with others your age?"
"Yes! That sounds really exciting!"
"You're right. I studied there too. I'm sure you'll like it."
"Where is it located?"
"In the Land of Wind, on the floating island known as Chronos. Both the island and the academy are named after one of the greatest Archmages—Chronos—who once lifted the island into the sky and defeated the Demon King alone."
"He defeated the Demon King by himself?"
"Yes. He stood alone against the Demon King and wielded one of the Three Supreme Spells."
"Three Supreme Spells?"
"Yes. They are spells based on the fundamental forces that form the foundation of this world."
"What are they?"
"These include the magic of the five basic elements that make up the world—or more precisely, the things you see around you. The second is Time Magic, which no one has been able to master since Chronos. And the last is Space, or Dimensional Magic. If anyone can master even one of these, that mage alone would possess power equal to the Demon King."
"Is it possible to obtain such powers?"
"People are born with certain capabilities. More accurately, which elements they can control is determined from birth. If you can control fire, it means you have the potential to become a mage. But even then, sometimes you can have mana yet still be unable to do anything with it. It doesn't all come down to luck either—hard work can also turn you into a powerful mage.
"That's why you must train and keep pushing forward. No matter how hard you work, your results will only be a tenth of the effort you put in. That means to reach your goals, you must exert ten times the effort—and that means it all depends on you."
[Master told me this to encourage me. If I train hard and never give up, maybe I too can become an archmage one day. But that means I must dedicate myself to training—nothing else.]
After those words, silence settled in the carriage for a while. What Master said made it clear to me that I could reach any level I wanted—as long as I was willing to put in the work. As the silence stretched on, I turned to the window and watched the snowy landscape, letting myself enjoy the view.
As I sat and looked outside, the falling snow had covered everything in white, and I began to notice that visibility was getting worse.
Outside, Scott was finding it harder and harder to see through the snowfall. He squinted, trying to see further ahead.
At that moment, he noticed something in the middle of the road—a figure lying on the ground, surrounded by something red slowly spreading outward.
Since Scott was seated at the front of the carriage, he got a clearer view as they approached. The figure on the road was an animal, and the red surrounding it… was blood. This was not a good sign. An animal killed right in the middle of the road didn't end up there by chance. Scott began to feel uneasy and stopped the carriage before it got any closer. He could sense danger nearby and turned to Valorant.
With a trembling voice, he called out,
" Valorant!"
"What is it? Is everything alright?"
"For now, yes… but I think something's about to happen. Forgive me for being blunt, but could you step out and inspect what's ahead? My instincts are sensing danger."
Master could tell Scott was genuinely nervous. He calmly took his sword and opened the carriage door. Before stepping out, he scanned the surroundings. Only after confirming that there was no immediate threat did he get down. Then he looked at me and spoke:
"Don't leave the carriage unless I call for you. Be ready—unexpected guests may arrive shortly."
After hearing that, I understood that Master was being completely serious. I drew my sword and sat alert inside the carriage.
"Look over there," Scott said. "There's some sort of animal lying dead."
Master followed the direction Scott pointed. About twenty meters ahead, something was sprawled on the road, soaked in blood. He slowly walked toward it and found a large stag with mighty antlers, still twitching in its final moments. Bite marks on its neck and legs revealed that it had been attacked by a pack of predators.