By evening, Ryn arrived at the market district and found Goran and Alize already waiting.
"You're late,"
Goran smiled and waved.
"I thought you'd run away."
"I just… took a longer route,"
Ryn replied vaguely.
The three of them entered a small tavern.
Dim lantern light filled the room, voices overlapped in lively chatter, and before long, three glasses of rum were placed on their old wooden table.
Alize looked at Goran, her tone turning serious.
"So… you're really leaving?"
Goran nodded.
"Yeah."
He lifted his glass slightly, but didn't drink yet.
"My village doesn't have much money to hire strong soldiers, and there aren't many people there either. So I figured… I should go back and protect it myself."
He smiled softly.
"The village where my grandma lives. The one who raised me."
Ryn and Alize fell silent.
No one spoke for a moment.
Goran looked at them, then chuckled to break the silence.
"So, what about you two? What are you going to do next?"
Alize answered immediately, her face lighting up.
"I'm going to become a Grand Sage like Lady Aurelia! Powerful, elegant, and charming like a proper adult!"
She struck an overly serious pose, then raised her glass.
"I will become the most charming Grand Sage ever!"
She downed the entire glass in one go.
Goran smiled awkwardly.
"Your goal is… pretty ambitious."
Then he turned to Ryn.
"And you, Ryn?"
Ryn shifted his glass but still didn't drink.
"I don't really know. My master told me to rest for now."
Alize, already slightly tipsy, nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah, yeah, you should rest! Because you're—short!"
"So go grow taller first!"
Ryn laughed awkwardly.
"I was thinking about studying advanced magic again, but my master stopped me. So now I don't really know what to do."
Goran nodded in understanding.
"Then just take a break for a while. Find something relaxing to do."
He frowned slightly.
"If I'm not mistaken, you should be around eighteen or nineteen, right?"
Ryn didn't answer.
Alize's eyes widened.
"Huh?! You passed the trials that fast? It took me three whole years just to be approved to take them!"
She paused, then raised her second glass.
"…But whatever."
Her voice was already slurring.
"You don't have to rush it… I'm sure your master has his reasons…"
"Hic…"
Ryn smiled quietly in response.
Goran stared at him for a moment, then spoke with a serious expression.
"Ryn."
He paused.
"…You still haven't had a single drink."
Before Ryn could answer, Alize reached out and snatched his glass.
"No, no, no—that's not fair! You have to drink today!"
Goran nodded in agreement.
"Let's call it a farewell drink."
Together, they shoved the glass into Ryn's hand.
Ryn hesitated for a moment… then drank it all in one go.
Not even a second later—
"Eh… is the world spinning…?"
Ryn didn't even finish his sentence before collapsing flat onto the floor.
"Ryn!"
"Hey—hey, hey!"
Goran and Alize panicked, rushing to lift him up.
The entire tavern turned to stare.
Ryn regained consciousness on Goran's broad back, being carried home, while Alize walked beside them, glancing at him now and then.
"Oh? You're awake, Mr. Lightweight Hero,"
Alize teased the moment she saw his eyes open.
Goran burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! I never thought you'd be this bad with alcohol! One glass and you're out cold like a log!"
Ryn frowned slightly, still dizzy.
"Well… I've never had it before."
He stopped there, saying no more.
The truth—that he was only fifteen—
was something he didn't need to explain to anyone right now.
Goran continued walking at an unhurried pace, his voice firm yet kind.
"Take it slow. Step by step. Your path… it'll open up on its own."
Ryn fell silent, gazing at the night sky scattered with countless stars.
The warmth of Goran's back,
and the sound of Alize's footsteps beside him,
brought an unexpected calm to his heart.
The final night ended with the laughter of comrades—
those who met on the battlefield
and parted with memories none of them would ever forget.
Two days later, Ryn woke up in the morning as usual.
But today… Richard was already awake.
He sat waiting at the same wooden table in front of the quiet cabin,
soft sunlight filtering through the leaves of the tall tree overhead.
Ryn walked over, sat across from him, and reached for his breakfast.
Richard spoke calmly.
"Eat. We're leaving soon."
Ryn's hand froze midair.
He looked up, confused.
"Leaving… where, sir?"
Richard met his gaze—no smile, no teasing—
only a firm resolve Ryn had never seen before.
"We're going to the Western Continent."
#End of Part 1.
Thank you.