Chapter 17 – Central Island, Mediale (2)
“Well, ahem! Since you’ve received that rascal’s recommendation letter, I hope you’ll become a proud member of our Hunter Association.”
“Th-thank you.”
Pan Tveron offered his words warmly to Gale, but in the next instant, his demeanor flipped as he coldly glared at Elwin.
“Elwin. I need to talk to you about that matter. Follow me.”
“Yes, yes, of course. Who are you to question? When the great superior commands, I naturally must obey.”
“Hmph! As if you’ve ever thought that highly of me! Enough with the sarcasm—just listen properly!”
With that, he stormed off in his usual temperamental fashion.
Elwin chuckled. “His reactions are kind of fun, right? He’s really fun to tease.”
“Oi, kid… Keep that up and you’ll send the man’s blood pressure through the roof.”
“Haha, I know. I keep it within reason, don’t worry.”
“Poor Chairman. Must be hard for him.”
Gale gave Elwin a few sideways glances, finding it curious.
Up until now, that blond kid had always come across as rather mature for his age.
‘Judging from what happened in Virga Village, he’s sharp and strategic.’
But in front of the Dwarf Pan Tveron, he suddenly revealed a mischievous, youthful side.
Gale wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not.
‘Must mean they’re close.’
He nodded inwardly.
There was an unmistakable sense of trust built up between them over many years.
‘Even a monster like him is still human, huh.’
Up until now, Elwin had seemed almost inhuman, which created a bit of emotional distance. But this side of him suddenly felt… human.
It was an unexpectedly touching realization.
“I’ll be back shortly. You two head on ahead.”
“Where are you going?”
“My place, of course! This is practically my own backyard—why would I sleep anywhere else?”
Elwin glanced over to Nahrhan.
“Nahr, you remember the way to my residence, right?”
“Of course.”
“Great. Then please guide Gale there. And once you finish your business, help him with his training if you can.”
“I’ll do as you ask.”
Elwin smiled with satisfaction.
“Gale, you can use my private training ground freely, so go ahead and get started.”
“Well, you see, this is my first time in Mediale… couldn’t I do just a little sightseeing first…?”
Gale looked up at him with sparkling eyes.
But it backfired.
Elwin’s expression darkened, and he curled his lips coldly.
“Gale. Just to be sure—are you saying you want to only sightsee forever?”
“...N-no, not at all!”
“Right? Unless you want to wander the afterlife, I suggest you get to work. I’ll be back later to check.”
Gale bobbed his head like a limp scarecrow.
‘Still… that kid is scary…’
Whatever warmth he’d felt earlier had evaporated into the air.
So, Gale and Nahrhan walked for quite some time, even riding some mysterious, self-moving transport…
Around and around, they moved and moved again.
“Haah, huff! Hey, how far are we even going?!”
“We’ve arrived, Gale-nim.”
Nahrhan politely extended his hand and pointed ahead.
“This is Elwin-nim’s residence.”
“…What the hell is that?”
Gale’s jaw dropped.
And understandably so. Standing before him was—
“No way, that’s a palace!?”
An opulent palace, the kind you’d only expect to see in a kingdom.
“Yes, that description works as well.”
Nahrhan added, his expression calm and composed.
“Elwin-nim calls it a ‘residence’ for convenience, but the official name is ‘The Emperor’s Palace.’ Since it’s where Elwin-nim resides, that’s what it’s been named.”
“…Haah. I don’t even have the energy to be surprised anymore. This is just another ‘Elwin being Elwin’ moment, huh?”
“He is Elwin-nim, after all. If you react to everything, you’ll just wear yourself out.”
“Thanks for the advice. Would’ve appreciated it a bit earlier though.”
Gale let out a hollow laugh.
“Well then, shall we go inside? As Elwin-nim instructed, you should begin your training.”
“Ugh…”
“Come now, this way.”
Nahrhan gently ushered the reluctant Gale into the palace.
And watching them from the shadows—
“…Who are those people? They weren’t on any of the lists we’ve been monitoring.”
A mysterious figure narrowed their eyes in suspicion.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this… like they’ll become some new variable. I’ll keep an eye on them.”
And with that, the hidden observer vanished without a trace.
***
Before he could even take in the grandeur of the palace, Gale found himself pushed into the training ground by Nahrhan’s subtle pressure.
“Ugh… That butler guy. He becomes so damn stubborn when it comes to that brat.”
Gale muttered out of habit.
But then his expression turned serious.
“Huup!”
He drew in a deep breath and slowly calmed his scattered thoughts, focusing inward.
“First, release the mana…”
From his body, a shimmering, flickering light of mana flowed forth.
It was entirely white.
“Then spread it out thinly, like putting on a layer of clothing… That’s the basic control.”
Hunters would often envelop themselves in mana like armor, or reinforce specific body parts depending on need.
“Whoa, it’s working!”
Until now, Gale had simply mimicked what he saw others do, crudely injecting mana without method.
“No wonder the efficiency was trash. Now I get why the kid said my mana control was garbage.”
This wasn’t something that could be brute-forced.
Everyone had a limited amount of mana, and the key was using that limited resource efficiently.
Obviously, those who could produce greater output with less input had the upper hand in every field.
“I think I’m starting to get it… but I’ve still got a long way to go.”
Learning to control mana required guidance from someone skilled.
It was nearly impossible for a complete beginner to master on their own.
Fortunately, Elwin Krieger had been an excellent teacher.
—Alright, breathe slowly… Feel the flow of your mana. It’s not some foreign force—it’s yours, Gale. Don’t resist it. Embrace it. Control it. You’re doing great. That’s it.
Mana, like nature, was fickle and wild. It resisted control.
Which is why someone skilled needed to guide the unruly energy and help lay a proper foundation. Only then could more advanced control techniques be learned.
“Move it… catch it… let it flow… condense it… release it… harmonize…”
The mana dancing from Gale’s hands responded to his words, constantly shifting shape without pause.
Thanks to Elwin’s help, he now wielded his mana with a comfort he never could’ve imagined before.
“Still, I’ve got a long way to go. Compared to the kid, I’ve only just learned to crawl. Gotta push harder.”
Though his standard was impossibly high—Elwin—even by ordinary expectations, Gale’s progress was incredible.
In less than a week, he’d drastically improved his control.
“Ughh, I’m wiped…”
After sweating buckets through the prolonged training, Gale stretched out with a groan.
“Now that I’ve practiced mana control… maybe it’s time to loosen up my body a bit…”
He drew the weapon hanging at his waist.
Ching—
Its blade gleamed sharply under the training room lights.
“Heheh. Never get tired of seeing this beauty.”
He grinned.
This was no cheap iron sword like the one he’d used in Virga Village.
—I told you, didn’t I? If we made a deal, I’d supply you with an artifact. Here, these were custom-made just for you, Gale.
Its edge was sharp as a blade should be…
But this sword had abilities far beyond simple cutting and stabbing.
“Damn. I want to test it out… too bad.”
It was a weapon with extreme lethality. But with no fitting opponent nearby, it didn’t seem right to use it just yet.
“Guess I’ll play with this one instead.”
Click—
Suddenly, Gale pulled a gun from his chest holster and aimed at a target set up in the training ground.
Bang, bang, BANG—!
Three shots fired in seamless succession.
Phew.
All three hit dead center.
“As expected! I’ve still got it!”
Even though he’d started favoring blades after unlocking his mana, his primary weapon was still the gun.
“Swords are nice… but this baby…”
It was perfect.
Tatata-tat!
New targets popped up nonstop. His body moved instinctively, never missing a shot.
But amid all this, words unrelated to the training drifted through his mind.
—Gale, you becoming a Hunter—that’s the first condition of the contract.
It played like a recording in his head—what they’d said when they first discussed the contract.
—I’m currently recruiting people to serve as my hands and feet. I’m forming a direct unit that will prioritize my commands.
—But as you know, I’m a Special-Class Hunter. Anyone in my unit must be a Hunter first. And I want you, Gale, to be my second companion after Nahr.
—You’re essential to my plans.
“…Damn kid.”
For a mercenary, Gale had a pretty sharp mind. He could sniff out most plots with ease.
But this time was different.
Why go to such lengths to recruit a mere mercenary like him? He couldn’t understand it.
“No matter how you slice it, if a request involves you, it’s natural to get curious, right?”
But no matter how long he racked his brain, no clue surfaced.
Maybe it really was tied to a past he couldn’t remember.
“Ughhhh. This is so damn complicated.”
Everything felt like it was wrapped in thick fog.
And yet, there was one thing Gale was absolutely sure of.
“That guy… he’s not trying to hurt me.”
If anything, Elwin brimmed with goodwill toward him.
So clear at times, even he was confused by it.
“I don’t know what his goal is…”
But based on everything so far, nothing had put him at a disadvantage.
If anything, he’d received a mountain of benefits.
“I think I can trust him.”
Besides, that incredible kid had offered to use one of his three precious chances—for him.
With expectations like that, Gale felt he had to do his best to repay it.
“What even is this feeling…”
For someone who’d lost all of his past, the feeling of being trusted—relied on—was unfamiliar.
And yet it weighed warmly in his chest.
“Companion, huh…”
He didn’t hate the sound of that.
“…Well, I’ve come this far. I might as well give it everything I’ve got!”
In fact, it felt good. Happier than he’d felt in a long, long time.