The Golden-Haired Summoner - Chapter 17
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I'm resuming updates for Golden Haired Summoner now. However it's going to be either a 2 or 3 chapters per week release, unless it gets more reads then I will make it a 5x a week release.
“Heal, Undain!”
“Oh, mana, embrace the wounded. Cure Critical!”
Why am I squeezing out every last drop of my mana to heal this old magician I don’t even know?
And who’s this girl glaring at me like I stole something from her? Judging by her pointy hat, she must be a court apprentice mage. The golden bird on her cloak… Yeah, she’s one of them.
“What are you looking at?”
I asked irritably, unsure how to address her since it was our first meeting.
The girl seemed flustered for a moment, then spoke up.
“You’re being a bit too much, don’t you think?”
Too much? Me?
“It’s not my fault this old magician got hurt, is it? I’m even healing him right now.”
“No, it’s not that! I’m talking about how you’re treating Sir Bright!”
Bright? At her words, I glanced at Bright, who was receiving the Cure Critical spell.
Hearing his name, Bright gave me a silly grin, blood streaming from both nostrils.
“Are you talking about his nosebleed? I hit him in the abdomen, cheek, back, and side—none of which should cause a nosebleed.”
“But still, you hit him in the abdomen, cheek, back… You hit him in all those places!”
“So, if you were in my position and your opponent screamed and even started bleeding from the nose, would you be the type to say, ‘Oh no! I’m sorry for scaring you’?”
“If it was Sir Bright… well…”
The female mage blushed. Clearly, she had a thing for him. Oh great, a perfect match—what a lovely couple of weirdos.
“I was being lenient because I was in a good mood, and I happen to know him. If it had been a stranger, I would’ve cut him into twelve pieces. If Rai were here, I would’ve snapped his neck.”
“But still, no matter what, you shouldn’t do that to your boyfriend!”
Boyfriend? Wait, what?
“Could you repeat that?”
“Doing that to your… your boyfriend… Ugh!”
Sensing danger, Bright quickly moved to cover the girl’s mouth, cutting off her words. If he had been even a second later, today would’ve been her last day, for sure.
“…Senior, what on earth is she talking about?”
“Haha! Well, you see, Geenie… She’s just misunderstanding. I have no idea what she’s talking about.”
I looked at Bright with suspicion. His right cheek was red from my slap, and blood still streaked across his face from his nosebleed. Honestly, this guy’s face is fine, but his actions… Anyway, I’d hit him enough for today, so I decided not to push further.
“Really? Then why are you here?”
“Ah, well… I sensed a mana flow of about 7th-class level, and I saw you, Blondie, so I followed it.”
A 7th-class mana flow? Was that when I summoned Endairon for the trial? Damn, these mages are unnecessarily sensitive about stuff like that.
I quickly changed the subject.
“More importantly, did you encounter a snake while coming down here? A white one?”
“No, I didn’t see any.”
Hmm… Rai, you sneaky little thing. I told you to watch Blondie.
“I saw it, young lady.”
The old magician, who had managed to fly just in time to avoid a fatal fall from the cliff, spoke up. He reminded me a bit of Bright with that sly look in his eyes.
“Oh, I saw it too!”
“Where? Did the snake block your way?”
“No, I saw it circling around a white horse, trying to avoid its hooves.”
Avoiding its hooves?
“Right, when the horse got agitated because of Bright, the snake seemed to stop it from getting too close. But the snake itself seemed to make the horse more frenzied, so I just left it alone.”
Ah, I didn’t tell him to stop people from entering the forest, did I? I just said to protect Blondie.
Tsk, one task should cover two things. I couldn’t hide my irritation.
“Anyway, Geenie, what are you doing here?”
“I came to swim.”
“Then what’s with that magic circle?”
Why are you prying so much? Want to get slapped on the other cheek?
Annoyed, I relied on my usual quick thinking to come up with a plausible excuse.
“It’s a spirit circle. I thought I’d try contracting with another Undain.”
“Oh, a spirit circle? No wonder it looked unfamiliar…”
“But now that I’m in these wet clothes, I’m starting to feel cold. Let’s head back, Senior.”
Before Bright could ask any more questions, I quickly got up. Judging by the old mage’s appearance, he was probably from the royal court, and it would be problematic if he found out anything more.
As I moved towards the cliff, Bright hurried to follow, and the old magician and the girl trailed behind.
With Bright’s help, I easily ascended the cliff using Fly.
And there, I found Rai enduring the furious stomps of Blondie. He sounded resigned.
[Fine, go ahead and stomp on me.]
“What are you doing?”
[Oh, Master! Please help me out with this one. Boo-hoo.]
This useless creature! You’re absolutely no help, are you?
I scowled as I calmed Blondie, more concerned about the horse getting hurt than about Rai. After all, Rai had near-impenetrable defense, so I wasn’t really worried.
“Huff! Geenie? Wow, you came up so fast! Huff, huff!”
Bright emerged from the woods, panting heavily. Mages are notorious for their lack of stamina, but Bright, could you stop clutching your waist in front of me? It’s starting to make me dislike you even more.
[Rai, go back down and destroy the spirit circle.]
[Huh? But I worked so hard to draw that circle, finding the ley lines and making it deep enough for multiple uses! And now you want me to destroy it? That’s too cruel, Master!]
[Ley lines? Why did you look for those?]
[A spirit circle drawn on ley lines makes summoning easier. Of course, only for water spirits.]
Oh, ley lines. So that’s why he drew it at the bottom of the cliff? Sometimes he does useful things after all. I had been planning to give him a hard time over this, but now…
[Really? But I’ve already made a contract, so the circle’s useless now. If anyone finds it, it’ll just cause trouble. Go destroy it!]
[Fine…]
Rai grumbled but reluctantly went back down to the forest.
Ley lines, huh? So they help with water spirit contracts? I wonder if contracting a wind spirit in a valley, a fire spirit in a volcanic area, or an earth spirit in a mine would also make things easier? And what about ice spirits?
“Geenie!”
“Huh?”
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
Whenever I talked with Rai, I tended to zone out. Bright tapped me on the shoulder, bringing me back.
“Oh, nothing.”
“By the way, do you want to ride back with us?”
BOOM!
Suddenly, the ground shook, and a cloud of dust rose from the direction of the mountains.
What was that?
FWOOOSH! BANG!
As I looked up in surprise, a signal flare shot into the sky, the thick red smoke vividly coloring the air.
There are different types of signal flares: red for nobles, purple for mercenaries, and blue for merchants. The one we just saw was from the noble class.
Considering how close the city was, it made sense that someone had fired it. But I had no desire to respond.
“U-Uncle! Isn’t that a distress signal?”
“Yes, it seems so… And from a noble house too…”
Ah, so they’re uncle and niece? No wonder they look alike.
The old magician’s three remaining strands of hair swayed in the wind, and I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of melancholy.
“We have to go help!” the female mage exclaimed, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
But I had no burning sense of justice, so I quietly made plans to head to the city.
“I’ll go to the city and call for help—”
“Geenie, you’re coming too!”
Bright, who looked like he was going to be bald soon, stared at me with shining, righteous eyes.
“No, I’ll just go and—”
“Come on! Everyone, get in the carriage!”
Without waiting for my answer, the three mages promptly climbed into the carriage and set off towards the mountains. I scowled as I watched the royal carriage speed ahead.
“Tch.”
“Neigh?”
Grumbling, I mounted Blondie, hesitating between heading to the castle and the mountains.
In the end, I had no choice but to force myself to ride toward the mountains, unwillingly.
“Let’s go!”
Passing Bright’s carriage in no time, I decided to hurry ahead and assess the situation. If I had to go, I wanted to finish this as quickly as possible.
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
Blondie galloped smoothly up the steep mountain path, while I mentally calculated how much mana I had left for spells.
Although I’d recovered a bit, I’d spent a lot summoning Endairon and healing the old magician, leaving me with about 15 percent. I could probably manage a Fog spell.
As I turned a sharp corner, I heard the clash of swords and the shouts of people in the distance. That must be the place.
Without Rai around, I planned to move cautiously, slowing down as I approached the edge of the fight.
From a distance, I could see the colors on the carriage, which belonged to a baron’s family.
They were being attacked by a group of orcs. It seemed like the recent influx of monsters from Bailan into Dmitry had reached this area.
Several bodies were already scattered around the carriage. There were five knights left, facing about sixteen or seventeen orcs. With each knight fighting two orcs, they were vastly outnumbered.
“Tch. Undain.”
[Yes, Master… Oh? Master! You’ve contracted with Lord Endairon?]
Undain, now proficient in speech, clapped her hands in excitement.
Come on, Undain… Could you not announce it like that?
“Yeah, I did.”
[Wow, as expected of our Master! You’re not even twenty, and you’ve already contracted with a higher spirit! You might even summon a Spirit King one day!]
“Ahem.”
Of course, I trained tirelessly for nine years inside the academy. All to beat… Rovenin!
I hadn’t returned home or done anything else, just trained relentlessly with one goal: to contract with a higher spirit before that bastard did.
Now that I’d succeeded, maybe I should finally visit the estate that the king gave my family as a reward. I’ve never been there yet…
I briefly entertained the thought of visiting the estate, but I quickly pushed it aside. After all, I had trained relentlessly, and I didn’t go through all of that just to relax now.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of an approaching carriage.
Rattle, clatter.
It was Bright’s carriage, catching up to me. Right, I was here to help, not to daydream.
I spurred Blondie back into action, following Bright’s carriage toward the battlefield.
When I got close enough, I could see that the knights were still struggling to fend off the orcs. It was clear that without intervention, they wouldn’t last long. The orcs were too many, and even though the knights were holding their own, it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed.
“Knights, retreat this way!” I shouted, urging them to regroup.
The knights, hearing my voice, seemed relieved and began to pull back toward us.
“Geenie! What are you planning?” Bright called out, his voice filled with concern.
“Undain, Fog! Mages, use your lightning spells on my mark!” I commanded.
Undaininhaled deeply and then exhaled, releasing a thick fog that quickly engulfed the battlefield. The orcs, now shrouded in mist, became disoriented. It was the perfect setup for a magical assault.
The old mage was the first to catch on, immediately chanting his spell.
“Angry lightning, live and breathe. Your hands and feet dance a furious rhythm of judgment! *Dancing Lightning!*”
“Lightning is a flash that paralyzes my foes! *Double Lightning Arrow!*”
“Lightning is a flash that paralyzes my enemies! *Lightning Arrow!*”
Bright and the female mage followed suit, sending their lightning spells into the fog. Brilliant flashes of golden light exploded within the mist, and the screams of the orcs echoed from the depths of the fog.
“Kyooahh!”
“Gurrah! Krrgh!”
The sound of crackling electricity and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. As much as I appreciated the effectiveness of the spells, the smell was still unpleasant.
Just as the fog was beginning to clear, something caught my eye. From the top of the hill, a figure in a gray robe was sliding down the slope, moving at incredible speed. Without hesitation, the figure dove straight into the fog.
“Huh?!”
For a moment, I thought it was reinforcements, but the figure had recklessly entered the fog, where lightning was still flashing dangerously. Realizing the danger, I quickly dispelled Undain’s mist before the intruder got fried by stray bolts of electricity.
The fog disappeared, revealing a lone swordsman who had already drawn his blade and begun cutting through the remaining orcs. Each time his sword moved, an orc’s head flew off, yet not a drop of blood stained his blade. His movements were so fast that even I, with all my training, could barely follow.
The surviving knights and mages around me gasped in awe.
“Ooh!”
“How impressive!”
The female mage’s voice was shrill with excitement, but I was less impressed. Sure, his swordsmanship was flawless, but if I’d had more mana, I could have handled the orcs just as easily. Stupid swordsman, showing off like that…
The last orc let out a dying squeal before collapsing to the ground. The mysterious swordsman, without even pausing, went around finishing off the already wounded orcs, making sure they were truly dead. Once done, he flicked his sword, sending droplets of greenish monster blood flying into the air.
I felt something warm hit my face.
“Ugh!”
Please, please let this not be what I think it is.
With a sinking feeling, I wiped my face, only to confirm my worst fears. A thick, sticky, green liquid… fresh orc blood.
As my mood soured, everyone else was busy thanking the swordsman for his impeccable timing and skill. Bright and the others received their share of thanks as well, but no one seemed to acknowledge me.
Great. I cast Fog, set up the entire situation, and now I’m being ignored. This is why I didn’t want to come in the first place.
While I stood there fuming, I noticed that the swordsman was pulling down his hood. Finally, I could see his face.
“Geenie, what’s that on your face?” Bright exclaimed, suddenly realizing the mess I was in.
I shoved him away with one hand, my eyes fixed on the swordsman as he removed his hood.
“…Huh?”
“What’s wrong, Geenie?”
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The striking red hair, those cold, golden eyes—there was no mistaking it. Despite the passing years, his face hadn’t changed a bit. It was him, my eternal rival, my archenemy—**Rovenin Fedri**.
My hand trembled uncontrollably as I pointed at him.
“You… you!”
“…?”
He finally looked at me, his expression still as unreadable as ever.
“Rovenin Fedri! What are you doing here?”
He raised an eyebrow, showing a slight reaction, but other than that, he remained as emotionless as ever. Then, after a moment, he slowly opened his mouth.
“…Who?”
That one word… It set my heart ablaze with fury.
My vision blurred with rage, and I felt like my hair was standing on end. I couldn’t breathe, just like when I’d summoned Endairon, but this time, it was from sheer anger.
This bastard… this bastard!
“You don’t remember me? You dare forget me, Geenie Crowell?!”
“Geenie… Crowell?”
I shook with barely contained fury, stamping my foot in frustration. Rovenin gave me a slightly more puzzled look, then calmly responded.
“Ah… the brat from back then?”
Oh, dear gods, please let me survive this day. My blood pressure’s rising too fast.
For the past nine years, I had held onto the memory of his face, using it as motivation to push myself through endless training. And yet, not only had he forgotten me, but he had also reduced me to just “that brat.”
“Rovenin… you bastard!”
I couldn’t control the crazed laughter that bubbled up from deep inside me. My shoulders shook, and I laughed so hard it hurt. The knights, mages, even Bright all looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
“Geenie, calm down!”
“Sir Bright, she’s scaring me!”
Did someone just call me crazy? That’s it!
“SILENCE!” I roared, silencing everyone around me. My head was pounding, and I could feel every fiber of my being screaming for a fight. The only problem was… I didn’t have enough mana.
“Rovenin Fedri! I’ll make you pay for forgetting me! We’ll have a rematch… uh, not now… maybe tomorrow?”
Remembering my depleted mana, I quickly backtracked.
Rovenin, still as calm as ever, shook his head.
“…There’s no reason to fight. We’ve never fought before.”
The composed sentence from his mouth crushed my soul. I felt utterly defeated.
Nine years… Nine whole years of preparation, and he didn’t even remember our duel at the Winkan Festival!
“How can you not remember?! We fought as champions at the festival!”
“Ah… that event.”
“Right! Now do you remember?”
“…Wasn’t it that brat who…?”
Oh, gods, I’m going to faint. How can someone be this infuriating?
“Rovenin Fedri, you…!”
As my frustration boiled over, I couldn’t hold back the dark, ominous laughter that escaped my lips. My enemies had never driven me to such madness, but Rovenin… oh, he was something else.
The others were clearly unnerved by my state.
“She’s lost it!”
“Geenie! Get a hold of yourself!”
“Sir Bright, stay back!”
“SHUT UP!”
Oh, how I wished I could just hit him right now. If only I had more mana!
Just as I was about to explode, the door of the noble’s carriage flew open with a loud bang, and a middle-aged man tumbled out, rolling onto the ground.
“Who’s that?”
The middle-aged man, dressed in a richly embroidered outfit, scrambled to his feet after rolling a few times on the dirt. His face was flushed with embarrassment as he dusted himself off. He quickly scanned the scene, taking in the aftermath of the battle—the dead orcs, the bloodied knights, and the mages—and then his gaze locked onto Rovenin.
“I-I can’t believe it! You must be the famous **Rovenin Fedri**!” he exclaimed, rushing forward.
Before anyone could react, he darted toward Rovenin and grabbed his hand, shaking it vigorously.
“…”
Rovenin’s face remained as emotionless as ever, but he gave a slight nod, pulling his hand away as if uninterested.
The nobleman, undeterred, continued to gush. “I am **Ablos Kalami**, Viscount of Dmitry! What an honor it is to have been saved by such a renowned figure! Please, you must come to my estate. It would be my privilege to host you!”
Kalami… Kalami. Why did that name sound familiar? My mind churned through my memories, trying to place it. Maybe I’d heard of him back when I still cared about noble families, but now it hardly seemed important.
Rovenin, as expected, simply shook his head.
“I’m busy,” he said curtly, his tone completely flat.
The viscount’s face fell slightly, his enthusiasm dimming for a moment. But then, as if realizing this was a rare opportunity, he doubled down on his offer.
“No, no! I insist! It would be terribly rude of me not to repay your kindness. Please, Sir Rovenin! I have a lovely daughter I’d be delighted to introduce to you. A fine young lady, perfect for—”
Before he could finish, Rovenin cut him off with another shake of his head.
“Not interested.”
The viscount’s smile wavered, but he wasn’t giving up just yet. “Well then, if not that, how about a tour of my estate? We have an ancient sword, a true family heirloom! Perhaps a master of the sword like yourself would—”
“Still not interested.”
Watching this exchange, I couldn’t help but feel an odd mix of annoyance and amusement. The whole thing reminded me of a stubborn child refusing lunch from a teacher. I couldn’t tell if Kalami was just persistent or desperate.
The viscount sighed dramatically, clearly disappointed. “Well, if you won’t stay, then at least let me offer you some assistance with your travels. What brings you to Dmitry, Sir Rovenin?”
Rovenin paused for a moment, then finally spoke again, his voice low but clear.
“**Galrotin**.”
The viscount’s eyes widened in surprise. “You wish to meet **Duke Galrotin**?”
Duke Galrotin was one of the most well-known figures in Dmitry—a legendary sword master in his own right. His name alone was enough to make most warriors tremble. The fact that Rovenin, already a top swordsman, would seek out Galrotin for training spoke volumes about his ambition.
The viscount’s tone softened, almost becoming reverent. “Ah, Duke Galrotin… Unfortunately, I’m afraid you won’t be able to meet him right now. He’s currently undergoing **closed-door training**, and it’s said he won’t leave his seclusion for at least another year.”
Rovenin frowned ever so slightly, the first hint of emotion breaking through his usual cold exterior. “Why?”
Viscount Kalami straightened, his expression turning serious. “Duke Galrotin entered seclusion four years ago, intending to complete five years of intensive training. He left instructions that he was not to be disturbed unless one of three conditions was met.”
“And what are those conditions?” Rovenin asked.
The viscount took a deep breath before answering, clearly aware of the weight of his words. “First, if war breaks out in Dmitry. Second, if a member of his immediate family passes away. And third, if the survival of the Galrotin family is at risk.”
“…I see.”
I watched Rovenin carefully, noticing the subtle clenching of his jaw. His plan to receive training from Galrotin had just hit a serious obstacle, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of schadenfreude.
*Serves you right, Rovenin. That’s what you get for forgetting me.*
Viscount Kalami, however, seemed determined to make the best of the situation. “But please, Sir Rovenin, I would be honored to—”
Rovenin cut him off again, turning away. “There’s no reason for me to stay in Dmitry. I’ll head to **Heidrike** instead.”
The viscount’s eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly moved to stop Rovenin from leaving. “Wait, you don’t have to rush! Surely you can stay for a day, at least for a meal—”
But Rovenin ignored him, pulling his hood back up and beginning to walk toward the mountains. His back was already turned to us, his departure swift and final.
I couldn’t just let him go without saying something.
“Hey! Hold on!” I shouted, taking a step forward.
Rovenin didn’t stop. He just kept walking, his figure slowly disappearing up the mountain path.
“Rovenin!” I called out again, louder this time. “You still owe me a fight!”
He hesitated for a brief moment, then glanced over his shoulder, his cold eyes meeting mine for the briefest second.
“There’s no reason to fight,” he said again, his voice carrying over the distance. “Goodbye.”
And with that, he was gone, disappearing over the ridge as if he had never been there in the first place.
“Aghhh!” I screamed in frustration, stamping my foot on the ground. “Rovenin, you bastard!”
Bright quickly grabbed my arm, trying to calm me down. “Geenie! Let it go! It’s not worth it!”
But I wasn’t calming down. My blood was boiling, and I couldn’t stand how easily Rovenin had brushed me off. He had completely forgotten our fight, our rivalry—everything!
“That idiot! That stubborn…! Ugh!” I shouted, venting my anger in every direction.
By now, the knights had gathered around, whispering to each other about the “crazy girl” who was losing her temper over a swordsman who clearly didn’t care. One of them even muttered something about me being mad.
“Don’t just stand there! Stop him!” I yelled, but of course, no one moved. They all looked too afraid to get involved.
Rovenin had left me feeling powerless—again. And there was nothing I hated more than feeling helpless.
“Geenie, calm down!” Bright pleaded, still holding onto me as I struggled to free myself.
“Damn it, Bright! Let me go!” I tried to push him off, but he held firm, and soon enough, the knights joined in, surrounding me to keep me from chasing after Rovenin.
“She’s going after the noble! Stop her!” one of them shouted.
As I thrashed around, trying to break free, I couldn’t help but curse Rovenin one more time under my breath. That bastard had managed to slip away, leaving behind nothing but frustration and unfinished business.
Just as I thought things couldn’t get worse, I heard a familiar voice in my head.
[Master, what happened? Why do you look like a mess?]
It was Rai, returning from the forest after destroying the spirit circle.
Oh, just perfect. I turned my gaze toward him, already fuming.
“Good timing, Rai,” I muttered darkly. “I’ve had enough of everything today. Come here. You’re going to help me vent.”
[W-Wait, Master! I didn’t mean it like that! I was just asking—]
“Too late, Rai. You’re the perfect punching bag.”
And with that, I chased after my poor spirit, knowing full well he deserved every bit of what was coming to him.
—
After that exhausting encounter, I retreated back to the academy, locking myself in the training room once again. There was no point in returning home yet, not when my anger and frustration were still boiling beneath the surface.
“Agh, why does everything always go wrong with that guy?” I muttered to myself.
I summoned **Adol**, the lightning spirit, to start training immediately. My first order of business was to master the **Dancing Lightning** spell I had seen the old mage use. But for some reason, Adol wasn’t cooperating.
“This isn’t how you do it, you idiot!” I shouted.
[Master, do we really have to practice this? It’s exhausting.]
“Either do it properly, or I’ll send you back!”
[Fine, fine! I’ll try harder!]
Adol begrudgingly moved in zigzag patterns, hitting the targets I had set up. Though his speed left much to be desired, I could work on that later. The important thing was figuring out how to make his physical movements stronger, not just relying on the lightning itself.
As I continued my training, I suddenly felt a familiar presence approaching the training room.
[Master, it’s Bright and Jaima. They’re coming.]
Oh, great. What did they want this time?
I considered ignoring them, pretending I wasn’t in the training room, but soon I heard the knock on the door.
*Knock, knock.*
“Geenie! I know you’re in there. Open up!” Bright’s voice rang out, cheerful as always.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
I sighed heavily and dismissed Adol before opening the door.
“What is it, Senior?” I asked, my tone clearly indicating how uninterested I was.
Bright and **Jai Mam**, the more masculine of my seniors, entered the room, looking far too chipper for my liking.
“I’ve got some interesting news!” Bright said excitedly.
“What now?” I muttered, half listening.
Bright loved to bring me gossip, and while some of it was actually important, most of it was just rumors or minor scandals. However, occasionally he came with something truly noteworthy. Like the time he told me about the assassination attempt on **Ash**, the second prince of the Epiros Empire, which had almost cost him his life.
That had been a year ago, and I’d been grateful for the information. Even now, I occasionally thought of Ash, wondering what he was up to.
“**Rovenin Fedri**,” Bright said, his voice full of anticipation. “I have news about him!”
The mention of Rovenin’s name immediately caught my attention, and I straightened up.
“Rovenin? What happened to him?” I asked, my irritation giving way to curiosity.
“You remember how he left for **Heidrike** a few months ago?”
“Of course I do! I thought about chasing him down!”
I hadn’t forgotten. The memory of him leaving, coupled with the nickname “crazy girl,” had stayed with me for three whole months, eating away at me.
“He went to Heidrike to challenge **Count Tranpe**, the sword master there,” Bright continued.
“Count Tranpe… the eccentric sword master of Heidrike? The one who’s infamous for being a bit… well, brutal?”
“Exactly! Rovenin challenged him and… well, let’s just say it didn’t go well for him. Not only did Rovenin lose, but he got seriously injured. His ribs were shattered, and his leg was broken. They say he’ll be recovering for at least five months.”
I blinked in surprise. “He… lost?”
I had expected Rovenin to lose, but hearing about the extent of his injuries gave me mixed feelings. On the one hand, I should’ve been delighted that my rival had been taken down a peg. But on the other hand… wasn’t this too much?
“He’s recovering in Heidrike now,” Bright added. “His injuries were pretty severe.”
“So, will he recover fully?” I asked, feeling a strange concern for my rival.
“Who knows? With someone like him, probably. But for now, he’s out of commission.”
Rovenin had achieved the level of **Sword Expert** while I had been locked away in the academy, training to become a master summoner. Hearing that he had been defeated, though, left me feeling… conflicted.
Rovenin, the red-haired swordsman with the intense, fiery gaze. His very existence had pushed me to become stronger, to reach higher levels of power. And now, he was down for the count.
I should’ve been celebrating, but instead, I found myself wondering…
“What now?” I muttered, staring into the distance.
I couldn’t afford to slack off. There was no way I would let Rovenin surpass me again, no matter how injured he was.
Bright laughed. “I knew you’d find that news interesting! But you know, Geenie, you’re not the only one in the spotlight. I’ve got more news for you.”
“More?” I asked, not sure if I could handle any more surprises today.
“Yeah, about **Ash**.”
At the mention of his name, I perked up again. I hadn’t heard any news about Ash in a long time. The last I knew, he had survived an assassination attempt, but after that, it had been radio silence.
“What about him? Is he alright?”
“Well, the empire’s been pretty quiet lately, but I did hear that the **Millennium Founding Festival** is coming up. It’s going to be a huge event in **Elan**.”
“Millennium Founding Festival?” I repeated. “That’s a pretty big deal.”
Elan was the largest empire on the continent, and its millennium anniversary was a massive event that couldn’t be ignored. Kings, queens, and nobles from all over the world would be attending, including the king of Dmitry.
“That’s right. Apparently, **King Dikel III** will be attending the festival next month. And guess what? You might be able to go with him as part of the royal entourage!”
I blinked in surprise. “What? You mean… I could go to the festival?”
“Exactly! You could be part of the **royal delegation**! Just imagine, all the major nobles will be there, including **Ash**!”
The chance to attend such an event, to be in the presence of royalty, including Ash, was tempting. But there was one problem… one massive problem.
[Master has **Warp Travel Sickness**, remember? Puhehe!]
I glared at Rai, who had materialized in the corner, his long body coiled up lazily. That stupid snake had the nerve to laugh at my biggest weakness—my crippling **Warp Travel** phobia.
“Rai…” I said sweetly, clenching my fists.
[Master, no, wait! I was just joking! Please, don’t—]
“Too late!”
Rai had better get ready. I needed something to take my frustration out on, and he was the perfect target.