Adventurers crossed paths with one another constantly—it was impossible not to.
Now that they had fought side by side, they were practically brothers-in-arms. With Rei making introductions between everyone, the group quickly grew familiar with each other.
"Wait! Rei, you're going to the capital?" Los asked in surprise.
"Yeah. In a few days I'll probably head there with Iz and the others."
"Oh, that's actually great timing. I'm planning to go to the capital too in a few months, and I'll likely be staying there for quite a while."
"But before that, I'm going to visit a friend in Dreammoon City."
"Oh, then maybe I'll get to see you again someday, Big Sister Los," Rei replied with a bright smile.
Rei continued to play the role of a child perfectly.
The advantages that came with this identity were enormous.
Everyone had originally gathered here because of the Monster Tide. Now that the crisis was over, they were preparing to go their separate ways.
Rune needed to start preparing for his Level 5 Defender advancement.
Bais, meanwhile, planned to continue gaining experience for a while longer. If he didn't find an opportunity to advance to Level 5 Mage, he might eventually return to the capital to take an official position—but that would likely be far in the future.
As for Akleif, it was the same story. As a Warrior, advancement depended on combat.
This battle had brought him considerable gains.
But it still wasn't nearly enough to promote him to Level 5 Warrior.
Most people didn't become adventurers purely for money.
For combat professions, advancement criteria were almost always tied to fighting—accumulating experience through battle and fulfilling their class paths through combat.
And adventurers were the profession closest to battle.
Other occupations—like patrol guards or stationed soldiers—came with official duties. That made it difficult for them to freely seek out combat and adventure.
Trand planned to return home and reunite with his wife. He had earned quite a bit of money this time—enough to live comfortably with his wife and their soon-to-be-born child in a large city.
With his status as a Level 3 Defender, finding a good job wouldn't be difficult either.
Even if he stopped being an adventurer, supporting his family wouldn't be a problem.
"Haha, yeah. Trand, now that you've got a wife and kid, it really is time for you to hang up the sword," Mezel laughed loudly.
Rei nodded.
It really was a good ending.
Back when Trand had pulled out his pocket watch to show them the photograph of his wife, Rei's heart had skipped a beat.
Now it seemed things had turned out well.
Since this wasn't a celebration banquet, Rei stuck to drinks instead of alcohol.
The others, however, had already gone through several rounds of wine.
Beside him, Los let out a faint, wistful sigh.
"Little Rei… sigh. Why do you have to be a kid?"
"If you were an adult…"
"No—even if you were just thirteen, I'd… hic… I'd fall in love with you."
"The way you came to save us that day… you were really, really cool."
Los draped herself over Rei's shoulder.
She was clearly a little drunk.
Los, thirteen years old would be illegal in my country…
Still, to eight-year-old Rei, it was obvious she genuinely saw him as a child. If there had been real romantic feelings involved, she probably wouldn't have blurted it out so casually.
Rei gently helped Los sit upright while smiling.
"I like Big Sister Los too."
Anything more complicated would only create trouble.
In situations like this, the safest approach was the standard childlike, clueless response.
Being a child really was convenient.
As for relationships…
Rei didn't have any thoughts about that right now.
Maybe it was because he hadn't reached that age yet.
Even though he already understood the matters between men and women, unfortunately, his little head hadn't matured yet. Right now, the big head—his brain—was still the true master of his body.
Of course, Rei was confident that even when the little head grew up, he wouldn't be possessed by it.
Mezel said bluntly,
"Los, you're already a 24-year-old old woman, and you're still trying to prey on our little sapling."
Los slammed the table.
"Hah?! Since when is twenty-four old?!"
Honestly, from Rei's psychological age of twenty-eight, twenty-four-year-old Los felt more like a little sister.
Besides, reaching Level 3 Healer at twenty-four was already quite talented.
Most Level 3 professionals were usually over thirty.
With Los's talent, advancing to Level 4 wasn't impossible.
After eating and drinking their fill, everyone had gotten to know each other quite well.
They exchanged contact methods before eventually saying their goodbyes.
As for when—or if—they would meet again…
For adventurers who spent their lives wandering from place to place, it wasn't something worth worrying about.
Perhaps someday, when passing through a familiar city, they might drop by for a casual visit.
On the way back,
Rei passed by the Adventurers' Guild.
Inside, a bard was singing the tale of Iz and his party clearing a Seventh-Tier Dungeon.
Rei couldn't help but think—
Perhaps one day, stories about him would also be told like this.
Carefully embellished, spreading through the streets and crowds of every city.
Rei pricked up his ears.
As the final notes of the song faded, the bard's voice rang out from inside the guild.
"That concludes 'Legendary Salvation.' Thank you all for listening!"
"Next up, we'll be performing 'Rei Saves the Town.'"
…
Couldn't you sing my song first?
And seriously—couldn't he come up with a more artistic title?
Compared to Legendary Salvation, something like Rei Saves the Town sounded like it had fallen straight from a royal palace into a rural village.
Whatever.
Rei also knew there was another song floating around.
It was called "The 8-Year-Old Blood War King."
At the moment, those were the only two songs related to him circulating among the bards.
Once they traveled to other regions, those songs would probably spread even further.
That night, back at the hotel,
Before going to sleep, Rei read a few pages of "Fundamentals of Magic Theory (III)".
Then he rested.
The next day.
Training Ground
"Iz, I want to learn Elemental Void."
Rei spoke directly.
Iz raised an eyebrow.
"That's quite the bold request."
"But unfortunately, while I can teach you any other Second-Tier spell, this one is the only exception."
"I can't teach it."
Rei asked humbly,
"Is it very difficult?"
Iz shook his head.
"No. This spell is different from other magic."
"It's Origin Magic."
Come to think of it…
During yesterday's sparring match, Iz had mentioned something similar.
Second-Tier Origin Magic.
And the spell Rei had learned from Messer—Origin Source—was also labeled Origin Magic.
The knowledge surrounding magic truly felt like a bottomless well.
No matter how deep you explored, you could never reach the end.
"This is why I told you to think for yourself," Iz continued.
"Origin Magic is magic that belongs entirely to the individual."
"It cannot be taught to anyone else."
"And mastering it is proof that you've begun approaching the Origin."
So in other words—
It was also a form of self-created magic.
Rei asked,
"But the spell called Origin Source…"
Iz shook his head again.
His expression was complicated.
"That one… is an exception."
Rei continued,
"What's the difference between Origin Magic and self-created magic?"
"The difference is enormous."
"In fact, they're not even on the same level."
"Self-created magic actually already exists."
"You simply discover the method to release a spell that already exists."
"But Origin Magic… doesn't exist at all."
"You must fuse your own thoughts into it and comprehend the Origin itself."
Iz looked directly at Rei.
"For you—what exactly is the Origin?"
"What is the Origin of the path of magic?"
He paused before concluding.
"That… is four different questions."