"Veylor, where do we go first?" Zarek asked.
"We head toward Dorn Town and begin our investigation there."
"What's there to investigate? Wouldn't it be better to track the boy down directly? He might have already fled far away."
"I've checked the compass your father gave you. Tris is still in the same direction as Dorn.
So we'll head there first—and while we're at it, examine the old building for any remaining clues.
If we can determine what happened, planning our next move will be much easier."
"I see… as expected of you, Veylor."
With that, the two mounted their horses and rode straight toward Dorn.
...
By early dawn the next day, they reached the outskirts of the town.
Veylor and Zarek circled the area where the old building once stood—the site of the previous battle.
"I didn't expect the entire place to be burned to ashes," Zarek muttered.
"The building is destroyed.
Aside from some damaged vegetation nearby, no clear traces remain.
Whoever was responsible made a thorough effort to erase everything," Veylor concluded.
"You think the fire was intentional?"
"Yes.
Kane's primary Attribute was Water, Silas had Earth, and Arven—if I recall correctly—used Wind.
Even if a battle took place here, the chances of the building being burned down are extremely low.
Since Tris is the only survivor, the most likely explanation is that the boy set the fire himself."
"And your Attribute is Wind as well, correct?" Zarek suddenly asked.
"That's right. In fact, most Mages in our village are naturally inclined toward that Attribute."
"Do you know what attribute the boy uses? Is it really Earth?
During the tournament, he barely used any Attribute-based magic.
Victory came through combat techniques and puppet control—both rely purely on the manipulation of Spiritual energy rather than any specific Attribute."
"I cannot say for certain, Young Master.
That tournament last year was the only time anyone had seen the boy fight."
"He hides himself well."
"Indeed. Facing an opponent like that requires extreme caution."
"I know," Zarek replied, his hand unconsciously brushing his neck.
He understood better than anyone how dangerous Tris was—powerful, cunning, and unpredictable.
Even now, the pain from that battle remained vivid in his memory.
After searching the area for a while longer, they found nothing new.
"Since there's nothing left here, our next step is to track him down, right?" Zarek suggested.
Veylor nodded and silently took out the compass to check.
"According to this, the boy is no longer in town."
"Then where?"
"Toward the mountain east of Dorn."
"He's hiding in the mountains? If escape were the goal, wouldn't running as far away as possible make more sense?"
"Exactly. That's what makes this strange.
And where there's something unusual, there's likely a trap.
Once we reach the mountain, Young Master, remain vigilant—against ambushes, traps, and even the terrain itself."
"Understood. I'll be careful."
Unbeknownst to them, far above in the sky, a lone bird had already spotted their movements—and quietly flew toward the mountain.
...
As they approached, Zarek and Veylor circled the mountain, carefully observing the terrain.
By making a wide circuit, they could also confirm the compass's accuracy.
"It really is pointing straight toward the mountain's center," Veylor muttered.
"So he's truly hiding here…" Zarek frowned.
He couldn't understand it.
If their positions were reversed, he would have fled as far as possible—not remained in one place.
"So we climb at dawn tomorrow?" Zarek asked.
"Yes. Night is nearly upon us.
Climbing a mountain where an enemy may be waiting—while visibility is limited—would be a terrible decision."
The night passed quietly.
At first light, they began their ascent as planned.
Both summoned their magical puppets, ready for battle at any moment.
Veylor's puppet had a slender upper body with distinctly feminine features.
Long arms extended outward, each finger tipped with razor-sharp blades.
Its image evoked the likeness of the demonic Banshee.
Yet what set it apart was the countless writhing tentacles sprouting from the puppet's back.
Instead of legs, a massive tentacle formed the lower half of its body.
The puppet floated through the air, moving as fluidly as a fish gliding through water.
"Your puppet never fails to impress me, Veylor," Zarek remarked.
"You flatter me, Young Master. Your father's creations are far more remarkable."
"Really? I've only ever seen a large golem.
Aside from the absurd amount of materials required, it's not exactly impressive in appearance."
"Your father has other puppets."
"Does he? I've never seen him use them." Zarek sounded genuinely surprised.
"Haha. That's because no opponent so far has been worthy of drawing them out."
"Once we return, I'm definitely making him show me.
Damn it… hiding something like that even from his own son."
"Perhaps he intended it as a surprise," Veylor said with a faint smile.
After a brief exchange, they began their climb.
Aside from the occasional difficult terrain, the ascent was surprisingly smooth.
A few E- and D-rank magical beasts appeared along the way, attempting to block their path—but none lasted long.
Such creatures might pose a real threat to ordinary hunters or adventurers, especially in mountainous terrain like this.
But for Mages of their caliber, those beasts weren't even enough for a proper warm-up.
"More peaceful than I expected," Zarek commented, directing his puppet to strike.
Its tail shot forward in a blur, piercing a charging magical beast straight through the neck before any reaction was possible.
"A mountain this close to town rarely harbors anything truly dangerous," Veylor replied.
"If a high-rank magical beast appeared, the hunters and adventurers of Dorn would have dealt with it quickly."
Speaking of adventurers—unlike hunters, who gathered resources from beasts and nature to make a living, adventurers worked more like mercenaries.
They accepted requests through the Adventurers' Guild—tasks ranging from hunting magical beasts and gathering materials to serving as bodyguards, teaching, or even searching for lost animals.
There were no real limits to their work.
As long as someone was willing to pay, an adventurer would take the job—if it suited them.
"You've registered as an adventurer before, haven't you?" Zarek asked.
"Yes. Registration is simple—almost anyone can become one.
And there are certain… conveniences that come with the role."
"What rank did you reach?"
"D-rank."
"That low? With your abilities, I thought B-rank would be easy."
"The ranking system is only half based on strength. The other half depends on the contribution and trust point.
You must complete many requests and earn points within the guild.
Since I've only taken a few jobs, advancing further wasn't possible."
"I see."
As their conversation carried on, the two continued climbing— and before long, they had nearly reached the summit.