"Hah. Perfect time to test out my new technique."
Louis stood taller, his eyes locking onto Echo. "Echo, can you do elemental fusion?" he asked, holding out his sword.
Echo blinked, slightly caught off guard. "On your sword? I can do fire fusion—but that's it. You're the one who has to control the magic output."
"I can handle it," Louis said firmly.
Echo sighed, then smirked. "Fine."
The upbeat tempo that had filled the cave faded. Echo's tone shifted to something steadier, softer—almost reverent.
"Let the sun shine down on the future you hold~ And let me hold your love, to the end of the world. With fireworks rising, a witness to our bond!"
He took a deep breath—then sang a note so pure and radiant, it sent a warm pulse through the air. Louis inhaled sharply, feeling it surge into his body like sunlight pouring into cold steel.
He looked down at his sword.
The metal shimmered.
His grip tightened as energy began flowing from the blade, threading through his limbs and spine like wildfire threading silk.
'So… this is magic.'
He closed his eyes, grounding himself in the warmth. Letting it envelop him—not just the blade, but his entire being.
And when he opened them again—his body was cloaked in a brilliant, fiery aura.
Louis's expression hardened as he stepped toward the two monsters. The Mithril Wolf growled low, its body tensing to pounce. But the swordsman didn't flinch. His steps were steady, fire dancing faintly around his frame.
Echo stopped singing for a moment, watching him with wide eyes. Something had shifted in Louis—and it wasn't just the elemental buff. It was something deeper, older. Echo closed his eyes, then chuckled softly.
He'd underestimated him.
Time to give him everything.
"To the end, where tears fall. Where I fall… and I die."
Echo tilted his head upward, letting his voice swell in an operatic tone that filled the cavern like a forgotten prayer.
"Oh my lord, hear this cry— Shall I die by fate? Or drown in his tears?"
He swayed side to side, his movements suddenly graceful, controlled—an elegance that belied his wild outfit.
"Hear now the story of a slave you cast away, To an ending no one knows. To a tale only you remember."
And then—Louis vanished.
In a blink, he was in front of the monsters. His sword hung low, his stance fluid. Then he moved—one upward slash. Simple. Silent.
At first, nothing.
Then a flicker—fire igniting the air like a tear in reality.
A blazing arc cut clean through the Rock Lizard. The creature froze mid-motion… before its body split in two, seared straight down the center.
It collapsed, lifeless.
Revealing the Mithril Wolf beneath it, stunned and exposed.
Louis smirked. The wolf hadn't been affected—not visibly. Mithril was known to repel magic. But now, Louis had seen the weak point.
He leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding the wolf's snapping jaws, and refocused the fire-infused magic into his blade. As he descended, he drove the sword down onto the wolf's back, slamming the tip directly into its exposed spot. The Mithril Wolf let out a piercing howl as the blade sank into its flesh.
It thrashed violently, trying to shake him off—but Louis held firm.
"Break!" he shouted, unleashing every ounce of remaining power into the sword.
The wolf convulsed beneath him, its howl echoing through the cave before collapsing in a smoking heap. Smoke curled from its jaws as Louis yanked his blade free and jumped off its back.
Echo came running up, beaming and breathless, one hand raised high for a celebratory high five. Louis hesitated for half a second—then raised his hand to meet it.
But his eyes widened. "Echo!!!"
Another Mithril Wolf, larger and faster, lunged from the shadows. Its jaws opened wide, aiming straight for the bard.
Echo turned his head just as the teeth came close. Time seemed to crawl.
And then—
"Lightning."
A thunderous crack tore through the cave as a bolt of lightning descended like divine judgment. Echo ducked, covering his ears as the blast seared past him. The second wolf hit the ground, smoking—silent.
"AaaAAaH!!??" Echo shrieked, heart thundering in his chest.
His eyes locked onto the charred remains of the beast. "No way..."
A Mithril-furred wolf—taken down by lightning?
"My, my, my."
Louis and Echo both turned toward the voice, their eyes widening in shock.
"As expected of Prince Mika's bodyguard," the man said smoothly.
He appeared to be in his late twenties, with long, flowing white hair braided into a low ponytail—adorned with flowers so seamlessly intertwined, it was as if they were growing from his very strands. He stood at about 5'8", and though his presence was graceful, there was weight behind his gaze. His pure white eyes, framed by thick lashes, were sharp and discerning. Scarlet lipstick stood in vivid contrast to his rich, dark skin, only heightening his allure.
His long, slender fingers brushed his lips in thought as he approached. His elf ears twitched slightly as he stepped forward, commanding attention with every movement.
He wore a white cropped inner top embroidered in gold, revealing a toned midriff. Draped over that was an oversized cream robe with dark, intricate embroidery along the sleeves and hem, bunched loosely around his elbows. Paired with high-waisted pants tucked into the calves and cinched with a sash bearing the kingdom's emblem—and finished with deep red heels—he looked less like a court mage and more like a god of style and secrets.
'…Do all elves dress like this?' Louis wondered, confused as he instinctively gripped his sword tighter.
Before he could speak, Echo gasped, "Royal Court Magician, Sir Lana?!"
Louis shot Echo a stunned look. "That's Lana?" He remembered the man from their arrival at the castle—except back then, he'd been in proper robes, like a textbook mage.
"Fufufu~ That was my official attire," Lana replied, smiling as if he'd read Louis's mind. "This is my daywear. Much easier to move in. And no, not all elves dress like this—some are far more… traditional."
Louis flinched slightly. 'Did… did he just read my mind?'
He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but Lana's smile only widened, a mischievous gleam dancing in his snowy gaze.
'White eyes...' Louis recalled Mika once saying that every eye color was a blessing from a god. 'So... which god blessed him?'
But Louis didn't dare ask the question. His instincts screamed that crossing that line—pressing that elf—would land him in the same fate as the smoldering wolf. And Louis trusted his instincts more than his curiosity.
"Woah, the mithril's shattered!" Echo gasped, crouching beside the slain beast. The glittering shards of its fur had broken apart, pooling around the carcass like scattered stars.
"Mithril's a magic-conductive material! How did one lightning strike do this?" he asked, eyes sparkling with admiration.
Lana chuckled at the bard's gushing. "Oh dear. I'm not that strong. It took fifteen strikes."
"…Fifteen?!" Echo reeled. He knew the court magician was powerful—but to cast that many spells in rapid succession without burning out was near monstrous.
No, not near. That was full-blown terrifying.
Fifteen strikes in a second, fast enough to appear like one…
'Court Magician Lana… is scary…' Echo swallowed nervously. He'd heard the rumors—whispers of elven legend—but seeing it for himself?
'I… I could write a song about thi—'
"Please don't," Lana said, smiling sweetly.
Echo keeled over theatrically. "Eh?! Why not?!" he whined. "Wait—did you read my mind?! I heard you can do that!"
Lana chuckled again, mischief twinkling in his snow-white eyes. "Don't misunderstand. Your music is brilliant. But your lyrics? Let's say they're on par with a goblin's battle chant."
"G-Goblin?!" Echo shrieked, turning to Louis with betrayal in his eyes. "Louis, back me up!"
The stoic swordsman coughed and averted his gaze.
"Traitor!" Echo wailed. "I knew that new style didn't suit me! Am I doomed to be—gasp—an opera singer?!"
"…N-no one said that," Louis mumbled, trying to offer comfort, though inwardly he couldn't deny—Echo's voice really did suit operatic ballads more than hype rap anthems.
"Or you could try rock music! I hear death metal screaming is popular these days," Lana suggested sweetly.
Louis softly gasped as his mind conjured an image—Echo dressed in full rock gear. He'd seen something like it once in the underground arena. Now he imagined Echo on stage, mohawk blazing, tattered black clothes, screaming "Deaaath!!" into a mic while the crowd headbanged along.
"On second thought…" Lana turned away, shoulders shaking as he imagined the same mental image. "Pfft... it—it suits you..."
"W-what? Why are you laughing?" Echo looked between Louis and Lana, utterly confused. Louis looked like his ears were bleeding, and the court magician was laughing at nothing.
"Ahem! W-what brings the Royal Court Magician out here?" Echo asked quickly, desperate to change the subject.
"Oh, my apologies. I'm here because Arthur's been crying—he lost track of Louis," Lana replied smoothly, clearing his throat. "Right now, Prince Mika is comforting him by letting him rest on his la—"
Before he could finish the sentence, Louis grabbed Echo by the collar.
"Teleport me back to the palace."
"Awawawawa?!" Echo stammered as Louis shook him. "I—I can't! The castle has protective barriers! They nullify all unauthorized magic—especially teleportation!"
Louis let Echo go and began biting his nail in frustration. 'Damn it... This is my first time outside, and I already forgot my position as my lord's bodyguard. What will Prince Mika think when he sees I ran off fighting without his permission? He'll be disappointed in me. I did it again. I promised I'd change—leave behind my gladiator instincts—for the man who saved me...'
Lana watched him with amusement before speaking up. "I can teleport you back, you know."
Louis looked at him, eyes widening slightly. "You can do that?"
Lana chuckled at the question. "Of course. Who do you think put that barrier up in the first place?"
He tapped his heel a few times. A glowing teleportation rune formed beneath him. "We should hurry. I also need to inform the king about the mithril mine we discovered here."
Louis approached, but hesitated. He turned toward Echo. The bard, seeing this, smiled warmly.
"Ah, I've got to head to the guild and report all this. Thanks for helping me."
Louis paused, took a deep breath, and allowed his expression to soften. "…Let's meet again after the coronation."
Echo's eyes widened just a little before lighting up with a bright grin. "Yeah! I still owe you a reward too!"
"See you later, Echo." Louis gave him a small smile before stepping into the teleportation circle.
Echo waved at them, watching as they vanished into the magic light. At that moment, both he and Louis shared the same thought: 'My first human/elf friend.'
Echo clenched his fists, grinning uncontrollably. He punched the air and laughed. "Take that, Koyu! Who said I couldn't make friends?!"
But then his gaze drifted to the two fallen wolves—and reality hit.
"…Wait. How am I supposed to carry all this back?"
He grabbed his head in exasperation, groaning loudly. "Aaagh, I forgot I don't even know how to dismantle them! Koyuuuuuuu!!"