The morning of the next day.
"Old man, everyone's already here! Are you sure we'll make it in time?" Lian's voice was nervous.
The square was filled with all kinds of people. From the baker with his flour-stained apron to the strongest Knights, their battle-scarred armor gleaming, everyone seemed to be waiting for someone.
Despite the crowd, few Knights had any real hope of being chosen for the raid.
Most were here just to enjoy the event and see a mage in person.
"Hey, Torren, you here too? Don't tell me you want to join the raid with those old bones of yours?" a sharp voice made Torren stop in his tracks.
Turning, the man saw a familiar face among the crowd.
"Jonny, how many times do I have to tell you I'm not old?! Because of you, even my son calls me that now."
Torren's voice echoed across the square.
"Hey, kid, you've grown—" Jonny's voice trailed off as he sensed the energy emanating from the young man.
"Heh, you got it, Jonny. Despite his young age, Lian's already surpassed us."
Jonny approached the boy. "You've awakened? Congratulations, son!" he said, giving Lian several hearty pats on the shoulder.
Then, with a slightly melancholic expression, he continued, "Ah, if only my son were as talented as you…"
"Thanks, old Uncle Jonny," Lian replied politely, nearly stumbling from the force of the pats. "How's Roland?"
Jonny was his father's best friend, though they didn't see each other often. Roland, on the other hand, was Lian's best friend. They had grown up together and often trained together. He, too, had reached Iron 1 rank.
"Ah, don't get me started…" Jonny replied to Lian's question. "That guy only thinks about girls; he doesn't take training seriously. Anyway, you're here to join the raid, right?" Jonny said, looking at Lian.
"Let me tell you, young man. The mage didn't come alone this time. See that girl by his side?" he added, pointing to one of the figures emerging from Dustwall's main building.
Among these figures, two were dressed in long, seemingly expensive robes, while three men in gleaming armor followed the duo.
"She's a new mage, just like you. They say she comes from a good family, and you know what that means, don't you?"
Leaning closer to Lian's ear, Jonny continued, "It means you've got to step up!"
Hearing those words, Torren couldn't help but mutter, "Like father, like son!"
But Lian hadn't heard any of Jonny's words.
His gaze was fixed on the girl.
Her long red hair, the disdainful look she cast over the Knights gathered in the square.
Her slightly dark skin, black eyes radiating pure superiority due to her status, and her mage's robe.
Everything about her exuded elegance and charm.
"Ah, love… I remember when I was your age… I won them all over with a single glance!"
Torren fixed him with a serious stare. "What are you talking about, you idiot?! Don't you have, like, a hundred stalking complaints? I have no idea how you managed to get married!"
As the two bickered, Lian kept staring at the girl.
"She's a mage too?" he thought silently.
However, moments later, he felt a powerful gaze settle on him. Perhaps it was his access to mana that gave him this perception, or maybe it was something else.
Turning his head slightly, Lian saw the mage beside the girl staring in his direction.
"Oh?" A sharp glint shone in the man's eyes. "Interesting, a newly awakened mage," he murmured as he reached the center of the square.
"What do you mean?" Sera replied, her tone a mix of curiosity and indifference.
"Nothing, you'll find out soon enough," he answered with a faint smile.
Everyone watched the group with awe in their eyes. Whispers spread, commenting on their attire, the energy they radiated, and much more.
"Greetings, everyone." His voice wasn't loud, but all the chatter in the square fell silent, listening intently.
"As you know, I'm Mage Patrick, from Grimreach," he continued, observing the crowd with a kind smile.
Even though they knew, seeing and hearing a mage with their own eyes and ears was always a rare event for Dustwall's citizens.
Then, he gestured to the girl beside him.
"This is Sera, my apprentice. She's also a mage."
Gasps of amazement filled the crowd. No one expected the arrival of two mages at once, especially a girl as young as Sera.
"Now, I'll call out a few names. Please step forward."
"Dax Reed, Rai Flint, and Jin Crow."
Sounds of excitement and frustration echoed through the square. The excitement came from the three chosen members, while the frustration came from everyone else who hadn't been selected.
"And finally…" The crowd held their breath again. Another person? Weren't there supposed to be only three candidates chosen by the mage from Grimreach?
But no one was upset—quite the opposite. After all, who wouldn't want to join a Gate raid?
Everyone waited anxiously for the mage's next words.
"Young man, step forward. What's your name?" Mage Patrick pointed at a boy in the square.
All eyes turned to see who it was, as he was the only one whose name hadn't been called.
"Torren? What's he doing here?"
"I can't believe it, is that really him? Ever since he retired, we've had a lot of trouble."
"Didn't he step away from danger? Why's he here for the raid?"
Many in the crowd recognized Torren, one of the city's former pillars. However, Torren himself smiled, stepping aside and giving a pat on the shoulder to the young man beside him.
"See? We made it just in time! Have faith in your old man!" Torren's voice boomed across the silent square.
Everyone's expressions turned to shock.
Indeed, calling Torren a "young man" sounded rather odd.
After all, Lian's father had completely white hair, which was why he was often mistaken for an old man.
Apparently, the mage's words weren't directed at him but at the boy by his side.
Stepping forward, the figure of a young man captured everyone's attention.
"My name is Lian Veyr," he replied, bowing his head in respect, his wild lock of hair swaying in front of his eyes.
The moment the boy spoke, all the Knights present noticed something unusual. He wasn't just any boy!
He was a mage.
Judging by his resemblance to Torren and his proximity to him, it was clear he was his son.
"Good. Prepare yourselves. We leave in one hour," Mage Patrick said with a nod. "Lian Veyr, come with me."
Eyes wide with excitement, the boy glanced at his father before nodding in farewell.
"Good luck, son!" Torren approached, enveloping the boy in a tight embrace.
"Old man, don't embarrass me!" Lian, cheeks flushed, tried in vain to push away from his father's bear hug. He was squeezing too hard.
After a few seconds, Torren let him go, and Lian seized the chance to run toward Mage Patrick.
"Kids, huh? They're all so filial before they discover love!" Jonny's voice broke through Torren's wandering thoughts.
"You're one to talk, you who was never filial?!"
Like old times, the two continued to bicker.
Meanwhile, Lian followed the mage toward a building that likely belonged to the city's leader. His heart pounded. Patrick observed him closely with his usual kind smile.
"Lian, huh? Nice name," Patrick said as they entered a large hall.
"Sit down, let's talk a bit. I'm sure you're curious about magic." His calm voice instantly put Lian at ease, and he took the first available seat beside the mage.
"That's my seat!" A cold, malicious voice assaulted Lian's ears.
"Sit on the other side," it continued. It was Sera Firecloak, the girl accompanying Patrick on this mission.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to cause trouble," Lian replied, bowing his head in apology.
With a huff, Sera sat to Patrick's right, while Lian took the seat to his left.
"I apologize on her behalf…" Patrick said with a guilty smile. "It's not her fault; she's just very arrogant."
Lian shifted his gaze to Sera's frowning face. Up close, she seemed even more beautiful.
That was the boy's first thought as he observed her face.
"Arrogant? My father always tells me never to become arrogant, no matter what!" Lian blurted out instinctively, immediately regretting it.
'Damn, what the hell am I saying? Telling an arrogant girl not to be arrogant because my father always said so? I'm an idiot.'
The boy's face turned red with embarrassment over his thoughts. How could he win over the girl if he acted so foolishly?
But Mage Patrick looked at him with an even broader smile.
"Your father must be a very wise man!"
"Tch, or a very weak man with very limited abilities," Sera muttered under her breath.
Despite her low voice, everyone heard her words.
And just as Lian was about to retort, Patrick raised a hand, and a gust of wind silenced the two.
"Alright, enough! We're here to discuss something else. Tell me, Lian, how much do you know about Gates and magic?"
Lian, who moments before had wanted to stand and shout at the girl for disrespecting his father, stopped abruptly.
He had clearly felt the gust of wind pass through the air around him.
"I know nothing. Please, Mage Patrick, teach me!" Lian's expression grew serious, his eyes gleaming with light.
He had seen magic with his own eyes for the first time and was completely captivated!