The sun had just risen above the hills, painting the village in warm gold. Julius and I were still seated outside, the air crisp and quiet after our long talk about mana and blessings.
Then, a familiar voice broke the calm.
"Good morning, Sir Julius," Hyun Woo greeted politely as he walked toward us, his boots crunching softly on the dirt path. "I just wanted to talk to Haru for a moment—and, um, I was wondering if there's any guild around here. Riku said there might be one nearby."
Julius nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "A guild, huh? Yes, there is—but it's quite far from here. Maybe half a day's travel if you know the roads."
Hyun Woo's eyes lit up a little. "Really? That's great to know. Thank you, Mr. Julius."
Julius smiled faintly. "No need for 'sir,' lad. But actually… my daughter is coming home today. She's more familiar with the route than I am these days. I'll ask her to point you in the right direction when she arrives."
"Thank you," Hyun Woo said again, bowing slightly before glancing at me.
I looked at Julius curiously. "Your daughter—is she also gifted?"
Julius chuckled softly, pride flickering in his eyes. "Yeah, actually she is. She's studying in the Academy of Myrren, one of the few places that train gifted individuals properly. She inherited my mana control, but… her talent goes beyond mine. The instructors said she might reach A-rank before she's even thirty. That age is almost impossible—but who knows."
I blinked. "A-rank, huh… I don't even have any idea what that means."
Hyun Woo stood and stretched a bit. "We'll be going now, Sir Julius."
Julius raised a brow. "Where are you going this early?"
"Maybe just sightseeing in the city," Hyun Woo said with a small grin.
Julius nodded. "Alright then. Be careful, both of you."
As we walked away from his house, I leaned closer to Hyun Woo. "I think their ranking system is different from ours."
"Yeah," Hyun Woo replied, his hands tucked in his pockets. "Their ranks are specific—F, E, D, C, B, A… and S must be the last stage. But who knows."
"That must be quite a high level compared to us," I said, glancing toward the distant town.
Only Hyun Woo and I went to the city.
It was busy—carriages pulled by horses rolled past, merchants shouted over one another, and the scent of baked bread mixed with dust and sweat. People moved everywhere, dressed in robes, tunics, and armor.
It felt like we had stepped back into the 1800s—but somehow… different.