[Mount Kilata]

We reached the summit of Mount Kilata, about 5120 meters high. The view at the top looked nothing like that of other mountains. The rule that ‘the higher the altitude, the lower the temperature’ was ignored due to the magic power phenomena and Kilata maintained a high-temperature humid jungle scene even at its peak.

“…We have 3 more peaks left,” Harin muttered, looking down at the scenery below. This meant that we had to climb 4 more mountains just like Kilata before we arrive at our destination, the Republic. I dragged myself up to my feet with a sigh.

“Should we get going, then?”

Harin glanced at Boss. Boss nodded, looking off into the distance.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

We started walking again, through Kilata’s dense forest and swamps, slaying monsters as they came.

An hour later, the mountain scenery changed a bit.

“…Fog?”

Thick, dense fog blocked our view. It first stayed low around our ankles but soon ballooned in size and covered the entirety of Kilata in less than 30 minutes. Unable to see through the barricade, Harin and Boss stopped.

Harin said calmly, ”It looks like Mirinae’s fog drifted down here.”

“…Mirinae?”

“Yes. ‘Mirinae’, also known as the mountain of fog. I’ve heard of its nickname but never imagined the fog would be this thick….”

Harin bit her lower lip.

“It’s okay.”

I grabbed Harin and Boss’s hands.

Not even a fog this thick could stop the Thousand-Mile Eyes. I could see clearly through the fog.

“I’ve got great eyesight.”

I walked on, holding the pair’s hands. Harin followed me awkwardly and Boss let me lead her willingly.

As we descended the mountain, I began to think of this fog as more of a blessing than a curse. The fog not only blocked our view but also that of the countless monsters living on Kilata.

Thanks to the fog, our descent proceeded at a very quick pace. As we advanced the fog became thicker, but it took us less than 3 hours to travel from the peak to the midpoint.

…It was then.

[Hey, can you hear me?]

I heard a voice.

I stopped with a shudder.

[It’s me, Chae Nayun. If you can hear me, answer me.]

It was Chae Nayun’s voice. My guess was that she was contacting me through her 8-star card.

“…Hajin?”

Confused, Boss and Harin looked at me as I attempted to think up my reply. However, I found it difficult to form sentences in my head. This world’s rejective force was probably disrupting the card’s communication.

I couldn’t form long sentences and barely managed to send a short one.

[Chae Nayun, is it really you?]

“Kim Hajin? Is there something up ahead?”

“Uh, no.”

Boss prodded and I began walking again. After 3 minutes, I received a reply from Chae Nayun.

[Yeah it’s me. You’re also inside the Gate, right?]

I replied as I walked.

[Yeah. I’m on my way to the Republic of Leores with the daughter of the Leon clan.]

Again, it took her 3 minutes to get back to me.

[What? But she’s a devil. Why are you going to Leores? Turn back and bring her here!]

“…?”

‘What the hell is she talking about?’

I tilted my head in confusion.

**

[Republic of Leores, training room in the basement of the presidential residence.]

Kim Suho looked at the woman in front of him holding an iron sword. Her posture was flawless and the magic power surrounding her sword was sharp.

Kim Suho couldn’t help but be amazed by his student’s growth. The president’s daughter instantly absorbed everything he taught her like a dry sponge.

“You’re growing fast.”

Despite Kim Suho’s heartfelt praise, the president’s daughter, Seraine, did not smile and remained focused on her training.

“Hi-yah!”

She swung her sword with all her strength. The magic power from her sword scratched the surface of the floor as it rushed towards Kim Suho, but Kim Suho easily sliced it in half.

“Your magic power is as hard as steel. You’ve really achieved a lot, considering your magic power was just a breeze when we first began.”

“——!”

Without a word, Seraine dashed towards Kim Suho. Tat—! She covered a distance of 100 meters with a single jump.

Seraine slammed her sword down and Kim Suho blocked her attack with his sword. Sparks broke out at the point of contact.

Kiik— Kiik—

“…I hear you have a favor to ask of me,” Seraine said as their swords clashed.

Kim Suho broke into a smile. His efforts were about to bear fruit.

“Are you finally acknowledging me?”

“…I’m not acknowledging anything—”

Seraine focused her magic power around her arms. This immediately increased her muscle power, but nonetheless, she wasn’t able to push Kim Suho away. Seraine pushed and pushed, hoping to bounce Kim Suho off, but stopped when she realized it wasn’t going to happen.

“Haa…. I’ve merely realized that the rumors were wrong.”

Seraine was known throughout the continent as a prodigy even before she met Kim Suho. In contrast, Kim Suho was rumored to be incompetent. Everyone claimed that he only became the sword commander through connections.

“Is that so? Thank you.”

In the first place, the reason Seraine asked Kim Suho to teach her the sword was that she regarded him as her father’s flaw. She planned to embarrass Kim Suho by beating him in a sword fight, kick him out, and appoint a more fitting person to the position of sword commander.

However, to her surprise, Kim Suho was nothing like what she had imagined— unlike the rumors, he was strong. His sword and magic power couldn’t be more harmonious.

Faced with his flawless way of the sword, Seraine felt the desire to ‘learn’ from somebody for the first time in her life.

“No need. So, what is this favor that you- Ah!”

At that moment, Kim Suho struck the back of Seraine’s foot with his sword. Serraine was thrown into the air.

But she had been in this kind of situation hundreds of times before.

She did a backflip in midair and escaped from Kim Suho’s reach. Her movements were natural as if she was starring in a circus.

Kim Suho looked at Seraine proudly and remarked, “I’ve heard that there’s a clan called ‘Leon’ in the northern kingdom.”

“…Leon?”

Seraine loosened her grip around her sword.

Kim Suho continued calmly, “Yes, they’ve been falsely accused and exterminated in Arunheim.”

“…I know who they are. What about them?”

“The eldest daughter of the Leon clan is on her way to the Republic.”

“…”

Seraine put her sword back into its sheath. For someone who was as head over heels for swords as her to voluntarily withdraw her sword— Kim Suho knew this was not a good sign.

“I understand what you’re trying to say,” Seraine shook her head adamantly and declared, “But no.”

Tak— She snapped her fingers. The door of the training room opened immediately and a crowd of knights entered the training room. They were Seraine’s personal bodyguards.

“Surely you’re aware of our history with Arunheim and of all the sacrifices we had to make to achieve peace with them. I can’t betray my father and the people of this country just to save Leon.”

With that, Seraine left the training room. The flock of knights followed her in a hurry.

“…Sword commander.”

Suddenly, a knight dressed in black armor and a cape—‘Lekendol’, Seraine’s highest-ranked bodyguard—turned to Kim Suho. His gaze was full of animosity.

“Don’t be so proud.”

“…Of course.”

Kim Suho shrugged. Lekendol grilled Kim Suho some more before finally leaving. Soon after, Aileen entered the training room with Kim Suho’s clothes and a towel in her hands.

“Ah, thank you.”

“…Why are they so rude to you? Want me to beat them up?”

Kim Suho smiled at Aileen’s suggestion.

“Please, calm down. Your abilities haven’t been restored completely yet.”

“Still. She said she was gonna grant you a favor but when you actually tell her what you want, she doesn’t listen? What’s with that?”

“…She doesn’t have a choice. I get it. What’s at stake is her country, after all.”

Kim Suho and Aileen’s conversation continued, and suddenly….

[Hey Kim Suho!]

…Kim Suho heard a desperate voice. Anyone could tell it was Chae Nayun’s voice. Kim Suho listened up in confusion.

[It’s me, Chae Nayun! Kim Hajin’s in this world, too! Where are you? Answer me!]

‘Ah, this is her 8-star card!’

Kim Suho smiled upon realization.

‘Answer… how do I answer a message again?’

He closed his eyes and focused his mind.

—I’m at the Republic of Leores.

3 minutes later.

He heard Chae Nayun’s voice again.

[Thank god! Kim Hajin’s on his way to Leores with Leon right now! You have to meet them!]

‘Kim Hajin is coming here with Leon’s devil hunter.’

Kim Suho opened his eyes wide.

“Ah, this is, Seraine-ssi—!”

Kim Suho quickly wiped his sweat off with the towel and darted out of the training room.

**

[500 meters above sea level, the entrance to Mount Mirinae]

We successfully escaped from Kilata and were now climbing ‘Mirinae’, the mountain of fog. The magic fog grew thicker with each step and even I couldn’t see what was ahead now.

With my gaze fixed to the front, I asked, “Harin-ssi, what should we look out for on this mountain?”

“…We need to look out for people.”

“People?”

“Yes.”

Harin nodded in all seriousness.

As a side note, she had already confessed her true identity—that she was ‘Harin’, the eldest daughter of the Leon clan—back when she told us about Krisbell.

“Mount Mirinae is special because of the magic fog that surrounds it. The fog that blocks climbers’ view also increases the density of magic power in the air. This makes Mirinae the perfect place for training,” walking by my side, Harin continued, “For that reason, this place is crawling with reclusive experts, martial artists who seek to become stronger, and criminals who are on the run from the Kingdom.”

“…Mm.”

Her explanation made sense. This mountain was similar to the Himalayas in my setting.

“I understand. For now, let’s keep moving until we find a place to rest.”

I walked cautiously. The farthest I could see now was 100 meters ahead.

Suddenly, a huge rock appeared in front of us.

The oddly shaped rock was about 30 meters tall.

It was blocking our path completely, and beyond it was a cliff.

I stopped Boss and Harin.

“I think I’m lost.”

“…? You, Kim Hajin?”

Boss seemed surprised, but I was quick to admit my mistake.

“Yes. This fog is too thick even for me. There’s a rock up ahead…?”

It was then.

Chwaaa—!

Suddenly, magic power poured out from the rock, and the fog disappeared from the area surrounding it. Now we could see the mountain view clearly. At the same time, we heard a heavy voice.

“Who are you?”

The voice was full of magic power.

I turned my gaze to the top of the rock.

There, a woman was sitting cross-legged with her hands on her knees.

“I asked you a question, you dimwit. Answer me.”

Her long hair was messy and her coat was completely worn out, but the magic power that she was emitting was second to none.

Her voice was wrapped in overflowing magic power. I noticed that Harin had completely froze.

Harin whispered in a daze, “…Shimurin.”

“Hm?”

The woman raised her eyebrows.

“Look at you. So you’ve heard of me, huh?”

Gulp— Harin swallowed hard and replied, “There’s not a person in this world who doesn’t know you.”

“Mm? Well, I guess that makes sense.”

With a smirk, the woman raised herself to her feet. Even considering the fact that I was looking up at her, she was quite tall.

Harin whispered to us, “That’s Shimurin, the grand magician.”

“…Grand magician?”

“Yes, she’s a magician who used to be active in the Kingdom. But she’s been led astray by her genius and got involved in a strange research….”

“What are you whispering about?”

The grand magician Shimurin looked down at us with vicious eyes.

“Do you really have the time to talk? I could swallow you alive right this minute.”

It was then that a system window popped up before me.

===

[Quest]

[Level of difficulty — Highest]

[Summary — ‘Shimurin’ is a magician who studies interdimensional migration. Disillusioned with the secular society, she took refuge on Mount Mirinae. She abhors humans.]

[Goal — Persuade Shimurin to come to the Republic OR survive Shimurin.]

[Reward — Your ‘Aether’ armor]

[Failure result — Probably death]

===

Level of difficulty— ‘highest’.

Failure result — ‘death’.

Stunned, I turned my gaze to Boss.

Her eyes were also wandering through the air. It appeared she had also received the same quest as me.

“Boss… did you also get a quest?”

“…Mm? Ah.”

I asked carefully, and…

“I did. It says that the level of difficulty is ‘highest.’”

…Boss slowly nodded.

**

[‘Arun’, the royal palace of Arunheim — VIP room]

The dim light from the crescent moon shone down on the darkness below. In the middle of the night, at the terrace where the leaves trembled in the breeze and the owls cried mournfully, Jin Sahyuk was deep in thought.

She was thinking about Bell, Kim Suho, Kim Hajin, and herself.

‘The end is near….’

That was what Bell had said. She, however, had no idea what Bell’s end would look like. She couldn’t even say with confidence that Bell would keep his promise. All the uncertainties left her confused, but they were not what she was most concerned about at the moment.

“…Kim Hajin.”

Bell told her that Kindspring was Kim Hajin, that everything was a mistake born of the distortion of time and space.

Jin Sahyuk believed this unbelievable fact as she had already witnessed [Synchronization] with her own eyes. She had seen the emotions Kindspring harbored for her inside Kim Hajin.

“…Hmm.”

With a sigh, Jin Sahyuk turned her gaze to the endless darkness ahead.

Cold breeze disheveled her hair. Her royal beauty shone brightly even in the darkness.

Thinking of Kim Hajin, who was imprinted on her brain, and Kindspring, who left a scar in her heart, she came to a decision.

“…If I can go back,”

If she could go back to her kingdom, to the world full of her mistakes, sorrow, pride, agony, love, and regret—

“I’m bringing you with me.”

The synchronization rate referred to the extent to which Kim Hajin was one with Kindspring.

She was confident that the rate would rise drastically if Kim Hajin lived in her kingdom, in their world….

“…”

With a small sigh, Jin Sahyuk looked down at the invitation on the table.

[Arunheim Nobles’ Gathering]

It was an invitation to a social gathering that Bell had strongly advised her to attend.

She usually loathed the hypocrisy peculiar to the nobility. However…

“…I guess I should at least grant his dying wish,” Jin Sahyuk muttered as she stuffed the invitation in her pocket.