It had been an hour since they left the town. The carriage wheels creaked gently against the dirt road, and the warm afternoon breeze carried the scent of wildflowers. Inside the carriage, Yumina leaned forward, her curiosity finally getting the better of her.
"Dear, where are we going?" she asked with a sweet smile.
John, who was driving the carriage, let out a soft chuckle.
"Don't call me 'dear' for now. Just call me John, like Alsie does," he replied. "And as for our destination... we're heading to Palouf — the old royal capital ruins."
Hearing this, Yumina's eyes widened.
"The old capital? Why are we going there?" Alsie asked curiously from beside her.
John's face turned serious as he kept his eyes on the road. "I once read an old document that mentioned something about a treasure."
Both girls exchanged excited glances. Yumina's face lit up, and Alsie's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"John, are you serious? Are you saying there's an actual treasure?" Alsie pressed eagerly.
John burst into laughter, shaking his head. "Of course not. But there's something important I need to retrieve."
Yumina puffed her cheeks and turned her head away in frustration. "Hmph! I wasn't interested in treasure anyway. I just wanted to experience what it's like to hunt one."
The group continued their journey, and after another two hours, John decided to stop and let the horses rest.
---
The group sat beneath a large oak tree, enjoying their meal. Yumina held a piece of roasted meat in her hand, biting into it carefully. It was her first time eating such a rustic meal, and to her surprise, she found herself enjoying it.
"John," Yumina called out between bites, her voice soft but curious. "Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah, go ahead," John replied, chewing on his food.
Yumina lowered her gaze slightly. "Do you have a family? I mean... where you come from?"
John paused for a moment, setting his plate aside. His face softened as if memories were surfacing.
"Yeah... I have a brother." His voice carried a hint of sadness. "But it's been a long time since I saw him."
Seriously, this was the second time John had gone so long without seeing Tony. He was already starting to miss him.
Yumina noticed the change in his expression and decided not to push further. Instead, she smiled gently. "I'm sure he would be proud of you."
John gave a small smile in return. "Well, he does. Thanks."
---
After finishing their meal, they set off once again. The road became rougher as they neared their destination, with twisted roots and overgrown vines crawling along the ground. By the time they arrived, the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the ruins.
Broken stone pillars stood like forgotten sentinels, and moss-covered walls stretched far into the distance. The air felt colder, almost unnatural.
"Stay close," John warned as he stepped forward.
Activating the rune in his spiritual sea, John whispered, "Search, treasure." A faint glow flickered around him, and the invisible magic spread out like ripples in a pond. He closed his eyes, focusing on sensing the underground cave where the crystal demon was sleeping.
But instead of a cave... something else responded.
A deep, chilling presence surged toward them.
"Get back!" John barked as a shadow emerged from behind a crumbling wall.
A towering figure clad in rusted armor appeared — a headless knight wielding a massive sword. Its armor clanked as it moved, and a dark mist swirled around its body.
---
"John, what is that!?" Alsie gasped, gripping Yumina's arm tightly.
"It's a headless knight," John muttered. "Stay behind me."
The knight roared — or what seemed like a roar — and charged forward. John raised his hand, and flames erupted from his palm.
"Fire Lance!" he shouted.
A blazing spear shot forward, striking the knight's chest and forcing it back a few steps.
"You can use magic?!" Alsie exclaimed, shocked.
Yup, Alsie didn't know that John could use magic. She only knew he could use recovery magic.
"Now's not the time for questions!" John replied.
The knight recovered quickly, its blade slashing down at John. He sidestepped, then extended his hand again.
"Slip!"
A glowing rune appeared beneath the knight's feet, and the armored figure stumbled, losing its balance. Seizing the opportunity, John gathered water magic in his palm.
"Aqua Blade!"
A sharp wave of water slashed through the knight's arm, causing the massive sword to fall with a loud clang. The knight staggered again, but dark mist seeped from its armor, rapidly mending the wound.
"This thing's tougher than I thought," John muttered.
The knight lunged forward, swinging its gauntlet-covered fist. John raised his hand once more.
"Gravity!"
A powerful force pressed down on the knight, pinning it to the ground. The knight struggled, but John poured more energy into the rune, increasing the pressure.
"Now!" John whispered to himself. Flames erupted around his fist as he clenched it tightly.
"Inferno Burst!"
A fiery explosion engulfed the headless knight, consuming it in raging flames. The creature writhed for a few moments before the dark mist finally dispersed, and the knight's armor collapsed into a heap of smoldering metal.
---
John clapped his hands to clean off the dust and turned to the girls.
"Are you both okay?"
Alsie stared at him in disbelief. "You... you can use magic? Since when?"
John chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "It's a long story."
Yumina crossed her arms, still pouting. "Hmph! First, you lie about the treasure, and now you surprise us with magic. What else are you hiding?"
This was the first time Yumina had seen someone who could not only use a couple of null magic spells but also wield regular elemental magic. She was so surprised that she couldn't describe her feelings.
John grinned. "If I told you everything now, where's the fun in that?"
But as John turned back toward the ruins, his smile faded.
"Alright, we have to prepare a shelter before night falls."