The arena was eerily quiet.
Herna, alone in the spectator seats, was seething with anger, her hands clenched on the hem of her dress.
Her face was red with rage, and she struggled to calm down, her breathing irregular.
'Arahan...!'
She wanted to scream out loud, to tear the man in front of her apart. But seeing Arahan's red eyes, she couldn't muster the courage.
On the ring, lit by the spotlight, Arahan's eyes shone brightly.
The rumor that meeting his gaze could be fatal was palpable.
'How could this happen? Icas losing without even being able to touch him?'
It defied common sense.
She watched the entire match but couldn't understand how a young mage, without using mana or magical tools, could toy with Icas like a plaything.
'How much did I lose?'
As she regained her composure, her first thought was about the financial loss.
Icas was not just a local champion but an A-grade fighter brought from a major city for a substantial sum.
'Three-year contract for 600 gold coins.'
Adding the cost of acquiring the Ogre's Belt, which was 200 gold coins, the total loss was 800 gold coins. The biggest loss was the 1,200 gold coins she paid to the Kerion Prison warden.
'Totaling 2,000 gold coins.'
The calculation made her head spin.
She had suffered unprecedented losses because of a foolish boy.
'Should I have listened to the warden from the start?'
As a major figure in the city, she had many businesses, but none were as profitable as the arena.
Icas was her main source of income, and to maintain his value, he needed to win against Zed.
A fighter with a loss record was no longer an A-grade product.
Despite investing heavily, including the Ogre's Belt, she never expected such a crushing defeat.
'I need to call the warden sooner rather than later.'
It was infuriating to see him so smug, and she couldn't let the person who caused her such significant loss go unpunished.
As she turned to leave, Zed approached her.
"You said you wanted a rematch. Now, you have to fulfill your promise."
"Of course. I'll contact you soon."
"Don't take too long. No tricks, okay?"
"I'll make it as soon as possible."
"Can you promise a specific time? Maybe within three days?"
"Yes, I can."
"Can you resolve it within that timeframe?"
"If it's me, yes."
Herna stood up, bowed slightly, and left the arena, casting a determined glance at Zed.
On the way back to their lodging, Liu shared his story.
He had worked for a large trading company but was wrongly accused and sent to prison.
"In companies like that, it's common for items to go missing. But that guy specifically suspected me."
"Did you really steal it?"
Liu shook his head, looking innocent.
"The company owner was crazy, but they paid well. The work was tough and involved long-distance travel, so it was more profitable to work there than to steal a few items."
Liu spoke seriously, and his tone suggested he was genuinely innocent.
I asked to change the subject.
"So, what about your sister? Did you get separated from her when you were sent to prison?"
"Yeah... We worked together there. We were used to being treated poorly, so it wasn't new to us."
"Where did you last see her?"
"Prilda."
It was a familiar name. Prilda was a port city in the south, always bustling with trade.
I had played most of the game as a knight character, and since I liked close combat, my eyes were only on knights. The knight character from 'Last Saber' was Torres Bahl.
The Bahl family was in the south, so I was more familiar with that area than the west.
"It's going to be tough here."
"Yeah, it would take over a month on foot."
We bought a map from a nearby shop and checked the location of Prilda. The map showed that this city, Mota, was really in the middle of nowhere. Walking was impractical, and since there were no travel gates, the only option was a carriage.
"Do we need to book a carriage?"
"Probably. Carriages aren't common here."
"Just book it. If we pay a decent deposit, they'll be eager to take us."
"You handle the booking. It's better if you stay in the lodging."
"Okay."
After replacing my lenses to hide my eyes, people avoided eye contact with us, whispering behind our backs.
In a small city, rumors spread quickly, and it was only a matter of time before the guards arrived.
"Liu, make sure to take care of the carriage driver."
"I understand what you mean."
"Don't be stingy with the payment. If we arrive safely, I'll give him five times the amount."
"That's too much."
"It's necessary to keep him quiet. If our destination is exposed, it won't be good."
Especially since we had to avoid Herna's eyes. If she finds out we're leaving, she might do something drastic.
As a major figure in the city, her influence was concerning.
"Do as I say."
"Okay. I'll go quickly and come back."
"Okay."
I felt a bit sorry for leaving all the tasks to Liu, but since my identity as Arahan was known, it was better to minimize outdoor exposure.
'He'll handle it well, I suppose. But the location is really inconvenient.'
I watched Liu leave and unfolded the map again.
Mota was a place where escape routes were limited, making it difficult for fugitives.
'Perhaps they built the prison here for that reason.'
I had escaped, but I wasn't completely free yet.
I kept an eye out for anyone following me.
'My magic power is 1. It's a relief.'
After showering, I lay on the bed and checked my status window. It was satisfying to see my magic power no longer at zero.
However, despite having magic power, I couldn't cast spells.
The system's effects should have allowed me to use magic, but my spell list was still empty. Perhaps a magic power of 1 was insufficient.
'I wonder what the first spell mages learn.'
It's usually shield spells.
For mages, who need to maintain distance, having defensive spells is crucial for survival.
How much magic power do I need to cast spells? Five or ten?
'I need to gather information about Liu's sister and find items to help me.'
My primary destination was Prilda.
As a port city and trade hub, it had many useful items. Even in the middle of the game, rare items could still be found there.
I made a list of magical tools to purchase, focusing on those that complemented my magic stats or enhanced survival.
'Narke's Bracelet and the Ring of Mana are must-haves.'
My current assets were over 500 gold coins.
While it was a lot, buying magical tools wasn't cheap. They were mostly owned by wealthy nobles, and good-quality items were expensive.
-Suddenly, I sensed movement near the window.
I instinctively sat up and checked the area.
'Quick! What was that?'
It was strange. It felt like someone was there, but it was dark outside, and I couldn't see anyone.
-Click!
I turned off the magic light and waited silently by the window. If someone was targeting me, they would likely enter through this window.
'Who is it? An assassin sent by Herna or the guards?'
I was on high alert, focusing on any sound, but no one came.
'Was I mistaken?'
As time passed, I wondered if it might have been a wild animal or a bird.
Being pursued made me overly sensitive.
I relaxed my guard after a couple of hours.
'I need to change locations.'
Even if I was mistaken, staying here felt uneasy.
I left a simple note for Liu to meet me at the stables and discreetly left the lodging.
'Never thought I'd come back here...'
The old stables where I spent my first night.
The smell of horse dung and crawling insects was annoying, but it was better than being anxious.
I cleared a space to sit and waited briefly until Liu arrived, out of breath.
"What happened? I saw the note and was worried."
I checked our surroundings, ensuring no one was following.
"Don't worry. I'm good at shaking tails too. I came through alleys."
"What about the carriage?"
"I booked it. They said to leave tomorrow morning because they have a lot to prepare."
"Why are we here?"
I didn't explain further, not wanting to worry him.
Liu soon fell asleep, exhausted, and I stayed awake all night.
"Ah, it's already waiting. That's our carriage."
"…Damn it."
I frowned at the direction Liu pointed.
The carriage was in poor condition, and there was only one horse.
For a long journey, at least two horses were needed. It wasn't like a car running on gasoline; horses were living creatures that could tire.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"
"Liu, did you pay as I instructed?"
"Of course. I gave them exactly what you said."
"This town is full of scammers, it seems."
The carriage was a joke. They said they needed time to prepare, but this was what they brought.
It was my mistake for entrusting the task to Liu. He had never used a carriage before, so he wouldn't know the market price.
It wasn't Liu's fault; the problem was the scammer trying to take advantage of a young boy.
I wanted to kick the smiling driver.
"Welcome aboard! We'll take you to your destination comfortably!"
"Ugh. Bring another horse."
"Y-yes?"
"Are you kidding me? You think one horse can take us that far?"
The driver seemed confused.
I had ridden carriages hundreds of times during the game. The cost included the value of the horses, the driver's labor, and life insurance, plus simple meals.
I had paid enough for at least four horses.
This guy was scamming me, taking advantage of my generosity.
"I'm not usually this short-tempered, but people like you keep pushing me."
"Why are you like this...?"
"Don't you know?"
"Uh, well..."
"Don't make me repeat myself. If you want to avoid trouble, prepare according to the agreement."
"Yes, yes...!"
The driver quickly backed down when I glared at him.
He must have thought I was some naive kid, but I wasn't someone to be trifled with.
"Ten minutes should be enough. For every minute you're late, I'll deduct 10% of the fare."
"I'll be right back! Please wait!"
As the driver rushed off, Liu scratched his head, looking at me.
There was no need to feel guilty.
"It seems this part is better handled by you, a noble."
"It's okay. You can learn one thing at a time."
"Umm... Thanks, Zed. You seem really adult-like. I don't know why, but you're reassuring. It feels like the best decision I made was following you out of prison."
"What kind of life have you lived?"
"Well, it's nothing special. If you make the wrong choices, you end up dead. I guess my judgment wasn't wrong this time."
As we spoke, the driver returned with two more horses and began connecting them to the carriage.
Finally, something was done right.
"Everything is ready... Please board now."
"Do you know the way?"
"Of course. I can get to Prilda with my eyes closed."
"Don't say unnecessary things. Remember the contract conditions."
"Yes...!"
The driver mimed zipping his lips. He didn't inspire trust, but there were no other options.
Like a thirsty man digging a well, we had to make do.
As we entered the carriage, I couldn't help but curse.
"This guy is really something..."
The interior was dusty.
Well, dust could be cleaned, but the problem was that the carriage was in disrepair.
There were broken wooden boards, and it was covered in cobwebs, like an abandoned carriage.
"It's my first time on a carriage, so it's exciting."
Liu seemed pleased, but I decided to endure the discomfort.
It was better to leave the city quickly than to waste time finding another carriage.
"Let's depart!"
But soon, I realized we should have avoided this carriage altogether.