Chapter 36

Staying to listen to the conversation turned out to be the right choice. To fully protect myself, I had to erase their thoughts and memories of me. The procedure was quick, though I wouldn't call it simple. The challenge was ensuring I didn't make any mistakes that would turn them into vegetables—an outcome that would have been undesirable. Fortunately, everything went smoothly.

After Apparating to a familiar spot, I noticed a small group of wizards climbing uphill. They saw me too and paused for a few seconds to assess if I was a threat. Realizing I wasn't, they continued on their way.

I followed them, not paying much attention to their conversations. They occasionally glanced my way, but no one seemed eager to engage. At the village entrance, our paths diverged.

I needed to find a stall that sold Portkeys to some interesting destination. To be honest, I didn't have any specific ideas yet, but I figured I'd head east, closer to the sea, and then cross it to reach America. I think I'll do just that. I have no desire to travel through China, though I'm sure it has plenty of fascinating places.

Finding the Portkey stall was easy. The sign read, "Portkeys for Sale."

"Good day," I called loudly, hoping to attract attention. There was no one behind the counter.

"Good day," replied a mechanical voice, and a book with a face on its cover flew out from the small house. "Where to?"

"Um..." I hesitated, surprised by this type of vendor. "Somewhere to the east, closer to the sea, so I can get to America."

"Say no more," said the voice, and a small Portkey in the shape of a shoe flew out of the house. "This Portkey will take you to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. It's a beautiful port city. There, you can either book passenger transport or get hired on a ship. Plenty of work for wizards."

I pulled out a map and found the city mentioned by the book. Sometimes, the nearest places seem best for sea travel… but in the magical world, nothing is ever that simple. The Bering Strait is one of the most dangerous areas in this part of the world, teeming with high-risk sea and flying creatures during their breeding season.

"Why not," I decided. "How much for the Portkey?"

"Cheap, twenty Galleons," the voice responded.

Honestly, it wasn't that cheap, but I didn't mind spending the money.

"Alright, I'll take it," I exhaled.

The receipt vanished into the pages of the book, and I pocketed the shoe.

"The activation word: 'White Sole.'"

I nodded and tucked the shoe into my bag. I'd activate it once I left the village.

Waving goodbye to the wizard, I strolled around the village, looking for anything else that might catch my interest. But nothing did. The books on sale weren't much different from those in Diagon Alley. The only difference was some additional notes in the margins, providing extra explanations. Maybe I just didn't find the rare bookshops.

But I didn't need any of that right now. I'd come back if the desire and opportunity arose. My next goal was to find interesting artifacts useful in various situations. There were plenty around, catering to all sorts of tastes and interests. I bought a few trinkets because they were made using an intriguing method that was tricky to unravel. But I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually.

Only after that did I decide to move on to the next city. Once outside the village, I took out the shoe, which looked rather sad. Its sole was peeling slightly, but at least it wasn't talking, which was a good sign.

"White Sole."

I said the activation word, and I was yanked through space. Holding onto the shoe wasn't easy, but fortunately, the sticking charm worked as intended, and I didn't get thrown off halfway.

When the spinning slowed and the sticking charm wore off, I let the magic form steps beneath my feet, descending slowly. The moment I touched the ground, a cold wind blew, chilling me to the bone. Along with the wind came the sound and smell of the ocean. In the gray, cloud-covered sky, a few seagulls flew by, squawking at each other in what seemed like a heated conversation.

A few seconds later, two wizards appeared, dressed in blue robes with two stripes on their shoulders. They wore strange caps on their heads. Their faces were pale, their eyes clear.

"Stop! Who are you?" one of them demanded.

"Timothy Jody, traveler," I introduced myself.

"We are members of the Self-Defense Squad of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky," said the one who had spoken. "State your reason for arrival."

"I want to head to America," I replied honestly, then asked, "Is something going on?"

They exchanged glances, giving me a chance to peek into their minds. The reason for their tense behavior quickly became clear: they were in the midst of a bloody family war. Two factions—one led by the Bolshanov family, the other by the Krasnovs—were clashing. It seemed to be the result of my actions some time ago… How interesting things had turned out.

The first faction was losing, with their strong fighters falling everywhere. This was excellent news! Without my involvement, my enemies were being wiped out. What could be better? I didn't dig deeper, as I had neither the interest nor the need.

"Follow us," said the wizard. "We'll take you to a port hotel where you can rest and buy a ticket."

"Alright, lead the way," I nodded. There might be something interesting in the city, but honestly, I had no desire to explore. I'd just buy a ticket and be on my way.

"We'll be Apparating together," said the second wizard as he approached. The first wizard stepped closer as well. I felt a bit uneasy, but their minds showed no trace of ill intent, so I allowed them to touch me.

We were pulled into a spatial tunnel. Judging by the quality, they weren't the best at it. I could have made the journey much more comfortable, but no big deal—I won't complain.

The building we arrived at stood out from the surrounding structures with its ostentatious luxury. I immediately recognized the symbol—it was the Continental Hotel. Now, I could feel truly safe, as this hotel chain was known for taking the security of its guests very seriously.

"You can rest here," the first wizard nodded. "You can also purchase ship tickets inside."

"Thank you," I nodded back. "Do I owe you anything?"

"Not at all," the second wizard waved his hand, and the first one agreed. "Have a good day."

"Thanks, same to you."

The wizards disappeared into an Apparation vortex, and I entered the hotel. The first thing that caught my eye was the high ceilings with massive chandeliers hanging from them. The floor was covered with soft carpets that muffled footsteps. The walls were adorned with moving paintings, where wizards occasionally appeared, trying to strike up a conversation. Behind the reception desk stood a tall man with a crystal ball covering half his face, along with piercings in his nose and ear.

"Welcome to the Continental," he said. "How may I assist you?"

"I'd like to purchase a ticket for a ship," I replied, "and maybe book a room if needed."

"You can do both at window three," he pointed to a wall I hadn't noticed before. There were five windows, but only number three was open. "Buy your ticket, and then come back."

"Thank you."

I headed to the window, where a plump woman with rust-colored hair sat. Her lips were painted bright red, and on her nose sat a pair of rather ugly crescent-shaped glasses, which did nothing to enhance her appearance.

"How can I help you?" she asked in a creaky voice.

"A ticket to America," I replied. "What routes are available?"

"Anchorage, in a week," she said. "Five Galleons."

"That's cheap," I noted.

"The war between the families isn't helping business," she said with a tired voice.

"Hmm," I muttered, shaking my head. "Any other destinations?"

"Only Anchorage," she said. "The others have been canceled. So, what'll it be?"

"I'll take it," I nodded.

She nodded back and pressed a few buttons on some sort of device. It hummed, and within a minute, I had a ticket with a specified boarding time. I didn't purchase a specific seat, as I wasn't too concerned about that. I doubted there'd be many travelers right now, so there was no reason to worry.

Returning to the hotel, I booked a reasonably priced room that included breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Once in my room, I collapsed onto the bed. I think I'll spend the next few days analyzing the books I haven't finished yet.

That's exactly what I did. Breakfast, then book analysis. Lunch, followed by more analysis. Dinner, and a night of study. The food was simple but filling.

Of course, various events were happening in the Continental, but I ignored them from my room. For instance, why would I get involved in a dispute between two young men over the heart of an unknown girl? Or why should I question suspicious-looking people about their activities? I had no desire for that, but I did have a desire to analyze my books.

The day of the ship's departure finally arrived, so I checked out of the hotel and headed to the port. Luckily, it was connected by a Floo network, so I didn't have to go outside. The weather today was not exactly welcoming.

The port was divided into two sections—one for regular passengers and one for commercial purposes. The ship I was to board was docked separately, quietly awaiting its passengers. I was the only one who walked up the gangway. On deck stood the captain, who looked like a silver-maned lion wearing a white hat.

"Welcome aboard the Spring Evening," he said. "Your ticket, please."

I handed him my ticket. He checked it with some sort of amulet, then returned it with a stamped seal.

"Since there are very few passengers on this voyage, we can offer you an extra-luxury cabin," he said. "Would that suit you?"

"Yes," I nodded.

"My assistant Vladimir will show you to it," he nodded toward a younger man. Well, not exactly young—more like a solidly built man with a stern, rail-straight gaze.

"Follow me," he gestured.

The cabin was on the second deck, with access to a small platform at the front. From there, I could see the surroundings on three sides. It was enough to enjoy the views.

A family of four women boarded about ten minutes later. They didn't look particularly wealthy. In fact, they seemed as if they had recently survived a massacre—their emotions hinted at that. I didn't delve into their thoughts and returned to my room.

An hour later, the ship trembled, and the captain's voice echoed through all the cabins.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," the captain said. "This is Captain Barometer Shtangensir speaking. Our destination is Anchorage, on the American continent. Along the way, we'll make several stops to recharge the shields at the Near Islands. The next stop will be at the Rat Islands, followed by Unga Island, and finally, Anchorage."

He paused for a moment to let us absorb the information.

"Your security will be handled by the private company Lake, which has extensive experience repelling sea threats. The catering service from the company Milk will ensure you always have fresh and tasty food throughout the voyage," he paused again.

"The crew of the Spring Evening will do their best to get us there quickly and without any problems. If you have any questions, feel free to ask any crew member, and they'll be happy to assist. And… have a pleasant voyage."

The ship slowly began its journey. Besides me and the women, there were no other passengers. This created a slightly melancholic atmosphere in the ship's restaurant, where two waiters attended to each guest. It was a bit unusual, but no one seemed overly concerned. The staff were relieved that their journey would be simple and stress-free.

The family of four women turned out to be refugees from the family war. From their conversations and thoughts, I quickly learned that they had been allied with the Bolshanovs and had lost. All the men had been killed, along with many women and children. They were the last remnants of their family. Although they had been allowed to leave, all their belongings had been confiscated. They had chosen America to get as far away as possible from their former home.

Stepping outside in the evening, I was surprised by the cold. But what surprised me even more was the magical shield surrounding the ship, flickering with a faint blue light. It seemed like it was under constant pressure.

"The ocean is calm today," the captain said. "But… that's not a good sign."

"You have a bad feeling?" I asked.

The captain leaned on the railing and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his jacket. Slowly pulling one out, he took a drag. A surprisingly pleasant smoke spread around us.

"This far edge of the Bering Sea, where it transitions into the Pacific Ocean, has never been this quiet in my memory. There are always waves here, spray hitting your face. Sometimes icebergs drift down from the north, but now… it's so quiet it's scary."

"You think a big storm is coming?" I asked, now looking at the water with more apprehension. I'd seen pictures in books of how dangerous storms could be, and if you add a pinch of magic to them, it's best to find shelter.

"I don't know," the captain said, exhaling and closing his eyes. "My bones aren't saying anything, and they're not giving me any hints. If we do hit a storm, it'll be the strangest one of my life."

He took another drag on his cigarette, then stubbed it out on a small metal plate he had in his pocket. The plate bore marks from previous smoking sessions. He tossed the cigarette butt into a trash can off to the side.

"What I'm saying is…" the man trailed off. "Be prepared, because no one can predict what we'll encounter."

This prompted me to set aside my book analysis and start preparing—preparing for something, though I had no idea what. For several hours, I worked magic on my clothing, layering various protective spells, ensuring they wouldn't conflict and damage the fabric.

Once I felt I was as prepared as possible, it was time to wait. Would there be an attack on the ship, or would the weather unleash an unprecedented storm? Who knows. We'll see.

At one point, a strange vibration ran through the ship. For a moment, it felt like something heavy had slammed into it. My wand was already in my sleeve, and as soon as I stepped into the corridor, I was immediately thrown to the floor. A body, reeking of water and seaweed, flew over me. It rolled, then sprang up with surprising agility. I found myself staring at a strange creature in human form, but with a fish-like body.

It hissed and lunged at me again. This time, I was ready. With a flick of my wand, the body froze in mid-air. No matter how hard it struggled, it couldn't move. Another flick, and it was crushed into a small, bloody cube. One more flick, and the cube fell into a trash can.

Rushing to the deck, I saw a battle between the ship's crew, the service staff, and the security team against all sorts of creatures leaping out of the water. The ship's shields had been breached in some areas, allowing the creatures to slip through. Among the defenders, there were no corpses yet, though some were seriously wounded.

The water around us teemed with monsters, all clamoring to climb aboard. They swarmed, knocking each other off in their desperate attempt to taste warm human flesh.

The power gap between me and the ship's wizards was glaring. They were struggling to defend themselves, losing ground with every passing minute. Eventually, they would be completely overwhelmed and wiped out. That meant it was time for me to take over.

A flick of my wand, and half the monsters were hurled back into the sea. Another flick, and more were swept away. I used powerful magical strikes to break the living chains the monsters were forming to climb aboard. Three minutes later, the deck was cleared of creatures.

"Captain, full speed ahead!" I shouted to Barometer.

He and his assistant immediately rushed into the control cabin, and we began to pick up speed. The security team and crew worked on restoring the shields to prevent any more creatures from getting through. I climbed higher and began weaving a spell. The water around us turned into fuel, and with a flick of my wand, it ignited. Controlling the transfiguration, I allowed the ship to move forward, untouched by the fire.

For twenty minutes, I maintained the transfiguration. It was especially challenging because I had to keep replacing the burned fuel with fresh water. When I stopped feeding energy into the spell, the fire quickly began to die down, releasing black smoke. The ship, however, continued moving.

The wizards paid little attention to my spell because they had other things to deal with. Their priority was to restore the shield and stabilize the injured so they could begin treatment. They also needed to carry out some minor repairs.

Descending to the deck, I tucked my wand into its holster and let out a deep breath. Now, everyone was staring at me—some with fear, others with envy, and a few with near-religious awe.

"Thank you," the captain said once he realized he could relax a little. "If not for your actions, things would have gone very badly."

"We're on the same ship," I replied simply. "I couldn't just stand by in a situation like this. Besides, I certainly can't steer the ship myself."

People approached me, expressing their thanks. Naturally, this attracted the attention of the refugees. A strong wizard interested them, and they hurried to introduce themselves.

"I wanted to thank you," said one of the women. She wasn't young, but still full of life. "If not for your masterful transfiguration, no one would have survived."

They hadn't just stayed in their cabin but had helped however they could. Though they weren't skilled in combat, they had proven themselves to be excellent medi-witches. They had outperformed the ship's doctor and his assistants, which made sense given their experience in the family war.

"It was nothing," I replied. "But now I'm starving. Care to join me?"

"Of course, thank you," the woman responded graciously.

We sat down at a large table, and somehow I ended up at the head. The elder woman sat to my right, the second youngest to my left, and the two younger girls, who looked about twenty, sat at the far end.

The cooks, who hadn't suffered much, were already preparing food. After an ordeal like that, everyone needed to regain their strength. Many had suffered severe injuries, and there was nothing like hard work to take your mind off grim thoughts.

"What's your name?" I asked the women.

"My name is Alena," said the older woman to my right. "This is my daughter, Anastasia."

She indicated the woman on my left.

"These are Dinara and Valentina," she pointed to the younger girls, who smiled warmly. "We're from the now-dissolved Buzin family. But after some recent events, we can no longer call ourselves that."

A somber silence settled over the table.

"Why not?" I asked Alena.

"We lost the family war. This is all that's left of us," the woman said, pursing her lips. It was clear she didn't want to talk about it, but she continued anyway. "We're just trying to find a new life."

"Yeah," I muttered as they served us hot soup. "My name is Timothy Jody, and I'm currently a wandering wizard."

"Jody," Alena said thoughtfully. "I don't know any family by that name."

"My parents aren't wizards," I replied calmly, watching for any reaction from the women. But… there was none. No negativity toward my non-magical parents, just surprise that such a powerful wizard could be born to them.

"You're the youngest Master of Transfiguration," Alena recalled. "You killed Malineg of the Bolshanov family during the Transfiguration Olympics in Zurich a few years ago, didn't you?"

"That was a duel," I confirmed calmly. "Yes, that was me. Why?"

"Oh, nothing," she waved dismissively. "I just didn't think I'd meet such a famous person on a ship."

"Famous?" I was surprised.

"The talk about that duel didn't die down for months," she said. "Everyone was analyzing it and coming up with alternative strategies. Even Dinara and Valentina got involved."

I felt a wave of embarrassment from the girls. I looked at them in surprise, then shook my head.

"And? Did you come up with anything?" I asked.

Alena's expressive gaze left them no room to avoid answering.

"We tried to figure out how to beat you," Dinara said cautiously. "But after today, I realize that everyone was wrong in their calculations."

"Hah," I chuckled. "Funny how life works out sometimes."

"Indeed," the woman agreed.

I sensed in her thoughts that she was considering how nice it would be if I took them under my wing. Here we go… Mentally, I rolled my eyes and sighed. Well, to be fair, they had already shown that they could be valuable because of their skills with medical magic. I'm sure they had other talents, but there hadn't been time or opportunity to demonstrate them yet.

"So, Dinara and Valentina, did you both graduate from Coldevstorets?" I asked.

"Yes," Dinara nodded. She seemed a bit more confident than her relative. "I graduated a year before Valentina."

"And how is life there?" I asked. "Anything interesting?"

"I don't really know," she replied slowly. "The boys focus more on combat training, while the girls specialize in charms, potions, and other things. But that doesn't mean we don't learn to fight. We do, we just don't have as many hours. What else… Well, the school is surrounded by a large forest with all sorts of ingredients and hunting zones. That's about it."

Suddenly, the ship shook violently, as if it had been hit by something massive. The food spilled onto the floor, and the girls and women were thrown from their seats. I quickly jumped to my feet, wand at the ready.

The moment I stepped onto the deck, I saw ten giant tentacles swinging, trying to strike the ship. It seemed the first hit had landed on the shield. The ship wouldn't survive a second blow, which meant I had to act. Good thing I'd paid close attention to the Maltese when they taught me how to fight monsters. This was a Kraken, or at least some kind of relative, and I knew how to deal with them.

A powerful spell sliced through the nearest tentacles. The water around us practically boiled, and we heard a distant, agonized scream. Oh no, buddy, you're not getting away that easily. While the scream still echoed, a small orb appeared at the tip of my wand and dropped into the water. Then came the explosion. The remaining tentacles disappeared beneath the surface, and I caught a glimpse of a large shadow retreating, leaving behind a trail of purple in the water, along with bits of its body.

Next, I cast another spell, designed to follow the trail of blood, reach the monster, and deliver a targeted explosion. That spell should tear the oversized squid to pieces.

"And once again, you've saved us," the captain said. But this time, no one had had the chance to truly panic, so the gratitude was more subdued. "I hope the rest of the journey will be easier."

"I hope so too," I agreed.

"Need any help?" Alena asked, stepping onto the deck.

"No," I waved it off. "I've driven off the Kraken."

"A Kraken?" she repeated, surprised. "I never would have thought an encounter with such a monster could end so quickly."

"It's all thanks to Timothy's power," the captain sighed, lighting another cigarette.

We returned to the dining room and resumed eating, though we were left with only what hadn't spilled onto the floor. The staff had already cleaned up and were preparing new food. Nothing else happened until evening. I spent the rest of the time talking with the women, getting to know them better.

That night, we reached the first island, and the captain decided to anchor there. As soon as we stopped, a special barrier was erected around the ship, repelling sea monsters and hiding us from prying eyes. But that didn't mean the guards could relax—their watch continued.

I returned to analyzing my books, waiting for another possible attack. But nothing happened until morning. At dawn, the ship resumed its course. The constant anticipation of another attack made the crew nervous. Anxious glances were cast toward the water and the horizon, and there was a palpable tension in their thoughts. I, however, wasn't worried at all. If an attack came, I'd respond. Simple as that.

My conversations with the women grew more frequent and lively. Alena, the eldest and most experienced, was now trying to figure out how to… how did she put it? "Catch my coattails" or "Grab me by the mane"—something like that.

The next night, we anchored near another group of islands. The guards remained vigilant, and at one point, something did happen. A new attack on the ship. I happened to be on deck when I saw a sizable fireball flying toward us from the island.

The fireball, like a shooting star, streaked across the sky, drawing the attention of everyone on board. The captain, standing off to the side, turned deathly pale and immediately reached for his cigarettes. His mind wasn't even entertaining the possibility of survival. All he was thinking about was how we were all going to die.

"Hold on tight!" I shouted, amplifying my voice. The ship's shield wouldn't withstand this blow, so I had to handle it myself. Everyone heard me.

With a flick of my wand, it felt like I was moving a heavy wardrobe. The water in front of the ship began to rise, forming a massive, thick wall. The thicker it was, the better our chances of surviving this.

Thirty seconds later, the fireball hit the water wall. There was an explosion, a bang, a flash of light, followed by a blast of fire that scorched the ship, burning its way through. The barrier was breached, but only the residual flames licked the deck. That was enough to burn one of the sailors to death.

The explosion rocked the ship like never before. For a moment, it seemed like we'd capsize, but fortunately, that didn't happen. The jolt gradually subsided, and I wiped the sweat from my brow. But this was far from the end—this was just the warm-up before the real fight.

Several strange rafts burst out of the water, packed with bizarre creatures. Each raft was led by a wizard. I didn't know what they wanted, but they were within range of my most accurate spells. A flick, and one raft went up in flames, consuming the strange creatures. Some sort of magical projectiles were fired at us, but I had anticipated this and erected a shield around the entire ship.

The projectiles hit with a dull thud and disintegrated.

"Restore the shields!" I shouted to the guards and crew.

It seemed they had been waiting for this order and immediately began patching up the shield.

Another flick, and another raft burned, taking all its passengers with it. More rafts kept emerging from the water, increasing in number. It seemed like a never-ending swarm. Time to try a different approach. A sharp tug with my wand, and a beam of light exploded into the sky, illuminating the area for miles around.

"Let's dance!" I shouted, feeling a surge of excitement in the heat of the battle. A flick of my wand, and a wave of fire engulfed a dozen rafts. Another wave from the other side, and another dozen were incinerated in the heat of my rage.

While the crew worked on restoring the shields, I continued sinking rafts, but they just kept coming. It felt like there was an endless number of them. Some sort of green lightning struck me, but I reacted in time, absorbing it with my wand. That spell had been dangerous. What now? It seemed I needed to switch to more effective methods.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds to focus. Then, with a wide, circular sweep of my wand, I transfigured the water around the ship into a flammable substance. Another small flick, and the mixture ignited. I captured as much territory as I could manage, burning the rafts by the dozen—if not the hundreds. The hissing and screaming of the burning creatures formed a satisfying cacophony, echoing my desire to incinerate the attackers completely.

Another fireball shot from the island, this one slightly smaller. I stopped the transfiguration and gritted my teeth, summoning the water wall again. Since this attack was weaker, no one was hurt this time.

"Barometer!" I shouted to the captain. "Can the ship move?"

"Yes!" he shouted back. "But it's risky!"

"Then light it up!" I yelled.

The captain and his assistant kicked the ship into high gear. We plowed through the ocean, now littered with charred bodies, pushing them aside as we went. I began weaving a spell to send toward the source of the fireballs. Without a clear view of the target, casting it was tricky, but not impossible. It was a skill I'd learned in Malta.

Three minutes of spellcasting, and a beam of light shot toward the location where the fireball had come from. I felt it connect with the ground, then an explosion followed. The boom was deafening, reaching the ship. The flash was enormous, and I wouldn't be surprised if even non-magical people saw it. The green blaze rose nearly to the clouds, quickly spreading across the island, consuming everything in its path.

"Serves you right," I muttered, feeling the exhaustion from all the magic. Yes, I'm a powerful wizard, but even I have limits. And I think I just hit mine. Closing my eyes, I slumped onto the deck. I needed a minute to catch my breath.

"Are you alright?" Alena asked, coming over.

"Yeah," I exhaled and opened my eyes. "I just need to rest a bit."

"Here, have some chocolate," she said, handing me a chocolate bar.

"Thanks," I replied, taking the bar.

Munching on the chocolate, I felt some relief. The fatigue slowly faded, replaced by a desire to lie down and get some sleep.

"What are the casualties?" I asked the captain when I entered the control room.

"Three wizards from the security team were burned in the first attack," he said. "I've never seen anything like this. But if not for you, we'd all be dead."

"Why do you think there were so many of these monsters?" I asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "That's a question for magizoologists or other experts in magical creatures. You know, this is my last voyage. I'm done with situations like this."

It seemed the night had left a lasting impression on him. The other wizards might make the same decision, but we'll see. Everyone has their own choice. If they want to keep working, they will. If not, they won't.

The ship sailed through the night using emergency navigation methods, but with the first rays of the sun, we switched to standard procedures.

"Timothy," Alena addressed me. "What are your plans?"

"I'll continue my journey," I shrugged.

"I'd like to ask if you'd take us into your clan," she suddenly said, bowing deeply.

That threw me off balance because I hadn't expected it at all. What is a clan in the magical world? It's a group of people bound not only by blood but also by common interests. To become an official clan, you have to register with the Confederation of Magic. That grants certain privileges but also responsibilities.

What kind of privileges? Officially owning large territories of land. Setting your own laws on that territory. You can even create your own country if you want. There are plenty of other benefits, but they're less interesting. Up until now, I hadn't given it much thought because there hadn't been any need. I'm as free as a bird in the sky. But if I were to start a clan, I'd have to take responsibility for it and for the actions of its members.

"Let's not rush into things," I said, exhaling. "Maybe your opinion will change, or other opportunities will come along."

It was a gentle rejection, leaving room for reconsideration. Maybe I'll change my mind in the future, or maybe I won't. But for now, I have no desire to start a clan.