Are we home yet?

The sound of the horses' hooves pulling the carriage can be heard in the background, complementing the sound of the birds chirping.

My Pov

At this very moment, Alice and I are sitting in the carriage together, and a third passenger, Sascha, will also accompany us on this journey.

We left early in the morning, and because only old man Baldwin and a few others were aware of the impending departure, the Geist Legion did not send us off with a proper farewell ceremony.

And only a few of the soldiers were fortunate enough to have today be their turn to guard the entrance to the castle.

Moreover, I could see the shocked expressions on the soldiers' faces when they realized that the carriage coming out of the gate was mine.

But then they hastily saluted, and without making a noise that would wake all of the other soldiers who were now sleeping in the barracks, they immediately opened the gate.

After that, the three carriages that arrived at this fort a week ago are slowly winding their way down the hillside with a slightly darker look.

"I truly hate having to get up early in the morning, but it can't be helped because Alice is already constantly whining about wanting to go back to the capital."

I said it in a tone that suggested I was mildly irritated, and if anyone were to look at me right now, a puff of white smoke would come out of my mouth whenever I opened it to speak.

"That's right, the sun hasn't even risen yet, and the air is still very cold. I didn't expect us to leave so early."

Unexpectedly, Sascha, who is currently sitting opposite me, also responded as if agreeing with what I had said.

I came to the conclusion that it would be best if Sascha, Alice, and I all rode in the same carriage.

One could say that this is the initial step taken in order for the two of them to become acquainted with one another.

Alice, who heard Sascha and my conversation, responded as if she disagreed with us, but even after her response, she appeared unmotivated.

"I'm not trying to be a baby... I just can't wait to get out of that creepy castle and into the safety of my own home."

Alice, who was sitting next to me, would occasionally rest her head on my shoulder with slightly closed eyes. This was because she was getting sleepy.

Because Alice was so excited when she woke us up, but then she wanted to go straight to sleep during the trip, Sascha and I, who saw it, couldn't help but smile wryly at the irony of the situation.

Sascha inquired about the topic of discussion from the previous night after noticing that Alice had actually dozed off on my shoulder.

"Young master, may I ask who the mastermind is that was responsible for hiring those people?"

"When we get to the capital, you might be able to find the answer to your question there."

I responded with a laid-back tone and a grin on my face, "I'm not sure myself either, but I can ask that person for more details." I said this while indicating that I'm not entirely sure and want to confirm it again.

After that, there was silence in the carriage while I kept looking out the window at the passing landscape. Sascha sat perfectly still with her eyes closed and her back straight.

Because I can see the vibrant energy penetrating into Sascha's body, I know that she is currently engaging in training to absorb the energy in her vicinity.

As long as the individual is still in meditation or the energy in this world does not deplete or vanish, this process will continue to be repeated continuously.

It goes without saying that not everyone is capable of doing it in this world, there is a concept known as talent, and if a person possesses talent in the areas of magic and energy, he or she will likely become a magus.

In the event that a person is born with an affinity for the energy that is present in this world, it will be much simpler for that person to either take in the energy or release it as a form of magic.

But of course, being a magus is not the be-all and end-all of this world. If you don't want to be a magus and don't have a talent for magic or energy, you can spend your leveling up points on other things instead of becoming a magus.

For instance, you could play the role of an assassin who combines lightning-fast reflexes and speed with a lethal sediment attack.

Choose to be a knight or a warrior. Your abilities are almost identical in both roles, including your ability to deal damage at close range and your extraordinary body resistance.

Or even a skilled archer or sniper who has very high accuracy so that they are always right on target and overwhelm the enemy with their firepower.

What I described is just the most fundamental option available, and most people go in that direction.

There are, of course, many more that I haven't mentioned or that I don't want to say due to the vastness of this world and the highly varied nature of its mysteries.

I've always maintained that talent dictates everything. By talent, I mean affinity with energy and magic.

Because if you are a great swordsman but lack talent with energy and magic, you will lose to a swordsman whose every slash is accompanied by deadly magic, as he or she has talent in both.

Someone with a low level does not necessarily have no talent, whereas someone with a high level definitely possesses talent with magic or energy.

Because that individual would not have been able to achieve such a high level of success without possessing that talent.

In this world, one's strength can be affected by various factors, but I'll go into more detail about those aspects later.

_________________

This journey back home seemed to go by more quickly because the carriage I was riding in had entered the area of the forest where I had previously encountered the unfortunate brothers and sisters, where bandits were attacking the carriage they were riding in at that time.

I could no longer find any traces of that incident, no blood or other remnants.

And without making the slightest adjustment to its speed, the carriage kept moving forward in the direction of the capital.

From a great distance, I could already make out a strong fortress that appeared to be majestic and tall, as if a giant was imprisoned within it. The fortress gave the impression that it stretched all the way to the end of the horizon.

And not too much later after that, my carriage arrived at the gate, which was also very wide because the size of the fort itself dictated that it should be natural.

The width of the gate was purposefully chosen to serve as a divider between the two sections, with one section serving as an entrance for commoners such as merchants, travelers, and locals who live in the area.

While the other half of the entrance is reserved for nobles, it is possible to use it for other important matters that require immediate attention in exceptional circumstances.

When I tried to go through the gate's entrance, suddenly, there was a ruckus going on outside that caused the carriage I was riding in to come to a stop.

Seen several gatekeepers arguing with a group of people, including an elderly man and, standing behind him, a boy and a girl in their teenage years.

The elderly man appeared to be objecting to something, and the young boy standing behind him wore a haughty expression, occasionally participating in the argument.

The girl with them had an expression that was the exact opposite of that of the two. She wore a calm expression and appeared cold, as if she didn't care about what was in front of her.

Because the carriage came to a stop, Alice, who had been sleeping beside me, eventually woke up. Perhaps Alice believed that we had arrived, which is why she asked the question right away.

"Are we home yet?"

During this time, Sascha also emerged from her meditative state, but she did so wearing an aggravated expression as if she had been disturbed.

I chose not to respond to Alice's question and instead gave the order to the guards on the front carriage.

"Tell them to get out of the way."