Not long after Erica left, a surprising encounter occurred between the old woman and the red-robed Mage.
"So, what brings you to me, Pyra?" the old woman asked.
"Why did you abandon the Red Magic Tower?" Pyra shot back, her voice sharp with accusation.
"As you can see, I'm no longer worthy of being there. Now, I'm just an old woman wandering without purpose," she replied calmly.
"Don't joke with me! You're just running away from everything," Pyra snapped.
The truth was, the old woman had once been close friends with the Master of the Red Tower. But after a battle with demon followers, she suffered a critical injury to her magic core—rendering her unable to continue her journey as a Mage.
Every Mage possesses a vessel called a Magic Core, the source and storage of their mana. The larger and more stable the core, the stronger the Mage. If it's too damaged, they can no longer channel mana properly.
Because of this, the old woman became a wanderer.
But meeting Erica changed that. She decided to settle down and teach again. Seeing such talent awakened a dream she had long buried—shaping a child into the greatest Mage. But Erica… still lacked a strong reason to pursue that greatness.
"So, it seems you've taken on a student," Pyra said with a hint of sarcasm.
"As you can see, the girl has real talent."
"Maybe I'll just train her to be an adventurer for now," the old woman added, smiling confidently.
"If she's that gifted, why not bring her to the Magic Tower?" Pyra suggested.
"Not yet. She needs to see more of the world first," the old woman answered firmly.
As if her mind was made up, she vowed to teach Erica everything she knew.
"Fine. I'll just keep an eye on her from afar," Pyra said, turning to leave.
Cough, cough.
The old woman doubled over in a fit of coughing. Blood trickled from her lips.
Looks like I don't have much time left, she thought.
From her pocket, she pulled out a glowing red stone, worn yet precious.
Take this stone…
Why are you giving me something so valuable?
A seer from the New Magic Tower once told me—one day, you'll meet a child who will change the world. If you do, give them this stone.
Nonsense.
The memory returned to her—a conversation with the Master of the Red Tower in the past.
Could that child be Erica…?
She thought back to the days when they trained under the same master. They had been rivals and friends. Though she lacked talent, she never gave up on becoming a Mage.
Then came that fateful incident, forcing her to leave the Red Tower to avoid being a burden. But meeting Erica rekindled a hope she thought long dead.
---
Some time later, their journey began. Before departing, Erica said farewell to the bakery owner and the children of the slums who had become her friends.
Thanks to Erica, some of the slum children had even learned to read.
"Take care of yourself, Erica. Here—take this for the road."
The bakery owner handed her a bag of dry bread.
"Thank you, Ma'am. Take care as well."
"Sis, will you come back someday?" a small child asked, sadness in their voice.
"Of course. You haven't forgotten what I taught you, have you?"
"No way! I'll keep studying every day," said the oldest among the three.
"You're the eldest—so take care of the others, okay?" Erica said gently, patting the child's head.
Thanks to fragments of her past life, Erica understood how important education was for young children. Teaching them to read was the least she could do. They were like little siblings to her.
Sniffle… One of them began to cry.
Remember, life is hard when you're alone…
They recalled Erica's words and made a pact to support each other no matter what—especially in a world this cruel to orphans like them.
And so, their journey began.
"Hey, kid. When monsters show up, you have to fight. That's how you'll make a name for yourself," the old woman said.
"Okay, Granny…" Erica replied calmly.
The old woman had taught her well.
Even with basic spells like Fireball, one could be considered a great Mage—if they knew when to strike. Positioning was also key to avoiding enemy attacks.
Suddenly, goblins attacked. The mercenaries hired by the traders moved to intercept. Some were clearly rookies.
"Behind you!" a seasoned mercenary shouted—but his voice was nearly drowned by the chaos of battle.
Erica, positioned just behind the front line, spotted an opening. She raised her hand.
"Fireball!"
Whoosh!
A dense fireball shot forward.
Thrum!
It struck a goblin's chest, exploding in flames and black smoke.
Kreeeek!
The creaturecollapsed, smoke rising from its charred body.
"Ugh… thanks!"
The mercenary winced at the sight but nodded gratefully.
Erica gave a small smile, then returned her gaze to the battlefield—eyes sharp, watching for the next threat. With the front line holding strong, she could safely maintain her position, casting spells when needed.
That girl… she's not just talented—she has instincts, Pyra observed from afar. Erica's calm and precision under pressure intrigued her.
That night, as the group rested, a merchant approached.
"Hey, kid. Take this."
He handed Erica a small pouch of silver coins.
"Consider it payment for your help."
"Sure thing~" Erica accepted with a smile.
Another approached.
"Kid, this is for saving one of my men," said the mercenary leader, handing her some roasted meat.
Erica's cheerful demeanor and kind smile quickly won people over. If she grew up like this, surely she'd break a few hearts.
After several days on the road, they endured more monster attacks. Nearing the frontier, Pyra finally spoke to Erica directly.
"Hey, kid. I'm Pyra, a Mage from the Red Magic Tower. What's your name?"
That name… sounds familiar…
Erica paused, lost in thought.
"My name is Erica."
"How long have you been studying magic?" Pyra asked.
"Hmm, about a year. The old lady taught me," she replied, pointing at the woman.
"I told you to call me Teacher…!" the old woman snapped.
"Haha," Pyra chuckled at the scene.
"Well, Erica, since you're so talented, have you thought about joining a Magic Tower?"
"Not really…"
"If you affiliate with one, you'll be eligible to enter the Royal Academy."
"Have you heard of the Royal Academy of Tharsaros?" Pyra asked.
"…Huh?"
Erica froze. Her heart pounded.
Something about that name—
Suddenly, the wagon came to a halt.
Pyra, who had been relaxed, now grew tense. She sensed danger ahead.