"Haa... haa..."
Kuzon could feel it. The mental strain that was afflicting his body, even though he was still physically healthy.
'How long? How many hours has it been now? No, perhaps more than that?'
Kuzon was currently hunched over as he constantly kept taking steps so he wouldn't lose sight of the old man in front of him.
It had been so long since they started following him that it didn't seem real that they would continue pursuing the relentless fellow.
One stare at his shabby back, and Kuzon's tired eyes fell even further.
'I-impossible! How is he still moving?!'
"Urgh...." A slurry voice sounded atop him. It came from Maya.
She had used up all her strength a while ago, and was now being carried by him.
They were both tired, no doubt.
'How can he keep this up? Is this perhaps the special effect of this world? Magic?'
It was indeed possible that he was being 'affected' by a negative condition. Perhaps he was hallucinating.
His Arcanas were currently on the fritz, so he didn't have any absolute defense against such measures.
'Should I use Magic to cancel it? But...' The reason he didn't want to use Magic was because he was bound to be detected if he did.
Not by the Midas Empire, but the old man.
'Am I really sure he hasn't noticed us already? If we are in his domain, then he should have.
'Or is this place just a Magic Spot in this world? Could it be that this old man found it by accident and made it his home?'
There were many alternatives, now that Kuzon thought about it.
However, it still didn't shake off the uneasy feeling he had.
'Just a little Magic. Let me try it.'
Kuzon closed his eyes and circulated his energy, coursing everything through his body.
>FSHUUUUUUUUU...<
"Haaa..." Opening his eyes slowly, exhaling deeply.
It turned out he wasn't under any illusion.
'Let's keep going, then.'
*******
Fortunately, not too long after, Kuzon and Maya saw the old man arriving at a residence.
But...
'Huh?!'
... It was as underwhelming as the cave from long back.
The shack looked like a small wizard's hut, made form straw and stone bricks. It had a chimney, and magical dust-like smoke rose from it.
All in all, it was bizarre and unimpressive.
'This is his actual home...?' Kuzon's eyes widened slightly as he watched the old man venture inside.
'Let's not judge things at face value. So far he keeps surprising us, right?'
The problem right now was what to do now that the old man had arrived home.
Were they supposed to watch a bit longer? Investigate the terrain? Extensively discuss all they had seen?
Kuzon quickly mulled over all these details, but finally arrived at a simple answer.
"We're out of time. Let's go in."
"A-are you sure? We should me more patient. Maybe even rest a little."
Kuzon found it odd that the person who had hitched a ride on his back could spew such words.
In one big shrug, he pushed her off his back, causing her to Yelp as her buttocks hit the ground.
"Ow-ow! You're so mean."
"Yeah, yeah." Kuzon couldn't care less. His gaze was more focused on the old man's cottage.
"We're going in, Maya."
"F-fine..."
And so, the two ventured straight into yet another world they didn't expect.
******
Within the confines of the unassuming abode, a magnificent hall unfolded, defying the laws of space and reality.
It was a place where magic thrived, casting its ethereal glow upon the two who dared to venture inside.
As Kuzon and Maya stepped through the threshold, their senses were immediately captivated by an array of strange and mesmerizing sights.
"N-no way. Again?!" Kuzon nearly screamed this time as his eyes took in the miraculous sight before him.
The hall seemed to stretch infinitely in all directions, its vastness defying the confines of the humble hut that contained it.
In the midst of this enchanting spectacle, their eyes were drawn to peculiar creatures suspended within glass jars, their otherworldly forms both curious and captivating. Each jar held a mysterious being, frozen in time, their presence evoking a sense of awe and wonder... as well as dread.
An assortment of staffs and staves adorned stands and lined the walls, their intricate carvings and ornate designs imbued with an undeniable allure. Each one seemed to possess a story of its own, whispered by the ancient, yet beautiful wood that coursed through its very core.
Books, ancient and weathered, were scattered throughout the hall, their pages brimming with forgotten knowledge and untold tales. They beckoned the two curious souls to unravel their secrets, promising an adventure that transcended the boundaries of the mundane.
Sparkling jewels and curious artifacts adorned every corner, casting a kaleidoscope of colors and reflections that danced upon the walls.
Rare and peculiar items, most of which were unknown to even Kuzon, were put on grand exhibition, showcasing the mysteries that lay hidden within their delicate frames.
"L-look there, Kuzon. I told you I saw him riding reindeers in a sleigh!" Maya dragged the dazed Kuzon to yet another awesome spot in the massive hall.
There, nestled among the treasures, stood a stand adorned with miniature wooden reindeers.
Their lifelike features and delicate craftsmanship breathed a semblance of life into the very wood from which they were carved.
"It's almost like they're alive..." Kuzon whispered.
Still, all of this magnificence that bewildered them had one flaw in Kuzon's eyes.
'They don't have an ounce of Mana or Aether. Not even the mystical-looking ones.'
He had thought, for sure, that they would be powerful, but their lack of any kind of special attributes disappointed him.
'They are beautiful, though...' Kuzon's thoughts trailed as he watched them with longing eyes.
"Are you done sightseeing?"
Kuzon's body stiffened the moment he heard the strange, yet oddly familiar voice.
Twisting sharply in the direction of the tone, his vision met the old man they had followed here.
He stood a distance from them, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. More spectacular, however, was the new outfit he donned.
'W-what the hell is that?!' Kuzon thought to himself
It was a weird wizard attire. It had bright multicolored dyes as the base and weird star designs all around it, with a crooked wizard cap to match.
'What in the world is—?'
"So? What do you think of my 'toys'?" The old man's smile widened as he intently stared at the two of them, specifically Kuzon.
'His gaze feel so intense. I couldn't even sense him until he spoke.'
Also, by toys, did he mean the objects that decorated the hall? Kuzon was more surprised that he didn't ask what they were doing in his abode.
'Did he sense us here, after all?' In any case, Kuzon decided to answer.
Now that it had come to this, and he was going to have to win the old man's trust, he had to be honest.
"I think... they're beautiful. But as far as Magic goes... they're not too impressive."
Hopefully he didn't sound too condescending. However, that was simply how the whole thing appeared to him.
"Oh? Is that so?" The twinkle in the man's eyes died so quickly and suddenly that Kuzon felt a heaviness suddenly envelope him.
"How disappointing..."
*
*
*
[A/N]
, his identity will be revealed. You can all make guesses, though.
Here's the link.
