FMVR | Chapter 46

Luke, who had recently moved to Hwaon, had gotten somewhat acquainted with the villagers. Rumors of a handsome young man moving into the village had spread like wildfire without Luke even realizing it, and before long, his nickname had become the “Pretty Young Man.”

“Oh, the Kael family’s ranch is quite large.”

These days, Luke spent his time trying to adapt to the village. In the capital, he had only lived at the Imperial Army Headquarters, but now that he finally had a permanent home, he thought it would be wise to build friendly relationships with the locals. Luke had learned all too well during his time as a soldier how unpleasant relationships could cause unforeseen problems.

“It looks a bit much for your parents to manage alone, doesn’t it?”

“That’s why I’ve been thinking about just inheriting the family business these days.”

Kael wiped the sweat off his forehead as he organized a pile of hay. When Luke offered to help, Kael flatly refused, insisting he couldn’t make a guest do chores.

Among the villagers, Kael was the one Luke had grown closest to since moving in. After learning that Kael was two years younger than him, they had become comfortable enough to drop formal speech.

Luke turned his gaze to the vast ranch stretching out before him. Sheep and dairy cows lazily roamed the lush green pasture. Watching the leisurely pace of the animals calmed Luke’s heart as well.

“I’ll head over there for a moment.”

“Alright.”

Kael opened the gate to the fence and stepped inside. Just then, a nearby sheep, seemingly mischievous, suddenly bounced toward the gate and slammed into it.

“What?!”

Before Kael could react, the gate swung open wide, and the sheep darted out. Kael rushed over in a panic, but the sheep was already well beyond the fence.

From a distance, Luke watched the sheep running off. He raised his hand and aimed toward its path. With a light snap of his fingers, something remarkable happened. The sheep, as if hitting an invisible wall, abruptly stopped with a thud.

Thanks to Kael, who quickly ran over, the situation was resolved without further trouble.

“Wow, good thing it stopped suddenly. That one’s a real troublemaker.”

“Yeah, good thing.”

Luke shrugged, brushing it off casually.

After helping Kael wrap up the chores, Luke followed him to his house, where Kael’s mother served him freshly baked pie. Both of Kael’s parents were incredibly kind, chatting with Luke and encouraging him to reach out if he ever needed help. It seemed that saving their son from trouble had earned him considerable goodwill.

With his stomach full, Luke left the house carrying some leftover pie wrapped neatly. A breeze swept across the grass and reached him as he walked home.

“Wow, the wind feels great.”

“Doesn’t it?”

The breeze was dry and refreshing, the pie’s sweet aroma lingered on him, and his full stomach made him wonder if there had ever been such a peaceful moment in his life. Unlike the bustling capital, which often felt stifling, this village was wide open and liberating. It was a place where even negative thoughts seemed to dissipate.

“When I lived here as a kid, I didn’t think much of it, but I guess it was all about my mindset.”

Luke smiled as he muttered a small wish for this peace to last forever—

Boom!

His quiet hope was interrupted by a loud explosion echoing from a nearby mountain, not far from Kael’s ranch.

“What?”

Kael jumped in surprise, his eyes widening.

“Oh my, what’s happening?!”

Kael’s parents also ran outside, alarmed by the noise.

“I-I don’t know! It just suddenly—”

Kael pointed to a spot where gray smoke was rising in plumes.

“Kael,” Luke called, scratching his head.

“Is the Kyleum Division close by?”

“Well, like I mentioned before, the military division is over near the square, but…”

This village was some distance from the square, so it wasn’t exactly close. Still, Luke figured the Magic Unit could warp there quickly, meaning they’d be able to respond in no time.

“But honey, isn’t that where Ruben and Grandmother live?” Kael’s mother said, her voice trembling.

“Exactly! She’s not very mobile—what could have happened…?”

Hearing this, Luke stiffened. He couldn’t just ignore it. He could sense it—there was a definite presence of a magical beast in that direction.

“Sigh.”

Luke exhaled heavily and pinpointed his destination.

“L-Luke…?”

Seeing Luke preparing to move, Kael looked uneasy.

“Kael, could you take this pie to my house for me?”

Before Kael could respond, Luke patted his shoulder and snapped his fingers again. His body slowly disappeared from sight. When Kael’s parents asked where Luke had gone, Kael fumbled with an excuse.

Luke successfully warped to the spot where the smoke was rising and let out a sigh of relief. Though he wasn’t particularly skilled with warp magic, he had landed in the right place.

The scene around him was chaotic. Thick smoke clouded the area, and the forest was stained with large, dark splatters of blood. Luke clenched his fist tightly.

The smoke was denser than it had appeared from afar. Even when the division arrived, the thick fog would make exploration difficult.

Focusing on his surroundings, Luke detected a faint trace of life amidst the smoke and darted toward it. His speed cut through the smoke like a blade, leaving it behind.

“Grandma! Please hang on…! Ack…!”

The desperate voice of a child grew louder as Luke approached. He found a young boy trying to cover an old woman’s mouth with a handkerchief to keep the smoke out.

“Are you alright?”

Luke covered his own mouth with his sleeve and waved his free hand as if slicing through the air. The smoke before them dissipated as if swept away by an unseen force—a wind conjured by his magic.

“W-who are you…?”

“Just a guy who moved into the village down below.”

Luke smiled warmly, trying to reassure the boy.

“M-my grandmother…”

“She’ll be fine…”

Just as Luke was about to finish his sentence, a spine-chilling sound came from behind him, like nails scraping across a metal surface. A cold sweat ran down his back as the boy’s face turned pale with fear.

Luke placed his hand on a nearby tree.

Whoosh—

The tree, infused with Luke’s magic, sprouted thick branches that encircled the boy and the old woman, pulling them to safety. A sturdy wooden barrier formed around them like a protective dome.

With them secured, Luke turned toward the sound. Amidst the lingering smoke, the silhouette of a towering figure, easily over two meters tall, emerged.

With a swing of his arm, Luke dispersed the smoke further, revealing the magical beast. It had a humanoid form, its face wrapped in bandage-like cloth. Its skeletal body was grotesquely twisted, with internal organs exposed and spilling onto the ground.

The beast let out an unearthly noise, contorting its body even more unnaturally as its intestines ruptured, spraying blood everywhere. Trees touched by the blood sizzled and melted, releasing more smoke.

“Gross,” Luke muttered, grimacing.

This one was powerful—likely a high-tier magical beast. It was infamous for its horrifying appearance, said to drive those who saw it to madness.

“Well, you won’t be so gross once you’re dead.”

Luke clapped his hands, ready to deal with it.

—

Meanwhile, at the Kyleum Division, preparations for warping were underway. Reports indicated that a high-tier magical beast had appeared in the village, prompting the unit to mobilize swiftly.

“Look at that smoke.”

“It’s likely the beast’s doing. Judging by the melted traces, it might be the corrosive kind. Be cautious.”

“Yes, sir!”

“I hope there aren’t any casualties…”

Kallon, the division leader responsible for the west, frowned as he ran his hand through his red hair. As the troops advanced cautiously, a scout adept at detection magic signaled with a broad gesture.

Kallon rushed over. “Is it the beast?”

The scout shook his head.

“Are you soldiers?”

Before anyone could explain further, a man carrying an old woman and a child on his back emerged from the smoke. Collapsing to the ground with an exhausted laugh, he muttered, “Wow, I thought I was done for.”

Kallon immediately ordered his men to protect the civilians.

“Can you talk?”

“Yes…”

Kallon knelt in front of the man, his face obscured by the smoke and his tattered clothes.

“Did you come from inside? Did you see the beast?”

The man, covered in dirt and torn fabric, nodded hesitantly.

“Y-yeah, but I was too busy running to really see…”

When the man mentioned seeing the beast, Kallon ordered the troops to search the area further.

“A mercenary saved us! They killed the beast too!”

“Is that true?”

The man nodded vigorously, his soft hair swaying through the smoky air.

Kallon frowned. A mercenary arriving faster than the military and defeating the beast already? It wasn’t impossible, but…

“Do you remember anything about this mercenary? Appearance, name?”

The man hesitated, fidgeting awkwardly.

“Um… Sebaschan?”