My legs were numb.
Every breath scraped my throat raw.
My energy was leaking out faster than I could fill it.
And those Mystic Realm beasts—
they just wouldn’t stop chasing me.
“Seriously…? I should’ve listened to Dad…”
Now here I was.
Alone.
Lost.
In a forest that felt like it stretched into eternity.
GRAAAAAA!!
The roar cracked through the trees behind me, shaking my entire spine.
Too close.
Way too close.
“For Lord’s sake—please give me a break!”
A dead end.
Of course.
Why wouldn’t today get worse?
I bit my lip and scrambled onto a huge rock, trying to climb the steep ridge ahead—
GRAAA!!
Something slashed from the left.
THWACK—!!
“KYAA—!!”
Pain exploded through my arm.
Warm blood splattered across the ground.
“Ouchie—! That hurts, you jerk!!”
My arm wasn’t gone, thank the Lord, but three long gashes burnt across it—deep enough to sting with every heartbeat.
I staggered back, breath shaking.
And then I saw it.
The Mystic Beast.
Flames curled around its massive head, its claws were longer than my forearm, and its towering body blocked every path of escape.
“…I’m done for.”
Not fear.
Not panic.
Just the cold realization that it had cornered me perfectly.
“No. Not yet.”
I gritted my teeth and yanked out my family heirloom—a crimson flintlock.
I fired the blood bullet straight at its chest.
BOOOOM!!
The blast tore through the beast—
—but then the wound knitted itself back together instantly.
Of course, it regenerated.
Stolen story; please report.
Beasts with regeneration were rare—Father always said only upper-rank Mystic Beasts had it.
Its mouth curled into a twisted grin, as if mocking me.
“A—ahaha… okay. Cool. Perfect. Just great…”
Whether it was male or female didn’t matter—
Either way, I was definitely about to become breakfast.
I shut my eyes tight.
“Daddy…!”
“How cute.”
That voice—
Oh no.
Before I could even turn around, the beast in front of me shattered like glass, blue slime exploding everywhere.
“Ewwww—gross!! My outfit!!”
Slime soaked my blue coat and even clung to my long silver hair, which was now sticking everywhere like static. Ugh. My teal eyes probably looked like a raccoon’s. Amazing. Truly Academy material.
“Hahaha! You’re still too young for hunting, my princess.”
…Yep.
Only one man could sound that annoying and proud at the same time.
My Dad.
I looked up the mountain just in time to see him grinning down at me, a silver-tipped cigarette holder dangling from his lips like he was posing for a dramatic poster.
THUD—!
A mini-shockwave rippled through the dirt as he landed beside me.
Great.
Here comes the mockery.
What else could I expect from an elite-rank mystic user like him?
“Told you, didn’t I? You’re too young for hunting, my little girl.”
“Oh, shut up! I’m nineteen, okay?! I can do just fine. Today’s just… not my day, that’s all!”
A frustrated rant burst out of me as I pushed myself up, slapping dust off my clothes like that would also knock off my embarrassment.
…Yeah, fine.
I bluffed.
But what else am I supposed to do?
If I don’t talk big, he’ll never approve.
And I need his permission.
I need it—
to get there.
“Good grief, kids nowadays…” Shaking his head, a sigh escaped his lips.
I just hope he didn't restrict me.
If he did, then I might lose my—
“Here.”
A soft pat.
Something cold yet slim landed gently against my head, and even without looking, I could tell.
I got it.
I finally got it.
“Dad… are you for real?”
I couldn't believe my eyes as my fingers clutched the smooth surface of that flat card—
I could tell.
Elation.
I felt it.
My ID for the Academy.
The Academy I could only dream of—now it’s my reality.
“Can't help it, can I? You're so desperate to get into the academy, so I thought… might as well allow you to do as you please for once.”
The smug grin hadn’t left his face; it only curled more, as though he had achieved some victory.
But it was I—who actually won.
My god.
Oh my god!
“Dad, I love you!!!”
Failing to control my joy, my hands flung forward—embracing him for his gift.
“Hahaha, as long as you are happy.”
A gentle pat—his warm hand ruffled my hair.
At that moment, I felt like I was on cloud nine.
“But…”
Just when I thought everything would go easily—things started changing.
Obviously, how could my life—Aria Velshine’s life—be any easier?
“But Aria… don’t be reckless. The academy only appreciates those with talents.”
“Are you perhaps saying I have no talent, ‘Dad’?”
“Ohhh, no no. Of course not!”
The grim expression on his face was swept away like dust by my comment.
“You’re so talented, my girl! Even Zero would fail against you! Hahaha!”
He embraced me more tightly—out of fear, duh—while spouting nonsense again.
However, one name hit me hard.
Zero.
The Hero who was akin to a god.
The only one who put an end to the war many years ago.
I felt a strange hotness in my eyes, as though something clicked—yet I couldn’t exactly tell what.
“Stop bluffing.”
Caressing my eyes, I moved away and turned around to go.
“No one can be him. He was different.”
“That’s true.” His smirk lingered, as if he enjoyed poking at my nerves.
But for a brief moment, I noticed it—
a strange shift in his expression.
“He was really something.”
His smile stayed, but it was… odd.
Or rather, melancholy.
“…” I didn’t reply—just closed my eyes.
Then—
“Yaowch?!”
My fist slammed into his belly, nearly making him cough out his soul.
“Wh-why, sweetie…?”
Clutching his stomach, he knelt in pain, glaring up at me like a betrayed puppy.
“Rule 1: Never let your guard down, right?”
A sly grin crept onto my face. I couldn’t help it.
“W-wonderful… th-that’s my daughter for you. U-using my own teachings on me… haha…”
Still wheezing, he somehow managed to stand.
“Anyway, I’m hungry. Let’s go home.”
I said it—more like commanded it.
“Aye aye, Captain.”
In his usual idiotic fashion, he saluted, and we began walking out of the forest.
CAW! CAW! CAW!
My gaze shifted toward an evergreen tree where I spotted a cluster of crows.
Strange.
How could any bird be here?
In a mystic forest that only holds beasts?
“By the way, Aria.”
“Yeah?” His tone pulled my attention.
“That was something, you know.”
His face turned serious—so serious it made me freeze for half a breath.
“What?” I asked.
Did he see something I didn’t?
Or was it—
“Dad-dyyy~~~! Save me~~~! I’m scared~~~”
“…”
I felt the blood rush to my head.
Then—
“Gyahhh?!”
A hard kick.
To his stomach.
Exactly what he deserved.
“Hmph, dummy dad.”
Ignoring his theatrics, I looked back at the tree.
Empty.
No birds.
Nothing.
“Strange…”
I bit my lip, a faint sense of awareness prickling through me.
Still, we left the forest.
Yet again, I glanced back—
feeling like someone’s eyes were on me.
But there was no one.
[Subject ID: ???]
[Anomaly Detected: ZER?-ECHO]
[Timeline Sync: FAILURE]
[Interference Source: UNKNOWN]
[Threat Level: UN??WN]