Chapter 24 – Aspiring Mage, Deneb

Chapter 24: Aspiring Mage, Deneb

“The reason I called you here today.”

Wilhelm’s gaze shifted to Marcel, who stood beside Deneb.

“Let me introduce you. This is Marcel Greyhound.”

“I look forward to working with you again.”

Marcel bowed his head in greeting.

She’d already introduced herself earlier, but at the other’s greeting, Deneb habitually bowed her head too.

“He’s a new member who just joined, but Marcel is an A-Rank Hunter. A pretty capable guy in this industry.”

At the word “A-Rank,” Deneb’s eyes naturally widened.

Why would someone that amazing be assigned to me…?

“From now on, Marcel will serve as both your bodyguard and your swordsmanship teacher.”

“Ye—…yes?!”

Deneb answered without thinking at first, then was stunned by Wilhelm’s words.

An A-Rank Hunter as my bodyguard and teacher?!

Deneb’s gaze cautiously turned to Marcel.

As if he already knew about this, Marcel answered Deneb’s stare with a faint smile.

“hyung-nim—no, Master…”

Deneb’s face twisted in bewilderment as she turned her gaze back to Wilhelm.

Even if they were fellow guild members, having an A-Rank Hunter as a guard was overwhelmingly burdensome.

Besides, A-Rank Hunters were usually core members of the guild’s High-Rank Gate assault squads.

Losing even one of them would be a huge loss in combat power—why would his brother, who always calculated costs and benefits so thoroughly, make this choice?

“I was afraid.”

As if reading Deneb’s expression, Wilhelm spoke.

“At the thought that I could have lost my only brother.”

“…!”

Deneb’s confusion was dispelled by Wilhelm’s single sentence.

His brother had been worried about her—his younger sister who’d been caught up in the Bandit incident—even more than about Verdi, who was his top recruitment priority.

‘hyung-nim…’

Deneb’s eyes reddened slightly as she learned Wilhelm’s true feelings.

“So I’m entrusting Marcel to you. He’s solid in skill—he’ll be a good teacher.”

“Yes…!”

At Wilhelm’s words, Deneb bowed her head in gratitude.

…But.

It was good that he’d assigned a teacher, but still.

A swordsmanship teacher. Deneb let out a small sigh with her head still bowed.

‘…I wanted to become a mage-type Hunter.’

Deneb had become a Hunter more under the influence of her lifesaver, Verdiol, than her blood brother Wilhelm.

The memory was still vivid in his mind.

The day the Dungeon Break happened.

Verdiol, who had saved him when he was being chased by Demon Beasts.

The mage who appeared before him poured out flames with just an outstretched hand, shattering the Demon Beasts to pieces.

It looked less like a battle between Hunter and Demon Beast and more like a god delivering punishment to the Demon Beasts that tormented humans.

That sight had a huge impact on Deneb’s life.

Deneb wanted to become a Hunter. And specifically, a mage-type Hunter like Verdiol hyung-nim.

However, there was one problem.

The Lucius family had been renowned for swordsmanship since ancient times.

His older brother Wilhelm naturally didn’t look favorably on his younger sister walking the path of a mage.

That was also why Deneb was always cautious around Wilhelm.

Wilhelm hyung-nim never said anything outright… but judging from the fact that he’d personally offered to assign a swordsmanship teacher, it seemed he still had lingering hopes.

‘Of course, I know that too…’

That aspiring to magic in a renowned swordsmanship family was practically heresy.

Deneb knew that even within the family, there were many who looked down on her interest in magic.

It was only because of his brother that they didn’t come out openly.

Deneb didn’t want to burden Wilhelm.

That was why he’d worked desperately and managed to achieve Rank Advancement to D-Rank Hunter using only magic.

But it was still far from enough.

Even after reaching D-Rank, he was still the lowest-ranked Hunter in the guild.

Deneb lifted her head. Wilhelm’s still expressionless face came into view.

Wilhelm wanted Deneb to walk the path of a swordsman, even to the point of assigning an A-Rank Hunter as both guardian and swordsmanship teacher.

“I’m truly grateful that you assigned Sir Marcel. But I’m sorry, hyung-nim.”

However.

No matter how much he was one of the two brothers Deneb respected…

“I want to become a mage.”

His younger sister’s resolved heart could not be changed.

“…Is that so.”

Wilhelm’s voice was cold upon hearing his younger sister’s answer.

* * *

“Haah…”

Deneb, who had left the guild house with Marcel, let out a heavy sigh that seemed to sink the ground.

—Deciding your future is your own choice. Do as you please.

Those were Wilhelm’s final words.

If one only heard that much, it might sound like he had readily allowed him to walk the path of a mage, but…

—However, don’t expect any more support from the guild. You’re not planning to become a mage while failing to do even that much, are you?

The words that followed were the problem.

Wilhelm’s statement was practically no different from declaring expulsion from the guild.

As for the family, since he had received no support ever since choosing the path of a mage, there was hardly any difference from now.

The problem was the guild.

With her older brother saying that, Deneb could no longer receive help from the Royal Knights from now on.

The Royal Knights guild didn’t only have Hunters who used swordsmanship. There were naturally magic-type Hunters as well.

As Hunters belonging to one of the Five Great Guilds, they were all outstandingly skilled.

Although Deneb rarely visited the guild house, she had been receiving considerable help from the guild members.

But now he couldn’t receive it anymore. That alone was a major obstacle.

‘Honestly, unlike my hyung-nim, I don’t have much talent…’

Even becoming a D-Rank Hunter was only possible thanks to their help.

Could he really rise on his own strength from here?

‘…That’s it!’

It was the moment he clutched his throbbing forehead.

Deneb recalled a certain girl.

‘Ms. Verdi!’

The disciple of S-Rank Hunter Yoschuko Verdiol, Yoschua Verdi.

Although she was a D-Rank Hunter like himself, her true skill was B-Rank, perhaps even higher.

‘I’ll learn magic from Ms. Verdi!’

Even he thought it was a brilliant idea.

However…

‘She’ll definitely say it’s a hassle, right?’

Though their meeting was brief, Deneb had grasped Verdi’s personality to some extent.

Verdi had a tendency to find everything that wasn’t her own business troublesome.

If he asked her to teach him magic or to become his master, she would surely refuse without a second’s hesitation.

Just like when he had invited her to a party before and was sharply rejected.

‘But there’s a way.’

Though it was a short time, he had learned a lot about Verdi in that span.

And with this method he just thought of, wouldn’t even Ms. Verdi fall for it?

No, precisely because it was Ms. Verdi, he could be certain. It would definitely work.

‘Alright.’

Deneb clenched her fist tightly. If she could recruit Ms. Verdi, her future wouldn’t be so bleak.

After that, he just had to achieve it with his own effort. Just like he had done until now.

But then…

“Um…”

Deneb turned her head to the side.

“Yes?”

For some reason, Marcel hadn’t left and was still by his side.

“It seems the matter of the teacher has been dropped, so you may go…”

“No.”

At Deneb’s words, Marcel shook his head.

“The escort duty still remains.”

“Huh?”

Deneb tilted her head at Marcel’s words.

“The Master told me to look after the Little Master. So from now on, I am the Little Master’s escort.”

“R-really?”

Deneb asked back with a surprised expression.

As expected, Wilhelm hyung-nim hadn’t completely cast him out.

Deneb’s heart felt lighter at that fact, but there was one thing that bothered her.

“…Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

Deneb asked Marcel with an awkward face.

An A-Rank Hunter being assigned as the escort of a mere D-Rank Hunter.

Even if it was the guild master’s order, still.

High-Rank Gate raids that A-Rank and above Hunters participated in as main members could yield enormous profits upon success. Clearing just ten of them would allow one to live leisurely for a lifetime.

That wasn’t all. Most of the A-Rank and above Hunters Deneb had seen harbored ambition.

To reach higher. The ambition to reach the pinnacle of Hunters, the realm of S-Rank Hunters.

Of course, it wasn’t easy. Among A-Rank Hunters, only a handful had reached the realm of S-Rank Hunters.

That’s why they never stop training or joining subjugation parties until their bodies start to age.

To Deneb, Marcel looked like he was in his early 20s at first glance — the prime of one’s physical peak.

In a situation where they’d do anything to reach S-Rank, was it really okay to waste time on someone like me?

A D-Rank Hunter worrying about an A-Rank Hunter — he knew it was presumptuous, but… he still couldn’t understand it.

“You don’t need to worry.”

But Marcel spoke as if it was fine, a faint smile lingering at the corners of his mouth.

“From the moment I joined this guild, I vowed I would follow whatever order the Master gave me.”

“…!”

As expected of hyung-nim.

High-Rank Hunters all had their own know-how and careers, so they were all proud.

Handling them must be no easy task.

But Wilhelm didn’t just manage them — he won their hearts. There was no choice but to respect him.

“Then, I look forward to working with you…”

Deneb bowed her head in greeting.

“I look forward to working with you too, Little Master.”

“Ah, could you call me by my name instead of ‘Little Master’?”

“Then, Deneb.”

“You can drop the ‘-nim.’ Deneb is fine.”

“Are you sure?”

At Marcel’s question, Deneb nodded.

“Then I look forward to working with you, Deneb.”

After finishing their greetings, the two shook hands.

It seemed like a warm scene was unfolding.

“Deneb!”

Her name rang out suddenly. Turning her head toward the sound, Deneb found a smile naturally spreading across her lips.

The silver-haired girl he’d wanted to see most was coming this way!

But.

“Verdi…ssi?”

For some reason, the gaze of Verdi approaching her felt piercing — was it just her imagination?