Almark – Northern Sword, Southern Wand

Almark walks down the path of the woods, stepping on the fallen leaves.

Leido is walking next to Almark.

Ilumis taught me how to use my wand the next day.

As promised, they were headed for the fountain cave after school.

I've been walking in the woods for a long time.

On several occasions, he crossed the divide, surrounded by scenery unknown to Almark.

I ran a lot when I chased Jalanon with the torque, but it didn't look like it was going that way.

We're here.

Raidow raised his voice.

"That's the ticket."

A wooden stand was indeed erected before Leido pointed.

"Elementary school students, don't go any further."

Almark read out the words written on the stand.

You're still ahead.

In Almark's words, Reido said,

"Not yet."

nodded.

"Come on, hurry up."

Raidow rushes Almark.

They then passed through the water fields of Mora, where girls often went, and Gugu, where they could catch large fish.

Leido,

It's deeper.

As I said, I kept moving forward.

The thickness of the forest has increased.

It's so far away, it's impossible to come on a weekday to explore.

With that in mind, Almark follows Rado.

The road was also completely narrow, and the two of us could not walk side by side.

"Almark"

Raidow walked forward and spoke to me unexpectedly.

"What are you going to do when you get to the cave in Lulu Fountain?"

"No, I won't do anything."

Almark answers.

"I just wanted to know where it is, if that's what it is."

I see.

Reido nodded and said nothing more.

The two of them walk silently for a while.

"Ah, what is that?"

Almark called out to Raido when he found a blue painted crest on the stone beside the road.

Reido stops his leg and looks at it and twists his neck.

"I don't know. This area is where middle school students come in, so it could be some sort of magic crest to learn in middle school."

I see. If you don't know, I don't know. "

Almark saw the blue paint crest.

I don't feel that bad.

The two of them walk silently again.

After a long walk, the forest finally opened.

"Here we are."

Reido looked back at Almark.

"Sure, it's a long walk."

That said, Almark lined up next to Raidow.

It wasn't that big a fountain.

Surrounded by deciduous trees, many deciduous leaves are floating on the water surface and can be seen sinking on the bottom of the water.

Still, the water is clear and the glare of the sun is quite fantastic.

This is Lulu Fountain?

"Yes, and that's where the cave is."

Reido points across the water from the fountain.

A cave was slightly opening around the middle of the raised slope.

Many students have visited, and their surroundings have been stepped on by people's feet.

Let's go closer.

Reido prompted Almark to walk along the fountain.

Occasionally fish shadows appear in the clear water of the spring.

I'm sure you'll be happy to hang the fishing line when you bring Morgan in.

When I came to the cave with that in mind, I noticed that there was a stand up there too.

"No entry without the teacher's permission."

Almark read it out again.

"Even middle school students have to get in without the teacher's permission."

"Yeah, I guess so."

As he said, Raidow peered into the cave.

"It's dark. I can't see anything."

That's right.

Almark came up with a flame of light on his hand.

Looking at it towards the entrance, I saw that the cave was transformed into a flat passage that seemed to have been hand-crafted for a while after a rough rock-skinned passage.

"It looks like the teacher's been working on it."

When Almark turned around and said that, Rado

"You can use the magic of lights now."

And smile.

"Yes, Dr. Ilmis is worthy of majoring."

After answering that, Almark realized that his wand was in Rado's hand.

Reido, did you bring your wand?

"Yeah."

Reido nods.

It was the soft expression as usual, but Almark was suspicious.

"Why did you bring a wand?"

"Almark, why don't you come in here?"

Reido said it was rusty.

Eh?

Surprised by the unexpected words, Almark looks at Reido's face.

Reido turned his back to the cave and said, staring at the water of the fountain.

"Actually, I've been thinking about it since that day. I don't know what I'm missing."

"That day."

When Almark rebelled, Raido nodded.

"Martial arts tournament day. I lost to Rugon."

"Ahh....."

Almark nodded.

"You and Nelson won. Leila was too bad at her opponent. Morgan beat that Koren. I'm the only one who's ever lost."

Raidow's tone was only calm, but Almark also felt remorse for pushing him to death.

"From that day on, I was thinking that it wasn't just a martial arts defeat, but also a magic trick. I'm not that good at grades."

"You're thinking too much, Raido."

Almark shakes his head.

"A match is luck in time. You didn't lose anything because you lost. [M] Life, dignity."

But Reido shook his head quietly.

"I lost it, Almark."

"What?"

"Confidence."

The look on Rado's face when he saw Al Mark was so sad that Al Mark lost his words for a moment.

Nevertheless, Almark tried to dispel Reido's words.

"I don't need to lose confidence."

"You don't know."

Raidow, who shook his head like that, returned to his usual expression.

"I've always thought I needed to change something. Then you asked me about the fountain cave. So I remembered the Trial Cave. I thought this might be a chance from heaven."

"No, no."

I have no intention of doing so at all. I'm just saying that Leila is coming here.

Almark shook his head, but was surprised that Raidow, who did not normally break his slender attitude, was not noticed by anyone and was so deeply troubled.

"I've heard from middle-class people that the first layer of the cave can be cut through using the magic of the elementary part. Try it."

"Me?"

Almark waved in a hurry.

"I still can barely use magic. It's useless."

"You don't deserve to be rude."

Reido only calmly denies Almark's words.

"Aren't you interested? into the cave of this trial."

"That's..."

It would be a lie to say otherwise. But...

"I'd like to come in, too, but that's not right now."

"For me, it's now."

Redo says unfortunately.

"I'm sorry you got involved. [M] Actually, I wasn't sure what to do until I got here."

That's what Reido said and laughed.

"But I came and decided. If I don't want to go to you, I'll try the first level here by myself. [M] I'm sorry, but you know the way home alone."

Almark was stunned.

I see. Is this what it means to be left to others?

Almark felt a little guilty about Illmis and Wendy when he was innocent, and once again he felt sorry for them.

Reido, I'm sorry.

Almark said.

"I was supposed to be your friend, but I didn't realize what you were worried about."

"It's okay. I didn't like being noticed, and I kept it hidden."

That's what Reido said and shook his head.

Almark twisted his head in an attempt to persuade Reido to flip.

"I'm glad you're talking like this. But to regain your confidence, you have to be in this cave."

Well, that's true.

Raidow lies down.

"Don't you think you can regain your confidence by being reckless? Try something else."

On Almark's proposal, Reido rethinked for a while and then shook his head again.

"Almark. I'm sure I'm much more timid and cowardly than you think. [M] If we postpone this challenge now, we will not do anything and we will spend the rest of our lives behind us. With only disgust for myself."

The tone was only mild, but what he was saying was serious.

"Sorry, we don't have much time, and I think momentum is important for these challenges. That's why I'm leaving."

Reido turns his back and leaps into the cave.

"No, Raido."

Almark grabbed Rado's arm long ago.

I won't let you go alone.

Almark made up his mind.

Persuasion didn't suit my nature. [M]

Leila's persuasion would have been impossible.

Then I'll go, too.

Almark said.

I know nothing about this cave, and the words are powerless when I say how dangerous they are.

Anyway, my words follow only after my actions. [M]

"I might have my feet tied, but I'm coming too."

Reido saw Almark in the eye.

Are you sure?

As Almark nodded, Raidow lay his eyes down.

"Almark, I would be a coward."

That's what I said, and I smiled embarrassed.

"I knew you'd say that."