Track 02. I Am Strange (Part 2)

‘It’s hot.’

Normally, it took a week on horseback to reach the south, but they arrived in two days by using a teleport zone midway.

The moment she stepped out of the teleport zone, the suffocating heat attacked her.

‘As expected of the southern region.’

She could clearly feel the fire mana inside her body becoming active. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her throat felt parched.

“Vivi.”

Kanin slowly rode his horse up to her and called her name.

“Are you okay?”

“…….”

Honestly, she wasn’t okay. The impulse to hug Kanin right then and there was rampaging inside her.

‘Even just holding his hand would be cool.’

She swallowed dryly. The urge to at least hold his fingers suddenly arose, but she suppressed it.

‘I need to get used to it.’

She couldn’t stay with Kanin forever.

Having realized that, she had no choice but to get used to reality.

“…….”

Kanin quietly watched her, then eventually rode on.

“This is the Siskiya Mountains. Since we’ve been here before, everyone knows it, right?”

“Yes.”

The mountains, with heat boiling from beneath, were entirely black with basalt rocks and almost devoid of trees, making them desolate.

It was truly a hellish sight.

‘It’s hot.’

She felt suffocated. She had placed an ice pack she brought from home inside her clothes, but her body temperature was so high she couldn’t tell if it was effective.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, Lord Schultz, who was surveying the mountains from afar, called her.

“Vivian.”

“Yes, Commander.”

She walked quickly to his side. His business was as she expected.

“Can you detect the mana hole?”

“Please wait a moment.”

Mana holes were distortions in mana. There were only two ways to locate them: either get caught up in one or…

‘Release mana.’

If mana is sent out, it would ripple awkwardly in the mana hole. However, mages usually find it challenging to handle the mana they have memorized for spells.

It was something only she could do.

She closed her eyes and imagined the mana swirling inside her body flowing outward. The mana, eager to explode, spread widely in concentric circles around her.

“Ah, it’s hot!”

Other members who touched her mana let out small screams. Even with her eyes closed, she knew how her mana appeared.

It must be spreading like a wave, like a fire burning grass.

“So this is Vivian’s mana.”

“There aren’t many opportunities to see it, but it’s truly overwhelming.”

The admiration didn’t last long. Mages are more sensitive than ever when handling mana, and it’s etiquette for those around to remain silent.

When she had almost exhausted all the mana inside her, she detected a strange distortion in her mana.

‘That must be the mana hole.’

The space her mana could cover was within 3 km of her, so finding it in this vast mountain range was indeed a stroke of luck.

‘I have a good feeling about this expedition.’

Thinking that, she stopped releasing mana and opened her eyes.

“It’s at 3 o’clock to the left.”

At her answer, Lord Schultz frowned slightly in surprise, then slowly nodded.

“Good. We’ll seal the mana hole and stay there for tonight.”

“Everyone, back on your horses!”

At Lord Schultz’s words, the deputy commander immediately gave the order to depart. Everyone mounted their horses, and she walked to where her horse was.

‘Did I release too much mana?’

Feeling a bit dizzy and chilled from the sudden loss of high-temperature mana, she shivered as she held the reins. Kanin approached and asked,

“Are you alright?”

That question struck a nerve. She answered irritably, unlike herself.

“How many times are you going to ask, Kanin? Do you want me to say I’m not alright?”

“What?”

Kanin frowned and froze at her sharp answer. Seeing his startled, wavering blue eyes made her heart ache again. She sighed and brushed her hair back.

“Sorry for snapping at you.”

It was true she overreacted. Her attempt to become independent from Kanin and his concern for her were entirely different matters.

But perhaps due to the mana exhaustion, her words remained sharp.

“But I’m really fine, so I’d appreciate it if you focused on the mission.”

“……Alright.”

Kanin, who was staring at her, eventually turned slowly. Then he mounted his horse.

“Whew.”

Feeling troubled, she sighed and buried her face in her hands. The gloves that had been damp earlier were now completely dry from the heat.

‘I really am all over the place.’

She gave a bitter smile.

Mana resembles its owner, so if it fluctuated wildly, it was surely because she was capricious.

‘It’s a good time. Calming down a bit wouldn’t be bad.’

It was just the initial discord from pushing Kanin away, but if she continued like this, they would naturally distance themselves.

‘That’s for the best.’

Hadn’t everyone told her? Quit being a mage. To live a normal life.

In that life, there was no room for a competent mage like Kanin.

‘Kanin deserves to be independent from me and live happily now.’

How hard it must have been for him to deal with her mess all this time. Perhaps she unknowingly interrupted many dates with his girlfriend.

‘So this is the right thing to do.’

Thinking that, she nodded. As she spurred her horse to start, Ain, with her green hair tied high, rode up beside her.

“Did you two fight?”

Though the subject and object were missing, she understood immediately. It referred to her and Kanin, who had been distant until a moment ago.

She shook her head lightly.

“No, it’s not like that.”

What reason could there be for her and Kanin to fight?

‘If we fought, it would entirely be my fault.’

If she bothered Kanin. If Kanin got tired of her.

‘It’s fortunate we decided to part ways before that happened.’

Vivian chose to think positively.

Having convinced herself, she nodded. Ain cautiously asked,

“It’s not because of my brother, is it?”

“Kanin really doesn’t know.”

Amused by Ain’s speculation, Vivian burst into laughter.

“And even if he did, why would Kanin be mad at me for that?”

They were nothing to each other.

Whether she went on a blind date or quit being a mage.

‘It has nothing to do with Kanin.’

Just like she couldn’t say anything after seeing his passionate text.

[I want to lick the crimson tip rising from your peach-like soft flesh.]

Who on earth was the woman receiving such a text from Kanin?

‘If it’s her, she wouldn’t have any reason to push Kanin away like I do.’

Vivian thought, just a little, that she envied that woman.

***

“Let’s camp here for the night.”  

They decided to set up tents midway up the mountain range. Usually, the men and women had separate tents, but Vivian had her own tent.  

‘It’s so hot.’  

It was because of her overflowing mana.  

‘My mana is overly activated.’  

Perhaps it was because the mountain range itself was scorching, but the mana inside her body was running wild with excitement. Sweat poured down her face.  

“Are you okay, Vivi?”  

“Don’t worry about me.”  

“Should I blow some air for you?”  

“It might turn into a heatwave and make things worse for the group.”

“Vivi, here’s a towel…….”  

“Don’t come near me.”  

Honestly, it had been better earlier when she released a burst of mana to search for a mana hole. Now, it felt like her insides were boiling.

‘This is unbearable.’  

Her mouth felt parched as if it were a drought. She refrained from drinking too much water unnecessarily. After all, this was the Siskiya Mountains, and water was scarce.  

‘If I drink too much of the water supply, Kanin will have to use his strength to create more later.’  

Besides, this phenomenon was purely caused by mana, so drinking water would have little effect beyond psychological relief.  

In other words, she had to endure this situation entirely on her own.  

‘This is so uncomfortable.’  

But there was no helping the discomfort caused by the sweat dripping down her body. Her damp clothes felt heavy, adding to her irritation.  

‘This is so unpleasant.’  

Vivian bit her lip and focused on setting up her personal tent. She couldn’t afford to dwell on her discomfort. Dwelling on it would only make her mana act more violently.  

‘Think of something else. Something else.’  

But even the sound of hammering stakes into the ground revealed her mood. One of her comrades, who had been nervously watching her, approached Kanin.  

“Hey, Kanin.”  

Kanin, being of the water attribute, remained impeccably clean even in the mountain range. Not a single bead of sweat marred his smooth face, and his glasses gleamed coolly.  

“Why don’t you go help Vivi?”  

Kanin’s gaze landed on Vivian’s profile. She pretended not to notice and focused on her task. Watching her, Kanin adjusted his glasses and sighed as he replied.  

“Later.”  

“Did you two fight?”  

“Who knows.”  

Kanin gave an ambiguous answer. Vivian pressed her lips together.  

‘Why does everyone keep asking if we fought?’  

Had I been clinging to Kanin that much? Wasn’t it normal to maintain this level of distance from others?  

‘It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault. But isn’t it a good thing I realized it now?’  

Thinking this, Vivian silently continued setting up her tent. It was a one-person tent, so it wasn’t difficult to set up.  

But perhaps because of the physical labor, her body temperature kept rising. Eventually, she wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and spoke to the Commander.  

“I’m going for a walk.”  

“Going alone is dangerous.”  

Of course, acting alone was discouraged. But seeing her flushed face, the Commander couldn’t bring himself to refuse her.  

In the end, he called out to Kanin, who was clearing branches nearby.  

“Sir Kanin.”  

‘Oh no, please don’t!’  

The moment she heard his name, Vivian jumped. But before she could stop him, the Commander spoke to Kanin.  

“Accompany Lady Vivian on patrol.”  

“Yes.”  

Kanin’s cold, ice-like gaze turned to Vivian. She sighed deeply.