We made camp as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and red.

  The caravan pulled off the road into a clearing surrounded by trees. Everyone moved quietly and efficiently as they set up tents, tending to the horses, checking supplies. The mood was subdued. The guards who'd been injured in the ambush were resting in one of the wagons, patched up but exhausted.

  I sat apart from the others, near the edge of the camp where Nox had settled. Fei was perched in a tree hiding above while keeping watch.

  I pulled up my status screen.

  [STATUS SCREEN]

  Name: Vera Demecillo

  Race: Human/Otherworlder

  Level: 35

  Skills: Monster Maker

  Not much had changed except for going up a few levels. It wasn't just the bandits we'd encountered over the past day. We'd also run into some monsters on the road—nothing above C-rank, thankfully. It was some kind of scaled lizard thing that had tried to ambush us near a stream.

  "Stray kobold," Noel had told me after we'd killed it. "Probably got separated from its pack.”

  I'd been surprised when I heard that. I'd always thought of kobolds as those dog-like monsters from games back in my world. Not lizard-like creatures with scales and sharp teeth.

  Well, you learn something new.

  Still, I'd killed them easily while still keeping most of my abilities secret. Just sword work and Nox's help.

  I dismissed the status screen and checked my wild power charges next.

  Eight charges.

  There wasn't much I could create that would be immediately useful for me right now. Nox handled combat on the ground, Fei provided aerial support and reconnaissance, and Virel gave me armor and close-range fighting capability. I had the basics covered.

  But I was planning to create some kind of monster that could help me use magic.

  I mean, magic existed here and I'd be an idiot if I didn't try to use it. It was magic, for god's sake.

  The problem was, I had no idea how to use it myself. No mana manipulation skills, no understanding of spell structures, nothing. I was just a regular person from a world without magic, dropped into an another world.

  Speaking of which, mages here were really rare. Back in Oakenford, there had only been a handful of mages.

  I wondered why. Was it because of that war? The Mage War?

  Speaking of which, I still had no idea what that war was specifically. I only knew that decades ago, the continent was almost destroyed because of mages. But beyond that—like what caused it or what ended it—I had no idea. Nobody talked about it in detail. They just referenced it like everyone already knew the story.

  I made a mental note to do research or ask someone about it at some point. Understanding why mages were so rare might help me figure out if learning magic myself was even a good idea. Or if it would just paint an even bigger target on my back.

  But that was future research. For now, I just knew magic existed, I couldn't use it, and I wanted to change that.

  So maybe I could create something that could teach me. Or help me access it. Use it.

  I was thinking of creating a grimoire-like monster. Something that could cast spells on my behalf or guide me through learning. Like a living spellbook that could actually explain things instead of just sitting there.

  Or perhaps a fairy-like monster. Something small, intelligent, that could manipulate mana directly and teach me how to do the same. A magical tutor bound to me.

  I was still thinking about which would be best. They both had their pros and cons.

  The grimoire would be easier to hide—just looked like a book but it would be limited in what it could actually do. Passive support rather than active.

  The fairy would be more versatile, could actively help in fights with magic, could help me in my daily life.

  Though honestly, I was also thinking about making a dragon.

  Yep. A freaking dragon.

  Because why not? If I could create monsters from wild power, why not go for the coolest, most powerful option? Dragons were supposedly apex predators in every world. Intelligent, magical, nearly unstoppable.

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  But of course, there would be way too many questions about it. "Where did you get a dragon?" "How did you tame a dragon?" "Why do you have a dragon?"

  And it would be impossible to hide. Dragons weren't exactly subtle. Even a small one would draw attention everywhere I went.

  So that idea was more fantasy than practical. At least for now.

  Maybe someday, when I was strong enough that I didn't need to hide anymore. When I could just say "Yeah, I have a dragon, deal with it" and not worry about the consequences.

  But for now, I needed to be smart about it.

  Magic support seemed like the best investment of my wild power. Something that would expand my capabilities without making me even more of a target.

  "Mind if I sit?"

  I looked up. Hugo stood a few feet away, holding two tin cups. Steam rose from both.

  "Sure."

  He lowered himself onto a log near me with a grunt, his joints creaking. He handed me one of the cups. “It’s tea.”

  I took it, grateful for the heat against my hands. "Thanks."

  We sat in silence for a moment, both watching the camp. His grandchildren were visible near one of the wagons, being fed dinner by their mother. They looked tired but unharmed.

  "I wanted to thank you again," Hugo said finally. "For today. For what you did."

  "You're paying me. That's enough thanks."

  "Five gold doesn't seem like enough anymore." He took a sip of his tea. "You saved our lives. All of us. Those bandits would have killed my guards, taken everything, and..." He trailed off, glancing at his grandchildren. "I don't want to think about what would have happened to my family."

  I didn't say anything.

  Hugo was quiet for a moment, then said, "After we reach Ashborough, the border settlement, my family and I will be continuing our journey to Valenhall."

  "Valenhall?"

  "My wife's family has estates there. Far from the fighting, far from the Empire's advance." He looked tired suddenly, older. "I'm moving my family to escape the incoming war. Drakmoor on one side, the Eastern Empire on the other... Argus is going to become a battlefield. I won't have my grandchildren caught in the middle of it."

  I kept silent, but Hugo kept speaking.

  "I built a good life in Fletchburt. But none of that matters if we're dead."

  I thought about Oakenford. "A lot of people can't afford to leave."

  "I know. And it breaks my heart." Hugo's expression was pained. "But I have the means, and I have responsibility to my family. So I'm using those means to keep them safe."

  "No judgment here. You're doing what you can."

  "Thank you." He stood slowly. “We should reach Ashborough by tomorrow afternoon. I'll have your payment ready, as promised."

  "Appreciated."

  He paused, then added, "If you ever need work in Valenhall, look me up. Could always use someone capable."

  "I'll keep that in mind."

  Hugo nodded and headed back toward his family, leaving me alone with my thoughts and my tea.

  I stared into the cup, watching the steam rise.

  Footsteps approached. I looked up to find Noel walking over, looking hesitant.

  "Hey," he said. "Is it okay if I...?"

  "Sit."

  He dropped down onto the log Hugo had vacated, looking relieved. For a moment, he didn't say anything, just sat there fidgeting with his crossbow.

  "That was intense today," he said finally.

  "Yeah."

  “I almost died. If you hadn't been there….”

  "You did fine."

  “No! I froze, Vera. I barely got one shot off before it was over."

  I looked at him. His hands were shaking slightly.

  "You’re alive," I said. "That's what's important."

  He was silent for a moment.

  Then—

  "How did you learn magic?"

  I blinked. “Huh?”

  “Your tamed monsters. How did you tame him? A great wolf ? That must have been crazy."

  I hesitated.

  "It's my ability,"

  I felt a small stab of regret. Was I wrong to say that? But then again, Nicholaus had disclosed his mana sight ability pretty openly. Maybe bloodline gifts were more common than I thought. Or at least, more acceptable to talk about.

  "Oh." Noel nodded, looking enlightened. "A bloodline gift then?"

  "Yeah," I said. "Something like that."

  "That's amazing!" Noel's eyes widened. "I didn't realize you had a bloodline gift. That explains so much. No wonder you're C-rank already. I mean you look the same age as me, and we are worlds apart.”

  Then Noel sighed, slumping forward. "Man, I wish I had a bloodline gift too. Even a small one would be something." His voice turned wistful. "If I had one, I wouldn't be just a guard. Maybe I could've enrolled in the Pierrous Academy. Made something of myself."

  "Pierrous Academy?" I asked, confused.

  Noel's head snapped up. He stared at me like I'd just said something incomprehensible.

  "Wait, what? You don't know about the Pierrous Academy?" His voice rose slightly. "How could you not know about the Pierrous Academy?!"

  I shrugged, feeling defensive. "I just... haven't heard of it."

  "It's only the most prestigious academy on the continent! Only the best of the best go there!”

  "Oh."

  “Only someone with real talent or a bloodline gift can enter. It's in Nordmark Republic, and getting in is nearly impossible unless you have connections or you're ridiculously gifted."

  “I see…”

  Noel looked frustrated at my reaction. Which was basically none.

  Though to be honest, part of me was interested in the idea of an academy. I mean, it would probably help me grow stronger, teach me things I didn't know about this world. Magic theory, combat techniques, political structures, history—all the things I was currently stumbling through blind.

  But it was risky. Way too risky.

  Especially with my ability.

  An academy meant scrutiny. Tests and evaluations that would reveal way too much about what I could actually do.

  My power would be limited and restrained if I was there. I couldn't just create monsters whenever I needed them. Couldn't use Virel freely. Couldn't kill things to accumulate wild power without raising serious questions.

  And that was assuming they'd even let me in.

  I didn't exactly scream "model student."

  No, an academy wasn't for me. At least not right now.

  I wasn't fond of the idea anyway. Back in my world, I'd gone through the whole school system, college, the works. The idea of going back to structured learning, dealing with teachers and assignments and whatever politics existed in a fancy magical academy... yeah, no thanks.

  I was learning fine on my own. Trial by fire, literally.

  "That's it? Just 'I see'?" Noel shook his head. "Most people would be impressed. Or at least interested."

  "I'm sure it's a great place," I said. "Just not really my thing."

  "Not your thing? It's the Pierrous Academy!"

  "I prefer learning by doing."

  Noel stared at me for a moment, then laughed. "You're weird, you know that?"

  "I've been told."