Osian had a conversation with Mayor Mowen Helianus.
The exchange they shared was not long. Helianus was one of the five mayors. It was undoubtedly the busiest position.
Taking time during a period when a disaster like this had swept through was quite a strain on her part.
That's why Mayor Mowen only asked Osian about the essentials.
"What do you think of this city?"
This was probably what Mowen wanted to confirm most.
Osian gazed directly into Mowen's eyes. Mowen, an elf, had mysterious eyes.
When you face those unwavering eyes, you get the feeling of standing in the middle of a fresh and vast forest.
It was a similar sense of déjà vu to when he faced the Pope and felt he was looking at a giant. That meant, in other words, that Mowen was also a transcendent powerhouse who had surpassed a certain realm.
'Among the demi-humans, there are still races that worship strength. If she's able to suppress their dissatisfaction and gain their recognition, it means her innate martial prowess is also remarkable.'
Her class was obviously a mage. The floating staff beside her, clearly displaying its presence, was proof of that.
Honestly, he was curious. Just how skilled was a mage who had reached the pinnacle of her kind?
Though he wasn't without competitive spirit as a knight.
Since he was in a position where he had to choose the time and place, he decided to faithfully answer the question given.
"It's a very chaotic and complicated place."
What kind of place was Tirna? For Osian, it was a somewhat complex question.
Tirna was a city of opportunity. People came to Tirna with hopeful dreams for a new future.
But what greeted them was another cruel reality.
"People prey on people. They say it's equal opportunity, but that's only on the surface—if you don't have money, you can't do anything. People aren't treated as human, and even the dead aren't respected."
If it made money, even black mages were officially recognized, and even witches could occupy important positions.
Companies didn't hesitate to commit all kinds of unethical acts for profit.
With advanced science, people abandoned their bodies and replaced them with machines. And often, it wasn't anyone else's coercion—it was their own choice.
The various departments under the city government checked each other and engaged in politics. They would readily commit acts to start wars just to expand their own interests.
Everything was a mess.
He had never seen such a disorganized city in his life.
At those words, Mowen's expression hardened.
She couldn't bring herself to point out Osian's negative opinion about the city because even she, who had risen to the position of mayor, was well aware of the terrible and inhumane acts committed in Tirna.
Mowen had overlooked them while knowing. She had thought she just needed to protect her own fence, the demi-humans rather than humans.
In the end, she too had made compromises.
What about Osian? He had fewer fences to protect. As such, he had even less need to be bound to any one thing.
And Osian had been involved in major incidents that had occurred in the city.
In that process, the underbelly and darkness of the city he had faced were things ordinary people could never know in their entire lives.
What kind of impression would someone who had faced and navigated through such things have?
He couldn't say it was good.
"But, conversely, there were good parts too. Various races were living together in harmony. Although discrimination and differences in perception still exist, someday it will get better."
Mowen's eyes widened in surprise.
Someday, everyone will be able to understand and harmonize with each other.
Wasn't that the ideal society Mowen had most desired?
"And the opportunities are the same. At least you can let your talents bloom. It's not a perfect environment yet, but I believe this too will slowly improve."
Tirna was brilliant but it was equally cold.
It looked solid and unchanging, but the moment you touched it, a chill seeped into your palm.
But even in such a city, warmth existed.
The starlight in the sky had disappeared, but the starlight cherished in people's hearts remained without fading.
Osian saw hope in Tirna.
"I'm curious about this city's future. Where will Tirna head? Will it be decline, or will it be greater prosperity? I don't know what ending it will meet. But personally, I prefer the latter."
Certainly, if countless ages passed, the city called Tirna might also become part of history.
Known only as "such a city existed in the distant past," and something else would be built where the city once stood.
But that was a matter for the future. At least the current Tirna must not fall to ruin because precious people now lived in this city.
"So I will fight against threats to Tirna. Not for the city itself. But for the people living within it."
Mowen keenly felt that she had misjudged Osian.
When she first evaluated Osian, she thought that since he was a fixer, he was someone worldly-wise who pursued profit.
When she heard from her younger sister Eldin, only the impression that he was a somewhat peculiar person was added.
But now, having met him directly and heard him speak, she could finally realize.
'This man is like...the universe.'
When Osian saw the forest in Mowen, Mowen saw the vast night sky in Osian.
A beautiful sky with stars densely studded like a chandelier. The stars shining within it repeatedly disappeared, were born, and flowed.
Osian, who embraced all of that, was one vast world.
Could a forest, no matter how vast, compare to the sky?
A giant, no matter how huge, their hands never reach the sky.
Mowen had to honestly admit it. She was not qualified to evaluate this man.
"I've heard your story well."
Mowen rose from her seat.
"You're leaving?"
"My attendants are making a fuss outside. This is all the time I have."
"I thought you came to meet these two."
Osian pointed to Terence and Elise.
As a mage and a black mage respectively, the two were enough to draw Mowen's interest. Terence's reaction was especially intense.
"They are interesting. They've achieved great accomplishments. But I can't say much. Not because they're lacking, but because it's not a field where I can give advice."
Indeed, Mowen was both a mayor and an excellent mage.
She instantly recognized Terence and Elise's achievements, and even realized that the fields they dealt with were completely different from her own.
"If I may give one piece of advice, once you've found your path, you just need to keep going straight. Don't have doubts and look only in one direction."
Terence and Elise deeply engraved Mowen's advice into their bones.
"Then, I'll be going. The conversation was enjoyable."
Mayor Mowen waved her hand and left. Perhaps because she released the barrier outside as she left, the ominously rippling energy of black magic vanished cleanly.
"Well, well. To think even a mayor would visit."
Cromwell, who had been hiding his body to avoid Mowen's gaze, came down from the second floor and spoke.
Since he was a criminal, it was an awkward relationship for him to face Mowen.
'Well, Mayor Mowen knew of that man's existence.'
Even knowing, Mowen had overlooked it. Because right now there were more important matters than Cromwell.
Right. Considering what would happen in the future, it wasn't strange to think of Cromwell as trivial.
It was just as well. While facing Cromwell, Osian asked about what he had been curious about.
"Are the ongoing matters going well?"
"Gathering the power dwelling in the ruins? Or the research on Seren Gracia's abilities?"
"Both."
"Both are progressing smoothly. The process of gathering power is all finished. I've instructed the remaining enhanced humans to bring it. It'll arrive soon. And in Seren Gracia's case, it's truly remarkable."
"Remarkable?"
"She had trauma about her ability. The fear of not knowing when she'd be devoured made her shrink. But having overcome that now, her proficiency has increased remarkably. She's uncovering things one by one without fearing the unknown. The dimensional stability has increased, and above all, she seems fine with it."
That must be why Seren's expression has been bright lately.
Thanks to her ability becoming stronger than before, Seren could cross dimensional barriers even while carrying large objects like the sea dragon's egg.
"I see."
Osian said that and rose from his seat.
Terence and Elise looked at Osian.
"You two should head back as well. Today, rest well."
"I didn't know you'd tell us to rest. Shouldn't we be training the powers we've awakened as quickly as possible, even if just an hour sooner?"
"You've already taken the first step long ago anyway. As Mayor Mowen Helianus said, there's nothing but moving forward. If you try to move hastily, your feet will get tangled and you'll fall. Sometimes rest is important."
Terence seemed a bit dissatisfied but looked like he understood.
Even without Osian telling him, it seemed he himself was rather itching to test his new abilities.
"And there's another reason I'm telling you to rest well for today. This is just a hunch, but from now on, we'll be so busy there won't be time to rest."
Clack.
Osian drew his sword from his waist. Traces of the previous battle remained here and there on the sharp blade.
"So I too must prepare thoroughly."
It was time to visit Eldin again.
Beyond repairs, he planned to request what might be the final enhancement.
Time passed quickly.
After the sea dragon incident, the city was a bit chaotic but there were no major problems.
During those few weeks, Osian did everything he could.
He visited the connections he'd made so far to have conversations, oversaw the training of members to expand the knight order, and finished maintaining his weapons anew.
Without being hasty, solving things one by one each day, what had seemed daunting gradually began to show an end.
But Osian did not feel relieved.
Rather, he felt as if his entire body was sinking like waterlogged cotton.
It was a strange feeling. Some sensation that was hard to express in words seemed to flow along his skin.
His skin would get goosebumps, or his temples would tighten, or sometimes he'd hear ringing in his ears.
It wasn't in poor condition or anything like that. This was a warning from his body.
The knight's body, and his sense, furthermore even his intuition were signaling that something in the future was approaching.
That's why Osian diligently prepared, and finally could see its end.
While spending his days so busily, before he knew it, a full month had passed.
The city seemed to be returning to its former peaceful state, but that wasn't quite the case either.
The war clouds hanging over the entire city of Tirna were such.
Even the citizens seemed to vaguely sense that something was going to happen.
A city that should normally have had constant incidents large and small was quiet.
Except for some violence that inevitably occurred, it was safe to say there were almost no incidents.
Like how insects all fall silent in unison before a typhoon arrives.
Even people who committed petty crimes felt some kind of anxiety.
"Ah. Osian."
Osian, who had been walking aimlessly, encountered a woman.
A uniform that fit her body perfectly, steel boots, and flowing snow-white hair.
"Alensia Hair."
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
"Well, I've been busy with this and that. But what about you—is this a patrol? Surprising. Patrolling even at a time when Tirna is peaceful like now."
"Peaceful. Well, I suppose you could call this peaceful if you wanted to."
Alensia gave a bitter smile.
Indeed, Alensia Hair was a capable enforcer.
Like Osian, Alensia was also sensing some kind of unsettling current.
"The city being quiet is probably because the Tirna city government has strengthened security across the entire city. Even criminals can't act recklessly in this situation, so they're being cautious."
"Not all criminals would be watching the city government's mood. For it to be this quiet, there must be another reason. For instance, some event is occurring that even they must hold their breath for."
A gleam appeared in Alensia's eyes.
"I see. Well, it wouldn't be strange if you knew. The city government obtained information. Mother Goose is moving. Naturally, their target would be Tirna. That's why the city government is currently tense enough to evoke a wartime situation."
"That would be inevitable."
Osian sighed and raised his head.
Before they knew it, a shadow large enough to swallow the two of them had been cast around them.
It wasn't a cloud. Today was an unusually clear day without clouds.
Wasn't it said that clear days were rare in Tirna? That's why big problems always occurred at times like this.
Now there were too many examples to call this a simple jinx.
Whiiiiiiiing!
An alarm sounded throughout the entire city.
It was because of the gingerbread candy castle that had risen in the sky.