Fire Mage

The room was spacious. Sofas lined the center, curtains framed the tall windows, and warm lamplight danced off the elaborate chandelier hanging from the ceiling. For a moment, Zephyr couldn't help but admire the luxurious decor.

But then his eyes landed on the woman seated on the central sofa, and everything else faded away.

She looked about twenty-five, with long black hair, striking azure eyes, and pale skin. She wore an ornate red ball gown with full wraps and a golden crown upon her head.

Zephyr had never seen her in person before, but he recognized her instantly.

There's only one person in the kingdom who wears a golden crown. Queen Rhea Boneflare.

Heart pounding, he dropped to one knee.

"Zephyr Silvercrest greets the Queen of the Iron Kingdom!"

Rhea raised her hand and released a soft pulse of wisdom power.

"Stand up," she said.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He rose stiffly, nerves prickling across his skin.

"There's no need to be so tense. Take a seat," she said, gesturing toward the opposite sofa.

Zephyr nodded and walked over carefully, taking a seat just a few steps across from her.

After a pause, he drew a deep breath, pulled the sealed letter from his coat, and held it up.

"M-May I ask the reason for this invitation?"

"Didn't Addison explain?" Rhea raised an eyebrow.

Zephyr hesitated. "The professor said… that some higher-ups want me to be an experimental subject for their research."

"Experimental subject? That idiot." Rhea sighed and shook her head. "Well, it's not exactly that. Specifically, I noticed you possess a 'Light' elemental affinity—and I wanted to introduce you to a new pathway."

"A new pathway?" Zephyr's brows drew together. "But… I thought I just had a rare affinity. Isn't the Light element fairly common?"

He had seen countless Holy Knights and Priests wield Light elemental magic in the Sacred Empire. Her words didn't make sense.

Rhea let out a small chuckle. "I asked them to keep it a secret—just in case you chose the path of a Holy Knight. But it seems they overcomplicated things. Your real path is that of a Light Mage."

"Light Mage?" he echoed, puzzled. It was the first time he'd heard the term.

"Of course you haven't. This path doesn't come from the Class Gem system. It's a branch of the ancient Mage pathway—long lost to history."

Her words made Zephyr frown.

"Does it… have something to do with the 'Fake Origin' pathway?"

A flicker of amusement crossed Rhea's eyes. "As expected of someone chosen by Charles. Yes—the entire Fake Origin system depends on the Light element. From the Holy Knight class to the Priest class, all of it relies heavily on Light magic—and borrowing 'Divine' power from the gods."

She paused briefly, then added, "According to old records, many walked the path of Light Mages during the First Arcane Era. Back then, Light, Dark, Necromancy—even Curse Mages—were common. But when the Lawful Gods rose to power, the ancient Mage pathways vanished. In their place, the Class Gem system took root."

Zephyr listened in stunned silence. These were truths he'd never heard in any public forum. But ever since he enrolled in the Rebirth Tower, he'd slowly uncovered more and more: the origin of the Thirteen Gods, the fall of the Arcane Empire, the rise of Miracle City…

Secrets the churches had buried were being brought into the light, all under the name of education.

Even the so-called Fake Origin Pathway was no longer taboo. Once nobles and rulers learned the system wasn't created by the Mystic Towers, but by the gods themselves, their trust in the churches had begun to erode.

"So… the entire Class Gem system was created by the gods?" Zephyr asked.

Rhea shook her head. "Not entirely. It seems even the gods were unaware of its emergence at first. They likely believed that destroying the Arcane Empire's history and magical heritage would weaken humanity. But the appearance of the Mystic Towers changed everything. Thanks to them, new kingdoms and empires rose again, threatening the churches' control. To counter that, the gods created the 'Fake Origin' system."

"But why would the churches want to weaken the kingdoms?" Zephyr's confusion deepened. "Didn't they always help during the Planar Wars?"

"There's still much we don't know about their motives," Rhea said, her tone quiet. "But we've discovered why they became so popular."

She paused for a moment, her voice turning serious.

"They gained favor through their performance in the Planar Wars. The Light-based powers of Holy Knights and Priests did tremendous damage against demons and devils, and gave hope to countless people. That's why so many aspire to become Holy Knights or Priests rather than Mystics."

"But… didn't they lose their divine power during the last war?" Zephyr asked.

"They did," Rhea confirmed. "But even so, their rank and abilities never regressed."

Zephyr felt a chill run through him. "Wait... does that mean this Planar War is different?"

"Yes. Even with minor regressions, global casualties have already been massive. Now imagine what would happen if Holy Knights, Priests, and Healers lost all their power permanently."

His blood ran cold.

Two-thirds of the Mystics in Edhen are composed of Holy Knights, Priests, and Healers. If that happens... humanity might be wiped out!

"You see the risk, don't you?" Rhea said gently. "That's why I want to build a resistance force made entirely of Light Mages. And you, Zephyr, will be its core. Your task is to infiltrate the Sacred Empire and carry this mission forward. Can you do it?"

"Become the core of this plan?" Zephyr blinked. "But… I don't even have enough strength to protect myself. How can I infiltrate the Sacred Empire?"

"Don't worry," Rhea replied with a smile. "This will guide you from now on."

She clapped her hands.

A second later, a translucent figure of an elven woman appeared beside her and bowed gracefully.

"My Lady," the elf said. "Lord Runeth has upgraded the Keeper's Watch as you requested. However, he asks that you continue to monitor this one's fate—and keep updating the Watch's quest function."

Zera reached into the air and pulled a black box from thin space, presenting it to Rhea.

"Thank you," Rhea said, opening the box and revealing a silver bracelet within.

"This," she said, tossing it toward Zephyr, "belongs to you now."

Zephyr caught the silver bracelet and examined it with curiosity.

"Go back to your room and wear the artifact," Rhea instructed with a smile. "Inject a bit of wisdom power, and it will activate and guide you."

Before Zephyr could ask anything, she stood up from the sofa and added, "You may leave now."

He nodded at her command, stood quietly, and walked away. Moments later, he opened the wooden door and exited the luxurious room.

Zera raised a brow. "Shouldn't you at least give him a little explanation, Tower Master?"

"There's no need," Rhea replied calmly. "I'll guide him through the artifact myself. If he uses his wits and acts with caution, I might just create a 'Hero,' as Charles suggested."

"Haa… I can't even begin to understand what that man's thinking," Zera muttered. "Creating 'Heroes' artificially, using them against the Churches while he's just resting in the Tower? His schemes keep getting scarier."

Rhea chuckled. "He's always been wrapped in mystery. But becoming Zephyr's guide until Charles finishes his 'Eye Transplantation' won't be easy. I can see traces of his fate, yes, but things could turn unpredictable if a Cardinal Rank powerhouse interferes. Worst case—we lose Zephyr and the upgraded Keeper's Watch."

Concern flickered in her eyes.

"I don't think he'll be in danger," Zera reassured. "Charles said he'd already secured Zephyr's identity in the Sacred Empire. Let's trust his words."

Rhea gave a solemn nod. "What about his next target?"

"Mary," Zera answered, her tone growing thoughtful. "She's already in the Capital and seems to be digging into information about Charles. From what I've gathered, she's here to kill him."

"Kill Charles? What did he do?" Rhea frowned.

"She claims he killed her adoptive father, Bishop Reynolds." As Zera spoke, she waved her hand and summoned a blue, holographic square. Within it was information about Bishop Reynolds.

Rhea read the data and blinked in surprise. "So there's history between Charles and the Bishop, huh? Did he really kill him?"

"Yes. But Lord Runeth said there was a reason and asked us to stay out of it. Something happened in Riverdale City that led to Reynolds's death," Zera explained.

"Then there's nothing we can do about it," Rhea murmured. "Any updates on the United Council? When does it begin?"

"It's been postponed to June 13th. But there's a problem with the venue—it's being held in the Holy City of the Sacred Empire. I've arranged three airship tickets for you, Noel, and Lord Runeth, but I'm worried about your safety. The Churches have been sending warning letters ever since we revealed the forgotten history to the public."

"They wouldn't be foolish enough to cause a scene at the Lawful United Council," Rhea said firmly. "And I'll have Lord Runeth with me—my safety is guaranteed."

Despite knowing Runeth was an artifact in human form, she had come to trust him deeply over the past few decades.

Before Zera could respond, Rhea raised her hand, activated a teleportation spell, and vanished.