When Fantasy Glitches

Year 348 of the Great Sundering Era, 2nd Month, 20th Day of the Mistveil Cycle.

Not long after Magnus's meeting with Major General Arbarth, he got back in touch with Luden. The plan was finalized, the date was set, and now it was time to share the details.

Fortunately, the day Magnus picked to reach out lined up perfectly with Luden's own plans. That same day, Luden had already arranged to gather their faction members to discuss Cain's request for support. So, with everything lining up, both he and Magnus agreed it would be best to cover both topics in a single meeting. Given Seraline's current condition, they chose the Sostenza Family residence as the meeting spot. Her family wasn't keen about letting her go anywhere, and to avoid needing to explain everything to her afterward, Luden got in touch with her directly.

It didn't take long for her to respond. She had already spoken with her family, and they agreed to host the meeting at their home.

With that, everything was set.

Which brings us to where Magnus was now—on his way to the Sostenza residence. Dismissing his disguise as Able, he returned to his persona as Cain and shot into the sky. This time, there was no need to sneak out late or ask Eveline to cover for him. With classes temporarily suspended, students could leave the academy whenever they liked—aside from the usual curfew.

Still, most chose to stay on campus. No one wanted to risk falling behind, even if the professors weren't around.

That said, after what happened during his earlier visit to the Sostenza estate—and the more recent encounter with Alwen and Kolten—Magnus had learned his lesson about teleporting. The Sostenza Family had been notified ahead of time about his arrival, but even so, teleporting straight in would probably still trigger a lot of their kngihts defenses.

Flying was the safer bet.

Below him, Arlcliff City blurred under the wind and rain of the storm. Flying in weather like this would've been impossible relying on sight alone, but Magnus wasn't flying blind. He was using his mental map to guide him. Only when he was directly above the mansion did he glance down, just barely spotting it from high above.

Down below, two familiar guards stationed at the gate noticed his approach. They tensed for a moment—but quickly relaxed. They recognized the figure descending.

These were the same guards who had intercepted Magnus the first time he came to visit Seraline.

As he touched down, landing smoothly with barely a sound, the guards stepped back.

Magnus looked their way and gave a nod.

"I take it I didn't cause any problems this time. I was told you'd be expecting me."

"Ah, yes, your fine," one of the guards answered, much more relaxed than before.

"The Young Lady's other guests have already arrived. Go on in."

Magnus started toward the gate with a nod.

"Got it. Is Mulvin here?"

The other guard gave a small shake of his head at the question.

"No, Sir Mulvin was called back to the academy a few days ago. He hasn't returned since." His tone wasn't worried—just informative. It wasn't unusual, after all. The academy often called on professors for tasks that took them away for a while.

Huh. So even Mulvin got roped into whatever's going on at Takerth. Well, not like I could've asked him for help with this anyway.

With that, Magnus walked through the gate and onto the grounds. Just like last time, the training fields were active, knights busy going through drills and exercises. But unlike before, no one stared at him or seemed surprised by his presence. The guards and trainees alike must've been briefed ahead of time.

For a second, he was a little surprised they were still training in this weather. But then again, they were knights. Even the guards at the gate had been standing there without batting an eye at the storm. That was probably the point—training their aura against the elements, turning raw exposure into a test of focus and endurance. It was like sharpening their willpower on a whetstone.

As Magnus moved up the steps toward the main building, the door opened before he could even touch it. A middle-aged woman greeted him—clearly a maid, but her uniform leaned more formal than usual, with deep blacks dominating over white.

"I recognize you," Magnus said through the black mask covering his face as Cain.

She looked familiar—because he'd seen her before, standing beside Seraline's mother.

"It's an honor that you remember, Young Master Cain. My name is Cevra. I serve as the Head Maid of the Sostenza residence. I was informed of your arrival and have been waiting to welcome you." She bowed slightly, hands folded, then stepped aside to let him in.

Magnus gave a silent nod in return. No need to reintroduce himself—she already knew the name and the face he wore.

Inside, three maids stood at the ready. Two of them held towels; the third looked prepared to collect any coat or cloak he might remove.

"Help our guest dry off," Cevra instructed, glancing back at the two with the towels. She must've realized the third wasn't needed—Magnus had no intention of handing over his cloak. Not that he could. It was conjured through the mask's magic, after all.

Before they could step forward, Magnus raised a hand and shook his head.

"There's no need."

After speaking, Magnus used a quick but intense burst of fire elementrix just beneath his skin. In an instant, his body temperature surged, and the moisture clinging to him evaporated into a cloud of steam. The change was so sudden that the approaching maids—and even Cevra—stepped back in surprise as the heat rolled off him.

A few seconds later, as the steam began to fade, Magnus shifted to ice elementrix, cooling his body back down to what he considered normal.

Just like that, he was dry—not that he'd been very wet to begin with. At this point, water and most other liquids barely stuck to his skin at all. The steam had only come from a few stray droplets that had gathered in folds or creases.

Cevra recovered quickly, her voice steady again as she spoke.

"I- I see. I suppose I should've expected nothing less from a student of the academy." With a small gesture, she dismissed the three maids she'd brought along. They bowed briefly, then quietly took their leave.

Cevra turned her attention back to Magnus.

"In that case, if you'll follow me, I'll take you to the first-floor lounge. The Young Lady and her other guests are already here—they're waiting for you now." Without another word, she turned and started walking down one of the hallways branching off the foyer. Magnus followed close behind, their footsteps muffled by the dark red carpet. The walk wasn't far—just a short way through the manor. As they neared a door, even before it was opened, Magnus could already hear voices raised in what sounded like an argument on the other side.

"Here we are," Cevra said, reaching for the handle. She pulled the door open and stepped aside to let him through.

The room beyond was exactly what you'd expect from a lounge. The only notable difference was that the Sostenza Family didn't seem to put as much emphasis on decorating every wall with artwork, at least not compared to some of the other places Magnus had seen. At the center, two couches and two armchairs were arranged neatly around a low table. Extra chairs from other rooms had been brought in to make up for the lack of seating.

Toward the back, two large windows stood with their curtains drawn open, letting in the view of rain streaking down the glass and the occasional flash of lightning beyond.

Above, a modest glass chandelier bathed the room in warm light, softening the gloom cast by the storm outside. But whatever thunder or wind might have echoed through the windows was completely drowned out by the voices Magnus now clearly heard as the door swung fully open.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"You're lucky we're on someone else's property, or I'd wipe that smug look right off your face!"

"Oh? What's wrong—too much of a brute to fight me without wrecking everything around you? I guess I should've expected that."

Magnus wasn't the least bit surprised to find Syrna and Blair going at it again. The two were always at each other's throats. But the moment he stepped into the room, all eyes shifted toward him.

Naturally, Luden and Seraline were there as well. They were the ones who had arranged the meeting, each sitting in one of the armchairs. Sylas, never far from his sister, sat beside her on the couch. Across from them, Blair had taken the opposite couch.

What Magnus didn't expect was to see the newer members already present—Reimun, the one he fought during the desert phase of the Live Examination, and Jalud, the only wielder of word magic Magnus had ever come across. Both of them were seated in the extra chairs that had been brought in to accommodate the group.

Oh, right... I almost forgot those two joined us.

Luden tilted his head back, offering a faint smile over his shoulder.

"Good, you're here, Cain. We've been waiting on you."

Syrna immediately dropped whatever irritation she had toward Blair.

"Yeah, where've you been lately? No one's seen you around the academy in forever," she said, arms crossing as she leaned forward.

"Sylas and I have been itching for another match."

Reimun, who had witnessed their last spar firsthand, seemed mutedly surprised at that.

"Again? Even after how your last attempt went?"

Sylas glanced his way, answering flatly, "It won't end the same this time."

Syrna grinned beside him, clearly proud.

"Exactly. Can't you tell something's changed about us?"

Their aura flared, just faintly—but enough. Seraline, being an Adept-level knight herself, noticed immediately.

"You two reached the Adept level." Her tone wasn't shocked, more like mildly impressed. She'd known they were close to that point, but it was still a surprise.

Reimun gave a respectful nod.

"Congrats. I figured you were nearly there, but that was fast."

"I can't imagine it was easy," Luden added.

Sylas gave a short nod.

"It wasn't. We didn't have many people to spar with, so Syrna and I ended up going at each other until we nearly passed out. It's hard to explain, but... something clicked right when we were about to collapse." Listening to him, Magnus couldn't help but think back to the novels he used to read. The kind where characters pushed past their limits and suddenly hit a breakthrough.

It always felt far-fetched in fiction, but he guessed that's just how things worked for knights. It was why so many heroic figures in the legends of this world were knights in reality.

Luden nodded thoughtfully.

"However it happened, it's still an accomplishment. Well done."

"If you think just reaching Adept-level is enough to challenge Cain, then you're both idiots." Jalud's blunt comment snapped Syrna's head around, her eyes narrowing in his direction.

Blair let out a quiet laugh but didn't try to hide his amusement.

"Huh? What did you just say?" She asked sharply.

"You heard me," Jalud replied, his tone steady and uninterested. He didn't even bother to meet her gaze.

"That's a lot of talk coming from someone who got his face caved in trying to fight Cain," Syrna shot back.

"You know, good mages usually don't get punched in the face."

Blair chimed in, casually tossing fuel on the fire.

"And yet, there still isn't a single mage in this room either of you could beat one-on-one. So what does that make you?"

The twins turned to glare at him in sync.

"You want to test that?" They asked together.

That was when Magnus finally stepped in, his voice cutting through the tension, filtered by the mask he wore as Cain.

"Enough. What have I told you three about fighting?"

That was all it took.

Syrna, Sylas, and Blair froze where they were, hostilities vanishing in an instant as their eyes turned to Magnus. None of them needed a reminder of what happened last time things got heated. Cain had subdued all three of them in an instant—and that was before the Live Examination and the assignment with Seraline, where he'd only grown stronger. Even Syrna, despite her earlier bravado, knew the truth. She and her brother had improved, sure—but Cain's growth was simply too different. Unnatural, even.

Clicking her tongue, Syrna huffed and dropped back onto the couch, arms crossed.

"Tch. Fine."

Sylas didn't say a word but clearly backed off as well. Blair still had a grin on his face, though his energy shifted as he steered the conversation in a new direction.

"Well, since we're all here now," he said, "how about we finally hear why we were called here in the first place?"

Luden folded his hands over his lap, responding calmly.

"Of course. There's no reason to delay."

His tone shifted slightly as he continued.

"As you've probably already guessed, this gathering isn't about faction matters. In fact, I didn't organize this meeting at all—I'm simply doing a favor for Cain." He gestured to Magnus, who now stood beside his chair, silent.

"To keep things simple, Cain's gotten wrapped up with some less-than-savory individuals. That's why he's been so hard to find lately."

Luden glanced around the room, making sure everyone was following.

"I'm sure some of you have heard about that church that was destroyed recently, or the sudden crackdown on human trafficking. The people involved in both incidents? That's who we're talking about."

His voice lowered slightly, but remained clear.

"They're criminals—but their reach extends into the nobility under the name Nightshade." Most of the group remained quiet at the name. Only Blair reacted—his attention sharpening the moment human trafficking was mentioned.

"I've got questions," Sylas said, raising a hand.

"Yeah, me too," Syrna added, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm not even gonna ask how Cain got mixed up in all this, but how is a criminal group giving him trouble?"

It sounded ridiculous. Luden nodded in agreement.

"I thought the same. But based on what we've uncovered, we have strong reason to believe rogue mages are backing them. And not just that—they've got members who are on par with Adept-levels, possibly even Master-level. Cain can confirm this."

He turned toward Magnus, who stepped in right on cue.

"It's true. They had members—some not even human—and they numbered in the hundreds. A few were comparable to Adept-class mages and knights, maybe even Master Class," Magnus said plainly. "

I managed to wipe them out, but it took planning, support, and preparation—and that was just one branch."

The room went quiet.

Even for this group, the mention of rogue mages was enough to raise eyebrows. But the idea of hundreds of beings on that level? That tipped the conversation from serious to disturbing. Still, the thing that struck them most wasn't the numbers—it was what Magnus said at the end.

"You wiped them out?" Reimun echoed, disbelief clear in his voice.

"That's... insane," Syrna muttered. No one argued with her.

Luden, already aware of the story, remained composed. Jalud, on the other hand, leaned forward slightly, staring at Magnus like he was trying to see through him. But no one questioned him out loud. Cain wasn't known to exaggerate, and it wouldn't benefit him to lie here. Whether it made sense or not, they believed him. They had to.

And so, one thought silently crept into all their minds: If he was considered a Pseudo-Master before... what is he now?

No one said it, but the question lingered.

Luden eventually broke the silence.

"I'll go over more of the organization's details later. What matters right now is this—Cain is at odds with them. Some of the nobles helping this group have also crossed the Rilhawk Family, which makes them our enemies as well."

He folded his hands.

"I've already agreed to help Cain root out this tumor hiding under Arlcliff City. But he's asked for your help, too—that's why you're all here. This isn't related to our faction directly, but since it's Cain's request, I chose to bring it forward." Again, silence settled over the room as Magnus scanned their faces. They might act like brats sometimes, but these weren't ordinary students. Every one of them had been trained and groomed since childhood to carry the weight of their names. Luden didn't need to explain the risks—they were already weighing them in their minds.

At least, most of them were.

Which was why everyone was caught off guard when Seraline raised her hand.

"I'll join you two."

"Oh? That fast? You didn't even ask a single question," Blair remarked, raising an eyebrow.

Seraline met his gaze evenly.

"I trust Cain. He saved my life, and I feel like I have a good sense of the kind of person he is. If a criminal organization like Nightshade is after him, that's reason enough for me." Magnus blinked, slightly caught off guard. Why does she trust him that much? He almost asked himself the question aloud. But then he remembered—she had already entrusted her life to him once, back when they fought that mana beast together. Even now, he still didn't fully understand why she placed that level of trust in him, but he nodded in appreciation just the same.

"Hm. Looks like you two got closer during your assignment than I thought," Luden mused, glancing between them before turning to the rest of the group.

"What about the rest of you?"

Once again, everyone found themselves having to decide.

"My family doesn't appreciate drawing attention outside of sanctioned missions," Reimun said, making it clear what the hesitation was—and that it likely applied to the others as well.

Luden gave a slight nod of understanding.

"If it helps, Cain has a solid network of ties to the Batis Military. They'll be involved in this operation and are providing their support. So, anyone who joins will have official clearance from the military to avoid complications."

"Is that so..." Reimun paused, clearly considering the implications. After a moment, he gave a slow nod.

"In that case, I think I can convince my family to let me participate."

The twins seemed to have come to a conclusion around the same time. Sylas opened his mouth to speak, but Syrna beat him to it, slamming her hand down on the table.

"Then of course we're going!" She declared.

She turned to Sylas, her eyes practically glowing with excitement.

"We've been itching for something challenging ever since hitting Adept-level. If what they said is true, this is perfect. Besides," She turned her grin to Magnus

"—It means Cain'll owe us one." That smirk of hers carried just the right amount of mischief, and Magnus could already tell she wouldn't let him forget it. Sylas didn't bother saying anything. He just gave a shrug and a slight nod—clearly on board, if a bit more reserved about it.

"Well, since everyone's being generous today. I suppose I'll join too," Blair added nonchalantly.

"Huh? You're serious?" Syrna blinked, visibly surprised.

"Of course," Blair said.

"Though not for some vague sense of loyalty. I'm well aware of Nightshade. Their incompetence has been interfering with certain... dealings of my family. On top of that, I've overheard that they've started pulling out of a lot of contracts recently. Removing a group that can't honor their word benefits everyone."

"Ah. That makes more sense," Syrna replied, but didn't press further—not after Cain's warning earlier.

That just left Jalud. Now the center of attention, he turned to Magnus.

"You said the members of this organization were strong. Strong enough to challenge even you?"

Magnus picked up on his intent and offered a slight smile behind his mask.

"They were. I nearly died more than once."

That answer seemed to satisfy Jalud. A similar grin appeared on his face.

"In that case, fine. I'll help—but only until I'm ready for our rematch. I need something to keep me entertained in the meantime."

And with that, the last of them gave their answer.

Everyone had agreed.