The moment the old man heard the cart approaching, he paused and turned.
Even from a distance, Rayven could tell something was… off.
It was not threatening, just an unusual sensation.
The man raised a hand and called out in a scratchy voice… "Headin' toward the next village, are ya? Mind if I ride along a bit? My legs are not what they used to be."
Miki narrowed her eyes but didn't reach for her sword.
Nara glanced at Rayven. "He doesn't feel dangerous… Maybe just old."
Rayven hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Sure. Hop on."
The old man chuckled. "Hop, he says. These knees haven't hopped in thirty years."
Rayven wryly smiled after hearing that.
Eventually, with some grunting, the old man climbed onto the back of the carriage and sat with a relieved sigh. He placed his staff beside him carefully, like one might handle a precious heirloom.
Now that they had gotten closer, Rayven got a better look.
The man's long white hair was unkempt, and his beard was tangled everywhere…
Still, the old man's eyes looked sharp. As if he were just pretending to be a frail traveler.
"Are you a mage, Sir?" Rayven asked while trying to sound casual as the carriage moved.
The old man let out a laugh. "What gave it away? The robe? The staff? Or can you sense my Mana?"
This time, it was Nara who replied. "It's your staff… Without that, you just look homeless."
Nara seemed to be fearless, even if she was talking to a Mage. This surprised Rayven a bit.
"Hahaha… But I am homeless."
The old man replied with a grin, showing a few missing teeth. "That's what happens when you call a noble's daughter a duck-faced imp at a royal banquet. Ugh… I should've retired a decade ago."
Rayven blinked. "You did that?"
"Not intentionally. But alcohol and old eyes don't mix well."
Miki snorted. "He's got guts. Or nothing to lose."
She knew that mages were respected everywhere they went. Furthermore, the older they get, the stronger they become because of the number of Spells in their arsenal.
Despite that, many nobles could still dictate the life of a mage…
She could easily assume that the old man had fallen from the grace of a noble. There were still some flaws in his story, but Rayven and the others didn't really mind it since they were still planning to drop him off in the next village.
"You're lucky we're not robbers." Miki suddenly said.
The old man smiled as he pointed at his head. "I don't have anything with me anyway. Just wisdom. And maybe early dementia."
Despite the jokes, Rayven was now paying more attention.
This old man was a real mage… He may be eccentric, but that could be due to his age.
"So… what kind of mage were you?" Rayven asked. He already learned about the types of Mages that exist out there, so he couldn't help but feel curious about the old man.
The man shrugged. "Back in the day? Enchanter. I etched spells into weapons, armor, tools, belts, spoons—once even a chamber pot. Kekeke…"
It was as if he were reminiscing about something naughty as he chuckled with a huge grin on his face.
As the carriage bumped along, the conversation shifted between stories of enchantments gone wrong and wild tales from cities Rayven had never heard of.
Still, thanks to the old man's chatty behavior, Rayven learned a lot of things about Mages.
The mage's name was also revealed during this conversation. It was Thyruz. Just Thyruz, as he refused to share a last name.
Rayven learned that while mages were rare, many who didn't serve noble houses or sects often wandered, sold services, or tried to stay low profile.
Not all of them were powerful. Some could only light fires or mend wood. But even weak magic had its uses.
And Rayven took mental notes of everything.
He realized this journey might not just be a way to get back to his family… but an unexpected opportunity to learn the world firsthand.
***
Time quickly passed as Rayven, Miki, Nara, and old man Thyruz rode quietly on the creaking carriage.
Suddenly, the horses neighed in panic, and they halted abruptly.
Miki, the one currently driving the vehicle, saw two creatures emerge.
They were horned wolves, each the size of a calf... They looked hungry as their eyes were locked onto the horses.
"Horned Wolves… I can deal with them." Miki muttered while already loosening her sword from her back.
However, the old man didn't let her finish.
"Stay back," Thyruz said as he lifted his staff.
"I may be old, but I'm not useless. Since you let me ride for free… I must at least work a little."
Soon, Rayven finally saw a true Spellcaster!
"Oh spirits that grant the echo of force—"
His hands trembled slightly. Then, with a deep grunt, he slammed the butt of the staff against the wooden floor of the carriage.
"Dual Force Lance!"
Two translucent lances of mana flew out!
It happened quite quickly as they slammed into the heads of the wolves with a loud crack. Both beasts dropped to the ground, and they were even twitching for a brief second before falling limp.
Everyone stared.
"…Whoa," Nara murmured, eyes wide. "You sure you're not just pretending to be frail, old man?"
But Thyruz was already breathing heavily, sinking back into the driver's seat. His face had gone pale.
"Hahh… that's about all I've got. I haven't cast two spells in a row in ten years…" he wheezed. "Remind me not to be heroic next time. I'm Enchanter, after all."
Rayven, however, narrowed his eyes—not at Thyruz, but at the wolves.
"There's something off," he muttered.
He just noticed that the wolves had a worn leather collar hidden beneath their fur…
"They were released. Tamed… or trained. Someone sent them to us?" He muttered.
"What?" Miki stood beside him, now fully alert. "You saying this was a setup?"
Rayven didn't answer. Instead, his eyes scanned the area…
There!
He found a fleeing figure!
He raised his hand and whispered, "Mana Flick."
A sharp, invisible force shot through the air!
It was followed by a pained grunt from a man who had just tumbled and crashed to the dirt.
Everyone turned to Rayven.
Even Thyruz sat upright.
"…You're a mage?!" the old man gasped. "But… I couldn't feel any mana coming from you! Not even a trace!"