"Sister… has she awakened her magic?"
The question hung in the air.
What did it mean to awaken magic?
For Lisanna and Elfman, however, there was no jealousy. No envy at all. Only relief that their sister was still alive.
"Yes. Mira awakened her magic," Rain confirmed with a calm nod.
"After all… only by awakening it could she suppress that demon just now."
"The demon…" Lisanna bit her lip, her voice trembling.
"Will it… affect my sister? It looked so terrifying…"
Rain shook his head. "Don't worry. Mira is fine."
His eyes softened as he looked down at Mira, asleep in his arms. There was a trace of tenderness there, a warmth that made it clear how much he cared.
"That's good… that's really good."
Elfman let out a long breath. It was as if a heavy stone had finally been lifted from his chest.
"…Brother Rain."
Lisanna glanced up at him. The way he gazed at Mira with such gentle eyes stirred something inside her.
A flicker of envy twisted in her chest. If only he would look at me like that…
But to Rain, she knew she was nothing more than a little sister. That realization stung, leaving her quietly disappointed.
Then everything changed.
The moment Rain's gaze lingered on Mira, the entire church froze.
Time itself stopped.
Even consciousness seemed to halt.
Except his.
"What… is happening here?!"
Rain's body wouldn't move. His magic wouldn't flow. The only thing still functioning was his mind. And that made it even more terrifying.
What kind of magician could pull this off?
Suddenly, the stone statue at the heart of the ruined church lit up.
Flash!!!
Blinding white light erupted from it, flooding the space. A single glowing point broke free, streaking through the air and sank into Rain's chest.
Boom!
The shockwave rattled his very soul. His vision went white. His consciousness snapped.
And then, darkness.
…A vast expanse of white.
When Rain's consciousness stirred, he found himself standing in that endless void.
"Huh? Where… is this?"
As his awareness sharpened, his gaze fell on something impossible...a towering door, gleaming white-gold, rising out of the blank horizon.
"…A door?"
He blinked, stepping closer. The surface of the gate was covered in carvings: angels with spread wings, demons with twisted horns, dragons, stars, sacred trees...countless symbols etched together in one majestic pattern.
It radiated divinity. Mystery. Something beyond mortal comprehension.
"What the hell is this…?"
Curiosity tugged at him. Rain stretched out his hand and placed it against the shining surface.
The moment he touched it
Knowledge poured into his mind.
Gate of Time and Space.
Rain's eyes widened. "…So this… is my cheat?"
The explanation was crystal clear. The Gate of Time and Space allowed him to step through and travel to any world he wished.
But there was a catch.
He needed knowledge. Only if he understood a world well enough could he anchor its coordinates.
With that anchor, the Gate could "purchase the ticket" and send him there.
And the price?
The Gate would inscribe the essence of the current world onto itself.
Every world he visited, it would carve its laws, history, and existence into its frame. Only after this engraving was complete could he leave and return.
Engraving was slow. It took time. It required immersion. To hasten it, he had to take action, change the world, leave an impact big enough to shake its fabric.
Rain exhaled. "…So in short, I need to cause trouble."
The corner of his mouth twitched. I've never been particularly good at that… but hey, I can learn.
Besides, Mira had just awakened her own magic. Once she recovered, they could head to Fairy Tail or as he jokingly thought of it, Troublemaker's Guild and study the fine art of stirring up chaos together.
"Twelve years in this world already… so it's fully engraved."
That meant one thing.
The door was open. He now had the chance to step into another world and return here freely.
"So the question is…" He crossed his arms, frowning.
"Which world should I go to first?"
Rain wasn't naïve. Sure, he'd awakened magic. But just like Mira, it was Take-Over Magic.
And at his current level? He was nowhere near strong. He could fight wild beasts, maybe a few low-level monsters. Nothing more.
"That means my first pick has to be careful. Somewhere I can grow strong quickly."
He stared at the golden gate, the possibilities endless.
"…Yeah. No need to rush. This decision… has to be perfect."
The white-gold glow pulsed, as if waiting for his answer.
With Rain's consciousness returning, time and space resumed their flow.
Lisanna and Elfman still awake were completely unaware of what had just occurred, as if the world itself had erased it.
To them, nothing unusual had happened inside the church.
But Rain knew better.
That vision, that gate of time and space carved into his mind...none of it was illusion.
He could still feel its presence within his sea of consciousness, vast and immovable.
"Lisanna, Elfman," Rain said quietly, steadying himself.
"Let's take Mira home first."
"Okay."
Neither sibling hesitated. Their only concern was their sister.
Rain nodded. Carefully, he slipped his arms under Mira and carried her in a princess cradle, her pale face resting against his chest.
The three of them left the corrupted church behind and made their way back to the village.
After ensuring Mira was settled safely in her cabin with her siblings, Rain returned to his own hut.
The massive wild boar from earlier was still waiting. With Mira safe and the memory of the Gate burning in his mind, he knew what he needed to do.
Preparation.
If he was truly destined to travel between worlds, then he would need supplies and that meant money.
So, under the cover of night, Rain shouldered the boar once again and set off for the nearby town.
By dawn, he reached his destination and sold it to a familiar merchant, someone who never asked too many questions about how a boy his age could drag in prey that size.
With coin now jingling at his waist, Rain turned back, heading home as the sky began to brighten.
But…
Something felt off.
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