I Don’t Know the Original, I’m Too Busy Trying to Make a Living

“Ugh, the smell. What have you been eating?”

Ahwin wrinkled his nose and took a step back, pinching his fingers over his nostrils. The serpent radiated a fierce, malevolent energy. It had clearly consumed countless magical beasts over the years.
“If Pepe saw you, she’d faint on the spot.”
As though understanding his words, the snake’s massive head lowered, its body moving with a heavy, unsettling grace. Its glistening scales rippled like grotesque waves as it shifted.

Ahwin tilted his head and asked, “What is it? Do you want to eat me too? Go ahead, try.”
The serpent’s yellow eyes gleamed ominously, its elongated pupils widening as it bared its venomous fangs.
“Ha!”

The snake lunged at Ahwin’s neck with blinding speed, but its fangs collided against a shimmering blue barrier, ricocheting off harmlessly. The tree that had supported its massive body groaned and snapped under the force of its failed attack.
The serpent shook its head as though disoriented, then snarled at Ahwin, flashing its fangs again. But it hesitated, wary of the magic shield that had effortlessly repelled it.
Ahwin extended his hand into the air, and out of nowhere, a blade of brilliant blue energy materialized.

“You’re disgusting. Let’s end this quickly.”
He gripped the hilt of the blade in reverse and hurled it directly at the serpent’s head. The snake didn’t even have time to dodge before the blade pierced through its skull, embedding itself deep within. A stream of toxic, bluish-green blood spurted violently from the wound.
“Kraaaah!”

The serpent thrashed wildly, but it was futile. The blade, imbued with the pure, overwhelming magic of the Tower Master, could not be shaken off. No creature could survive after losing so much blood, let alone under such an attack. As the life drained from its eyes, Ahwin stretched out his hand.
The blade, still buried in the serpent’s flesh, wrenched free and flew back into Ahwin’s grasp. At the tip of the blade was a dark crimson mana stone lodged securely in its hilt. The weapon had pierced directly through the serpent’s magical core.
Ahwin frowned as he inspected the mana stone.

“This is gross. Should I just throw it to the Tower?”
He knew several mages who would salivate at the sight of a mana stone from a serpent of this magnitude. Selecting the most greed-driven of them, he nodded to himself.
“Hm, the material here might do nicely.”

With a flick of his hand, he split the fallen tree into segments using magic, assembling the pieces into a makeshift structure in the air. With a few adjustments, the wood took the form of a doorframe, complete with a handle.
It was an improvised portal to the Tower.
Gripping the handle, Ahwin pulled it open. The space within distorted, and a dimly lit chamber materialized out of thin air.
Inside, under the glow of a magical orb, Elder Mage Hamillan sat reading a thick tome. He flinched and looked up, startled.

“...Tower Master?”
“Take it. A gift.”
Ahwin casually tossed the crimson mana stone into the chamber. It clattered across the floor, leaving streaks of dark blood as it rolled. Hamillan hurriedly picked it up, gasping in shock.

“Th-this… Tower Master, is this… the mana stone of a Falak serpent?”
“Yep. Take the carcass too.”
Ahwin stepped aside, revealing the serpent’s massive, blood-soaked body.

Hamillan’s eyes widened behind his glasses, nearly popping out of his head.
“Good heavens! Where did you even find such a massive creature? Aren’t they notorious for staying buried underground? This one must be at least a thousand years old!”
“Guess it found something on land it couldn’t resist eating,” Ahwin replied lazily, unwilling to elaborate further.

Hamillan, wiping the blood from the mana stone on his robe, stuffed it into his pocket and excitedly moved closer to inspect the serpent. His exaggerated movements made Ahwin’s brow twitch in annoyance.
“Up close, it’s even larger! Truly magnificent!”
“...How about you keep your admiration silent?”

“We need to retrieve the carcass quickly, or the venom will start corroding the ground.”
Hamillan began chanting an intricate spell, his voice steady despite the complex incantations.
 

After what felt like an agonizingly long time by Ahwin’s standards, the serpent’s massive carcass began to float in midair, accompanied by droplets of its toxic blue-green blood.
The body moved sluggishly toward the portal, almost as if crawling, before unceremoniously crashing onto the brick floor inside. The once-small chamber was now nearly filled with the serpent’s enormous bulk. By the time Hamillan, the elder mage, had finished the process, sweat was dripping from his brow and neck.
“Phew, it’s done. I’ll handle the rest myself,” Hamillan said, wiping his forehead.

Ahwin gave him a disdainful glance, then turned away.
“Leaving already?”
“I’ve got to go. I slipped out without saying anything.”

“Well, please be patient with those two youngsters. Despite their antics, they’re regarded as the most talented mages of their generation.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it. Close the portal yourself, and make sure to clean up properly.”
“Yes, sir.”

Before Hamillan could launch into another round of chatter, Ahwin waved his hand. At the motion, luminous blue runes spilled from his fingertips, silencing Hamillan immediately.
The shimmering lights coalesced into the Arcante Tower’s magic circle, enveloping Ahwin in a reverse cascade of glowing energy. In an instant, he vanished from Hamillan’s sight.
‘The more I see him, the less human he seems,’ Hamillan thought as he stared at the now-empty space.

The intricate geometry of the magic circle—lines, curves, runes, and ancient glyphs—was executed with such careless ease. Many mages failed to perform spatial magic even after meticulous preparation, yet Ahwin made it look like child’s play.
From Ahwin’s perspective, mages like Caserin and Lube were mere toddlers.
‘Still, with someone like him as the Tower Master, it’s no wonder no one dares to challenge the Tower’s authority.’

Unofficially, Ahwin had eradicated enough magical beasts and demons to populate an entire new demon realm. Most mana stones harvested from these creatures were absorbed directly by Ahwin himself, but occasionally, as in today’s case, he tossed one to the Tower as a “gift.” It was little surprise that every mage in the Tower was an ardent follower of his.
The demons hadn’t always been so docile, either. Their innate greed for power had driven them to use every trick in the book to eliminate the Tower Master.
But each time, Ahwin had yawned lazily and destroyed their hearts with ease. Eventually, he simply crushed any demon he saw on sight, overwhelming them with sheer force.

With the demons utterly subdued, the authority of the temples—who had once thrived on demon extermination—also began to wane. Thus, the balance of power on the continent had been preserved, thanks to these unseen dynamics.
‘In the end, strength is everything,’ Hamillan thought with satisfaction, closing the portal and appreciating the unprecedented peace now enjoyed by the continent.
***

As soon as Penelope returned to her room, she was met with an unexpected comment from Ahwin.
“Where did you go?” she asked.
“…Why?”

“Well, you smell like the forest. Were you in the woods?”
“You can smell that? Your sense of smell must be as sharp as a dog’s.”
“Did you just compare your girlfriend to a dog?” Penelope exclaimed, stunned by his audacious comparison.

She glared at him. I’m a noblewoman, your girlfriend, no less! How could you say such a thing?
Ahwin quickly raised his hands in an X-shape in front of him.
“That’s not what I meant, Pepe. It’s a compliment—like how a dog has an incredible sense of smell!”

“So, you’re saying I’m like a dog?”
Ahwin broke out into a nervous sweat. Somehow, the more he explained, the worse it sounded.
Penelope huffed and stomped past him, her steps heavy with irritation. She suddenly turned around.

“Are you coming to dinner or not?”
“I’m coming!” Ahwin called after her.
He hurried to catch up, grabbing her hands and putting on his best pitiful expression.

“Pepe, don’t be mad.”
“Don’t call me Pepe. When did I ever give you permission to use a pet name?”
“But if I can’t call you Pepe, what else should I call you?” Ahwin whined, his voice laced with exaggerated affection.

Penelope tried to keep her scowl but ended up laughing instead. Ahwin’s earnest pleading was simply too cute.
‘I’ll let it slide this time because he’s adorable.’
With a soft smile, she adjusted her grip on his hands. Seeing her expression, Ahwin beamed in return.

The two walked side by side toward the dining hall, and before long, Penelope had entirely forgotten the faint scent of the forest clinging to Ahwin. After all, it wasn’t anything important.
***
The Next Day, Late at Night.

At long last, Penelope arrived at Halo Territory.
The journey had been grueling—first by train from Dallas to Pellar, then by carriage for half a day to reach Halo. By the time they arrived, her party was completely drained.
“I’m too exhausted for this. Next time, we need to plan an extra night of rest in Pellar,” Penelope groaned.

“Hopefully, by then, the railway from Pellar to Halo will be operational,” Giselle replied with a hopeful smile.
“Let’s hope so,” Penelope sighed.