"Let's go then, I have a hideout nearby," Azhriel said, turning toward the boar without waiting for a response.
As he neared the creature, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Crack.
The spike of ice shattered into a fine spray of shimmering fragments, dissolving into the air like blue crystalline dust. The boar's massive body, now free of its impalement, dropped to the ground with a muted thud.
A moment later, fine azure threads of mana emerged from his palm—delicate yet firm—as they danced through the air and wrapped around the boar's corpse like silken cords, lifting it with practiced ease.
'This guy…' Arianne raised her brows slightly, realization dawning in her crimson eyes.
She caught the meaning behind Azhriel's actions almost instantly.
He could've easily stored the boar in a spatial ring—that much was obvious to someone like her. Yet, he had deliberately chosen to use visible mana threads to lift the beast instead.
The act was subtle, almost casual… but to someone observant, it was clearly intentional.
He was trying to ease Serica's suspicion.
Azhriel already knew his presence was strange—too quiet, too concealed. Only those with finely honed senses could even begin to guess at his rank or nature.
And with that much mystery surrounding him, it wouldn't be hard for someone like Serica, who was sworn to protect a noble, to jump to the worst conclusion: that he was a demonic mage or something.
But demonic mages couldn't use pure mana.
That was a truth known throughout the continent.
So, he showed her. Without words, he made it clear—Look, I can use mana. I'm not what you think.
Clever, subtle, and cautious.
Arianne's expression didn't shift much, but inwardly, her impression of Azhriel raised slightly
'Not just strong… but smart, too, huh.'
"That was some fine control of mana, there," Arianne said, her voice steady as she followed behind him, the dying sunlight filtering through the trees and casting shadows on the forest floor.
Azhriel glanced back at her slightly, his expression unreadable. A faint nod followed.
"It's thanks to my master," he replied calmly, his tone not proud but respectful—grateful.
Arianne didn't respond right away, her crimson gaze lingering on the shimmering threads of mana that drifted like soft blue ribbons behind Azhriel.
There was elegance in the way he moved, not just in his magic, but in the silence he carried with him.
"Master, huh." Her voice was quiet, thoughtful. But a moment later, her tone was casual but carried a faint curiosity in it.
"So, what's a teenage boy, much less a commoner, doing here in the Mistwood Forest? You do know even seasoned adventurers hesitate to step into this place."
She matched his pace now, walking beside him, with Serica silently trailing behind, her eyes still wary.
Azhriel didn't answer immediately. For a moment, the only sound between them was the rustle of leaves and the faint hum of mana in the air. Then, he spoke with a quiet certainty.
"Training."
Arianne blinked. "Training?"
He nodded. "Yes, training."
'Well, I can't exactly tell you I was sucked into a portal, had half my soul stitched back together, and then got beaten half to death by an Archon.'The thought flickered through his mind, dry and sharp with irony.
The simplicity of his answer held no arrogance, yet it left no room for doubt. It wasn't said with bravado, nor with hesitation. It was calm, measured—honest, yet layered. He hadn't just blurted the word out. He had thought about it, weighed it, and chosen it carefully.
Arianne glanced at him from the corner of her eye, her crimson gaze thoughtful.
"You're not very talkative, are you?" she asked after a beat.
Azhriel gave a faint shrug. "Hm, well that's just my preference, I guess. Though from your looks, one could say that you also ain't that much of a talker—but it seems appearances do lie," he said, casting a sideways glance at her.
'To think you were this expressive before your fall,' he mused silently. Remembering how little the game had shown about her life before becoming the villainess.
Arianne smiled faintly, the expression softening her usual calm.
"Actually… you're not wrong. I'm not much of a talker. But, being in a forest for months, talking to no one—it starts to wear on you. And it's not every day you run into someone out here in Mistwood. So, I guess it makes me a little curious." She said.
"Alone?" Azhriel asked, tilting his head slightly, his gaze drifting toward Serica.
Arianne noticed, following his glance before letting out a small sigh.
"Ugh, just look at her," she said, gesturing lightly at her guard. "Do you think she's the type to drop all the formalities and chat like a normal person?" She said.
"Well, from what I've seen till now, I don't think she's the type to do that," Azhriel said, his tone casual as he glanced again at Serica, who remained behind them.
"Nope, she isn't," Arianne replied, walking with her hands loosely folded behind her back. "She's sworn to guard me, not entertain me."
"That sounds lonely," Azhriel said simply.
Arianne blinked, her steps pausing for a brief moment before she resumed. "You get used to it," she said, her voice was quieter this time—less guarded, and more real.
Silence lingered between them, broken only by the rustling leaves and the steady thump of their boots against the forest floor. Soon, after walking a bit more Azhriel came to a stop.
"Here we are," he said, lowering the boar to the ground with practiced ease.
Arianne's eyes moved slowly across the space. The cave in front of them wasn't too deep, but it was wide—far more spacious than she expected for a single person's dwelling.
Dense trees surrounded the area, forming a natural barrier, and in the open patch just before the cave entrance, a circular arrangement of stones hinted at a makeshift fire pit.
Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly, observing the subtle signs of long-term use—the neatly stacked firewood to the side, the smoothed ground, and even a few bones buried in the shadows.
"…You've been here for a while," she spoke.
Azhriel gave a small nod, brushing his hand lightly against the boar. "Yeah, three months."
Serica, who had remained silent the entire time, swept her gaze through the area with sharp eyes. She didn't speak, but the slight lowering of her guard was noticeable—only slightly, but enough.
Arianne stepped forward, turning to face Azhriel. "You really are strange, you know that?"
He shrugged lightly as small smile formed on his face. "Yeah, I hear that quite a lot."