I Can See the Sword’s Memories

Chapter 48: The Fairy’s Forest(1)

Mid-level members of Azure Wings were often sent on extended assignments. 

Sometimes, they worked in teams, but more often, they were sent alone. 

However, it was rare for mid-level members to be paired together on the same team.

‘Not here today, either.’

It had been a few days since I returned from my solo mission. I shifted my gaze from Flora’s empty room, where no sign of life lingered.

Flora, too, had become a mid-level member. Shortly after my return, she had also left on a solo mission.

The same went for Theo, another member of my cohort. Azure Wings never rested.

Today was a weekend with no scheduled training. On weekends, Azure Wings was quiet. Exhausted members often used the time to sleep in.

Most of them, that is—excluding a few, myself included.

Walking across the tranquil training grounds, I followed faint, dispersed energy that seemed just within reach. Ordinarily, this kind of power wouldn’t have been accessible to me.

‘Shamanism…’

Only a select few were naturally born with the ability to sense spirits and follow the path of a shaman. Being able to feel even a faint presence of spirits was entirely thanks to my sister.

For a brief moment, her shamanic power had infused this body. It was inevitable that her soul’s connection to this body had left an imprint. 

Shamans of the White Frost Tribe often described cases like mine—individuals who could sense spirits later in life—as “having awakened their soul.”

Weekends were my designated time to reward myself. I paused my training to take a breather. 

While it was good to push forward with my quest for vengeance, I also took care of this body for my sister, who would someday return.

“Saeran, today we’re going to eat some delicious bread. Is there anything you’d like?”

I spoke aloud, chatting to myself as I walked. With everyone still asleep, there was no need to be discreet or lower my voice.

Then, I noticed something. By the entrance, a group of people was busily moving about. They were hauling items from a storage building filled with various supplies.

Curiosity piqued, I changed direction and approached them. The ones moving the items turned out to be junior members.

“Oh, Saeorin!”

“Good morning!”

As I neared, they stopped what they were doing to greet me immediately. Their faces were familiar—they were the same recruits I had trained with as a junior member just a month ago.

I waved casually.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, we’re moving things in preparation for the upcoming knight recruitment exam.”

“The recruitment exam?”

I studied the items they were moving. Sure enough, I recognized a few. Barriers to control access, large tables, and other familiar equipment were being brought out.

“It’s that time already?”

I felt a renewed sense of how quickly time passed. The upcoming exam, held once a year, marked a full year since I had left my hometown.

“Aren’t you excited? We’re about to get new recruits.”

“Excited? Hardly…”

I closed my eyes. No one joined Azure Wings lightly. Everyone had their own painful stories, their reasons for seeking strength. The new recruits would undoubtedly be no different.

‘…’

A faint warmth seemed to ride on the breeze as it brushed past me.

With only a few days remaining until the knight recruitment exam, I was sent out on another solo mission. To say I wasn’t disappointed would be a lie.

The grand events held by the Empire, though few in number each year, were always spectacular. I felt a pang of regret that I couldn’t show my sister such a lively scene.

Swoosh—

On the day of my departure, heavy rain poured relentlessly, as if a hole had been torn in the sky. Thick raindrops showed no sign of stopping.

‘I heard rainwater isn’t good for the skin…’

Recalling some trivial information I’d picked up somewhere, I mounted my horse.

Though I wore a raincoat to block the rain, the relentless downpour soaked my small frame through and through, rendering the raincoat nearly useless.

By the time I left the capital city of the Karma Empire, I had discarded the drenched coat. It was cumbersome and heavy; I preferred embracing the elements as they were.

Swoosh—

My destination lay along the border between the Karma Empire’s territory and the Mage Tower’s domain. 

The Mage Tower was a massive structure built by a gathering of mages. Over the years, the group had expanded its power and operated in secrecy.

Now, it was said to be a force even the Empire couldn’t touch lightly. Though technically part of the Empire, the Mage Tower operated independently.

‘I don’t care for their complicated circumstances…’

I had no reason to delve into such matters. My only task as a member of Azure Wings was to complete my mission: hunt down and eliminate Reincarnators.

Dismounting, I stepped into the border region. The vast plains stretched into the distance, with clouds draping the peaks of towering mountains. Beyond those peaks, the Mage Tower loomed.

“It’s enormous…”

It resembled more of a grand fortress than a mere tower. From a glance, it appeared larger than even the Imperial Palace. I understood why—it housed thousands of mages.

It was then that a distortion rippled through the air, and two figures emerged: a middle-aged man and a young woman. Their presence didn’t surprise me; I had already sensed them upon arrival.

Magic was said to be a mysterious art. It felt similar to shamanism but distinct. Hiding one’s presence like this was also something the shamans of the White Frost Tribe could do.

“Are you the knight from Azure Wings?”

“She’s too young. Are they underestimating us?”

The two had starkly contrasting attitudes. The middle-aged man was polite, carrying the weight of experience and knowledge. The younger woman, however, was brash and dismissive.

‘Untrained, I see.’

I showed no sign of discomfort. Maintaining composure, I performed a knight’s courtesy and introduced myself.

“Saeorin of the Azure Wings Knights, under the Karma Empire.”

This mission was a cooperative effort with mages from the Mage Tower. I’d been told that operating within their domain required working alongside them. There was no need to antagonize them unnecessarily.

“Shave of Mystic.”

“Envy of Serendipity.”

Apparently, mages, like knights, were divided by ranks. If Mystic was equivalent to a mid-level knight, then Serendipity was likely a rank below that.

I quickly lost interest in Envy. Rather than squabbling with an irritating woman, it was far easier to focus on communicating with the senior.

“I’ve reviewed the basic information. A Reincarnator has hidden in the Fairy’s Forest…”

“That’s correct,” Shave replied. “Under normal circumstances, the Mage Tower would have handled it. But the Reincarnator chose to hide in the Fairy’s Forest, forcing us to request Azure Wings’ help.”

“And the Reincarnator is still within the forest?”

“Indeed. As soon as they entered the forest, we set up a barrier around the area. They won’t be able to escape through conventional means.”

“What do you think our magic is for? Of course, we’ve made sure there’s no way for them to run,” Envy added, her tone laced with arrogance.

I glanced at Envy. For someone who couldn’t handle this problem on her own and had to call for help, she sure had a lot of confidence.

Rubbing my neck, I tilted my head from side to side, a soft cracking sound accompanying the movement as my white hair swayed.

“Let’s move. To this so-called Fairy’s Forest.”

The Fairy’s Forest wasn’t far. Even from its entrance, the forest glittered in a dim, otherworldly way despite it being midday. It was as if faint fireflies scattered a gentle glow throughout the area.

Of course, the forest wasn’t home to actual fairies. Instead, the faint lights were caused by distorted mana flows, giving the place its name.

“What a peculiar place,” I remarked.

Even at the forest’s edge, I could sense it—the mana here flowed differently than in ordinary areas. The air’s currents shifted constantly, and a unique fragrance permeated the environment.

“Can you sense the mana?”

I nodded at Shave’s question, and he responded with a hint of admiration.

“Perhaps you were better suited to being a mage than a knight. Let’s proceed.”

I glanced around as we prepared to enter. Mages stood at regular intervals, raising their hands toward the forest with their eyes closed. I could feel faint movements of mana emanating from them.

It seemed this was the barrier the mages had set up.

Step.

The three of us entered the forest. The moment we stepped in, it felt as though we had crossed into an entirely different realm. 

Everything changed—the oxygen density, the smells, even the gravity pressing on our bodies. The bright sunlight vanished entirely.

However, the light didn’t disappear altogether. The distorted flows of mana created a faint glow, illuminating the forest.

It looked as if the trees bore fruits of light instead of ordinary fruit.

“Hey, you.”

It was Envy calling out. Without fully turning my head, I glanced back and replied.

“Speak.”

“How do you take care of your skin?”

I’d only recently started caring for my skin. Before that, I hadn’t paid much attention to it. Debating whether to answer honestly, I finally spoke.

“I don’t do anything special.”

“Liar.”

“It’s the truth. Instead of wasting time on appearance, I swung my sword a little more.”

Half true, half false. I didn’t feel like giving her a completely honest answer. For no particular reason, really—I just didn’t. 

Looking up at Envy’s increasingly disgruntled expression, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

A subtle sense of superiority crept over me. With a small smile, I ran a hand lightly through my hair.