Reo's Story - Magician

The next morning, the sunlight streaming through the cottage window woke Reo from his sleep. Despite the strange events of the previous night, he decided not to mention them to anyone.

Soon after Reo finished getting ready to start the day, there was a soft knock at the cottage door. When he opened it, Rikka stood there with a bright smile on her face.

"Good morning, Reo! Did you sleep well?" Rikka asked enthusiastically.

Reo returned her smile and nodded. "Good morning, Rikka. Yes, I slept quite well. Thank you."

Rikka looked relieved to hear Reo's answer. "That's great! I want to show you more of the town today. Are you ready for another adventure?"

Reo nodded, feeling excited about the day's plans. "Of course, I'm ready. Let's go!"

The two of them started walking out of the cottage, passing through grass still damp with morning dew. The trees around the cottage seemed friendlier in the morning sunlight, and birds sang to welcome the new day.

As they walked towards the town center, Reo felt at ease with Rikka's always cheerful presence. He decided not to mention the mysterious sounds or the blonde-haired girl he had seen the night before.

Rikka glanced at Reo with her characteristic smile. "Reo, I have an idea. How about we meet my friend at Elenmoor's church? We didn't get a chance to visit it yesterday!"

Reo nodded. "Sure!"

They turned the corner and saw a large building with a tall bell tower rising above it. The church looked majestic with its beautiful Gothic architecture and stained glass windows glistening in the morning sun.

As they walked closer to the church, Reo and Rikka noticed a young man with long blonde hair, wearing a black robe, kneeling in a small garden beside the church. The man appeared to be deep in prayer, his head bowed, and his hands folded gently in front of his chest. Around him, flowers bloomed beautifully, symbolizing peace and hope.

Rikka waved cautiously, not wanting to disturb the moment of prayer. "That's Jack," Rikka whispered to Reo. "He's the spiritual leader of this church and a good friend of our family."

Jack slowly lifted his head and opened his eyes. A warm smile spread across his face as he saw Rikka and Reo approaching. He stood gracefully and welcomed them with open arms.

"Rikka, it's so good to see you this morning," Jack said in a calm, gentle voice. "And who is our new friend here?"

Rikka stepped forward, introducing Reo with enthusiasm. "Jack, this is Reo. He's just arrived in Elenmoor and is learning about our town."

Jack extended his hand to Reo. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Reo. Welcome to Elenmoor. May peace and blessings always be with you."

Reo shook Jack's hand respectfully. "Thank you. It's nice to meet you."

Jack nodded warmly. "Let's walk inside the church together. I'm sure Noa will be delighted to meet you both." The three of them walked through the wide-open wooden doors. The interior of the church felt cool and tranquil, with high ceilings adorned with beautiful paintings. Stained glass windows cast colorful reflections on the marble floor, creating a magical atmosphere.

As they stepped inside, Jack paused for a moment and turned to Reo. "Reo, do you believe in the existence of the Dragon Gods, our protectors?"

The question took Reo by surprise, but he tried to answer as best as he could. "I... do."

Jack smiled gently and turned his gaze to the statues of the three Dragon Gods standing tall on the altar.

"That's good. We must believe. They are always here, protecting us all," Jack explained gently.

Reo looked into Jack's striking red eyes, curiosity growing. "I know it's not my place to ask, but are you a demon?" Reo inquired politely.

Jack smiled. "Yes, I am. Surprising, isn't it? It's not common for demons to devote their lives to the Dragon Gods. But after learning how They protected their people during the war 50 years ago, how could I not be captivated by their glory?"

Not long after, the sound of steady footsteps approached. The church doors opened, and a young girl entered. She wore a unique nun's habit with modern touches that set her apart from the other nuns. Her blonde hair was neatly tied in a ponytail, and her red eyes radiated an aura of strength that could intimidate those who looked at her.

Jack, noticing her arrival, quickly introduced her. "Ah, Reo, I want to introduce Noa. She lives here in the church with me."

As soon as Reo saw Noa, he immediately recognized her. Noa was the girl he had seen near the cottage the previous night, chanting a spell under the moonlight.

"Hello, I'm Noa. I work here at the church under Jack. Nice to meet you," Noa said in a calm but firm voice, her red eyes locking onto Reo's for a moment as if she recognized something.

Jack continued, "Noa is very talented in magic. She has lived in Elenmoor for years and has made valuable contributions to this town."

"Noa, this is Reo," Rikka said cheerfully. "He just arrived in Elenmoor a few days ago."

"Nice to meet you..." Reo greeted with a bit of hesitation.

Noa stared at Reo with her sharp red eyes, as if piercing through his exterior to see deeper. However, she remained calm and returned his greeting. "Can you use magic?"

Reo was surprised by the direct question. "Magic? No, I can't use magic," he replied honestly.

Noa smiled slightly as if she had discovered something interesting. "You may not know it, but there's something different about your aura. How about a sparring session? I want to see your potential."

Rikka, hearing the conversation, immediately turned, her eyes widening. "Noa, what are you thinking?! Reo just arrived in Elenmoor and he said he can't use magic!"

But Noa remained calm and unaffected by Rikka's concern. "Rikka, it's just practice. No one will get hurt."

Reo stood there, unsure if he was ready for a fight, especially against someone clearly more skilled in magic than he was. "I'm not sure this is a good idea. I really can't use magic."

However, Noa was undeterred by his refusal. "I don't accept 'no' for an answer. Come with me outside."

Noa walked out of the church, leaving Jack, Reo, and Rikka still bewildered inside.

Jack watched with concern from the sidelines but didn't want to worsen the situation by intervening. "I'm sorry, Noa doesn't usually behave like this..." he apologized.

Despite his doubts, Reo felt he had to show some bravery. Setting aside his worries, he began to follow Noa's lead, walking towards the battlefield she had prepared.

Near the churchyard, Noa stood tall, waiting for Reo's arrival in the arena she had set up.

"Finally. Let's get started," Noa said, preparing her battle stance.

With a serious expression, Reo focused his attention on Noa standing before him. Noa, with her sharp and graceful gaze, stepped forward, readying herself for the fight.

The battle began swiftly. Noa swung her hands, unleashing spells that cleaved through the air, attempting to attack Reo from various angles. Reo agilely dodged her attacks, leaping and slipping between the trees around them.

Rikka, standing on the sidelines, held her breath, worried for her two friends. She had never seen Reo fight before, and watching him face off against a skilled sorceress like Noa, she feared for his safety.

However, Reo displayed surprising courage and agility. Although he wasn't trained in magic, he relied on instinct and quick reflexes to evade Noa's attacks. He repeatedly attempted to throw rocks lying on the ground at Noa, trying to distract her.

But, Noa's proficiency in magic proved to be formidable. She easily evaded the attacks while continuously launching swift and deadly counterattacks. The battle raged on, with the surrounding trees bearing silent witness to the fierce duel between human and demon.

Tension reached its peak when Reo suddenly fell backward. Noa saw her opportunity and sent her final magical attack, a bright red energy ball, directly toward him. The energy ball struck Reo hard, hurling him backward and causing him to crash to the ground.

Reo lay on the ground, panting heavily, feeling the pain spreading through his body. Noa walked towards him, her sharp red eyes gleaming as she stared at him. Rikka immediately ran over, her face full of worry.

"Reo! Are you okay?" Rikka exclaimed, helping him to sit up.

Reo nodded slowly, trying to smile despite the pain. "Yes, I'm okay," he said with a small laugh. He looked at Noa, who stood gracefully before him. "You're truly an incredible sorceress, Noa," Reo remarked as he attempted to stand.

Noa remained silent, staring sharply at Reo. "Well, you're very weak. Let's have another round."

Hearing Noa's sharp words, Rikka immediately intervened. "Noa! Reo is a nice person! Why are you being so mean to him?"

Noa's flat expression made it difficult for Rikka to guess what her friend was thinking. But for the first time, Rikka saw her friend so enthusiastic about something. Nevertheless, Rikka wouldn't allow her two friends to fight each other again, even under the guise of training.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the east coast, near the church. A young man with tousled brown hair, clad in simple yet sturdy sailor attire, walked calmly. His hazel eyes radiated curiosity as he observed the commotion before him.

Noa, noticing the newcomer, briefly diverted her gaze. "Mike, what are you doing here?"

Mike raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "Ah, sorry! I just heard repeated explosions coming from this direction, so I came to check what was happening! Sorry if I ended up interrupting something!"

Reo, finally managing to stand with Rikka's support, turned to face Mike. "No, not at all disturbing. It's just a bit of overly enthusiastic training, haha," he said with a tired smile.

Rather than being a disturbance, Mike's arrival could be considered a lifesaver for Reo. If Mike hadn't shown up, who knows what further training Noa would have subjected him to.

"Is that so?" Mike looked at Reo with sparkling eyes. "Hey, wait a minute! You... you're human too, right?" he asked, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

Reo nodded. "Y-yes. My name is Reo."

Mike suddenly ran up and slapped Reo's shoulder amiably. "Wow, what a coincidence! I'm human too, I'm from a small village near the northern coast of Hydale! Nice to meet you, Reo!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm. "I always feel glad when I meet fellow humans here. It's like meeting a long-lost sibling!"

Reo chuckled, taken aback by Mike's sudden familiarity. "I-is that so? Nice to meet you too, Mike."

Rikka smiled, pleased to see Reo making a new friend. "You two seem to hit it off right away, huh?" she commented.

Mike nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Fellow humans should support each other, right?" He redirected his gaze back to Reo. "So, Reo, what brings you to Elenmoor? Adventure? Work? Or perhaps something more interesting?"

Reo grinned thinly. "Hmm... it seems I came here to find someone. I got stranded here a few days ago. Still trying to figure a lot of things out."

"Ah, an adventurer! How exciting!" Mike exclaimed with sparkling eyes. "I am a sailor, often traveling to various places. I've seen many interesting things along the way. Perhaps we can exchange stories later!"

Reo nodded. "Sure, I'd love to hear them."

Noa, listening intently, scowled and immediately turned on her heels toward the church. "Huh, my mood is ruined. Whatever, I'm out."

Rikka simply chuckled softly, still puzzled by the commotion of the day.