Turtle Ears (2)
“Huh?”
Jehyun echoed in confusion, and Shin Yerim asked in a trembling voice.
“By any chance…… did you contract with spirits of other attributes besides the fire spirit?”
Ah!
Jehyun realized why she looked so shocked. She'd caught the scent of spirits emanating from his body.
He gazed at her in surprise. To think she could sense the spirits' aura. It was a clear sign of just how exceptional her talent as a spirit user was.
She couldn't have known in advance. Jehyun had mostly stayed within the Magic Tower, and rumors of him wielding the light spirit and thunder spirit hadn't spread outside yet. News from inside the Tower took considerable time to leak out.
“Hmm…… What do you think? Does it seem like I've contracted with other spirits?”
A playful impulse struck him, and Jehyun smiled as he turned the question back on her.
“Ah…… Sorry, but could I come a bit closer?”
Shin Yerim asked, her cheeks slightly flushed.
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Then, just for a moment……”
With that, she took another step toward Jehyun. They were now close enough that he could embrace her with a single stretch of his arms. Her height came right up to his chest, so as she looked straight ahead, her eyes were fixed on his broad chest.
Does getting closer make the spirit's energy easier to sense?
Jehyun tilted his head curiously, looking down at her. Perhaps because of their proximity, a fresh perfume scent wafted from her—sweet, yet oddly tickling his heart in a mysterious way.
That was when it happened.
Sniff sniff.
……?
Jehyun wondered if he'd misheard. Shin Yerim had leaned her head slightly toward his chest and sniffed.
“Um…… by any chance, the light spirit……”
Realizing what she'd done, her face turned beet red like a radish, and she spoke in a crawling voice.
Jehyun couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the sight. Putting aside the unexpected action, she looked utterly adorable.
“You got it half right.”
Her eyes widened round at his words.
“Th-that means……”
“Yeah, the light spirit is correct.”
“……!”
Shock spread across Shin Yerim's face. Jehyun's words confirmed he'd truly contracted with the light spirit—and implied it wasn't the only one.
No way!
She stared at him with trembling pupils. The light spirit was one no one had ever tamed. Not even her mother, Jo Heegyung, the pinnacle of spirit users.
Mr. Jehyun contracted with that light spirit?
She looked up at him with quivering eyes. Unaware of her turmoil, Jehyun just smiled brightly.
Could he really possess…… divine talent?
The thought flashed that the elves' worship of him might not have been solely due to the relic, as he'd claimed.
As she gazed at him in awe, Shin Yerim suddenly sensed another energy from Jehyun.
Wilder…… more destructive.
Her eyes widened again. She vaguely understood why he'd said "half right."
No way……
Swallowing hard, she opened her mouth.
“Mr. Jehyun, by any chance, thunder……”
“Sis! What're you doing over there? Whoa! Brother Jehyun!”
From afar, Shin Yesung spotted them and came running over, staring at the pair.
Shin Yerim was practically clinging to Jehyun. Yesung's eyes widened in surprise, then he scratched the back of his head with one hand.
“Uh, did I interrupt your good time?”
“……!”
Only then did Shin Yerim realize how close she was to him. Her face flushed beet red as she hurriedly stepped back.
“Whoa, why's your face so red, sis?”
“……”
Shin Yerim's cheeks burned even brighter at her oblivious brother's question.
* * *
Jehyun followed Shin Yesung and Shin Yerim to where the Nature Clan members had gathered. There was an open park-like clearing in the coastal village, with about thirty people assembled there.
“Yerim! Yesung! Why're you so late…… Huh? Isn't that Mage Kim Jehyun?”
“What? Where?”
A few who recognized him from the Elf Forest gasped in surprise.
“Oh man, Mage Jehyun! Fancy meeting you here again.”
“Yeah, must be fate with our clan.”
“Hey, great to see you! How've you been?”
They greeted him warmly, smiling and asking after his well-being.
Seeing this, Shin Yesung belatedly realized his own blunder from the earlier mishap—he hadn't properly greeted Jehyun.
“Ah! Brother Jehyun! Sorry I didn't greet you properly before. How've you been?”
He bowed deeply at the waist. Jehyun chuckled. He hadn't noticed at first, but the kid had a cute side.
“Whoa, Yesung's a letdown. Never bows like that to us.”
“Right? You'd think he was Magic Tower material, not ours.”
“Come to think of it, he uses magic too. Wait, is he really planning to defect to the Tower?”
“No way! Did Mr. Jehyun already poach our Yesung?”
“Whoa, is that it? Yesung! We told you not to follow strangers for candy!”
The Nature Clan members teased Yesung, who was acting unusually deferential.
“Hmph! Don't be jealous, bros. Brother Jehyun's my role model. Anyone here handle both magic and spirits?”
Yesung shot back confidently. They seemed on familiar, playful terms.
“Fair point. Mage Jehyun's a dual talent in magic and spirits. That spirit he showed us back then? Man, still gives me chills.”
“Yeah, that golden bird! Even mid-tier Sallion tucked tail.”
“True, seeing his special spirit, no wonder Yesung's smitten.”
They nodded, recalling Casa that Jehyun had summoned. They knew well how extraordinary it was to wield both magic and a special spirit.
“Honestly, if he'd focused solely on spirits, he'd outshine even in magic.”
“Totally. That special spirit showed he's no ordinary spirit handler.”
“Like I always say, contracting that while mastering magic? He's got great spirit user potential—maybe even spirit king level someday.”
They agreed Jehyun should've pursued spirits full-time. Casa had left that strong an impression—especially watching other spirits cower before it. No wonder they held him in such high regard.
“Oh, so did Mr. Jehyun come here because of that guy too?”
Someone pointed to the massive, island-sized "ear" visible at the sea inlet.
“Yes, that's right.”
Jehyun nodded readily. The speaker brightened.
“Awesome! It'd be an honor if someone as capable as you joined us…… What do you all think?”
He glanced around hopefully. Those who knew Jehyun nodded immediately.
“I'm for it!”
“Me too!”
Jehyun pondered inwardly.
Hmm.
Declining wouldn't be an issue. To claim the ear's soul, he'd need to face it first anyway. Soloing something that size wouldn't be easy.
But they failed to conquer it before.
He didn't know the details, but pre-regression, their raid had failed, making headlines with massive casualties from the rampaging ear.
—Still, wouldn't it be better to tag along and gauge the situation, as I thought earlier?
Jehyun nodded at Alkasha's words. He'd join them for now.
As he opened his mouth to agree, a fresh perfume scent wafted from beside him.
“Mr. Jehyun! Join us.”
Shin Yerim stepped close, smiling brightly.
Whoa, haven't seen Yerim smile like that in ages.
Right? Think she's into Mr. Jehyun?
You too?
A few whispered, noting her usual icy demeanor made this warmth stand out.
Jehyun nodded to her invitation, about to speak.
“Sure……”
“Seniors, I oppose. We have standards…… Bringing in someone who just handles low-tier spirits could cause accidents in real combat, right?”
The one stepping forward was a young man with slicked-back hair using pomade—Hwang Dojun. He glanced sidelong at Shin Yerim beside Jehyun.
—That fool's eyeing the woman next to you.
Yeah.
Jehyun smirked. Hwang Dojun clearly had a crush on Yerim. It made sense—she was stunning enough to captivate any man. Explaining his sudden objection.
“I heard rumors of a unique spirit, but that's separate from combat prowess. Last I heard, he's only 2nd Circle…… That's insufficient for our team. The spirit's unique but low-tier, isn't it?”
“5th Circle, and I can summon mid-tier spirits.”
Jehyun replied calmly to Dojun's edged question.
“……5th Circle?”
Dojun looked flustered. It contradicted everything he'd heard. A kid not even twenty at 5th Circle with mid-tier spirits? Even one would be absurd; both left him speechless.
“Wh-what nonsense. Seniors, didn't you say 2nd Circle and low-tier last time?”
He turned to the clan members. As a recent recruit who'd just graduated training during the Elf Forest incident, he was out of the loop.
Did I hear wrong? No way a twenty-something reaches that level.
His clanmates were equally stunned.
“Wait, already 5th? Wasn't he 4th during the Oma dungeon break?”
“Yeah, 4th then…… Now 5th? Insane if true.”
“Mid-tier summon too? Legendary status for real.”
They chattered excitedly, ignoring Dojun. He stared at Jehyun in disbelief, spotting Yerim's shocked gaze beside him. Biting his lip, Dojun thought:
Lies. It'll show when tested.
His logic was sound—5th Circle at Jehyun's age with mid-tier spirits was impossible. Especially since "2nd Circle" was less than a year ago.
“Sorry, but can we verify?”
Dojun eyed him skeptically. Jehyun nodded. A quick demo would settle it—no need for arguments.
“Sure.”
Whoosh.
Golden flames erupted in his hands.
Explosion.
The two fireballs he launched soared skyward and detonated.
BOOM.
The air trembled as golden sparks lit the sky like fireworks.
“Whoa……”
“Insane! 5th Circle fire magic—Explosion!”
“Holy…… He really hit 5th. Crazy.”
“Double cast too? First time seeing it live.”
“Magic god. Wow……”
All watched in awe. 5th Circle mages were nobility anywhere, and Jehyun wasn't even twenty.
Their eyes filled with shock, admiration, envy.
Mi-madness. Real 5th Circle?
Dojun's pupils shook like an earthquake. Unbelievable.
Th-then the spirit too.
As he stared, Jehyun spoke.
“Thunder Bird.”
Lightning gathered in the air, erupting in massive blue sparks.
Crackle!
A gigantic bird silhouette formed overhead.
“……!”
“Th-thunder spirit?”
The Nature Clan gaped at the Thunder Bird in stunned horror.