The Witch and the Milky Way

When Flame Soul was asked what kind of skill she was, S-rank hunter Ji Yeon-ha — the woman once known as Magic Flame — had answered like this:

'Hmm, let me think. Unlike ordinary skills, I'd say. And she's certainly nothing like magic, either.'

Karma Flame had gathered at the tips of her long, white fingers. The intense fire had smoldered and shifted through countless shapes.

Plants first — flowers, trees — then animals: serpents, eagles.

Fwoooosh!

In the end it had taken the form of a great lion, drawing gasps of awe from everyone around her.

'How should I put it... you could say she resembles fire in its most primordial state.'

At first she was nothing more than a humble ember, but the more she burned, the greater a conflagration she became.

Never bound to any single form, she could transform into anything at all — and she devoured all of creation in a roaring blaze.

That was Flame Soul, the skill that had earned Ji Yeon-ha the name Magic Flame.

'She's still far from what I'm searching for... but she's a rather fascinating power, all the same.'

Withdrawing the Karma Flame, Ji Yeon-ha had worn a subtly enigmatic smile.

'As long as I keep a firm lid on her whenever she tries to rampage, that is.'

Now, at last, I felt like I understood what she'd meant back then.

Watching Flame Soul wag her head back and forth like an overexcited kid right in front of me, I had no choice but to admit she was something other than an ordinary skill.

'Dantalion, I could forgive — his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠power source is otherworldly to begin with. But what exactly IS Flame Soul, that she can do something like this?'

"By the way, I must say — you surprised me."

Flame Soul suddenly shoved her face right up to mine. A faint scent like burning wood brushed past.

"W-what do you mean?"

"To think you could already perceive Bonjwa's true form!"

Her eyes glittering, she nodded.

"As expected — your soul's rank must have risen when you seized that pale dragon's head, hm?"

"Soul's rank?"

The pale dragon head she mentioned was surely Behemoth. Specifically, the form it had taken as Elpiros's avatar.

I'd seen a flood of messages appear right after the subjugation, but I hadn't managed to check any of the details before now.

"It still seems too soon for you to face her in the outside world... but that you can meet her even in your mindscape is cause for joy!"

"...Who exactly are you?"

"Wha— you forgot again, just like that?!"

Flame Soul's mouth fell wide open, as if genuinely scandalized.

"No. I'm asking about what you actually are."

No ordinary skill struck up conversation with its user, much less took the form of a woman. That was a special property inherent to Flame Soul herself.

And without a doubt, it was the result of some influence from an otherdimensional being.

'In that case... there's no harm in finding out.'

After all, she might know something about the Monarchs.

"Oho? You wish to know Bonjwa's true identity?"

Flame Soul smiled slyly.

"Yes."

"Well, I suppose I can tell you. That is, if you're capable of hearing it."

If I'm capable of hearing it?

What was that supposed to mean?

Before I could puzzle it out, she opened her mouth.

"Bonjwa is ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■----."

In that instant—

The words crackled into static, and a violent headache slammed through my skull.

"Gghk—?!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

CRUMBLE-CRUMBLE!

Along with the pain, the entire space shook violently.

Merely from listening? Had the shock struck directly at my body from the inside?

"Hm. Just as I thought — you're not yet ready for this tale."

"What... on earth...?"

"Still! The fact that you didn't faint on the spot means your rank is quite high indeed! Mm-hm, truly a man worthy of carrying Bonjwa within him."

Flame Soul smiled with satisfaction.

"Tch. That little whelp seems to have settled into her seat at last, too."

She clicked her tongue once, then turned her gaze back to me.

Her face was full of anticipation and delight — the look of someone watching a sprout push its way toward the sun.

"Ah, my child. If you wish to hear the rest of today's tale, then grow stronger."

"......"

"The favor you were promised today, I shall ask of you then! And next time we meet, let it be outside — that's an order!"

With her lighthearted words—

My consciousness returned to its rightful place.

"...!"

The moment I opened my eyes, I felt a softness cradling the back of my head and neck. A cushioned comfort reminiscent of a five-star hotel's pillow — the kind that made me want to drift right back to sleep despite having just woken up.

'This is nice, actually.'

Sleep quality matters. When you're short on rest, even training loses its efficiency. Better to sleep one hour deeply than eight hours fitfully.

With a pillow like this, even a short nap would yield several times the usual recovery...

"If you're awake, you can get off me now, you know?"

"...Huh?"

"It's getting a little ticklish."

Situation assessed in a heartbeat. I scrambled up off the luxury pillow — no, off Ji Yeon-ha's lap.

"Don't tell me... you stayed lying there even after you woke up?"

"......"

"Pervert."

Ah Seo-ah sidled up beside me and muttered it under her breath.

The gloomy air she'd carried before was gone without a trace; she'd reverted to her usual bouncy, bratty self. I deliberately ignored the comment and changed the subject.

"How long was I out?"

"About ten minutes."

Shorter than I'd expected. It had felt like at least half an hour in that space.

"Sorry for suddenly keeling over like that."

"Hohoho, not at all. If anything, seeing you collapse from exhaustion made you seem refreshingly human."

"...Are you saying I don't normally look human?"

At my retort, Ji Yeon-ha answered with an awkward laugh.

"And... I got to have a rather interesting conversation with Seo-ah while you were out, so it all worked out nicely."

There was a distinctly warmer intimacy in the way she said Ah Seo-ah's name now.

'They say true friendship is forged on the battlefield, don't they.'

I'd thought they'd grown closer just from clearing the gate together — but apparently chatting while I was unconscious had sealed the deal.

"You know what Seo-ah told me? Get this, I—"

"WAAAAH! S-Sunbae! We agreed not to talk about that!"

Look at that. They're already trading pranks back and forth.

'Later I'll have to send Seo-ha and Ka-rin through a gate with them, too.'

Who knew — bonds that were already close might grow tighter still.

"In any case, the gate's been cleared."

We'd dealt with Deus Ex Machina, the closest thing this place had to a boss, and secured our original objective: Magic Crafting.

'And on top of that—'

I'd inherited Wiz, this place's true treasure and the legacy of the sages. My mana was completely drained and my body was a wreck, so it seemed it hadn't activated yet — but once we were out of here, I'd need to slowly explore what Wiz was all about.

"Ooh-cha! I just wanna get back and take a bath."

"I'm going to sleep for a week..."

Each of us voiced our fondest wish — but alas, we couldn't leave right away.

"Wait, if the gate's cleared, why can't we go outside?"

"Since when have gates ever been that accommodating? We have to return the way we came. The exit should have opened up."

"Uuuugh... so annoying!"

Ah Seo-ah fussed under her breath and clung tightly to my arm. When I just stood there, she tilted her head and stared at me blankly.

"What are you doing? Let's hurry back."

"Sorry, but that's a no."

"Why?"

"There are... circumstances. I can't summon Moss for a full day."

Moss's spirit body had been destroyed in the battle against Deus Ex Machina.

Which meant we couldn't ride Moss's back and fly out the way we'd come in.

Walking was an option, but it would take more than a day and it was dangerous. Waiting until summoning was possible again was simply the wiser call.

"Th-that means...!"

"You don't mean—"

Ah Seo-ah's small face drained white. Ji Yeon-ha, standing behind her, wore the same expression.

"We're camping here tonight."

"NOOOOOOO!"

"AAAAGH...!"

Two screams slammed against the walls and echoed.

"How am I supposed to sleep without a bed?! We don't even have sleeping bags!"

"Exactly! I'm so sensitive that I can't sleep a single second in a place like this!"

"Zzzz..."

"Hmmm... hmmm..."

Watching the two mages curled up asleep, using a round-balled Rir as their cushion, I let out a hollow laugh.

"Well, well. Couldn't sleep without a bed, could they?"

Then again, Rir's fur was soft enough to turn any ordinary blanket into a pile of shed undercoat. And being a spirit body, he didn't even carry that distinctive animal smell.

Even setting that aside, today had been an exhausting one. The moment my back hit the ground, I could sleep like the dead.

"Haahm."

I fought off the creeping drowsiness and kept watch. Even in a cleared gate, letting your guard down was a recipe for disaster.

Chirp-chirp... chirp-chirp...

The sound of insects chirping in the grass drifted through the air. Whether they were real grasshoppers or mechanical lifeforms, I couldn't say.

"...Nice atmosphere, though."

For the record, we weren't in the Round Table of the Sages — we'd camped in a ruined sky garden instead. Soft earth and patchy grass beat sleeping on cold stone any day.

And thanks to that choice, the Milky Way spilled across the sky in full view through the translucent ceiling.

Even in a world brought to ruin, the stars still shone.

Taking in that beautiful vista, I let my thoughts settle.

'This gate gave us quite a haul.'

Setting aside Wiz and Magic Crafting, learning about Flame Soul was a prize in itself.

'Pre-regression Yeon-ha probably never encountered Flame Soul directly.'

If she had, her scholarly obsession would have guaranteed at least some mention of it in her research journals. Yet everything I'd seen of her records covered only Flame Soul's growth and her rampages — nowhere did it say that a woman of embers had ever appeared to her.

'Which means...'

The reason I could perceive Flame Soul's true nature was very likely tied to my own growth — or my regression.

That phrase she'd mentioned: soul's rank.

Apparently, after I subjugated Behemoth in its form as Elpiros's avatar, my soul's rank had risen — and that was what let me perceive her now.

"I still don't really know what it all means."

But either way, I had to grow stronger by any means necessary and face Flame Soul's true form again. When that happened, I'd finally be able to understand every word hidden beneath that static.

"We've still got a long road ahead."

But more than the distance, what filled me was anticipation. The knowledge that I could still become stronger.

"Not sleeping?"

At the sound of rustling, someone sat up.

"Oh, you're awake?"

"Yeah. Can't sleep."

"Nice try."

Until a moment ago she'd been sleeping so soundly someone could've carried her off without her noticing.

I slid over to make room, and Ah Seo-ah came over and sat down beside me.

"It's beautiful..."

She looked up at the stars strewn across the sky. I joined her in silence, watching alongside her.

"......"

"......"

After a few minutes of simply gazing at the night sky, Ah Seo-ah wet her lips and forced the words out.

"...Thank you."

A thank-you, out of nowhere.

"Where'd that come from?"

"No reason. It's just... I don't think I ever said it."

Ah Seo-ah, thanking me. Across both timelines, before and after my regression, I'd never once imagined receiving that.

Our first impressions of each other had been the worst on every count, after all.

"It's hard to put into words, but... thanks to you, I didn't run away. And I saw how lacking I really am."

Ah Seo-ah bowed her head deeply.

"...I guess I wasn't as great as I thought I was."

Suddenly, I remembered the Ah Seo-ah of my academy days. That swaggering attitude, like she owned everything under the sun. Back then, the Little Witch had been the living embodiment of arrogance.

But once she'd risen into Sinseong Guild, and after what she'd experienced in this trial, she must have finally understood — that she wasn't nearly exceptional enough to look down on and trample others.

"That apology you demanded as my condition for joining the guild — honestly, even that was half out of obligation. Wanting to belong to a guild came before actually feeling sorry."

"I see."

"But... not anymore."

Ah Seo-ah let out a small breath.

"I genuinely regret it. The things I did."

However much influence those two friends had over her, the things Ah Seo-ah had done didn't vanish or fade away.

"I wasn't someone who deserved it. I'm... I'm just..."

Her voice began to tremble, the emotion running deeper and deeper.

I sighed inwardly — then gave her forehead a light flick with my finger.

Thwack!

"Ow! Wh-what was that for, all of a sudden!"

"Reflecting on your mistakes and owning up to them — that's good. Knowing where you stand — also good. But."

My voice turned stern, like a lecture.

"If you drown in it, you're in real trouble."

"Huh...?"

"Putting yourself down isn't the same as being objective. It's just self-loathing."

Excessive self-loathing did nothing but erode your own strength. Go deeper, and it curdled into a terminal illness that hollowed a person out entirely.

"You might not be a better person than you believe yourself to be."

"Uuu..."

"But that's only your opinion."

No one can ever view themselves objectively. Even the stillest lake ripples eventually.

Because the one who knows you best is you — and, paradoxically, that's exactly why you can never see yourself through an even gaze.

"Maybe you're not that brilliant. Maybe your personality's a mess, maybe you whine too much, maybe you lean on luck more than effort. Even so."

At the very least, the person called Ah Seo-ah that I was looking at right now—

"—is an S-rank potential mage who sees her work through to the end without ever giving up."

She was never a bad person. Nor ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was she weak. Just a dreamer of a mage who'd needed a little more courage.

That was who the Little Witch, Ah Seo-ah, truly was.

"So stop muttering doom to yourself. It gives me the creeps."

"You always... you ALWAYS have to ruin it with something weird at the end!"

"Heh heh. Can't help it — it's the truth. By the way, why have you been pulling that hat down over your face this whole time?"

"Th-that's none of your business!"

Face hidden ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠under her hat, Ah Seo-ah turned away and stared off in another direction.

"So — what did Yeon-ha say to you earlier?"

"Hmph. None of your business."

Ah Seo-ah brushed off my question without mercy.

But a moment later, she answered in a sneaky little voice all on her own.

"She asked me... whether I had any interest in becoming a Tower Master."

"Tower Master?!"

"Yeah."

Huh. So that's how it connected.

If Ji Yeon-ha brought up the Tower Master seat, she'd probably offered Seo-ah the same route she'd walked before regression — starting as her assistant, rising through vice-tower master, and on to Tower Master.

'For a girl whose role model IS Ji Yeon-ha, turning down the assistant post would be unthinkable... right?'

I shot a glance at the sleeping Ji Yeon-ha, for no particular reason.

They say the axe you trust slips and cuts your own foot. Who knew she'd stolen a march on me?

Just wait — I resolved to make her pay in full over this next business deal.

"I refused."

An answer I'd never expected came back to me.

"Wh... what did you say?"

"I said no. To the Tower Master seat. Well — technically, to becoming your sunbae's disciple."

She delivered that enormous news with the placid ease of someone discussing what she'd had for lunch.

"Why on earth...?"

It wasn't the kind of thing a guild leader should say, but I couldn't help it. Ah Seo-ah had no reason to refuse a Tower Master seat.

Why would she choose differently than in the previous timeline?

"Well, obviously."

Instead, Ah Seo-ah looked at me like I was the strange one.

"I'm with Shin Guild now, aren't I? You do know the Magic Tower and a guild can't be held at the same time, right?"

"No... I know that, but..."

"It's a bit of a shame, turning down your sunbae's assistant spot. But I have something I need to do here, don't I?"

Reclaiming her friend, Park Sung-chan, who had become a Knight. That was why Ah Seo-ah had joined Sinseong.

"And—"

Ah Seo-ah lifted her hat slightly, a shining smile blooming across her face.

"—for some reason, staying by your side just feels better."

A magnificent, exhilarating smile, blending seamlessly into the scenery of the Milky Way.

And in that moment, I felt an inexplicable certainty welling up from within.

That Ah Seo-ah's future was heading in a direction far, far different from the one she'd walked before my regression.

That kind of optimistic certainty.