Chapter 29: Settlement

Finally! After an endless effort, a part for the artificial Mana Heart was finally found. The Lost Scroll of the First Mage was now in Vonn's hands. It wasn't something he could easily achieve, yet he knew it wasn't impossible.

Getting the treasure was the first step in the course of his plan. As he wanted to be seen as a regular mage—not as one viewed with hatred and as a risk to others—he knew he must persevere.

"Right… perseverance is all it takes," he muttered, clenching his fist as he recalled something from Noire's memory.

"Not that I care, but I fear being seen as a threat to people. I don't want such a thing to happen again."

When the time finally came, he absorbed the treasure into his Esperic Storage, storing it in the deepest part of his soul.

As he traversed the Dark Land in search of useful treasures he hadn't found—or hadn't known about—from the novel, he focused on areas where monsters were more abundant, since most treasures were drops from defeated monsters.

The Biennial Dimension had become his training ground, a place to grow accustomed to Noire's powers and to gain mastery over mana with Frain's memories.

He slipped through a bushy part of the land, heading toward another area far from the Mother Tree. When he was sure he had gotten a good distance away, he rested, taking in the sight only he could see.

The Dark Land was only dark for humans. For the monsters living there, they had already adapted to see in the darkness. The view before him looked like a painting from a master artist. The way the sun's invisible light touched the mountains and the towering trees, its warmth felt even more soothing than it should have been.

Vonn gasped at the sight. It was a painting hidden from everyone.

'It's not like this place will appear in the next Biennial Dimension, but at least, I had the chance to see this beautiful sight.'

***

After Vonn's hunt, he stopped near a tree as something sprouted in the distance. He couldn't discern what it was, but an inkling formed in his mind.

It wasn't common to see other people here, especially in the Dark Land, where the lack of light made it nearly impossible for humans to see. However, it was different if there were locals present.

The locals were natives of the dimension. Since this was a mirror dimension—a space existing in a different world in the universe but with the same gifts as Vonn's world—it wasn't impossible for natives to exist here.

Stretching his sight, he finally spotted a village. Right… it was a village he hadn't expected to find, as there was no mention of a village in the novel.

It felt wrong for him to rely so heavily on his knowledge of the novel, but it was the only advantage he could use at the moment, aside from his memories.

Vonn had a trait that ensured he would always approach situations carefully. Even with power, he would never seek the spotlight just for the thrill or to gain fame. That wasn't part of Noire or Frain's memories—getting lost in fame and wealth wasn't their way.

What mattered to him now was growing stronger, not being seen as a threat but as a regular warrior seeking strength. The village in front of him might hold the key to that.

Villages, cities, and even small settlements in the dimension were known to have greater Blessings for children. Of course, they were small and often untrustworthy, but the locals were accustomed to travelers from other worlds.

Travelers, like Vonn and others, even as children, had already made an impression on the locals. Travelers were undeniably powerful.

"Jackpot?" he muttered.

Without wasting the chance, he activated a spell, making himself float to create a strong impression on the villagers. He wasn't worried since he didn't plan to stay longer than a year in this space.

"All that matters now is to socialize," he thought.

But as Vonn arrived at the settlement, floating with grace and confidence, he was met with hostility. Before he realized what was happening, he was captured and thrown into a cell without a fight.

"What just happened?" he asked himself, unable to believe the situation. "Not like I can't fight, but I just wanted to come here peacefully."

Since he didn't know anything about the settlement, he decided to stay silent despite being captured. Not that he couldn't escape at any moment. The prison cell wasn't particularly secure or impressive.

He didn't expect anything good to come from being captured, but he was thankful he hadn't acted hostile. Not long after, he was called for release and brought before the chief of the settlement.

"I apologize for the unappealing greeting, dear traveler," the chief began. "I see that you appear younger than expected; I have no words for that. Our guards thought it suspicious for a child dressed so well to be roaming through our aerial space."

Vonn nodded as he was seated at a neatly rounded wooden table. Across from him sat the chief, a man old enough to deserve a peaceful retirement.

"I understand. I know there are young masters roaming around. They tend to be boastful and disrespectful," Vonn said, then thought to himself, 'Maybe other travelers are common to them. There could be times when those impostors appear more suspicious. I might have accidentally replicated their modus operandi.'

There was an infamous group in the Dark Land and even in other parts of the Biennial Dimension. They were known for their arrogance and destructiveness. Disguising themselves as young masters, they would quickly turn peace into chaos.

'No one knows where they came from, but I assume they're from a previous opening to this space—those who were trapped in this world and unable to return to the original one,' Vonn mused, a profound look crossing his face.

"Thank goodness you aren't one of them, dear traveler. This must be your first time here," the chief said. Despite his young appearance, Vonn was treated with utmost respect, a feeling that stirred a small flutter in his stomach—something he wasn't used to.

Being treated with respect was refreshing, but Vonn reminded himself not to get addicted to it. It was no different from how fame could corrupt someone.

"Alright… may I ask why you've released me? I assume you need something," Vonn said, finally dropping the trigger line for the mission and the Blessing he might receive.