Report
The “Celestial Thunder” Orca Dersia, whom Yuri met many times in the game, died many times, and killed many times. As there were no illustrations in the game, I could only see Orca’s appearance through crude graphics and fan art based on them.
The reality was certainly different.
The sense of pressure was different from before.
This was not the first time “Yuri” had encountered Orca Dersia.
Ten years ago, when Orca, who was intrigued by a letter from Oldor Orphanage Director, came to the orphanage herself.
Yuri hid behind the wall and secretly watched Orca and Elena’s meeting.
Elena, who had never properly learned magic, was manipulating mana solely with her innate talent and senses.
Lifting the worn and tattered ball that the orphanage children had been playing with, and moving it around without touching it.
The skill Elena showed Yuri with a playful laugh, and the performance she displayed in front of Orca with nothing but tension, when compared to the times when the orphanage children had played, the worn and tattered ball soared much higher.
To a point where 10-year-old Yuri would never be able to reach.
“Excellent.”
Orca smiled broadly at Elena, who finished the demonstration with a tense expression. In fact, what Elena showed back then was more about manipulation of mana without the need for incantations rather than magic, but the fact that a 10-year-old child who had never learned from anyone could possess such skill made her akin to a “prodigy.”
“Will you come with me?”
I heard that from afar.
“Yes, yes…”
I also heard the breathless response.
The procedure was omitted. Orca’s declaration of “I will take you” marked the end. There wasn’t much luggage. For 10-year-old Elena, the orphanage at the time could have been considered her home, but all she could take from that home was an old doll she always held in her arms.
“Take care, Yuri.”
At the moment of parting, Elena shed tears and sniffled with a runny nose.
“I’ll send you a letter when I arrive. You must reply. And later, I’ll definitely come find you.”
Returned to present.
Ten years ago, the orphan Yuri couldn’t stand in front of the Celestial Orca. Naturally, Orca didn’t show any interest in Yuri.
But now Yuri is in front of Orca. Although it’s not a meeting that happened with official approval, the fact that Yuri is standing here gave him a strange inspiration.
“It might turn out okay.”
Beyond inspiration, a sense of crisis overwhelmed him. He never thought he would come face to face with Orca like this. Even though she’s an aspiring disciple, Elena isn’t alone, and this place isn’t the Dersia Tower.
‘No way Orca should come here in person.’
Furthermore, there was “interest” in Orca’s eyes right now. She tilted her head and stared at Yuri’s face.
“You knew Elena since the orphanage days, right? The letters you sometimes sent.”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, in that case, we might have seen each other even ten years ago. I don’t remember, though.”
“That’s correct.”
“Let’s see.”
Orca smirked and rubbed her chin, as if critiquing, she examined Yuri’s face from various angles.
“The face is decent enough. It looks a bit mischievous, though. I didn’t know that Elena had a taste for this kind of face.”
“That’s right! My lord Orca! I told you not to say that!”
Elena’s exclamation had almost turned into a scream by now. She rushed towards Orca to grab her, but Orca’s magic rejected it. In an instant, swiftly manipulated mana cast a spell.
“This…!”
Trapped by magic, Elena twisted her body in an attempt to break free, but escaping from a spell cast by a her was impossible through her own effort.
“Using magic for something like this?! Are you insane?!”
“Other people would think you’re crazier for saying that to me.”
Orca chuckled softly and looked back at Yuri.
“I’ve heard about your circumstances. You almost died in Oldor, so she came looking for you and brought you here.”
“Yes.”
“I also saw how that Namgung barked at you earlier. Magic is quite convenient, you see.”
Her fixed gaze shifted downward. The golden eyes narrowed.
“Your body seems to be quite trained. Skillful in fighting too.”
“Didn’t you hear about how I lived?”
“I did. Black Sapphire or something? You said you spent time in an organization imitating the Black Dragon Society.”
“Before that, I was a pickpocket. I was quite good at it. Fortunately, I had some sleight of hand skills. I used to fight often when I was at the orphanage.”
It wasn’t a lie. In reality, Yuri had been a troublemaker since his orphanage days, and when he was a pickpocket, he had never been caught.
“I’m hearing this story for the first time. It seems Elena didn’t want to reveal your flaws.”
“Maybe it’s because she didn’t want to expose herself.”
“Haha, Elena’s personality seems to match that.”
Orca chuckled softly and nodded her head.
“Rootran is different from Oldor. If you keep up the old habits of pickpocketing, you’ll be caught sooner than before.”
“What happens if I’m caught?”
“They’ll cut your wrists so you can never steal again.”
“I don’t know who would do that, but that person probably won’t be as merciful as Lord Orca, so I definitely won’t resort to pickpocketing.”
Orca laughed again at the cheeky response.
“Born with not just sleight of hand skills, but also a silver tongue?”
“Our seniors weren’t merciful, so if you misspoke, they’d beat you with a stick.”
“You fought well. Your seniors must have been stronger than you.”
“I haven’t fought, so I don’t know. I won’t know in the future either; everyone else is dead.”
Yuri also died.
“If only you survived, you must have been stronger than them.”
“Speaking of which, I regret the past now. I should’ve done my best and fought against the bottom dogs.”
“Magic is not in your immediate plans, I heard.”
Orca said while chuckling.
“Yes. I tried to learn it on my own, but it didn’t work. Still, since I’m somewhat accustomed to physical activities, if I have to learn, I’d like to learn martial arts.”
“Did Elena get upset about your decision?”
“I didn’t!”
As Elena struggled to break free from the binding magic, she screamed at the top of her lungs. Yuri let that scream wash over her and replied.
“Yes, I know.”
“I didn’t get upset!”
“Still, it can’t be helped, can it? Magic… if possible, someday, I’d like to learn it.”
“Learning has value that’s worth pursuing no matter how old you get. Magic even more so.”
Orca chuckled and nodded her head.
“You said your name was Yuri, right? You’re quite lucky. Do you know that?”
“Yes, thanks to having a childhood friend like Elena, I’m enjoying this luxury.”
“Well, anyway, because you have that childhood friend, you’ll get to experience the wonders that are usually out of reach.”
“I’ll get to experience them?”
“Well, who else? Me? Haha, I don’t need such things. Elena? She’s worth it. But didn’t I receive Changcheonhwan? I’ll make you eat at least one.”
“…”
“The Changcheonhwan is quite valuable even among the artificial elixirs from the East.”
But it’s not incredibly precious. An elixir with that much value couldn’t be stolen by Jin Namgung.
“If I become close with Orca, can I get a vial of elixir?”
The artificial elixirs of the Ascard family. In the game, consuming one Elixir would cause your level to rise significantly and your base stats to increase drastically. At level 99, where you can’t level up anymore, Elixir grinding for stats was the norm.
“Of course, you shouldn’t consume it immediately. You haven’t learned Mana Manipulation yet, so if you consume the Changcheonhwan, you’ll only improve your health, and your inner energy won’t increase.”
“Yes.”
“Changcheonhwan… Elena will probably find it for you. Or should I find it for you?”
“There’s no reason for you, I who’s not affiliated with the Tower, to do that for me, right?”
“If you were a cute male apprentice, I might consider it.”
“He is not!”
Elena’s scream was now closer to a shriek.
TL Note:
Changcheonhwan: The literal meaning would be something like “Heavenly Elixir”
