Soon, we found a quiet place and sat down together.

The head of the Song family briefly introduced himself as Song Cheon-ho, the Topaz Tower Master.

Then he looked at me and began to speak.

“I watched your performance in the battle against the witch.”

“I didn’t do much. It was all just petty tricks.”

“I’m not sure if neutralizing a high-ranking mage can really be called a petty trick. Even if they were tricks, it all depends on how they’re used. That final psychological play was particularly impressive.”

He was probably referring to the part where I deliberately allowed Blink to succeed twice, then blocked the third one.

By doing so, I drew an opening from the Witch of Exhaustion, allowing the principal and the Sword Queen to land critical hits and end the fight quickly.

If he noticed all that, it meant he had grasped the entire flow of battle even amid the chaos.

Trying to act overly modest would likely backfire.

The head of the Song family continued.

“There are many things I’d like to ask, but first, I want to express my gratitude.”

And before I could even ask what he was thanking me for, he took out a luxurious box from his inventory.

Inside was a topaz larger than a fist.

“My father had a long-standing feud with the witch.”

Apparently, the Thunder Lord and the Witch of Exhaustion had clashed countless times over many years.

What’s clear is that the Thunder Lord must’ve lost far more in those battles.

While he leads an organization like the Magic Tower, the witch’s undead are essentially disposable.

“You’ve ended that feud, so as both his son and the current Tower Master, I must repay you. Please accept this.”

“I won’t refuse.”

I quickly took the topaz.

When a gift has a backstory, it’s usually best not to turn it down.

Even without a story, it was far too good to refuse.

A quick glance revealed it was at least A-rank.

It could be traded for equipment of the same grade or used as payment for labor from the dimensional crows.

I felt much more satisfied and generous after receiving it.

Then Song Cheon-ho continued.

“If you don’t mind, there are a few things I’d like to ask. I know it might be impolite, mage to mage, but it would be a shame not to ask.”

“I’ll answer what I can.”

“Thank you.”

He took a moment to gather his thoughts before asking his first question.

“That skill you used back then… did you acquire it from a Dimensional Crow?”

“Yes.”

“I thought so.”

It was a spatial magic spell, and since I used a crow’s caw as the activation phrase, anyone could guess its origin.

With a noticeably more cautious tone, Song Cheon-ho asked his next question.

“Would you mind telling me how difficult it was to learn? Don’t get me wrong….I’m not asking for the method. It’s just a very important question.”

“You’re concerned about the consequences if it were to be widely distributed.”

“Sharp as ever.”

There isn’t much publicly known about Dimensional Crows.

They mainly inhabit dungeons and are so adept with spatial magic that they can freely travel between them.

They’re ranked extremely high, and also known to be neutral in nature.

Someone like me, who has taken their magic and repurposed it for offensive use….that’s almost unheard of.

Maybe even the first time in this world, within this game.

For those who witnessed it, concern was only natural.

Even an S-rank witch had been completely overwhelmed. What chance would anyone lower have?

If [Caw?] were to become widespread, the value of all teleportation magic would drop significantly.

Losing one of the key means of escaping danger would be an enormous source of anxiety.

But from my perspective, their worries were unnecessary.

I answered in a firm, decisive tone.

“It won’t be distributed. The method is extremely complicated, and even knowing it doesn’t guarantee you can acquire it.”

“So essentially, you’re the only one who can use it.”

“That’s a fair way to put it.”

Just encountering a crow is no easy feat.

You have to know exactly where and when they appear, in which dungeon and at what location, and you must target the one that matches your class precisely.

In my case, I received a branch from the Great Sage, commissioned a staff from a craftsman, and had a tailor fuse in supplementary materials.

Being able to find just the right individuals at just the right time, like I did, would be impossible without a veteran’s level of accumulated data and experience.

Not to mention, the crafting materials themselves were anything but ordinary.

S-rank materials like [Dimensional Leaf] and [Flower of Order] aren’t something you can just go out and find.

The gemstones and statues I paid as labor fees were extra.

Even after gathering everything, there’s no guarantee they’ll agree to the deal.

As seen in how they treated people like Dang Gyu-young, Go Hyeon-woo, and Shin Byeong-cheol, these crows usually don’t even give you the time of day. Whether or not they engage depends on their whims.

They only agreed to meet me because of [Monarch]. It was partly out of curiosity.

I didn’t go into all those details, but from the look on Song Cheon-ho’s face, my attitude alone seemed to give him enough assurance.

“Listening to you puts my mind at ease. Still, you’ll likely face some trouble in the near future. I’m not the only one with concerns like these.”

“I’m prepared for that.”

“Then please, be especially careful that no one else gains access to that power.”

And with that, the matter regarding [Caw?] was settled. At least for now.

However, it seemed the Song father and son weren’t quite finished with what they had to say.

“I heard you helped Hong Yeon-hwa with her training. Her strong performance in the tournament was largely thanks to that.”

“May I ask where you heard that?”

“Who else but that loudmouth Hong Yeom-baek?”

A flicker of irritation crossed Song Cheon-ho’s face.

That alone said enough about how much the head of the Hong family must’ve been bragging.

I could almost hear his booming laugh from somewhere in the distance.

– Kahahaha! So about our Yeon-hwa—!

Of course, it was possible to talk about this without mentioning [Harship].

I nodded lightly.

“It’s true that I gave her some help.”

“If it’s not too much to ask, could you offer that same help to Cheon-hye?”

I paused to consider.

Right now, I was already working with Go Hyeon-woo, Seo Ye-in, Dang Gyu-young, and Hong Yeon-hwa. It was four people.

Adding one more would make things a bit tight, but still manageable.

Still, I decided to feign some hesitation and let my words trail off.

“Well… She must already have learned quite a bit, so it might be presumptuous of me to step in…”

That “already learned” part surely included teachings from the Thunder Lord as well, and there was a good chance what I taught could clash with that.

This was my way of laying some groundwork in case that became an issue later.

Perhaps understanding my implication, the Song father and son each offered a comment.

“I’m not denying father’s methods. But it’s also true they’re not the only right answer. If there’s a better way, I’d like her to try it.”

“Even if the results don’t meet expectations, we won’t blame you.”

Well, she’s only a first-year, and if the results are lacking, they can always switch approaches.

From my perspective, there was no reason to refuse.

“I’ll give it a try. But ultimately, it depends on what she wants.”

“……”

I expected them to respond with a quick, “We’ll talk to her,” but instead, both father and son looked uncomfortable and said nothing.

After a pause, Song Cheon-ho finally spoke up, somewhat reluctantly.

“…There’s one more favor I’d like to ask.”

“Do I have to be the one to bring it up first?”

“I’d appreciate it if you would.”

“I don’t mind. But if possible, may I ask why?”

Then, the father and son let out a sigh at the same time.

“It’s a personal family matter. Are you sure you still want to hear it?”

“If it helps me understand, I’d like to. But if I may ask in return, are you really okay with telling me?”

Father Song didn’t take long to decide.

“…I get the feeling it’s okay if it’s you.”

“Then I’ll listen.”

A brief silence fell as he gathered his thoughts, and then the family story began.

“As you know, Cheon-hye’s personality is a bit rigid.”

“A little, yes.”

“She wasn’t always like that. She used to be lively and full of charm. Thinking back on when she started to change… it was when she began studying magic in earnest. Since then, she’s been burdened with pressure.”

The Song family leads the Topaz Magic Tower.

Everyone at the Tower, and everyone in the family, has expectations for Song Cheon-hye.

On top of that, her grandfather is the Thunder Lord, her father the Tower Master, and her brother the student council president….so the standards for her must be sky-high.

Naturally, the pressure to meet those expectations would be immense.

So Song Cheon-hye began holding herself to strict standards, constantly pushing herself forward with relentless discipline.

And over time, her personality wore down into what it is now. Or so the father and son believe.

Song Cheon-ho let out another sigh.

“It’s true that pressure helped her reach her current level… but I believe she’s lost more than she’s gained. I’m hoping we can restore at least a little of our relationship before it’s too late.”

“That’s why I have to be the one to bring up the training issue, isn’t it?”

“Exactly. If we bring it up, no matter what we say, it’ll feel like we’re giving her orders. Just like always.”

And so, the plan is to leave all training matters entirely in the hands of the Dragon Slayer Academy and me, while they gradually work on rebuilding their relationship in other ways.

It didn’t seem like a bad approach, so I nodded.

“Understood. I’ll call her and talk to her.”

“Thank you. Now, I suppose it’s time we also discuss compensation.”

Naturally, I had no intention of dedicating my time to Song Cheon-hye for nothing.

Especially not with family issues involved.

Song Cheon-ho continued.

“Given that you use dimensional crow skills, I assume something average wouldn’t satisfy you.”

“You’re absolutely right.”

“If there’s a specific item you want, name it. My father might have it.”

It was an extremely tempting offer.

Like the Sword Queen, the Thunder Lord was an S-rank, which meant the items lying dormant in his inventory would be of considerable quality.

There might even be something related to space-time magic.

For example, materials used in crafting the [Golden Pocket Watch].

So I asked without hesitation.

“Would an S-rank item be possible?”

“It won’t be easy, but I believe he’d be willing. Just remember….everything depends on your results.”

“Of course.”

I may not be the most principled person, but I’m not shameless enough to half-ass the job and then demand S-rank materials.

I fully intended to produce results that would satisfy not only the two men in front of me but also the Thunder Lord himself.

With that, our meeting came to an end.

As I watched the Song father and son walk away, a thought crossed my mind.

Should I call her now?

Strike while the iron’s hot, as they say. It’d be best to take care of this while it’s fresh.

So I sent a message to Song Cheon-hye.

[Kim Ho: What are you up to?]

[Song Cheon-hye: Just here.]

[Kim Ho: Watching the replay?]

[Song Cheon-hye: Only a little.]

[Kim Ho: So you have seen it, huh?]

……

No reply for a while.

Still, figuring she was probably reading, I sent another message.

[Kim Ho: Just wanted to talk a bit.]

If she answered with “Don’t want to”, I was planning to use her wish ticket as leverage, but her reply caught me off guard.

[Song Cheon-hye: Where?]

[Kim Ho: Cafeteria, let’s go.]