Chapter 3. Silver and Heomheom
by Foreigner Β· 2026-08-21
On the 45th day, Gihun found a valley.
The water was clear and the sound was pleasant. There was a small waterfall upstream, and the area beneath it was hollowed out like a pool.
Gihun took off his clothes, spread them on a rock, and entered the water.
It was cold.
'.......Ha.'
The smell from the spider still lingered. It had been three days, but it hadn't come off.
Gihun stayed in the water for a long time.
Now, he could somewhat read this mountain.
If bird songs mixed with the sound of water, it meant there was nothing large nearby. If the birds were quiet, there was something. If the wind blew in only one direction, there was an open area there, and if it was unusually dark under a tree, something lived there.
Gihun's ears could now hear a branch breaking a hundred meters away.
But he didn't hear it that day.
When he came out of the water and went towards the rocks, two people were sitting there.
Gihun stood rooted to the spot.
More accurately, he froze.
His clothes were on the rock over there.
'.......'
One of them bowed their head.
Eseth: I apologize if we intruded.
The voice was gentle.
She was tall.
She was a head taller than Gihun. But she wasn't skinny; she was well-proportioned. Her silver hair reached her back, and her ears were long and pointed. She had a bow slung over her back that was as tall as she was.
She was a woman.
'.......'
Gihun spent about two seconds confirming that fact.
And then he spent another second confirming that he was currently wearing nothing.
The one next to him was the opposite.
He only came up to Gihun's chest. Instead, he was wide. His beard reached his belly, and it was braided into three strands. His forearms were as thick as Gihun's thighs.
Aron's memories flooded in.
Elf.
Dwarf.
And then information followed in a string.
Elves live in the deep forests on the western continent. They are occasionally seen in cities, but wild elves are different. They are much larger and stronger. They see things human mages cannot.
Dwarves live underground. Their craftsmanship is the best on the continent. Weapons and armor made by dwarves can be exchanged for an entire castle.
And the two are sworn enemies.
They never travel together.
Absolutely never.
'.......'
After reading all that information, Gihun thought of only one thing.
'Let's put on some clothes.'
Gihun went towards the rock.
He turned his body sideways as he went.
After turning, he realized that was even stranger.
Kenzelt: Hmm.
The dwarf said.
Kenzelt: Hmm. Hmm.
Aron: ......
Kenzelt: He's behind you.
His clothes were on the rock on the opposite side.
Gihun went that way.
While he was going, the elf was looking at the sky.
She was very diligently looking at the sky.
Gihun felt even more embarrassed by that.
After putting on his clothes, Gihun sat on the rock.
The three of them ended up sitting side by side.
Eseth: I didn't expect to find a human on this mountain.
The elf said,
Eseth: "My name is Eseth."
Kenzelt: "Hmm."
The dwarf said that.
Gihun looked at him.
Kenzelt: "Hmm."
He did it again.
Kenzelt: "Kenzelt."
'.......'
Gihun mulled over the name for a moment.
Aron: "I am Aron."
After speaking, Gihun's voice sounded strange to him.
It was the first time he had spoken to anyone in a month and a half.
Eseth: "Where are you headed?"
Eseth asked.
Aron: "East."
Eseth: "There is Seton to the east."
Aron: "I'm going there."
Kenzelt: "Hmm."
Kenzelt said,
Kenzelt: "Are you planning to walk all the way there?"
Aron: "Yes."
Kenzelt: "Hmm. Hmm."
Kenzelt stroked his beard.
Kenzelt: "You're going to walk over this mountain?"
Aron: "I'm already halfway there."
Eseth and Kenzelt looked at each other.
Then they looked back at Gihun.
Kenzelt: "Hmm. Truly astonishing."
Gihun asked,
Aron: "Why are you two traveling together?"
After asking, Gihun thought it might be a rude question.
Aron's memories said so. Matters between elves and dwarves were not for humans to inquire about.
Eseth was silent for a moment.
Eseth: "We received a summons."
Aron: "From whom?"
Eseth: "From the Lord."
'.......'
Gihun searched for that word in Aron's memories.
Lord.
Dragon Lord.
Gold Dragon Hwaionmeth. The oldest being on the continent. Called the Continental Protector. He protects the Continent of Light from the Dark Continent and monsters.
That was all the information.
Gihun wasn't interested beyond that.
Aron: "Ah."
Gihun said.
Aron: I see.
Eseth looked at him.
Eseth: You're not surprised.
Aron: Should I be?
Eseth: Usually, people are surprised.
Eseth smiled slightly after saying that. Even her smile was gentle.
Eseth: The Dragon Lord neither sleeps nor travels.
Aron: Yes.
Eseth: That has never happened in a thousand years.
Aron: Yes.
Eseth: But you called.
Gihun nodded.
Then he asked.
Aron: Why is that strange?
Eseth didn't answer.
Instead, Kenzelt spoke.
Kenzelt: Ahem. Do you know what a dragon is?
Aron: I do.
Kenzelt was a little embarrassed by Gihun's nonchalant answer.
Kenzelt: Ahem. Then that's fine.
'.......'
Gihun wondered if that was an answer, but he didn't ask further.
He wasn't curious.
Eseth raised her hand.
Eseth: Excuse me.
Aron: For what?
Eseth: The smell is a bit.
'.......'
Gihun was momentarily embarrassed.
Eseth gestured and said something short. It was a single word. A word Aron didn't even remember.
Gihun watched it.
Something like light flowed from her fingertips. And the air briefly shimmered.
'.......'
It was magic.
It was something he had never seen before. Aron had never seen it either. He had learned the basics of magic in Hynes, but he had only seen it from afar once or twice in the court.
Gihun looked at his clothes.
They were still dirty.
Eseth saw it too.
Eseth: ......?
Eseth gestured again.
This time, she did it a little longer.
Light flowed again.
Gihun's clothes were still dirty.
Eseth looked at her hand.
Then she gestured at a rock nearby.
The moss on the rock disappeared.
Kenzelt: ......Ahem?
Kenzelt leaned forward.
Eseth gestured to Gihun again.
Nothing happened.
Gihun thought as he watched the scene.
'.......What is this?'
Eseth: May I see your arm?
Eseth said.
Gihun extended his left arm. There was a scratch from a spider's leg three days ago. A scab had already formed.
Eseth placed her hand on it.
And said something.
Gihun felt nothing.
To be precise, he felt nothing but the warmth of her hand.
Eseth removed her hand.
The wound remained.
Eseth: ......
Eseth then scratched the back of her own hand slightly. It bled. She placed her hand on it and said something.
The bleeding stopped and the mark disappeared.
Eseth watched it for a long time.
Then she looked at Gihun.
Eseth: Are other humans like this too?
Aron: No.
Gihun replied.
Aron: That can't be.
Gihun searched Aron's memories.
Records of humans immune to magic.
There were none.
The concept of magic resistance existed. There were monsters with resistance to specific magic, and it could also be defended against with special artifacts. That existed.
But there were no humans through whom magic simply passed.
'.......'
Gihun thought about it for a moment, then dismissed it.
About five inexplicable things had happened this month alone. This was just one more.
'It's a good thing.'
Gihun concluded.
Eseth didn't seem to be able to conclude it that way.
Kenzelt: Ahem.
Kenzelt changed the subject.
Kenzelt: What was that you did?
Aron: What do you mean?
Kenzelt: Yesterday, ahem. You kicked that big spider off the tree, didn't you?
'.......'
Gihun paused for a moment.
Aron: You saw that?
Kenzelt: Ahem. I did.
Aron: You've been watching since yesterday?
Kenzelt: Ahem. Ahem.
Kenzelt stroked his beard. He didn't answer.
Gihun thought that was his answer.
Kenzelt: How can you use your feet better than your hands?
Kenzelt asked.
Kenzelt: I've never heard of such a human martial art. Ahem. Those who use swords don't use their feet. Their feet are for standing on the ground.
Aron: Everyone does that where I'm from.
Kenzelt: Where you're from?
'.......'
Gihun realized he had misspoken.
Aron: From far away.
Kenzelt: Ahem. Where?
Aron: Very far away.
Kenzelt looked at him.
Eseth also looked at him.
Gihun looked at the water.
Kenzelt: Ahem.
After a long while, Kenzelt spoke.
Kenzelt: Show me your hands.
Gihun held out his hand.
Kenzelt took it. His hand was thick and hard. It didn't feel like a human hand.
Kenzelt: Ahem. Ahem.
Kenzelt pressed each of Gihun's fingers. Then he rotated his wrist. He even touched his elbow.
Kenzelt: Your bones are fine.
Aron: Yes.
Kenzelt: And your muscles are thin.
Aron: Yes.
Kenzelt: Ahem. But how do you get such strength?
Aron: I don't know.
Kenzelt: You don't know?
Aron: Yes.
Kenzelt released Gihun's hand.
Then he rummaged through his bag.
What Kenzelt pulled out was a glove.
To be precise, it wasn't a glove.
It covered from the back of the hand to the middle of the forearm, and metal plates were layered and attached. It was black, but when it caught the light, the inside looked blue.
It was a gauntlet.
Kenzelt: Put it on.
Gihun put it on.
It was light.
Aron: Oh.
It was much lighter than he expected. He clenched and unclenched his hand, and there was no obstruction at all.
Kenzelt: Hmm. It fits.
Aron: This is nice.
Kenzelt: Hmm. Hmm.
Kenzelt stroked his beard. He seemed to be smiling a little.
Kenzelt: I'll give it to you.
Aron: Huh?
Kenzelt: Keep it.
Gihun looked at it.
Aron: Isn't this expensive?
Kenzelt: Hmm.
Kenzelt didn't answer.
Beside him, Eseth quietly spoke.
Eseth: It can be exchanged for a castle.
'.......'
Gihun raised his hand and looked at the gauntlet again.
Aron: Oh, then.
Gihun tried to take it off.
Kenzelt waved his hand.
Kenzelt: Hmm. This person.
Aron: No, something like this.
Kenzelt: Do you know what happens if you refuse something a dwarf gives you?
Aron: I don't know.
Kenzelt: Hmm. I don't know either. Because it's never happened.
'.......'
Gihun looked at Kenzelt for a moment.
Then he lowered his hand.
Aron: Thank you.
Kenzelt: Hmm.
Kenzelt nodded.
Kenzelt: Because your hands are fair.
The sun was setting.
Eseth stood up.
Eseth: We must go.
Aron: Where to?
Eseth: To the north.
Aron: What's there?
Eseth looked at him for a moment.
Eseth: I don't know.
Aron: You don't know, but you're going?
Eseth: Because I received a summons.
Gihun thought that was strange but didn't ask further.
It was someone else's business.
Kenzelt also stood up. He looked even smaller when he stood.
Kenzelt: Hmm. Human.
Aron: Yes.
Kenzelt: If you go three more days to the east, there's a peak. From there, you'll see the foot of the mountain.
Aron: Thank you.
Kenzelt: Hmm. Hmm.
Kenzelt was about to say something more, then stopped.
And said,
Kenzelt: I've never seen anyone not of our dwarf kin as strong as you.
'.......'
Gihun mulled over those words.
'Does he really have to add that?'
The two walked away.
Gihun sat on a rock and watched them.
Eseth made no sound as she walked. Kenzelt made a sound, but it was smaller than expected.
At the edge of the forest, Eseth stopped.
And looked back.
Gihun raised his hand.
Eseth did not raise her hand.
She watched him for a long time.
Gihun couldn't tell what her gaze was seeing. It seemed to be looking at him, and also behind him.
Eseth: my lord.
Eseth said.
The distance was far, but her voice sounded as if she were right next to him.
Aron: Yes.
Eseth: Stay alive.
Gihun couldn't tell if it was a greeting or something else.
Aron: Yes.
Eseth bowed her head.
And then disappeared.
That night, Gihun lit a fire and looked at the gauntlet.
Up close, he saw that each plate had a pattern carved into it. It was very small. He had to bring his eyes close to see it.
Gihun looked at it for a long time.
'A whole castle.'
He had never seen a castle.
'.......'
Gihun hit a nearby stone with the hand wearing the gauntlet.
The stone shattered.
The gauntlet was fine.
'Oh.'
Gihun slept that night wearing it.
Eseth said nothing as she walked that night.
Kenzelt endured it for a while, then asked.
Kenzelt: Hm. What's wrong?
Eseth: It's about that child.
Kenzelt: Hm. He's strong. For a human.
Eseth: That's not it.
Eseth stopped walking.
Eseth: My magic didn't reach him.
Kenzelt: Hm. I saw that.
Eseth: It wasn't blocked.
Kenzelt: Hm?
Eseth: If it's blocked, I feel a collision. That's true whether it's blocked by an artifact or a barrier.
Eseth looked at her palm.
Eseth: But it didn't collide.
Kenzelt: Hm. Then.
Eseth: It went around him.
Kenzelt stopped walking.
Eseth continued.
Eseth: Mana avoided that child.
Kenzelt: ......Hmm.
Eseth: I've never seen such a thing.
The two stood for a long time.
Kenzelt: Hmm. Why don't we ask the Lord?
Eseth didn't answer.
After a long pause, he spoke.
Eseth: That would be good.
And then he walked again.
Gihun didn't know such a conversation had taken place.
That night, he slept well.
He felt a little better because he had spoken to someone for the first time in a month and a half. He wouldn't admit it, but it was true.
When he briefly woke up at dawn, Gihun raised his gauntleted hand and held it up to the moonlight.
There were two moons in the sky.
'.......He said the peak in three days.'
Gihun fell back asleep.
He still didn't know what he would see at that peak in three days.