The train continued moving forward at a steady pace, not yet having left the Norvia Continent or reached the colossal bridge that connected the two continents together. Inside one of the train , Chris sat quietly near the window while Leo and Ray were seated across from him.
After a few moments of silence, Chris finally spoke in a calm yet cold voice.
"At this point… we shouldn't trust any king anymore. And honestly, we can't expect anything from them either."
Leo leaned back against his seat before replying with a bitter expression on his face.
"These kings are the biggest traitors. We need to stay careful around them now… otherwise they might label us as traitors too. Just like they ruined my entire life."
Chris looked toward Leo for a few seconds. A faint anger appeared in his eyes before he spoke again.
"What they did to you was unforgivable. To them, people like us are nothing more than garbage."
But before the conversation could continue further, Ray—who was sitting beside Leo—suddenly looked at Chris with suspicion.
"Sir Chris… who told you about Leo's parents? And how did you already know about the ritual?"
Ray's eyes narrowed slightly.
"When I first heard about demons, fear completely took over me. But your reaction was different. You looked strangely calm… almost like you already knew about all this."
Chris' gaze slowly shifted toward Ray.
"Skye told me everything that same night… the night both of you arrived at the base."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"And yes… I also know that Leo is a Blessed Child."
Leo's eyes widened slightly.
"That's the reason his wounds heal much faster than ours. And it's also why he can learn things at a terrifying speed compared to normal people."
Chris leaned back in his seat.
"I may be a Sword Knight Captain, but even then I trained myself to perfectly balance both Aura and Mana."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"And because of that… I developed a special skill. I call it Mana Eyes."
The moment he said those words, a strange glow appeared within Chris' eyes.
"Once activated, I can see how much Mana and Aura exists inside someone's body."
Chris turned his gaze toward Leo first.
Inside Leo's body, a dark black energy flowed like water through every vein and part of his body. That black energy was his Aura. Meanwhile, at the very center of his body, a glowing white light remained condensed peacefully. That was his Mana.
But Ray was completely different.
Inside Ray's body, Mana spread throughout his entire body like streams of flowing energy, while his Aura remained compressed in a single concentrated point.
Chris continued speaking while observing both of them carefully.
"Leo possesses far more Aura than Mana. But Ray… your Mana is much greater while your Aura is still developing slowly."
He crossed his arms.
"That's how I understood everything. I could already tell how quickly Ray was strengthening his Mana. And Leo…"
Chris looked directly into Leo's eyes.
"…you truly are a Blessed Child."
Bridge Between Continents
Both Leo and Ray listened carefully with complete focus and curiosity written across their faces.
Then suddenly, Chris glanced outside the window before speaking again.
"Leo… this is your first time riding a train, right?"
Leo nodded immediately.
"Yeah… it's my first time."
A gentle smile slowly appeared on Chris' face.
"Then look outside."
Leo didn't ask any questions. He simply turned his head toward the window.
And the moment he looked outside…
his eyes filled with pure amazement.
Far into the distance, enormous bridges stretched endlessly across the ocean. Multiple railway bridges stood side by side above the massive sea, while trains moved across them one after another.
The ocean beneath reflected the golden light of the setting sun beautifully, making the entire world look almost dreamlike. Orange light shimmered across the moving waves while the rhythmic sound of the train echoed softly through Leo's ears.
For a moment, Leo completely forgot everything.
His eyes sparkled slightly as he whispered softly,
"So… sunsets can actually look this beautiful…"
Chris' smile widened slightly.
"That's exactly why I told you to look."
"It feels nice… doesn't it?"
But before the peaceful atmosphere could continue, Ray suddenly interrupted.
"Alright, alright. That's enough sightseeing."
Chris chuckled softly.
"Don't worry. If you stay with me, you'll get to see many more things like this."
Leo slowly pulled his face away from the window before sitting properly again.
Not long after that, Chris spoke once more.
"We won't take much longer to reach Morveth now."
Then his gaze suddenly shifted toward Leo.
"Leo… can you show me your katana?"
Without saying anything, Leo quietly handed over his katana.
Chris placed it carefully on the table before slowly pulling it out of its sheath.
The blade was long, sharp, and gleaming beautifully beneath the dim lights.
Chris observed it carefully for a few seconds.
"This katana was forged using a high-quality crystal."
He lightly moved the blade before asking,
"Do you know what its power is?"
Leo scratched his head awkwardly before smiling.
"…I forgot."
Chris laughed softly.
"This is a very good weapon. Its ability allows it to consume your Mana and release an extremely powerful attack."
He pointed toward the blade.
"But for that, you'll need excellent Mana control."
Then his expression became serious.
"And the disadvantage is… it consumes a massive amount of Mana."
Leo nodded seriously.
"I understand. I'll work harder."
By the time their conversation ended, the sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon. In the distance, the station of Morveth slowly became visible.
Chris stood up from his seat and stretched both of his arms.
"Alright then… get ready for what's coming next."
Leo and Ray looked toward each other before replying together,
"We're ready."
Finally, the train crossed the endless ocean and arrived at Morveth.
The three of them stepped off the train and began walking toward the station exit. But halfway there, the smell of freshly cooked food suddenly filled the air around them.
Hot roti.
Cooked paneer.
Spices.
The delicious aroma practically pulled the three of them toward it.
All three suddenly stopped walking before slowly looking at each other.
"…Let's eat first."
Without wasting another second, they followed the smell and eventually arrived at a small dhaba inside the station itself. The entire place was overflowing with the mouthwatering aroma of food.
They sat down at a table outside the dhaba and placed their leather bags beside their chairs.
A smiling lady soon walked toward them.
"What would you like to order?"
The three of them quickly ordered their food.
And the moment it arrived…
they completely attacked it.
Leo and Chris immediately began eating with their hands, and after watching them for a few seconds, even Ray quietly placed his spoon down before doing the same.
The moment all three took their first bite—
their eyes lit up instantly.
"This is delicious."