**#193. What You Lose When You Become an Adult (1)**
—
After finishing their duties for the day, the elders gathered in the conference room with Ray.
“How was it? Did you get a good look around Rael Row?”
“Thanks to Isra, yes. I haven’t seen every place yet, but their way of life is both similar to and different from humans’, which was fascinating.”
The elders nodded with pride showing in their gestures, then chatted among themselves for a moment about Isra.
“Still, it’s good to know that Isra fulfilled his role properly.”
“Things have been rather quiet lately, haven’t they? He hardly talks about wanting to leave Rael Row anymore.”
“He’s maturing little by little.”
*Not sure about that.*
Repeating the thought inwardly, Ray asked,
“I heard Isra could’ve become an elder in the future?”
“That’s right. He voluntarily gave up in the middle of his training. Does anyone remember what he said back then?”
In response to Parun’s question, the elder seated beside him replied,
“He said he didn’t want to be trapped in a boxed-in life. Said he might suffocate and die.”
“Indeed, that’s right. It was a very adolescent thing to say.”
Laughter followed from the elders.
Ray suddenly realized he was feeling a particular kind of unpleasant emotion.
Rough and gritty in sensation—an undercurrent of discomfort.
“I don’t think that was immature at all.”
The sudden remark brought silence to the room.
Parun’s brow twitched as he asked in a probing tone,
“Why do you think that?”
“Isra’s thinking isn’t childish. It’s a decision he made after a lot of reflection and emotional struggle.”
Parun chuckled.
“I wondered what you were getting at—but I suppose you’re still young yourself, and siding with him. Let me teach you something: raw and unrefined freedom is no different from indulgence. What awaits at the end of that path is utter chaos. You too will come to understand as you grow older how important and precious a measured life is.”
“……”
Freedom and indulgence.
Adulthood. A quantified life.
Many thoughts and words came to mind, but after confirming the unshakable certainty in the elders’ expressions, Ray chose not to speak.
However, a difference of opinion emerged again soon after.
“Still not thinking of selling the Electrostone?”
“I still have no intention of doing so.”
“Think again. The Electrostone is useless to you, isn’t it?”
“I told you before—my goal is to complete the Rainbow. That’s why I’d rather have *you* hand over your Electrostone to me.”
Parun scoffed.
“The Rainbow? That’s just a foolish fantasy. Something only children would believe…”
“It’s not foolish at all.”
“I can’t make sense of your thinking. In any case, if we gain another Electrostone, we could increase the output of every facility inside and outside Rael Row.”
“Actually, it would be better to reduce the output.”
“What are you talking about now?”
“I heard you’re searching for a settlement site.”
Parun narrowed his eyes.
“Who told you that?”
“Isra.”
“That’s surprising. It’s not exactly a secret, but our little free spirit doesn’t go blabbing to just anyone.”
Trailing off briefly, Parun nodded as if understanding something.
“Well, maybe they got close quickly since they’re about the same age.”
*I don’t think that’s it.*
Even if he did give him that growth serum.
At any rate, Ray explained why the output should be lowered.
The mana heavily used from the atmosphere becomes black smoke, rises into the sky, and forms black clouds.
“The faster Rael Row moves, the more the land is polluted, and the harder it becomes to find a settlement site. Mana extracted from Electrostone is fine, but we should reduce our use of atmospheric mana.”
The elders remained silent for a moment, then burst into laughter.
“Never heard such a tale in all my years!”
“And what’s your source? The imagination of some jester living in your head?”
“We’ve analyzed rainwater ourselves. Found nothing—no mana, no foreign elements. We have our own theory about the black rain.”
Ray gave a more detailed explanation about how mana turns into black smoke, but the elders—confident in their research—dismissed it outright.
“……”
At some point, Ray realized he had given up trying to persuade them.
The topic returned to the Electrostone, but the conversation just went in circles with no progress.
“It seems neither side is budging. How about staying in Rael Row a few more days and searching for a compromise?”
Ray nodded and left the conference room.
Outside stood Isra.
“You didn’t go back.”
“My job’s not done until you all return to your quarters.”
“I’ve memorized the way. I don’t need a guide.”
“No, I’ll guide you.”
The two boys took the stairs and elevator, passing through corridors on their way to the guest rooms.
As they walked, Isra asked,
“There was a lot of laughing coming from the room earlier. Something funny happen?”
He looked curious, perhaps wondering if they had talked about him.
Maybe that’s why he stayed behind to act as their guide.
“Nothing much. Just that we haven’t settled the Electrostone issue, so I might have to stay here a few more days.”
“How many?”
“Up to five.”
Any longer would be problematic.
Ray had mountains of work waiting back in the Sector.
Like with Blue, maybe just identifying the location of the Rainbow fragment would have to be enough for now.
“After that, I have to leave.”
The mention of leaving Rael Row caused a flicker of envy in Isra’s expression.
He went on to ask various roundabout questions, trying to find out if they’d talked about him.
But Ray answered the same way each time:
“Not sure.”
“……”
Eventually, Isra couldn’t hold it in and asked directly.
“They didn’t talk about me at all?”
“They still seem to consider you a potential elder candidate.”
“Damn old geezers. Hope all their beards fall out and never grow back.”
“What do beards have to do with it?”
“Beards are a dwarf’s pride. I don’t get it either, but if a man doesn’t have a full beard, he’s not even considered an adult.”
Ray nodded, remembering the well-groomed, dyed, and intricately braided beards of dwarf men.
After a brief pause, Ray spoke while looking at Isra’s bowl.
“If you want to leave, then leave.”
“…What?”
“If you want to leave, just go.”
“What nonsense. I told you—the elders won’t approve it.”
“Then make them approve it.”
“How?”
“Cause trouble.”
Isra gave him a baffled look.
“That would get me kicked out.”
“Like sneaking into their rooms and burning off all their beards.”
“……”
“Or messing with the town square clock tower so everyone’s schedule is thrown off. There are plenty of ways.”
Isra looked at him like he was insane. Just then, their room came into view.
“Thanks for the advice, but I can’t do anything that crazy. That’d be breaking Rael Row’s rules.”
Isra turned and walked away.
And then—
“You’re just not desperate enough.”
The words from behind made Isra stop in his tracks.
He turned, but Ray had already disappeared inside the room.
The young dwarf stood frozen in place, unable to move for a while.
*
*
*
The next day. And the day after that.
Time passed quickly, but there was no progress in conversations with the elders.
“I told you—they’re too set in their ways to talk to. Honestly, even I don’t believe that stuff about mana turning into black smoke.”
A lookout tower of Rael Row, temporarily stopped in the middle of a violent sandstorm.
A boy in a gas mask-style helmet and thick coat spoke to the boy beside him, dressed the same.
“And that rainbow thing too—it’s a bit unrealistic. A seven-colored band across a clear sky?”
Ray replied,
“Seems more realistic than trying to fly.”
“No way. Flying is way more realistic.”
“Not really.”
“Your idea’s worse.”
“Your idea’s worse-er.”
Trading increasingly childish retorts, the two boys eventually fell into silence, watching the surrounding sandstorm and the swirling magic within it.
Suddenly, Isra said,
“When I get up high enough one day, I’ll check for you. See if there really is a rainbow up there.”
“……”
Ray was curious about that too.
If they pierced through the ever-present gray and black clouds, what would lie beyond?
Ray asked,
“Why are you even out here during your free time? Especially when we can’t even see the sky because of the storm.”
“Just… felt stuffy inside.”
Isra’s eyes were fixed ahead.
A vessel full of caution.
*Maybe he’s keeping watch for potential threats.*
Could it be some form of attachment to the place he was born?
It didn’t quite align with his claim of being ready to leave Rael Row at any moment.
How much time passed, they didn’t know.
“…Is that—?”
“……”
The two boys saw a sparkling red dot beyond the sandstorm.
A vicious aura.
Completely different from the natural magic generated by the storm—it was approaching.
Isra felt a chill run down his spine.
“Run. Tell the elders. Now.”
Sensing the severity, he immediately disappeared through the door behind them.
*Cre-eak—Bang!*
Ray spread mana throughout his body and watched the red dot.
The rapidly approaching light elongated into a pointed, sharp rod.
And when it fully took shape—
*A sword.*
The image of someone flashed through Ray’s mind.
──
The red sword surged toward the watchtower, exploding upward.
──────!
At the same time, hundreds of electric arcs shot from Ray’s outstretched hand.
In the raging storm, the world blinked for an instant.
When the light cleared, two figures stood on the tower.
One was gripping a red sword embedded in the platform, dressed in storm gear.
The other—a boy cloaked in yellow lightning, standing a distance away.
Ray, feeling his pulse racing and blood boiling, locked eyes on the intruder.
Similar height.
Mask and goggles.
Four crimson mana circles.
Thick storm gear, its right side scorched black.
*He barely dodged my attack.*
The stranger’s puzzled voice came through the mask.
“You dodged that?”
*Drdrk! Drdrdrk!*
The longsword was yanked from the ground and absorbed back into his hand as red energy.
The figure tilted his head repeatedly, staring at Ray.
“I can’t believe you dodged it so easily. And you’re wrapped in magic. But dwarves can’t use magic. Ah—maybe you’re using some special equipment. No, but for a dwarf, you’re pretty tall…”
…A surprisingly youthful voice.
Ray maintained peak sensory focus while rapidly deducing the enemy’s identity.
Unlike the confused opponent, he had plenty of clues.
Red sword. A boy. Storm gear.
*A Murcred officer.*
He was the very individual who had appeared at the ruins, cutting down the Keepers and charging straight toward the tower in a single sweep.
Countless questions clashed, overlapped, vanished, and then emerged again in the boy’s mind.
Why had the opponent shown up here?
Was he acting under the doctor’s orders?
Or was this a solo move?
How powerful was he?
If they fought—could he win?
And if he did win, what could he gain from it?
The more he thought, the more the boy felt a rising sense of excitement and exhilaration.
Then, just as if something had finally clicked, the opponent spoke.
“…You’re human, aren’t you?”
“I’m a dwarf,” Ray replied, dead serious.
