Chapter 1: Meeting Gandalf the Archmage

Translator: Lei

Proofreader: Masadeer (Japtem) and Lei

“The Golden Lane was originally built as lodgings for the guards and gatekeepers of the Prague Castle. As metalworkers and alchemists came to live there during the 16th century with the development of commerce, it was formally named the ‘Golden Lane,’ just as it is now! Now, let’s have everyone go in and freely look around! You have one hour! Be sure to gather here again within the time limit!” shouted the guide at the distracted kids.

‘Hehehe, where else can I experience such extravagance? A man has to swim with the big fish after all. Uhahahaha!’

Just two months after beating the competition and entering Daehan High School, the school known as Korea’s most prestigious institution, I boarded an airplane for the first time in my life.

Though my father was a well-off fund manager and my mother was a music professor, the two of them were immensely stingy. They never failed to go on trips around the world for a month or two every year, but they were extremely cruel to their precious, precious, one and only son. During my stormy period of adolescence, when I asked them why they treated me like someone they’d picked up off the street, my parents very simply laughed at my resistance and trampled over my rage.

‘Males must be raised with a strong hand in order to survive’ — such was my father’s ridiculous opinion.

My mother backed him up, saying, ‘All the expenses you’re using right now are the blood and sweat of your father and mother. Do you want to become a thankless child who carelessly wastes that blood and sweat?’

It wasn’t a safari wilderness simulation game or anything, yet my parents raised their only child with such severity.

After that, I saw that there was no one in the world who I could trust, and spent every single day studying until my nose would start bleeding.

And then, the school I had chosen, Daehan High School. It was the high school that the president of the Daehan Group, the biggest business in Korea and among the top in the world, was the director. From the moment you entered, to the day of your graduation, all the expenses and pocket money you needed for school life were provided by the Daehan Group.

Therefore, it was said to be harder to be accepted into than Seoul University, but I was able to get into such a school. As a benefit, I was currently able to enjoy a paradise-like 10 days 11 nights school excursion in eastern Europe.

“Hyuk, let’s go sightseeing. Hehe.”

While I was preoccupied with my thoughts, Joong-hyun, my friend who looked like the friendly guy next door, dragged me along with his chubby hand.

“Okay. Huhuhu.”

No matter how miserly my parents were, this was their one and only son’s school excursion. I was generous enough to at least buy them a souvenir or two.

‘Alchemists? Did they really live here?’

Upon entering the Golden Lane, I saw charming buildings and a wide assortment of nice-looking handicrafts behind the windows. Perhaps it was because the ancestors of this place had been gold metalworkers and alchemists, the many kinds of ornaments I saw were more than enough to catch my attention.

“Wow, pretty!”

“Looks like it’s made of gold.”

“Hoho, it would suit me perfectly well if I wore it.”

The clear female voices I heard while sightseeing with Joong-hyun.

Seo Yerin.

The representative of Daehan High School’s first years, she was the embodiment of beauty. Blessed with a height of 167 cm (5’5″), long black hair, big eyes, and milky, porcelain skin, she was a goddess with a graceful disposition, a rare woman any guy would want to call their girlfriend.

Today as well, she was blooming like an exceptionally brilliant, elegant lily among the chattering weeds. Her long black hair was neatly held back with a plain-looking blue headband, and her smile was more beautiful than the moonlight in May.

As she looked at a hairpin through a small window with some friends, her ebony eyes that matched her distinctively pale white skin were shining.

“Is there something good? Hehe.”

Joong-hyun, who was more friendly with the girls than the male students due to his cheeky nature, thoughtlessly dragged me straight into the girls.

The girls instantly turned to look, and I happened to meet eyes with Yerin. A gentle smile floated to her lips upon seeing me.

‘Whoa? Is she smiling right now while looking at me?’

I was a person who had survived the brutal wilderness hell that baby lions experienced and was right at the age when a boy began yearning for manhood. I had set aside my thoughts of women in order to get accepted into Daehan High School, and truly, this school was everything I had dreamed of. Contrary to the idea that people who studied well were physically unattractive, the school had some rather charming women. The saying that accomplished children rose from humble families was entirely a thing of the past. These days, with the waters so dirtied from pollution, you could only raise an accomplished child by maintaining a high quality environment, a world that was truly heartless and specialized. That was how the world where such high caliber children were raised was maintained.

“Wow! So pretty!”

Having squeezed through the throng of girls, Joong-hyun was looking at the platinum hairpin embedded with many blue jewels.

“It’s well made.”

The hairpin was so exquisite and vintage that my mother’s collection of jewel hairpins couldn’t even compare. Shaped like a long shell, the hairpin was enough to make even a guy like me desire it.

“Whoa!”

However, I exclaimed at the logical price tag. ‘$10,000… my god!’ The hairpin was worth a fortune. I couldn’t close my gaping mouth.

“It’s pretty, right, Hyuk?”

When I was gaping in surprise, I heard what must surely be an auditory hallucination. A woman’s voice that was like the tinkling of a mystical silver bell was affectionately speaking my name.

“Huh?”

It was the voice of an elegant lily that had just started to bloom, Seo Yerin. The being whose intellectual beauty was far more delightful than any of the members from the popular Maiden’s Generation or Girl’s Night had called my name.

[T/N: Spoof of Girl’s Generation and Girl’s Day, popular Kpop girl groups.]

“It’s fine, I guess.”

But I replied with a voice so apathetic that it surprised even me.

“Really? I think it’s really pretty…" The lily wilted, as if hurt by my words.

‘Kya, if you were to wear it, you’d be the ultimate goddess of beauty.’

Those who had looks and smarts like Yerin’s should be nationally protected.

‘For it to be ten thousand dollars… tch.’ If I could, I wanted to give one to her as a present. But being the still young lion that I was, I hadn’t grown yet to the point of making money.

“Seo Yerin, should I buy you one as a souvenir?”

‘What’s with this rude voice?’

Near the sacrosanct site where I was talking to Yerin for the first time, came an arrogant, cocky voice. A mean little lion had sauntered over here with two baby wolves by his side.

‘Hwang Sung-taek.’

Called the Crown Prince among the first years, he was the brat trying to dominate with his rank as the eldest son of the Ohsung group. He was still young in his years, but the punk’s face was full of boredom. The hyena brat was raking his lustful gaze over the body of the precious lily next to me.

“No thanks.”

At Hwang Sung-taek’s words, Seo Yerin transformed into a rose adorned with scary thorns and walked away with those cold words.

“Haha! Just let me know, anytime. I always have space for you in my generous heart,” Sung-taek called boorishly to Yerin’s leaving back.

‘What a waste.’

It was a golden opportunity to get closer to Yerin on this foreign land. The air between us had been charged with something… different. But a nuisance had flown in before our meeting could even begin.

“Let’s go, Joong-hyun.”

“Hm? O-okay.”

There was no reason to stick around Hwang Sung-taek and his cronies.

“Kang Hyuk, lemme give you some advice.”

The moment I was about to leave with Joong-hyun, I heard Hwang Sung-taek’s cold voice.

“What?”

There was no need for me, a 185 cm (6′) tall Taekwondo fourth-degree black belt and Kumdo 3rd dan, to cower. I turned my head and looked down on the 170 cm (5’7″) loser Hwang Sung-taek.

[T/N: Kumdo is the Korean version of Kendo.]

“Seo Yerin is mine. If you want to go through school life peacefully, keep your head down.”

Hwang Sung-taek was getting ahead of himself, emboldened by the two wolf pups by his side. He didn’t know a single thing about me. The only things I feared in this world were my parents and our family motto of ‘truth’.

With a smirk, I lightly tapped Hwang Sung-taek’s shoulder.

“Hwang Sung-taek. You, do you know who you owe for living so well?”

“…..”

At my sudden words, Hwang Sung-taek was briefly stunned.

“I’d say that it’d be the major shareholder who has a whole 10% of Ohsung’s shares. You owe your livelihood to them, so you shouldn’t live so recklessly.”

Hwang Sung-taek made a dumbfounded expression at my words.

“If you keep throwing your money around like this, your grandpappy who nicely cultivated the stockholders will…”

Swish. Instead of using words, I drew a line over my neck.

“Do your best, kiddo.”

I tapped Hwang Sung-taek’s skimpy shoulder once again before turning around.

“S-Stop right there, you crappy piece of dog shit!”

But I didn’t stop, since I wasn’t a dog shit.

Swooosh!

Just then, I felt the energy of a fist flying towards my back.

Bam!

I instinctively whirled around and kicked out.

“Ugya!”

And, seeing the foot that had stopped right in front of his chin, the little wolf pup froze without even breathing. In front of the dominating lion, the fools were trembling like dogs.

“I’ll only warn you once. Next time… you’ll pay.”

There was no need to say much. For these guys who couldn’t even be called bullies, it was a waste to use my fist.

“Tch.”

Hundreds of kids had been let loose into the Golden Lane. Kids were shouting and having a good time all over the place. Joong-hyun had also somehow disappeared in the crowd. Ever the devoted son, he had surely gone to pick out a present for his mom.

‘Why is this alley so quiet?’

I had split away from the kids who were having fun with the ample pocket money they had gotten from their parents and was looking around when I noticed a small alley. It wasn’t very different from other alleys, but there were no people to be seen inside. Actually, the others were busily passing by like they couldn’t even see the alley.

‘Huhu, fools. The good stuff is in places like this.’

Regardless of how heartlessly my parents treated me, they were my irreplaceable father and mother. It was now time to purchase a present for them. We had to return to Korea tomorrow, so today was the last chance for shopping.

“Goodness, these days you can see Korean letters even in a place like this.”

Before entering the alley, I had seen the familiar creations of King Sejong the Great written in large letters in front of the shops. Perhaps as a testament to how many Koreans had come here, after English and Japanese, there was a sentence written in Korean in front of the shop doors.

[T/N: A bit of Korean history — King Sejong invented the modern written Korean language. Before, Chinese-derived characters were used.]

The sentence was this: ‘Inexpensive wares. Come take a look. However, no bargaining.’

My face flushed. I couldn’t explain my feeling of embarrassment.

“Great Wizard? Archmage?”

Raising my flushed face, I peered into the deserted alley and saw a small store. It had blue-tinted windows, so I couldn’t look inside. But an English word, Archmage, had been written on the door.

‘What’s this? Are they the descendant of an alchemist?’

For some reason, my curiosity was piqued.

‘Should I go in?’

Even if this place wasn’t well known, there was sure to be something nice in a small store unfrequented by people. That definitely had to be the case. Currently, my wallet was so light that there was more dust in there than money.

Ti-ring. A clear bell sounded as I opened the heavy wooden door.

‘Wo-aah!’

An exclamation burst out of me unbidden.

It looked like an unassuming small shop on the outside, but the interior was full of intricately crafted treasures you could tell were amazing masterpieces with one glance. From jeweled cases to earrings, necklaces, hairpins, and all sorts of accessories, there were even ceramics that clearly looked antique and baubles that looked as if nobles from the Middle Ages would have used them.

Gulp. I swallowed my saliva.

‘Jackpot.’

Moreover, I saw a generous-looking old man dozing behind the counter. With a white beard that wisped down to his belly and a stylish ivory-colored robe, he looked really similar to Gandalf from the movies.

‘If this goes well, it could be frickin’ awesome.’

I heard from internet news stories that treasures capable of turning your life around were found in antique stores like this. A tingly feeling of expectation coursed through me.

‘Kuku, this is gonna be a piece of cake.’

The Czech grandpa looked friendly for sure. He was napping with a large crystal ball in front of him.

“Ahem! A-hem!”

First off, I woke the grandpa up by clearing my throat. Maybe because I had grown up in the eastern land of courtesy, I first wanted to let him know that a customer had come.

‘Huh?’

But even at my throat clearing, Gandalf didn’t open his eyes at all. He made a look of annoyance as if hearing a dog bark and continued to sleep while rubbing his ear.

‘Is, is he a master?’

There was a saying that when a storekeeper reached the highest level, he could tell if a customer was rich or not simply from their smell. The fact that he didn’t get up even though I had come in was definitely because he had accurately determined that I was poor.

But I wasn’t one to retreat like this.

It was a certain fact that if I were to get even one of the items in this store, my parents wouldn’t call me a rude brat anymore.

“H-Hallo!”

I raised my hand and flashed a friendly, western-style smile, hoping that even though I didn’t have money, I might be able to get something if I was friendly.

At that instant, the drowsing Gandalf’s eyes opened wide. And then, he delivered a shocking message.

“What’s with the rude ‘hi’? If you’re in front of an adult, you should immediately lower your head. Tsk tsk, kids these days…”

Coming into my ears was the all too familiar cadence of perfectly spoken Korean. Gandalf had such an outstanding command of a Korean elder’s speech that one might believe he was a village old timer if not for his appearance.

Following that, Gandalf unleashed a critical hit.

“You. You don’t have money, right?”

My body stiffened in a state of shock. Under the unfamiliar skies of eastern Europe, I had met a grandpa who was Czech only in appearance. Even I, who had nothing to fear, reached a state of mental overload at this sudden situation.

‘H-how did he know that I was Korean? And what’s with that natural native accent!’ For the first time in my life, I experienced the feeling of being thunderstruck. No, this was the second time after my parents announced I would be living life like it was a wilderness simulation. I stared blankly at Gandalf’s golden eyes.

“Kuku. You’re wondering how I knew you were Korean, right? And how I can speak Korean this well, right?”

‘Maybe he’s a Western shaman?’

If he hadn’t possessed me, then how else could he know my inner thoughts so well? I realized I was unknowingly nodding and returned to my senses.

‘Is, is he seriously a mage? Heh, no way…’

The shop name that had been written on the sign, “Archmage,” flashed through my head. But no matter how I thought about it, there was no way a mage could exist in a world where tombs were made on the moon.

“That’s right, I’m a mage.”

“Ah!”

‘That’s… ridiculous!’

Was he saying that there were people who could read minds? This foreign shaman was boldly calling himself a magician, one that didn’t just use trickery. He was definitely wrong in the head.

“Who are you?”

I gulped anxiously as I asked his identity. Though it wasn’t as if I had received my formal education on fantasy, there was no sane person in this world who would seriously call themselves a mage, especially if that person looked as if they were long past their prime.

“Tsk, tsk. Kids these days don’t believe in what adults say. D’you think I would lie at an age like this?”

That astonishing folksy command of the language just kept flowing from his mouth. It felt as if this wasn’t a shop in the Czech Republic, but in Korea.

‘I’ve been possessed by a ghost. It’s probably because I haven’t eaten any kimchi in the past few days.’ No matter how many times I heard it, I just couldn’t get used to Gandalf’s native fluency. ‘This is dangerous.’

A warning sizzled up my spine and sparked through my body. I could feel a bizarre feeling emanating from the crazy Czech man who called himself a so-called mage. It was now that I also noticed letters and figures of an unknown language in the shop. It occurred to me that it might be the rune language that appeared in fantasy novels.

I hesitantly inched my way to the door.

“What, you’re just gonna leave? If you don’t have money, I could just give it to you…”

At those words, my legs ignored their owner’s will and stopped dead in their tracks.

‘FREE!’

A reward quest that was worth the danger!

‘That’s right, in a globalized world like today, he might be able to speak a foreign language. And he might be able to read a person’s intent a bit. Since he’s that old, he must’ve learned mind reading or something.’

My mind suddenly scrambled to reassure itself.

I flashed my signature detached smile to Gandalf, who was scanning me with his inscrutable, peculiar eyes.

“Ha, haha! You are truly fluent in Korean.”

Even as I spoke, my eyes were working hard to scan every part of my surroundings. At that age, he probably wouldn’t lie. My eyes locked onto the item that would cost the most.

‘I’m so lucky today.’

Not only did I score a conversation with Yerin, I happened to stumble into a store called “Archmage.” The only problem was that the owner had otaku fantasy mania, but other than that, there was no problem.

“I’m not lying. Out of the items here, pick out the one you want the most. I’ll give it to you as a present.”

This mage grandpa really did look as good-natured as the Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings! At his incredible offer, my grin stretched from ear to ear.

‘Kuhaha! Jackpoooot!’

I had no idea that something like this would happen in this tough world.

“You do not have to go so far, but since an adult said so, I will swallow my sense of honor and pick one.”

Before he went back on his words, I picked up a silver bracelet that had drawn me to it the moment I had laid eyes on it.

‘Even if this big thing is a fake, I think I can still make some money out of it. Huhu, this is frickin’ awesome!’

The silver bracelet was engraved with unknown patterns and letters. Glowing with a silver-platinum color, it was clearly a high class rare item. Furthermore, there were shining stones that looked like diamonds embedded inside the silver bracelet. It looked like it would fetch quite a price even if it was a fake.

‘I’m strangely drawn to it.’

There were a number of other ornaments and items made out of gold, but I was peculiarly attracted to this silver bracelet. I could feel a shimmering energy so faint I might be imagining it from the bracelet.

“Kukuku. Right, I see. Of course.”

As soon as I raised the bracelet, Gandalf gramps nodded as he said something insensible.

‘Let’s run!’

Now that he had picked one out, Gandalf gramps could change his mind. An urge to flee ran through me as I bent into a 90 degree angle.

“Thank you for the meal.” Because I had been raised under polite home discipline, I sincerely relayed my thanks. Then, I whirled around.

‘Puhaha! This is so awesome!’

I really liked this bracelet. Just holding it gave me the feeling that I had become rich.

Ker-chunk.

‘Huh?’

But that was as far as I went. The shop door wouldn’t open no matter how hard I tried. Despite my heaving and yanking, the door wouldn’t budge, like it was sealed shut with the strongest super glue.

“Huhu…”

And then, came a sinister laugh.

The hair over my entire body stood on end.

‘St-stingy. He won’t tell me to give it back, right?’

If it became a contest of strength, Gandalf gramps had nothing on me. But since I couldn’t do something like that, I’d have to give it back. No matter how much I wanted it, I wanted to avoid getting imprisoned as a thief in a Czech jail.

“Since you’ve gotten a present, let’s go.”

“What?”

Surprised by Gandalf gramps’ sudden words of going, I turned my head.

“Ah!”

Right there and then, I felt myself freeze again.

Tzzzzzz.

At some point, Gandalf gramps had raised a strange stick. An intense, blue light was pouring into the room.

“W-Why are you doing this? Isn’t this free?”

I stuttered in spite of myself.

“Free? Of course it’s free. That is, if you can survive. Kuhahahahahaha!”

This time, my hands started shaking. Gandalf gramps had suddenly changed. He emanated a brilliance that was truly like that of an archmage.

‘Shit! What’s with this ridiculous situation?’

The powerful force Gandalf was exuding rendered me unable to speak. I could only hear a single, cheerful word by my ear.

“Sleep!”

A magic incantation that only appeared in fantasy novels! I felt my entire body getting enveloped in a wave of irresistible energy.

And then, I tightly closed my eyes. Unable to toss aside the delusion of “free,” my hands were still desperately clutching the silver bracelet.

‘Ah, fuck…’

Utterly horrified, I coughed out a short breath and was plunged into a deep sleep.

I couldn’t have ever imagined my very first thrilling taste of magic or the future ahead of me.