I Am A Wizard Who Can Travel Between Earth And The Other World-Chapter 19 - Between Magic and Mystery

The bustling café hummed with the soft clatter of cups and the murmur of conversation when Wayn's voice broke through the air, sharp and startled.

"Boss!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide as she spotted Gin.

He strode in with a calm, measured pace, the kind that spoke of unshaken confidence. "Sorry for not letting you know I'd be out. Everything alright while I was gone?" His voice carried the weight of authority yet remained warm, unassuming.

Wayn quickly shook her head. "No issues at all."

He nodded, a hint of relief softening his features. "Good. This might happen again from time to time. I'll try to give you a heads-up, but sometimes... that might not be possible.

Hope you'll understand."

Her smile was gentle, almost reassuring. "Of course. Don't worry about it."

But as soon as she said that, a flicker of thought seemed to cross her mind. Her gaze sharpened as she looked back at him.

"Oh, right. Boss, remember that woman who came in and asked for your card? She was here yesterday—looking for you."

Wayn's expression tightened, her discomfort unmistakable. But just as quickly as it surfaced, she wiped it away with practiced ease.

"She was looking for me?" Taesu's tone betrayed little more than mild curiosity.

"Yes. She mentioned you hadn't been in touch, so she came by in person."

He acknowledged this with a casual nod. "Noted. I'm going to get some reading done. Can I leave things to you?"

"Of course!"

Wayn's response was bright, professional, and efficient, and she returned to her tasks as if nothing had happened. Gin, meanwhile, moved toward his usual seat in the corner, where the light hit just right. He pulled a stack of books from his bag and laid them down—a collection of medical texts, thick with knowledge and secrets of the body's inner workings.

Today's focus was different. The books were not for idle reading but for research. He intended to delve into the intricate dance of magic and the body—how they interacted, how they influenced one another. This was not a subject he'd given much thought to before his venture into the shadowed dimensions of the Hidden World, where survival demanded more than the raw power of spells.

Magic, in its purest form, enhanced the body. It rendered sorcerers resilient, resistant to disease and even the deadliest of toxins. But now, with enemies lurking beyond comprehension, this innate protection felt insufficient.

As he began to read, his mind absorbed every line with the voracious hunger of a man seeking more than knowledge—he sought evolution.

The familiar concepts felt like old friends, but the new ones ignited sparks of discovery. His thoughts expanded, splitting into three distinct streams—a rare ability among mages, and one of his greatest strengths.

His lips curved into a faint smile, unbidden. There was a thrill in acquiring new knowledge, in imagining how these truths could be twisted, molded, and applied to his craft.

He could already see how to fuse magic and medical science to create something new—something extraordinary.

Hours passed in quiet intensity until finally, the ideas coalesced into something tangible. A spell—new, raw, and powerful—was born.

Durability Reinforcement.

It was a magic that channeled energy waves through the body, absorbing, neutralizing, and eventually expelling external impacts.

For now, it was imperfect, requiring a third of his mental focus to maintain.

But the vision was clear: one day, it would function seamlessly, a passive safeguard against whatever monstrous foes lay ahead.

Gin closed the book and placed a marker between its pages. Stretching, he felt the satisfying pull of muscles long tense from concentration.

That was when he noticed them—the eyes.

The café patrons had been watching him. Their gazes lingered, entranced as though drawn by an unseen force. The moment he met their stares, they flinched, scrambling to avert their eyes.

'What's going on?' he wondered, his brow furrowing briefly.

Seoyeong approached him then, her hands carrying a plate. "Boss, you haven't eaten yet, have you? I made sandwiches. Want some?"

"Sandwiches?"

Her smile widened as she placed the plate before him.

"It's nothing fancy, but I used what we had. Thought you might be hungry."

A pang of guilt flickered through his chest. He had been so engrossed that he'd neglected even basic courtesies.

"Thanks, Wayn. I appreciate it. I should've helped out during lunch... I owe you one."

Her eyes sparkled, her smile a mix of pride and something softer. Gin picked up one of the neatly cut sandwiches and took a bite.

The flavors surprised him. "Wow, this is really good!"

Wayn blushed slightly, her gaze flickering away, though her satisfaction was evident.

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The café seemed to brighten, the air alive with a subtle energy as if her effort had touched everyone present. Gin, though still faintly aware of the lingering stares, let himself relax into the strange, lighthearted atmosphere.

Just as he finished the last sandwich, his eyes caught movement outside the window—a lone figure approaching quickly.

It was Alberta.

She had been here yesterday, and now she was back, moving with purpose. The café door swung open, and her gaze immediately locked onto him.

"There you are," she said, a sly smile curling her lips as she approached.

Her presence was striking, commanding attention from everyone in the room. Standing before him, her voice turned playful yet demanding. "Why didn't you call me?"

After returning from the Hidden World, Alberta had expected Gin to reach out. If he couldn't get through on the first call, surely he would have tried at least five more times. That was the kind of person she believed him to be.

But now, standing before him, she found herself in uncharted territory. No calls. No texts. Not even a fleeting message. This silence was entirely unlike him.

"Contact me?" Taesu's expression was a mix of confusion and mild curiosity.

Alberta's tone, on the other hand, was tinged with incredulity. "Yes, contact. I gave you my card, didn't I?"

He tilted his head slightly, a faint glint of amusement in his otherwise calm demeanor. "Does receiving a card mean I'm obligated to call?"

Alberta's frustration flared, though she masked it with a playful smile. "No... not exactly. But I did ask you to contact me, didn't I?"

Gin studied her for a moment, his gaze unwavering, as though trying to discern whether her reasoning warranted action.

Her mind, however, briefly betrayed her. He's so ridiculously handsome, she thought, shaking her head to clear the distraction.

Realizing she had let the silence linger too long, Alberta spoke again, her words measured but bold. "How about meeting me, then? Just once."

Alberta said nothing, his gaze still fixed on her. It wasn't that he was trying to ignore her—he simply didn't know how to respond. For all his mastery of magic and arcane knowledge, relationships were a realm entirely foreign to him.