On a day off, Aldo and Iris were spending a leisurely time reading books together. Iris suddenly closed her book and stood next to Aldo.
โHey, Dad. I have a favor to ask.โ
โA favor? What is it? Go ahead.โ
Aldo also closed his book and prepared to listen to Iris. Iris gathered her courage and spoke.
โIโฆ want to become a Digger.โ
Aldo froze for a moment at her words. Iris was only nine years old. It was far too early for her to become a Digger. After a moment of thought, Aldo reached a conclusion.
โAh, a dream for the future, huh? Being a Digger would certainly make good use of your magical talents.โ
โNo! Dad! I want to become one right now!โ
Iris stared at Aldo with a serious expression. There was no age restriction for becoming a Digger. If someone had the necessary skills, they could become one. Aldo himself had become a Digger easily due to his physical abilities and excavation skills.
But Irisโฆ she probably could do it. Her magical abilities were far beyond her age. She was already as strong as some Diggers.
โAre you serious?โ
โYes.โ
Aldo was troubled. He wanted to support Iris in whatever she wanted to do, but he couldnโt overlook the dangers that came with being a Digger.
โDad! Please!โ
Aldo was now being tested as a father. He didnโt want to crush his daughterโs dreams, but he couldnโt help worrying about her.
After several minutes of deliberation, Aldo reluctantly came to a decision.
โAlright, Iris. Letโs go to the Digger Association and have you take the assessment.โ
If the Digger Association didnโt recognize Irisโs qualifications, that would be the end of it.
โ
โCongratulations, Iris. Youโve become a Digger.โ
โYay!โ
Iris jumped up and down with joy after being recognized by the Digger Association member.
Irisโs mana capacity was off the charts, so she was instantly approved as a Digger. Aldo sighed at the lax standards of the Digger Association.
Now that Iris was a Digger, she could enter dungeons on her own.
โHey, Aldo. Iris just got recognized as a Digger, you know?โ
Clara, who had accompanied them, whispered to Aldo.
โWhat can I do, Clara? I didnโt think sheโd actually pass.โ
The Digger Associationโs assessment was fair, regardless of age. Iris, despite her young age, had the skills to be recognized, so there was no reason to reject her.
โYay! Now I can go into dungeons with Dad!โ
Iris clung to Aldoโs arm, and he couldnโt help but smile.
โSo thatโs it. You really wanted to go into dungeons with me, huh?โ
Aldoโs lips softened as he understood part of the reason why Iris wanted to become a Digger.
โSigh, I guess thereโs no helping it, Aldo. Weโll have to protect Iris.โ
โYeah, youโre right.โ
Now that Iris was a Digger, they had no choice but to let her join them in dungeons. Since she could enter dungeons on her own, it was better to let her gain experience while they could still watch over her.
โThen letโs go into a dungeon right away!โ
โRight nowโฆ?โ
โIs that not okay?โ
Irisโs eyes welled up with tears. Aldo was weak to those eyes. When she pleaded like that, he couldnโt refuse.
โAlright, Iris. Letโs go into the dungeon together.โ
โYay!โ
โSighโฆ Youโre too soft on Iris.โ
Clara was exasperated, but thatโs just how fathers were.
Aldo, Iris, and Clara arrived at the dungeon. It was their first exploration together.
โThe dungeon is brighter than I thought.โ
โYeah. The mana from the spirits makes it bright even without sunlight.โ
Clara answered Irisโs question. The initial spirits had already been defeated by Aldo and Clara, so they could proceed deeper without trouble.
โKishaaa!โ
A snake-like spirit appeared. It opened its large fangs and fired a shockwave directly at Iris.
โWatch out!โ
Aldo shielded Iris and took the shockwave himself. The back of his clothes was torn, and his skin was injured, bleeding.
โUghโฆโ
โDad!โ
โShyaaa!โ
The snake prepared to fire another shockwave, but Clara closed in and delivered a heel drop to its head.
โGashaaaโฆโ
The snake collapsed from Claraโs single strike. It wasnโt a particularly durable spirit, but its attack power was decent, and Aldo had taken a painful hit.
โIโm sorry, Dad. Itโs my fault.โ
โItโs okay, Iris. Itโs just a minor injury.โ
Iris was heartbroken seeing Aldoโs painful wound. If she hadnโt insisted on going into the dungeon, Aldo might not have been hurt.
โClara, canโt you heal the wound with magic?โ
โYep, I can. With the spirit magic โApat.โ Here we go. Apat!โ
Clara began to heal Aldoโs wound. The spirit magic โApatโ removed the spiritual damage inflicted by the spirit. Aldoโs wound quickly healed.
โWow, thatโs amazing. Can I do that too?โ
โSure. This is a good opportunity to try.โ
Clara stopped the spell and let Iris take over. Iris placed her hand over Aldoโs wound and chanted the spell.
โApat!โ
Her voice echoed through the dungeon. Aldoโs wound began to healโฆ or so it seemed, but nothing actually happened.
โHuh?โ
Iris was confused. She had been able to use wind magic by mimicking others before. Why couldnโt she use โApatโ now? She couldnโt understand it.
โClara, what should I do? Dadโs wound isnโt healing.โ
โCalm down, Iris. Try it again.โ
โOkay. Apat!โ
She chanted the spell a second time, but Aldoโs wound still didnโt heal. โApatโ was a spirit magic that any mage could use. Clara tilted her head, puzzled.
โHmm. Well, even if you have talent in magic, whether you can use it or not depends on your effort. For example, some people are good at green magic but struggle with spirit magic. Maybe youโre that type, Iris?โ
Iris hung her head, deeply disappointed. She was shocked that she couldnโt heal Aldoโs wound.
โItโs okay, Iris. Youโll be able to do it eventually. Unlike other magics, spirit magic is something anyone can use.โ
โYeahโฆโ
In the end, Clara healed Aldoโs wound. Iris, who had wanted to heal her fatherโs wound herself, was deeply discouraged. She had always believed she had talent as a mage, but discovering she struggled with spirit magic clouded her heart.
โIris, itโs okay.โ
โButโฆ I couldnโt heal your wound.โ
โEveryone has their strengths and weaknesses. Even if youโre not good at spirit magic now, you might be able to use it later. So cheer up.โ
Encouraged by Aldo, Iris felt a little better. She had been a bit arrogant about her magical talents, but realizing she had weaknesses made her more determined to work hard.
โAlright, letโs go. Aldo, Iris.โ
โYeah.โ
With renewed determination, they continued their exploration, with Aldo leading the way, Iris in the middle, and Clara at the rear, protecting her from both sides.