Not even the red cauldron in his soul—his talent—had been helpful in that regard.
Speaking of the red cauldron…
Michael's connection with the red cauldron had deepened compared to when he first encountered it, that it felt a little foreign.
However, despite this deeper link, he hadn't been able to learn anything new about it for days.
It frustrated him. Depressed him a little, even. But since there was nothing he could do about it for now, he could only continue giving his best and move forward.
After making sure all his undead—aside from the griffin—were stationed where they needed to be, Michael mounted the griffin and began his flight back to the capital.
He expected it to be another quiet evening—just him cultivating until morning. But when he arrived home, he found Ace and Lia there.
Not that their presence surprised him. He'd gotten used to them by now, and it seemed they had gotten used to him too. Even Lia, who had once seemed constantly conflicted, was noticeably more relaxed around him these days.
That said, it was rare to find them home in the evening. Usually, they were only around during the early mornings or late at night.
Over the past few days, Michael had learned where they always disappeared to.
In both the outer and inner city, there were places called dojos—training halls where ordinary people learned to become knights, and knights trained to become stronger.
Apparently, that was where Ace and Lia had been spending most of their time.
From what Michael could sense, their training hadn't brought about much actual growth, at least not in strength or mana. But they both looked genuinely happy, so he figured they liked what they were doing. That was enough for him. He had no intention of interfering.
What Michael didn't know, however, was that he played a far greater role in their lives than he realized.
It was part of what made the two respect him deeply. Even Lia, who used to hate all nobles with everything he had, now viewed Michael differently.
The life they were living now—the freedom, the ability to train, the lack of servitude—was something they hadn't expected.
And most of it was thanks to him.
Even the dojo they trained at was made possible through the generous sums Michael often left behind for them.
This wasn't the life of servants they'd once imagined.
And for that, they were truly grateful.
Michael raised a brow as he shut the front door behind him. "You're home early."
"We were dismissed early today, my lord," Ace responded and added, "The dojo master said we'll closing early from now on… preparing for some kind of big event."
Michael's eyes flickered. "Big event?"
Lia replied this time.
"Yes. The master didn't say much, but he mentioned a competition being held by a duke."
That made Michael pause. A competition by a duke?
'Is it what I think it is?' he wondered.
In fact he already knew the answer.
The duke of Evermoon was probably already making his move.
He'd been noticing it lately—the stir in the air, the tension creeping along the edges of the outer city.
The capital had grown restless.
Vendors spoke with hushed excitement, and random announcements were cropping up more frequently in the streets.
Michael folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "Did he say which duke?"
"No, my lord," Lia said, shaking his head. "Just that it was important. Enough that every dojo in the capital is adjusting their schedule."
Michael didn't respond this time. He just gave a small nod and turned away. "Thanks for the information."
Without another word, he made his way to his room, shutting the door behind him.
The moment he was alone, he sat cross-legged on the bed, falling into a lotus position. He waved a hand, and a soft pulse of mana opened a crack in the space above his palm.
From within, he retrieved a glowing, faintly pulsating crystal—one of the Spirit crystals he'd collected from monster hunts recently.
They were becoming a common drop in his travels, but that didn't lessen their value.
For one, spirit crystals could be exchanged for evolution points—but with Michael's current daily refresh rate, doing so was a waste.
He also had money, so selling them wasn't worth it either.
With those two options out of the way, Michael had been using spirit crystals for one purpose.
With a spirit crystal, his cultivation speed increased by tenfold.
Michael placed the spirit crystal on his palm. As soon as it made contact with his skin, the mana within him stirred.
He took a deep breath, then slowly released it, sinking deeper into a meditative state.
Threads of mana began to unravel from the spirit crystal, pulled by an invisible force, and were greedily absorbed into Michael's body.
It wasn't painful. On the contrary, it felt warm—soothing. Like sitting in front of a fire during a cold winter night.
His mana circuits surged, and for a moment, he felt his senses stretch outward. It was fleeting, but enough to make his heart race.
He focused inward, guiding the excess energy through the pathways he had long since memorized. His control had improved over the past few days.
He continued cultivating deep into the night, rotating through three more crystals. By the time the first rays of sunlight pierced the curtains, he had made notable progress.
Just as Michael opened his eyes, a soft knock echoed through the room.
Michael's head turned.
It was Ace's voice from behind the door.
"My lord… there's someone here for you. Important-looking. We thought you should see this."
"Important looking?" Michael was a bit confused.
Since integrating into the Land of Origin, he had made a few acquaintances—but only a handful knew his address.
Was the person Ace spoke of even someone he knew?
Despite the confusion, Michael didn't remain still.
He calmly stood up and walked to the door of his room.