Mage Lian's voice broke through the silence. "The second gift is not just a reward. It's also a gesture of appreciation from the Kingdom."
Michael's brow twitched faintly. He remained silent, waiting for the rest.
Lian leaned back in his chair. "Your efforts did not go unnoticed. Few outsiders would have reacted as quickly or decisively as you did, especially not when faced with something they couldn't even see."
Michael gave a small nod. "I was just doing what I could."
"And sometimes," Lian said, "what you can do is more than most." He paused, then tapped a finger on the desk. "Which brings us to the third issue."
Michael's gaze sharpened.
"The third… is connected to the second."
That made Michael narrow his eyes. A flicker of suspicion rose in his chest. Something about the way
He didn't interrupt, but his expression grew serious.
Mage Lian continued, his tone grave. "We've received word from the outpost town closest to Everlong Forest."
Michael blinked. Everlong...
A memory stirred. The middle-aged mayor with a rough beard, whose smile had been warm but wary. The one who had handed him his first proper set of clothes in this world.
"What happened?" Michael asked quietly.
"The creature that was controlling the monsters us on the move again," Lian said. "After being silent for days, it's begun sending waves of monsters toward the town."
Michael's hands curled slightly.
"Are there casualties?" he asked.
"No," Lian said. "Not yet. The creatures sent were weak. The soldiers stationed there have been more than enough to handle them. But that's precisely the issue."
It wasn't until later, a suspicious thought came to him.
Lian nodded. "Exactly."
A chill slid down Michael's spine.
"That monster is carely strong, given its bizarre ability, Lian went on, "but surely, it could've sent something stronger. But it didn't. Which means it's watching. Studying. Testing responses. Gathering information."
Michael leaned back, exhaling slowly.
That kind of behavior didn't match mindless aggression. It was calculated. Measured.
It meant the enemy wasn't just powerful—it was intelligent.
And intelligence made monsters infinitely more dangerous.
Mage Lian exhaled, his fingers steepled in front of his lips as he leaned slightly forward.
"We attempted to trace the origin of the creature," he said slowly.
Michael remained silent, watching him.
"The results were… concerning." Lian's voice lowered. "According to the elders, the energy surrounding the creature bore the mark of forbidden craft. Specifically, a type of magic that was outlawed by the Kingdom nearly four centuries ago."
Michael's eyes narrowed.
"That form of experimentation was deemed too dangerous after a certain incident. The Kingdom declared it a cursed discipline. All research was destroyed. Practitioners were hunted down and executed. Yet…" Lian gestured vaguely, "here we are."
Michael didn't move. His pulse had slowed, but his thoughts were racing.
Because what Mage Lian said matched far too closely with the truth.
The creature wasn't just a stray beast. It had been locked away in a sealed ruin, deep beneath layers of decayed enchantments. A ruin that he had entered. A ruin that he had accidentally unsealed.
It wasn't a coincidence. It wasn't fate.
And that was something no one else knew.
Michael said nothing, keeping his face impassive as Mage Lian continued.
"There are signs the creature is recovering," the Grand Mage went on. "Its attacks are becoming more refined. Its mana patterns more stable. It's evolving—or perhaps reverting—back to its original state. Whatever the case… it has not yet reached its peak."
Michael's hand rested calmly on the armrest of his chair, but his knuckles were white beneath the sleeve.
That monster hadn't been at full strength when it first appeared. And now, it was gathering energy again—growing.
Which meant they were on a clock.
And he… was the reason it had started ticking.
Michael took a deep breath. "Thank you for telling me."
Lian gave a short nod. "You've proven reliable. I wanted you to know."
Mage Lian shifted in his seat, and the light around his fingers dimmed.
"That brings me to the reason I asked you here," he said. "The Kingdom is preparing to act. In five days, a force will be dispatched to the Everlong Forest."
Michael's brows rose. "A force?"
"Yes. A joint operation between the Royal Knights, myself, and a Grand Knight… possibly even more." He paused, eyes flicking upward with meaning. "There's a chance a Great Mage may join us."
Michael's breath caught. His eyes lit with restrained excitement.
In the hierarchy, they stood above Grand Mages and Grand Knights. From what he understood, those who held such titles were likely at the peak of Rank 2—possibly even Rank 3.
Which meant they were leagues above most threats, perhaps strong enough to destroy that monster outright.
"I see," Michael said slowly. "That's… significant."
Mage Lian smiled faintly at the reaction. "I thought you'd be interested. And that brings me to the question I've been considering all morning."
Michael tilted his head.
"Would you like to join us?"
Michael blinked once, unsure if he'd heard correctly. "Me?"
Lian nodded. "Yes. You."
Michael leaned back slightly, stunned. "I'm not—"
"—officially a soldier of the Kingdom?" Lian finished for him. "Correct. But your strength is recognized."
Michael didn't answer immediately.
Part of him wanted to say yes instantly.
But the memory of that moment—his inability to act, the fear that paralyzed him—still clung to his skin like a shadow.
Mage Lian noticed his hesitation. "This is not an order. It's an invitation. The decision is yours."
Michael's gaze dropped to the floor.
He remembered the old mayor. The soldiers.
And how he might've doomed them all without realizing it.
He inhaled sharply through his nose, then looked up.
"I'll come," he said.
Lian gave a single nod, calm and composed—but Michael saw the slight exhale of approval.
"Good," the Grand Mage said. "Prepare yourself. We leave at dawn five days from now."