With a flick of his wrist, Michael reached for the small bronze bell on his desk and gave it a sharp ring. The clear chime echoed through the quiet room.
He didn’t have to wait long. Barely a few seconds later, the door creaked open and soft footsteps entered.
Surprisingly, it was the same maid who had once tried her luck with him—clumsy in her attempt to show her new lord the "wonders" of a woman’s body, and failing rather pitifully at it.
Her face flushed slightly the moment their eyes met, though she did her best to hide it with a practiced bow.
"Lord Mic," she said softly, her voice steady despite the faint tension in her shoulders. "You rang?"
The maid kept her head bowed, but her thoughts wandered. Night made men careless, she had heard—and young lords most of all. Perhaps, if she moved closer... if she spoke softly... perhaps this time—
Michael’s expression didn’t shift.
"Inform the household," he said, voice even. "No one is to disturb me until I call. No one enters the study before then. If anything urgent arises, leave a note with the steward."
The hope in her chest deflated at once. She masked it with a deeper bow.
"As you command, my lord."
She backed away with quiet steps, closed the door, and hurried down the corridor to relay the order.
Silence returned. Michael leaned back in his chair, eyes on the window’s glass. Lanternlight swayed faintly across the lawn.
He glanced at the sun-and-snowflake mark on his hand. It pulsed once..
"At least a day’s event," he murmured. "Plenty of time."
A soft thud on the window frame broke the quiet.
Michael turned as an owl slipped through the gap in the casement and landed on the edge of his desk. Its eyes—silver with a darker ring—regarded him with a familiar, unblinking patience.
"Wisdom," Michael said. The most update n0vels are published on Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
The mutated owl clicked its beak once in greeting.
Since arriving in Thornvale, Wisdom had grown restless; with Michael limiting outside activity, the bird had taken to flights within the boundary of Michael’s and Jester’s sensing range. That had been the compromise.
But now, where Michael’s physical body would be absent, he didn’t feel safe leaving this treasured born alone.
Michael studied the owl for a heartbeat, then closed his eyes and weighed the options. Leaving Wisdom here unsupervised was a risk he didn’t need.
Decision made, Michael brought out his Epic Grade item.
Damaged Coffin of the Forgotten.
"Inside," Michael told Wisdom, his voice low. "Don’t worry, you’ll be out soon."
The coffin space had air so it should be able to contain life and truely, in the midst of still undead, wisdom moved around as usual.
Michael exhaled. One less thread to worry about.
He rolled his shoulders, settling the last of his thoughts.
He stood, turned toward the center of the room, and and the mark on his hand warmed.
"Divine Lady Gagye, Emperor of the Still Waters... this humble one petitions entry into Your noble domain."
Light thinned. The study receded. And Michael moved to step between worlds once more.
When sight returned, Michael found himself in his previous spot back at the dorm much to his disappointment.
He wanted to inspect that special space again where the vice principal was but that seems to have been a special occasion.
Michael let his eyelids drift shut, posture slack like he wanted to take a nap.
Inside, his focus slid downward into the small, cool weight tucked in his inner pocket.
A ripple answered him, wry and silken, more texture than voice. Present, master.
Yes, Jester was with him. That fact alone told Michael some things.
The Vice Principal’s power had brushed over him directly when he invoked the Key; there was no chance she had missed Jester’s presence. A Rank 5 Awakener—the kind of existence comparable to a Demigod—would have sensed even the faintest foreign entity clinging to his body. And yet, Jester remained.
That could only mean one thing.
Jester was permitted to be with him.
Though as an unconventional undead, Jester was indeed a valuable one. Except it was still unknown if he would be able to do anything in the last round of college exams.
Back in Aurora, while Michael lay in the dorm with his eyes shut, the world outside the academy stirred with noise.
The Federation sent out the unreleased video clips of the second round of the examinations—the ones the public hadn’t been able to see before.
The Federation’s purpose was clear: awareness. They wanted to show the public that the supernatural wasn’t some distant, mysterious force hidden behind closed doors. It was a path the younger generation could aspire toward. Yet, as effective as the reveal was, it was still only a spark. Sparks faded. They needed a fire.
That fire came in the form of the Federation’s next announcement.
The news broke across every channel: a new sporting program was about to begin. The Federation was calling it the Supernatural Exhibition League, a structured competition that would highlight power in a way the public could consume, debate, and worship like any modern sport.
To start, celebrities with minor but noticeable supernatural power had been chosen. Musicians, actors, and influencers—people whose faces already drew attention. According to the reports, they would undergo training for the next month before debuting in a series of regulated matches.
But the most explosive part of the reveal wasn’t the concept—it was the money.
Networks were bidding absurd amounts for exclusive broadcasting rights. Sponsorships flooded in from corporations eager to plaster their brands beside supernatural combat. Analysts on the news shows claimed that the League, if successful, could rival even the most profitable sports on the planet within a year. Numbers tossed around ranged in the billions.
A/N: Thanks for reading today’s Chapters. Update on the character art. Lucky won. I spoke to the artist today and we reached an agreement. I can’t wait to show you guys the projects i have in mind. Also if a scene was to be made into a webtoon episode, which one would you guys want?