Nathan – POV

  Speaking with Jennie turned out to be one of the best decisions I’d made since arriving in Bunzad. Our resident healer had a way of explaining things that filled in the gaps my parents had unintentionally left in my education. Mother and Father had taught me a great deal about the system; its structure, its classes, its limitations; but there were nuances they either didn’t know or had never thought to mention. Jennie, on the other hand, had lived her entire life immersed in the system’s intricacies. Her insights were invaluable.

  What excited me most, however, wasn’t the new information about healing magic or class evolutions. It was the revelation that the system somehow possessed knowledge; real earth knowledge; of concepts from my old world. The class Spook was the most obvious example. It wasn’t a coincidence. It wasn’t a mistranslation. It was deliberate.

  The degree to which the system understood Earth’s terminology remained a mystery, but the implications were enormous. If the system had access to even fragments of Earth’s knowledge, then there were loopholes waiting to be exploited. Cheats waiting to be discovered. And if there was one thing I excelled at; both in my past life and this one; it was exploiting systems.

  I couldn’t help the wicked grin that spread across my face.

  Jennie didn’t have answers to everything, of course. She was a healer, not a scholar of metaphysics. But her class gave her a unique perspective. She understood the system’s logic in ways that combat classes often overlooked. And unlike my mother, who had been forced to abandon her class progression early in life, Jennie had advanced far; far enough to speak confidently about evolutions and thresholds.

  She told me that once she reached level 50, she intended to evolve her healer class into High Cleric, assuming the system offered it. High Clerics specialized in offensive holy magic, support magic, and retained a portion of their healing abilities. From there, she could evolve again at level 100—perhaps into a Saint, or something else entirely, depending on her achievements and the system’s judgment.

  But reaching level 100 was no small feat. According to Jennie, only a handful of people in recorded history had ever done so. The experience required was astronomical, a near-impossible mountain to climb. My parents had said the same thing but hearing it from a high-level healer made it feel more real.

  And level 150? That was the stuff of legends.

  There were stories... whispers, of beings who had reached such heights. Heroes, monsters, tyrants, and saints. But most of those tales had been relegated to myth after the fall of the Shaxaian Empire. My mother once told me that the Imperial Shaxaian Library contained records of such individuals. But the library, along with the entire capital, had been burned to the ground. The destruction was so complete that only ruins remained.

  The sibling rivalry among the Shaxaian princes and princesses must have been catastrophic. And of course, the first casualty of any civil war was knowledge.

  The fall of the Shaxaian Empire was a paradox I needed to solve; especially since we were heading straight back to the ruins of my parents’ homeland.

  I remembered one of them; Mother or Father, I couldn’t recall; mentioning that demons had appeared shortly before the empire collapsed. Their arrival had been treated as an omen, a harbinger of ruin. And then, as if on cue, the empire descended into a medieval slugfest of succession wars, assassinations, and political implosions.

  If demons appeared before the fall… what was their connection? Were they catalysts? Victims? Opportunists?

  And more importantly; were they still there?

  I needed answers. And soon. As we used to say back in my military days: the intel is kaput.

  Jennie – POV

  Strange boy.

  Strange, yet powerful... so powerful that it was difficult to reconcile the polite, soft?spoken child with the overwhelming presence that clung to him like a second skin.

  When our group first joined Lord Jakob’s household, we learned that they had lived as peasants in Slalanese. At first, I thought it was a joke. No Shaxaian noble would willingly live like that. But the truth was far more complicated. Lord Jakob and Lady Dianne had disguised themselves as adventurers, hiding their lineage to avoid the envy and hostility that Shaxaian nobility attracted on the eastern continent.

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  It was a smart move. Shaxaian culture, prestige, and magical prowess were the envy of the world. And with envy came resentment. If they had revealed their identities, they would have been targeted; politically, socially, perhaps even physically.

  But because they lacked adventurer licenses; denied out of spite, apparently; they were forced to live as peasants.

  Most fallen nobles would have clung desperately to their status, even resorting to crime to maintain their pride. But Lord Jakob and Lady Dianne chose honor over arrogance. They lived humbly, worked honestly, and raised their children without the entitlement that plagued most aristocratic families.

  Lady Dianne once told me that their years as peasants had wrung the arrogance out of their bones. They had intentionally raised their children as commoners, hiding their noble blood until recently. And the results were clear; their children were grounded, respectful, and unspoiled.

  Except… the young lord.

  Nathan was polite, intelligent, and surprisingly mature for his age. His presence was pleasant; almost comforting. But beneath that surface, I sensed something else. Something terrifying.

  His mana was… wrong.

  Not corrupted. Not evil. But malevolent in its potential. Like a volcano waiting to erupt. Like a blade so sharp it could cut reality itself. I felt dread whenever I stood too close to him, even though he had never shown a hint of malice toward anyone.

  He was a paradox. A contradiction wrapped in a child’s body.

  And the most unsettling part?

  I had no idea what he truly was.

  Lord Jakob – POV

  The administrative center of Bunzad was a sprawling stone structure attached to the main temple of the goddess Shablin. I didn’t want to be here, but tradition; and common sense; dictated that any foreign noble entering a city must formally announce their presence to its ruler. It was a gesture of respect and a declaration of non?hostility.

  High Priest Remor Denoba ruled Bunzad and its surrounding territories. As Anda, Stanley, and I entered his office, I took stock of the man seated behind the ornate desk. He looked ordinary; average height, average build, plain; but the mana radiating from him was unmistakable. He was at least level 50. And he wasn’t bothering to suppress it.

  A show of power.

  His aide announced my name, and I performed the traditional Shaxaian bow: a slight nod with my right fist over my chest.

  “Greetings, High Priest Remor Denoba,” I said.

  “A Shaxaian noble?” His eyebrows rose. “This is surprising. The blessings of the goddess Shablin be upon you, Lord Jakob Mayweather?Abensberg.”

  “I came to offer my respects to the goddess and to her esteemed representative,” I replied.

  “Much appreciated, Lord Jakob. Please, sit.”

  I took the seat across from him while my men stood behind me like silent statues.

  “What brings you to Bunzad?” he asked.

  “We are travelers, passing through your great city. I wished to pay my respects and request the goddess’s blessing for a safe journey.”

  I signaled Stanley, who stepped forward and placed a pouch on the table. The soft clink of gold was unmistakable.

  “An offering to the goddess,” I said.

  The High Priest’s eyes gleamed with thinly veiled satisfaction. “Travelers, you say? To where, if I may ask?”

  “Home.”

  That caught him off guard.

  “Lord Jakob… your homeland is gone. The Shaxaian Empire is no more.”

  “I know,” I said quietly. “But the land still calls us. That is why we need all the help we can get.”

  He eyed the pouch again. Practicality dictated that I play this game. I didn’t believe in his goddess, but I believed in politics. And I needed this man on my good side. I also planned to hire an escort out of this country. After what happened in the previous city, I wasn’t taking chances.

  Especially not with Nathan and his… companions.

  “I will pray for your success,” the High Priest said. “Will you be staying long?”

  “Yes. We plan to delve your dungeons while preparing for the next leg of our journey.”

  “Of course. Stay as long as you need. Your contribution has earned the goddess’s favor.” He weighed the pouch, nodded in satisfaction, and handed it to his assistant.

  “Lord Jakob, it is an honor to welcome you. Shaxaians are rare here... Shaxaian nobility even rarer.”

  “Thank you, High Priest Remor.”

  We shook hands, and I left the temple with my men.

  As soon as we stepped outside, Anda asked, “My lord… was that a bribe?”

  “Yes,” I said bluntly. “And I’m sure the good High Priest is pocketing some of it already. It doesn’t matter. As long as he stays out of our way.”

  “We’ll be staying here for some time?” Stanley asked.

  “Yes. I plan to level in the dungeons with your help. I want to reach level 50 before we cross the sea.”

  “A solid plan,” Anda said. “Who knows what awaits us.”

  “Do you think you can reach level 50 as well?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. We’ve never been in these dungeons. But we’ll try.”

  “Good. We’ll make the most of our time in Bunzad.”

  As we walked through the bustling streets, I considered the possibility of hiring the High Priest’s warriors as escorts. But then there was Nathan—and his minions.

  I would need to speak with Dianne and Nathan before making any decisions.