Despite Noah’s indifferent facade, he was internally shocked—not by the revelation the old man in servant attire had shared, as Noah had expected something similar—but by the sheer power this organization possessed to attack every border town. The idea itself was absurd, considering that there were at least dozens of towns as strong as Borderward’s nobility, some even stronger. Yet, what they had done in Frostwell was enough to convince Noah.

  “I said it once, and I’ll repeat it until you understand… I will see my men first, and then you can take your target.”

  Noah’s focus drifted away from his thoughts toward Lord Garrett, who wore a hardened, grim expression.

  ‘Is he not aware of how poorly he’s acting?’ Noah wondered, but he couldn't tell. Even the imperial knight standing beside him had his expression hidden, making it impossible to read his thoughts. However, his body language was tense—but not tense enough to suggest they were in a truly disadvantageous position.

  ‘So their secret plan is still in effect for them to act like this?’

  "But isn’t confirming that my town doesn’t have this person enough for you to leave?" Lord Garrett’s shouting interrupted Noah’s thoughts again, and Noah himself was starting to find him irritating.

  However, the white-haired old man remained motionless, his smile unchanging. He even showed respect by not answering until Garrett had voiced all his grievances.

  "But you brought him to me." The man pointed at Noah with a gloved finger. "Even if that were the case, we cannot simply leave. We have, in fact, confirmed that our target was not in many of the towns, but for reasons of secrecy, we maintained our sieges. I’m sure a tactician as brilliant as yourself would understand."

  ‘Oh, so they’re from Astrolise.’ Noah speculated with slight doubt based on the man’s words.

  Lord Garrett had played a massive role in the war between the Empire and the Kingdom. Rising through the ranks through sheer talent, he had reached his current position.

  Even his marriage to Lady Elara—the last bearer of the noble family name he now carried—spoke volumes about his achievements. After all, commoners had no right to marry nobility, except in rare cases where their value surpassed their social status.

  Another example was Mr. Eldric. A commoner as well, yet his status as a Rune Master granted him such privileges. That was why Borderward’s nobility saw Eyolian as a potential partner for their heir—she had both talent and beauty, making her an ideal match.

  Noah refocused on Lord Garrett, who seemed taken aback by the old man’s words, likely reaching the same conclusion Noah had. But before he could say anything—if he was even planning to—the old man spoke again.

  "And I will share good news with you. We have already confirmed that our target is not in your town, which is why… our rain had stopped.

  "There was no reason to waste resources for nothing. The siege would have merely continued passively until we found him in another town, at which point we would have withdrawn, offering the appropriate apologies for our unwanted intrusion."

  The man's tone was genuinely apologetic—but not remorseful.

  Once again, he waited, observing the expressions of the three—though primarily Lord Garrett, as Noah had shown no interest from the beginning, and the imperial knight’s helmet concealed his reaction.

  "But you…" The old man gestured toward Noah again, as if identifying him had been a strenuous task. "You brought this person to me. I do not know exactly who he is, but since you’ve made him available, I will take him."

  The man turned to Noah, his expression filled with curiosity.

  "You've been eerily silent, boy. Now is the time to speak. Do you have anything to say?"

  Noah's eyes locked onto the man's, as if peering into the depths of his soul… but did he have anything to say?

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Yes.

  Noah wanted to inquire about the divine energy he had sensed from the old man—how he possessed it and why. He also wanted to ask if it had been granted to him by a god, and if so, which one? There were so many questions Noah could ask about what he was witnessing.

  But he simply couldn’t.

  ‘So, did I come here for nothing?’

  What Noah had wanted to see, he had barely confirmed. What he wanted to understand was its mechanism, its usage—anything that could help him with one of the gifts granted to him by ‘Winter,’ the lady in the void.

  Noah also wanted to ask why the old man seemed to want him. Had he done something to catch his interest? What did he see in him? For what reason did he want him?

  All kinds of questions.

  But, for obvious reasons, he couldn’t ask them.

  Noah was tempted by the idea of going with the man, but he quickly dismissed it as unwise. As much as his curiosity was great, his sense of self-preservation was greater.

  So, Noah remained silent. He said nothing. He couldn't say anything. He simply played the role he was supposed to play.

  At this point in time, nothing was set in stone. Anything could happen.

  He might even find a chance to learn what he wanted.

  Thus, Noah maintained his facade, hoping for a better opportunity. And silence itself was wise, in a way.

  The old man smiled, as if he understood Noah’s choice to remain silent. He even nodded in acknowledgment.

  Then, he sighed and waved his hand forward.

  Immediately, the illusion Noah had been straining not to see through dissipated, revealing about twenty figures that seemed to emerge from the surrounding darkness.

  The man looked at them with pride before giving his command.

  "Bring the boy."

  –––

  ‘So it wasn’t just one?! How is this possible?’

  Noah was stunned by the revelation that struck him as the illusion dissipated.

  ‘How did my senses miss this?’

  The moment the illusion and sensory disruption in the area vanished, Noah picked up on several presences similar to the old man’s. There were three among the twenty who surrounded them, standing apart as if isolated.

  ‘Maybe because I was suppressing my senses on purpose to avoid exposing myself?’

  Most likely.

  But after further precise observation, Noah arrived at the only logical conclusion.

  The divine energy surrounding the old man in servant attire was several times stronger than the other three, so much so that it overwhelmed theirs to an almost imperceptible degree in comparison.

  Yet, even that wasn’t the most important thing. There was another question that troubled Noah even more.

  ‘How can there be more than one?’

  Noah didn’t know… he didn’t understand.

  He thought the current development would kill any chances of gaining clarity.

  But an opportunity presented itself.

  Eyolian, dressed in black like the others, stood among them as if she belonged there. She looked at Noah—but only for a brief moment before her gaze fell again on the old man. Noah could feel her shock and confusion, but he couldn't afford to dwell on it now.

  He kept looking at her until she met his gaze.

  And she did—but with difficulty, as if she didn’t want to take her eyes off the old man. Noah gave her a subtle nod and began tapping into her soul, just as he had done before.

  Eyolian's eyes sharpened into a frown, and she started retreating. But Noah stopped himself so she wouldn’t pull away.

  ‘She doesn’t trust me at all!’

  Noah nodded again, and once more, he began tapping into her soul. This time, though she frowned, she didn’t step back. But if looks could kill, he would have died a thousand times over.

  The moment the connection was made, Noah spoke into her mind.

  [“Eyolian, I need you to take the man in black with the cloak covering his features. He’s standing far back, near the tree with multiple branches… Also, you cannot respond to this message, so I’ll explain everything once you take him somewhere far. Keep him alive, and I’ll catch up to you later.”]

  Eyolian’s frown deepened, and she didn’t move.

  Why would she do anything when she was surrounded by dozens of people she couldn't face head-on?

  A miracle would have to happen for her to move…

  Suddenly, the dark sky ignited with red streaks, like shards of fury converging into a single point.

  The roar of thunder rumbled through everyone’s ears.

  And then—

  BOOM!

  A crimson lightning bolt, terrifying in its intensity, streaked through the space like a fiery tear. It struck the transparent barrier surrounding the Adventurers’ Guild. As if it were nothing, the red lightning’s energy tore through the barrier, seeping into it like a spider’s web before shattering it completely into glowing fragments that dissolved into the air before hitting the ground.

  In the spot where the barrier had once stood, a woman hovered in the air. Her fiery red hair whipped through the wind, and her volcanic eyes swept across the clearing, locking onto the old man in servant attire—who, for the first time, frowned.

  Noah ignored all of this and turned to Eyolian, intending to convince her. If this didn’t do it, he would have to look for another opportunity.

  But to his surprise, Eyolian was no longer in her previous position—nor was the target he had assigned her.

  Noah smirked slyly. ‘She certainly moves fast. But now… it’s my turn.’

  He cast one last glance at Lady Elara, who, as it seemed, was the final piece of the plan and the reason behind Garrett’s confidence and indifference. He smiled at her before his body lost consciousness.

  In his invisible soul form, Noah watched his own body for a second as Lord Garrett caught it before it collapsed.

  With an eager sigh, he followed Eyolian’s distinct energy, which he could now sense with his unrestrained soul senses.

  ‘Where will this lead me this time?!’

  With that thought, he focused solely on chasing after the swift Eyolian.