Dominic barely finished skimming across her text—under a second, really—before a man appeared in the center of the room. The large window on the wall behind the Pope and the Cardinals shattered a moment later. Interesting implications there—was the King faster than sound?

  The king looked grand, his aura exuding regality. His large, well-kept white beard and hair, the wrinkles etched around his eyes and lips, and the fierce, lion-like glint in his eyes told of a man used to command. His irises were a deep, electrifying blue—like the calm of the sea before a storm.

  He didn’t look at the Pope or the Cardinals, nor did he acknowledge the saintess. Instead, his focus was entirely on Dominic.

  A few seconds passed as they simply stared at each other.

  Then, the king bowed deeply, his voice respectful but commanding. "You are clearly in the SSS Rank. Tell me, what has brought you to my kingdom to sway the minds of my subjects?"

  Dominic raised an eyebrow. That made sense. This man was the king of a nation—the strongest king in history, at least according to the image he projected. The Conqueror King. It made sense that someone of his strength, an SS rank, would recognize that Dominic was no ordinary individual.

  Dominic tilted his head. "Take a guess, King Nohl. Why do you think I’m swaying the minds of your subjects?"

  The king regarded him in silence before asking, "Are you perhaps unhappy with the state of this kingdom?"

  Dominic’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Yes, King Nohl, I am indeed unhappy with the state of your kingdom.” He hadn’t expected the king to come to that conclusion. Mortals normally jumped to every conclusion except the obvious one. But rather than growing confused or trying to deflect the subject, this man had cut straight to the heart of the matter.

  Gabrielle interjected, explaining the king's likely reasoning, though Dominic didn’t particularly need the clarification,

  I suspect the king thinks you are a hidden, secluded rift sealer, someone who has been protecting the world and has appeared because you’re unhappy with the state of the normal citizens, Mister Dominic!

  That’s a more plausible theory than the idea that you might be a demigod after all.

  (?? ? ??)

  Dominic nodded. That was close enough to the truth. He couldn’t help but be impressed by the king's insight. “Tell me, you seem to be a wise person. Why are you allowing this to continue? You have the strength, ability, everything you need to correct this kingdom and guide it to a golden age. But instead, you’re letting it decay more and more, while the gap between sectors of individuals widens.”

  King Nohl had been having a pretty typical day. He had woken up and begun planning how to strengthen his artifacts and rift sealers further, as he always did in the mornings. But then, unexpectedly, an ability he hadn’t relied on in ages activated—his allegiance to his subjects, which had been crucial when he first began his kingdom conquering. But now, with the amount of power he had and the image he’d built, it seemed almost unnecessary.

  No one would dare to betray him now, surely. But to his surprise, that ability triggered as if someone had actually attempted to change the allegiance of his subjects. King Nohl focused on who he’d lost.

  The Pope, the Cardinals, and the Saintess herself—though her allegiance had never been truly his—had switched loyalty to a man named Dominic.

  He was surprised to see that, too. Her allegiance had always been neutral, so he never trusted her fully. But now…

  Who was this person? King Nohl’s mind raced.

  He needed to meet this Dominic immediately. He opened his Allegiance Domain Map, showing the precise location of everyone he had marked. All of those former subjects of his were gathered in the cathedral in the capital.

  Without a moment’s hesitation, King Nohl used his agility to rush from the room, ignoring the surprised yelps of the guards and anyone who caught sight of his movement. Within a second, he was in front of the cathedral, diving through a window into the room where they were gathered.

  And the man he met was a calm-looking middle-aged individual with black hair, golden eyes, and a languid smile on his face.

  King Nohl studied him.

  He sensed no particular strength from him, but someone capable of changing the allegiance of his subjects must possess great power. King Nohl could sense the strength of everyone—everyone except for newly born children, who had no attachments to the world. But this man? No power could be sensed, which meant he was beyond King Nohl’s reach.

  This person could likely fight on equal terms with King Nohl—or perhaps even defeat him. For the first time in a long while, King Nohl was caught off guard. After all his achievements, after all his goals had been realized, he finally faced a roadblock. He wasn’t sure if he should feel excited, tense, or even sad.

  Perhaps this was a hidden sage, dissatisfied with how he treated his citizens. His responses supported this supposition.

  “Why are you allowing this to continue?” he had asked—no, demanded.

  But King Nohl had his reasons.

  “Do you not know about the world break?” King Nohl asked.

  His goal had always been to defeat the dungeons and prevent a world break. Surely, this sage should understand that—unless he didn’t. Maybe he hadn’t explored the outer world and hadn’t received the news. King Nohl despised being seen as a lunatic or a conspiracy theorist. He’d much rather be dismissed as an evil ruler.

  The stranger froze. “The what now?”

  World break? Here? What is the king talking about?

  (? _ ?)

  Yeah, that’s not a concept any mortal should be aware of.

  “The what now?” Dominic asked aloud.

  King Nohl stared at him, a mixture of confusion and disbelief in his eyes. “So, you really don’t know? I received a message saying that in ten years, an EX-rank rift will open, linking this world to others.”

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  “When did you get this message?” Dominic asked, noticing the odd edge in the king’s tone.

  “Nine years ago.”

  “So an EX-rank rift will open next year.”

  “Exactly.”

  “And that’s why you’ve been draining your kingdom dry, maintaining absolute power, and trying to strengthen yourself further—to prevent the end of the world.” Dominic paused, taking a moment to process the information.

  It was such a clichéd trope that he couldn’t help but ask Gabrielle in his mind, Is this king lying to me?

  A few seconds passed before a series of confused emojis popped up in front of him.

  (?_?)

  (；一_一)

  ?~?

  Mister Dominic, please pause the time.

  Dominic slowed down time for the entire world. This was the first real request Gabrielle had made, after all. Doing it over such a large area drained his mana, but he could sustain it for a while without over-exerting himself. It only took about 0.1% of his mana per minute, per hour.

  I’ve got to check the internal records. I think a virus has infected the system, or maybe it was injected by some other administrator.

  They probably want to expand their territory. That would explain the world break—these worlds will be forcibly connected, and I’ll be removed as the administrator of this world once that other administrator gains access.

  (?_?)

  Dominic raised an eyebrow. So, dirty politics weren’t just a human thing—they extended to administrators, too. “Alright, Gabrielle,” he said soothingly. “I’ll keep time paused as long as you need. Please examine your records.”

  Gabrielle sent a thankful emoji before disappearing, and no further messages came through.

  Nothing to do but wait. But an endless amount of time and nothing to do grew boring quite quickly.

  Dominic sighed. What am I supposed to do now?

  He found himself aimlessly drifting. He turned his gaze toward his disciple. Right, he still needed to find out what ideas Calvin had for his SS unlock quest. Now would be a fine time for a good long heart to heart while they waited.

  "So, Calvin. Let's talk."

  "Of course, Master. Any time you want. Anything you want, really."

  "You've been thinking about your past, things that you'd like to accomplish in your life? That you've been longing for?"

  "I have. I don't really know what would be important enough to qualify for unlocking SS rank though."

  "No need to worry about that so soon. First, just talk me through what you already know and remember about your desires."

  Calvin hesitated to gather his thoughts, and Dominic waited patiently. He could be patient when he wanted to, as long as it was for a good reason, it was only aimless waiting that got to him.

  "There have always been more things that I wanted than I could name," Calvin said at last. "Food is one that came up a lot. A lot lot. The way it eats at you from inside, just... unbearable. Warm shelter, someplace safe to spend the night. Those were always lingering, even when things were going well, the fear of not having another meal or having to sleep in the cold rain again would always linger over it all."

  "Assurance of basic safety and survival." Dominic nodded. "And how do you feel about them now?"

  Calvin frowned. "I think I've overtaken them with my abilities. I'm not afraid of deprivation any more, not nearly as much as..." his eyes flicked over to his master with deep warmth. He cleared his throat and licked his lips before continuing. "There are other things that I've wanted, too. Finding my family, wherever they are, whatever relatives may be out there. Someone to help and support me, guide me into a better future."

  Dominic nodded along. "Family is always a powerful motivator when one is young and alone. But the same can be said for any neglected child, so let's set that aside for now. Aside from the basics, what is it that's distinctly your desire, Calvin? That you would be willing to pursue apart from the core necessities of life? Aside from power and importance. What lifestyle do you envy?"

  "There are some," Calvin admitted. "Most people, I would envy in a sort of bitter jealous way. I'd take any of their lives in a heartbeat and they're so ungrateful and flippant about it. But that's not what you mean."

  Dominic smiled for him to continue.

  "There are two people that come to mind as those I'd like to be like, not just because their life would be better than nothing, but something about it calls to me, I suppose. People who stick even after the rest are forgotten."

  "Perfect. That's exactly what we're looking for. Who are they?"

  "Starlight Academy sends people out on projects, sometimes, among the commoners. One of those projects was to distribute food to orphans as a way to train holy energy and piety. I..." Calvin looked away uncomfortably. "I know now how twisted it is, how shallow her motivations for kindness must have been. To her, it was just a means to an end, but at the time I was just a hungry kid and she was a beautiful noblewoman. She wasn't making a spectacle of herself, no fanfare or escort, passing out food quietly to the youngest and most vulnerable children. She was rich and capable and doing good for others, so I fixated on that."

  "You want to become a member of the nobility?"

  Calvin shook his head. "The nobility as a whole are worse than useless. She was the exception, and she came from Starlight Academy. So that's where I imagined people went who wanted to help others. If its assignments foster betterment of others and yourself, then it's where the kind of people I want to be like would be gathered."

  "If you're looking for a group to better the world, adolescents are unlikely to be what you're after."

  Calvin blushed faintly. "Well, that was my motive at first. I was young and naive. But the more I learned about the academy, the more my vision of it shifted. I still wanted to attend, more than ever, but my initial interest was less important. Rather I saw just how much attendance to Starlight Academy--even as a commoner--could set your fate in diamond."

  "The academy is that big of a deal around here? Huh."

  "The Starlight Academy was always a prestigious institute, but during King Nohl's years as the Conqueror-King it only grew more and more powerful. One commoner aced the yearly exams and became one of King Nohl's top ministers within a few years. That example, more than any other previous desires, is what cemented my desire. Starlight Academy is more than just a school. It's representative of your power and value as a graduate. Having come through it successfully would be more than just an accolade, it would change my whole life."

  "So your fixation transformed, but didn't change. Sounds like a solid lead, then. I take it you want to attend this Starlight Academy and probably graduate with top marks?"

  Calvin nodded. "Or, at least, I used to, for many years. There was another dream, less grandiose, that I would fantasize about once I convinced myself that the Starlight Academy was truly out of my reach. I would never be able to pursue a literary education or ministerial career, not unlock the powers of the Rift Sealers, never earn a divine miracle however much I prayed to the Goddess. For an orphan beggar like me, it would be beyond impossible."

  "Does it still hold power over you, this desire you've suppressed?"

  Calvin considered this, then shrugged. "It was powerful and present for many of my younger years. I don't think any amount of suppressing will make it truly disappear. But I did replace it with a more grounded, reasonable-seeming goal." He fiddled with his sleeve, not continuing.

  Dominic waited, but Calvin didn't continue. Well, if his disciple would rather keep something to himself for now, that was fine. They'd be working together for centuries after all. No need to drag out all his secrets right away. "Do you want to attend Starlight Academy?"

  Calvin swallowed, then nodded. "I've learned a lot, listening and watching, you pick up on things. But after training with you, I know that having a good teacher is worth a thousand times more than what I could learn on my own. I've never been able to really learn the things I was curious about. Yes. My reasons may have changed many times over the years, but I still want to study at Starlight Academy."

  "Learning for its own sake is just as important as pursuing a career. I like it. Good choice. I'll get you into the academy and you can see how you measure up to your peers. Should be good for your self-esteem, having someone to compare against who isn't the most powerful being in the universe."

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