The first step he took upon the colossal stairs of the Ruler's Keep sent an invisible ripple through the chaotic energy of Veythral.

Beneath the shadow of his cloak, Cassian maintained a cold, calculating expression as he advanced with determination toward the building's imposing entrance.

The guards flanking the door, in stark contrast to the shabby state of those at the city gates, were true warriors, clad in higher quality steel armor with emblazoned swords at their sides.

Their eyes, like magnets, locked onto Cassian, weighing his every step, his every movement.

Just as Cassian reached the threshold, the two guards moved in unison, crossing their swords to block his path.

The low scrape of metal on metal was a clear and concise command: "Halt."

The larger of the two spoke, his voice muffled and harsh from beneath his helm.

"Identify yourself, stranger."

This was not a request, but a command.

His tone implied he had seen, many times over, the fate of those who tried to pass through this door without permission.

Cassian paused, tilting his head slightly as he surveyed the obstacle before him.

There was not the slightest trace of concern or fear on his face; rather, he wore the impatience of a nobleman faced with an annoying delay.

"Hmm," he murmured, his voice calm and smooth.

"Introducing myself to you would be... difficult. An unnecessary formality."

"So, how about you simply step aside?"

"I've come to see my dear friend, Fredrinn."

The words hung in the air.

A moment of silence passed between the two guards, which then turned into a grunt, and finally, a derisive laugh they tried to suppress.

The larger guard scanned Cassian from head to toe through the slits of his helmet.

His simple traveler's clothes were caked with the dust of the road. The mana emanating from his body was so faint that even the apprentice of an experienced mage would have seemed more threatening.

"Friend? You and Lord Fredrinn?" The mockery in the guard's voice was as sharp as a blade.

"Have you had too much of the cheap grog from the city gates, boy?"

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Lord Fredrinn has no friends."

This was a known fact in Veythral. After Julian, Fredrinn had never allowed anyone to get that close to him again. He was the Ruler; he had generals, advisors, servants, and sycophants, but never a "friend."

For this weak stranger in rags to arrive and declare himself Fredrinn's closest confidant was the most ridiculous joke they had ever heard.

Cassian's serious demeanor never wavered. His expression was patient, as if he were explaining a simple truth to them.

"Yes, yes. Fredrinn and I, we are close friends."

"And no, I am not drunk. In fact, I have never had wine in my life. I prefer fruit juice."

The other guard, wanting to end this pointless dialogue, stepped forward.

"Look, I don't know where you came from or why you're here, but take your stupid jokes and go back the way you came."

"Otherwise, you're going to find yourself in a world of trouble you don't want."

It was a warning. A final chance.

To emphasize his words, the guard reached out and gripped Cassian's shoulder. His fingers began to squeeze, a demeaning gesture meant to display his strength.

Feeling the pressure on his shoulder, Cassian sighed deeply.

His gaze dropped to the floor for a moment as he muttered, almost inaudibly, "Why must all adults be so dim-witted?"

In the next instant, time seemed to slow.

Cassian's body, like the heart of a storm cloud, suddenly surged with a pure and destructive energy.

An unseen current of electricity shot from his shoulder, through the guard's hand, and coursed through the man's entire body.

The man's eyes widened in shock, his muscles locked tight before he could even utter a cry of pain.

As his body convulsed from the invisible force, tiny sparks erupted from the joints of his armor.

He lost consciousness before he could comprehend what had happened, collapsing to the ground in a heap.

Cassian smirked at the fallen body.

The other guard, shaking off the shock of seeing his partner neutralized in seconds, instinctively roared in fury, "Reinforcements! We are under attack!"

Simultaneously, he drew the sword from his hip and lunged at Cassian.

His movement was fluid and lethal, a horizontal slash aimed at Cassian's neck. His speed and reflexes were honed by years of experience. His style resembled that of a mercenary who had learned every dirty trick to survive, rather than the disciplined training of a duchy knight.

But Cassian was faster.

To counter the attack, he swept his hand through the air, pulling his own unadorned, dark sword from his dimensional pouch.

The high-pitched shriek of steel meeting steel echoed across the fortress courtyard, startling a nearby flock of pigeons into flight. The thudding of approaching boots signaled that reinforcements were near.

The guard, surprised that his attack was so easily parried, took a step back and immediately pressed his assault. This time, he swung his sword with an unusual flexibility, making it bend almost like a whip. Its tip curved around Cassian's guard, aiming for his ribs.

It was an unexpected move, designed to catch an inexperienced warrior off guard.

However, Cassian had different tricks up his sleeve.

He instantly activated his "Stormheart" ability.

The blood in his veins seemed to accelerate, and the world around him slowed to a crawl. His eyes perceived every movement of the sword with crystal clarity.

He shifted his body just enough to evade the fatal blow by mere inches and launched an immediate counterattack.

Before the man could strike again, Cassian's boot slammed into the guard's stomach.

The man hadn't anticipated such a swift counter, but he managed to block it with his elbow at the last second. The force of the kick, while not breaking the bone, stunned him and knocked the wind out of him.

Cassian gave him no time to recover. He raised his sword for a final strike, with just enough force to incapacitate but not kill.

Just as the blade was about to descend on the man's shoulder, something unexpected happened.

Thick vines shot up from the ground, coiling around Cassian's sword arm like snakes and abruptly halting his movement.

At the same moment, a whizzing sound came from two different directions.

A magical intervention!

Cassian instinctively created a wind shield to block the arrow coming from his left, but the arrow from his right found a vulnerable spot in his back.

"ARRGH!"

Pain seared through his nerves like a flame. As the arrowhead buried itself in his muscle, he lost his balance for a split second.

That brief moment was all the guard in front of him needed.

Shaking off his daze, the man lunged with vicious determination, plunging his sword into Cassian's leg.

Cassian groaned from a second wave of agony and crumpled to his knees.

The guard didn't miss the opportunity, swinging his armored gauntlet in a brutal punch across Cassian's face.

Hot blood gushed from his broken nose as Cassian's vision swam, and he fell backward onto the stone.

The men breathed a sigh of relief. The stranger, however dangerous, had finally been subdued.

"Hey, Hebi! Who is this and why was he fighting you?" asked a young female mage, approaching with a staff in her hand, the one who had controlled the vines.

The surviving guard, Hebi, answered breathlessly.

"I don't know, Rose. He proclaimed himself a friend of Lord Fredrinn. He was too suspicious, I tried to send him away but... before I knew it, we were in a fight."

Rose's brow furrowed. She looked down at Cassian, lying in a pool of his own blood.

"What if he was telling the truth? You know we're in deep trouble if he was, right?"

Hebi scratched his head, nursing his aching elbow.

"Come on, Rose. You know as well as I do that Lord Fredrinn doesn't have any friends."

"At least... you'd know more about the man you're in love with than we do, wouldn't you?" he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Rose's cheeks instantly turned crimson.

"Shut your mouth, you idiot!" she whispered furiously. "I told you not to say that in front of people! If Lord Fredrinn hears, he might push me away!"

"Ah, whatever," Hebi said, changing the subject. "Let's deal with this criminal."

They both turned back to where Cassian lay, only to find nothing but a pool of blood on the ground.

A moment of shocking silence fell.

The man who was supposed to be wounded, unconscious, and neutralized had simply vanished from before their very eyes.

Rose spun on the other two archer guards, her voice sharp with panic.

"You imbeciles! Where is the culprit?"

One of them stammered, "We swear, he was right there! We didn't take our eyes off him for a second!"

Rose's gaze fell upon the massive, slightly ajar doors of the keep. Her face went pale as chalk.

"It can't be..."

Without another word, she clutched her staff and sprinted inside.

Taking the stairs two or three at a time, she flew through the corridors.

She had only one destination: Fredrinn's chamber.

When she reached the door, she ignored all protocol, not bothering to ask for permission. She kicked the door open with a resounding crack.

The scene that greeted her as she burst into the room made her freeze.

The room was calm.

A fire crackled in the hearth.

Its master, Fredrinn, the Ruler of Veythral, sat in his imposing throne-like chair, his face an unreadable mask.

And in the chair directly across from him...

...sat the man they had just left for dead outside.

Not a single wound, not a single drop of blood stained him.

His clothes were clean.

His nose, which should have been broken, and his injured leg showed no sign of harm.

A mocking, all-knowing smile played on his lips as he looked directly at Rose.

Cassian leaned back comfortably in his chair and spoke as if he'd been waiting for her. His voice was as smooth as the finest silk, and just as condescending.

"Hmm, you must be the help, I presume. Could you bring a chamomile tea for my friend Fredrinn, and a fruit juice for me?"

His smirk, cutting through Rose's rage and astonishment, declared that the real game had only just begun.

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Author's Note🧣:

So that we don't get to the point where you're commenting "Hey, stupid author, why did you mess up this novel so badly?", don't forget to share your complaints and suggestions with this lazy author in advance.

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