After the game ended, Jester opened his eyes in confusion.

For some reason, he felt the session hadn't truly ended. It didn't feel like the task had been completed, yet he had no proof. Since there was nothing concrete to go on, he decided to stop thinking about it and stepped out of the game pod.

A smile formed on his face as he stretched his limbs. Even though everything inside the game was fake, the sensations had felt so real that he couldn't help but enjoy it. For a moment, he felt proud of himself for convincing his master to get the game pods.

Even if they weren't meant for games, the pods could serve as the perfect training tool. With them, he could create a personal simulation room to test his skills safely, without the need for caution that reality demanded.

As Jester thought about this, he noticed Lily emerging from her pod. She stepped out slowly, an odd expression on her face as her eyes darted toward him.

It was her first experience with something like this, and the strange, vivid events she had witnessed inside the simulation still lingered in her mind. She couldn't shake the unease.

It was said that the actions taken in the game, especially those involving supernatural abilities, could sometimes translate into real life.

If that were true, then what Jester had done—draining the life from another character until it became an empty husk—might not have been just a game mechanic.

A chill ran through her. She looked at Jester again. His calm smile only made her heart beat faster.

But then she exhaled softly. After all, he was her brother's undead. Someone connected to a necromancer couldn't exactly be called normal, could they?

Then again, seeing how innocent Jester looked and how he always acted, not even willing to see a struggling elder walk with difficulty, he couldn't be evil right?

Jester noticed the strange look on Lily's face almost immediately.

"What's wrong?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

Lily blinked, startled, and quickly shook her head. "Nothing. I'm fine."

Jester studied her for a moment, his eyes calm but observant. He didn't believe her, not entirely. Still, he didn't press further. From his perspective, he had done nothing wrong. Everything that happened inside the simulation was just part of the game, wasn't it?

In the end, no matter how intelligent or composed he appeared, Jester was still a monster at his core.

At a deeper level, his thought would never be the same as others.

Even so, a small doubt lingered in his mind.

What had unsettled Lily?

Jester thoughts drifted briefly before landing on the most likely cause—the game itself.

It was said that the first time using a game pod could cause mild side effects: disorientation, sensory echoes, or confusion that faded with time. The symptoms grew weaker the more a person played, only reappearing when someone pushed the limits by playing far too long.

That had to be it, Jester decided. He gave a small, reassuring smile. "You should rest for a bit. The first session can be strange."

Lily hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Right. Maybe that's it."

As she turned away, Jester watched her for a moment longer, then his smile faded.

It wasn't that the body he occupied was weak. It wasn't. But because it had been in a blank state when he took it over, even though he had strengthened it over time, it was still far weaker compared to his true body hidden inside.

However, that didn't mean his strength was affected. His abilities were never dependent on physical power. His true strength came from his mind and mana.

With his real body's power still connected to him, Jester was as dangerous as ever. If that weren't the case, his master would never have entrusted him with protecting the family.

Still, something was off.

When Michael had first assigned him this task, Jester assumed there would be danger lurking nearby—perhaps assassins or spies watching from the shadows. But for weeks, nothing had happened. It made him think his master had only placed him here as a precaution, not because of any immediate threat.

And looking at Aunt Mia and Lily's calm nature, Jester couldn't imagine them causing any trouble either. He had thought his work here would be uneventful for a long time.

Until now.

He was confused because, for some reason, five distinct energy signatures had appeared within his sensing range—and none of them were weak.

Their mental defenses were average, which wasn't surprising. Even mages didn't always possess strong mental walls. But their vitality and aura told a different story.

Based on what he could sense, the five figures surrounding the house were knights. And not ordinary ones either.

Late morning traffic drifted through the open estate. Dog walkers, a courier on a scooter, a pair of joggers cutting across the cul-de-sac. The five operatives blended in with the flow, street clothes and sunglasses, each with a small in-ear comm that looked like a music bud.

"Check," murmured One, pausing at a planter across from the target house. "Are we sure this is where the signal came from?"

"Confirmed," Two replied.

"Owner?"

"Female," Three said. "Mia *****. Runs that new restaurant uptown. Reviews say it is popular."

Four crossed at the corner, pretending to text. "Anything noteworthy about the residents?"

"Yes," Five said. "The woman is the aunt of Michael Norman. The awakener from the public college exams."

One watched a delivery van roll past the driveway. "And our target?"

"The description says he looks like Michael Norman," Two answered. "But records show Michael is logged in at college right now. Attendance and campus gate entries match."

"So a lookalike," Three said.

"Or a faker," Four added. "Could be using dark arts to mimic the real one to avoid suspicion from the original close aides."

One adjusted his cap and leaned on the planter. "Rules of engagement. We confirm identity first. If it is the real Michael, we stand down and pass it up. If it is an imposter, we contain and hold."

"Understood," Four said. "I can take the doorbell and talk our way in."

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