Magnus Draykar II

As the car began to move, I leaned back against the seat, letting myself relax for a moment. But I noticed the mischievous look in my mother's eyes as she glanced back at me.

"So, Arthur," she began with a teasing tone, "you certainly made quite the impression tonight, dancing with all those high-status young ladies. The princess of Slatemark, the princess of the Creighton family, and even Lady Elara... You're quite the popular one, aren't you?"

I felt my cheeks warm, trying to downplay it. "It wasn't anything like that, Mom. They were just polite dances."

My father chuckled from the front seat, shaking his head. "Polite dances, he says. Most young men your age would consider themselves incredibly lucky to be dancing with not one, but two princesses in a single evening. I certainly didn't have that kind of luck when I was your age."

My mother laughed softly. "And let's not forget, Rachel is no ordinary princess either. It looked to me like she was quite happy to be dancing with you."

"Especially Cecilia," my father added with a smirk. "She seemed particularly fond of you, Arthur."

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to hide my awkwardness under their teasing gazes. "Alright, alright. Can we drop it now? It was just a birthday banquet."

My mother exchanged a knowing look with my father before turning back to me, her expression softening. "Alright, we'll stop. But we are proud of you, Arthur. You handled yourself so well tonight—confident and respectful among all those important figures."

My father nodded, his teasing giving way to seriousness. "You did well, son. Just remember, dancing with princesses is one thing, but dealing with the likes of the Emperor... and the Martial King... that's a different matter altogether."

I nodded, understanding his concern. My mother leaned closer, her voice a bit more cautious. "Arthur, Magnus Draykar is not someone you take lightly. Few people would even think of approaching him, and even fewer would survive it."

I sighed, recalling the tension in the air as I approached Magnus, his killing intent weighing down on me like a boulder. "I know, Mom. He is... something else. But I had to take the opportunity. If I want to get stronger, I need someone like him."

My father's eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. "Just be careful, Arthur. Magnus Draykar may be the strongest in the world, but his methods... they're not gentle. He's made enemies of almost every Radiant-rank out there. And there's a reason no one dares approach him."

"I know, Father," I replied, my voice steady. "But I need the strength. I have to take these risks if I want to achieve my goals."

My father sighed, and my mother gave me a supportive smile. "We know you'll do what you think is right," she said. "Just remember that we're always here for you, no matter what."

I smiled back at her, their words comforting me. I had taken a significant step tonight, and I knew the path ahead would be difficult, but I also knew I had my family behind me.

"Thank you, both of you," I said sincerely.

As the car continued on, the hum of the road filled the air, and I let myself relax. My thoughts wandered back to the figures I had encountered tonight—the Martial King, Cecilia, Rachel, and Elara. Each one represented a different challenge, a different piece of the puzzle I needed to solve.

'I need power,' I thought.

Influence.

I needed as much influence as possible.

In this world, influence was heavily tied to magic, but I needed something beyond that as well—something that would elevate my standing to a level where I could challenge even the most powerful figures in the Slatemark Empire.

'To reach the level of a Duke within the Empire is almost ridiculous,' I thought.

Only four individuals held that kind of influence: Emperor Quinn Slatemark, Archduke Leopold Astoria, Duke Garrick Blazespout, and Archmage Charlotte. All but Duke Blazespout were Radiant-rankers, and even he commanded immense power through his connections.

Borrowing influence from the Archduke was impossible given his role in Elara's future. What I needed was foreign influence, but it had to be comparable to that of a Duke within the Empire itself.

So I came up with an idea.

A guild.

There were twelve guilds that stood at the peak of the Slatemark Empire, each led by a powerful Immortal-ranker. Collectively, these guilds held influence equivalent to that of a Duke. My aim was to surpass even them.

To do that, I needed more pieces. Kali Luna and Jin Ashbluff were a start, but they weren't enough on their own. Ideally, I would have an Immortal-ranker on my side, but several powerful Ascendant-rankers could work just as well.

Money wasn't a problem. With my knowledge of future events from the novel, I could make a fortune by investing in the right opportunities and taking advantage of shifts in the market. Still, that wasn't enough. I needed something with a longer reach, something that could make a real difference.

'In the end, it seems I have to turn to Mana-Tech,' I thought.

Aetherite was only available on the moon and in areas controlled by black mana species, so direct access was impossible for now. Instead, my focus would be on establishing factories to produce the first mana weapons and to mass-produce historic-grade artifacts. Taking that step would set me apart and position me as a true force.

For that, I needed knowledge—knowledge that could only be found in the Tower of Magic, overseen by Archmage Charlotte. But that opportunity was still three years away. Until then, I had to grow stronger and gather the right people.

'If I want to expose the Tower of Alchemy's crimes, I'll need to reach at least Ascendant-rank,' I thought grimly. 'Otherwise, I would be crushed like an insect.'

And my last piece?

It had to be the Martial King, Magnus Draykar.

If he was by my side, it was possible to prevent the tragedy.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Magnus lounged lazily on the couch, bringing a cigar—one that cost more than an average house—to his lips as he took a slow puff.

He let his mana relax, allowing the effects of the cigar to seep in as he closed his eyes. A small smile tugged at his lips, almost turning into a chuckle.

'Arthur Nightingale... how interesting,' Magnus mused.

Those eyes of his... they reminded Magnus of his own past. The hunger for power was evident. Arthur was like a starving beast, willing to devour anything in his path to move forward.

Even if that meant challenging the most powerful being in the world.

The azure eyes that had looked at Magnus were not those of a boy seeking approval; they were assessing him, weighing him as a potential tool to be used. And Magnus respected that.

After hearing how Arthur had trained in the Amarion Rainforest, risking his life to become stronger, Magnus had already made up his mind. He would let himself be used, if only to see how far that boy could climb.

"The Nightingales, huh," Magnus muttered under his breath, a touch of nostalgia in his voice. "Never thought I'd be hearing that name again."