Mage Lian's voice broke through the silence. "The second gift is not just a reward. It's also a gesture of appreciation from the Kingdom."
Michael's brow twitched faintly. He remained silent, waiting for the rest.
Lian leaned back in his chair. "Your efforts did not go unnoticed. Few outsiders would have reacted as quickly or decisively as you did, especially not when faced with something they couldn't even see."
Michael gave a small nod. "I was just doing what I could."
"And sometimes," Lian said, "what you can do is more than most." He paused, then tapped a finger on the desk. "Which brings us to the third issue."
Michael's gaze sharpened.
"The third… is connected to the second."
That made Michael narrow his eyes. A flicker of suspicion rose in his chest. Something about the way
He didn't interrupt, but his expression grew serious.
Mage Lian continued, his tone grave. "We've received word from the outpost town closest to Everlong Forest."
Michael blinked. Everlong...
