Several minutes earlier, back when Michael was still with Arianne, a realization had struck him while he was thinking about what to do regarding the current situation.
The situation was that the realm wanted to expel them, but
sothing was preventing it. It was obviously an issue with its spatial laws.
By chance, it made him recall the situation in the ruins he had been in with Rynne days ago. Thanks to being in his Wisdom State, which enhanced his perception to a terrifying degree, he had been able to find a hidden spatial door.
Perhaps using the sa thod he could do the sa here.
Since there was nothing to lose, Michael acted on his plan
imdiately, and as he suspected, he actually sensed sothing.
It was like a knot.
The entire realm was coated in chaotic energy, but it was strongest at one particular location.
Michael did not hesitate to head there after summoning Spartan to protect Arianne again.
It was there that he saw the fight between Uga and the attendant.
Although Michael had not paid much attention to the attendant when they were outside the ruins earlier, he still had an impression of the empire prince's group as one filled with strong individuals.
However, he had not expected one of them to be so strong that he found himself less surprised by Uga's growth and more surprised by the other party's strength.
To prevent them from noticing him, Michael had switched to Fade State and hid within the shadows.
Fortunately, he was not noticed. He also did not need to step out to help Uga, or so he thought, until he saw the prince's attendant preparing to move again and was forced to co out.
In any case, since he had already revealed himself, he might as well take the opportunity to ask this person what the empire was planning, lest he unknowingly walk into a trap.
What he had not expected, however, was for the attendant to know him.
Was he really that famous already that even the empire knew about him?
Michael did not consider that good news, which made him particularly sensitive.
The attendant's expression quickly recovered.
The mont of shock from seeing Michael had already faded from his face, replaced by sothing calr. His breathing steadied despite the hand gripping his throat, and the mana that had briefly surged through his body settled again like still water.
"I don't know what you an," the attendant said hoarsely.
His tone sounded sincere. Almost confused.
If soone had arrived at this mont without context, they might have believed him imdiately.
Michael stared at him for a few seconds.
The young necromancer's expression remained calm, but his eyes grew colder.
The attendant continued speaking, forcing a strained smile as the pressure on his neck made it difficult to breathe.
"You must be mistaken," he said. "I only reacted because you suddenly appeared. Anyone would be shocked."
He paused before adding carefully,
"And what ritual are you talking about? We are just trying to stabilize
the realm's energy."
The lie ca smoothly.
Too smoothly.
Michael sighed.
"I see," Michael said quietly.
His grip loosened slightly, though the attendant imdiately realized he was still completely restrained. The difference in strength between them was far too obvious.
Michael tilted his head slightly.
"You forced to do this."
The attendant frowned.
"What?"
Michael did not answer.
Instead, sothing strange happened.
For a brief mont the air around him shifted.
The feeling was subtle, almost like a shadow sliding across the ground under moving clouds. But the attendant felt it clearly. The presence standing behind him changed.
Not stronger.
Not weaker.
Just different.
Michael's eyes slowly lifted again.
They were no longer the sa.
A faint amusent lingered in them now, sothing sharp and
unsettling.
It was not the calm indifference he had shown earlier.
Inside Michael's mind, the connection shifted.
The familiar presence of one of his undead rose forward.
Jester.
The mont the state switched, Michael's aura changed completely.
His posture relaxed slightly, but the pressure around him beca
strangely oppressive.
The attendant felt his scalp prickle.
Sothing was wrong.
Very wrong.
Michael leaned closer, his voice softer now.
"Let's try again."
His fingers tightened around the attendant's throat just enough to
hold him still.
Then Michael's other hand rose slowly.
He did not attack.
Instead, his fingertips gently touched the attendant's temple.
The mont contact was made, the attendant's entire body froze.
A cold sensation slid into his mind like a needle piercing water.
Michael's eyes glimred faintly.
Then he spoke again.
"Now..."
"Tell . Do you know ?"
The attendant's body stiffened the mont Michael's fingers touched
his temple.
For a brief second, nothing happened.
Then the man's pupils trembled.
His breathing grew uneven sothing unseen slid into the edges of
his mind. The sensation was strange. It did not feel like brute force
breaking down his thoughts, nor did it feel like a spell directly seizing control.
It felt more like sothing quietly rearranging things inside his head. Michael watched carefully.
This was the first ti he had used Jester's state in such a direct
manner. During his seclusion he had gained several new understandings of his law, and this was one of the applications he had only tested briefly in theory.
He did not want to damage the man's mind.
The goal was information.
Inside his mind he hoped he had not gone too far and made the
prince's attendant stupid.
The attendant swallowed.
His throat moved under Michael's grip.
Then he answered.
"Yes. Of course I know you." Michael's expression did not change.
"Why?" Michael asked quietly.
"Because... who wouldn't?"
Michael remained silent.
The attendant continued speaking.
"Who wouldn't know the current brightest awakener in Aurora?"
The words left his mouth casually, but the mont they reached
Michael's ears, sothing cold slid down his spine.
Brightest awakener in Aurora.
Michael's mind froze for half a second.
Awakener.
He had heard the word clearly.
Michael's eyes sharpened instantly.
His grip on the man's throat tightened slightly without him realizing
it.
"You just said awakener," Michael said quickly.
The attendant nodded faintly.
"Yes."
Michael's voice turned colder.
"Are you an awakener?"
Another nod. "Yes."
Michael's pupils contracted.
For a brief mont he forgot even to continue questioning.
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