The towering gates of Sanctuary greeted us after the battle. As we passed under the curve of the stone arch, I sent my consciousness and mentally connected to the fleet of advanced vehicles that aided in our defense.

These weapons with their artificial intelligence embedded in sleek aerodynamic frames that were summoned to defend the city from the monster siege, now that their mission is complete they can go back to rest. "I would like to express my gratitude for your service during the siege of Sanctuary," I telepathed. "Now return to the Mandala Dimension to deal with the damage you took, regain energy and review the mission data you completed."

One by one, the deadly instruments confirmed the command and maneuvered their armored bodies towards the mandala symbol on my hand, disappearing from sight as they crossed the dimensional threshold. Their disappearance resembled meteors flashing their existence in a final flicker into the darkness of the void.

Young Jenny watched the play with curiosity. "Where did the flying machines go?"

I smiled at her curiosity. "The mandala is a doorway to a vast dimension where they reside when they are not needed, similar to your mothers ring."

Her eyes widened. "A secret world inside your hand?"

"In a way, yes," I chuckled. Her understanding is so advanced for her age.

As the last vehicle disappeared into the tattoo, I sent a final thank you to the artificial intelligences for their contribution before I severed the telepathic connection with them.

Captain Rorik was waiting by the gates. Lady Aya touched my shoulder in approval. "These machines have definitely earned our thanks, I'm glad to see your attitude towards them."

I agreed when we went out into the busy streets.

As we walked through the cheering crowds, I pondered the phenomenon of the excessive praise of the people that can sometimes exaggerate our actions in practice. In truth, the advanced artificial intelligence in the vehicles I summoned performed most of the tactical calculations and combat maneuvers. My involvement this time was mostly indirect.

The ornate buildings towered around us as we moved through the winding streets. Lady Talia, the governor's daughter whose raven hair adorned her head, greeted us at the entrance to the palace in a purple and airy dress. Although she presented a peaceful appearance, her eyes showed a spark of curiosity as she examined me. A slight blush spread over her pale cheeks.

She stole glances at me as she led us into the palace, and her gaze was quickly drawn to the side the times I noticed it, I didn't know how to react. Such distractions can wait - I had a more pressing task.

After washing off the dirt from the road, we were escorted to meet the governor. He welcomed us happily. "Come friends, eat and share your story!" Despite his impressive presence, his eyes hinted that he was a good person.

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Lady Aya spoke of the shortage in her village, and the governor pledged supplies but noted that due to the world situation and the absence of the Lord of the Universe, the disasters and dangers of the past few years had greatly affected global production and the situation had recently worsened. The governor turned to the Minister of Supply so that he would take care of Aya's needs as much as possible. Then, trying to change the subject, he turned to me. "And what journey brings you to Sanctuary, Mr...?"

"My name is Ronin," I answered, "and I must apologize, but unfortunately I suffered an injury to my head a few days ago and my memory is hazy, all I can tell is my name and that I am not a native of this universe." I rubbed my head sadly.

The governor stroked his gray beard. "It is indeed a strange situation! Yet luck has turned to you in meeting these ladies."

Shy Jenny peeked over her mother's shoulder until Aya gently silenced her. The governor who noticed this only chuckled indulgently at the girl's behavior.

"Is there anything you wish to say?" he asked Jenny. "It was our luck that Ronin found us. If he hadn't found us in time then the wolves would have caught us," she answered. "Oh?" He said, "That sounds like a most interesting story. Please, could you tell it to me?" He asked, and Jenny and Aya began to tell the story of our meeting. Then while eating and talking around the dinner table I brought up the subject of my need to find Jerar, the governor became serious. "You raise a weighty subject, Ronin. Dark times have befallen us since Jerar disappeared."

Leaning closer, he continued, "But the whispers speak of a great prophetess in the northern region. They say she is a seer with milky eyes and knows hidden truths. If any soul here might know of Jerar's fate, it would be her…"

As he elaborated on finding this seer, I felt how the story got complicated, now a future seer is also involved...

The governor's advice fired my mind to the limit. The logical next step was clearly to seek out the mysterious seer and gather information about Jerar's disappearance. Even myths carry seeds of truth, cloaked in symbolism. By connecting clues from different sources in the end we will arrive at the truth.

The Northern Reaches will be a complex landscape to navigate, requiring all my abilities. But the prospect of making progress toward finding Jerar makes the risks worthwhile. Uncovering the causal chain of events surrounding Jerar's fate may be crucial in assessing the essence and nature of the threat now facing this universe. Facing the unknown head on with a curious mind is the only way forward.

After thanking the governor for his wise guidance, our discussion turned to more mundane matters of preparation for the festive feast in our honor tomorrow. Although the celebration is an unnecessary topic, the political necessity of my participation was clear. Social rituals serve as lubricants in the machinery of governance and must be tolerated when required.

When the meal was over, the governor embraced my shoulders warmly, a symbolic gesture of brotherhood. "Rest now brave souls. Adventure awaits your way ahead. We will celebrate the story of your heroism tomorrow!"

I promised him that we would be present at the appointed time, and then I turned to return to the luxuriously furnished guest rooms to make up in my mind what was required for our impending journey. First, I carefully reviewed the inventory in my extradimensional storage area, ensuring it had all the equipment needed to face the dangers of the Northern Reaches…

With my head resting on the pillow and my body trying to relax on the amazing mattress in my room, the problem of locating the seer and deciphering Jerar's fate occupied my thoughts. But I believed that in the end I was capable of dealing with any problem that might come my way, and this belief eventually allowed me to close my eyes and fall asleep.