The crowd grew restless, and murmurs spread throughout the room. Emma, stepping forward, raised her voice, amplified by magic. "Silence!" Her voice sent ripples through the room, and the effect was immediate. All conversations ceased, and an authoritative presence filled the space, her command impossible to ignore.

"We face a serious situation," Emma began, her tone resolute. "I ask you all to listen carefully. Some of you may have heard rumors about the destruction of villages 100 kilometers to the south. Let me confirm that these rumors are true. The cause of this destruction is still not fully understood."

The crowd shifted uneasily, fear evident on many faces. Some employees began to tremble, sensing the weight of Emma's words and what they implied for the city.

Emma continued, her voice carrying over the tension. "These villages were razed by wild beasts, and we suspect that among them is at least a rank 7, possibly even a rank 8 beast." Gasps filled the room. Rank 7 beasts were the stuff of nightmares, capable of leveling entire cities. The implications were clear, and those who understood the gravity of the situation started to break down, some visibly shaking.

"The state of emergency has been declared, and we expect a full-scale beast attack by tomorrow. Scouts estimate that there are roughly 10,000 beasts approaching, led by a creature resembling a stallion of flames." Emma's words hit like a hammer. The room erupted into quiet panic as the realization sank in. The employees were stunned, many already imagining the worst. Some had survived previous beast attacks, but never of this scale.

"How many rank 7 magicians does this city even have?" whispered one of the employees. The city lord was known to be the only rank 7 magician here, but could another rank 7 arrive in time to help? Doubt began to creep into the minds of everyone present.

Emma, sensing the mounting fear, raised her voice again, this time using a spell to suppress the noise. "Quiet!" she commanded. "I understand that many of you are scared, but have faith in our family! My grandfather, the patriarch of our family, is a rank 7 magician and is already on his way here, accompanied by his griffon, a rank 6 beast."

The announcement offered some hope, but the room remained tense. Emma continued, "In addition, this city houses several influential figures, and their families and allies will also be arriving to lend their support. A distress signal has been sent to neighboring cities, and mercenary contracts have been issued. Reinforcements will be arriving soon, so do not lose hope! Stand firm!"

Though Emma's words had a calming effect on the crowd, Mr. F wasn't convinced. He knew too well how the world worked. "Reinforcements from outside, coming to save the people?" he thought with a bitter smile. "That's a fairy tale. People only fight for their own interests." In reality, those mercenaries and reinforcements would come, put on a show of bravery, but as soon as things looked dire, they'd whisk their families away and leave the rest of the city to perish. Mr. F had seen it too many times before—the script never changed.

Emma pressed on. "I will now call a few names to step forward. These individuals will receive special assignments."

Mr. F had a good idea of what "special assignments" meant. Likely, these were the wealthy and the children of influential families, given the privilege to escape while others remained to fight. As Emma read the names, it wasn't long before Betty's name was called. Albert, standing nearby, became visibly nervous, hoping against hope that his name would be next. But it wasn't. To Mr. F's surprise, his own name was called.

As the rest of the alchemists and employees received their orders and began preparing for the upcoming battle, Mr. F, Betty, and Albert stayed behind. Albert was too frightened to return to the lab alone, his body trembling with fear.

One by one, people were called into a side room adjacent to the main hall and returned shortly after. Betty was called in at one point and reappeared mere moments later. Mr. F, sensing what had happened, asked, "I assume you've been given permission to leave the city?"

Betty, startled that Mr. F had already guessed, nodded. "Yes, I've received word that I'll be leaving the city with my uncle."

Tears welled up in Albert's eyes. His voice shook as he asked, "Does that mean… you're leaving us… here?"

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Betty's face softened with sympathy, and tears filled her own eyes. Shaking her head, she replied, "No. I've decided to stay and fight for our city. I can't leave my friends behind, and I won't leave you or anyone else to face this alone."

Albert could hardly believe what he was hearing. His gaze shifted to Mr. F, his last hope. "But master... you were called too... Master, you'll stay and protect us, won't you?" Albert's tears flowed freely now, his fear palpable. He clung to the hope that Mr. F wouldn't leave them, having heard his name called earlier.

Mr. F remained silent, the heavy tension between them growing unbearable. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Mr. F spoke as his name was called again. "That depends on how generous Emma's family is willing to be," he said cryptically. "But let me make one thing clear—if I leave this city, I won't be going alone."

With those parting words, Mr. F turned and walked into the side room, disappearing from their view.

The silence he left behind was deafening.

Mr. F entered the room and immediately sensed that Emma wasn't alone. He had expected this, but instead of the usual guards, an older man stood beside her, appearing to be in his sixties. Despite his age, Mr. F could feel the immense magical power emanating from him. He had a good idea of who the man might be but chose to remain polite and let the man introduce himself.

Before the older man could speak, Emma broke the silence. "Good day, Mr. F. It's a pleasure to see you again," she said, a smile playing on her lips. "I've heard from Matilda that there's been quite a bit of commotion since you joined the lab." Despite her words, she didn't sound angry; her tone was light, almost amused. Clearly, she didn't mind the chaos he had caused.

She then gestured toward the man next to her. "This is Lord Faust," she said, emphasizing the name. "The 'current' strongest man in the city and its lord." The way she said "current" was peculiar, as if she was hinting at something more. Mr. F couldn't quite place it, but he sensed there was more to her words.

Emma continued, "I owe you an apology. When I first saw you at the city gates, I sensed something about you, something not of this world. There was a power within you that I'd never encountered before. Naturally, I informed my brother, the current head of the family, and my grandfather, the patriarch. They concluded that you must have once been a very powerful magician but have since lost much of your strength due to dwindling life force."

Mr. F listened carefully, remaining calm. He wasn't offended by her confession. As long as his true secret—that he was a soul mage—remained hidden, it didn't matter how many people knew he was once a powerful magician. After all, even a tiger that loses its teeth will eventually fall prey to the hunter. It was only a matter of time.

Emma continued, "With the attack of the beasts looming, I had no choice but to share this information with Lord Faust as well."

Mr. F kept his composure, showing no sign of distress. He expected as much. People would always try to uncover secrets if they thought it would benefit them in times of crisis. As long as his deepest secret was safe, this revelation posed no threat to him.

Now, it was Lord Faust's turn to speak, addressing Mr. F directly. "Although everything Emma said is true, we've been unable to uncover anything about your past. We don't know how powerful you once were. However, I possess something that could restore your life force, temporarily reviving your strength. But there is a catch. An hour after using it, your magical veins would dry up, and you would lose all magical power permanently. We are asking you to risk your life for the greater good of the city."

As he spoke, Lord Faust bowed his head respectfully. But Mr. F wasn't easily fooled. He saw through the pleasantries. "The greater good?" he thought with disdain. "What does the greater good matter if my own life is sacrificed? Once dead, my deeds will be forgotten by the next generation, and I'll be nothing more than a footnote—if even that—in the annals of history."

Mr. F didn't voice these thoughts, but his expression betrayed his disgust. He made no effort to hide his displeasure at the proposal. Lord Faust, noticing Mr. F's reaction, hesitated and was about to make a different offer when Mr. F spoke up first.

"I have a counter-proposal," Mr. F said, his voice steady but carrying weight. "If you are truly serious about saving the city, there is a way I could temporarily regain my former strength as a Tier 7 magician. However," he paused for effect, "it would require you to tread upon a taboo, one that could very well cost you your lives."

Emma and Lord Faust exchanged surprised glances. Neither had expected Mr. F to offer such a solution. The room fell into a heavy silence as they considered his words. A taboo? One that could kill them? The implications were terrifying, but they had no choice. They were desperate. With the fate of the city hanging in the balance, they couldn't afford to dismiss any opportunity.

After a brief moment of hesitation, both Emma and Lord Faust nodded in agreement. "We're willing to take the risk," Emma said, her voice resolute. "If it means saving the city, we have nothing left to lose."

Mr. F studied their faces for a moment, noting their resolve. He had expected them to agree, but it still surprised him that they were so willing to step into the unknown. "Very well," he said slowly. "But understand this—what I'm about to reveal is something forbidden, something that could damn us all if not handled properly. Once you choose this path, there will be no turning back."