The world twisted and turned, warped and fragmented, and all David could do was try to stay upright and endure. All his senses were useless as he traveled between dimensions in an unending journey that lasted but a single moment.

Then, suddenly, the sensations stopped. He lurched forward, grabbing onto a handrail to keep from falling over while gulping down deep breaths. The air felt hot and dry as it traveled down his throat, reminding him of dwarven smithies. However, the heat he felt right now wasn’t coming from a forge. It was the dry air of the desert…

It took a few moments for his head to stop spinning and his vision to clear, but when they did, David began to inspect the room he had arrived in.

He found himself in the center of a circular chamber, with several people eyeing him cautiously. David's instincts kicked in, and he used his Mana Sense. Judging a person's level by measuring their passive Mana output was anything but a precise science, but it would likely give him a rough estimate of their relative powers.

The four figures surrounding him felt strong—stronger than him, and the faint aura emanating from them made it clear why: they were Archmages. One stood in each cardinal direction, cutting off any escape route while they examined him. After a moment, the four seemed to relax, their vigilant eyes softening. They had likely realized he was not yet at their level.

In front of him was a desk, behind which two people sat. One of them felt like a Grand Mage—strong, but David was confident he could defeat him. The other was a young man of around twenty years, by far the weakest person here, likely only a True Mage.

Before he could do anything else, the man sitting behind the desk spoke up. “Welcome to Korrovan, sir. May I please see your papers?”

David nodded obediently, pulling out the piece of parchment he had received only moments ago when he had departed Tradespire. “Here you go,” he said while handing it to the man sitting behind the desk.

The man took the piece of paper from him and, after reading it carefully, nodded at the guards. “Everything seems to be in order.”

His words caused the Archmages to relax further. Even though they had previously deemed him not to be a threat, he might still have come through the portal illegally.

“Mr. David?” the man addressed him again, reading his name off the document.

David nodded.

“As I’ve said before, welcome to Korrovan. Before I can allow you into the country, however, I’ll have to ask you a few questions. You must answer them truthfully. Do you understand?”

David nodded again. This wasn’t his first time traveling via a portal, and he had long since gotten used to the process. Although the brief interrogation was annoying, it was still preferable to spending weeks on the road—at least for those who could afford it.

“You came here from Tradespire?” the man asked.

Before David could answer, he felt a tingle in the back of his mind, and his eyes narrowed. The origin of the spell was the youth standing next to the man. He was casting a Mind Magic spell that David recognized immediately: [Detect Lies].

That was rather interesting. Not the spell itself; using some form of verification was a pretty common procedure, but he wondered why the Mage was so weak. If David wanted to, he could easily resist the spell’s effect. Maybe that was the point. By using such a weak Mind Mage, it didn’t feel like they were prying. After all, the boy couldn't forcefully extract anything from him, even if he tried. Since most people disliked Mind Magic, this approach might put them more at ease.

For a country with as bad a reputation as Korrovan, the gesture was uncharacteristically thoughtful. With the riddle solved, he gave up his resistance and let the spell take hold before answering the question.

“Yes, I came from Tradespire,” he said.

The man glanced at the boy, who gave him a nod. Likely to confirm that the spell had taken hold. He then returned his attention to David. “What is the purpose of your visit to Korrovan?”

“Business,” David said matter of factly, tightening his hold on the briefcase in his left hand.

The man narrowed his eyes at him. “What kind of business?”

David licked his lips, briefly glancing at the Mind Mage, before returning his attention to the seated man. “I’ve been entrusted with several matters. Most, however, are related to the procurement of resources.”

After another nod from the Mind Mage, the interrogator seemed mollified. He scribbled something down before moving on to the next question. “Are you in service to another?”

Stolen story; please report.

“Ezekiel of Tradespire,” David said proudly.

The moment he uttered the name, the atmosphere in the room changed. He could feel the Archmages behind him move while the interviewer scrunched his brows.

“I see…” the man said after a moment, putting down his quill. “And where is your lord currently?”

David frowned down at the man. He had been through enough of these interviews to know this was not one of the standard questions. More importantly, it was none of the man’s damn business…

“That is not a question I am willing to answer,” David said.

“You do not have the right to refuse.”

David remained silent, crossing his arms for emphasis.

The interviewer glared at him. “Have it your way. Guards! Seize this man.”

David's body tensed. He was ready to flee the moment he felt even a trace of Mana, but to his surprise, none of the Archmages moved. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw them exchange glances before one of them spoke. “Don't try to drag us into this, Jagan. No amount of money is worth the hassle.”

The interviewer snarled angrily, but there was little he could do without the help of the Archmages. At least not without escalating the situation further. He glared at David one last time before scribbling on his entry form. Without any more questions being asked, the entire procedure concluded just a minute or so later.

“You are free to go,” he forced out through gritted teeth.

David furrowed his brows. Something curious was going on; he was certain of it. Yet, this wasn’t the time or place to investigate. He had been allowed entry, and he wasn't about to jeopardize the process by causing trouble.

With a nod toward the Archmages, David left the building and stepped onto the streets. This was his first time visiting Korrovan, though he had heard much about the beauty of its capital city.

His first impression was... not great, to be honest.

The place was hot, dry, and, most importantly, bright. David hated it immediately. As a Shadow Mage, he was naturally inclined toward dim areas and opposed to direct sunlight, and this desert city seemed to have the latter in spades.

David sighed deeply as he glared back at the sun. What was it that his father used to say? The brightest lights produce the darkest shadows or something like that…

Annoyed by the memory, he fumbled through the inner pocket of his vest, searching for something. The rash movement nearly tore a seam at the shoulder. How strange; he had worn suits like this for most of his life, yet the perfectly tailored three-piece felt almost like a prison now. Still, he was here representing the family, and the comfortable clothes he had gotten used to wouldn't reflect well on his lord.

Finally, his fingers brushed against a small wooden box, and David immediately felt a spark of joy as he took it out. Inside the container were five neatly rolled cigars. He took the leftmost one and sniffed its length. It smelt of mint and rosemary.

Delighted, David cut off a sliver of the stem before slowly rotating the cigar over his lighter. Once there was an even glow at the foot, he brought the cigar to his lips and drew in the flame, puffing gently to ensure an even burn. As the fragrant smoke filled his mouth, he exhaled slowly, savoring the rich aroma and flavor. With each puff, he rotated the cigar, ensuring a perfect burn. Soon, a smile spread across his face as he felt the tension leave his body and nerves.

By the Shadows, how could he have lived so long without knowing this bliss?

For most of his life, David had looked down on any such external stimuli. Drinks, cigars, or drugs: it was all the same—a way for the weak to cope with their bleak reality. In his mind, they were sacrificing their future health for momentary bliss.

What a fool he had been…

His mind had been clouded by images of drunken layabouts and smoking vagrants, not even considering that Mages would have access to much better wares.

Not only did the expensive elven herbs not harm the body, but they were also proven to increase longevity. On top of that, there was no rush or high that followed their consumption, but a state of complete mental relaxation that had often helped him perform better instead of hindering him.

It had been this discovery that led David down the path he was now walking: the path where he questioned everything he had once taken for granted.

He couldn’t help but think that this was the lesson his lord had meant for him to learn all along, and David was immensely grateful for that. He now realized that he had gotten conceited, inflexible, and too set in his ways. He had become an old man in all but appearance.

That had to be the main reason why his improvements had stalled. After all, one could not gain knowledge while simultaneously thinking of themselves as learned. He needed to look at the world with the eyes of a child again, curious and willing to uncover its many secrets.

Idly, he wondered if Margret had come to the same realization as him…

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice calling his name. “Are you David?”

David glanced sideways and spotted a curious pair observing him. The speaker, a young woman, caught his attention first. She was a striking beauty, adorned with bronze skin, ebony hair, and clear eyes. David surmised she must be Aisha Nair, the daughter of the Nair family patriarch.

Beside her stood a tall, well-built older man emanating confidence. His powerful presence was undeniable, heightened by the feeling of potent Lightning Mana enveloping him. There was no mistaking his identity; This had to be Ravi Desai, an Archmage of the Lightning Affinity.

David had read about both of them in the missive his lord had left for him. These two figures were among his most crucial allies in the city, at least above ground. However, he had not expected both to come out just to pick him up.

“That I am,” David said. “Though, I must say that I am surprised by this reception.” As he said that, he shot a glance at the older man. Certainly, a man of his standing would have better things to do than to wait for him.

The Archmage grunted, gesturing towards Aisha. “I'm here to ensure the girl's safety. My son expressed... concerns for her well-being.”

David furrowed his brows, catching the implied meaning. Aisha and Sunil? Were these two involved romantically? There had been no mention of it. Clearly, there had been developments since his lord's departure from the city. Regardless, it would bode well if their allies forged a strong bond.

“...And for once, I have to agree with him,” Ravi continued. “The city isn't safe anymore, especially not for her.”

David stole a glance at the girl. Her expression remained stoic, but he noticed a subtle twitch in her pupils at those words.

“Another misguided admirer?” he guessed.

Ravi allowed himself a chuckle that turned into a sigh midway. “If only it were so,” he said. “Come. Let us walk while I explain what has happened…”