Several days later, as night fell, the royal palace was brilliantly illuminated, its halls glowing beneath the countless lights that decorated the grand building.A grand welcome banquet was being held to greet the delegations of Beastmen, Elves, and Dwarves who had traveled from afar. The palace was filled with nobles, ministers, priests, and other influential figures, all gathered to welcome the distinguished guests and take part in the occasion.In his capacity as the "Kingdom Special-level Consultant," Rayn, dressed in noble attire, mingled through the crowd as glasses clinked continuously around him. He maintained a polite smile, occasionally raising his glass to acknowledge someone or exchanging a few words with those who approached him. Between conversations, he engaged with nobles, ministers, and priests, gathering information from different perspectives while appearing to enjoy the banquet like everyone else."Consultant Jack, your heroic deeds have spread throughout the roya

Deep within the Royal Palace, inside Ottolek III's private study, the king put down the scroll in his hand and looked toward the Chief Minister bowing before him."That 'Jack', has he gone to the council hall?"The Chief Minister lowered his head respectfully. "Yes, Your Majesty. I've sent someone to call for him as per your instructions."Ottolek III let out a cold laugh and leaned back in his broad chair. "It's good to send him, just to disgust the Beastmen.""Hmph, just a bunch of savages. Even if they play tricks, that's all they can do." Ottolek III narrowed his eyes. "Sending this 'disposable pawn' to the negotiation table gives us another opportunity. If he can't help but contact the delegation, we can gather more intelligence in our favor."He paused, a shrewd glint appearing in his eyes as he considered the possibilities."Even if he really restrains himself and doesn't contact the delegation, just him sitting there is like a thorn, stabbing into the hearts of the Beastmen de

These were neither ordinary Holy Runes nor the common magic arrays of the Lingyuan Plane. Their structure was entirely different, carrying traces of a power system that clearly transcended the limits of this world."Are these... traces of a Rune Array?" Rayn's heart skipped a beat, but he kept his expression unchanged.The runes had been arranged with exceptional subtlety. Without his extensive knowledge of Rune Science and keen perception, he would probably never have noticed them in the first place. He examined the traces again, carefully studying their structure as doubts began to form in his mind."Basically, it can be confirmed that this should be a Rune system of the Wizard Civilization, definitely not something from the Lingyuan Plane."The energy fluctuations emitted by the runes were extremely weak, suggesting that they were merely an inconspicuous node belonging to a much larger array. Whatever its purpose, the arrangement was clearly not meant to attract attention.Without

General Brandon let out a light grunt, his tone carrying the practical concern of a seasoned soldier. "I've heard of that viscount. He's nothing but a lazy glutton. Instead of thinking about alliances, they should focus on what to do next with the coalition. The Wizards won't care about your status."His words immediately silenced the others.Rayn understood their behavior. In fact, this was one of the main reasons the kingdom's nobles had been organizing banquets lately. With the situation growing increasingly uncertain, they were trying to distract themselves from the danger looming over the kingdom.If Rayn weren't familiar with the truth behind the events, he might have felt uneasy as well.After all, today was the day the Contribution Points list was refreshed.Once again, the people of the Lingyuan Plane witnessed the sky being torn apart as the Gods battled the so-called "Foreign Evil Gods." Perhaps the intention was to create a stronger sense of crisis among the indigenous inh

As the four figures approached and finally stopped at a wide junction in the sewer pipes, Rayn could see them clearly. They were still wearing various disguises, but the distinct witchcraft resonance emanating from their bodies suggested that they no longer had any intention of concealing their identities from one another.Seeing this, Rayn stopped hiding as well. He slowly stepped out of the shadows, his footsteps sounding unusually clear in the silent sewer.The four figures had remained somewhat wary of one another, but the moment they heard his footsteps, they all paused in unison and turned around abruptly."Although I guessed that there were quite a few wizards in the royal capital, it's truly impressive that all of you managed to infiltrate such high positions. Should I say, as expected of geniuses?"Rayn walked forward at an unhurried pace, breaking the silence between them. "We don't have much time, so since you all are hesitant, let me, an unknown nobody, start...""You are