[System Notification: Host, please complete the mission within three days]
There was still plenty of time.
Atiste decided to sleep first.
Perhaps his injuries would be healed by the time he woke up.
Although these wounds could not truly affect him, he could not simply leave them be.
He would observe the situation for a while.
Atiste felt a surge of excitement; this was the first time he had encountered something “unprecedented” in this world.
After thinking it over, however, he found himself unable to sleep.
He wanted to get up and continue observing Lillian.
Yet, he suddenly realized the bed was far too comfortable.
He could no longer bear to part with it—at least not tonight.
He decided to force himself to sleep.
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out.
“Boss, Boss Atiste, things are bad!”
It was the voice of the Dragon Slayer, Siegfried.
Atiste did not immediately close the communication channel.
He simply asked calmly, “How did you know I placed a tracking mark on you? And you actually have the nerve to contact me voluntarily?”
On the other end of the line, Siegfried had no time for explanations.
He spoke urgently, “The Muse Kingdom has fallen! During the time you had me tied up, the First Prince started a civil war. He killed the King, imprisoned the Queen, and successfully seized the throne. But before he could even get comfortable, he was killed by a Black Mage!”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“That Black Mage claims she wants to challenge you and rescue the Princess!”
“Then just let her come.”
“Judging by the voice, it’s a woman.”
“What does gender matter? I will kill them all the same.”
“No, that’s not it! They’re saying I’m a remnant of the First Prince’s faction. They’re all hunting me down!”
“Aren’t you the Dragon Slayer? You can take on a thousand men alone. Just fight back.”
“You beat me to a pulp earlier, and my strength hasn’t recovered yet! Boss! You said you wanted me to work for you. You can’t just leave me to fend for myself!”
“Fine, fine. You’re a clever fellow. Just run for now. I’m going to sleep.”
“Wait, Boss! Boss! Save me — “
Atiste cut off the communication.
Siegfried would not die so easily.
If that Black Mage truly possessed great power, she would certainly come to kill him in person.
The fact that Siegfried could use the mark to establish reverse communication proved that he was indeed loyal to Atiste.
This was a unique magical technique Atiste had created.
Anyone he placed a Mana seal upon would be marked with the “Loyalty Slayer.”
This was an exclusive secret art capable of detecting the loyalty of the marked individual.
He frequently used this method to find people who were convenient to exploit.
As long as the marked person did not betray him and worked diligently for Atiste, they could not only contact him but also receive a one-time “Protection Against Death.”
Conversely, the moment they committed an act of betrayal, the Loyalty Slayer would become an Instant Slayer, destroying all of the target’s Mana circuits and causing their body to explode.
Siegfried certainly did not know the details, but he was not stupid.
Thus, even though he had discovered the mark, he had not been instantly killed.
This time, Atiste activated a silencing spell.
He blocked out all noise, allowing himself to fall into a peaceful sleep in absolute silence.
However, he still felt concerned about Lillian’s development.
‘No, I should sleep now. If I keep thinking about this, I won’t be in peak condition to create tomorrow.’
Then again, since he could not sleep, should he just go back and continue his work?
But after being busy all day, Atiste was exhausted.
First, the System had suddenly awakened, then he had successfully crafted a new masterpiece, and Eileen had somehow become upset…
After such a hectic day, it was time to sleep.
Atiste cleared his mind, closed his eyes, and drifted off.
***
Meanwhile, Eileen led Lillian to the Training Chamber.
The decor here was not as luxurious as the main hall; in fact, it was much simpler.
A pure white door stood before Lillian.
This was the place where Master Atiste usually trained.
Eileen looked at Lillian and said, “The anticipation in your eyes is practically overflowing.”
Lillian smiled.
“Of course. I want to visit every place Master Atiste has been and do everything he has done.”
Lillian did not appear overly excited, but her inner emotions were soaring.
For some reason, Eileen felt she could understand Lillian, yet she instinctively loathed the feeling.
Eileen spoke up.
“You should show some restraint. I am actually the one who uses this Training Chamber most of the time. Master is already the strongest; he has no need for training.”
Lillian felt a brief moment of disappointment, but she maintained her poise.
“You are right. Master Atiste does not need to train, but I suspect he must have guided your training. Therefore, I still wish to go inside and see.”
Puzzled, Eileen asked, “Why are you so obsessed?”
Lillian answered immediately, “Because Master Atiste is my faith.”
Eileen could not help but click her tongue.
‘How can this woman express her affection for Master so bluntly? It’s disgusting and shameless. I was here first. Damn it.’
Lillian naturally noticed Eileen’s subtle attitude toward her, but she had no intention of interfering.
She only wanted to understand the body Master Atiste had granted her so she could help him complete the “art” he wished to create.
The crown atop Lillian’s head flashed briefly, as if responding to her consciousness.
Lillian made a sincere request.
“Please open the door, Miss Eileen. I can’t wait any longer.”
Eileen said reluctantly, “If Master hadn’t told me to take special care of you, I wouldn’t bother with you at all. I might have even killed you.”
Lillian smiled.
“No, you cannot kill me. Because now, it is impossible for me to die.”
Eileen began to feel that the woman before her—or rather, the “object”—truly lacked any sense of humanity.
She opened the door to the Training Chamber, and the vast space inside immediately filled Lillian’s vision.
It was a massive area, large enough to house two castles.
Aside from the projection lines of the floor and wall grids, the entire interior was a void of white.
Lillian could clearly feel that this place was filled with Master Atiste’s Mana.
As she realized this, she began to notice something strange.
How could she, who was born without Mana, suddenly perceive it?
Did this mean she had obtained a new power?
She looked toward Eileen, observing the Mana within her.
It was unnaturally steady.
In Lillian’s estimation, Eileen was definitely suppressing her true strength.
Eileen asked, “What do you plan to do next?”
Lillian replied, “I would like to ask you to be my teacher.”
Eileen refused outright.
“I have no such obligation.”
Lillian proposed a condition.
“I will help you find a way to get Master Atiste to pay more attention to you.”
Eileen remained silent on the surface, but internally, she felt inclined to agree.
This was the first time in her life someone had offered to help her gain Master Atiste’s attention.