With these words, I led him to the door and intercepted Mia as she tried to slip inside the moment I cracked it open.


    — Halt! — I grabbed her by the scruff. — Tonight, you’ll sleep elsewhere. I have business to attend to, and it’s not safe for young cats!


    — Buuut, maaaaster!


    — Quiet! — I cut off her protests before they could begin. — No discussion!


    After sending everyone away, I returned to the table where the box of cores sat, but I pushed it aside for now. Instead, I emptied my entire arsenal onto the surface. A shame—I’d have to ruin some of it. I picked out two daggers and two spears. Then I turned a sword over in my hands but, considering my lackluster swordsmanship, put it back in the stash along with the other unnecessary blades.


    With that settled, I sat down, took a dagger, reinforced it with aura, and began carving deep, elongated grooves along its blade and the spearheads. Once done, I went to the kitchen, found some flour, and made a thin batter in a deep bowl before returning to the table.


    — Let’s see how you like this, you bastards. — I muttered under my breath, grabbed a core, and crushed it over the sand, which I then mixed thoroughly into the batter.


    All that remained was to fill the grooves in the blades with the mixture and dry them over the fire. Once done, I repeatedly infused and dispersed aura through each weapon, getting used to the shift in their balance. Satisfied with the result, I stowed everything away and turned my attention to the two cores in the box.


    — Come here, my beauties! — I echoed the way Grace spoke to her coins, then traced rune circles at the center of the room. — Now, help me become a Battle Master!


    A torrent of raw mana surged into my body, blazing through my veins to my heart like molten lava.


    — Aaaargh! — I groaned, caught between pain and exhilaration.


    Monster cores of the fourth class were dozens of times stronger than those of the third. If I absorbed their energy uncontrollably, they could reduce me to ash! I forced myself to slow the intake, allowing my boiling blood to carry the power to every muscle, every cell in my body.


    And that power changed them—changed the very way they functioned. My mitochondria didn’t just generate adenosine triphosphate anymore; they infused those molecules with my own mana, vastly increasing their energy potential!


    I could barely track all the transformations when, suddenly, my body ceased absorbing mana through the blood. The lingering energy from the cores began condensing into tiny golden droplets, steadily increasing in proportion to my overall blood volume.


    — Not good! — I rasped.


    An increase in concentration without a change in volume was never a good sign. My veins swelled, and my capillary walls began bursting one by one, gradually reducing the pressure in my circulatory system.


    Finally, the cores were depleted, and everything began to settle. My half-golden blood calmed, resuming its normal rhythm. My veins shrank back to size, their walls strengthened. The ruptured capillaries healed, and the bruising from internal bleeding slowly faded.


    I sat motionless, listening to myself.


    Boom! A shockwave of power burst from me in all directions.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    It didn’t stop, shattering furniture, blowing out windows, and tearing doors from their hinges.


    I rose to my feet and dispersed the magic swirling around me.


    At last! A Battle Master!


    As the dust settled, I took in the wreckage around me.


    — To hell with it all. — I waved dismissively.


    I went to the kitchen, grabbed a large jug of oil, and splattered it across the rooms. Finally, I tossed a rag near the hearth and smashed the jug over it.


    It didn’t burn with blue flames but yellow ones.


    By the time I stepped onto the porch, the fire was crackling merrily, licking the windows and wooden ceilings of the house.


    In the morning light, I saw Hek and Mia running toward me, alarmed.


    — B-Battle Master! — she yelped and collapsed onto the ground.


    I suppressed my aura down to the level of a third-class warrior. It was too soon to reveal all my trump cards. Even the prince’s Masters wouldn’t sense my true strength.


    Hek, on the other hand, grinned with sly satisfaction. It seemed he was finally starting to not only trust me but believe in me and my plan.


    — I’m ready. Shall we go? — I asked the old man.


    — Just a moment. — Hek waved away the makeshift fire brigade of cooks and guards that had rushed to the flames. — Let this shack burn to the ground! Don’t touch the remains until the rains have washed them clean!


    He barked orders loudly.


    — Now, we go. — He turned back to me.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    — Hek, — I said as we left the estate, — the fight will likely start suddenly. The moment you see me flinch, drop to the ground and crawl as far away from me as possible, understood? Keep your eyes on me!


    — Understood! — He patted his clothes, drawing my attention. — This outfit has fourth-class magical protection. It won’t withstand a direct hit from a Battle Master, of course, but I’m not completely defenseless.


    That was reassuring. He wasn’t a primary target, so none of the Masters would waste their energy striking him.


    We walked slowly through the still-empty streets toward the prince’s court, the morning sun shining into our eyes.


    We were heading into a trap, and we both knew it.


    The princely court occupied a vast territory, its towering walls stretching hundreds of meters on either side of the massive gate, so high that even the rooftops of neighboring buildings offered no glimpse inside. In essence, it was another fortress within the city.


    Hek presented the invitation letter and a silver plaque to the gate guards, and after some hesitation, we were allowed inside. A white pathway led toward the grand three-story palace of the princely court. A polite guard escorted us to the reception hall and asked us to wait for an audience.


    — Everything all right? — I asked Hek, who was clearly jittery, sitting stiffly in his chair.


    — I’ve been here many times, — he replied, — but never under such circumstances. It’s not exactly reassuring, to be honest.


    — It’ll be fine. I’m sure I can handle them. — A comforting attempt, at least.


    About an hour later, the doors opened again, and one of the prince’s guards peered in.


    — Follow me, — he said curtly.


    We were led into a vast hall, at the far end of which stood a high wooden throne. Upon it sat a man, splendidly dressed, appearing to be around forty, with thick black eyebrows and thin mustache above his upper lip. The prince. At first glance, he did not seem like a despot or a tyrant.


    — Greetings, Your Highness! — Hek and I spoke in unison when we were stopped about twenty paces from the throne.


    The guard who had led us walked another ten steps forward, turned slightly to the left, and stopped directly opposite another of the prince’s guards who was already in the hall, standing to the right.


    Smart. Even if I suddenly lunged at the prince, they would have ample time to react and stop me—or to use a concealed weapon if I attempted anything. But the greatest danger, I felt, came from the burly man of about fifty who stood to the right of the throne. This had to be him—the Mid-tier Combat Master Hek had warned me about.


    There was another man in the hall—an old one, his face lined with wrinkles, long silver hair flowing past his shoulders. The predatory gaze of his eyes was no less intimidating than the Combat Master’s presence. A mage? An advisor?


    — No need, — the prince raised his hand, — I summoned you today to hear firsthand, in full detail, what you saw in the Misty Forest.


    A pleasant voice and manner of speaking. Such people easily captivate those around them and win their hearts. The prince’s charisma was undeniable.


    — But I must tell you, — he continued, — that my right hand, Vyr, will be watching to ensure that you are entirely truthful. And my left hand, Len, will occasionally ask clarifying questions. Do you agree to this?


    What a way to interrogate someone! I glanced at Hek, and he at me.


    — Yes! — we answered simultaneously.


    — Then, — the prince said, taking a goblet from Len’s hands, — you may begin, Hek. I’m listening.


    Hek stepped forward and began his recounting. I only half-listened, already knowing that everything he said was the truth. Instead, I watched the prince. He showed no real interest in Hek’s long monologue—because he already knew it all. He was simply playing out a scene he had scripted in his mind long ago. But, you bastard, you’re not the only one who has written this scene!


    The two Masters standing closer to us wouldn’t be a problem if I anticipated their attack. Vyr was too far away, meaning they expected these two to handle me. But how would the prince signal them? What had he devised? It had to be something simple and unmistakable.


    A verbal command was out of the question—it would trigger an immediate reaction, giving me time to resist or escape. Did he believe the two Masters’ strength would be enough no matter how hard I fought? No, a person who relies solely on brute force wouldn’t craft such a calculated plan.


    What in the abyss have you planned? The goblet! Damn it! You took the goblet and have been turning it between your fingers the entire time without once bringing it to your lips. So, the signal will almost certainly be dropping the goblet. Now, I just need to watch the prince’s hands and not miss the moment he releases his grip.


    — … and that’s how we made it out of the forest. — Hek finished, stepping back after the prince gave him a small nod.


    — And you, young man? Your name is Aney, correct? — The prince looked at me.


    I took two small steps forward.


    — Yes, Your Highness. At first, it was merely a temporary name for an escort contract, but since my memory has yet to return, I decided to keep it.


    — Do you have anything to add to Hek’s account?


    — Very little, Your Highness. Since I spent several days longer in the Misty Forest than Hek, I can add only that I encountered packs of Gato numbering up to forty monsters and had to flee from creatures far stronger than the Kmara. I am fairly certain they are fourth-class monsters or higher, though I cannot say for sure, given my current strength.


    The prince turned to Vyr.


    — He speaks the truth, — Vyr confirmed.


    — I see. Unfortunately, this only reinforces my concerns, — the prince began. — I must tell you that I summoned you not only to hear your report but also to propose that you help resolve some pressing issues within the principality—should you agree, of course.A few days ago, I received a report that the trade route through the forest had been cut off due to monster attacks. I requested their suppression, and the Adventurers’ Guild took on the task. However, after they set out, I received Hek’s report, which confirmed that the guild’s forces were insufficient to clear the forest. That is why I am proposing the formation of a joint rescue squad!


    Damn! He’s following his script to perfection!


    The prince paused, as if in thought, then continued, looking directly at me:


    — Aney, I must say, you’ve impressed me. To have reached the peak of third-class warrior strength at approximately twenty years old is an extraordinary feat, even among the empire’s prodigies! And I regret that you have lost your memory due to unfortunate circumstances… Aney, I cannot simply stand by without offering my support to such a talented young man. I have a proposal for you—listen carefully. Join me! Let’s form a team together—two Combat Masters and six third-class warriors from my ranks. You will guide them through the forest using your experience. And believe me, Aney, the reward will not disappoint you! Sadly, we have already lost the Adventurers’ Guild, but upon your return, you could become the new guildmaster of a newly established guild. I promise full support from the princely court for the first few years until you are firmly established. I will even allow you to select a few warriors from my retinue to join your guild until you train your own fighters.


    The carrot is laid out. Now comes the stick.


    — Well, Aney? Do you like my proposal? — The prince’s gaze bore into me.


    — Your Highness, I sincerely appreciate your generous offer, but my path leads to the Kingdom of Lygote. I must decline.


    For a moment, the prince remained silent. The oppressive quiet weighed on everyone present.


    — Aney, I did not wish for our relationship to come to this, but you have twice raised a hand against members of the princely family! That is not something I can overlook. I ask you once more—think carefully and accept my proposal, and I will forget the past!


    Here it is—the moment to snap the strings!


    — Your Highness, you may accuse me, and you would be right to do so. But I will never align myself with a man whose relatives violate young women in broad daylight, relying solely on their status and guards to protect them!


    That was it.


    The prince’s face went pale with rage.


    — So be it.


    The goblet fell.