“The Emperor's envoy... again?”

  Eirik muttered under his breath, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face.

  Why couldn’t the man leave them alone? Was he some ghost from the past, clinging to them, unable to rest?

  Rumor had it that this envoy was a Savant—a terrifying rank in the magical hierarchy, far beyond the Practitioner level. It was a threshold that only the most talented could cross, and even then, only a select few ever managed it.

  Even Elvynna, with all her skill and Eirik by her side—a literal golden-tier card—had struggled to break through. They’d tried twice in simulation trials, yet she was still stuck, unable to move past the bottleneck. If Elvynna, with all her power, couldn’t do it, what hope did the rest of them have?

  To become a Savant was to become one in a thousand. Only those who reached Level 9 as Practitioners had a chance to cross the gap, and those who did were no mere mortals—they were Revered Ones, beings whose lifespans stretched across millennia.

  For perspective, a Level 9 Practitioner might live a few centuries—at best, perhaps nine hundred years. But a Savant? They could live thousands of years, accumulating knowledge and power that made them near invincible.

  Dealing with a Savant wasn’t something to take lightly. And right now, Eirik and his companions had made just such an enemy.

  The Emperor’s envoy had scoured Aelsryel, his frustration mounting as he failed to locate Eirik and his family. The Ravenshadow family wasn’t spared from his wrath either.

  In some ways, Eirik understood the envoy's frustration. The Emperor had sent him to investigate his son’s death, and now, the prime suspects had vanished. If they had escaped, the envoy would bear the blame.

  Though a Savant, the envoy didn’t hold enough influence to avoid the Emperor’s fury if he failed.

  “Dammit! Can’t a girl get a break? Another damn life-threatening crisis already?”

  Pixie groaned, her frustration bubbling up as her maid carefully combed her hair. Unable to resist, she opened her simulation panel to check the progress of her automated tasks—and nearly lost her temper when she saw the latest developments.

  “All I want is peace to study magic, raise my son, and support my husband! Is that really too much to ask?”

  【Pixie asks what your plans are. She says she wouldn’t mind going on another long journey if needed.】

  Eirik read Pixie’s message and sighed. It seemed like Pip was ready to bolt again.

  But Eirik wasn’t sure they needed to run. Yes, the envoy was powerful, but after all their training, so were they.

  Both Eirik and Pixie had reached Practitioner Level 9. They were still a step away from Savant, but taking on the impossible was part of being the protagonist, wasn’t it?

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  Besides, they were in the Starlight Range, a naturally defensible location, with the environment working in their favor. Maybe—just maybe—this could be their chance to take down a Savant.

  If the envoy insisted on chasing them, why not face him head-on and end it once and for all?

  “Killing the Emperor’s envoy?!”

  Pixie gaped when Eirik shared his thoughts.

  Her husband was certainly brave, but could they really take on the Emperor's envoy?

  Having been born into a noble mage family, Pixie understood the vast gap between Practitioner Level 9 and a Savant better than most. It was an impossible chasm to cross.

  But as Pixie thought it over, she found herself willing to trust Eirik again. He’d led them to victory before, against all odds. And if it went sideways, they could always restart. After all, this was just a simulation, right?

  “Wait, you’re really going to fight him head-on?”

  Selene couldn’t hide her disbelief and immediately voiced her concerns in the world chat.

  “This is reckless! The envoy’s power is no joke. Your Ravenshadow family is just starting to recover. Engaging him now would be a pointless waste!”

  Selene’s analysis continued, calm and methodical.

  “If you ask me, you should retreat deeper into the mountains. I’ve heard there’s a place west of Starlight Range—the Sea of Reincarnation. It’s a forbidden zone that borders the demonic realms. If things get too hot, escaping there could be your best bet.”

  She added, “Others might die trying to cross it, but with your luck—and your son’s rare elemental affinity—you might not only survive but stumble upon a great opportunity.”

  Selene’s message got a flood of likes, with many players agreeing with her approach.

  “Pip, the mentor makes a point. Why fight? Didn’t your last journey reward you well enough? Why risk it all now?”

  Liora added her voice to the conversation.

  “You don’t get it,” Pixie pouted. “My husband said running once was fine, but if we keep running, we’ll lose our spirit. What’s the point of surviving if we lose everything that matters?”

  She crossed her arms stubbornly. “Even if we die, we die with honor! You wouldn’t understand!”

  Deep down, Pixie knew they doubted her and Eirik’s decision. They were jealous—jealous that they weren’t the ones making the bold choices.

  “Honor, huh…”

  Selene fell silent, considering Pixie’s words. It was true—honor was worth something. But would she make the same choice?

  Probably not. For her, survival would come first, even if it meant enduring disgrace. But she also understood Eirik. He had fate on his side, and a man like him was destined to take risks others wouldn’t.

  Eirik wasn’t overthinking it, though.

  This was just a game. And if it was a game, why not take some risks? If things went wrong, they could just restart!

  And if they could fight, then they would fight.

  The Emperor’s envoy? Just another stepping stone. And if they managed to kill him, why stop there? One day, they’d topple the entire Dawnstar Dynasty.

  Eirik smirked to himself. This wasn’t just about survival—it was about raising the most powerful queen the world had ever seen. A mere emperor was nothing compared to that.

  “Heh, my husband says the Emperor’s envoy is nothing but an ant! One day, we’ll topple the Emperor himself! The Dawnstar Dynasty? We’ll storm their palace, make the Emperor serve us wine, and turn the Empress into our maid!”

  Pixie gleefully shared Eirik’s words in the world chat, adding her own touch of flair.

  For a moment, the entire channel went dead silent.

  This was escalating fast. Taking on the envoy was bold, but declaring war on the Emperor?

  At Practitioner Level 9, no less? That was madness—absolute madness.

  “Eirik... That’s... bold,” Liora finally responded, hesitation clear in her voice.

  “Are you planning to rebel against the Empire?”

  Elvynna, who had remained silent up until now, found herself moved.

  The truth was, she had always dreamed of rebelling against the Empire. After all, it was an imperial princess who had stolen her Regal Bone of the Ancients, a debt she had yet to repay.

  But for now, she lacked the strength.

  Perhaps... Eirik’s boldness was exactly what they needed.