Before Behirit entered the meeting room, where professors were engaged in a heated discussion.
In the middle of the ongoing meeting, Professor Leslie from the Department of Knights sat with a full, dissatisfied expression, arms crossed.
“Tch. Looks like I won’t be seeing the Duke today.”
It had already been almost thirty minutes since the meeting had started, but there was still no sign of the Duke.
With the growing feeling that he wouldn’t attend, Leslie furrowed his brows.
He was considering whether he should go train his aura once the meeting wrapped up, but then…
Angelica, who was sitting next to him, whispered, “What are you thinking about so intently?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
“What is it? Tell me.”
“Well, since the Duke isn’t here, it seems like I won’t be seeing him today.”
“Yeah, I thought he’d come, but I guess he’s busy or something.”
Angelica said this and went back to focusing on the meeting.
Leslie glanced at her and let out a light sigh.
“Tch. Fine. I’ll just focus on my own work.”
Leslie had been trying to confirm the Duke, the most dangerous enemy of Maximilian, with his own eyes.
But it seemed that wouldn’t happen today.
If he didn’t show up now, he would just wait for another opportunity.
According to rumors, there were supposedly many women around him.
He might even be spending time with a woman at his residence right now.
Lost in such thoughts, just as he was about to return his focus to the dull meeting, he felt something strange.
“?”
A presence could be felt outside the meeting room.
It felt almost as if something *other* than a person was standing there.
And it wasn’t just Leslie who sensed this—every professor in the room turned their heads toward the door.
“…”
A heavy silence enveloped the room.
Even the professor, who had been discussing the final evaluation method, stopped fiddling with his mustache and fell silent.
After a brief moment of silence, the door creaked open.
A young man with black hair and red eyes entered.
“…He’s insane.”
Leslie instinctively swallowed dryly as he saw him.
Could this even be considered a member of the human race?
The look in his eyes, treating everyone around him like inferiors.
The overwhelming aura emanating from his entire body.
And the way he opened the door with just his mana, without even touching it.
Upon seeing him, Leslie knew instantly.
‘This man… his level is different.’
It wasn’t just a figurative expression.
Someone like Leslie, who was particularly sensitive to power, could tell.
The level of this man was completely different.
It was like the difference between a lizard and a dragon, or between a human and a god.
There was an insurmountable gap between the Duke and the professors sitting in the room.
‘Unbelievable. What the hell is going on…?’
As Leslie stared at the Duke, who was now whispering to Professor Elda, his eyes widened.
He remembered that the Duke had already been a Sword Master when they met on the battlefield before.
But this… this was different.
Could it be?
Had he reached the level of a Grandmaster in the time since?
‘No, that’s impossible.’
It was true that the Duke was incredibly strong.
It felt as though he was superior to Commander Friedrich and even Maximilian himself.
But Leslie couldn’t believe that he had reached the level of a Grandmaster, like Emperor Ius.
The myth of his power had been so overwhelming that even the mighty dragon-class Krazus was sealed because of it.
‘Even if he hasn’t reached the Grandmaster level, it’s still shocking. This must be reported to the Chancellor-’
“!”
Suddenly, Leslie’s expression changed to one of panic.
The Duke was staring at him with chilling, blood-red eyes.
‘…’
Leslie felt cold sweat trickling down his temples. This man was dangerous.
But just as he tried to look away, his gaze was fixed on something, as if his eyes had been locked onto something.
‘What the hell is this!?’
For the first time in his life, Leslie was experiencing a phenomenon he couldn’t explain.
He desperately tried to move his eyes, but they wouldn’t budge.
It felt like his gaze was fixed to the Duke, as though his very mind was tethered.
What was going on?
Could it be that the Duke was using his mana to bind his vision?
How could he be manipulated like this, right in front of so many professors?
Some of the professors nearby had started to notice that something was wrong, but the Duke continued to keep Leslie’s gaze locked on him.
‘Hold on! Ugh?’
Suddenly, his mind was dragged by an overwhelming force.
Leslie felt his consciousness being pulled deeper and deeper into the ocean of mana, unable to resist.
The scene before him was drowned in darkness as his mind plunged further down.
Eventually, he saw something—countless stars filling the sky like a massive galaxy.
“…”
The vastness of the starry sky stretched endlessly before him.
Leslie looked up at the night sky above, feeling freed from the suffocating grip on his consciousness.
Had he descended into the deepest parts of the mana ocean only to find this?
No, this was a landscape that shouldn’t have been visible through anyone’s eyes.
‘This man. Is he even human?’
Leslie trembled with a sense of awe and fear from the depths of his heart.
At this point, distinguishing his level from the Duke’s didn’t even matter anymore.
He needed to escape this place and report to the Chancellor.
But as he looked around, he noticed something.
Far in the distance, across the vast plains, there was a light.
A brilliant light, the size of which couldn’t be expressed in words, glowing with an intensity that made it seem as though it was gathering the stars themselves.
Leslie was drawn to it, mesmerized.
‘Such an incredible light… It feels almost holy… like…’
[Well, it seems an unwelcome guest has arrived.]
‘!!??’
Leslie’s mind echoed with a voice, soft yet powerful, as if it was weaving an enchanting melody like a harp.
The voice, clear and forceful, carried an aura of an existence far beyond his reach.
The moment the voice entered his mind, Leslie’s body began to tremble uncontrollably.
‘This… This is insane. This can’t be real!’
His thoughts shattered under the intensity of the sensation.
He could feel his body trembling in real time, the fear creeping up from the deepest parts of his mind.
Why was such a being inside the Duke?
What would happen to him in the presence of such a being?
The sacred, overwhelming light filled Leslie’s vision, and his mind was slowly being consumed by fear.
The being of starry light spoke again, almost as if announcing something to him.
[It seems you’re quite strong by human standards. But you didn’t come here willingly, did you? Behirit brought you here. I’ve guided you to the source of this power.]
‘Ugh…’
[From the hostility and fear you feel toward Behirit, I’m afraid I can’t just let you go. Once you’ve encountered me, it’s impossible for you to retain your sanity. Just be grateful to still be alive.]
‘Ugh… Ahhh!’
With an unbearable sensation, Leslie’s mind shattered entirely.
The being of light’s voice echoed, and Leslie’s mental state began to crumble.
The overwhelming white light filled his world, and in a final burst of light, his consciousness was ejected from the realm.
The starry being looked on as Leslie was flung through the night sky like a comet.
Afterward, the radiant light around her dimmed, and the being softly murmured.
[He wouldn’t have lasted long even if I left him alone. But I couldn’t help but interfere.]
Her long white hair cascaded down to her waist, and her alabaster skin gleamed in the dim light.
She wore a white robe that barely covered her, her form both beautiful and dangerous.
This was Estrella, the daughter of the Celestial Palace, the Goddess of Stars.
She gazed at the bright red star that burned like fire in the night sky.
[But I can’t just leave someone who opposes Behirit. He is essential for this world.]
Her gaze lingered softly on the blood-red star.
Though Behirit wasn’t yet a true divine, he had come from another world to save this one.
She was grateful for his existence, which had proven her decision right, having saved countless lives.
He was a man who, despite his many faults, fought for justice and did what was right.
Clasping her hands together, Estrella whispered a prayer.
[Behirit, I wish you luck.]