EVOLVING MY UNDEAD LEGION IN A GAME-LIKE WORLD

The Grand Mage’s words triggered several reactions from the other men in the dining room.

The mayor couldn’t help but glance at the young man again, wondering if he had done something of great service to earn such favor from Mage Lian.

Unfortunately, since he had no idea which noble family Michael hailed from, he couldn’t afford to curry favor beyond what he had already done for the Grand Mage—who, at least, was a recognized figure of the kingdom.

For the mayor, this was frustrating. He had built his career by knowing how to flatter and serve his superiors, but now, he was in the dark.

The knight captain, on the other hand, was more intrigued than frustrated. He had already suspected that the old mage held this young man in high regard, and now it was confirmed. If it were him, he would do the same.

The knight captain wasn’t arrogant enough to claim he was all-knowing, but as someone of high status in the kingdom, he was well-informed. He had encountered the peak powers of the kingdom on several occasions and had even undertaken missions with Mage Lian in the past.

From what he had seen of Michael’s performance the previous night, the youth’s power was at least on par with a Grand Mage. That alone was enough to be impressive. But what made it even more astonishing was his age.

A person this young possessing such strength was beyond rare. The knight captain even entertained the possibility that Michael was an old man disguising himself as a youth, a trick some powerful individuals could pull off. However, habits and behavior were much harder to fake.

Michael didn’t act childish, nor was he overly arrogant. His serious and reserved demeanor fit that of a noble young master rather than a wizened old man in disguise.

But what truly shocked both the mayor and the knight captain were the words Mage Lian had just spoken.

“The Duke of Evermoon competition?”

Everyone in Lionheart knew about it. At least seven out of ten citizens were aware of its significance. The event was that prestigious.

Even though most people knew they would never have anything to do with it in their lifetimes, it didn’t stop them from paying attention.

The mayor spared Michael a few more curious glances, but the knight captain’s reaction was different—his expression turned oddly contemplative.

The competition’s entry requirements were notoriously strict. Candidates had to be under the age of twenty-five and possess the strength of an intermediate-level powerhouse. In practical terms, that meant having the combat ability equivalent to a deputy captain of a kingdom knight squad.

Most people couldn’t even dream of reaching that level, yet this youth had not only met the criteria—he had far exceeded them.

To be honest, even with the competition’s grand prize—the marriage of the princess—this young man was already more than qualified to be a contender.

As Michael was pleasantly surprised by Mage Lian’s invitation, he had no idea that his words had sent the other men into deep contemplation.

However, even though this was his goal, he knew he couldn’t afford to show too much excitement. Maintaining a composed demeanor, he responded steadily,

“If it doesn’t trouble you, Mage Lian, I’d be glad to join you on your journey. At the very least, it’s better than wandering around alone in an unfamiliar place.”

Michael made sure to emphasize the last part of his sentence.

There was a reason for that.

Only he truly understood just how little he knew about this world. If he didn’t establish early on that he was ignorant of his surroundings because he “wasn’t from around here,” it would be far too easy for someone sharp to see through his act.

He might have been overthinking things, but he preferred to be cautious.

Mage Lian nodded in satisfaction.

The more he interacted with this young man, the more he found himself liking him. Despite possessing enough power to match a Grand Mage—even without his summon, assuming he could manipulate his mana in other ways—Michael remained polite and well-mannered.

Compared to the king’s son, who was undoubtedly talented but also insufferably arrogant, Mage Lian found Michael to be far more pleasant company.

Thinking about the possibility of the prince and Michael clashing in the future—especially since the prince also had his eyes on the princess, the Duke of Evermoon’s daughter—Mage Lian’s smile grew even more genuine.

“It’s no issue at all, Sir Mic. You might not be aware, but the competition is being held in the capital region of the kingdom, so traveling with us will only get you to your destination faster.”

Michael’s eyes lit up for a brief moment at those words, a reaction that did not go unnoticed by Mage Lian.

The old mage chuckled inwardly. Even if Michael had spoken about the competition as though it were just a casual event, his reaction made it clear—he was definitely looking forward to it.

Of course, that wasn’t the case.

Michael had no interest in the Duke of Evermoon’s competition, at least not in the way the others assumed.

Instead, he was simply relieved that it provided him with a convenient excuse to integrate better into this world.

So, in a way, he hadn’t been lying when he told Mage Lian he’d give the competition a try.

If he did end up competing, it would only be to “try.”

Ironically, the grand prize—the princess’s hand in marriage—was more of a reason not to compete than a reason to participate.

He didn’t like the idea of marriage as a grand prize.

Even a corpse would be better.

“Then permit me to trouble you on this journey, Mage Lian,” Michael said with a slight smile.

Mage Lian responded with a hearty laugh.

After that, only a few more words were exchanged at the dining table before everyone finished their last bites of breakfast.

However, even though the meal was over, the table was still filled with food.

The powerful in this world sure know how to enjoy themselves, Michael thought.

Growing up in poverty back in Aurora, he had always made sure his plate was spotless before even thinking about washing it.

He could never afford to waste food like the rich did—ordering expensive meals in restaurants only to take a single bite before pushing the rest aside.

That being said, Michael didn’t judge such people.

It was simply a different way of life. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire

After all, he had just done the same, and it hadn’t felt particularly wrong or out of place.

Still, he felt a little better when he saw the excitement on the faces of the mayor’s staff as they came in to clear the table, their gazes lingering on the untouched food.

Michael figured the leftovers were a treat for them, while some untouched items—like the fruits—would likely be returned to storage for future use.

If that was how things worked, then at least it was good management.

Soon, all the men made their way out of the dining room and, under Michael’s gaze, out of the Town Mayor’s residence.

From the conversation around him, Michael knew they were finally about to leave town, which made him quite excited.

However, what he hadn’t expected was that after joining up with the other knights—who looked much better than they had the previous night, at least in terms of appearance—Mage Lian and the knight captain led them far away from the settlement, deeper into a small wilderness.

As they continued forward, Michael grew increasingly confused and cautious. Still, despite his uncertainty about what was happening, he didn’t speak up. Instead, he simply followed their lead, wondering where exactly they were taking him.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long for an answer.

Before they even reached a wide clearing, Michael spotted something massive in the distance—a huge, ship-like object.

Is that… a ship?

It certainly looked like one. But even setting aside how expensive such a thing must be, why would a ship of all things be in the middle of nowhere?

Extremely curious but maintaining his composure, Michael kept his calm all the way until he stood before the vessel, finally able to take in its full glory.

It was massive.

It seemed to be made of wood, yet oddly, its natural color appeared to be black rather than something painted over. At the same time, the texture gave the illusion of metal rather than wood.

A massive lion-head insignia was emblazoned on its hull.

After taking a quick glance at everything, Michael hesitated no longer and used Detect on the ship before him.

—

Meanwhile, as Michael made his way deeper into civilization in the Land of Origin, back in the real world, Aunt Mia stood at her doorstep, staring at the two girls and the boy before her with a puzzled expression.

“You’re saying the three of you are my nephew’s friends?” she asked suspiciously.

—

A/N: One chapter today, three tomorrow. I swear this on my tomorrow’s food!!! Please forgive me!!!

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