Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World
Chapter 422 Invitation

Chapter 422: Chapter 422 Invitation

Mage Lian, for his part, didn’t look particularly concerned. He merely inclined his head with professional calm.

"I’ve prepared an itemized record," he said, sliding the thick ledger across the table. "You can remit the payment now or over the next fortnight, whichever suits you."

Michael reached for the ledger without comment, flipping through the pages. Every figure matched what he’d calculated in his head.

One hundred and twenty-four thousand gold coins.

In silver, that translated to twelve million four hundred thousand silver coins.

And in Aurora dollars—one Aurora dollar being roughly a silver—twelve point four million dollars.

Michael closed the cover and set it aside.

"I’ll pay in full a day before the delivery. It would be brought to my residence right? Or?"

Mage Lian’s eyes glinted faintly with a trace of amusement, as though he’d expected that exact question.

"Indeed," he said, his voice low and precise. "The materials will be delivered directly to your residence in sealed crates. My people will handle the packaging and the escort detail." He lifted a hand and gestured to one of his aides, who quietly began taking notes. "However, someone will be sent to collect the payment the day before the delivery. That will give you time to prepare the funds without undue inconvenience."

"And the delivery itself—when should I expect it?"

Mage Lian set aside his ledger, folding his hands atop it with a look of mild gravity. "Five days from now," he replied. "That will give us sufficient time to finish preparing everything to your specifications."

Five days.

Michael’s mind ticked through the timeline automatically.

That was comfortably within the ten-day window he’d set for his rank advancement.

Perfect.

Michael drew in a quiet breath, exhaled, and met Mage Lian’s eyes without blinking.

"That is acceptable," he said.

Mage Lian inclined his head again, a slight smile creasing the corners of his mouth. "Then we agreed."

Mage Lian’s smile lingered a heartbeat longer, faint but edged with something thoughtful. He glanced down at the ledger, then back up, studying Michael’s face as though weighing how much to say.

"To be perfectly candid," he murmured, "this trade, substantial as it appears in gold, is still rather modest in real value compared to what you have already contributed."

Michael tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable.

"The hundreds of Grand-Tier undead corpses you delivered to the kingdom’s hands..."

He paused, then continued. "I was instructed to inform you that the kingdom intends to prepare something in acknowledgment. A gesture more fitting than coin."

For an instant, Michael’s first instinct was to refuse. To say he needed nothing else. He wanted no more ties, no more obligations.

His mouth actually started to form the words.

And then, very deliberately, he stopped himself.

Because the truth was unavoidable. He was already too entangled. A Viscount under Lionheart’s rule. A known name in the capital’s circles. A figure the Second Prince and a great tier princess have personally expressed interest in.

He was in this, whether he liked it or not.

Better to accept whatever came with open eyes—and keep control of the narrative himself—than to pretend he could remain uninvolved.

Slowly, he let the tension ease from his shoulders.

"...I see. Help me thank the kingdom," he said finally.

Mage Lian inclined his head, accepting that as consent.

Michael exhaled, feeling the smallest flicker of wry resignation.

Now that he’d made peace with it, curiosity began to stir.

He couldn’t help wondering what the kingdom considered an appropriate "gesture."

It would not be anything common, he was certain of that.

The day passed in a flash.

But the day after his meeting with Mage Lian, Michael was met with a surprise.

A servant arrived in the late morning bearing a letter sealed with the Evermoon crest. The handwriting inside was elegant but pleasantly direct.

It was Arianne’s.

She invited him to a private tea the following afternoon, phrased in a tone that balanced politeness with the barest hint of personal warmth. She wrote that she hoped he was recovering well after the... unfortunate events at the auction and expressed gratitude again for his assistance.

The letter continued in neat, flowing script..

If you are still interested in the subject of beast taming, I have arranged permission with my father to grant you access to one of the monsters kept in the estate’s private collection. Consider it a small gesture of thanks.

Michael’s eyes narrowed faintly, the corner of his mouth twitching as he read on.

Incidentally, she added, Father ordered a new Flame Lion almost immediately after the incident with the last one. I confess it feels rather amusing—since I rather hoped you would be the one to acquire it for me yourself. But perhaps next time you will have the chance to redeem your reputation.

Michael let the parchment rest against his palm, feeling a reluctant huff of amusement escape him.

It was...remarkably convenient.

He had already planned to visit the Evermoon estate soon. Now, he didn’t even have to risk looking overeager by sending a letter himself.

A perfectly timed invitation.

He set the parchment aside and leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.

Yes, this worked well.

Better still, the time she proposed—early afternoon tomorrow—fell neatly within the margin he’d already set aside for a meeting.

Michael decided he’d rather not look as though he’d simply thrown on whatever was at hand.

After all, whatever else the meeting was—casual or not—it was still taking place in the residence of a Duke.

So, later that afternoon, he left the estate behind and set off toward the inner city.

The carriage rattled over the broad avenues of the capital. Michael sat back with his arms folded, watching the rows of storefronts and tiled roofs slide past.

*

A/N: I hope the last two Chapters didn’t feel too fast-paced or out of step with the story. Major events are coming soon, and I felt that approaching them at a deliberate pace would risk making things feel dragged out.

With that said, thank you for reading, and please continue to support the story by voting!