From the moment I was chosen by the holy relic

Eric had barely sat down and hadn't even caught his breath when someone secretly slipped a letter under the door.

He bent down to pick it up and immediately recognized the familiar and neat handwriting.

"I don't want to open the door tonight. I know those bards are still hanging around. I need some peace and quiet. See you at the awards ceremony tomorrow. —Eileen"

Eric couldn't help but laugh out loud after reading the letter.

Leah looked at him and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

He shook his head and put the letter in his pocket: "She said she doesn't want to see anyone tonight, and will meet with us tomorrow."

Leah smiled, though her face showed some fatigue: "I really admire her more and more."

"Me too." Eric nodded, his eyes showing both relief and gentleness.

That night, he finally felt a rare sense of relief after all these past few days.

He thought to himself: Perhaps from the very beginning, no one could truly understand that mage who always stood in the shadows and rarely spoke. Her light was not dazzling, but it always managed to quietly ignite in the darkest of times.

The next morning, sunlight slowly streamed down from the distant mountain peaks, filtering through the clouds and the windows of the castle tower, quietly illuminating the dining room of this ancient inn. The candles beside the long table were still burning, their flames flickering gently in the morning breeze, like the lingering warmth of the night.

As Eric and Leah entered the restaurant, the aroma of bread and herb soup filled the air before they could even find their footing. They had both been exhausted the night before and slept soundly until dawn. Although they felt a little better than yesterday, the weariness hadn't completely worn off.

But the first thing Eric saw wasn't the food on the table, but the figure sitting by the window.

Eileen was already there, her head bowed, intently staring at a piece of parchment in front of her, her brow slightly furrowed. Her face was very pale, even paler than a few days ago, as if the night had drained all the strength from her very bones.

"She must be exhausted," Eric thought to himself.

Eileen noticed their arrival, looked up, and nodded slightly.

"You didn't wake up early." Her voice was low and steady, as if she had been prepared to tell them bad news: "Nosteria and Ferian have officially started their war."

"War has broken out?" Eric slowly walked over and looked at the parchment. "Didn't they just sign a peace treaty for mining?"

Eileen gently handed him the paper, which read: "From today onwards, the Royal Family of Norstria has determined that the Kingdom of Feren has violated the joint resource mining agreement, concealed mineral profits, deliberately moved mineral vein boundaries, and refused to cooperate with inventory and supervision. Therefore, in accordance with Chapter XII, Section IV of the Wartime Law, Mobilization Order No. 9 is activated, declaring a limited military operation against Feren to ensure the security of our nation's resources and national sovereignty."

"This is outrageous," Eric said in a low voice, a flash of anger in his eyes. He remembered clearly that the gold mine called "Mel" was discovered by chance two years ago.

It was a mixed zone where the two countries met, with veins stretching from the southern hills all the way to beneath the dwarven settlements of Feren, but nearly two-thirds of the gold layers were exposed in the rocks on the Norstria side.

"The original agreement stipulated a 40/60 profit split, and it was Nosteria who proposed it," he said, frowning. "Because they themselves knew that even if they obtained the mining rights, they couldn't mine as much as the Ferian dwarves produced in a year in three years on their own. The dwarves' mining technology is the strongest on the entire continent."

Eileen responded softly, "But the king is different now. He wants to split the profits 50/50 with Ferian because two-thirds of the gold mines are located within Norstria. Moreover, Ferian did lose more than a dozen craftsmen during the mining disaster last year, and I heard that several ley lines collapsed because of errors in the geological assessment on Norstria's side."

"So it's not unreasonable for the Ferians to be angry," Lia murmured softly.

Eileen added, "The royal family of Nosteria is currently embroiled in a deep internal power struggle. One faction advocates for external expansion, insisting on using force in everything. They believe that this era has entered a new age where borders are determined by resources. Ferian is merely the first stone they are testing the waters with."

Eric remained silent for a long time, his gaze seemingly piercing through the morning mist outside the window, looking towards the distant and unseen Kingdom of Nosteria.

“I remember,” he said softly, “that king once promised in parliament that he would build the country on integrity.”

"That was the old him." Eileen sighed softly, turning her gaze away. "Now, there's no integrity in this edict, only self-interest."

A silence quietly enveloped the restaurant. The candlelight gradually went out, and the morning breeze drifted through the window, lifting a corner of the parchment and making a soft rustling sound, like the faint sound of distant warhorses galloping.

The silence was broken by a series of hurried but orderly footsteps outside the restaurant.

A waiter dressed in a black robe embroidered with gold patterns bowed respectfully: "Your Excellencies, the awards ceremony will begin before the morning bell rings. The organizers are already waiting for you to enter. Please follow me."

Eric, Eileen, and Lia slowly stood up. Eric carefully folded the parchment and put it into the inner pocket of his cloak, a hint of worry hidden deep in his eyes.

The three turned and walked out of the restaurant, the sound of the morning bell echoing in the sky, its lingering echo still present.

As the morning bell tolled for the third time, Eric, Erin, and Lia walked through the corridor and arrived at the main square in the center of the capital.

The plaza was paved with stones of seven different colors, and was very wide. In the center was a huge star-shaped pattern, symbolizing the alliance of the five kingdoms. At the center of the star-shaped pattern stood a high platform, decorated with gold and bronze, with an ever-burning flame burning at its four corners. The flames danced gently in the breeze, as if silently recounting an ancient oath.

The square was already packed with people. The surrounding high platforms were layered upon layered, filled with nobles, citizens, soldiers, and envoys from various countries. They were dressed in magnificent clothes, carrying swords or staffs, their eyes filled with both reverence and eagerness, as if waiting to witness a miracle.

Sunlight streamed down from the sky, illuminating the throne on the high platform.

King Iser sat on his throne, dressed in a long, gold-blue robe with dragon patterns embroidered along the edges of his cloak. His crown was inlaid with meteorite fragments that shimmered like stars in the sunlight.

The three of them slowly walked up the platform and, following the guidance of the palace officials, knelt down on one knee seven steps away from the throne, clenching their right fists and striking the ground to show their loyalty and respect to the king.

Royal officials announced loudly in a language everyone could understand: "Now, by the King's decree, we summon the three champions of the Illusionary Tournament. These three brave warriors, in the Thousand-Faced Illusion, defeated all their opponents with wisdom and courage, ultimately claiming first place. Now, we bestow upon them glory, so that the world may know of their achievements!"

As the official finished speaking, thunderous cheers erupted in the square.

In the crowd, children waved hand-sewn flags, veterans raised their wine jugs and cheered, and bards quickly recorded the moment. Every inch of air was filled with glory and passion.

The king slowly stood up, walked to the three of them, and said in a deep voice, "The Thousand-Faced Illusionary Realm has always been a place for testing heroes. The three of you have stood out among many strong individuals, winning victory with your courage. You have not only demonstrated extraordinary strength, but also bravery, strategy, integrity, and benevolence."

As the king turned to face the square, the morning sunlight streamed through the towering city walls, illuminating his gold and blue robes, making him appear like a god descending to earth. He opened his arms, his voice amplified by magic, resounding throughout the square: "Now, in the name of my king, I bestow upon the three victors the 'Gift of Chosen Ones'!"

After he finished speaking, an old man in a silver robe slowly walked out from beside the throne, carrying a long, dark gold box. The surface of the box was inlaid with intricate Iser magic runes, and its edges were surrounded by flowing light, like stars turning.

When the old man opened the box, inside lay a palm-sized metal device, disc-shaped, covered with intricate gears, magical runes, and miniature mirrors. It vibrated gently, emitting a soft hum, like the aura of an ancient dragon.

The old man said loudly, "This thing is called the Heart Chakra, one of the divine artifacts secretly forged by the Kingdom of Iser. It can sense the soul structure and destiny of the winners, and select the most suitable treasures from the royal treasury to bestow upon them."

The square erupted in murmurs. Children craned their necks to peer inside, the elderly gazed with awe, the bards frantically took notes, and even the magic tower in the square trembled slightly, as if in response to the awakening of this ancient artifact.

The old man placed the Heart Chakra Device in front of the high platform. As his magical power surged, the Heart Chakra Device slowly levitated and began to rotate faster and faster.

Three streaks of light suddenly shot towards the three people: Eric, Leah, and Eileen.