“What fine weather today.”

Gazing at the cloudless horizon, Lynn elegantly sighed, “Truly a good day for hosting a high-level diplomatic conference.”

Standing at the center of the Mage Tower plaza, clad for once in brand-new formal attire, Lynn, full of vigor, addressed the handpicked elite assembled behind him.

“Indeed, Senior Lynn, I too can hardly wait to lay eyes upon that legendary Saintess.”

Just as Lynn was fully anticipating the script of the upcoming diplomatic reception, an inadvertently heart-stopping figure appeared beside him.

Louise.

There stood Director Chris’s own daughter, the noble Princess of Redbud, now chiming in with equal—if not greater—expectation—delight at his offhand remark.

Lynn instinctively had a bad premonition.

There was no helping it. Someone’s unexpected performance yesterday had left Lynn with far too much psychological trauma.

‘Had I not forcibly salvaged the situation with my super acting skills, the protagonist would truly have died!’

Lynn couldn’t help grumbling inwardly.

Regarding this unqualified heroine, Lynn had almost nothing good to say.

‘However, Louise is right about one thing: meeting the Saintess is indeed something to look forward to?’

Full of anticipation, Lynn began recalling the original storyline.

If Louise was the type whose initial favorability was average, who had only gradually built affection through Ivan’s indomitable performance before becoming a companion, the Holy Cross Kingdom’s Saintess represented a wholly different plot archetype.

‘The Prophesied Hero.’

In the original work, Ivan’s rapid rise from his lowly origins was inseparable from the “prophecy” brought by the Saintess.

The great hero who would lead humanity out of despair when the world faced its end.

‘Truly fitting for the protagonist—this treatment is absurd. A rootless Dust Clan servant, not even at the apprentice rank, with no accumulated magic whatsoever, could be crowned with such a miraculous prophecy? But you have to admit, from a player’s perspective, this kind of storyline is indeed satisfying. And as for logic? Come on, you’re playing a gacha mobile game and you’re talking to me about logic?

Isn’t collecting the heroine character cards the real joy? It’s just a pity that before I transmigrated, that beautifully crafted heroine character card game still hadn’t rolled out an affection system update. Tsk, those shameless devs would do anything to farm hype. Come to think of it, you can’t entirely blame the ridiculous plot design; the game’s Demon King setting was simply too overpowered, forcing the writers to accelerate the protagonist’s growth rate.’

Lynn, who had the game’s story memorized by heart, twitched at the corner of his mouth. Even knowing he was but a stepping stone, largely unrelated to the main script of the World-Saving Heavenly Scripture, just thinking of the culprit who destroyed the world in the original work—the current Supreme King of the Myriad Laws Empire—made Lynn feel immense pressure.

And that was the Myriad Laws Empire, the superpower occupying a full third of the entire continent.

Forget about the Supreme King, whose family history supposedly spanned five millennia; even the commanders directly beneath him, equivalent to the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Race in traditional Demon King and Hero scripts—the Four Apocalypse Marshals—had combat power that shattered all measure, didn’t they?

‘Even Ivan, the protagonist, despite all those heaven-defying treasures, a mysterious legendary master, and the blessing of destiny, faced countless brushes with death in the original work. Didn’t players have to reload who knows how many times just to clear the game? If I’m not mistaken, even the tutorial village, the Neutral City-States where they now stood, couldn’t escape the fate of being conquered by the Myriad Laws Empire in most storyline branches.’

Even the Holy Cross Kingdom, ranked just behind the Myriad Laws Empire among the continent’s five great powers, was reduced to only a handful of cities after the Empire’s invasion.

In fact, today’s diplomatic envoy delegation was nominally for academic exchange and to plan the Continental Arcane Conference a few years later, but anyone with clear eyes knew it was merely a vanguard mission for the Holy Cross Kingdom to draw the Neutral City-States into the Anti-Empire Alliance Front.

‘Seen this way, the protagonist Ivan is actually rather pitiful…’

Lynn shook his head vigorously and unconsciously cast a pitying gaze toward an inconspicuous figure at the very back of the large retinue.

Ivan.

The future Savior, destined to rescue the continent from the clutches of the Myriad Laws Empire, was now being scrutinized by the other trainees with strange looks.

“Hey, isn’t the robe on that guy the uniform of a menial trainee? What right does a lowly menial trainee have to attend a prestigious diplomatic reception?”

“Exactly! And that’s the clown who made a disgrace of himself on the podium yesterday. Tsk tsk, just thinking about sharing the same Mage Tower with this person makes my skin crawl.”

“Right? If not for Lord Lynn’s mercy, I’d have long since taken care of this presumptuous waste of space.”

Listening to the whispered slander against Ivan spreading through the ranks, Lynn made no move to stop it.

After all, this was part of the classic old routine.

The clownish villains look down on him, the protagonist endures, until finally, at the plot’s climax, he reveals his true strength and slaps everyone in the face.

Commonly known as the Dragon King’s crooked smirk.

‘Thus, this is all part of the script.’

So Lynn waited until the buildup was nearly perfect before speaking indifferently,

“Well, it seems all our classmates have arrived. Very good, you are all elite trainees of the Mage Tower. At the reception later, I hope no one disgraces this honor. As for...”

Lynn deliberately paused and dragged out his tone, “Certain trainees not originally on the list—well, I added them out of personal consideration. I hope everyone won’t mind.”

“Haha, if it’s by Lord Lynn’s decree, then naturally there’s no problem.”

“Junior Sophie I know; though not pure-blooded, she’s still the eldest daughter of a Golden Oak Confederation magnate. Lord Lynn would naturally have to show some respect. But that Ivan? Could it be... haha, Lord Lynn specially acquired a personal manservant?”

“As expected of our Prefect! A solution that kills two birds with one stone—adding a servant while letting that clueless fool broaden his horizons.”

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Following Lynn’s “explanation,” the earlier criticism instantly ceased, and the scene was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Except for one person.

“...”

Ivan clenched his fists, head lowered, body trembling faintly.

Ivan angrily etched each of those mocking faces into his memory.

‘Just you wait. Once I follow my master’s instructions and display the Indestructible Body to the Saintess at the reception, once I receive the title of Savior, not a single one of you will escape! So for now, I won’t bicker with you shallow lot. After all, there are still some with a true discerning eye.’

“Miss.”

Ivan shifted his steps slightly, moving toward a not-too-distant figure clad in what could only be described as money personified, exuding a powerful aura.

The daughter of that wealthy merchant family was currently engaged in lively conversation with several female trainees beside her.

“At the reception later...” Ivan started, then deliberately winked, signaling for Miss Sophie to step away from the group.

Yet Sophie seemed oblivious to Ivan’s hint, simply waiting silently for him to speak.

‘She couldn’t grasp my meaning? It seems Miss Sophie isn’t as shrewd as I imagined. Looks like once I become the Savior, I’ll also have to assist Sophie in managing that vast fortune. Sigh, the life of a Savior is truly hard work~’

“Alright, since everyone is here, let’s move out!”

But just as Ivan was about to speak, Lynn, having confirmed the headcount, gave a grand wave. Before everyone’s eyes, he summoned an archway supported by pure white marble pillars from thin air.

“That’s High-level Teleportation! A strategic-grade Arcane Art? Even many Master-rank Arcanists can’t necessarily master it!”

“As expected of our Five Rings Mage Tower Prefect—he’s among the very best even across all the Order School trainees, isn’t he?”

Amidst a chorus of praise and surrounded by the crowd, Lynn stepped through that magnificent gate.

Boom.

What greeted Lynn’s eyes was a supermassive cylindrical tower that soared into the clouds, piercing the sky, as if linking the heavens and the earth.

The Supreme Arcane Council.

The most renowned Arcane hall across the continent, second only to the Imperial Capital of the Myriad Laws Empire.

Composed of dozens of Masters, with hundreds of visiting professors from foreign nations.

With a population of merely six million, the Neutral City-States possessed a concentration of top Arcanists sufficient to stand out among all continental powers and rank as one of the five major forces.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

However, compared to the limelight inside the Five Rings Mage Tower, Lynn and his group were barely noticeable amidst the onsite guests. Even the noble Princess Louise, in the face of this majestic hall, was only an extra topic of conversation due to her beauty.

What truly drew everyone’s attention was the plain carriage approaching from afar.

The carriage itself was unremarkable; though finely crafted, any reasonably wealthy Sun Clan Arcanist could afford one.

What made that carriage so utterly awe-inspiring were the horses pulling it—no, more precisely...

‘A mythical creature, the Unicorn.’

Extravagance. This was true extravagance.

Compared to the female lead of the Holy Cross Kingdom, the financial power behind Sophie’s family seemed like a nouveau riche parvenu flaunting their wealth at the first sign of money.

Lynn watched the carriage with astonished admiration, his heart increasingly eager for the upcoming envoy delegation meeting.

With such an illustrious figure announcing Ivan’s identity, it’s foolproof—this time his plan was absolutely flawless!

All he needed was for the World-Saving Heavenly Scripture to give him a bonus multiplier on his rewards, preferably enough to clear his family debts in one go.

‘The Saintess.’

Beside him, Louise was also holding her breath, waiting for the Saintess to make her entrance.

But unlike the admiration and reverence in others’ eyes, beneath Louise’s radiant gaze toward the so-called “Saintess” lurked a bone-deep, abyssal hatred.

‘If Sophie was merely that bastard Ivan’s guide, then the Saintess is the true culprit who allowed that clown to strut onto the stage and turn black into white!’

Louise could never forget how, in her previous life, she had believed the Saintess’s so-called prophecy, gradually drifting away from Lynn, and ultimately watching him die for her sake.

This time, she absolutely would not repeat the same mistake.

‘I will never allow you to harm Lynn again!’

Louise swore in her heart.

For this, she had already made thorough preparations.

Click.

Just then, the carriage door was pushed open.

A dignified elderly woman first stepped down gracefully from the carriage, then respectfully extended her hand to assist the Saintess in her descent.

“...”

However, the moment that figure, cloaked entirely in a pure white robe that concealed her face and form, touched the ground, the Saintess abruptly halted, as if pausing to observe something.

‘Lynn, he—he truly came?’

Beneath that saintly exterior lay a heart in constant turmoil.

Guilt, sorrow, excitement.

Countless complex emotions intertwined in the heart of the Holy Cross Kingdom’s heiress, like an unending symphony pulsing with booming beats.

“In my last life, my mistaken prophecy caused your demise.”

The Saintess murmured guilt-ridden within her heart.

“In this life, I will absolutely not let that tragedy repeat.”

‘Even if I must stake the soul of Elena upon it, there will be no hesitation.’

After all, compared to what Lynn sacrificed in the previous life, what did this small sacrifice of hers count for?

The Saintess steeled her resolve.

‘For that, I must immediately deal with that despicable wretch... Ivan.’

Thump—

But just as Saintess Elena prepared to enter the great hall first, her feet seemed frozen, unable to move.

‘That—that is?!’

The Saintess felt her body go rigid.

‘Why had that thief come?’

Elena was utterly shocked to sense that hideous presence, one she would never forget even if burned to ashes.

‘Ivan?’

“Ohhh!”

Noticing the direction the Saintess had halted to gaze toward, Lynn immediately understood what was happening.

‘So the prophetic Savior aura on Ivan is stronger than I thought? Elena noticed him even without him displaying the Indestructible Body?’

Lynn pumped his fist in sheer excitement.

‘Looks like my arrangement was completely correct!’

He could hardly wait for the Saintess to “announce” the prophecy.