While William was walking silently in the cavern, a notification suddenly rang out from his Absolute Adaptation talent.

[Ding!! You have altered the flow of events and have disrupted fate significantly]

The sound of the notification resonated clearly within his mind. He had seen this type of notification a few times before.

[Lawless Awakening is activated...]

[Congratulations on being awarded the talent Primordial Rune Master (Legendary Rank)]

William smiled at the reward. Runes were a subject that he had been looking forward to getting familiar with; now it seemed that William would not have to invest much, as he had been awarded a high-ranked talent.

There was a quiet satisfaction in his expression. There was also a hint of anticipation, as if a long-awaited opportunity had finally presented itself at the perfect moment.

He came to stand against a wall and read the effects of this talent.

——————

Primordial Rune Master (Legendary Rank)

- Rune Affinity: Grants affinity to Runic language at SSS level

- Enhanced Rune Comprehension: The host’s comprehension of runes is increased by 60 percent. Complex rune structures become easier to interpret and analyze. Hidden flaws and optimization paths can be identified more efficiently.

- Rune Arsenal: The host can store up to 10 pre-inscribed runes for immediate use. Stored runes can be activated with no delay.

- Rune Genesis: The host can create entirely new runic symbols and integrate them into the runic language system. Newly created runes can begin unstable and require refinement by the host.

- Property Mutation: The host can discover new variants of the same established runes once he manages to master the specific rune completely.

- Composite Rune Forging: The host can combine the use of different energies into a single rune. Hybrid runes produce unique and unpredictable effects. Increased complexity results in higher energy consumption and instability.

——————

"This is awesome," William chuckled with enthusiasm. He had a use for this talent at the moment.

With this talent and the array hijacking stamp, he felt that he could overturn the outcomes of most conflicts in an instant as long as runes were involved. William was excited to see this talent used to its full potential.

His mind had already begun racing ahead, constructing possibilities and scenarios where this newfound ability could help him gain an advantage over his enemy.

With such thoughts, he left the underground cellar, not before changing his form to a normal peasant soldier with shapeshifting talent.

***

Sylvaris Empire

The grandeur of the empire stood tall, its towering structures and intricate architecture reflecting both power and elegance, but suddenly the sky above the empire shook as a massive black spacecraft blasted its way straight towards the imperial palace of Sylvaris.

Of course, it caused commotion, but it seemed the one operating the vehicle did not care for now.

"Fuck!! It’s over for me!!" Katherine thought of several scenarios in her head; she wondered how the situation would shape now. Her thoughts spiraled rapidly, each possibility appearing worse than the last, as anxiety tightened its grip around her.

The worst thought was - what if emprewss selena sends this to her mother? She was terrified of this possibility and wished she could control the situation somehow.

She had come here with the expectations to spend her free time with her friends in a relaxed way, but it seemed that would not be possible now that the elven empress had found her blunder.

The weight of her mistake felt heavier with each passing moment, as reality steadily replaced the carefree plans she had once held.

Katherine clenched her hands and kept looking at the floor in silence, her teeth bit into her lips as she awaited the harsh words she might have to hear from Selena’s mouth.

The silence stretched painfully, amplifying her nervousness, as though even the air around her had become aware of her predicament.

But just then, the door was knocked on from outside, breaking the silence and the tension in Katherine’s mind. She took a deep breath of relief as Selena decided to entertain the person who had knocked on the door.

The interruption felt almost like a temporary escape, giving her a brief moment to gather herself.

A panicked servant entered.

His hurried steps and uneven breathing immediately drew attention, signaling urgency.

"Your Majesty, someone from the Order of Eternal Sovereign has arrived with a big flying artifact; they demand a meeting with you."

The announcement carried both urgency and a hint of fear, suggesting that the matter was not trivial.

"Send them here," Selena ordered at once. The servant bowed and hurriedly left. Meanwhile, Selena looked at Katherine and spoke with a stern voice, "Luck is on your side today, you may leave. Don’t tell my daughter about this."

Her tone left no room for misinterpretation, even though her decision had unexpectedly spared Katherine.

Katherine immediately bowed and left the room. As the door closed behind her, she sighed in relief and slouched her shoulders forward.

The tension that had been building within her finally released, leaving behind a lingering exhaustion.

Just then, she heard footsteps. Out of curiosity, her red eyes moved to look at the end of the corridor, but as a few seconds passed, the environment stilled.

The sound was different from normal footsteps.

From the corner of the hall, a man with white hair walked forward in long strides. He was wearing a white raven mask, a white and gold attire with mysterious symbols etched on it. He also had a cape that stretched to his heels.

His appearance stood out sharply against the surroundings, as though he did not belong in the ordinary.

The man carried an aura that turned Katherine nervous. She saw several servants scrambling behind the man with flustered expressions.

Something was unsettling about him, something that instinctively urged caution.

She immediately moved out of the way and let the White Raven enter the room. She had seen him before, but she knew that this man had changed.

The difference was not something she could clearly define, yet it was undeniable.

She wondered if it was William, but then shook her head. William was still lower in cultivation compared to that man. She believed that William must be an outer member of this organisation, while the man she just saw was at least an elder.

Her reasoning felt logical, even though a small part of her remained uncertain.

As her thoughts wandered around this topic, suddenly a maid walked towards her with a red face. Katherine wondered what had happened to this lady.

The maid’s expression carried an unusual mix of embarrassment and urgency. She took out and presented her a book.

As the maid came closer, she bowed and handed Katherine the same indecent novel. "Her Majesty wants to return this book to you for now." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The situation turned awkward almost instantly, replacing tension with a different kind of discomfort.

Katherine took the book with an awkward expression and disappeared from there with an embarrassed expression.

She moved quickly, eager to leave before anyone else could witness her in such a situation.

____

[A/N: This is the 300th Chapter I have written for this book, and it’s the longest I have ever written, so it’s been a great learning experience for me]