Below the opening sentence, more lines of his handwriting stretched neatly across the page.

She began reading.

==========

Silvena,

Tomorrow, submit a formal request to the academy administration.

The request must be written under your name. List the three of us as participants in the leave: yourself, me, and Irene.

The purpose of the request is simple. We will need permission to leave the academy for 2 days next weekend.

Evening departure, then return by the next evening.

More importantly, the reason written in the request must be normal. Avoid anything that would encourage the administration to ask questions.

You are far better than I am when it comes to these matters, so I will leave the choice of excuse to you.

And once the permission is approved, let me know immediately.

========

Her brows lifted slightly as she kept reading.

"Huh?"

"Leave the academy?"

"For two days?"

"And with Irene involved as well...?"

"What exactly is he planning to do outside the academy?"

And more than that, why did she have to be the one who came up with the excuse for his plan?

She didn’t even know what he was planning to do. What excuse was she supposed to make here?

And why was the most important part being left to her!?

Silvena sighed, then let out a small chuckle.

’This cunning tyrant... always pushes the hard part onto me.’

She read the next line.

========

Also, there is another small matter.

I will require some funds.

To be precise, I need money...

Not an unreasonable amount. Just enough to solve a few problems that have recently become increasingly difficult to ignore for me.

First, is food.

I need proper food. Surviving on the meals provided to Class E scholars may slowly erode my will to live.

The portions are somewhat questionable.

But honestly, the ingredients are even more questionable...

========

Silvena lowered the paper slightly, the corners of her lips twitching as she reached the final lines.

A small laugh slipped out of her.

"Pfft—"

She quickly covered her mouth, though the laughter refused to stay contained.

Silvena leaned back in her chair, pressing the paper lightly against her forehead as if trying to process what she had just read.

"Honestly..."

Then, she stared at the ceiling with a strange expression.

"...Does he really eat that badly?"

Her voice was softer this time.

"Really now, for someone who dares to plan things like this... he is strangely modest when it comes to money."

Her fingers tapped the edge of the letter once, almost thoughtfully.

"Who does he think I am? If it was just money that he needed, he could have told me."

A soft chuckle escaped her.

She leaned back deeper into her chair, crossing one leg over the other.

Because... if it’s only money.

Silvena have more than enough of it.

Then, she read the next messages.

=========

Second, I will require several potions.

Specifically: Recovery potions. And mana training enhancement potions.

My current condition is not sufficient for what comes next. If I want to get stronger within a reasonable amount of time, those will be necessary.

Consider it an investment.

If everything goes well, the return will be significant.

I also have another few things that I want you to prepare for our next trips, but I will tell you about it on another day.

=========

"...Hmm."

Her fingers tapped lightly against the edge of the desk as she began thinking.

’So, for the next event he needed to get stronger...’

Her viridian eyes drifted toward the window where the academy gardens rested under the evening lantern light.

’I wonder how dangerous it will be.’

’Though, it is probably not beyond our capability.’

Because this time, the request only included Irene.

Not Seraphine.

The last time Ruvian had asked for Seraphine’s assistance was because of the Malice-class Voidspawn.

That situation had required her overwhelming force. If something like that were involved again, Ruvian would not have left Seraphine out of the plan.

At least... that was the reasonable conclusion.

Still.

Silvena slowly exhaled.

"...But I cannot rely on that assumption alone."

Ruvian had a habit of calmly walking into situations that most people would consider absurdly dangerous.

Her fingers folded the paper once more and placed it neatly on the desk.

Silvena rested her chin lightly against her hand.

"...Then I suppose I will have to prepare as well."

Her voice was quiet. But the faint smile returning to her lips carried a hint of excitement.

"I need to get stronger too."

If Ruvian was already moving his pieces on the board...

Then she had no intention of being the only one left unprepared.

Finally, she read the last instruction that Ruvian had for her.

==========

Lastly, there is one more matter.

This is not related to the next event.

However, I believe it will be beneficial for your guild in the long run.

In Natoris Town, my hometown, to be eaxct... there is a small blacksmith shop.

It sits quietly between two buildings along the market street in the Evermere Plaza. Nothing about it stands out compared to the newer workshops that have opened in recent months. And most people would walk past it without even giving it a second glance.

However, I want you to tell one of your ciphers to go there and recruit the two blacksmiths working in that shop.

Their names are Dain Forgewell and Gared Forgewell.

A father and his son.

Bring them into your guild.

Treat them well. And do whatever you must to convince them to join you.

If they hesitate, tell them that I was the one who suggested it, and I am the one who asked for their help.

They will understand what that means.

Once they join, provide them with whatever they need. Training. Materials. And resources. Anything that will allow them to improve their craft.

Do not underestimate them.

Both of them will become a valuable asset in the future.

That is all.

—Ruvian

==========

Silvena stared at the paper for a long moment after finishing the final line.

"...A blacksmith?"

Her brows lifted slightly.

A small smile slowly formed on her lips.

"... Now, this is getting interesting."

"If he had gone out of his way to write this request... those two blacksmiths are almost certainly not as ordinary as they appeared."

Knock! Knock!

"Yes, come in."

At that moment, the door to the room opened softly.

Irene stepped inside, carrying a small silver tray with two porcelain cups resting upon it. Thin wisps of steam rose from the freshly prepared jasmine tea, filling the room with a gentle fragrance.

She moved quietly across the room before carefully placing the tray on the desk.

"Lady Silvena," Irene said with a polite bow. "Did I make you wait for long?"

Silvena lifted her gaze from the paper and shook her head lightly.

"No," she replied calmly. "You came just in time."

Irene straightened and began pouring the tea into the cups.

Meanwhile, Silvena lifted the folded letter between two fingers and waved it lightly in the air. The paper fluttered faintly.

"By the way, Irene..."

She said with a faint smile.

"Yes?" Irene lifted her eyebrows.

"It seems like we have quite a lot of work to do starting tonight."

No sooner had the words left her lips than a sudden tickle rose sharply in her nose, catching her off guard before she could suppress it.

"Achooo!!!!"

’Ugh... I suddenly feel cold.’

──────── ✦ ────────

[Chapter 120: The Gathering Pieces]