The moment Rowan Mercer disappeared, Arcadios rushed straight to the palace.
The king, the princess, and the defense minister were all summoned at once.
"This is outrageous," Defense Minister Darton snapped after hearing the report. "Mobilize the Direwolf Knights."
Even though Darton had never supported the Eclipse Gate plan, allowing a mage to trespass into the palace and forcibly take a royal relic was an insult he couldn't tolerate.
King Toma E. Fiore sat heavily on his throne, clutching his pumpkin-shaped helmet, his brows drawn tight. Rowan's words still echoed in his mind. Uncomfortable as they were, they made sense.
"I don't deny what he said has merit," the king murmured.
Before he could continue, the princess stepped forward.
Princess Hisui E. Fiore, small in stature but sharp-eyed and composed far beyond her years, spoke firmly. "Father, whether that cat speaks the truth or not is irrelevant. The Eclipse Gate cannot remain in his possession. It must be recovered immediately."
Darton nodded. "I agree. Deploy the Direwolf Knights."
The king hesitated, then sighed. "Very well. But do not kill him. Bring him back alive. He doesn't seem malicious."
"Rest assured, Your Majesty," Darton said confidently. "They know how to measure force."
The Direwolf Knights were the crown's hidden blade. Five mages only, but every one of them was a top-tier S-Class specialist, trained for coordinated elimination. They had never failed a mission.
Even a Wizard Saint would fall to them.
Moments later, a magic circle flared inside the council chamber. Five figures appeared, their attire strange, their presence oppressive. Power radiated from them without restraint.
"The Direwolf Knights report," their leader said coolly, twin scythes crossed on his back.
Darton explained the mission in brief.
"Recover the Eclipse Gate. Avoid unnecessary commotion. Tomorrow is the final day of the Games."
"Understood," the leader replied. "We'll return within thirty minutes. Prepare healers. He won't escape unscathed."
They vanished.
Fifteen minutes later, a soldier burst into the chamber, pale and gasping for breath.
"Your Majesty! The Direwolf Knights have re—"
Darton smiled. "As expected. Fifteen minutes instead of thirty."
"They… they were carried back," the soldier blurted out.
Silence fell.
"What did you say?" Darton demanded.
The soldier swallowed. "They entered Fairy Tail's lodging without incident. Two minutes later, all five were thrown out of a window. Unconscious. Critically injured. This note was left with them."
The paper was passed forward.
Written in casual handwriting were six words:
"Don't send trash next time."
No one spoke.
The Direwolf Knights. Defeated in two minutes.
Only then did the king, the princess, Darton, and Arcadios fully understand what they were dealing with.
Rowan Mercer wasn't merely a Wizard Saint.
He was something closer to the Ishgar Four.
And against someone like that, neither the throne nor the Magic Council could force compliance.
"…Let it go," the king finally said, weary. "Seven years remain. Let him keep it."
To his own surprise, a sense of relief followed the decision.
"Tomorrow's finals," he added quietly, "may be more spectacular than I imagined."
Back at the lodging, Rowan lay curled on the bed, eyes closed.
The Direwolf Knights had been detected the moment they crossed the perimeter. A barrier had gone up instantly, sealing off sound and impact so his teammates could sleep undisturbed.
They were competent. Dangerous, even.
Just not dangerous to him.
He'd dealt with them quickly, copied their magic through memory extraction, and tossed them out before they could escalate.
"Not bad," Rowan muttered lazily.
He mentally sorted through the new spells.
Mark-and-Hunt magic. Acid corrosion. Terrain alteration. Paper-based composite magic. Plant manipulation.
Plenty of potential.
Mark-and-Hunt could be refined into a targeting system. Acid magic worked well against layered defenses. Terrain alteration fascinated him the most. With enough power, the scale could be planetary.
Paper magic had surprising synergy with mental interference. Plant magic could fuse cleanly with his Wood Dragon power.
"After the Games," Rowan decided, "I'm clearing out the Magic Development Bureau's library."
Tomorrow was the final day.
And after that, things were going to get interesting.