Apocalypse: Starting With Three Unique Blessings-Chapter 36: Preparations For The Trial.

As Magnus settled back into his bed, his mind began to process the day’s events. On the whole, things had progressed remarkably well. He had successfully tackled two of the three crucial tasks he needed to complete before the impending trial. First, he had dealt with Gaylord and his territorial effectively neutralizing the threat. He had also managed to expose Gaylord’s spy within his own territory, a significant victory. This left him with one final, yet daunting, challenge: finding the lord’s seal.

This last task was proving to be a real obstacle. He had no idea where to even begin his search. He didn’t know where his father had kept it before his death. He had dispatched his summon to scour the entire territory, turning over every stone and searching every nook and cranny of his father’s belongings, but the seal remained elusive.

Magnus sighed, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "Perhaps the system shop might offer some assistance," he murmured, pulling up the interface. He found himself staring at a seemingly endless list of skills, feeling overwhelmed.

"System," he requested, "could you narrow down the search to something that might help me find hidden objects or clues?"

-[Affirmative. Narrowing down the options now to suit your requirements.]

The system diligently sorted through the vast array of skills, rapidly reducing the options to a more manageable selection. Magnus carefully perused the remaining choices, his eyes finally landing on one that seemed promising.

-[Whisper of the World [S] 『176,000 EP』: Passively gathers information from the environment, alerting you to subtle changes, hidden dangers, and concealed objects. Increases perception and grants insight into the natural world.]

Magnus stared at the description. This seemed precisely what he needed, but the price was steep. He grimaced, hesitant to spend such a substantial amount, but ultimately decided that the potential benefits outweighed the cost. He purchased the skill and immediately felt a surge of information flooding his mind.

The skill, as described, was passive, requiring no conscious activation. It began working instantly, which was exactly what Magnus required. The influx of information detailed his immediate surroundings, revealing minute details he had never noticed before, despite having occupied this room for years.

Tiny holes in the wall, hidden nests of pests and rodents, small cracks and imperfections in the woodwork – all these previously unseen flaws were now brought to his attention. The skill not only highlighted these subtle details but also allowed Magnus to compare the current state of his room to its earlier condition. He noted slightly shifted objects, remnants of the morning cleaning by the maids, and other such minor alterations. The skill’s reach extended beyond his room, encompassing his entire surroundings and continuously imprinting new information onto his consciousness.

"How convenient," Magnus muttered, impressed by the skill’s effectiveness. It was undoubtedly worth the hefty price. The influx of information eventually subsided, having gathered all the data within its range.

Magnus sighed, a flicker of hope igniting within him. He hoped this new skill would finally lead him to the lord’s seal. If not, he knew he would face significant consequences.

While the territory could technically continue to progress and complete trials without him binding with the seal, it was Magnus who would ultimately suffer the loss.

To become the true lord of the territory, he needed to bind with the lord’s seal, which was intrinsically linked to the land. This binding granted the lord significant benefits. For example, whenever the territory successfully completed a trial, the inhabitants received blessings, which could manifest in various forms. These blessings could be physical rewards like weapons or artifacts, or they could be enhancements to talents and other beneficial attributes.

As the lord, Magnus would receive the lion’s share of these benefits if he were bound to the seal. Without the bond, however, the territory wouldn’t recognize him as its leader, and he would be excluded from the rewards.

Magnus sighed again, his mind racing, trying to devise a plan of action. But exhaustion from the previous sleepless night and the demanding day finally caught up with him. He felt his eyelids growing heavy, and soon he drifted off into a deep slumber.

---

The next day, the first rays of sunlight roused Magnus from his sleep. Following his morning routine of bathing and breakfast, he made his way to the meeting room, where his commanders were already assembled, awaiting his arrival.

"Greetings, Lord Magnus," the four greeted in unison, bowing respectfully as he entered.

"Greetings to you all," Magnus replied, his gaze sweeping over their faces. The exhaustion was evident; it was clear they hadn’t slept much. Robert appeared particularly worn down. As an unawakened individual, his body couldn’t handle the same level of strain as the other three commanders, who were awakened.

Magnus sighed inwardly, observing their weary state. There was much to do and precious little time to accomplish it. "Let’s begin formulating the plan," he said, hoping to expedite the process and give them some respite.

The four commanders offered weak nods of agreement and moved towards the table in the center of the room, where the map still lay spread out. They began discussing their strategy for the approaching beast horde, outlining formations and defensive maneuvers.

Magnus shared the intelligence Kael had gathered about the forming horde, detailing the types of beasts involved, their estimated numbers, and other pertinent information. This data proved invaluable in shaping their plan.

They debated formations, devised countermeasures for the various beasts within the horde, and considered every possible contingency. They revisited the plans they had drafted the previous day, refining them further and making necessary adjustments to account for the latest information.

The process was meticulous and time-consuming, occupying the entire morning. It wasn’t until noon that they finally finalized their strategy.

Magnus left the meeting room and sought out Augustus to check on his progress. While Magnus and his commanders had been strategizing the territory’s defense, Augustus had been diligently managing its internal affairs and addressing the needs of the populace during this challenging time.

The impending trial and the looming beast horde had disrupted many essential activities, such as hunting and mining—anything that required venturing outside the territory’s walls. This disruption had left many people without a source of income. Augustus’s responsibility was to ensure the smooth operation of the territory’s internal affairs, preventing shortages of food and other necessities. It was a demanding and tiring task.

Magnus soon located Augustus, who was immersed in his duties, organizing supplies and overseeing the distribution of resources. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Lord Magnus," Augustus greeted him immediately upon his arrival.

"Greetings to you as well," Magnus replied. "I came to see how things are progressing on your end."

"Oh, that," Augustus said, flashing a weary smile. "Things are going well. Everything is under control."

"That’s excellent," Magnus murmured. "By the way, how is Margaret? I visited the infirmary yesterday, and they told me she hadn’t been there. How is she faring?"

"Oh," Augustus’s face fell, his expression tinged with sadness. "She’s not doing too well. The death of our son hit her hard, and then this... She was devastated when I told her about Nutgrove’s betrayal. She’s slowly starting to recover, though. She seemed a bit better this morning when I left home."

"Oh," Magnus murmured, nodding his head sympathetically. He had anticipated this. Losing their only child must have been a devastating blow, and the revelation of Nutgrove’s treachery had undoubtedly reopened the wound.

Magnus sighed. Life was truly unfair. While he didn’t feel he had the right to judge who deserved to suffer and who didn’t, he felt a pang of empathy for Augustus and Margaret. They were kind, compassionate individuals who readily helped those in need. They didn’t deserve the pain they were enduring, nor did the others who had lost loved ones in the ambush.

Looking directly at Augustus’s saddened face, Magnus furrowed his brows. "What about you?" he asked. "How are you holding up?" He knew Augustus was burying his grief beneath his duties, but one look revealed the sorrow in his eyes.

"Oh, me?" Augustus asked, caught off guard by the question. "Well, I’m doing okay. I’m feeling a lot of things, but I have to stay strong for Margaret and the territory." He sighed heavily.

Magnus lowered his head upon hearing this.

"You don’t have to worry about us," Augustus said, patting Magnus on the shoulder. "You already have a lot on your plate." He paused, then added, "By the way, speaking of which, Margaret was wondering if you might have some time to come over for dinner tonight. It’s been a while."