"Don't be so surprised, Rovert Castellan… or rather, the Fifth Cardinal, Rovert Custer."
Nolan looked at him with a gaze filled with playfulness and a hint of mockery.
In this world, great powers like the Great Empire of Velmora and the Holy Empire of Valtanir followed an absolute monarchy system.
That meant the king or emperor held the highest authority. This system was also commonly adopted by other major powers, including the Underworld Gate.
As the most dangerous dark force on the continent, they were led by a figure known as the "Absolute Sovereign." He was the mastermind behind the rise of the Underworld Gate and the most revered figure among black mages.
His identity and power remained shrouded in mystery. Still, rumors claimed he had reached the highest realm of magic—the Rule-Maker, also called Beyond the World.
That level existed only in mage legends. It was said that anyone who reached it became a demigod, capable of changing the fate of the continent.
