Mage Lian gave a satisfied nod. "I thought so. I had the court mages estimate the equivalent value of your provided corpses for high-grade resources you could exchange with. With your reputation now, no one dared object. The Princess also approved of it which was the biggest help."
Michaelâs brows rose slightly.
He was conflicted inside.
He really did want to be in the mind of this grey being but it was also because of her he might no longer need to acquire materials for his Advancement in Aurora.
"Iâll have the full breakdown ready the day after tomorrow," Mage Lian said. "By then, the court will have finalized the estimates for each of the available materials, and Iâll know exactly what youâre entitled to. If you have specific preferences, send them to me by tomorrow night. That way, I can make sure theyâre included."
Michael hesitated for a moment then nodded slowly. That gave him some time to thinkâsome time to plan. "Alright. Iâll compile the list."
He stood, but paused before turning to leave.
"Also..." Michael said, his tone neutral but deliberate. "Extend my thanks to the Princess."
Mage Lian nodded. "Consider it done."
Michael nodded.
Then, quietly, "I know."
And with that, he turned and exited the room.
As for their previous conversation, the two wisely did not speak about it.
For a matter like that, anytime was the right time.
Once Michael was out of the room, silence settled like dust.
Mage Lian didnât move for a moment. He simply stared at the door, his aged eyes thoughtful and faintly tired. Then, slowly, he turned his gaze to the Titan Potion resting on the table.
He picked it up with reverence, cradling it in both hands. The glass was cool, but he could feel the turbulent power swirling insideâthe dense vitality.
A heavy sigh left his lips.
"This favor... is too much," he muttered.
But then he glanced down at his own trembling fingersâfaint shudders caused not by emotion, but by the instability within. The swelling mana. The cracked foundation. The looming threat of internal collapse.
Mage Lianâs lips tightened.
In the face of death, pride held little value.
He pushed aside the chair, moved to the inner chamber of his office, and sat cross-legged on the array-inscribed floor. With a flick of his finger, multiple layered formations activated around himâbarriers, silencers, anti-surveillance spells.
He exhaled deeply, composed himself, and muttered a mental chant to stabilize his consciousness. Only when he was sure that his mind and spirit were anchored did he finally uncork the vial.
The moment the seal broke, a thick, mist rolled out, and the roomâs temperature shifted.
Mage Lian didnât hesitate.
He drank it all in one breath.
At first, nothing.
Thenâeverything.
His body seized.
A tidal wave of raw power surged through him, rampaging through his bloodstream, slamming into every organ, nerve, and cell. It felt like his insides were being reforged with fire and lightning. His heartbeat roared like a war drum, and veins bulged across his face and neck. The mana that had been unstable in his core suddenly met its matchâno, more than that.
It was being tamed.
The wild, swollen torrents of unstable mana were drowned out by a stronger force. Not suppressed... but harmonized. The Titan Potion didnât destroy or overwriteâit reinforced, strengthened, and anchored.
Mage Lian gritted his teeth as his bones creaked and groaned. His skin pulsed with faint glowing veins.
Then, slowly... the pain receded.
The violent tide became a calm sea.
Sweat poured from his brow, soaking into his robe. His face was pale, yet... steady. His breathing leveled.
Mage Lianâs eyes openedâclearer, sharper than before. There was still the look of age... but now, beneath it, a newfound vitality.
"...It worked," he whispered, voice hoarse with disbelief.
Then he laughed.
A quiet, tired, relieved laugh that filled the chamber with a long-overdue release of pressure.
Now, his life was no longer in danger.
After calming himself and directing his senses inward, Mage Lian began to assess the state of his bodyâand what he found left him momentarily speechless.
Not only had the Titan Potion stabilized the uncontrollable mana surge within him, it had reinforced his entire physical structure. His previously fragile mana veinsâstrained to the brink by the Two Souls Magic Fruit he had consumed weeks agoâwere now sturdier, wider, and more elastic. What had once seemed like a fatal mistake had become a catalyst for evolution.
The Titan Potion didnât just fortify his body to contain vast quantities of mana; it enhanced the very foundation of his physical strength.
He flexed his fingers and slowly rotated his arm, eyes narrowing in thought. The difference was clear.
His body now held a strength mages werenât meant to possess. Though not truly on the level of a Grand-tier Knight, he was certainly beyond an Advanced-tier. In some ways, he could be called a pseudo Grand-tier Knightâa shocking feat, considering his class. Very few mages could claim such physical might, and even fewer had the durability to match.
The increase in strength wasnât just a luxury. It was survival.
The Titan Potion hadnât merely healed him. It had granted him power, durability, and extended longevity. In battle, where spell interruption and close-range assaults were lethal for most mages, this newfound sturdiness could mean the difference between life and death.
Mage Lian looked down at his handsâsteady, unshaking.
It was a miracle potion.
No... more than that.
It was a turning point.
Mage Lian took a deep breath, letting the sensation of stability wash over him. For the first time in weeks, the throbbing pressure behind his eyes had faded. His thoughts were no longer cluttered by the constant effort of controlling mana that threatened to tear him apart from within.
Now, it was as if the storm had passed, and in its place stood an unshakable mountain.
He rose slowly to his feet, marveling at how light he feltâhow fluid his movements were. The subtle aches heâd grown used to ignoring were gone.
*******
A/N: If anyone can name all of Michael named undead, the next upload would be more than two Chapters.