Three days later, Sofia welcomed Kara, Duke Darian, Linn, Sylvi, and Brigir into one of the mansion's reception rooms.
They had requested a meeting with Lusian.
Brigir could barely hide her curiosity. She had heard that Sofia possessed an extraordinary magical affinity and was considered one of the most powerful people in the kingdom. In her tribe, strength was a matter of respect, and meeting someone like that inevitably piqued her interest.
However, she was not prepared for what happened.
A roar shook the room.
Brigir immediately turned around.
A huge lion appeared behind Sofia.
It was enormous.
Far larger than any lion she had ever seen in her life. Its paws were as thick as young tree trunks, and as it moved forward, its claws left small marks on the stone floor.
Brigir felt every muscle in her body tense.
That was not an animal she could easily fight.
If the creature lunged at her, she probably would not even have time to raise her axe.
The lion stopped.
It stared at her for several seconds.
Then it looked away.
Brigir slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding.
A short while later, Lusian entered the room.
He took a seat beside Sofia and looked at everyone present.
Linn looked serious. Darian stood with his arms crossed. Sylvi watched in silence, while Brigir did not take her eyes off him.
Lusian took a deep breath.
How am I supposed to explain something I'm not even sure is going to happen?
He could not tell them the truth.
He could not talk about the game.
All he could do was show them the pieces he had found and hope they were enough.
"Before we begin," he said, "I want to make something clear. I don't know exactly what is happening."
Everyone fell silent.
"And I can't guarantee that my interpretation is correct, either."
Lusian gave a signal.
A servant entered carrying several documents and old books. Among them were reports related to the demonic cult and historical records concerning ancient periods of mana instability.
Isabella entered behind him with the remaining documents.
Lusian picked one up.
"But I've found too many coincidences to ignore them."
He spread the report across the table.
"Animals abandoning their territories. Plants growing faster than normal. Changes in water sources. Sudden variations in mana density."
Brigir slowly lowered her gaze.
Those were exactly the symptoms she had described.
"Similar phenomena appear in some ancient records," Lusian continued. "And all of them occurred before major changes in ecosystems."
Darian frowned.
"What kind of changes?"
Lusian remained silent for a few seconds.
"The mana began to increase."
The room fell completely still.
"Not all at once," he added. "At first, it was almost imperceptible. Then, little by little, it began accumulating in the environment."
He pointed to the documents.
"Plants were the first to react. They grew faster and stored more mana. Then the herbivores that fed on them began to change."
Brigir immediately understood.
"And then the predators."
Lusian looked at her.
"Exactly."
The woman's expression hardened.
"It's already happening."
Lusian slowly nodded.
"I know."
He did not want to say more.
Sofia spoke up.
"And what happens next?"
Lusian lowered his gaze toward the documents.
"That's what worries me."
He turned a page.
"If the increase continues, animals will begin to migrate. Some creatures will abandon their territories because they will no longer be able to survive there. Others will follow the trail of new food sources."
Darian understood.
"And eventually they'll approach the cities."
"Not necessarily right away," Lusian clarified. "But it could happen over time."
Linn narrowed her eyes.
"And humans?"
Lusian took a moment to answer.
"Humans are part of the food chain too."
Lusian lowered his gaze.
"And we're one of the least prepared species to adapt."
The statement carried more weight than he had expected.
"If the plants change, the animals change. If the animals change, our food sources change. And if the strongest creatures begin to migrate..."
He paused.
"The borders we know might stop meaning anything."
Sylvi tightened her hands in her lap.
"Do you think it'll reach that point?"
Lusian looked at her.
"I don't know."
He was being honest.
"But I think it would be a mistake to wait until we're certain."
Darian remained thoughtful, his eyes fixed on the documents.
"If what you're saying is true, then we need to monitor how the situation develops."
Lusian nodded.
"That's the only thing I can recommend."
"They aren't enough to act as if a catastrophe is certain," Darian continued, "but they are enough to make sure we don't ignore it."
Lusian remained silent.
Darian picked up one of the reports.
"I'll order the water sources and mana records in the regions under our control to be reviewed. I'll also inform the other territories so they can watch for any abnormal changes."
It was not a general alarm.
Not yet.
It was simply precaution.
Linn remained thoughtful for several seconds.
"We'll do the same."
Brigir looked at her.
"And the forest?"
Linn lowered her gaze toward the map.
"We won't abandon it."
She paused.
"But we'll prepare shelters outside the most dangerous areas. If our shamans are right and the forest continues to change, we'll need somewhere to take our people."
Lusian felt a slight sense of relief.
He had not managed to convince them that the disaster was inevitable.
Nor had he intended to.
He only needed them to be prepared to recognize the signs when they appeared.
If I'm wrong, they'll have wasted some resources.
If I'm right...
Lusian looked at the documents on the table.
...warning them was the only thing I could do.
When the others began to leave, Kara approached Lusian.
"Hey, idiot."
Lusian looked at her.
"What do you want?"
"I heard your birthday is next week."
"So?"
Kara smiled.
"What do you want as a present?"
Lusian thought for a few seconds.
Then he remembered something.
"Your cousin lives in Mongrul, right?"
Kara narrowed her eyes.
"Yes."
"I want something from there."
"What?"
"Water."
Kara blinked.
"Water?"
"There's a lake in the forest that no creature can drink from."
Kara's expression changed.
"How do you know it exists?"
Lusian froze.
Again.
"I read about it somewhere."
Kara eyed him suspiciously.
"You have too many books."
"Can you get it?"
She sighed.
"I'll try. But I can't promise it'll be quick."
"That's fine. As long as it gets here."
Kara smiled.
"Then it's settled."
She crossed her arms.
"But in eight months, I'll challenge you again."
Lusian laughed.
"Again?"
"Until I manage to defeat you."
"Keep dreaming, barbarian."
Kara smiled.
"You'd better keep training, idiot."
Lusian shook his head as she walked away.
He did not know how much the world would change during those four months.
But he hoped that, by then, there would still be a world to return to.