I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

But the thing is…” Skreek paused dramatically, his eyes fixed on Julian’s face. “There was a fourth fragment as well.”

Julian’s eyes widened. “What?”

Skreek smiled—not his usual greedy, merchant smile, but something more genuine.

“Yes, Sir. A fourth fragment. You see, when the original flame divided itself into the three Primordial Gods, the division was not perfectly clean. There was a remainder—a piece that belonged to none of the three, yet carried essence from all of them.”

He gestured with his hands, trying to illustrate something.

“This fourth fragment contained traces of Creation, Destruction, and Balance all mixed together. It was unique in all the cosmos—the only piece of the original flame that contained the unified nature of what came before the division.”

Julian felt something cold in his stomach. “And according to your friend…”

“She believes the fourth fragment fell down to our world,” Skreek said quietly. “Specifically to the kingdom of Hermes. And THAT is the reason for such diversity in this kingdom. Not just one Primordial essence, but elements of all three, creating uncountable variety in life forms.”

He leaned forward, his voice barely above a whisper.

“The elves, the beastmen, the orcs, all the strange and wonderful species that exist only here—they’re all products of this fragment’s influence.”

Julian sat back in his chair. A fragment containing essence from all three Primordial Gods would be infinitely more valuable and infinitely more dangerous than a piece from just one.

But something wasn’t adding up.

“The great fire split countless eons ago,” Julian said slowly, working through the timeline. “If the fragment has been here since the ancient past, influencing this region for that long… why did the Hermes Kingdom only close its gates a few centuries ago?”

His eyes narrowed as he continued thinking aloud.

“If the fragment was here all along, creating these diverse species over millennia, why the sudden need for isolation? What changed?”

It was an excellent question.

Skreek finally sat back in his chair, and for the first time, he looked genuinely apologetic.

“Well, Sir… Skreek is sorry to say this, but Skreek doesn’t have any other information to give you on that particular question.”

“Skreek’s friend in the capital has theories, of course. Everyone has theories. But no solid information. The records from that time—from when the isolation began—are sealed at the highest levels. Only the royal family and perhaps a handful of ancient scholars know the true reason.”

Skreek’s tail swished nervously behind him.

“What Skreek can tell you is that something happened three hundred and forty-seven years ago. Something significant enough to make the kingdom seal itself completely. The official proclamation spoke of ‘protecting a sacred treasure’ and ‘preventing catastrophe,’ but gave no specific details.”

Julian was lost in his thoughts. I have to learn of this anyway possible, he thought to himself. This is the only way to save myself and everyone surrounding me.

He locked his eyes with Skreek, his expression intense and focused.

“I need your help,” Julian said.

Skreek’s reptilian features showed wariness immediately. His tail stopped swishing, and he straightened in his chair.

“What kind of help, Sir?” he asked carefully, his squeaky voice losing some of its enthusiasm. “Skreek has already provided much information. What more could Skreek do?”

“I need you to introduce me to this friend of yours in the capital.”

Skreek’s eyes widened dramatically, and he actually flinched slightly.

“What? Sir, that’s—that’s not possible! The capital is sealed! Nobody gets in or out! How could Skreek possibly introduce you to someone trapped inside an impenetrable fortress?”

“You said she could send messages before the lockdown,” Julian pressed. “Which means there are communication methods that work through the barriers. And if messages can get through, then there are channels, however limited. Channels that someone with the right connections—” he looked meaningfully at Skreek, “—might be able to access or leverage.”

Skreek shook his head.

“No, no, no, Sir! You don’t understand! The communication crystals stopped working when the final seal went up! The last message Skreek received was three months ago, right before everything locked down completely! Since then—nothing! Silence!”

Julian was not convinced. “But you must have backup plans. Someone like you don’t just lose access to a valuable source without having backup methods.”

Skreek looked at him, then away quickly.

“Even if Skreek had such methods—which Skreek is not confirming!—why would Skreek risk exposing them? Risk exposing my friend? She could be in danger already! Drawing more attention to her could get her killed!”

Lyanna crossed her arms.

“Or leaving her alone in there with whatever’s happening could get her killed. We’re offering to help. To investigate. To potentially rescue her if she needs it. That’s better than sitting here hoping she stays safe while the situation deteriorates.”

Skreek looked between the four of them, clearly torn.

“It’s going to be hard,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “Very, very hard. Even if Skreek wanted to help—and Skreek isn’t saying he does!—the risks would be enormous. The methods Skreek would have to use… they’re dangerous. Illegal. If discovered, Skreek could be executed.”

He paused meaningfully, his eyes fixing on Julian.

“And such risks… such extraordinary risks… would require extraordinary compensation.”

There it was.

Julian didn’t smile. He simply reached into his pocket and pulled out a pouch. He placed it on the table between them, making Skreek’s eyes widen.

The crocodile-man stared at the pouch, his tongue flicking out unconsciously.

“That’s for the risk,” Julian said calmly. “For potentially exposing your methods, for putting yourself in danger and for doing something that could get you executed if discovered.”

He pulled out a second pouch, equally large, and placed it beside the first.

“And that’s for success. For actually getting us in contact with her, for providing whatever assistance we need to understand what’s happening in that capital.”

Skreek’s hand reached out slowly, almost reverently, toward the pouches. He picked up the first one then opened it slightly to peer inside.

His eyes grew even wider.

“This is… Sir, this is more than Skreek makes in a year! Maybe two years!”

“Then it should adequately compensate for the risk,” Julian said simply.