The forest had grown quiet again, as if the land itself had finally exhaled after the chaos of the previous battle.
Ethan stood with his head slightly bowed while maintaining a respectful posture, his arms relaxed at his sides and his expression carefully neutral. Across from him, the envoy named Harold studied him in silence for a long moment, his sharp eyes moving slowly over Ethan's figure as though he were examining a rare artifact rather than a young man who had just survived a battlefield filled with corrupted beasts.
At last, Harold spoke.
"Rise."
Ethan lifted his head and straightened his back before meeting the man's gaze directly.
Harold's eyes narrowed slightly when he noticed the absence of fear in the young man's expression. In most cases, a level one standing before a level seven would struggle to remain upright under the pressure alone. Their voices would tremble, their bodies would shake, and their eyes would instinctively drop toward the ground.
