Marcus didn't know what to say or do.

  How did he silently deal with my guards this time? Marcus wondered. And then it crossed his mind that Baron Reginald mentioned something about his mansion only having twelve loyal guards left.

  Either the rest betrayed him, or they left to find other opportunities. Either way, Marcus didn't think any of them were good for him.

  At this point, he was too worried about what was to come than thinking of what to do. He knew that he only had a few seconds before time would freeze again, awaiting his decision.

  Even though Reginald had been brutal in the last two… lives. He made sure to have an excuse or a story to cover his tracks. Weak as those cover stories were, would anyone truly seek justice for me if that's how everything played out?

  Marcus couldn't help but think of his siblings, but that thought didn't even last a second as he quickly shook it from his mind.

  Do I pretend to have lost it again?

  No, Reginald is a sick bastard. He must have come here for a reason, unless… someone in my mansion had notified him of my awakening. The thought of being betrayed left a bitter taste in Marcus's mouth. Since birth, because of his surname and family, he had inherited enemies. But he didn't think the vitriol would go this deep.

  Once again, he shook the unimportant thoughts away. There's no point in thinking about all of this if he couldn't make it past Baron Reginald.

  In both scenarios, I was too powerless to do anything. Should I just give in and beg…

  Marcus paused. This option was likely going to end in the same way pretending to be crazy would have ended, perhaps even worse.

  That left only one option.

  Agree to meet Baron Reginald.

  As jarring and scary as that option was for Marcus, with his life hanging in the balance, it felt like the most viable.

  At least he wouldn't soil his dignity with this option.

  But I need to have something in my corner. Asking for the guards to be stationed near my room now is already too late.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  How can I defend myself?

  And that was when it crossed his mind. The system had tagged him as a mage. Who were mages? Beings that connect with the Arcane. A title respected by many in the world.

  A lot of people would love to become one, and many have tried. They were as few as one in ten thousand.

  However, despite all of Marcus's efforts in the past, he never once awakened such a talent.

  And yet, he was dubbed one by the system. Moreover, it also stated that there was Arcane Knowledge available, though he didn't know what it truly meant; he wanted to explore it now.

  He was desperate for a trump card now.

  The moment he thought about it, the holographic screen appeared, almost making Marcus's heart leap out of his chest. Fortunately for him, it wasn't displaying his options, and time hadn't frozen.

  Rather, it was displaying a little bit more details of what Arcane Knowledge entailed.

  [Arcane Knowledge (Lv1): A structured repository of foundational magical theory, containing approved Level 1 Spells, their casting principles, mana circulation methods, and the corresponding spell arrays required to manifest them. Access grants understanding, not mastery—execution depends on the user's aptitude and preparation.

  Would you like to learn?]

  Marcus didn't even waste any time. "Yes." He had just said the word when Leti barged in and ran out. Not long after that, the dreaded knock fell upon his door.

  However, this time Marcus didn't seem to notice. His pupils had somehow vanished, replaced with a white light that soon vanished.

  Feeling a very slight strain on his mind, Marcus clenched his teeth, breathless at the quantity and influx of information that spilled into his head.

  But he didn't have the time to marvel at it.

  Defensive spells. He began searching his, and within a second, he found several level 1 defensive spells.

  "Lord Viscount?" Leti's voice interrupted his thoughts as she called out from behind the door. Marcus knew that it was time.

  "Yes? Come in."

  Leti entered the room. "Lord Viscount, Baron Reginald is here to see you."

  As expected, time froze not long after she revealed the news, and then the familiar words appeared before him.

  [Edge Of Death: Threat identified. Baron Reginald, the last son of a wealthy Count, was an avid supporter of the seventh Prince's faction. He has been working very hard over the years to veto your control over Agard, and the only thing stopping him from completely taking over is the breath you inhale. Baron Reginald has committed many atrocities in your land, and he continues to do so. He hates you to the core and currently doesn't have any positive regard towards you. Given the chance, he won't hesitate to kill you.]

  [You have seven options.

  *Agree to meet with Baron Reginald.

  *Refuse to meet the Baron and send him out of your mansion.

  *Have your guards seize him and execute him for his crimes.

  *Beg the Baron to spare your life and promise to hand over Agard to him.

  *Pretend to have lost your mind once again.

  *Cast a Curse on Baron Reginald.

  *Reveal to him that you are a Mage.

  You have 2 minutes to decide. 1:58]

  These new additions. Are my options reactive to my abilities and conditions? Marcus felt like this was more likely to be the case.

  Wouldn't it mean that if he were stronger, he would have more options? Or even better, regardless of what he picked, he would live to see the end of it?

  For a few seconds, Marcus entertained the thought of the two new options, but he soon dismissed them as they contained faults he couldn't control.

  Casting a curse? He understood what he required for the curse to work successfully, and he didn't have the mana reserves for it.

  Reveal that he was a mage?

  Rather than make Baron Reginald hesitate, it might force him to act once again. Even in his current state, Baron Reginald still sees him as a bit of a threat.

  He could infer this just by recalling the words spoken by the baron the first time he was killed. Baron Reginald had thought Marcus had some spunk to him.

  Proving that he was indeed a threat…

  Marcus decided that he was going to stick to his previous decision. He would agree to meet with the baron.

  With the knowledge of spells in his head, he felt a little bit confident…

  "Tell him that I'll meet with him in a few minutes," Marcus replied. "Leti," he called out. "Help me delay the baron for a minute or two."

  "As you wish, lord viscount."

  With a bow, Leti left the room. At the same time, Marcus gave a command in his head.

  Absorb.