They were instructed to get cleaned up. After that, Solomon was going to prep them for the next phase.

They were now fully fledged mages.

Solomon also mentioned an interview.

This wasn’t for all of them.

The interview was really just for Roe and Zach.

Merlin had instructed that they be introduced to the world.

They all went on to get cleaned up.

The temple had caretakers.

These helped locate their dorms.

After eating, they assembled in the dining hall where they would refuel.

Solomon began to address them.

"Sorry, Master. I thought we weren’t supposed to talk while eating," Sigman said.

Everyone turned to look at him in shock.

Did he just make a crude joke?

Would Solomon accept it?

They all wondered.

There was an awkward silence for a while.

It disappeared not long after.

Solomon laughed.

"That’s funny."

The tension eased, and the others followed.

They did as Solomon had always intended.

He was going to brief them as they ate.

"You’re all now fully fledged mages allied with the Merlin Circle."

"You may take on random raids, but your allegiance is to the Circle."

"Should the Circle demand something of you, that should take priority," he said.

"You’ll find that we don’t usually take on regular rifts. However, since you’re all just starting, you’ll begin from ground zero."

"You’ll take on these rifts for a while."

"After your team leader has deemed you ready, you may then proceed onward."

"You’ll report directly to Master Lot."

"He should be here for this briefing, actually, but it seems something delayed him."

Solomon didn’t actually know if anything was delaying Lot.

He was just filling in for him.

Lot was actually angry when he got assigned the team.

Most of the other masters took on much more daring tasks.

He was asked to merely babysit children.

He wasn’t going to go easy on them.

"After you meet up with Lot, he’ll explain how things will go on from here."

"Zach will not be going with you."

"Your team will consist of the rest of you present here."

"You seem to total eight."

"Roe, Sigman, Edward, Gwen, Ursula, John, Verdona, and Randolph."

"I’m, of course, not including Zach."

"He’ll be proceeding with me from this point onward."

"I’ve arranged a press conference for Roe and Zach to announce themselves to the world."

"You may prepare a speech or whatever."

"The rest of you will be in attendance."

"You’ll not be speaking, however."

"Lot will choose a team leader."

"I personally would recommend Roe, but I guess I’ll leave that to him."

"Should things take a different turn..."

"Merlin has other plans for two of you still left in that group."

"You’ll perform initial raids as eight."

"If it comes down to it, you’ll be reduced to just six."

"Finish up," he said as he stood.

"Get ready. Then we’ll move out."

"You two."

"It’s about to be go time."

He pointed at Zach and Roe.

’He’s probably taking Zach in for private lessons,’ Roe thought.

’What am I even supposed to say? Hey, I’m an SSS-rank mage?’

He laughed internally.

’I don’t even know if I have stage fright. There’s bound to be a tough crowd.’

Zach was also anxious.

’I can’t believe Solomon’s training me regardless.’

’I guess I didn’t need all that talk from Roe earlier.’

’I still appreciate the thought.’

’What do I even say when I appear before everyone?’ Zach thought.

Before long, they all wrapped up their meals.

They didn’t have a car capable of carrying them all.

They used one of the buses.

"It seems the front seats are already occupied," Edward noted.

"Yes, genius. Now hop on. We’re going to be late," Lot said.

He had been waiting for them there.

He wasn’t going to receive a full-on speech from Solomon.

He was saving his ears from Solomon’s gravelly lectures.

They departed.

In no time, all the major news networks were informed that the Circle of Merlin had some pretty big information to pass on.

It was bound to be juicy.

At one reporting house—

"Hey! I said drop everything! Get yourselves to City Hall. Right now!" the chief editor shouted.

At another—

"Yes. Yes, Mr. Chairman. Please reserve the best seats for us. We’d like to get a front-row interview," the chief editor responded.

At another news house—

The chief editor received a call from the Council.

They gave him questions to ask.

The Council had a pretty good idea of what the Circle of Merlin was preparing to announce.

They were just slightly off the mark.

They knew of Roe and him being an SSS-rank mage.

There was just one surprise that would befall them and the rest of the world soon.

"Turn the TV on."

"I’m sure every station of substance in this country will be featuring that interview," Vlad said to his assistant.

Everyone was tuned in.

Elijah from his home.

Other awakeners from various circles.

Regular folks too.

The bus arrived at City Hall.

They stepped out.

The driver went on to park.

"Follow my lead," Solomon said.

"Don’t step out of line. Either of you."

"Hope you’ve got your speeches or whatever ready."

Lot walked up to someone who looked like a manager.

He and the man started talking.

Lot gave them a signal to follow.

They continued talking.

"This weirdly feels like a school excursion," Edward said.

Gwen laughed.

"This reminded me of that one time when my school..."

She began telling a story.

This helped ease the tension.

She knew this was a big moment not just for them, but especially for Roe and Zach.

They went into the building.

Climbed the stairs.

The conversation was still going until the final minute.

"Okay, finally. It looks like we’re here," Lot said.

"You two may go in."

"The camera people are already there."

"The podium and everything is all set."

"Make sure those interviewers don’t mess with you."

"There’s a whole bunch of them out there waiting to chew you out," the manager said.

"The country’s watching," Lot said.

"Correction. The whole world’s watching," the manager pointed out.

He held onto their shoulders.

"Go give ’em hell."

They both went for the door. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Lot dragged Zach back.

Roe was the only one who made it out.

"Remember what Solomon said."

"A display is needed."

"An on-the-spot display."

Lot mentioned it before pushing him out.

They all gathered around the door to watch.

"Hi... um... I’m Roe."

Flashes of light erupted.

Their brightness was almost blinding.

Someone else walked through the door.

Flashes of equal intensity followed.

"There’s two," one of the reporters pointed out.

"I wonder what’s going on."

From her office, Morgana turned on the broadcast after hearing the reporter point out their number.

She was computing something.

She had only put the station on to listen.

She didn’t expect such a revelation.

’No way.’

’Two.’

No one knew.

No one but a few.

Morgana was among the few.

’Merlin got his hands on the God System.’

’How?’

She was terrified.

Horrified.

---

"Hahaha!"

Loud laughter was heard by the employees.

These were Vlad’s employees.

"The boss is laughing."

"What’s up with that?"