Afterward, Logan made his way back to the balcony where his parents and the others were seated. The moment he arrived, Alice rushed up to him and wrapped him in a tight embrace again. "You were incredible, honey. I can’t even put into words how proud I am," she said, her voice trembling as tears filled her eyes. For Logan, this tournament had been nothing more than a stepping stone, a calculated move toward a much larger goal. To convince the other kingdoms so that they would stop dungeon raids for the moment, he had to do this. But for his mother, it meant something far more profound. It was what every parent longed for, to see their child grow, stand tall, and shine brightly before the world. It was an unspoken dream shared by all parents: to watch their children walk ahead of their peers, to see them achieve what once seemed impossible. But Logan wasn’t merely walking ahead. He was standing at the very peak. The strongest fighters in Arcadia had already acknowledged his superiority, and after this tournament, after the Showdown of Prowess, every kingdom now knew his name. One by one, the others stood and came forward to congratulate him. "Congratulations, Logan." Daliah said excitedly. "I don’t know what to say, Logan. What you did back there was something we could have never thought possible." Melissa said. Many didn’t say it aloud but all had the same thought. Though most had expected this outcome, witnessing it unfold before their eyes filled them with genuine awe and satisfaction. Meanwhile, Thalan carried out Logan’s request. Messengers were dispatched to every royal balcony. Each bowed deeply before the kings and a few of the strongest fighters, who were mainly S-class, presenting a sealed envelope. "Your Highness," the messengers said to the kings while delivering the envelope, "the victor of this tournament wishes to speak with you, and with all the important figures of every kingdom. From his tone, it seems urgent." Within moments, the letters reached every ruler and representative Logan had intended to summon. None refused. After all, they too were eager to meet the Lohan who had just achieved the impossible, defeating not one, but three elite fighters at once, including an S-class opponent, all by himself. And without using a single spell at that. Once all the kings had given their consent, a time was set for the following morning, and Arcadia’s royal palace was chosen as the venue—naturally, since Logan represented Arcadia. After that, the crowd began to disperse. One by one, people began to leave their seats, and soon the grand arena started to empty. As Rudeous rose to his feet, his chest swelled with pride for his son. He started walking toward Logan, intending to leave together. At the same time, Rowan also approached them, with Daliah following closely behind. He looked at Rudeous and Alice and spoke in a calm, respectful tone. "Mr. and Mrs. Smith, since the royal palace has been chosen as the venue for tomorrow’s meeting with all the key figures, I hope you’ll do us the honor of being our guests for the night," Rowan said with a polite smile. Though his words were directed at both parents, the true intention behind the invitation was clear. He mainly wished to invite Logan. But considering everything that had happened, Rowan thought it best to extend the invitation to Logan’s parents as well. Rudeous and Alice, meanwhile, were taken aback by the unexpected gesture. After all, this was the royal palace. It wasn’t something ordinary people were invited to every day. Though they were nobles, they were still a far cry from royalty. So they exchanged a glance, unsure of what to say. But after a moment of thought, Rudeous gave a nod. "We’re honored, Your Highness." A soft glow lit up Daliah’s face as she saw them accept the invitation. Not far away, Lilith had been watching quietly. She turned to Noah and said, "Father, don’t you think we should invite Logan and his parents to our home too?" Noah blinked in surprise. "Invite them to our house? Why?" It wasn’t that Noah didn’t want Logan or his family as guests—far from it. But he couldn’t understand why Lilith would bring it up so suddenly. "Well... umm..." the once fiery and confident Lilith suddenly found herself fumbling for words. Emily glanced at Logan, then at Daliah, and finally at Lilith, her eyes twinkling with amusement. She let out a light chuckle. "Well, I think we should invite them. How about we ask after tomorrow’s meeting? Logan’s going to get very busy once that’s over." Noah turned to Emily. "You think so too?" "I do," Emily replied with a gentle smile. "Alright then," Noah said, nodding. "If both of you feel that way." Hearing those words, Lilith’s face lit up slightly, though she tried her best to hide it. One by one, everyone began bidding farewell to Logan. Gideon’s group, Ali, John... no one left without offering their congratulations to Logan. Once the crowd had fully dispersed, Rowan raised a hand in a gesture, signaling it was time to leave together. Logan nodded with a smile and began walking alongside Rowan and Daliah, with Rudeous and Alice following closely behind. But as they stepped outside, Rowan paused, surprised to see the royal carriage still waiting at the entrance. "Did Father and the others not leave yet?" he wondered, narrowing his eyes as he walked ahead to check. When Rowan reached the carriage, he noticed the door was still open, as if the people inside had been waiting for him. Inside sat King Raelor and Queen Priscilla on one side, with Elias and Ramos seated across from them. The source of thɪs content is 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✶𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✶𝕟𝕖𝕥 As Rowan approached, the king spoke first. "Rowan, why don’t you invite your friend to our home as a guest tonight? I know he’ll be coming tomorrow for the meeting anyway, but I’d prefer to speak with him beforehand if possible." Priscilla added with a gentle smile, "Yes. Since he’s your friend, it’s only right that we invite him to our home so we can celebrate his achievement today properly." Ramos chimed in with enthusiasm, "Absolutely, Rowan! If possible, I’d love to spar with him too. I still can’t believe how strong he is at his age." Ramos had always been even more battle-hungry than Rowan. While Rowan wasn’t particularly drawn to fighting for its own sake, Logan was different. Three years ago, even at just twelve, Logan had been able to match Rowan in combat, something no one else his age had come close to. That was what had first caught Rowan’s attention, not just that Logan was strong, but that his strength was unbelievable. And during that time, Rowan had been quietly searching for capable companions as well, so Logan fit the bill perfectly. Ramos, on the other hand, didn’t need such deep reasons. He simply admired strength, and anyone who could offer a worthy fight earned his respect. Elias remained silent. He simply stared at Rowan, his expression unreadable. "I’ve already invited Logan," Rowan said, turning to the others. "He and his parents will be our guests tonight." "Excellent," Raelor nodded. "Have you arranged transport for them?" "I’ll accompany them myself. You don’t need to worry, Father. You can head back, and we’ll follow shortly," Rowan assured him. "Very well. See you soon, then," Raelor said, nodding once. He gestured to Ramos, who promptly instructed the coachman to move. With a tug on the reins, the horses neighed and the royal carriage rolled forward, slowly at first, then picking up speed as it headed toward the palace. "I know what he’s planning," Rowan thought as he watched the carriage pull away. His father hadn’t said it outright, but Rowan understood the implication. After the kind of strength Logan had just revealed, there was no doubt Raelor was intrigued, perhaps even concerned. And of course, the king would want to speak with Logan before anyone else could... to uncover whatever secrets he held, and keep them in Arcadia’s hands for Arcadia’s advantage. At least some of it if not all. Rowan then walked back to Logan and everyone else. Rowan returned to Logan’s side and gestured toward a nearby carriage. "Let’s go. The carriage is ready," he said. It wasn’t the main royal carriage that had departed moments ago but it was still something that turned heads. Sleek, with silver trims and the crest of the royal family etched on its doors, the vehicle was clearly fit for a prince. Velvet-lined seats, polished wooden steps, and gem-encrusted handles made it a sight to behold, even if it lacked the sheer opulence of the king’s ride. As Logan, Rudeous, Alice, Daliah, and Rowan all boarded, the guards swiftly secured the perimeter, and the carriage began to move. Its wheels rolled smoothly over the stone path as it exited the arena grounds. Inside, the mood was warm. Though Logan was almost sure that everyone would agree to his request, nothing was guaranteed. So for now all he could do was hope for the best and enjoy this moment of life.