"What do you mean by external?"
Could there be another Overseer involved in the same 'game'?
[Throughout the hundreds of thousands of years of dominant species history in Antroseda, the magic seeds have also undergone development]
[From technical aspects like concentration levels to abstract concepts like ego]
"I thought ego was something only living beings had," Lucas said, glancing at the 'woman' still seated in the corner of the room.
[Ego, at its core, is a subjective desire]
[Something can possess an ego without having full consciousness. Conversely, something that has consciousness doesn't necessarily have an ego]
[The magic seeds is a part of nature itself, so its 'ego' is different from that of beings that naturally possess consciousness]
[Candidate number two: Nhaoruk was chosen by the Magic Seed because his presence is beloved by nature]
So, like the will of the universe?
Lucas had heard tales of people so extraordinary that they seemed effortlessly destined for greatness.
He never believed much in luck or fate, especially now that the universe was, technically, in his hands.
But seeing someone chosen beyond their own intrigued him.
Lucas began an intensive assessment of Nhaoruk.
After gathering information and observing further, Lucas discovered…
This man exuded the aura of a fairy tale protagonist.
His father had died during a 'skirmish' with deserters from a civil war in the Hope kingdom. His mother passed away after giving birth.
Living as a vagrant, Nhaoruk also had to face the bitter reality of being evaluated as having low magic potential.
However, Nhaoruk compensated for his shortcomings by relentlessly training his body and mastering weapons. His blunt yet rational demeanor made him likable.
Even when his written scores were poor and his physical results were average, the Outer Fortress Squad allowed him to join.
Within just one year, Nhaoruk achieved extraordinary feats.
He fended off a raid by more organized bandits from the Hope kingdom when the executives were summoned to the capital and even captured the enemy leader.
Thanks to Nhaoruk, the Alhamera colony learned of the instability beyond their borders.
Some called for a retaliatory invasion, seeking justice against Hope's barbarity toward their Alhamera ancestors.
Others feared this might spark a Third Extinction. Though they possessed anti-matter-level weaponry, they couldn't ignore the possibility that the Hope race had a way to counter it.
Nhaoruk, however, aligned with neither faction. Instead, he dreamed of exploring the seas—venturing into the vast, mysterious world beyond.
A good dream, indeed.
But Nhaoruk wasn't truly serious about it. He focused on his duties, ambitious to become a commander, stationed on the wrong side of the world.
Lucas eventually understood. Perhaps he just needed a little push.
And Lucas provided that push.
As the creator of Alhamera, Lucas had access to every 'destiny' they held. And when it came to destiny, it also means death.
Lucas began by 'whispering' a nightmare suggestion into the mind of a compatriot who was Nhaoruk's close friend.
The compatriot was plagued by guilt over past misdeeds, spiraling into depression. One morning, on the day a commander election was to take place, he was found having leapt from one of the towers.
Regarding the commander election, Lucas also tinkered 'slightly' with the minds of some involved executives.
Those who had initially favored Nhaoruk turned against him. Even before his compatriot's death, Nhaoruk had already endured a string of misfortunes designed to drive him to leave the company.
Unlike other military units, the Outer Fortress Squad was a flexible job. Members could freely join or leave.
Of course, leaving meant forfeiting the high pay and exclusive recommendations to become part of the Royal Guard.
Joining the Royal Guard placed you in the inner circle of the kingdom's most powerful figures, among the most respected individuals in the land.
The Royal Guard was said to be invited to strategic and political decision-making sessions.
Politics, huh. Lucas sneered in disgust. Nhaoruk was too valuable to waste on those conservative fools.
But none of Lucas's efforts worked.
Those made to despise Nhaoruk soon lost their reasons for hatred and instead cast their votes for him.
Nhaoruk was elected the youngest commander of the Outer Fortress Squad.
Rather than feeling disappointed, Lucas found this development intriguing.
Now, Nhaoruk could recommend himself to the Royal Guard.
Five years passed, and that never happened.
Instead, Nhaoruk led expeditions beyond the borders, conquering several abandoned Hope territories, and even capturing prisoners, the Half-Bloods.
The Half-Bloods who roamed as vagrants were judged and, after undergoing trials, were deemed unworthy of freedom. Though they carried Alhamera blood, it was impure.
They were condemned to atone for their tainted souls by serving as slaves.
The borders expanded, and Nhaoruk received praise.
Nhaoruk became a favorite among commoners, but his existence was despised by the nobility—especially the conservative faction advocating isolation.
Among them was the king's ambitious food taster: the third candidate, Thyvarun.
Thyvarun sought to destroy stability so he could rise as a hero and claim the throne.
But his imagination crumbled under Nhaoruk's more heroic presence.
A foolish ambition.
Lucas questioned himself for even considering Thyvarun as The Chosen One.
Thyvarun was a selfish conservative, while Nhaoruk was an open-minded expansionist.
Both held high positions in their respective domains.
Wait a second. That might work.
Lucas referred to debatable hypothesis earlier: about two suns that forced to share the same light.