"You can come out."
Daniel's voice was neither loud nor threatening, but in the heavy silence of the forest, it was like a stone dropped into still water. An invisible ripple spread through the space, and for a few moments, nothing happened.
The tree behind him pulsed quietly, its luminous fruit glowing with a slow, deep rhythm, like a living heart beating in the heart of the forest, and this same rhythm made the silence heavier and more unnatural.
But Daniel waited.
The air around, at a point farther from the roots' range, rippled softly, like the surface of water touched by a weak breeze, and then, two presences, slowly and cautiously, emerged from within that distortion.
The Grand Minister.
And the Grand Knight.
This time, not with their usual authority, not with that dominant aura they had in the Holy Palace, but with a manner more like those who had entered an unknown territory and still didn't know its rules.
Neither stepped forward, neither spoke. They just stood there.
And of course, they looked at each other. They hadn't expected to be exposed so easily, and both smiled bitterly.
They had realized a few hours ago that the princess had left the palace, and knowing her since childhood, they knew she would definitely come here.
But they didn't stop her. On the contrary, they let her come. Even though it might have been wrong and dangerous, they wanted to use this opportunity to gain information about this monster.
And if something happened or the princess was attacked, they would intervene and save her.
But now, it seemed someone might need to save them.
The Grand Knight was the first to break the silence. His voice was low, but there was a certain firmness in it that showed he was still trying to keep control of the situation.
"…Did you know?" No other question came to his mind, but this question, in its utmost simplicity, could give them significant information.
"From the beginning." Daniel said indifferently.
His answer was so simple that for a moment, neither of the two could continue, because in that single sentence, a deep and undeniable gap had been revealed.
This was the result of his answer. They understood that they had never been able to hide from the beginning. Nothing could hide from this monster's eyes.
The Grand Knight unconsciously moved his hand slightly toward his sword, not to draw it, not to attack, but just to touch it, to reassure himself that he still had something to rely on.
The Grand Minister, however, stepped forward. One step, but slow and calculated.
"We didn't come for a fight." His gaze went from Daniel to the tree and back again, and this time when he spoke, his tone was neither commanding nor contemptuous, but something between caution and logic.
He paused for a few moments, as if wanting to choose his words carefully.
"We only came here to protect the princess. We have no intention of attacking you or the tree."
Daniel didn't say anything, but the brief look he gave him was enough.
That he had known from the beginning and that he hadn't cared from the beginning. And this, more than any answer, carried weight.
Of course, this also had a hidden meaning that the Grand Minister understood: as long as he and the tree were not attacked, this monster would not launch any attack.
"What… exactly are you?"
The question was simple, but something deeper was hidden within it: not "who" are you, but "what" are you, as if they no longer placed him in the category of humans.
Daniel was silent for a few seconds, as if deciding whether to answer or ignore them.
"None of your business." Then he said quietly.
A weak wind passed through the branches, but even that couldn't reduce the tension.
The Grand Minister frowned. This man's behavior toward them was completely different from his behavior toward the princess. He was speaking to them completely inhumanly and without any emotion.
As if he considered the princess a friend and them potential threats. But he wasn't upset about this; rather, he saw an opportunity.
And then, the Grand Minister made his decision.
"We don't have to be enemies."
This sentence stopped even the Grand Knight for a moment, because he hadn't expected such a sentence. On the contrary, he had expected a fight to break out at any moment.
"If you distance yourself from that tree… we can negotiate." The Grand Minister continued, his gaze fixed on Daniel.
His proposal was clear: not a fight, not begging, not a threat, but an alternative path that could benefit all of them.
It showed that the empire still didn't want to rush into a war, not with something they couldn't even define.
Besides, they couldn't see the depth of this being's power, and that was a great concern for a man like him who analyzed every step.
So he proposed negotiation. He didn't know whether this being would act rationally and logically or not, but he hoped it would.
"No." Daniel didn't even think for a moment.
The answer was a single, simple, definitive word.
And then, he raised his head slightly. His gaze became more direct this time.
"Either you come closer and die, or you leave." He left no gray area, no path for negotiation.
Only two options.
This time, the Grand Knight stepped forward. One step, and with that step, his aura was released.
A sudden pressure filled the space, heavy, as if the air itself had become heavier, as if the ground beneath their feet was about to sink, and the surrounding trees trembled with a faint sound.
At any moment, it seemed space was about to collapse.
This was his true power. The power of one of the humans who had approached the ceiling of this world's power.
Perhaps not an Eternal Warrior, but not far from that point. In the entire world, there are few who can match him.
"Do you think we're afraid of you? Do you think we don't dare to attack you?"
It was true they didn't know the depth of the enemy's power, but they couldn't tolerate being humiliated either. He was a knight, and even if he was going to die, he preferred to die with honor.
This time, Daniel raised his gaze completely, and for the first time, something like interest appeared in his eyes.
"Do you want to try?"
Two gazes locked.
The ground beneath their feet developed tiny cracks. Not just the ground, but space itself seemed to crack from this tension.
A few seconds were enough for a war to start.
But—
"Enough." The Grand Minister's voice, short but decisive, cut through the moment like a blade.
The Grand Knight stood for a moment longer, his aura still released, but in the end… he pulled it back.
The Grand Minister stepped back, but his gaze remained on Daniel.
And before leaving, he said a sentence he needed to say.
"This is only the beginning. Maybe we are backing down here."
"But there are those who are stronger than us… much stronger, and sooner or later, they will come."
His gaze sank directly into Daniel's eyes.
"But the Holy Empire will always welcome talented warriors with open arms. If you come to your senses, I would be happy to see you again in the empire's capital."
They turned and left the place, with the understanding that this was no place to stay.
Their presence faded into the air again, and the forest returned to its previous silence, as if nothing had happened.
Daniel was left alone. But this solitude was not going to last long.