Chapter 394: Realisation Noah appreciated their context-setting, as it made what he was about to ask slightly easier to frame. "During my time there, I made a promise to someone who helped me—an elf who risked their own safety to provide assistance." He looked around at each person gathered in the room, meeting their eyes individually. "I promised this person that I would help restore their kingdom, that I wouldn’t abandon them to the tyrants who have seized power through betrayal and violence." Taking another deep breath, Noah continued with visible difficulty. "Therefore, I want to ask you all for a favour. A significant one that I have no right to request but need to anyway." The weight in his voice made everyone tense slightly, recognising that whatever he was about to ask carried serious implications. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺 "I need your help preparing for eventual conflict with the elven kingdoms," Noah stated plainly. "I need allies who can stand beside me against grandmaster-level threats, who can fight and survive in battles that will determine the fate of entire nations. I need you to commit to getting stronger—much stronger—with the understanding that you’ll eventually be facing enemies more powerful than anything you’ve encountered before." He struggled to maintain eye contact as the full implications settled over the room. "It’s hard for me to ask this of you. To request that you prepare yourselves for potentially deadly conflict against elves who are known throughout the world for their overwhelming power and sophisticated magic. I’m essentially asking you to risk your lives for a promise I made to someone you’ve never met. Don’t feel pressured into doing it, our relationship will not change even if you don’t accept it. I completely understand it." The silence that followed felt heavy with tension as everyone processed what Noah was requesting. He had expected hesitation, doubt, maybe even outright refusal from some of them, especially the king and the princess, who had a whole kingdom to think about. Fighting elven kingdoms wasn’t a casual undertaking—it was the kind of existential conflict that could result in horrible death for everyone involved. But what happened next completely shocked him. Kipp stood up first, his earlier dejection completely replaced by fierce determination. "Master Noah, of course, I’ll help you! You’ve done so much for me and my sister—given us opportunities we never dreamed possible, treated us with respect when most nobles wouldn’t even look at us. If you need me to fight elves, then I’ll get strong enough to fight elves, no. I will get strong enough to beat them to a pulp." His tail was standing straight up, and his ears were forward in an aggressive posture that showed absolute commitment. Alissa rose immediately after her brother, her hand resting on her sword hilt. "You gave us purpose and hope when we had nothing. You never treated us as lesser because of what we are. Whatever you need from us, you have it without question." Her normally reserved voice carried steel that showed this wasn’t blind loyalty but a conscious choice made with full awareness of the risks. Valeria was next, standing with her usual confident grace. "Noah, you’ve revolutionised my understanding of friendship and helped me reach heights I thought were decades away. More importantly, you’ve been a genuine friend rather than just a benefactor. If you’re going to war against elven kingdoms, then I’m going with you. Simple as that." Princess Elara stood as well, her royal bearing combining with obvious personal conviction. "You’ve transformed our entire kingdom. You’ve saved countless lives with your healing items and strengthened our defences against threats that would have destroyed us. Now you need help, and you think we’d refuse?" She shook her head firmly. "I’m coming with you, and that’s final. Father can spare me from court duties." King Aldric remained seated, but his expression showed pride in his daughter and approval of the others’ declarations. "Noah, you’ve proven yourself a true friend to Esta and to each person in this room. While I cannot commit the kingdom’s full military forces to a war against elven territories—that would be politically and strategically untenable—I can support you personally and ensure those who choose to follow you have every resource we can provide. I will also provide you with one of the most capable warriors of the kingdom to help support you." He stood then, his presence filling the room with royal authority. "You have my blessing and my personal commitment to help prepare your expedition in every way possible short of declaring formal war. Consider it a debt repaid for everything you’ve done for us." Noah felt his throat tighten with emotion as he looked around at their faces—every single one of them showing unwavering resolve to support him despite fully understanding the danger. He had expected to face doubt, to need convincing arguments, to deal with reasonable hesitation. Instead, they had enthusiastically committed to following him into what might be a suicidal conflict, simply because he had asked and because they valued their relationship with him that much. "Thank you," Noah managed, his voice slightly rough. "All of you. I promise I won’t let you down, and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure we’re strong enough to actually win this fight rather than just throwing our lives away." Lola had been watching quietly from the side; her ruby eyes showed both satisfaction at being proven right about their response and genuine affection for these people who had just committed to an impossible cause without hesitation. Noah smiled, feeling genuine warmth despite the enormous challenges ahead. "Together, we’re going to accomplish something impossible." Then, Noah provided each one of his friends a gift from the store, premium items that the elves would kill for were now being given for free. After hanging out with them for a while, the king brought up something Noah was meaning to address at some point. "So, Noah. I’m assuming you are going to keep selling the items you have on these shelves, right?" Noah nodded his head. "Indeed, I’m planning to sell these items."