As expected, Thoradin not only made no mention of Shawn's sudden disappearance back then, but also followed their tacit understanding from that time, lavishly praising Shawn for his diligence during his year studying magic under an elven Archmage in Quel'Thalas. He had brought honor to his country, learned many spells, and made astonishing progress.
At the most critical moment in the war on the front lines, Shawn had volunteered to leave his studies. Equipped with the Doppelganger Potion, legendary Enchanted Reins, and a full set of high-grade gear bestowed by the elven Archmage, he had personally rushed to the front. Together with the High-Rank Mage Celina and the Novice Mage Merry, he had ventured deep into troll territory and poisoned an entire troll force with a poison Celina herself had prepared. Working with Arathor's elite troops under General Lodan, they had slaughtered all five thousand trolls.
In the battle that followed, the mage Shawn, the "Arcane Saint," had helped General Lodan kill a high-ranking troll priest. He had then used the legendary Enchanted Reins gifted by the elven Archmage to capture the false Loa god summoned by that priest, displaying the might of mages and proclaiming the power of Arathor.
For Shawn's outstanding performance, Thoradin personally bestowed upon him the title "Chief Mage of Arathor" and granted him the rank of Knight.
Well, none of that was particularly useful.
With more than a little malice, Shawn suspected that Thoradin was a petty man. He must have been quietly seething over Shawn's departure without a farewell and sudden reappearance a year later. Worse still, he could only swallow that resentment, unable to speak of it to anyone. That must have been why he had given Shawn such impressive-sounding titles without a single tangible reward.
Of course, Shawn did receive one rather