The Next Day.
There were only four days left before the Grand Celebration.
Silvermine Estate was buzzing with activity. Preparations were in full swing.
From the break of dawn, the estate already felt like a marketplace.
Tailors came in droves, taking measurements and presenting elegant designs for the upcoming banquet.
Merchants arrived one after another, offering everything from rare trinkets to luxurious banquet necessities.
Gifts, decorations, wine, spices, even magical perfumes.
Lucien observed the bustle with quiet amusement.
"They don’t even need to leave the house," he muttered. "The store comes to them... Sigh. The life of the rich."
The capital truly lived up to its name.
Fast-paced.
Lavish.
Effortless.
Still, Maxim and Edric made sure he was never left out. They were generous hosts.
Attentive.
Welcoming.
Sincerely accommodating.
They even insisted that the finest tailors in the capital create special outfits just for him.
But Lucien politely declined.
To him, no one could rival Elk when it came to tailoring.
He had already received perfectly fitted formalwear from Elk before leaving Lootwell and that was more than enough.
The capital tailors’ designs looked stiff and flashy... not something Lucien would be caught wearing.
Likewise, none of the merchants’ wares interested him.
Shiny ornaments, jewel-encrusted accessories, robes with gold-thread embroidery...
All useless in his eyes
To Lucien, beauty didn’t lie in how ornate something looked but in its value and function. And none of those items held power.
Not like the loots he earned from monsters.
He had no interest in trinkets that glittered but meant nothing.
Edric noticed and though he tried not to show it... he was a little disheartened.
He had wanted to spoil Lucien a bit... perhaps show gratitude or simply bond... but nothing seemed to catch the young man’s eye.
What Edric didn’t know was that Lucien wasn’t being dismissive.
He simply had treasures far beyond anything the merchants here could offer.
And far more important things on his mind.
Later that morning, Lucien casually voiced his intention.
"Uncles, I’d like to visit the Academy."
The room fell into an odd silence.
Edric raised a brow then slowly turned to Maxim with a peculiar smile. "Hmm... Should be possible?"
Maxim cleared his throat, clearly stalling. "Nephew... visiting at this time isn’t exactly permitted. But... we do have a good relationship with the Headmaster. So... maybe it’s possible."
He avoided Lucien’s gaze. His eyes flickered with unease at the mere mention of the Headmaster.
Despite their hesitation, the brothers eventually agreed on one condition.
Lucien would be escorted by four Level 7 guards.
Coincidentally, they were the same guards who had greeted him at the gates of Silvermine Estate on his first day.
Loyal and disciplined.
They had grown quite fond of Lucien especially after receiving those mysterious Energy Drinks he’d handed out.
Ever since then, they can’t stop talking about it.
But what came next caught Lucien completely off guard.
"Here. Take this too, nephew," Edric grinned as he handed something to Lucien. "GAHAHA! Flash that and they’ll have to take you seriously!"
Lucien caught the item... and froze.
Maxim’s eyes bulged so wide they looked ready to pop out of their sockets. "Ed! That’s our family seal! Are you insane?!"
"GAHAHA! What’s the matter, Max? You know our nephew won’t abuse it."
Lucien looked down at the seal in his hand.
Silver, heavy, intricately carved.
It pulsed faintly with authority.
Recognition.
Power.
The family seal wasn’t just a symbol. It was status, identity and command rolled into one. Holding it meant being able to act on behalf of the Silvermine Patriarch himself.
Lucien opened his mouth to protest but no words came out.
This wasn’t just permission.
It was trust. Absolute and undeniable.
And that made it all the more overwhelming.
Lucien instinctively held the seal out.
"I... can’t accept this," he said trying to return it. "It’s too much."
But Edric only laughed loud and carefree. "GAHAHA! Nephew, trust me. This will help. Especially with her. The Headmaster and Max go way back. Not all of it pleasant."
He clapped Lucien on the back, nearly knocking him forward.
"I won’t be able to accompany you myself. I still need to consolidate my strength. But this seal is as good as me being there. You’ll be fine."
Then Edric grinned wider. Mischief lit up his face.
"In fact... as the current patriarch of the Silvermine Estate, I hereby give you full authority. It’d be even better if you just became our heir! I could adopt you!"
Lucien blinked.
Was that a joke? It sounded like one but with Edric... you could never really be sure.
He slowly turned to Maxim, searching for some semblance of sanity.
But Maxim only shrugged with a wry smile.
"Honestly, it’s not the worst idea. My brother’s... condition made it impossible for him to have children, after all. He was injured when he was young." He sighed in mock sorrow. "Such tragedy."
Lucien stared at the two of them.
They were absolutely ridiculous.
And the idea of becoming heir to the Silvermine Estate? No way.
Lootwell alone was already giving him enough headaches.
He shook his head and decided not to dwell on it.
Instead, a curious thought popped into his mind.
"Uncle Ed... about that injury," Lucien began. "You were healed by the Essence of Purity, right? Doesn’t that mean... you can have children now?"
Silence fell.
A very awkward, very heavy silence.
Both brothers froze.
Maxim blinked. Edric didn’t move.
And then...
Edric’s face twitched. He quickly channeled mana into his body, scanning himself.
A pause.
Then a longer pause.
Dead silence.
His expression shifted slowly... from disbelief to realization... to wide-eyed... jaw-dropped shock.
He had gotten so used to the injury that he had never bothered checking... until now.
Moments later, a loud and boisterous laugh erupted through the hall.
Edric couldn’t contain himself.
They had clearly underestimated the effects of the Essence of Purity.
"It’s true! It’s actually true! Hahaha!" Edric howled with glee. "Nephew! I’m off to train then I’m calling your Aunt. Maybe we’ll finally have a baby! GAHAHA! She’s been frustrated for years!"
He turned as if he’d just remembered something completely unrelated.
"Oh, and... you now have full access to the Silvermine treasury. Use whatever resources you need."
He said it so casually as if granting access to a noble family’s entire vault was no big deal.
Maxim groaned and palmed his face.
Edric was truly a wild spirit. It was as if he had been reborn.
Full of vitality.
Mischief.
And a reckless kind of joy.
Maxim sighed then turned to Lucien with a firm nod.
"You heard him, nephew. There shouldn’t be any problems at the Academy. The Headmaster... well, I know her. She’s close to Tier 9. Powerful, principled... if not always pleasant."
He paused thoughtfully.
"She’s not a bad person. At the very least, if you show the seal, you’ll receive preferential treatment."
Maxim’s voice softened. "Go visit your sister. Don’t hold back. If anyone causes you trouble... we’ll come immediately. You have our full backing. You can go wild if you need to."
Lucien’s eyes gleamed.
Those words meant more than he could express. They weren’t just giving him permission... they were giving him trust, protection and freedom.
These two brothers weren’t just powerful. They believed in him.
"I’ll stay behind to continue my training," Maxim added. "But rest assured, if you need me... I’ll come."
They shared a few more words before Maxim turned to begin his own training regimen.
Lucien then approached the guards who would accompany him.
The moment they saw him, they straightened up and saluted with newfound respect. After all, Lucien now carried the Silvermine family seal and the personal trust of the patriarch.
Soon after, a luxurious carriage pulled into the courtyard. Arranged personally by Maxim, it bore the Silvermine sigil in gleaming silver embroidery.
Without further delay, Lucien boarded.
And just like that, he set off toward the Academy.
Toward his sister...
...and toward whatever came next.
•••
The Academy stood deep within the heart of the Nobles District.
A towering fortress of stone, steel and magic.
Its domain was massive, almost rivaling the royal castle in size.
Every inch of its structure screamed wealth and power. No expense had been spared in its construction.
Of course, this was where the heirs of noble bloodlines were educated so it made sense.
The Academy wasn’t just a school. It was a bastion designed to safeguard the future elites of the Empire.
It was Monday, the start of the fourth week since classes had begun.
Normally, this time of day would be a steady hum of structured learning and activity. But today... there was a strange tension in the air.
A sense of unrest.
Inside the headmaster’s office, the atmosphere was especially heavy. The heads of each department had gathered and their expressions were tight with frustration.
"Has the palace responded?" the Headmaster asked. Her voice was calm but sharp.
She appeared young... too young for her role... but her eyes told another story.
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Hardened. Piercing. Fierce.
These were the eyes of someone who had faced countless storms and stood unshaken.
The Head of the History Department stepped forward.
"They did... but not in any useful way," he said with a frown. "The King told me there was no need to send anything. He said someone would come to help. Then he waved me off."
"What does that even mean?" snapped the Alchemy Department Head. "Where are we supposed to find this much material if not from the palace?"
"The King’s riddles again," another muttered.
Frustration rippled through the room.
The Alchemy and Talisman Departments were especially upset.
The materials for the first-year practical courses still hadn’t arrived and they were already a week behind.
How could they train future mages, alchemists and enchanters without resources?
And with each passing day, the pressure mounted.
The Academy was elite. Expectations were even higher.
But right now, the shelves in their workshops were empty.
And the King’s cryptic message only deepened the mystery.
Suddenly, a knock broke the tension.
"Headmaster," a guard called from beyond the door. "Someone from the Silvermine Estate has arrived."
At the mention of Silvermine, the Headmaster shot to her feet. Her chair screeched violently across the floor.
"Is it Maxim?!" she asked. Her voice was sharp and unrestrained.
The department heads turned to look at one another, surprised by her outburst.
They shook their heads with helpless smiles.
The door opened and the guard stepped inside hesitantly.
At her expectant glare, he hesitated.
"It’s... not Maxim," he said carefully. "It’s a boy."
"A boy?" she echoed. Her tone hardened. "Who?"
"I’m not sure, Headmaster. But he’s carrying the Silvermine seal... and he’s escorted by four of their guards."
The room fell silent.
The Headmaster narrowed her eyes as if trying to decipher the truth behind his words.
"Edric’s child...? No..." Her gaze darkened. "Could it be Maxim’s?!"
A flicker of something strange passed through her expression. Anger?
"That daredevil! How dare he have a son without telling me!"
Her mana surged uncontrollably and a chilling pressure filled the office. Several department heads instinctively took a step back.
The guard was caught in the sudden outburst.
He frozed in place.
"What’s his purpose here?" she snapped.
"He said..." the guard gulped, "...he wanted to sit in on a class. And visit a relative."
The Headmaster scoffed. "Hah! He dares. Maxim... that traitor."
She pause in thought.
"Ha! So that’s how Maxim wants to play it." Her voice dripped with venom. "Fine. Make it difficult for him. Give him this."
She reached into her drawer and pulled out a parchment. She hastily scribbled something on it before slamming it shut again.
She handed the parchment to the guard.
"If he wants to enter then he must bring these. Otherwise, turn him away."
The guard glanced at the parchment and his eyes widened.
It was the entire resource list the departments had been fighting over... the long inventory of missing materials for the first-year practicals.
The department heads froze as they peeked at the parchment.
Several gasped.
Their mouths hung open in disbelief.
The Headmaster was known for being firm, fair and rational...
But...
When it came to Maxim... she wasn’t the same.
She wasn’t calm. She wasn’t calculated.
She was personal.
Her personal grudge had turned into a challenge.
And now... an innocent boy was about to be caught in the middle of it.