The griffin’s flight speed was extremely fast.
The sound of the wind whistled past her ears, blowing so hard that Christine’s cheeks stung.
Christine instinctively wanted to use her mana to prop up a shield, but she soon discovered that a gentle wind elemental power was enveloping the three of them.
It cleverly diverted the oncoming gale to either side, making the flight far smoother and more comfortable than she had imagined.
She stole a glance at Leo in the lead.
The man held the reins with just one hand, his posture relaxed and easy, as if he weren’t taming a ferocious magical beast but merely riding a bicycle in a park.
Then she looked at Irina, who was sandwiched between herself and Leo.
The girl with flaxen hair had a look of pure enjoyment on her face, occasionally rubbing her head against Leo’s back like a satisfied cat.
Christine felt like a 100-watt lightbulb—bright and awkward.
She remained silent, but her mind was racing as she tried to organize the massive amount of information she had received today.
An ousted prince possessed unheard-of summoning prowess, capable of summoning high-level elemental creatures like the Earth Guardian and Thunder Lizards—he even had a griffin as a mount.
Beside him was a commoner Mage who was equally gifted.
And what would his supposedly barren and dilapidated border territory… actually look like?
Christine’s heart was filled with questions and a secret trace of anticipation.
She had a premonition that what she was about to see would once again overturn everything she knew.
“Hold on tight; we’re almost there.”
Leo’s voice drifted back from the front, interrupting her thoughts.
Christine looked down.
Her gaze swept past the continuous stretches of forest, and a sight completely different from the surrounding desolation entered her view.
It was a… town that was beginning to take shape.
An orderly road network divided the town into different districts.
Rows of brand-new stone houses stood side by side; though simple in style, they were sturdy and practical.
On the outskirts of the town, a tall city wall was under construction.
Countless earthy-yellow figures were busy at the construction site, their efficiency staggering—those were the earth elementals Leo had summoned.
In the center of town, a three-story lord’s manor stood tall.
It wasn’t overly luxurious, but it exuded an air of solemnity.
Pedestrians moved back and forth on the streets.
Their faces didn’t bear the numbness and sorrow common among border residents; instead, they carried an expression full of hope and vitality.
Children chased each other and played in the streets, the clanging of hammers rang out from the blacksmith’s shop, and in the distance, people seemed to be working in the planned farmlands.
The entire Blackwood Town was like a precision machine that had just been started, pulsing with vibrant life.
Christine was completely stunned.
“This… this is Blackwood Town?” she murmured to herself, her voice full of disbelief.
“Yeah.”
Irina’s voice sounded in her ear, tinged with a bit of pride.
“What do you think? Not bad, right?”
“Impossible…”
Christine shook her head, dazed.
“A few years ago… maybe three or four years ago, I passed through here while following my family’s merchant caravan to the Southern Border.”
“At that time, Blackwood Town was a ruin! There were only dozens of households, the houses were tattered, and the townspeople were all gaunt and sallow, looking like they could starve to death at any moment… This place was essentially a wasteland forgotten by the Empire!”
The Blackwood Town in her memory and the scene before her eyes were simply two different worlds.
“Oh, you’re talking about ancient history,” Leo’s voice said with a hint of a smile.
“After we arrived, we did a bit of renovating.”
‘A bit?’ Christine roared in her mind. ‘You call this a bit? This is a total reconstruction, a magic-modified reset!’
How much time had passed since this went from a ruin to a prosperous town?
Leo had been exiled here for less than two months, even by the most generous count!
Two months—how on earth did he do it?
The griffin landed smoothly on the open space in front of the lord’s manor.
The butler, Alfred, who had been waiting there for some time, immediately stepped forward.
He wore a crisp butler’s uniform with his hair combed meticulously, and he bowed to Leo.
“Lord, Miss Irina, welcome back.”
His voice was steady and respectful.
When his gaze fell on Christine, he showed no surprise or rudeness, merely nodding slightly.
“This must be the young lady from the house of Duke Raphael. Welcome to Blackwood Town.”
Christine’s eyelid twitched again.
This butler… was so professional!
Whether it was his speech and mannerisms or that calm and composed aura, he was comparable to the most experienced butlers in the top noble houses of the capital.
This was definitely not the kind of staff a destitute territory should have.
“Hello, Mr. Alfred.”
Christine also set aside her shock, regaining the poise befitting a duke’s daughter.
“Just call me Al, Miss.”
Alfred smiled and made a “please” gesture.
“Dinner is ready. Please follow me.”
Leo patted Christine on the shoulder and laughed.
“Let’s go, our big investor. Let’s fill our stomachs first. If you have any questions, we can chat slowly at the dinner table.”
Christine mechanically followed them toward the manor, but her gaze involuntarily swept over her surroundings.
She saw guards shouting and drilling on the training grounds.
Though their equipment was still simple, their spirits were exceptionally high, their ranks were orderly, and their movements were powerful.
She saw several people who looked like craftsmen gathered around a large blueprint, discussing something with Alfred; their faces were full of excitement and focus.
She even saw a girl in a Mage robe clutching a pile of books, skipping out of a room.
After seeing Leo, the girl’s face immediately flushed as she bowed and greeted him.
Everything here had nothing to do with words like “barren,” “broken,” or “despair.”
This place was full of order, vitality, and hope.
A massive wave of emotion surged in Christine’s heart.
She finally understood just how ridiculous a lie it was when Leo told her his “finances were on the verge of bankruptcy.”
For a person who could turn ruins into this in two months, what he possessed was far more than just powerful individual combat strength.
This was a terrifying ability that bordered on “creation.”
She had previously thought she was investing in a combatant with infinite potential, but now it seemed she was likely investing in a future kingdom.
Walking into the brightly lit manor and smelling the enticing aroma of food wafting from the dining room, Christine felt as if she had stepped into a completely unknown new world filled with secrets.
And the key to this world was held in the hands of the seemingly mild and harmless blonde youth walking in front of her.