Clack, clack, clack.
It was the sound of small pebbles rolling.
Inside the carriage, Leonora was sleeping with her head resting on Rolan’s shoulder.
Suddenly, a wheel rolled over a large stone, causing the entire vehicle to jolt. Leonora’s head slammed into Rolan’s face, jarring her awake from the exhaustion of the long journey.
“Ow…” Rolan was forced awake. Looking at Leonora, who was sleeping soundly on her shoulder, she shifted her weight without hesitation to pull away.
She rubbed her sore mouth, feeling as though a canker sore might develop in the coming days. In her previous life, she had often dropped her phone on her face or bitten her lip while eating, only for a white circle to appear there a few days later.
Peering outside, the scenery along the way consisted of sights Rolan had never seen before.
It looked like they had already left the town of Wildfield, but she didn’t know how much further it was to the Anydes Labyrinth. Seeing the sky beginning to darken, they would likely have to rest outside for the night before entering.
She pulled a book out of the large backpack at her feet.
There was no name on the yellowed cover. This was the notebook Leonora had promised her. Even after a hundred years of passage, the contents within remained perfectly intact.
“A preservation spell must have been cast on it.”
Rolan flipped the book open and learned the identity of the author on the very first page.
[My name is Elias Mon Westwood. In my early years, I studied at the Magic Academy in the Royal Capital. After graduation, I returned to my hometown to serve as a Lord, but I did not neglect my magic. Instead, I used my spare time to study ice magic, my specialty.]
[I have recorded all my findings so that my descendants or successors may gain correct knowledge from them and seek the truth of magic. Please treat this knowledge with kindness.]
“There’s actually a Magic Academy in the Royal Capital?” This was the first time Rolan had heard of a place specifically for teaching magic.
On second thought, it was quite normal. Magic was so practical and could be passed down; it would be weirder if there weren’t a specialized educational institution for it.
In addition, the preface of the notebook mentioned an organization called the Circle of Truth. She had heard Jasper mention before that the grimoire in her hand was obtained from a friend in the Circle of Truth.
The so-called Circle of Truth was actually an organization established by a group of intellectuals with a fanatical pursuit of magic.
They were divided into two factions: one advocated practice, and the other advocated theory. The bases for the different factions were also different; the former was located in the Southern Desolate Domain, while the latter was in the Northern Ice Pole. In plain terms, they were at the South and North Poles.
Many commoner students who graduated from the Magic Academy chose to join the Circle of Truth. Not only could they receive a high salary, but they could also focus on magic research and devote their hearts to the magic they loved.
The notebook mentioned that Elias wanted to join the Circle of Truth at the time, but because he had to return home to inherit his territory, he could only give up with regret. However, he still managed to rely on his own efforts to be promoted to Archmage.
It was a very inspiring story.
Rolan quietly flipped through the notebook as time slipped away.
While she was still immersed in Elias’s condensed and detail-rich writing, the system suddenly popped up with two messages.
[Congratulations to the Host for giving a gift to your daughter, successfully resolving a portion of her internal conflict. You have now obtained 100 Motherly Love Points!]
[Congratulations to the Host! Your emotional bond with your daughter has broken through 25%. You may choose one of your daughter’s two potentials as a reward!]
After reading the messages, Rolan’s first reaction wasn’t joy over the sudden reward, but concern for Miya’s state.
“Resolved a portion of her internal conflict? Has she realized something?”
[If the Host is concerned, why not turn back now and meet her?]
“Forget it. I’ve already come this far.”
With a sudden windfall of points in her account, Rolan pondered how to spend them to maximize cost-effectiveness.
As for the second reward, she chose Extra-sensory Magic Intuition without hesitation. Perhaps it would have a miraculous effect when studying the notebook.
After selecting the reward, there was no violent change as she had expected. There was only a sense that her thinking had become sharper, as if she were making a choice while blindfolded and had a hunch that she could pick the right one.
“So this is how Miya feels when she learns magic.”
Rolan’s talking to herself woke the sleeping Leonora. She slowly opened her eyes and let out a strange “Mmm~?”
“Rolan… are we not there yet…”
“Almost.” Closing the book, Rolan rubbed her eyes, which were a bit sore from reading.
By now, the scenery outside the window was no longer an endless plain, but had become more inhabited. Other carriages passed by from time to time.
Ahead on the road was a small settlement with no clear ownership. Most of those who came were adventurers interested in the Anydes Labyrinth, and the settlement served these people.
Rolan had the driver stop the carriage by the side of the road. After getting off and paying the fare, she took Leonora to look for an inn.
Fortunately, while there was a lot of foot traffic in the settlement, the terrain was not complex. The two of them quickly found an inn that looked quite new, without many traces of being weathered by time.
After checking in, Rolan planned to enter the labyrinth tomorrow. She took Leonora to a restaurant for dinner before returning to their room to rest.
However, Leonora, who had just slept, was clearly not sleepy. Her mental state was so good she could practically fly, but with no entertainment, she could only sit on the bed clutching a pillow and staring blankly.
Looking at Rolan, who was reading by lamplight, a mischievous idea sprouted in her mind.
Leonora picked up the pillow, crept silently behind Rolan, and suddenly covered her head with it.
“Scared you, didn’t I!”
However, Rolan was not only unmoved but even calmly put down the book in her hand.
Leonora thought she had made Rolan angry, so she pulled back the pillow. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“You idiot, your shadow was cast right on the book. How could I not guess you were behind me?”
Seeing that her plot had failed, Leonora could only retreat dejectedly.
“Do you really have nothing to do?” Rolan asked.
“No, I’m so bored.”
“Then study magic.”
“Studying magic is so boring. I have to remember so many things and think about this and that. My brain always gets tied in knots.”
“Don’t you know that you can’t be a high-level adventurer if your strength is too weak?”
“I know, but what can I do? I don’t have much magical talent at all, and I don’t know what to do to get stronger.”
Rolan felt more and more that Leonora was here on a vacation. If she really wanted to abandon her noble status and live as an adventurer, a proper attitude was the most basic requirement.
If she didn’t study magic just because she lacked talent and didn’t even think about how to improve her strength, then she might as well go farm.
But she and Leonora were only in an employment relationship; there was no need to say so much.
“If you really want to become stronger and don’t want to study magic, then become a Blessed One. Perhaps that path will be unexpectedly suitable for you.”
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