The carriage raced through the night, returning to Blackwood Town before dawn.
Irina was still hugging the chest full of gold coins, looking utterly entranced, as if she were holding a long-lost child.
Leo, on the other hand, looked deeply preoccupied.
The Third Prince, Edmund.
His dear third brother’s nose was keener than a hellhound’s. The moment Leo caused even a ripple, his spies had already arrived.
It seemed he would inevitably have to deal with those people from now on.
Upon returning to the castle, the butler, Alfred, was already waiting at the door. Seeing Leo and his group return safely, a trace of relief finally appeared on his aged face.
“Young master, did everything go smoothly?”
Leo didn’t reply, simply jerking his chin back.
Two guards carried in the heavy wooden chest behind him and set it down in the center of the hall.
“Thunk.”
A muffled thud.
Leo stepped forward and personally opened the lid.
Alfred’s breath halted in that instant.
Golden light burst forth from the chest, illuminating the deep lines of his wrinkled face with a magnificent glow.
A chest full to the brim with gold coins.
Not copper coins, nor silver, but gleaming gold coins.
Five thousand of them.
Enough wealth to drive any minor Noble mad.
The old butler’s body began to tremble. He reached out a withered hand, wanting to touch it, but shrank back as if afraid to be burned. His lips quivered, and his eyes instantly reddened.
Just a few days ago, he’d been losing sleep over a deficit of a few dozen gold coins, his hair turning whiter with worry.
Now, a mountain of gold stood right before him.
A financial crisis?
What financial crisis?
It no longer existed!
“Alf.” Leo’s voice snapped him out of his daze.
“Young master!”
Alfred straightened with a start, voice choked with emotion.
“Put the money away. Settle the wages for the Craftsmen and Soldiers first. As for the rest, follow our previous plan and invest it into construction.” Leo instructed calmly.
“Yes, Lord!”
“There’s one more thing.”
Leo’s expression grew serious.
“From now on, keep a close eye on any strangers passing through town, especially those who look like merchants but don’t quite act the part.”
He paused, then added, “If anyone inquires about the capital, or mentions the surname ‘Viandell,’ report to me immediately.”
Alfred didn’t understand why, but nodded without hesitation.
He knew the young master always had his reasons.
For now, matters in the territory were settled.
The next day, the sky had barely begun to lighten.
In the castle’s back courtyard, the gray-feathered griffin yawned, reluctantly summoned.
Leo and Irina swung themselves onto the griffin’s broad back.
“Hold on tight.”
“Let’s go!”
The griffin spread its wings, whipping up a fierce gale, and soared skyward in the dawn’s early light, shrinking into a tiny black dot as it vanished into the sky.
Perfect cross-city commuting.
By the time the first rays of sunlight bathed the Royal Magic Academy, the two of them had already landed quietly in that familiar grove.
Catching the tail end of the class bell, they stepped onto the academy’s main avenue.
Then, both of them froze.
Something was off.
Very off.
The students who usually bustled by with hurried steps seemed to have been collectively paused today.
Everyone who saw them—whether upperclassmen or fellow freshmen—stopped dead in their tracks.
All eyes, like searchlights, focused on the two of them.
A moment later, a wave of hushed whispers erupted, buzzing like a swarm of bees.
“Look! It’s him! That Summoner, Leo!”
“The one who got an ‘Outstanding’ in the entrance evaluation? Wasn’t he supposed to be a deposed prince with terrible talent?”
“Who spread that rumor? He’s a genius! Have you ever seen anyone with terrible talent get an Outstanding?”
“That’s Irina with him, right? Oh my, she’s so strong, rated ‘Exceptional’! She’s a Civilian, so inspirational!”
“I heard they’re dating! One’s a fallen prince abandoned by his family, the other a peerless Civilian genius… what an interesting combo!”
Leo: “……”
Irina: “……”
The two exchanged glances, seeing confusion and bewilderment mirrored in each other’s eyes.
What is going on?
We just went home to sell some “fertilizer,” how did we come back as campus celebrities?
Leo felt his temples throbbing.
The life he’d always dreamed of—slacking off in class, lazing around after school, ignored by all, a low-key salted fish life…
At this moment, it was officially bankrupt.
“It’s over,” he wailed inwardly. “Now I’m famous—how am I supposed to sneak around and get things done?”
Irina quietly nudged him with her elbow, voice lowered, unable to hide her excitement, “Hey, hey, we’re like a top-tier CP now!”
She complained with her mouth, but her body honestly edged even closer to Leo, almost sticking to him.
Leo shot her a sidelong glance.
This woman was definitely enjoying this.
Class finally began, but things only got worse for Leo.
The Summoning Arts instructor, who previously treated him like air and barely acknowledged his existence, seemed like a different person today.
Not only did the old man stop ignoring him, but he kept casting fervent, hopeful glances his way.
That gaze made Leo’s skin crawl.
“Leo,” the instructor pushed up his glasses, adopting an academic tone, “what unique insights do you have regarding the mental synchronization between Summoner and summon? How did you manage to draw out strength far beyond the theoretical limits from your summons?”
Every gaze in the classroom snapped toward Leo.
Leo was dumbfounded.
How should I know? My only insight is, if your level is high enough, you could even beat a Master with a brick.
But he couldn’t say that.
He stood up, put on a mysterious air, paused for dramatic effect, and began spouting nonsense with absolute seriousness.
“Professor, I believe the essence of Summoning Arts isn’t in technique, but in ‘heart.’”
“First, you must be sincere in spirit.”
“Second, you must treat your summons as partners, not tools. Forge a deep ‘bond’ with them, move them with love…”
His explanation was all clouds and fog, mysterious and vague.
Yet the instructor nodded repeatedly, looking as if he’d just heard words of wisdom worth ten years of study.
“A bond… Well said! Very well said! Leo, your understanding of Summoning Arts has already surpassed the textbooks!”
Expressionless, Leo sat down, his inner self facepalming.
Help, these academics are way too easy to fool!
Irina wasn’t having an easier time, either.
During break, a group of Noble scions who used to ignore her swarmed over like cats smelling fish.
“Irina, can you teach me the incantation for Fireball?”
“Irina, my father is the Household Troop Vice Commander. If you have any trouble at the academy, you can come to me anytime!”
To top it off, several gorgeously dressed Noble girls also sidled over under the pretense of asking about magic, fishing for information.
“Irina, you and Leo… you’re close, right? What does he like?”
Irina was beset and could only maintain an awkward yet polite smile throughout.
At last, afternoon classes ended.
As the two stepped out of the classroom, a familiar figure—flanked by two Servant Girls—blocked their path.
Christine de La Rafael.
The duke’s daughter looked a bit different today.
She had set aside her usual lofty demeanor and even wore a smile—one she clearly thought was extremely kind.
“Leo, Irina.”
The moment she spoke, Leo and Irina’s scalps tingled.
“About last time—when you two rushed home to ‘take in the laundry’—I thought it over and realized it was inconsiderate of me.”
Christine’s tone was genuinely earnest.
“I shouldn’t have forced you to stay when you had urgent business. To make up for it, I’ve had my family’s merchant caravan deliver one hundred sets of the latest Four Seasons Garments, all crafted overnight by Master Tailors in the capital, to Blackwood Town. I hope you’ll accept them.”
Leo: “?”
Irina: “??”
The two stared at each other, brains short-circuiting.
One hundred sets?
Master Tailors from the capital?
Crafted overnight?
Irina jabbed Leo’s waist with her elbow like crazy, whispering frantically so only the two of them could hear, “It’s over, it’s over! This rich lady… she’s leveled up! She’s learned to hit people with money now!”
Leo’s lips twitched violently.
Damn.
This cursed power of cash.
Christine, seeing their shocked expressions, nodded in satisfaction, then gave an even more “kind” smile.
“Now, can we sit down and have a proper talk?”