"What are you up to, Theresa?" Ryan was the first to step down from the carriage. He reached out his hand toward the carriage interior, and Sulia smiled, lifting her dress as she gracefully descended with Sylvia's help. Next was Morgiana, who, unlike Sulia, signaled that she didn't need Sylvia's assistance. With her face slightly flushed, she pressed down on her skirt with one hand and held Ryan's with the other, carefully stepping down. Once on the ground, she immediately moved behind Ryan, sticking close to him. Ryan didn't think much of it—Morgiana had always been rather attached to him. With a confident stride, the king approached the busy sorceress directing the apprentices moving cargo and smiled. "You seem quite busy. Am I interrupting?"
"R-Ryan?! What are you doing here in person?! And Lady Sulia and Lady Morgiana, too!" Theresa, clad in a fur coat over a tundra feather sweater from Norsca, paired with tight black leggings and over-the-knee boots, looked every bit the commanding figure. The high-waisted pants accentuated her tall, elegant figure. Surprised by the unexpected visitors, she hurriedly walked over, slightly flustered. "Lady Sulia, Lady Morgiana, welcome to the Ice Wizard's Tower."
"Hello," Morgiana gave Theresa a brief glance, suppressing her irritation without showing it. Sulia, on the other hand, smiled gracefully. "What are you working on? We didn't have anything urgent today, so we decided to accompany Ryan for a visit. Theresa, don't stay cooped up working alone all the time; it's important to come out and socialize. We care about you."
"It's just our magic ore shipment," Theresa gestured to the large crates piled in front of the tower. Her shimmering black hair flowed down to her waist as she sighed. "We had a trade contract with Kislev, but despite having six months left on the deal, the suppliers suddenly raised the prices. It took a lot of negotiations to get this shipment."
"Price hike?" Ryan picked up one of the magic ores. "Why the sudden increase?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Theresa said helplessly. "Rumor has it that Empress Katarin issued an emergency order, raising the prices of all magic ores exported from Kislev. There's a new law—Kislev now imposes heavy export taxes on ores traded with Dwarfs from Zhufbar. They've also introduced strict controls on the import and export of magic ores, gold, silver, and gems. Merchants must sell through designated channels and are required to sell a portion of their goods to the Tsarina at a fixed price. On top of that, to buy magic ores, you also have to purchase Kislevite goods like bear pelts, caviar, and vodka. I had to bring up your name during negotiations, Ryan, to finally get the original price—though they said it's the last time."
"It seems the Tsarina's finances are in dire straits," Ryan shook his head, sensing the economic toll Kislev's recent winter wars had taken on the nation. Placing the ore back, he shrugged. "No worries. We have other sources for magic ore. Kislev isn't the only place to get it. Though really, if Katarin's going to force you to buy bear pelts, she should at least throw them in for free."
"True, you are the richest man in the Old World now, Ryan," Theresa teased, her mood improving. She glanced playfully at him. "I bet if you…"
At that moment, Theresa noticed Sulia and Morgiana's gazes—Sulia's amused but subtly warning, and Morgiana's somewhat irritated as she clung to Ryan. Realizing she had let her guard down too much, Theresa remembered why she preferred the solitude of her research. Being around Sulia and Morgiana required a lot more caution. "I apologize if I spoke out of turn."
"No need. If anyone's at fault, it's this guy," Sulia playfully remarked, giving Ryan a teasing smile. "Your reputation precedes you, my dear. Maybe I should write to Katarin and ask her to send ten young, beautiful ice witches to negotiate with you?"
"Please, Sulia. Are you trying to make me die young? I already have enough to handle at home as it is," Ryan retorted with a grin. "Perhaps you still haven't fully experienced my skills, Sulia. How about I arrange a little trip for the two of us?"
"Well... that wouldn't be a bad idea," Sulia blushed, unable to continue teasing him further. Both Morgiana and Theresa exchanged envious glances at the couple's affection.
Ryan's arrival had caused quite a stir in the Ice Wizard's Tower and the nearby dormitories. While Theresa's tower was smaller in scale than Veronica's Tower of Dawn, it housed about thirty to forty apprentices—enough to cause a commotion. Dressed in deep and light blue robes, with berets atop their heads, the ice magic apprentices squealed as they gathered around, gawking at Ryan, the legendary human hero and the greatest Knight King since Arthur.
"Ah! It's His Majesty! It's King Ryan! I'm dead!"
"King Ryan, he looked at me! He spoke to me! I can't take it, I'm going to faint!"
"Ah! I'm breathing the same air as King Ryan! We're connected!"
"Kunka kunka, ssuuu haa sssuu haa!"
"I'm drooling!"
"I can't stand anymore! I'm going to…."
The scene was chaotic, and it took a stern shout from Theresa to get the apprentices to clear the way. She then noticed that Morgiana, looking quite uneasy, had moved even closer to Ryan, gripping her skirt tightly. "Lady Morgiana, is something wrong?"
"No, it's just very cold here, and I don't want to stay outside," Morgiana answered, her voice lacking confidence. "Could we go inside your tower? I'd like to take a look around."
"Of course, please follow me." Theresa nodded and instructed the apprentices to continue unloading and inventorying the goods. She then led Ryan, Sulia, and Morgiana inside the tower.
After a brief tour, which was largely similar to Ryan's previous visits to Veronica's tower, they reached the living quarters. The tower featured defense facilities, storage areas, magical workshops, potion labs, and residential quarters—much like the Dawn Tower. Ryan had been here before, so there wasn't much need for a detailed tour.
However, he did notice that since Aurora's arrival, the tower's interior had become more luxurious, with high elven tapestries, decorations, sculptures, and a variety of imported women's goods adorning the halls.
I'm sure some of my funding went toward these purchases, Ryan thought wryly.
"Where's Lady Aurora?" Ryan asked once the tour concluded and they were seated in the tower's private living area.
"My mother is in the top floor, brewing a Radiant Potion. I've informed her of your arrival, and she'll be down shortly," Theresa replied, offering them seats.
Theresa's personal apprentice, Emma, served coffee and pastries. As it was nearing midday, and upon hearing that Ryan would be staying for lunch, Theresa seemed delighted and immediately went to the kitchen to oversee the preparation of the meal herself.
While Sulia and Morgiana discussed the situation in Kislev, Ryan quietly slipped into the kitchen, where he found Theresa wearing an apron and cooking alongside a few of the apprentices. The tall, slender sorceress, now in an apron, exuded a homely charm that Ryan couldn't resist. Seeing him enter, Theresa gave him a mock-scolding look. "Ryan, what are you doing in the kitchen?"
"I came to see what's for lunch," Ryan replied with a grin, resting his chin on her shoulder as he peeked over her.
"Lunch will be cod, smoked salmon, pan-seared venison, goat cheese, and a variety of vegetable salads, along with sandwiches my mother and I prepared," Theresa said softly, clearly in a good mood. "Ryan, why did you suddenly decide to visit me today?"
"Isn't it because of what happened the other day?" Ryan teased.
At the mention of that day, Theresa's face turned crimson, and her knees buckled slightly. She squeezed her legs together and playfully slapped Ryan on the arm. "Don't mention that! I never expected Morgiana, usually so proud and aloof, to..."
"You weren't much different back when we started adventuring in Norsca," Ryan reminisced. "I remember you were completely drained from overusing your bloodline powers, barely able to stand, but still trying to act tough in front of me."
"Witches don't believe in tears," Theresa said, flipping the venison with a spatula. She seemed to grow melancholic as she recalled those days. "The bloodline gave me great power, but it's also been my greatest limitation. I'm stuck—unable to break through to the legendary realm. My mother's researched countless books, and she says it'll take at least twenty years to purify and refine my bloodline. But you and everyone else have already reached the legendary level, while I'm still stuck here without any clear path forward."
"What about Teclis? Hasn't he responded?" Ryan asked, genuinely feeling sympathy for Theresa. Sorcery was a special path—mages like her were born with the ability to cast spells and naturally became stronger as they aged, learning difficult magic with ease. Theresa had been a prodigy, practically born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
"Lord Teclis asked Lord B
elenar to research it. He suggested that the best course would be to find ancient artifacts or relics that contain ice magic energy. Originally, the bloodline of ice dragons could have worked, but most of the ice dragons in the far north have either been corrupted by Chaos or turned into ice wyverns. And Kislev's Tsarina has monopolized what little remains of the ancient ice pillars that could help. Using them would come at a tremendous cost. The only other option might be the northern ice fields in Naggaroth, where the Dark Elves fight the Chaos marauders, but that's far too dangerous."
"Yes, it's far too dangerous. I wouldn't want you going there," Ryan said as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "You're my court sorceress, after all—officially registered."
"You make that sound so sincere," Theresa blushed, then pouted. "And yet, during the Eight Peaks Expedition, you left me behind and took Veronica instead. Do you know how she flaunted that elf-made armor when she came back?"
"The Badlands are scorching, dry, and the temperatures are extreme—it wasn't a suitable environment for you," Ryan explained gently. "We'll find a solution."
"Hmm." Theresa's expression remained a little gloomy, but she nodded reluctantly. Ryan continued to hold her from behind, watching her cook and helping with ingredients.
"You two…" Just then, Lady Aurora entered the kitchen, dressed in a dazzling emerald-green gown made of frosty crystal and paired with black velvet sheer stockings and knee-high boots. She was adorned with various jewels, her mature beauty resembling that of a ripe fruit, full of enticing allure. Clearly, she had just reapplied her makeup, looking every bit the epitome of a pampered noblewoman. Seeing her daughter and Ryan being so intimate in the kitchen, Aurora's face flushed with a mix of surprise and amusement. "My goodness, Theresa, how can you let His Majesty into the kitchen? And Ryan… aren't you rushing things a bit?"
"Oh, I was just watching Theresa cook, chatting a bit," Ryan replied with a thick skin. He released Theresa's waist and smiled. "I was also wondering what you were up to, Lady Aurora."
"The Radiant Potions you requested are finished—six in total. Remember to check them over. These potions instantly restore all stamina, boost physical vitality, and increase movement speed. They also enhance physical and magical resistance by 50% for 25 seconds. But remember, the strength of the potion is secondary—such potions can only be used once a year, and if the enemy's attack is too overwhelming, the potion's effects will be nullified."
"How powerful?" Ryan asked, nodding. He knew the limits of the potion—no substance could replace true strength.
"High-tier legendary enemies with advanced combat skills and spells can suppress the effects," Aurora replied, adjusting her golden-rimmed glasses. "It's quite a rare occurrence to have you here in person, Ryan. Ever since the tower was built, you've barely visited, and every time you have, it's been for something urgent. So, what brings you here today?"
"Hehehe~" Ryan chuckled meaningfully. "I came specifically to ask you a question."
"To ask me?" Aurora was puzzled. "You could've sent a messenger. Why come here yourself?"
"I want to know—have you made up your mind?" Ryan narrowed his eyes, slinging his arm around Theresa's waist again, his tone less playful. "Are you going to officially join my service or not?"
"Uh… isn't the current arrangement working?" Aurora hesitated, her tone wavering. "I've already shifted a portion of my time and energy to your side. Isn't that enough?"
"You should try asking other electors or the Emperor if they'd let you work as their court mage while holding a high position in the Garland Council, drawing two salaries for doing half the work for each," Ryan said, rolling his eyes. He hugged Theresa again, pressing a kiss to her cold cheek. Due to her ice magic and bloodline, her body temperature was always lower than average, making it cool and pleasant to hold.
At this point, Theresa had finished cooking, but being held by Ryan left her weak-kneed, unable to resist as she listened to her mother and lover's conversation.
"Hmm…" Aurora hesitated, clearly reluctant to give up the luxurious lifestyle and resources Ryan provided. But at the same time, she had spent over sixty years in the Garland Council, where she wielded significant influence and access to valuable resources. Facing Ryan's insistence, she was torn. "Could you… give me more time to think?"
"Fine, but how much time?" Ryan asked calmly. "I need a specific date. When can you make a decision? If you can't commit, then I'll leave the management of MI7 to Theresa."
"...After the Spring Festival and the Garland Grand Assembly," Aurora finally said, realizing she couldn't delay forever. "That assembly will determine whether I can stay in the council. If I can't, then we'll have no choice but to rely on you."
"Good. But I still have to ask—what if you manage to stay? You really do like to have the best of both worlds, Lady Aurora," Ryan teased.
"I'll give you a formal answer after the assembly," Aurora sidestepped the question, clearly intent on avoiding any commitment before then. She quickly changed the subject. "Speaking of which, there's a rumor that a young man will attend this year's grand assembly. He's supposed to propose a comprehensive reform plan for the Garland Council. Everyone's quite curious. He's a male sorcerer from the East and is said to be extremely famous. He's not even forty yet and is already a legendary spellcaster, proficient in metal and shadow magic. He was recommended by Elder Kalayrona. Ryan, they say he's just as remarkable as you!"
"Oh? What's his name?" Ryan asked, intrigued.
"He's called Tzeentch Ek."
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]