The next day, Lin Yu arrives at the station twenty minutes before the train is due.
Some assistants and professors are already gathered on the platform, and he walks over, greeting them politely before standing in silence, listening to their conversations without joining.
More people arrive minute by minute, until at last five additional figures appear—representatives from the university administration, along with a girl Lin Yu immediately recognises.
She, too, is from a noble family. He remembers meeting her at one of the year-end parties his family always attended. She nods at him in acknowledgement, and he returns the gesture, their exchange ending there.
When the train finally arrives, Lin Yu helps with the luggage, then takes his seat beside Professor Tim, Elise, and Grace.
The train lurches forward, and conversation quickly fills the coach. Professor Tim smiles and says, "Elise, you and Lin Yu must know each other."
Elise nods gracefully. "This time is the first we've met in the university, but before… we crossed paths at the noble families' year-end gathering."
When the professor begins chatting warmly with Elise, something clicks in Lin Yu's mind.
He finally understands—Elise is from the Blackthorn family, an earldom that still holds property rights over the Blackthorn Forest. Even though noble families no longer rule the Griffin Kingdom, their property remains untouched, for since the dawn of the era, the extraordinary paths have always rested in the hands of the nobles.
Lin Yu's own family carries the extraordinary inheritance of the Knight path. But he never touched it, knowing the end of that path leads to the God of Nobility and Bravery. To follow it would mean breaking away at stage three, drawing the god's attention, something he refuses to risk until he has the power to resist.
Grace exchanges polite words with Elise, but Lin Yu stays silent, retreating into thought.
His first extraordinary technique granted him control over shadow, so naturally his next step must refine his mastery over shadow energy—laying the foundation for the extraordinary path he intends to forge.
The first technique only gave him the ability to manipulate shadow, but before he forms his extraordinary heart, he must derive more—attack, defence, perception, and other applications woven from shadow energy.
These next techniques will not demand rare, extraordinary materials; they will come from perfecting his mastery of the Shadow Hand and using it as the root to branch out into others.
Before noon, the train slows with a long whistle and halts at Blackthorn Station.
They step down with their luggage and, after arranging carriages, ride into town where the hotel is already prepared.
Elise leaves for her family estate while the others settle into their rooms.
A couple of hours later, the door of Lin Yu's shared room rattles with a knock.
He opens it to find Professor Tim outside, dressed to the nines.
"Professor?" Lin Yu asks.
"Lin Yu, quickly get ready," Tim says, almost hurriedly. "We're visiting Blackthorn Castle."
Lin Yu blinks in surprise, but the professor waves it off. "Go, dress properly and meet us in the lobby."
Closing the door, Lin Yu pulls out the clothes suited for meeting nobility.
From the bed, his roommate, Brent, lifts his head from his notes. "What happened?"
Lin Yu explains briefly, and Brent snorts. "The professors are probably bringing you to smooth things over with the Earl of Blackthorn."
"Very likely," Lin Yu admits, changing out of his current attire.
A few minutes later, Lin Yu descends the stairs into the lobby, fully prepared.
He finds Professor Tim with two other professors, all dressed formally, waiting for him. Grace and another boy stand nearby, but neither is dressed for the outing. Grace shoots him a sharp glare as Lin Yu joins the three professors, walking past the lobby and stepping into the carriage.
As the carriage rattles away, Grace mutters, "He gets all the opportunities and the professor's favour only because he's from the nobility."
The boy shakes his head. "The professors could only bring him since he's noble, true. But the favour? That has nothing to do with nobility."
Grace frowns. "What do you mean?"
The boy looks at her in surprise. "You're under the same professor as him, and you don't know about Lin Yu?"
"What should I know about him?" she presses.
"Lin Yu is a language expert," the boy explains. "He's translated countless works from unknown languages for us, turning them into material we can actually study."
Grace's brows shoot up. "What?" She stares in the direction the carriage disappeared, shock flickering across her face—she had never heard of this.
"It's not surprising," the boy continues. "Lin Yu keeps it quiet. Only the professors and a few assistants like me know."
"Why?" Grace asks softly, her eyes narrowing with a mix of confusion and curiosity.
The boy only shrugs. "Only Lin Yu knows." He turns as if to walk away, but after a few steps, he stops and glances back at her. "Are you coming with us tonight?"
Grace tilts her head, suspicious. "Where?"
The boy steps closer and leans in, whispering, "Blackmarket."
Her eyes widen, then she gives the faintest nod.
Inside the carriage, Lin Yu sits beside Professor Tim, facing the department head, Professor Claire—a sharp-eyed middle-aged woman—and Professor Edmund, an older man though still younger than Tim.
Professor Claire's voice cuts through the rumble of the wheels. "Lin Yu, what do you know about the Earl of Blackthorn?"
Lin Yu searches his memory before answering evenly. "Nothing much. His family circle is different from ours. Earl Leonard Blackthorn belongs to the commercial nobility."
Professor Edmund frowns. "What does that mean?"
"They control the financial system of the kingdom," Lin Yu replies calmly.
Edmund leans forward, intrigued. "How?"
"They hold stakes in nearly all the banks and industries," Lin Yu explains. "As for Earl Blackthorn himself, he's tied to forestry and coal mining."
The professors nod thoughtfully.
Professor Tim shifts the topic. "Lin Yu, what type of nobility does your family belong to?"
"Military," Lin Yu answers without hesitation.
Professor Claire's brows knit. "Earl Blackthorn had previously granted us unrestricted entry into the Blackthorn Forest. Now, suddenly, he refuses."
Edmund's lips curl in irritation. "But we have the government's permission. He shouldn't be able to bar our way."
Lin Yu's voice is steady, but his gaze is sharp. "He cannot stop us outright, but he can stall—long enough for others to enter the castle first."
Edmund lets out a low breath, eyes narrowing. "Illegal collectors."
Professor Tim nods grimly. "Yes. So, Lin Yu, we need your help to persuade Earl Blackthorn to allow us entry tomorrow."
Lin Yu's tone is calm but firm. "If you want the Earl to agree, you must offer him something."
Professor Claire shakes her head. "We cannot give him monetary benefit."
"We don't need to," Lin Yu replies evenly. "We can offer indirect benefit instead."
Claire studies him. "How?"
"The artefacts discovered in the ruined castle could first be displayed in a museum here in Blackthorn Town," Lin Yu explains. "And some of the less valuable pieces could remain here permanently."
Professor Edmund blinks. "There is no museum in this town."
Professor Tim immediately supports the idea. "With our university's backing, Earl Blackthorn could establish one."
Claire nods after a moment of thought. "Let's follow Lin Yu's advice. If the Earl refuses everything else, this will be our offer."
A few minutes later, the carriage rolls past iron gates into the castle grounds and halts before the grand entrance.
Stepping down, they are greeted by Elise, standing beside a stern-faced butler who bows lightly, and soon they are escorted through the grand halls into the dining room, where the Earl waits with his wife already seated.
Once everyone settles at the long polished table, Professor Claude attempts to raise the matter of the ruined castle, but the Earl immediately shuts him down with a firm voice, insisting all discussions will be held only after dinner.
Servants bring in course after course, and only when the plates are cleared do the professors press for permission to enter the forest.
The Earl's face hardens as he denies them, citing a rise in wild beast activity and declaring that entry into the forest would be far too dangerous.
Professor Claire then carefully brings up Lin Yu's suggestion, and for the first time, the Earl falls silent, his expression thoughtful.
Lin Yu speaks evenly, "Earl, may I discuss something with you in private?"
The room grows tense as all eyes turn toward him, but after a pause, the Earl nods, and together they step out into the shadowed corridor.
Minutes later, when they return, the Earl surprises everyone by granting permission to enter the forest and even assigning a team of guards for their protection.
As they leave the castle in the night's cool air, the professors exchange curious, questioning looks at Lin Yu, silently wondering what he said to make the Earl change his mind so swiftly.