Compared to the modest two-story house Lynn currently lived in, the residence of Adeline's uncle, Landry, was far grander both in size and in luxury.
Just the front lawn alone was nearly three times the size of Lynn's entire property.
This was practically a small estate.
Landry received Lynn in one of the main hall's reception rooms.
The moment he saw Landry, Lynn finally understood why, though they were both third-tier members of the Society, Landry could afford such an extravagant lifestyle.
Landry wore a plain white robe. His face was lined with wrinkles that no longer could be hidden. His hair was still brown, but at the roots, faint strands of white could already be seen.
Lynn didn't know his exact age, but judging from his appearance, Landry was at least eighty.
At that age, the body inevitably weakened, and it was highly unlikely he could continue climbing the path of wizardry.
Landry probably understood this himself and had most likely chosen to abandon cultivation altogether, saving the massive costs required to sustain his magical veins and instead spending that fortune on enjoying the comforts of life.
"Good afternoon, Lord Lynn," Landry greeted warmly as he sat down across from him. His tone carried a trace of wistfulness. "You are so young. When I was promoted to apprentice, I was only a few years older than you are now."
The sudden, unfinished remark left Lynn momentarily stunned. Unsure how to respond, he simply smiled faintly and replied,
"Good afternoon, Lord Landry."
He then took a sip of the tea before him.
Landry seemed to realize his lapse and shook his head with a rueful smile.
"Forgive me. Age makes one prone to dwelling on the past…
"Young man, your future is long, your past short. You naturally focus on what lies ahead.
"But for me, my future is short, and my past weighs long behind me. So…"
He cut himself off, shaking his head once more, before suddenly pulling out a pale-yellow booklet from his robes and handing it to Lynn.
"I nearly forgot to give you this."
Lynn accepted it and glanced at the cover, where the words Durant Defensive Ring were written.
It was, unmistakably, the complete knowledge of that magical array.
Lynn's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected Landry to hand it over so casually.
"There's no need for surprise," Landry said with a smile. "I ask for nothing in return, only to form goodwill. Besides, this array's power is merely that of a mid-tier zero-ring. It's not as valuable as you might think."
"Even so," Lynn replied, running his fingers over the pale-yellow booklet with a half-smile, "magical arrays are always worth more than spells of the same power. This Durant Defensive Ring would fetch at least dozens, if not over a hundred, primary-grade magic stones on the market… Such a costly gift if you truly ask nothing of me, Lord Landry, I'd be too wary to simply accept it."
Landry chuckled. "That may be true in the more prosperous Academy regions. But here in Emeraldwood City, few understand magical arrays at all, and even fewer apprentices can use them. This booklet has no market here.
"And I'm not about to travel to distant Academies just to sell it.
"As for the merchant caravans that pass through, since they know I have nowhere else to offload it, they would only lowball me harshly. And frankly, even if they didn't, it still wouldn't fetch enough to buy me more years of life.
"So, instead, I keep it as a gift for forming ties and goodwill."
His words were candid and without hidden conditions. After a moment of silence, Lynn nodded.
"In that case, Lord Landry, I will accept it."
Landry smiled and lifted his tea for a sip. Then he asked,
"I heard that a few days ago at the Greenvine Restaurant, the newly formed guard office of the Faction came to question you because of the Emerald Shadow incident. Is that true?"
"It is true," Lynn admitted. "But as for what was said, forgive me, Lord Landry, that I cannot disclose."
"I understand. Matters concerning the Emerald Shadow do require discretion," Landry said with a nod. Then, testing the waters, he asked, "I just wonder if their visit is connected to what happened with the Bloodmark Society last night?"
"…The Bloodmark Society? What happened?"
Landry blinked. "You truly don't know?
"Last night, a second-tier member of the Bloodmark Society was killed on the spot by a first-rank apprentice from the guard office. The reason given was refusal to cooperate with their investigation."
Lynn set his teacup down, surprise flashing in his eyes, and shook his head.
"This is the first I've heard of it, just now, from you."
No wonder so many invitations had arrived today; they were all fishing for news.
Landry sighed. "The Bloodmark Society must have deliberately suppressed the information. If it spreads, their prestige would suffer.
"I still don't understand why the Faction would slay one of their members outright."
Though the Bloodmark Society and the Golden Shadow Society had always been at odds, they were both major powers in Emeraldwood City. To see a Bloodmark second-rank quietly erased was cause for unease.
"Lord Landry, there's no need to worry too much," Lynn said reassuringly. "If the Faction wants Emeraldwood to prosper, they won't kill recklessly. This was most likely an accident."
Landry nodded, but then, as if recalling something, added a warning:
"If you had nothing to do with this matter, it would be wise to make that known. After all, if I've heard the guard office sought you out first, then the Bloodmark Society certainly will too."
Lynn's brows furrowed. He nodded solemnly.
"Thank you for the reminder, Lord Landry."
He hadn't considered that possibility before.
But Landry's reasoning made perfect sense.
If the Bloodmark Society came to believe he had deliberately steered the Guard Office toward them… that would spell serious trouble for him.
"Speaking of which," Landry continued, smoothly shifting the subject, "there are only a little over two months until the Autumn Hunt. Have you made your preparations?"
The two of them talked at length on various topics.
When dinner was finally served, Lynn was once again taken aback not by how lavish the meal was, but by the fact that Landry never lifted a hand throughout the entire banquet. Instead, two beautiful maids attended him the whole time, feeding him food and drink.
"I don't have many years left to live," Landry said candidly. His face bore a smile, but in his eyes lingered a trace of regret and bleakness. "Beyond seeking pleasure, what else is there for me to pursue?"
After all, if hope still existed, who wouldn't want to continue climbing the path of wizardry?
A first-rank wizard enjoyed a lifespan of at least 280 years.
At the second rank, one could live up to 500 years.
Longevity is an irresistible temptation to every intelligent being.
Landry had even prepared two maids to serve Lynn as well, but of course, Lynn politely declined.
After dinner, it was time for Lynn to take his leave.
But before he could depart, Landry called out,
"Lord Lynn, I heard from Member Blue, the one who invited you into the Society, that you are a straightforward man.
"So I'll speak plainly.
"I intend to give Adeline to you. What do you think?"
Lynn froze for a moment, only realizing after a pause what Landry truly meant.
His first instinct was to protest that Adeline was not a slave.
But almost immediately, he understood how meaningless such words would sound.
This was the way wizards viewed mortals in this world.
After a moment's thought, Lynn simply said,
"Lord Landry, please don't mention this again. Adeline is my friend."
Landry blinked in surprise, then slowly nodded.
"As you wish. I will respect her opinion."
Though his body had grown sluggish with age, Landry's instincts for danger had only sharpened.
The establishment of the Guard Office, the death of a Bloodmark second-rank member… all of it carried the faint stench of peril.
It was precisely because of this that Landry chose to extend goodwill toward this young man, a boy who had once come from the Faction itself.
Let it be nothing more than a false alarm…
As he watched Lynn's figure recede into the distance, Landry's thoughts drifted back to his childhood, to the wizard domain where he had once lived…
To the sight of it, utterly destroyed in a Faction war.
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