After Roland departed, Rien flipped through the magical tomes. These books had been painstakingly collected by his father, Anason, from every corner of the world over many years. Each tome carried an air of ancient history, and their value was beyond measure.
Opening the first book, a fine layer of dust rose from the pages. Rien waved his hand, dispelling the dust. This tome detailed the intricate construction of a magic circle for a first-tier spell called Thunderbolt Spear.
To cast magic, a mage must first construct the magic circle, which then channels the spell's energy. With the insights granted by the ancient book, what had once seemed like an obscure and difficult subject became immediately clear. In just a few minutes, Rien had mastered the Thunderbolt Spear.
Next came the second book, which described a technique called Fire Meditation. Rien discarded it immediately, muttering, "Leave me be, I fear the Abyss might misunderstand."
The third book: Barrier Spell. Mastered. The fourth: Swift Wind Speed. Mastered.
When Rien turned to the fifth book, Roland returned, standing beside him and handing him a box containing a revitalizing tonic.
"Master, I've used it as you instructed."
Rien nodded and placed the box aside. He trusted Roland completely and had no need to check its contents.
Noticing the late hour, Rien sighed and ordered, "Roland, you may rest. I am weary."
"Yes, Master," Roland replied, nodding respectfully before leaving the room.
Just as Rien was about to lie down, Roland returned, carrying a silver basin of water.
"Master, please wash up."
Without protest, Rien washed his face, rinsed his mouth, and took the towel Roland handed him to dry off. He then reclined on the bed.
After ensuring Rien was settled, Roland dimmed the magical lamp and quietly exited the room.
Having endured a long day, Rien quickly fell into a deep sleep, his energy exhausted.
Nightfall in the capital.
The Stan family's agents began to move.
In the backyard of the Smile Morning Gazette.
"Boss, have you written the report on Rien Stan for tomorrow?"
A group of masked figures surrounded the trembling owner of the paper.
The owner, his gaze fixed anxiously on the weapons at their sides, forced a nervous smile. "Lords, I would never fabricate anything about Master Rien."
For those without noble titles, life held little value—less than that of a noble's dog.
The leader of the black-clad figures patted the boss's shoulder. "If I find out you've been dishonest, hm..."
The boss immediately swore, "I swear by the name of the Knight God, if I release anything about Master Rien tomorrow, may my family be forsaken by His grace forever."
The leader nodded, signaling to the others. In a flash, they vanished into the night.
The boss, watching their disappearing figures, breathed a sigh of relief. There were other newspapers in the capital, but such extreme measures were only taken against those without noble protection. For those with noble backing, discussions were usually handled by Panteston, who would negotiate favorable terms for the Stan family.
Fortunately, Anason had caught wind of the situation early, and only a handful of people were aware of it. By the time the night had passed, the scandal surrounding Rien had been effectively suppressed.
The following morning, in the Stan family dining hall.
A magnificent crystal chandelier bathed the room in soft light, illuminating the long table adorned with a heavy red silk tablecloth.
Gold-trimmed silverware was arranged with precision, and crystal goblets gleamed, catching the first rays of sunlight.
At the table sat the family head, Anason, and his wife, Bosa, enjoying their breakfast. Rien, having just awoken, yawned and made his way to the table.
"Good morning~"
Freya moved to pull out a chair for him, and Rien casually sat down. Anason and Bosa said nothing; after all, Rien had long abandoned formalities.
Freya swiftly placed a set of silverware in front of him, but Rien waved her away, eating only some bread and drinking milk, his breakfast hurriedly finished.
As he rose to leave, Bosa stopped him with a few words.
"Rien, I've chosen a young lady for you. She's the youngest daughter of the Hill family—gentle, of your age, and incredibly beautiful. In three months, you two will be engaged."
"She'll come to meet you soon. Prepare yourself, tidy up, and don't cause any trouble at the academy."
Rien's brow furrowed. "Mother, didn't you promise I could choose my own partner?"
At once, Anason became agitated.
"Choose your own partner? Are you planning to chase after Sophia again? If I hadn't learned of this early, who knows what would have happened?"
Bosa patted Anason to calm him down. "Alright, alright, don't get upset this early in the morning."
Anason grumbled but slowly relented, muttering that with Rien as his son, he'd lose twenty years of his life.
Bosa then explained the situation to Rien.
Rien sighed deeply upon hearing it. The original Rien had been utterly reckless—there were so many delicate and lovely maids in the house, yet he went outside and caused such a mess.
All he could do was sigh again and hope the Hill girl met his standards. After all, the mess had been created by his predecessor, and he would now have to clean it up.
Rien didn't return to his room after breakfast but went to find Panteston instead.
Watching Rien leave, Anason raised an eyebrow and said to Bosa, "Has this kid really become a first-tier mage?"
Bosa, still focused on the meal, replied casually, "Isn't that a good thing? Eat, you'll be seeing the Emperor soon."
Anason nodded, muttering that a first-tier mage was merely the standard for an average noble heir.
In the hallway, as Rien passed by, the maids curtsied to him. Looking at their faces and figures, he couldn't help but reflect.
Isn't this far better than that flat Sophia?
Upon reaching Panteston's room, Rien knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Panteston had been up all night, but thanks to his cultivation, staying awake wasn't a problem for him. Seeing Rien at the door, he immediately stood and walked over.
"Master Rien, what brings you here?"
Rien didn't visit him often—perhaps no more than five times a year. Each time, it was because he had caused some great trouble and dared not approach his father, instead seeking Panteston's help.
So, Panteston immediately began thinking about how to help clean up Rien's mess.
"Uncle Joe, does our family have any treasures that can enhance magical power?"
"Ah~" Panteston sighed in relief, his tense muscles relaxing. So, this wasn't a problem after all.
"Yes, Master Rien."
Panteston pushed his chair back, then motioned for Rien to follow him.
"Come with me, Master Rien. I will take you to the family's treasure vault. You may choose for yourself."
Panteston led Rien to a hidden underground vault, heavily guarded.
They passed through five different checkpoints, each more stringent than the last. At the final gate, Panteston presented a jade token to gain entry.
Once inside, the vault's attendants approached.
"Master Rien, Panteston, welcome. What do you require today?"
Rien, gazing at the vast vault, was momentarily stunned—it was his first time visiting.
"Bao, Master Rien needs items that can enhance magical power."
Bao Stan nodded and led them to a section of the vault.
"Master Rien, these are all items that can enhance magical power. Please, choose whichever catches your eye, and I will provide further details."
As magic wasn't the mainstream practice, items that enhanced magical power were generally much cheaper than those that enhanced fighting spirit. Since Rien focused on magic, the Stan family had been collecting magical items for years, filling five large cabinets.
Each cabinet held dozens of items, ranging from low-tier to high-tier, all capable of enhancing magical power.
Rien nodded and walked closer to one of the cabinets. Immediately, numbers appeared in his vision, each representing the power level of the items inside.
He widened his eyes—could it be that the ancient book was helping him identify the energy levels of these items?
He casually opened the nearest cabinet.
Bao stepped forward and examined the item with Rien.
"Ice Stone, a first-tier magical item, sourced from the Extreme Snow Mountains in the northern empire. It provides a solid enhancement to ice mages below the second tier."
Rien's eyes gleamed as a faint golden number appeared beside the Ice Stone.
With a smile, Rien turned to Bao.
"Wrap all these up for me."