Chapter 113: Visit
Winterveil City, Margraviate of Findlay.
29th December, the Year 1421, Rune Era.
The city lay silent under a blanket of snow. Frozen in winter's grip, the Frost River glistened under the dim glow of gas lamps. Cobblestone streets shimmered with frost as snowflakes drifted from a pale sky. Gothic buildings loomed tall, their sharp spires cutting through the fog like dark sentinels.
Horse-drawn carriages moved softly over the snow-covered streets, and smoke from chimneys curled lazily into the sky. People wrapped in thick furs hurried along wide roads while workers huddled by small fires, exchanging quiet words.
At that moment, the deep chime of the Clocktower echoed in the stillness.
Beneath it, a sixteen-year-old black-haired boy stood by the roadside and raised a gloved hand to stop an empty carriage.
The carriage driver noticed his signal, pulled the horse reins to reduce the momentum, and stopped the carriage near him.
The teenage boy approached the carriage, his breath visible in the frosty air. He wore a simple yet well-kept black coat over his formal dress, a top hat, black gloves, and even a monocle on his left eye.
His sharp eyes briefly scanned the driver, taking in every detail.
'A normal mortal with one low affinity.' Raven dismissed the blue screen and looked at the carriage driver.
"Where to, lad?" the driver asked, his voice gruff but curious as he adjusted his woolen scarf against the cold.
"Fallen District," Raven replied, taking a silver coin from the inventory. He flipped the silver coin toward the driver, who caught it with a gloved hand and nodded in approval.
"Hop in," the driver said, gesturing toward the carriage.
Raven climbed inside, settling into the corner of the wooden seat. The interior smelled faintly of leather and the faint musk of damp wool. As the carriage began its slow journey down the cobblestone streets, he pulled a small, leather-bound notebook out of thin air.
'I heard that guy lives in the Fallen District.'
He opened it slowly and flipped the first page.
The page wasn't filled with words but drawings. To be precise, it was the city map of a rural town in the southwest region.
He brought this book from an Artifact Shop in Bloodstone City for ten gold coins while traveling to the Findlay Territory. It may look expensive, but he spent money on it due to the details this book held.
This map had over a thousand pages, each with a hand-drawn map of towns and cities. The streets were drawn, and their names were neatly labeled. Government buildings and noble residences were marked with red circles, making it simple for the reader to grasp crucial places.
He flipped the pages one by one and soon stopped at a specific page with a large city map with a river running around it.
His fingers traced a line across the map, stopping at a specific location circled in red ink. He hurriedly opened the hatch and ordered,
"Go to the Old North Street."
"Aye!" The coachman responded and continued to drive the carriage.
The city passed by in a blur outside the frosted window—snow-covered rooftops, flickering lanterns, and the faint silhouette of the towering spires in the distance.
The carriage jerked as it turned into a narrower street, its wheels crunching through the fresh snow. While watching outside, Raven tucked the notebook away and adjusted his gloves.
A short while later, the carriage slowed to a stop. The driver turned and opened the small hatch between them.
"We have arrived."
Raven nodded and stepped out, the sharp winter air biting his cheeks. The street ahead was quieter, the buildings older and more weathered. Although a few carriages moved here and there and people were found roaming on the cobblestone road, he felt this whole street appeared more isolated than the rest of the city.
After adjusting his top hat, Raven started walking, his polished boots crunching softly over the snow-covered cobblestones.
He walked towards the end of Old North Street and stopped in front of a mansion that stood out amidst the modest surroundings.
Snow-dusted hedges framed its tall wrought-iron gates, and the path leading to the entrance was lined with old stone lanterns. The structure was grand, with intricate carvings adorning its walls and large windows veiled by thick, dark curtains.
Raven arrived closer to the iron gate and carefully examined the mansion. It was grand, but it also seemed poorly maintained. Small cracks ran along the walls, ivy climbed up one side, and a heavy silence hung over the place.
Taking a breath, he pushed open the iron gate. The sound echoed briefly before being swallowed by the stillness of the street. He walked up the stone path, his steps deliberate, and stopped before the large oak door.
He raised his gloved hand and knocked twice.
The sound reverberated through the mansion the next second like echoes of drums.
A moment passed, but no response came.
'Is he not there?' As Raven was about to leave, the door creaked open just enough to reveal a figure.
"Who are you?" A pale-skinned man, around 20 years old, with snowy hair and bluish eyes, peeked his head out and asked.
It was none other than Daley Findlay!
He took only a brief moment before he recognized him.
"Y-Your Highness?" He hurriedly opened the door and invited him in.
"I thought you would never show up." He then bowed his head and greeted him politely.
"Daley Findlay greets the 66th Prince of Zenith!"
Raven nodded his head while tipping the hat and walked in.
The warmth of the mansion was a stark contrast to the cold outside. Dust-covered chandeliers hung above faded wooden panels, and the faint smell of damp wood lingered.
Daley closed the door behind him; he looked nervous.
His snowy hair fell messily over his forehead, and his clothes were simple—a gray coat and worn boots—but neatly kept.
"Apologies for the state of the house, Your Highness," Daley said, gesturing awkwardly toward the hall beyond.
"I wasn't expecting your arrival."
Raven waved his hand dismissively. "You live alone here?"
Daley nodded. "After hearing Thomas's advice, I quit the academy immediately and returned to the Findlay Family. Although I wasn't expecting a warm welcome, I never expected my cousins and parents to give me cold shoulders. When I told my father I wanted to live alone in the old North Street, he sent me away like casting out a fly." A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"I heard you have two guards by your side when Thomas met you. What about them?" Raven asked as he entered the main hall and sat on the ornate sofa at the center.
"After I returned to the mansion, my father summoned them and informed me that they would return to the main family. I haven't even gotten a letter from them yet." Daley soon shook his head and added.
"At least, my mother and brother visit here occasionally and spend time with me. Otherwise, I might go crazy out of loneliness."
'I expected this much.'
Raven nodded in understanding and spoke.
"Please sit and talk comfortably."
Daley nodded and sat on the chair placed opposite the sofa. Then, he looked at him and asked.
"Have I proven my loyalty to join the Golden Wheel, Your Highness?"
Raven adjusted his monocle and looked at his status first.
'His frost curse is still there.' Although his spell model became somewhat stable, his ice elemental affinity rank remained unchanged.
'His affinity regressed permanently, huh?' Raven quietly took out an old parchment and started writing down the conditions for the magic contract.
"Let's sign the contract right away."
A few minutes later, he gave the parchment to Daley and told him to check for any changes.
Like Elizabeth, Daley also double-checked the contract paper and finally agreed.
Raven gave a slight nod. "The contract is to keep our identity hidden even from other members and protect our secrets. We won't be using our real names anymore. Call me 'Prince' from now on."
Daley nodded.
"Yes, Prince."
Raven took an iron pin from his inventory, made a small wound on his thumb finger, and let it drop on the parchment bottom page, where his name was written.
The next second, his name was enveloped in the blood, glowing reddish.
"Your turn," Raven said, handing the iron pin to Daley.
Daley hesitated momentarily, staring at the sharp tip of the pin, before taking it firmly. He pricked his thumb and let a single droplet of blood fall onto the parchment. As soon as it made contact, the contract flared to life again, the runes burning brighter for a fleeting moment before fading into the paper.
A moment later, the parchment also turned into light particles and dispersed in the air like it never existed.
Alas, Raven and Daley sensed a mark in the deepest part of their souls.
Unlike Daley, Raven noticed two marks. One belonged to Daley, and the other to Elizabeth.
'It won't affect my soul, right?' He couldn't help but worry.
[No. Even if the other party breaks the contract, you will only see the mark disappear and nothing else. On the other hand, the other party will face deadly consequences.] Zera explained.
Raven nodded inwardly and turned his attention towards Daley.
"What should I do next, Prince?" Daley asked.
Instead of responding, Raven opened the inventory, took a few spell books, a Mystic Spirit Convergence technique, and an elemental Circlet technique, and placed them on the nearby wooden table.
"These are spatial elemental spell books I chose for you." He paused for a moment as he separated the spell books and explained.
"This is a 'Spatial Blink' spell book, a must spell for all spatial mages…"
"This one is called Pocket Space…"
"Next is called 'Dimensional Anchor.' It is a spell that allows you to lock a person or an object from moving for a short moment…"
"The fourth spell I chose for you is called 'Pathfinder's Map.' It's a spell that allows you to sense and map the nearby area, even revealing hidden areas…"
"The fifth spell is called Spatial Barrier…"
"The sixth spell is called Spatial Blade…"
"The seventh spell is called 'Phase Shift.' To avoid damage, it can momentarily phase the caster's body into a different dimension…"
As Raven explained, Daley looked at each book solemnly and nodded.
"Your spirit power is so low. For now, try to meditate using the Uncommon Spirit Technique and increase your spirit power. Then, construct all the spell models in your mind and comprehend them slowly." Raven said as he passed all the books to Daley.
"H-How can I accept this without giving anything in return?" He couldn't help but feel guilty.
Raven waved his hand and gave him a sealed letter before standing up.
"Stay low-key and become a Radiant Wizard in the next five years. A letter to the first gathering will arrive." As he spoke, he turned around and walked towards the mansion house entrance.
He soon opened the large oak door and left.
Daley watched Raven leave with a dumbfounded gaze and slowly turned his attention toward the sealed letter.
He removed the seal quickly, opened the letter, and soon saw a single word written on it.
"Twister?" A confused look appeared on his face.
"Don't tell me this is my secret code name?" His blue eyes widened.
…
4th January, Year 1422, Rune Era
Red Ember City, Capital City, Zenith Empire
The steam engine train, a massive metal beast powered by rune arrays and roaring boilers, slowly eased into the heart of Red Ember City.
Raven stood by the train window, watching the outside city.
After leaving the Findlay Territory, he changed his face to Thomas Holmes and decided to visit the capital as his next destination.
When the train stopped, he hurriedly left the compartment, walked on the platform with the other passengers, and quietly left the railway station.
He soon ran towards a brougham carriage parked outside the station and ordered.
"Go to the West Borough. Sooner."
The coachman gave him a curious look and asked as he turned the carriage around.
"Are you here to participate in the Crows' Misery entrance exam, boy? You sure are late. Hop in."
Raven nodded as he opened the carriage door and stepped in.
The carriage rolled forward, its wheels clattering softly over the cobblestones, and Raven lazed on the cushioned seat, gazing outside through the glass window.
The carriage soon drove across the Joy River through the Ember Bridge and reached the West Borough. After that, the carriage quietly entered the main streets of nobles and arrived at the Crows Street.
But even before entering Crows Street, the coachman stopped the vehicle and spoke.
"It's impossible to move further, boy. You can only go on foot from now on."
Meanwhile, Raven stepped out of the carriage and was soon stunned by the number of carriages parked ahead. The whole street appeared densely crowded.
He first gave four silvers to the coachman and covered his head with a bowler hat. Then, he started walking toward the towering Gothic-type building that appeared more than a few hundred meters ahead.
After some time, Raven managed to enter the academic gate and was soon greeted by a surprise.
Thousands of young boys and girls stood in queues and quietly waited in the academic's front yard.
'More like ten thousand candidates.'
Raven stood among the onlookers and the parents and watched how the academic instructors' selection process.
It was a tiresome process.
The first selection test was checking one's spirit power with the help of an Orb. Then, they checked one's physical powers, willpower, etc.
As each test ended, the crowd started to reduce, too.
When the sun descended to the west, ten thousand participants had been diminished to a mere 500!
Only Raven and a few other onlookers stayed near the gate and watched the selection process quietly.
All this time, he observed every student's status and noted down quite a few people's names.
'A total of 8 people stood among the rest. But only four are selected by the academy.' The reason was that one had low spirit power and was disqualified in the first test. The other three showed progression but got disqualified during the basic elemental affinity test.
'They all got unique elements.'
What surprised him was that one of the disqualified candidates had a Prodigy rank affinity and an 'Extraordinary' affinity!
Moreover, the prodigy rank affinity holder got disqualified due to the Spirit Orb explosion!
'Jovie… She should've been selected, but she has bad luck. Her physical condition seems no good, too.' Raven muttered as he glanced at the girl who sat right underneath a nearby tree and stayed in the same position for hours.
He noticed that she had been holding her head all the time and seemed to be enduring much pain.
'She has been acting strangely all this time. Her body is weak, and her spirit power is 1.9. She would be selected into the academy if she had trained harder for a month, even with the common spirit technique. Moreover, Death and Chaos huh?' Raven said while observing her closely.
She had long black hair, a lean body, pale white skin, silver eyes, and appeared around 140 cm tall.
[Even if she passed the first test, she would've been disqualified during the fitness test.] Zera said.
'True. She also looks more like a girl from a poor background. How did she even manage to come this far?'
She suddenly stood up and turned around to leave the academy.
[Her eyes changed. She looks like a completely different person.] Zera said in his mind.
Meanwhile, the girl named Jovie walked towards the academic gate, bumping into a few people and even falling once after a rude guard pushed her away for blocking his path. But she didn't mind it and started walking with staggering footsteps.
[Follow her.]
Raven quietly followed her to the end of Crows' Street and soon saw her standing on the roadside, her face blank.
"Are you okay, young miss-?" As he asked, she staggered for a moment and soon fell backward.
Thankfully, Raven caught her on time and asked.
"Are you okay?"
"No." A weak response came out of her mouth.
She wanted to stand up but couldn't because her body had no energy.
He put her arms on his shoulders and moved to the nearby carriage.
"Where are you from, young miss?" Raven asked.
As soon as he asked, her whole body trembled.
At that moment, her silvery eyes turned an eerie bluish color and seemed to be peering into his soul.
She tried to say something, but her voice barely reached his ears.
"I'm trying to help you, young miss. Please don't panic." Raven said with a smile.
Although she stopped moving, her gaze never left his face.
Meanwhile, Raven examined her hands and noticed there were multiple scars everywhere.
"Get us to a nearby Inn, sir," Raven said to the coachman and passed him two silvers.
"Most of the inns in West Borough have long booked, kid. We can only find a vacant room in other boroughs."
"Anywhere is fine," Raven said as he opened the carriage door and helped the young girl to walk in.
"Is she going to be okay, lad? She looks like she needs to see a doctor soon." The coachman said worriedly and hopped into the driver's seat to drive.
As the carriage started to move, Raven let her lean comfortably on the seat, closed the door, and took a leather water pouch out of thin air.
"Drink it." He tried to feed her, but she barely drank it with half-consciousness.
[She over-exhausted.]
Raven nodded his head and looked at her status.
…
[Name: Jovie Viser Azarael (?????)
Age: 15 (????)
Nationality: Viser Kingdom
Title: ????????
Class: None
Health: Abnormal (???????)
Current Status: Tired
Attributes:
Strength- 0.7
Agility- 0.6
Vitality-0.6
Luck- 0.1
Spirit: 1.9
Spells:
None
Additional skills:
Spectral Vision, ??????, ??????, ???????.
Affinities:
Death- Prodigy, Chaos- Extraordinary.]
…
[Spectral vision, huh? There are lots of unknown skills, too.]
'Yes. Her age is showing question marks, too.' Raven couldn't help but frown.
[Hmm, I have a guess.] Zera said after a deliberation.
'What is it?' Raven asked.
[She might be a reincarnated person.]
…