"Benefactor, um, welcome back!" Kaelith shot to his feet, bowing deeply.

Standing before the golden knight, he was as defenseless as a plucked chicken. Resistance was pointless.

"This time, I'm staying longer. Bring me the financial records. I want everything: income, expenses, personnel on payroll, every last detail," Edric commanded.

Kaelith bowed once more and rushed out, wasting no time. Within an hour, he returned, carrying stacks of thick tomes filled with records—dozens of books, each hundreds of pages long. He carefully placed them before the golden knight.

Without hesitation, Edric picked up the first tome and flipped through the pages at an astonishing speed—ten pages every second!

Kaelith stood frozen, watching in disbelief. For an ordinary person, even a silver knight like himself, such a task would take days. Yet this golden knight, in less than ten minutes, had devoured the information as though it were a mere pamphlet.

"Golden knights are terrifying... perhaps beyond my comprehension," Kaelith thought, awestruck. What he didn’t realize, however, was that the golden knight’s speed had little to do with his knightly prowess—it was his magic rank that allowed such a feat.

Finishing the last tome, Edric set the books aside and moved behind Kaelith's desk, sinking into it as he fell into deep contemplation.

Kaelith held his breath, not daring to make a sound.

"Your family's financial situation is even worse than I anticipated," Edric finally spoke, his voice laced with disappointment.

"My lord, please forgive me!" Kaelith pleaded. "It is because of the war. Though I followed your orders and did everything in my power, we have yet to recover fully. The damages were immense!"

Edric’s armor gleamed as he leaned forward. "Your administration is bloated—too many government employees, overlapping services, wasteful programs."

"I need a vast sum of money, but it seems I won’t be able to rely on your family anytime soon. To fix this mess, begin cutting costs immediately. Reduce unnecessary personnel, trim wasteful spending."

"Now, bring me the most detailed map you possess—one that includes trade routes, bandit hideouts, and everything else, " the golden knight said.

Kaelith wasted no time. He dashed out and swiftly returned, presenting Edric with the requested maps.

Edric scanned them, nodding in satisfaction. Then, in a cold yet commanding tone, he said, "Establish a new department focused solely on reducing expenses and increasing revenue. Every silver and gold coin must be saved—I require a great deal of wealth in the coming months."

"But worry not." His gaze flickered toward Kaelith. "If you succeed, I will personally stand by your side should you ever find yourself at odds with Oscar Stonefist."

Kaelith’s expression darkened as he realized the golden knight intended to bleed the Darkwind family dry.

But the moment Edric mentioned backing him against Duke Stonefist, his despair turned to cautious hope.

The value of a golden knight’s support far exceeded a mere few tens of millions of silver. If granting the mysterious benefactor as much wealth as he desired guaranteed protection, then it was a bargain Kaelith was more than willing to accept.

And just like that, Edric vanished.

Kaelith stood there, frozen, his mind reeling. How? One moment, the golden knight was before him; the next, he had disappeared without a trace.

"Too mysterious… too overpowering…" he murmured, feeling a chill seep into his bones. His view of golden knights had shifted—they were far beyond what he had imagined.

Of course, what Kaelith didn’t know was that Edric wasn’t merely a golden knight—he was also a golden mage. No ordinary golden knight could possess such unfathomable abilities.

----------------------------------------

[Edric Windwalker]

Age: 16 years, 6 months, and 12 days

[Tasks]

* Next task unlocks in: 27 days

* Next task unlocks in: 46 days

[Techniques]

* Legendary Knight Training: 116 / 1,500,000

* Legendary Mage Training: 3 / 1,500,000

[Talents]

* Knight Talent: Legendary (0 / 2,400,000)

* Mage Talent: Average (0 / 100,000)

[Skills]

* Energy Absorption (Red)

* Magnetic Pull (Golden)

* Beast’s Senses (Golden)

* Poison Resistance (Golden)

* Crystal Skin (Silver)

* Bloodline Sensing (Silver)

* Telekinesis (Silver)

* Steel Hair Manipulation (Silver)

* Extreme Yang (Silver)

* See-Through (Silver)

* Flesh Control (White)

[Cheat Ability]

* Low Level – Gains 1,000 XP per day

Available XP: 407,914

Edric gazed at his system panel, deep in thought.

"If I don’t factor in system tasks, it will take me about three years to break through to the Legendary Knight realm…"

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The system tasks, though offering astonishing rewards, were too unpredictable. There was no way to rely on them—who knew what the next task would be? There were no guarantees.

"I hope it's another ancestor-type task. With the rate at which my clone is conceiving babies, the task might even be completed instantly!" Edric mused, a smirk playing on his lips.

His thoughts drifted to Duke Stonefist. "Should I pay him a visit?"

For a moment, he considered it—but ultimately, he decided against it.

Even though he was both a golden knight and a golden mage, he was still vulnerable. If a few golden knights joined forces against him, things could turn troublesome. And then there was King Bloodstone—a legendary knight. That man alone was an extreme threat, capable of killing him in an instant.

The longer his existence remained a secret, the better.

It wasn’t that he was a coward—far from it. But with his cheat ability, there was no need to take unnecessary risks. He only had to survive. As long as he lived, victory was inevitable.

"If only I could find a way to upgrade my cheat…" Edric frowned.

Since the day he awakened his system, it had been stuck at low level; he had never found a way to improve it.

Perhaps the answer lay in the unknown.

"I need to explore… to understand this world better."

Ever since he had merged with the Edric of this world, he had been trapped—either hunted by assassins or imprisoned by Marquis Windwalker. There had been no opportunity to truly see the world.

With swift movements, he changed into ordinary clothes, blending into the common folk. Then, without hesitation, he stepped out into the streets—ready to finally experience the world with his own eyes.

...

Darkwind City was vast and teeming with life, home to hundreds of thousands within its towering walls.

As the wealthiest city in Darkwind Territory, it stood as a center of power and commerce. But, as was standard practice in this world, there was no such thing as equality or justice in the modern sense. Society was divided into rigid castes, each with its own privileges—or lack thereof.

At the very top stood the nobles.

They were the most privileged, enjoying wealth, influence, and near-total immunity from the law. Rules barely applied to them, and their mere presence instilled fear in commoners. Few dared to cross them—fewer still survived after doing so.

Below them were the elites.

This group consisted of those who served the nobles—officials, scholars, military officers, and distinguished individuals recognized for their achievements or education. They were respected, but ultimately, they still answered to the nobility.

And at the very bottom—the free people.

Anyone who didn’t belong to the first two groups automatically fell into this category. Though technically free, they held little power and had to struggle for survival in a system that favored the privileged.

Despite the rigid class structure, slavery was prohibited in Darkwind Territory. All people, at least in name, were free.

Of course, there were also special groups—prisoners, soldiers, and other unique classifications, each receiving their own treatment within the hierarchy.

"The market is so bustling… Hard to believe that just a few months ago, everyone was hoarding food and water, preparing for war." Edric mused, glancing around.

Darkwind City—the capital of the territory and Valdrin’s headquarters—had once been considered a prime target for invasion. Many expected that when Kaelith arrived, he would lay siege to the city.

Yet, that never happened.

When Kaelith finally came, the city guards had simply opened the gates and let him walk in—no battle, no bloodshed.

...

A sudden, mouthwatering scent drifted through the air.

Edric sniffed.

"Now that I think about it… I haven’t eaten in days, have I?"

Ever since he left the task of "securing the next generation" to his clone, he hadn’t touched a single meal. A faint sense of hunger gnawed at him.

Of course, as a golden knight, he required very little sleep and could go for extended periods without food or water. But that didn’t mean he could survive indefinitely without sustenance—only by breaking through to the legendary rank could one exist without the need for food, drink, or sleep.

"Might as well eat something."

Following the aroma, Edric soon found its source.

...

The establishment stood as one of the top ten restaurants in Darkwind City, an exclusive venue catering solely to nobles and elites. Its towering double doors gleamed with golden inlays, flanked by two muscular knights who served as guards.

Inside, the atmosphere was a world apart from the bustling streets outside.

Unlike the common folk outside, everyone here was impeccably dressed. Their clothes were spotless, their hands smooth and uncalloused—these were people who had likely never done a day of physical labor in their lives. If they worked at all, it was behind desks in comfortable offices.

At the entrance, Edric briefly hesitated. He was a noble, but not from Darkwind Territory. He had no desire to reveal his Windwalker noble badge.

Instead, he cast "Deception", a simple yet effective spell. The two knights at the door glanced at him but saw nothing amiss. Without question, they let him through.

Edric stepped inside and took a seat.

...

The waiter handed him an elegant, leather-bound menu, lined with golden accents. The list of dishes was long and extravagant, filled with exotic names—some of which even he had never heard before.

Signature Dishes:

* Dragonbreath Steak – Slow-roasted beast meat, marinated in fire-element herbs.

* Silverlake Eel Soup – A delicacy made from rare eels that glow under the moonlight.

* Golden Phoenix Platter – A dish served with multiple cuts of exotic meats, smoked with sacred incense.

* Duskfall Venison – Wild deer hunted exclusively in the enchanted Darkwood.

* Crimson Wyvern Tail – Spicy braised tail meat, prepared with volcanic peppers.

* Stormborn Crab – A rare crustacean known for its naturally electrified shell.

* Royal Skyfruit Tart – A dessert made from floating skyfruit, harvested only once a year.

The list went on and on, each dish sounding more expensive than the last.

But Edric didn’t care.

With his enhanced mental abilities, he skimmed through the entire menu in mere seconds and chose at random.

Wealth wasn’t an issue. He had more than enough money to buy the entire restaurant if he wanted. And as a golden knight, his body could easily handle consuming several tons of food in one sitting.

Leaning back, he waited for his meal, eager to savor the luxuries of this world.

The garçon arrived, his professional demeanor nearly faltering as he glanced at the massive list of dishes Edric had ordered. For a moment, surprise flickered in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself. Without a word, he bowed and hurried off to fulfill the order.

Edric leaned back in his chair, waiting.

Then—the restaurant doors swung open.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have paid much attention. People came and went all the time. But the moment he glanced at the newcomer, his interest piqued.

It wasn’t just any woman—she was a mage.

And not just any mage—a Silver-rank mage.

"A Silver-rank… here? In this backwater island?"

Silver Island Territory was considered a desolate region, far from the great mage academies of the mainland. Powerful mages were rare, and yet, this woman had appeared out of nowhere.

Stranger still—she didn’t even notice him.

That was natural.

Knights could not sense another knight’s power just by looking. They had to engage in battle or observe one’s aura directly.

Mages, however, could "see" mana. They could instinctively gauge the strength of those whose mana was of a lower quality than their own.

Edric’s mana was golden.

A mere Silver-rank mage had no hope of perceiving him unless he allowed it.

"Interesting… A Silver-rank mage appearing here can only mean one thing—there’s a faction of mages nearby."

The possibility intrigued him.

If she was part of a group, then there were others. And if there were others, that meant he could find spellbooks, magical knowledge, and perhaps even hidden mage strongholds.

An opportunity.

But Edric did not act rashly.

He simply observed, watching her every move, carefully planning his next steps. Instead of approaching her immediately, he decided to follow her in secret—to uncover her purpose, her allies, and what had brought a Silver-rank mage to this city.