Chapter 70: Visit

Raven stayed in the memory library for the next four hours and read about the basic Rune Language.

After hours of learning, he could somewhat read the rune words and even make a sentence on his own.

‘I never thought learning a language would be this easy.’ He exited the memory library and opened his eyes in the study.

[You still need a week to master the basic rune language, lad. Don’t get cocky.] Zera remarked in his head.

A moment later, a knocking sound came from outside.

“Who is it? Come in,” Raven ordered.

“It’s me, Stephaine, My Lord. Lunch is ready. Will you have it right away or after some time?” A black-haired woman with a triangular face and brown eyes opened the door and greeted him with a bow.

“Oh, I’ll have it right away. And I also need to discuss something with the mercenaries, so invite them in like morning.” Raven said.

“Yes, My Lord.” Stephaine nodded her head and hurriedly left the study.

Meanwhile, Raven searched for an empty notebook on the shelf and placed it on the table.

‘Which Knight Technique should I give the mercenaries?’ He asked.

[Hmm, Jacob and Felicity are rangers and seem to be already sharing their technique. Marcellus is a swordsman and doesn’t rely much on Knight technique. Selene is an Acolyte Wizard, and Reece is a Beastmaster. Both don’t need any Knight technique. Leona and Quincy are the only ones left. Quincy might need a Knight technique, but it’s better to give a technique suitable for Leona. As a Pugilist, she needs a stable technique to protect herself. Unlike others, she uses her body in fights and has the highest probability of getting hurt.] Zera suddenly thought of something and asked.

[Kid, are you planning on making them your subordinates in the future? I don’t think they will reject your offer if they know your true identity.]

‘It’s not the right time yet. And their affinities are not enough.’

[You can concoct affinity potions to raise their elemental affinities. You can recruit them immediately if they are loyal and have good characteristics.]

Zera’s words made him ponder deeply.

‘I’ll think about it after I recapture the town.’ He muttered inwardly and left the study before walking towards the dining room.

As he entered the dining room, he saw four people sitting at the long wooden table, waiting for him. The Sepoy Mercenaries— Marcellus, Selene, Reece, and Felicity—were already settled in, their expressions respectful but curious. They rose as Raven entered, giving him a slight bow.

"Sit, sit," Raven waved them down as he took his seat at the head of the table. At that moment, the two young girls, Briana and Kate, quickly brought out the lunch, a hearty meal of roasted meats, fresh bread, and various vegetables, and served the guests and Raven.

As they began to eat, Raven cleared his throat, signaling that he had something important to say. As if the maids had understood his intentions, they quietly left the dining hall, leaving them alone.

In the meantime, the mercenaries looked up from their plates, giving him their full attention.

“Once Emanuel returns, I plan on visiting an Inn in Northern Borough. Who wants to join my trip?”

“Why are you going to such a poor region, My Lord? If you order us, we will finish the job for you.” Marcellus said as he adjusted his bowler hat.

“I have to go there personally. Although there won’t be any danger, I want someone good at close combat near me.” Raven said.

“Then, Selene and I should be enough, My Lord.” The burly man said with a nod.

“Good,” Raven responded quietly and continued to eat.

The meal continued in a quiet, focused atmosphere, each person immersed in their thoughts while savoring the food.

As lunch concluded, the mercenaries exchanged a few words before rising from the table. Marcellus and Selene gave Raven a brief nod, signaling their readiness for the mission.

"We'll be prepared to leave as soon as Emanuel returns, My Lord," Marcellus assured him.

Raven nodded. "I trust in your abilities. We'll leave as soon as the carriage is ready."

The mercenaries departed, leaving Raven alone in the dining room.

"Stephanie," He suddenly called out.

Within seconds, a black-haired woman in her thirties walked into the dining room and hurriedly bowed her head.

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"Do you need any help, My Lord?"

"If a girl named Rebecca comes here to search for a job, hire her immediately. She is from Claw Ville and works in a factory. Also, I want you to teach Rebecca and Ronald basic etiquette daily and groom them personally." Raven said as he stood up from the chair.

"Yes, My Lord." Stephanie nodded.

Raven thought of something and spoke in a low voice.

“Also, keep an eye on Emanuel. If you feel anything odd about him, come to me directly and tell me right away.”

‘Emanuel? I thought he was doing an excellent job, though.’ But Stephanie didn’t voice out her thoughts and nodded.

“Y-Yes, My Lord.”

On the other hand, Raven walked past her, left the dining room, and soon made his way toward the study.

Another thirty minutes later, a knock sound came.

‘Is it time already?’ Raven took the monocle from the inventory and wore it. After that, he wore the boots artifact and covered his head with a top hat.

Then, he walked to the door and opened it to find Emanuel waiting.

“The carriage is ready outside, My Lord. Marcellus and Selene are already waiting.”

“Good. Let’s not waste any time.”

Raven followed Emanuel out of the mansion, where a sleek, black Clarence carriage awaited them. The design was unique but understated, perfect for a noble who didn’t want to draw too much attention. Marcellus stood beside the carriage, checking the harnesses one last time, while Selene leaned against the side, her arms crossed, scanning the surroundings.

As Raven approached, Marcellus opened the door for him. “Everything is set, My Lord. We’ll be ready to leave as soon as you are.”

Raven nodded before stepping into the carriage. The interior was luxurious, with plush seats and dark wood paneling. Selene climbed in after him, sitting across from Raven, while Marcellus remained outside, ready to ride up front with the coachman.

“Let’s go,” Raven ordered.

As the horses started moving, the carriage lurched forward, their hooves clattering against the cobblestone streets. Thanks to the well-maintained roads, the ride was smooth, but Raven knew that would change as they approached the Northern Borough.

He looked outside through the curtain gap and soon turned his attention towards Selene.

At the same time, he touched the monocle and checked her status.

…

[Name: Selene

Age: 35

Race: Human

Nationality: Zenith Empire

Title: None

Rank: Acolyte Wizard (Seventh Circle)

Pathway:

Level: 7

Attributes:

Strength: 7.4

Agility: 7.2

Vitality: 7.1

Luck: 4

Spirit: 16

Class Spells:

Shadow Bind, Wrath Form, Blink.

Affinities: Shadow- High, Space- Intermediate, Dream- High.]

...

‘Her affinities are not so bad. Among all the members, only she has two high-rank affinities.’

“How did you become a Wizard, Miss Selene?” Raven asked as he looked at her status and soon added as he saw a hesitant look on her face.

“Oh, I’m fine if you don’t want to tell me about it.”

“It’s not that, My Lord. I don’t deserve to be called a wizard. I was expelled from the academy five years ago for my involvement in mortal affairs and became a rogue Wizard. I never regretted my actions, though. If I didn’t break the code and return to my family, I would’ve lost all my family members to the bandits.” Selene said with an awkward smile.

“Oh? Can you tell me more about the Academic rules and your story? And how did you know your family will face danger?” Raven asked.

“At that time, I had a bad dream for a whole week. I dreamed of my village being burned down by men in black clothes. So, I left the academy without informing my teacher and even killed all the bandits that invaded my village. After discovering what I did, my teacher revoked my academic certificate and expelled me.”

[It’s because of her Dream affinity, lad. My owner once said that ‘dream’ connects to the past, present, and future, and he was always interested in studying anything related to dreams. And the Chaos Scroll you have is also a gift by a Dream Walker.]

‘Chaos Scroll?’ Raven was puzzled by her words.

[The Nightmare Loop spell scroll. It’s one of the Chaos Scrolls.] Zera added.

‘Oh?’ Raven nodded and asked further.

“Are the rules of Crow’s Misery Academy strict?”

Selena nodded and continued to explain the rules.

“Once you enroll in the academy, you can’t leave without the teacher's permission for the next five years. You also can’t participate in mortal affairs until you become an Official Wizard…”

Raven listened to her words quietly and realized that most of the rules were reasonable.

‘She broke the rules and got kicked out. In her perspective, the academy is being unreasonable. But rules are rules, after all.’ Raven quietly listened to her and soon noticed they were entering the Northern Borough.

He hurriedly opened the door and spoke to Marcellus.

“Go to the Red Apple Inn in Albert Street.”

“Yes, My Lord.” A swift reply came from the front.

The carriage continued its journey, the streets gradually losing their refined, polished appearance as they ventured deeper into the Northern Borough. The cobblestones grew uneven, and the factories started to appear more often. The vibrant life of the central city was replaced by the grittier, rougher atmosphere of the district.

Raven glanced at Selene, who seemed lost in thought after sharing her story.

As the carriage turned onto Albert Street, Raven caught sight of the Red Apple Inn—a modest, two-story building with faded red paint and a creaky wooden sign hanging above the door.

Soon, the coachman parked the carriage right in front of the Inn.

A few seconds later, Marcellus opened the door for him.

Raven quietly walked out of the carriage and approached the entrance door.

Then, he pushed the wooden door open and walked in while Marcellus and Selene closely followed him.

The trio instantly attracted the attention of ten-plus people seated in the main lobby. Tables were arranged in order, and four servants ran here and there while serving food and drinks.

“How may I help you, sir?” A young blonde-haired man with russet brown eyes ran towards him upon noticing their arrival and asked him with a polite smile.

‘Palmer.’ Raven clearly remembered that Palmer had picked up a fight with him when he had come here earlier.

‘But I came with a completely different face.’ Raven shook his head, walked past him, and arrived closer to the counter.

Then, he looked at the middle-aged man with a chevron mustache and spoke.

“Nice to see you, Mr. Franco.” As he spoke, he took out a badge with the painting of a cockscomb flower and added.

“Remember me?”

Meanwhile, a surprised look appeared on Franco’s face.

He felt the voice so familiar and looked at the badge.

‘He can change face? An artifact?’ Franco was about to use his spirit power to check his identity but stopped.

At that moment, he felt the gaze of two people standing behind Raven and was surprised.

‘A Radiant Knight with a strength equal that of mine and a girl with mystic elemental aura. She is probably an Acolyte Wizard. A person capable of hiring a Radiant Walker and a Wizard as his bodyguards is not from a normal background.’ His gaze also shifted toward the crossed-swords mark on Marcellus’s left wrist.

France soon turned his attention towards Raven and showed a polite smile.

“I didn’t expect to see you again sooner, Mr. Holmes.”