His attention shifted to the vineyard and the uncultivated forest land. The woman enlarged both plots on the hologram, giving Mr. F a closer view. While the hologram provided a decent representation, it had its limits. Ideally, he would visit both locations in person, but he already had a plan forming in his mind.

"I would like to lease the hillside with the vineyards," Mr. F said, "and I'd also like to acquire an additional 3 to 4 square kilometers of forest at the base of the hill. How much would that cost?"

The woman quickly checked and replied, "We charge a flat rate of 1,000 gold per square kilometer for forest land. You may do with the forest as you wish once it's purchased."

In theory, he could clear the forest to convert it into farmland, but such an endeavor would take too much time at the moment.

"Then I'll take 3 square kilometers of forest in front of the vineyard," Mr. F confirmed.

The woman noted down his request and handed him a stack of documents. "Take these to the treasury at the back of the building. After making your payment, you'll receive a stamp to finalize the purchase."

Mr. F thanked the woman and handed her a few gold coins for her assistance, which she accepted graciously, before bidding him farewell.

The next step was simple. Mr. F proceeded to the treasury, handed over 30,000 gold, and received the stamped documents that confirmed his purchase. With his pockets now considerably lighter, he left the building alongside his students, a sense of satisfaction settling over him.

Though his funds were depleted, it was only a matter of time before they would refill. Mr. F had a vision for the land he had acquired. With his students in tow, they set off, leaving the city behind.

The documents included a map that would lead them to their new property. However, Mr. F wasn't particularly skilled in map reading, and as a result, it took them three hours on foot to finally reach the hillside.

They had to push their way through the thick underbrush of the forest before finally emerging into a clearing. Before them loomed a towering mountain, at the base of which stood a small, weathered wooden cabin.

Mr. F glanced around. "Look around the area, but stay close in case anything happens. I'm going to check the mountain," he instructed, and without another word, he leapt into the air, flying upward effortlessly. Betty and Albert exchanged glances and made their way toward the dilapidated cabin.

Inside, they found a dusty living area, with about ten beds lined up against the walls. The place was in terrible shape. Parts of the walls were missing, plants were sprouting through the floor, and the furniture, long abandoned, was now useless. It was clear that time had not been kind to the place.

"Not much to see here," Albert muttered as they stepped outside once more.

Meanwhile, Mr. F had flown up the mountain, inspecting the vineyard that stretched across its slopes. To his relief, the grapevines were mostly intact. The advantage of grapevines, he knew, was that the older the plant, the more bountiful its yield. Roughly 85% of the vineyard was in good condition, with another 10% damaged but potentially salvageable with care. The remaining 5%, however, were beyond saving—either dried out or destroyed by insects that had devoured the roots. Weeds and wild growth tangled the vines, leaving them in dire need of trimming and attention.

Returning to the base of the mountain, Mr. F landed in front of Betty and Albert. "Did you find anything useful in the cabin?" he asked.

"The place is falling apart. It could collapse at any moment," Betty replied.

Mr. F nodded, and with a simple gesture of his hand, the entire cabin burst into flames. The suddenness of it left Albert and Betty wide-eyed in surprise, but Mr. F's next actions spoke louder than the blaze.

Just as the flames devoured the old cabin, a massive volume of earth shot into the air about 20 meters away, forming a large, square pit—roughly 20 by 20 meters. Without a word, Mr. F disappeared and reappeared moments later with a small mountain of stones. He compressed the stones and some nearby clay into solid blocks with his magic, quickly constructing four sturdy stone walls within the pit.

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Next, Mr. F approached the edge of the forest. He channeled an immense amount of magic into the nearest tree, which seemed to come alive. The massive tree uprooted itself and slowly lumbered toward the pit. As it reached the edge, its roots stretched out, covering the entire surface of the pit like a natural ceiling. But what happened next left Betty and Albert speechless.

The tree began to grow, expanding wider and taller until it stood at an impressive 25 meters in diameter. Mr. F approached the newly formed structure, and as if on command, an archway opened in the trunk, allowing him to step inside. The arch sealed itself behind him once he entered.

Betty and Albert, still astonished, followed his lead and entered the tree. To their amazement, Mr. F was nowhere to be seen. Inside the tree, they found a vast hollow chamber, approximately 200 square meters, with the ceiling stretching three meters above them.

Moments later, a section of the floor opened, revealing a staircase crafted from clay, and Mr. F emerged from below. "The basement will be where we set up our laboratory," he explained as he climbed the stairs. "For now, we'll sleep in the upper section. Since we don't have any proper beds yet, we'll have to sleep on the floor for the time being. I have some bedding stored in my spatial pouch, which should make things more comfortable."

Mr. F continued, "This house has a limited reserve of magical energy for now. Be mindful not to go in and out too frequently, as each entry uses up a portion of that energy."

Both students nodded, still reeling from the events they had witnessed. Albert leaned toward Betty and whispered, "Isn't this tree similar to the one that saved us from the collapsing dome during the attack on the city, but only smaller?"

Betty nodded, and in that moment, several things began to click into place for both of them.

Meanwhile, Mr. F sat down, taking a deep breath. The effort had drained him. Back when he wielded the power of a Rank 7 mage, such a feat would have been trivial. But now, as a Rank 6 mage, he had expended a vast amount of magical energy to accomplish the task, leaving him with only about 20% of his reserves remaining. The toll of his weakened state was palpable, but the foundation was laid. Now, it was time to plan his next steps carefully.

Through the cracks in the bark, beams of sunlight filtered into the room, casting soft patches of light across the floor. Betty and Albert watched as Mr. F stood before them, deep in thought. His expression was one of quiet contemplation, as if he were wrestling with a decision.

Without warning, Mr. F took a few steps forward, and before they could react, he gently pressed his fingers to their foreheads. A sudden, sharp pain shot through their minds, and for a brief moment, both Betty and Albert were filled with confusion. Memories—vivid yet forgotten—began to surface.

They saw flashes of the attack on the city, of Mr. F standing beneath the protective dome, commanding them to forget everything they had seen. Albert also recalled, with sudden clarity, how Mr. F had questioned him about Matilda's plans, and how he had answered without hesitation.

The wave of forgotten memories left them both disoriented, struggling to understand where they had come from. But deep inside, they knew these memories were real—they had simply been locked away. As they stood, still dazed, Mr. F began to speak, his voice calm but filled with gravity.

"These memories are real," he said. "In the days to come, you will witness things that will challenge everything you thought possible. I have decided to trust you both completely. The secrets you will learn are the greatest trust I can offer, and I ask that you do not betray it."

Betty and Albert exchanged glances, unsure of what was to come but sensing the weight of Mr. F's words. They could feel the enormity of the trust he was placing in them, and without fully understanding why, they nodded in agreement. Mr. F gave a small nod in return, then turned and descended into the basement.

Uncertain of what lay ahead, but unwilling to let their master go alone, Betty and Albert followed him into the darkened cellar. Inside, two cauldrons had already been set up. One was Mr. F's personal Rank 5 cauldron, the other a large Rank 4 cauldron from the laboratory. Mr. F approached his personal cauldron and began to prepare an elixir. At first, Betty and Albert were unsure what this had to do with the secrets he had just revealed.

But then, Mr. F reached into his robe and pulled out the soul lantern.

They watched closely, their curiosity piqued as Mr. F reached into the lantern. At first, nothing appeared to happen. But then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he pulled out something that looked like a translucent, faintly glowing white worm. The sight of it was unlike anything they had ever seen. This was no ordinary ingredient—it seemed alive.

Neither Betty nor Albert had ever witnessed something living being used in an elixir before. Their eyes were glued to the cauldron, fascinated by the process unfolding before them. The air seemed to hum with tension as Mr. F carefully added the soul into the concoction. Within minutes, the potion was complete, and Mr. F poured it into a glass, drinking it down in one swift motion.

A ripple of energy spread through the room. They could feel the magic gathering around him, intensifying, changing. Mr. F stood taller, his presence more vibrant, more potent. It was as if he had grown stronger before their very eyes. But what had he truly shown them?

Mr. F, however, could feel it. The familiar surge of power as his strength returned. His magical reserves, once drained, were now replenished. The rank he had once lost—Rank 7—was his again. The energy coursed through him, vital and alive.

It was time to show his students what a Rank 7 mage was truly capable of.

Betty and Albert stood in awe, sensing that they had only scratched the surface of the mysteries that surrounded their master. Whatever they had just witnessed, they knew it was only the beginning of what Mr. F intended to reveal to them.