The days passed swiftly as Lando dedicated himself to his training and cherished moments with his family.
It had been two weeks since his arrival in Sisterreach, and Lando's progress in his training was notable. He ventured into the woods several times alone, seeking experience after his encounter with the formidable storm wolf. Initially, he returned to his original plan of hunting giant mud toads to gain some confidence while hunting alone. As he grew more proficient in his abilities, he set his sights on hunting thunder boars.
However, the thunder boars proved to be a much greater challenge than anticipated. Lando soon discovered that he could not withstand even a single physical blow from them. Evading their strikes at the last moment while launching his own counterattacks required intense focus and skill. To make matters more difficult, the thunder boars enhanced their bodies with lightning magic, making them lightning-fast and formidable opponents.
Despite the daunting nature of the battle, Lando eventually found a strategy to exploit the thunder boars' tendency to charge in straight lines. Their predictability allowed him to effectively manage their attacks and secure victories.
Two days ago, Lando awakened his 217th and final meridian. Though the impact seemed minimal, it enabled him to absorb surrounding mana more rapidly and extended the range of his magic slightly. However, the most significant development was that he could finally attempt to form his elemental core. For the past two days, Lando tirelessly devoted every spare minute to the endeavor, depleting his mana reserves in his relentless pursuit of success. Yet, his efforts had yielded no tangible results thus far.
The day had arrived for Lando and his parents to embark on their journey to Goldton for his graduation. Although it was still three days away, his parents saw it as an opportunity for a vacation in the bustling city and an opportunity to explore all that it had to offer.
In the early morning, Lando stood outside the shop, his luggage neatly arranged and waiting for his parents to retrieve it using a spatial ring.
As his parents descended the stairs, Lando's father noticed the luggage and moved to store it away when Anna gently grasped his hand, causing him to pause. She whispered something in his ear, and although slightly surprised, William nodded in agreement and turned to his son with a warm smile on his face.
Anna took a step forward and began her speech, her voice filled with love and pride. "Lando, we want you to know that we love you and are incredibly proud of your achievements at the academy and your growth in magic."
With that, his mother reached into her pocket and presented Lando with a gift. "Knowing that you will embark on many journeys and carrying luggage can be burdensome, we have decided to gift you with a spatial ring. It will lighten your load and make your travels a little easier. Initially we wanted to wait for the ceremony, but this seems to be a good moment as well."
Lando's eyes widened with surprise and gratitude as he accepted the ring. He knew that spatial rings were not inexpensive; even the cheapest ones started at around 100 gold coins.
His last two weeks of hunting the wild beasts in the Fangwood Forest had netted him around 17 gold coins bringing his savings close to 50 in total, but he was still short of buying even a cheap spatial ring.
Expressing his thanks, Lando embraced both of his parents, feeling their warmth and love surround him. His father, with a playful wink, said, "Give it a try."
Without hesitation, Lando took his father's suggestion and attempted to store his luggage within the ring. He channeled his mana into the ring, but nothing happened. Confusion washed over him, causing him to pause and look to his parents.
Chuckling softly, his parents explained, "You need to make physical contact between the item you wish to store and the ring for it to work, son."
Understanding that his parents had played a lighthearted joke on him, Lando touched his luggage and channeled his mana into the ring once more. To his delight, the luggage vanished, leaving him with a slight connection to the stored items in his mind.
Aware that this connection was created by a darkness enchantment projecting the images, Lando noticed a percentage displayed—95%. He realized that his spatial ring was currently filled to only 5% of its capacity, allowing him to store twenty times the amount he currently had.
Lando's parents watched with amusement as he played around with his new gift, making his luggage appear and disappear repeatedly. However, they soon interrupted him, reminding him, "Remember, the special enchantment in the ring has limits. While replenishing the mana through your own abilities wouldn't be an issue for the space enchantments, the darkness enchantment will eventually run out, and you'll have to wait for it to recharge with ambient mana. So, let's stop playing around and get going. We want to reach Goldton before nightfall."
Grinning at his parents, Lando nodded and gathered his belongings, ready to embark on their journey with this newfound convenience.
With his parents' reminder, Lando ceased his playful antics and they made their way to the local stable master. After renting a carriage for a week and paying the deposit, they set off in the direction of Goldton.
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As Lando had never driven a carriage before, his father took the opportunity to teach him this new skill on the fly. "It's not too difficult," his father reassured him. "Just hold the reins and steer the horses when making a turn. Slap the reins on their back to make them go faster and shout 'Brrr' to make them stop."
Quickly grasping the basics, Lando confidently took control of the carriage, allowing his parents to relax in the back as they continued their journey.
***
Arriving in Goldton during the late afternoon, Lando couldn't help but notice a noticeably high number of guards stationed at the gates. Though he found it unusual, he decided to brush it off and presented the required proof of their identities to the guard.
The guard examined the documents and left to consult with his superior. Returning with a nervous expression, the guard waved them through without uttering a word.
Suspicion gnawed at Lando's thoughts, yet they pressed on as they were granted entry into the city.
However, as they ventured further into the streets, Lando's attention was drawn not to the towering buildings in the city center or the smoke emanating from distant furnaces, but rather to the absence of people on the streets and the palpable tension in the air exuded by those who remained.
His parents shared the same observation, prompting them to swiftly locate a local inn. They settled upon "The Lucky Fox," slightly outside the city center.
Upon entering the inn, they couldn't help but notice that many of the patrons concealed weapons in various ways. Curiosity piqued, they approached the woman behind the reception desk and inquired about the situation, hoping to gather some information.
After receiving their room key, William stepped forward to inquire about the situation in Goldton from the young lady with black hair behind the reception desk. He wanted to understand the events unfolding in the city since their arrival.
The young lady appeared shaken but answered in a quiet voice, "You must have heard the rumors about the revolution, haven't you?"
William nodded, urging her to continue.
"Those rumors turned out to be true, and even underestimated," she explained. "Just a few days ago, Vincent Underwood and his allies successfully overthrew his brother, the emperor, in the capital. They have also conquered a few other cities, and it's only a matter of time before they attempt to overthrow Duke Barror here. Curfews have been imposed from 6 pm to 6 am. The guard at the gates should have informed you about that already. That's all I know. Be cautious."
Shocked by this news, the Weber family stood in silence for a moment before expressing their gratitude and making their way to their rooms.
As they settled in, their plans for a relaxing vacation seemed to crumble. They gathered to discuss their current situation, seeking answers.
"Anna, were you aware of any of this? I assumed as an imperial commander, you would be in the loop about current events," William asked his wife.
"I'm as stunned as you are, William. I had heard rumors about plans to overthrow the imperial rule, but I never expected them to progress this quickly. The rumors only started circulating two months ago," Anna replied, her face filled with worry.
Being stationed at the empire's edge, it was understandable that Anna might not have all the information. However, it was concerning that even some critical details had eluded her. It was possible that the revolutionaries had infiltrated the army's information network, sabotaging the flow of information.
Rumors of military involvement had circulated, making their situation more complex. They found themselves in a difficult position. Anna, as an imperial commander, theoretically should act against the revolutionaries. However, with the emperor already overthrown and the revolution gaining momentum, it seemed futile to support a crumbling empire.
Aware of the circumstances, William questioned his wife, "What do we do now? If the duke learns of your presence in Goldton, he will undoubtedly demand your loyalty. If you agree, you'll be fighting a losing battle. Declining could lead to imprisonment at best. Should we try to escape the city and avoid getting entangled in this mess?"
Anna sat on the edge of the bed, her knees drawn up to her chest. She knew their options were limited. "We've already shown our identities to the guards. Hopefully, the information won't reach the duke immediately. The guard's behavior seemed suspicious, and I have a feeling he sent someone to keep an eye on us. It won't be easy to leave the city unnoticed; the gates are heavily guarded."
Lando, burdened by his own worries, silently contemplated the situation. "I hope we don't find ourselves dragged into this mess. If either side discovers Mom, they would pressure her to fight or face dire consequences. I know she's a powerful high mage, but a revolution is dangerous for everyone involved. If the duke forces her into a suicide mission, I swear I'll personally hold him accountable."
While aware of his lack of power to approach the duke, Lando vowed to do everything in his capacity to protect his mother. For now, the best course of action was to support his parents through this ordeal.
Gradually, they devised a plan for their next steps. They decided to attempt to evade the watchful eyes of their assigned guards at night and seek refuge with one of William's colleagues. From there, they would assess the situation before determining their next moves.
With Lando's graduation ceremony inevitably canceled, he had no objections to his parents' plan. They hoped that their colleague could provide shelter and guidance during this uncertain time.
Late at night, Lando took on the task of scouting the surroundings of the inn. With his skill in space magic, he could easily phase through walls, making him the ideal person for the job.
He phased his head through the wall and surveyed the back alley adjacent to the inn. Finding it empty, he jumped through the wall and landed softly on the cobblestone.
Sneaking around the corner, he initially saw no one. However, upon closer inspection, he noticed a man wearing a hat and a coat standing on the opposite side of the street, blending into the shadows cast by the streetlights.
Leaning against a wall, the man kept a watchful eye on the inn's entrance, his glances appearing suspicious.
Lando instantly concluded that he was someone sent to observe them. Phasing back through the wall, he hurriedly returned to the room to inform his parents.
As Lando shared his findings, they concluded that the man was likely affiliated with the revolutionaries. Their plan now was to make a quiet escape without engaging in a confrontation that could provoke them further.
Five minutes later, the three of them climbed out of the window, moving stealthily away from the inn.
Unbeknownst to them, a man adorned in black leather armor silently observed their every move from a nearby rooftop.