”What the hell?” Barn muttered under his breath, catching himself before his voice could disturb Rosalina, who was resting against the velvet interior of the carriage.
He shut his mouth, letting his thoughts settle into a cold, calculating stillness.
The heavy carriage glided through the towering iron gates of the Artecus Capital Estate, its enchanted wheels crunching softly against the gravel driveway.
Unlike the panic-stricken thoroughfares of the Crown’s Promenade, the grounds of House Artecus operated with pristine, clockwork precision.
Luminous mana lanterns cast a warm, emerald glow along the manicured hedges, and servants clad in crisp, high-collared uniforms lined the entrance path, standing in rigid, respectful attention.
As the carriage came to a complete stop, Rosalina sat up smoothly—waking with the effortless, trained precision of someone accustomed to the endless demands of high noble life.
She looked at Barn, offering a tired yet composed smile.
“Let’s get to our rooms and meet in the morning.”
Barn stepped out first, offering a steady hand as Rosalina descended.
Though exhaustion tugged at the corners of her eyes, Rosalina straightened her posture the moment her boots touched the stone steps, instinctively resuming her mantle as the unquestioned master of the estate.
Head Butler Vence—a silver-haired veteran who had served House Artecus for four decades—stepped forward, bowing until his forehead was parallel with his polished leather shoes.
”Welcome home, My Lady…
Lord Barn,” Vence spoke, his tone measured, though a subtle flicker of relief crossed his face upon seeing her unharmed.
“The news from the Royal Palace has already reached our scouts.
The High Council has been alerted.”
”Let them wait until dawn, Vence,” Rosalina commanded smoothly, her voice carrying an air of absolute finality as they strode into the grand foyer.
“Tonight, the High Council receives no audience.
Send word to the kitchens to prepare light refreshments, and have the grand guest suite made ready for Barn.”
”It is already prepared, Lady Rosalina,” Vence replied smoothly.
“And regarding tomorrow’s private gathering…?”
”Execute Protocol Alpha,” Rosalina instructed, a cold, sharp glint returning to her brown eyes.
“Prepare the Imperial Drawing Room.
I want the finest moon-silk drapes, warding barriers re-anchored at supreme capacity, and the estate’s private guards placed on silent perimeter patrol.
Tomorrow evening, House Nightbane enters this manor as our allies.
Treat Duke Valerius and Lady Nyxara with the absolute highest honor.”
”At once, My Lady,” Vence bowed deeply, turning to issue a flurry of low, swift orders to the waiting staff.
Within minutes, the estate transformed into a hive of quiet, purposeful activity.
Maidservants glided through the marble hallways bearing fresh linen, silver tea sets, and decanters of aged elven wine, while estate ward-masters reinforced the anti-divination arrays surrounding the central courtyard.
Rosalina led Barn up the grand spiral staircase to the second-floor gallery.
Stopping outside a set of double oak doors carved with intricate vine patterns, she turned to face him, the oppressive weight of the evening finally causing her shoulders to drop slightly.
”Your quarters,” Rosalina said softly, glancing at the polished brass handle before looking up into his dark, bottomless eyes.
“I had the staff prepare the chamber overlooking the northern gardens.
It is the quietest wing in the estate.”
”You did well tonight, Luna,” Barn remarked, his low voice grounding her lingering restlessness.
“You handled Zanac, put the biological daughter in her place, and secured an alliance with the most powerful military house in the kingdom—all before midnight.” This chapter is updated first at novelping(.)com.
A small, genuine smile touched Rosalina’s lips, softening her sharp features.
“Only because I had someone like you standing behind me,” she murmured teasingly, before stepping in a fraction closer.
“Tomorrow, the High Council will demand answers about my High Mage core, the bloodline test for Lyra will take place, and Duke Nightbane will arrive to formalize our pact.
It will be a storm.”
”Let it come,” Barn replied, a faint, unbothered smirk touching his lips as he reached out, lightly brushing a stray strand of green hair behind her ear.
“Get some rest.
You’ve earned it.”
Rosalina lingered for a second, her heart doing a subtle, uncharacteristic flutter, before she offered a graceful nod.
“Goodnight, Barn.”
She turned and glided down the hallway toward her private chambers, her steps lighter than they had been all evening.
Barn pushed open the heavy oak doors, stepping into the expansive guest suite.
A crackling fire burned in the hearth, casting long, warm shadows across plush velvet armchairs, a massive four-poster bed draped in dark silk, and a private balcony overlooking the misty garden below.
He walked toward the balcony, leaning his arms over the carved stone balustrade and looking out over the sleeping Capital.
In the distance, the spires of the Royal Palace were shrouded in heavy magical barriers—Crown Prince Wilhem’s court undoubtedly scrambling in utter panic to contain the fallout of his ruined curse and broken betrothal.
Across the city, news of a High Mage rising within House Artecus and the sudden split of House Nightbane was already reshaping the political landscape.
Barn took a slow, deep breath, feeling the ambient mana of the world flow through his newly evolved Chaos Body.
The fused energies of Earth, Nature, Dark, and Divine Moon magic hummed in perfect, terrifying harmony within his spiritual sea, completely integrated beneath his casual exterior.
’The stage is set,’ Barn thought, his dark eyes gleaming beneath the starlight.
‘Tomorrow, the script breaks completely.’
Closing the balcony doors behind him, Barn crossed the chamber and crossed his legs atop the dark silk bedding, entering a state of deep meditation.
He closed his eyes, directing his focus inward to analyze the chaotic torrent of energy circulating through his vascular and spiritual pathways.
He felt the ambient mana pulsing within every individual cell of his vessel.
The fused cosmic forces were stabilizing at an exponential rate, merging directly into his physical bone, blood, and soul matrix.
His inner entity stood ready to automate the integration, yet Barn consciously took manual command of the process.
His unyielding pride as a transmigrated sovereign refused to rely entirely on passive system functions; the true mastery over his vessel belonged to his own willpower alone.
As he actively channeled, restructured, and aligned the raw mana threads with his soul core, the System chimed softly within his mind:
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Ting!
Experience Acquired: +10 EXP
Ting!
Experience Acquired: +100 EXP
Ting!
Experience Acquired: +500 EXP This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
…
[CLASS UPGRADE EXECUTED]
• [Mage] (3rd Tier / Advance): Lv.
23 ──► Lv.
24
[SYSTEM NOTICE: SPECIAL CLASS FUSION INITIATED]
• [Mage] (Lv.
24) + [Magic Weaver] (Lv.
2) ──► FUSED
• Unlocked Rare Class: [The Mage] — Lv.
26
==================================================
[NEW CLASS DETAILS: THE MAGE (RARE) — LV.
26]
==================================================
Description: A transcendent spellcraft master who has pierced the ultimate foundational truths of magic.
Unbound by premade incantations or rigid spell formulas, the user can comprehend, reconstruct, and freely alter the core structure of any spell in existence.
Special Attributes & Traits:
• Absolute Spell Comprehension: Instantly understands the mechanics, origin, and weakness of any spell or magical array observed.
• Custom Spell Creation: Enables on-the-fly creation and permanent registration of original magic.
• Instant Casting Engine: Completely removes incantation time, magical circles, and spell cooldowns (Subject only to raw Mana gathering speed).
Barn opened his dark eyes as the golden light of the morning sun broke over the horizon, pouring through the balcony glass.
He took a slow breath, feeling an extraordinary physical and metaphysical lightness—as though a invisible set of mortal shackles had snapped away from his soul.
Most mages across the realm were mere imitators, treading blindly along paths carved out by ancient predecessors.
But with [The Mage], Barn no longer needed recipes.
He was the source.
Even if he chose to cast a common spell handed down by world scholars, the final manifestation would bend entirely to his supreme intent.
’I want to know how far I can go,’ Barn thought, a faint, dangerous smirk gracing his lips.
Knock.
Knock.
The soft, rhythmic tapping on his chamber door interrupted his thoughts.
’Oh…
maybe I will find out soon enough.’
”Yes, come in,” Barn said calmly, adjusting his shadow-black coat as the heavy oak doors swung inward.