Chapter 248: The Calm Before Chaos (Part 2)

The sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor outside. Lorinka entered the room, followed closely by a young mage wearing a black robe. His calm demeanor and youthful appearance caught everyone's attention.

The spellcasters present all shifted their focus to the unique insignia embroidered on the young mage's robe. Their expressions subtly changed as they recognized it—it was the official robe of a formal member of the **Arcane Domain**.

Rheint, the patriarch of the Shadison family, allowed a faint smile to appear on his face. Rising from his chair, he said, "Lorinka, aren't you going to introduce us? Which mage from the Arcane Domain do we have the honor of meeting today?"

Lorinka glanced at Merlin and then nodded. Speaking softly, she said, "Father, this is Mage Merlin. He recently became a formal member of the Arcane Domain. He's here to take me back with him."

"Take you back to the Arcane Domain?"

Rheint was momentarily stunned. He recalled that Lorinka had once been a temporary member of the Arcane Domain but had been sent out after failing to meet their standards. Could she truly return now?

Merlin took a step forward and calmly explained, "Mage Rheint, I once made a promise. Upon becoming a formal member, I would take Lorinka as my attendant."

Understanding dawned on Rheint's face. While the role of an attendant carried low status, following a newly promoted Tier 1 mage of the Arcane Domain offered Lorinka far better prospects than remaining within the family.

Rheint nodded decisively. "Very well. I won't stand in the way. Lorinka is yours to take, Mage Merlin. However, you cannot leave now. You must wait two more days until our family has overcome its current crisis. Surely, Lorinka understands her responsibility as a mage of the Shadison family."

He gestured for them to leave. Merlin, maintaining a composed demeanor, inclined his head slightly before turning to exit with Lorinka. Rheint, it seemed, had not yet heard of Merlin's exploits in Floating City—of his victory over Vis from the Ossum faction.

"Perhaps it's better this way," Merlin thought to himself. "Fewer complications." Two days of waiting would be tolerable, especially since it would give him a chance to glimpse the legendary **Vastness Tome**.

---

As the meeting resumed, Rheint addressed the gathered mages. "Prepare well over the next two days. Pay close attention to the Dorett family's movements. There must be no mistakes during the exhibition of the tome."

The mages nodded, their expressions serious. One by one, they began leaving the room, but an elderly mage with graying hair hesitated and called out in a raspy voice, "Patriarch."

"Ah, Mage Lobis. Is there something on your mind?" Rheint asked, turning to the old mage with a hint of curiosity.

Lobis hesitated, his expression uncertain. "Patriarch, I'm not entirely sure, but the mage Lorinka brought with her—Merlin—may not be as simple as he seems."

"Oh? Do you recognize him?"

The room fell silent as the other mages paused, their interest piqued. All eyes turned to Lobis.

Lobis's tone grew heavier. "Recently, I overheard rumors from some wandering mages. They spoke of an incident in Floating City where a Tier 3 mage from Ossum, Vis, was sent to recruit a promising talent. However, Vis was challenged by a mage from the Arcane Domain. The two battled fiercely, and Vis was ultimately killed. The name of the Arcane Domain mage? Merlin."

"What? Vis is dead?"

Rheint's expression changed drastically, his gaze snapping toward the door where Merlin and Lorinka had departed. A trace of eagerness flashed in his eyes.

---

At the Dorett estate, the atmosphere was equally intense. The large hall was brightly lit, filled with Tier 3 mages. At the head of the gathering stood Raymondo, the family patriarch, a tall man in a blue mage robe whose presence exuded authority.

"Patriarch, in two days, the Shadison family will exhibit the first volume of the **Vastness Tome**. This is a significant setback for us. Many wandering mages we had been negotiating with have withdrawn their support. They're no longer willing to assist us in pressuring the Shadisons," one mage reported.

"Exactly. If this continues, the Shadison family will weather yet another crisis. Over the years, they've already gained the upper hand over us. With the spells in the Vastness Tome, they'll become even stronger. Our family may never catch up," another added.

Raymondo frowned deeply. Initially, the Shadison family's acquisition of the tome had seemed like an opportunity. By rallying wandering mages, Raymondo had hoped to use the situation to destroy the Shadisons.

However, the Shadisons' decision to publicly exhibit the tome had thwarted his plans. Without the wandering mages, the Dorett family lacked the strength to confront their rivals directly.

"Don't worry. I have a plan," Raymondo said suddenly, his voice calm but firm.

"What plan, Patriarch?"

After a moment's pause, Raymondo smiled faintly. "I've contacted a few Tier 4 wandering mages who've arrived in Dolan City. Most notably, Yubic has agreed to assist us in taking down the Shadisons. His price, however, is the first volume of the tome."

"Tier 4 mages? But the first volume only contains Tier 1 to Tier 3 spells. What value could it hold for someone like Yubic?"

The gathered mages were skeptical, but Raymondo's expression turned cold. "The first volume might not interest a Tier 4 mage directly. But what if it contains clues to the second or even third volumes?"

Gasps filled the room as the mages exchanged incredulous looks.

"Clues to the second or third volumes? How could we not have heard of this before?"

Raymondo's smile deepened. "Whether or not the clues exist doesn't matter. What matters is that we've spread the rumor. It's enough to tempt the Tier 4 mages into action. We don't need the tome—we only need the Shadison family to fall."

A dangerous glint flashed in Raymondo's eyes as he outlined his bold strategy.

---

Back at the Shadison estate, in a quiet room, Merlin asked Lorinka calmly, "Has your father left?"

Lorinka nodded, her expression tinged with embarrassment. "Yes, he's gone. I conveyed your decision to him, and I don't think he'll bother us again."

Merlin nodded in acknowledgment. He recalled how Rheint had tried to persuade him to assist the Shadison family during the exhibition of the tome, after learning of Merlin's identity and his defeat of Vis.

But Merlin had declined. He had no interest in becoming entangled in the power struggles of spellcaster families. His only goal was to reunite with Lorinka and return to the Arcane Domain.

For now, Merlin was content to bide his time. Two days later, he would witness the famed Vastness Tome before departing Dolan City.

Left undisturbed, Merlin removed his robe, revealing his powerful physique—an anomaly among spellcasters, who were typically frail. Years of training with the mysterious sculptures had honed his body to near perfection, rivaling a Tier 3 peak elemental swordsman.

Lately, however, Merlin had noticed a new sensation: an overwhelming surge of energy coursing through him, growing stronger with each passing day.

As he continued to practice with the fourth sculpture, he couldn't shake the feeling that his body was on the brink of an extraordinary transformation.