A Sibling Reunion

Baron Ciaphas was surprised to see his sister Quintina in his mansion, but he was glad to see her nonetheless. They embraced, and he felt a rush of warmth and love from his sibling. It had been years since he had seen her, and he was glad that she was doing well.

"So, what brings you here, Quintina?" Ciaphas asked, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice. He had always been a bit intimidated by his older sister, who had always been more worldly and sophisticated than he was.

"I've been hearing some interesting things about you, brother," Quintina replied, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Rumors of you investing in the village and improving the lives of the peasants. Quite a change from the lazy kid I remember who did nothing but play all day."

Ciaphas bristled at the mention of his past, but he quickly composed himself. "Yes, well, things have changed. After our father passed, I realized that I had to step up and take responsibility for our family's legacy. I started investing in the village, creating roads, and vastly improving the farming techniques the barony used. It's been a lot of hard work, but it's paying off."

Quintina listened to her brother's explanation carefully, but she couldn't help but feel suspicious. Her brother had always been the black sheep of the family, and she found it hard to believe that he had suddenly become so capable. She wondered if there was another enemy baron behind him, using him as a pawn in some larger game.

"I see," she said, her voice cool and measured.

Quintina nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on her brother's face. She could sense that there was something he was hiding from her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. She decided to change the subject, hoping to catch him off guard.

"So, what are your plans for the future, brother? Are you content with just being a baron, or do you have ambitions for something more?"

Ciaphas hesitated for a moment before replying. He had been keeping a secret from his sister, a secret that he knew would change everything.

Ciaphas was relieved when his sister changed the subject, and he tried to hide his nervousness as he asked her how she had learned about his projects. "How did you find out about what I've been doing, Quintina? I'm just a baron, and I don't want other lords to hear about my investments." Quintina raised an eyebrow at her brother's words. "I found out because I went to the village, Ciaphas. I brought them some food and utilities since I knew the poor state they were in. I also saw these people as my responsibility, just as you should." Ciaphas nodded slowly, feeling a pang of guilt. He knew that his sister was right, but he couldn't help but feel resentful that she had discovered his secret. He decided to change the subject again, hoping to distract her from his earlier slip-up. "Speaking of responsibility, Quintina, I was wondering if you could do me a favour. I've been reading some books on the five stages of cultivation, and I was hoping you could find me some more on the subject. Specifically, I'm interested in the warrior classes, which are divided into Elemental, Awakened, and Purified stages." Quintina looked at her brother curiously. "What do you want with those books, Ciaphas? Are you planning on becoming a warrior?" Ciaphas chuckled, feeling a little embarrassed. "No, of course not. I just find the subject fascinating, that's all." Quintina nodded, but she couldn't help but feel suspicious. She knew that her brother was hiding something from her, but she didn't know what it was. She decided to indulge him, hoping that he would let his guard down.

"The Elemental stage is the first stage of cultivation," she said, reciting what she knew from memory. "Those in this stage can sense the elements in the atmosphere, enabling them to store them in their bodies, doubling their strength and increasing their life span by ten years. Once a certain amount is stored, one can ascend to the Awakened stage, allowing him to perceive those around him in a radius of ten meters, further increasing his strength by 100 kilograms worth of damage. Those in this realm are also known as rank two battle warriors." Ciaphas listened intently, his interest piqued. "And what about the Purified stage? What makes it so special?" Quintina hesitated for a moment before replying. "A purified warrior is something like a legend to the common folk. Once an Awakened Warrior reaches the Purified stage, apart from doubling his strength once again, he also sheds the impurities from his body, allowing him to use strengthening types of magic on himself, making him an unstoppable force on the battlefield." Ciaphas was amazed by his sister's knowledge of the subject. He had always known that she was smart and well-read, but he had never realized how deep her knowledge of cultivation was. He decided to ask her more questions, hoping to learn as much as he could. "What about the Mage stage? And the Archmage and Saint stages? And what is a Paragon?" Quintina smiled, feeling a sense of pride in her brother's curiosity. "The Mage stage is where one learns to control the elements and use them for offensive and defensive purposes. The Archmage stage is where one's magic becomes even more powerful, and one can control even more elements at once. The Saint stage is where one's magic transcends the physical realm, and he can even create life. And as for the Paragon, those types of existences have not appeared in the world for hundreds of years.

Ciaphas listened to his sister intently as she explained the various stages of cultivation. He was fascinated by the idea of becoming a Purified Warrior, but he knew that it was a long and difficult journey that very few people had ever achieved. "Thank you for sharing this knowledge with me, Quintina. I will study these texts carefully and see if I can make progress towards becoming a Purified Warrior," he said.

Quintina smiled at her brother's enthusiasm, but deep down, she knew that it was unlikely that he would ever achieve such a feat. Still, she was proud of him for actually taking charge of the barony and doing something to help its people. "I'm proud of you, brother. It takes a lot of courage to take on the responsibility of leading our family and the people of the barony," she said.

Ciaphas smiled, feeling a sense of validation from his sister's words. He had always been the black sheep of the family, but now he felt like he was finally doing something worthwhile. "Thank you, Quintina. Your support means a lot to me," he said.

Quintina reached into her purse and pulled out a small pouch of gold coins. "Here, take this. It's not much, but it should help you out a bit," she said, handing the pouch to her brother.

Ciaphas was surprised by the gift, but he knew that every bit helped. "Thank you, Quintina. This will come in handy," he said, weighing the pouch in his hand.

Quintina smiled at her brother and embraced him once more. "I have to go, but I'll be sure to tell Father about your success. He'll be pleased to hear that you're doing well," she said, pulling away.

Ciaphas nodded, feeling a sense of relief that his sister was on his side. He knew that many powerful lords in the region would be threatened by his sudden rise to success, and he was grateful to have someone he could trust in his corner.

As Quintina made her way out of the mansion, Ciaphas watched her go, feeling a sense of gratitude and determination. He knew that there were still many challenges ahead, but with his sister's support and the knowledge he whould soon gain from the books his sister promised to bring next time she visited, he felt ready to face them head-on.