Chapter 69

As I woke up in my bedroom, the memories of the previous day's events flooded my mind. I had narrowly escaped the clutches of the Purifiers, thanks to the intervention of my master. Exhausted from the ordeal, I had promptly dismissed Andrew, who had been waiting for me, and retreated to my bed, desperately needing rest.

Now, refreshed and properly rested, I changed my clothes and stepped outside my room, where Andrew stood, faithfully stationed next to the door. "Andrew, fetch Elena," I instructed, briefly glancing at him before retreating back into my room. With a pencil and paper in hand, I began writing a letter, the sound of the pencil scratching against the paper was a gentle yet distinct whisper .

It didn't take long for Andrew to return, accompanied by Elena. She entered my room, finding a seat and looking at me expectantly. "Lord Lucas, you called for me?" she inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"Yes, I want you to send a message to all our spies. Instruct them to gather as much information as possible about the Purifiers," I instructed, my gaze fixed on the paper as my writing continued. "Additionally, I want you to write a letter to the bishop. Request any information he may have regarding the Purifiers."

Elena nodded, her expression displaying a mix of understanding and intrigue. Beside her, Andrew seemed equally curious, no doubt wondering about the nature of the letter I was currently writing.

"Are you writing your engagement letter?" Andrew asked nonchalantly, his tone relaxed.

"Yes, I am," I replied with confidence, setting the finished letter aside and placing the pencil down on the hard wooden desk. "I need to propose a marriage alliance with Duke Vigar's daughter, and in return, he will cease exporting any iron to our enemies."

Elena, her voice filled with genuine concern, chimed in, "Are you sure this plan will work? The Duke could potentially exploit the situation to gain power over you."

"It will work," I asserted confidently. "Duke Vigar desires my connection more than anything. The mere prospect of our alliance will have him ecstatic. Besides, I have included additional conditions in the letter that will ensure our interests are protected. I am certain he will agree. He is an astute man who can discern which way the wind is blowing."

Andrew, now seated at the edge of my bed, interjected with a hint of amusement, "You're acting as if he's madly in love with you." His teasing tone elicited a smirk from me.

"Speaking of news, there are developments in the west," Andrew continued. "The drug is spreading further into the western territories, and Lucia Thornheart has made progress with her chimera experiments. She has managed to create a living being that survives for a brief moment."

"A second, huh?" I mused, considering the information. It was a small achievement, but progress nonetheless. The drug's grip on the west was tightening, and any advancement was a step in the right direction. However, my trust in Lucia Thornheart remained limited. Our partnership was near-impossible to fulfill, considering her tarnished reputation after my master exposed her.

"It's good progress. Send additional funds to expedite their expansion, but emphasize to Malachi the utmost caution. If the Duke discovers him, the entire operation could be jeopardized," I instructed, fully aware of the importance of keeping our clandestine enterprise intact. It served as the nucleus of my future endeavors, and its survival was paramount.

"Will do," Andrew nodded, his understanding evident. However, before he departed, he turned back and asked, "Do you want me to send your letter to Duke Vigar as well?"

"Yes, but make sure to make copies beforehand and send them through different channels," I replied with a note of caution. "The Chancellor is no fool. He will anticipate that I would contact Duke Vigar, so we must take precautions to ensure the letter's delivery."

With that, Andrew took my letter and left, leaving Elena and me alone in the room. Elena was engrossed in reviewing some files, as I had entrusted her with handling the day-to-day tasks such as payments and overseeing the spy network. However, I remained fully engaged, ready to take charge when significant matters arose.

Leaning back in the chair, I gazed out the window for a moment before a familiar voice called out my name. It was my master, standing at the doorway and looking at me.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said, glancing briefly at Elena.

"Not at all," I replied quickly, sitting up attentively. "What can I do for you, Master?"

"Get ready, the second part of your training begins today," she announced before swiftly departing, leaving Elena and me alone in the room once again.

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"Why are we in the basement?" I asked, puzzled by our unusual detour. Instead of heading to the training grounds, we were now making our way towards the prison basement of the estate.

"There's a room here that will be perfect for your training," she replied, leading the way down the winding stairs until we reached a wooden door adorned with a sword sigil.

As we entered the room, I took in the spacious surroundings. A stage occupied the center, with swords hanging around it. However, what caught my attention was a distinct purple rune on the ceiling.

"Do you see that purple rune?" Master Calliope pointed out, selecting one of the swords. "It's a sort of advanced protective rune. If you find yourself on the verge of death, it will emit a purple glow around you, rendering you virtually indestructible."

"In this world, only three of these runes exist. One is in the king's castle, another in the academy, and the last one is here," she explained, channeling mana into the purple rune.

"Why is there one here?" I inquired, as it made sense in the other locations, but the presence of such a rune in this city on the southern border seemed curious.

"That's because the Baron who lived here about 200 years ago had it made specifically for his home," she clarified, shedding light on the origin of the rune.

""Enough talking!" she suddenly shouted. "Let's begin the training!"