Nathan, having transmigrated, became a low-level elementalist of the Golden House.
Originally, he possessed a formidable talent for fire magic, but as an illegitimate child, he faced severe oppression from the family head and was strictly forbidden from using the family's fire formulas.
However, his predecessor didn't despair.
Instead, through his own research, he developed a unique and powerful style of fire control magic, defeating his peers in the family's grand competition.
Unexpectedly, not long after, he was falsely accused by Alex Clark, a legitimate member of the Golden House, of stealing arcane magic.
Not only did Alex take his arcane fire magic, but he also inflicted serious injuries on him, crippling his abilities.
It was at that moment Nathan crossed over into this body.
Fortunately, he was taken in as a disciple by Milo Shulin, the Guardian of Dracoria, who healed most of his injuries.
He also awakened the "Villain System," which allowed him to grow stronger as long as he tarnished his mentor's reputation.
Finally, at the beginning of the year, Nathan advanced to a level 3 elementalist and was appointed as the chief of the Intelligence Bureau by the emperor.
His main responsibility was to detect various secret intelligence within and outside the empire.
Having grown up in the Golden House, his predecessor was privy to some of its darkest secrets.
Although he had never witnessed them firsthand, he had heard whispers.
Despite Clan Chief Aidan's outward appearance of unwavering loyalty, he had always maintained covert contacts with Dracoria's rival, the Gale Empire.
This time, Nathan had secretly captured a spy sent by the Gale Empire.
Under interrogation, it led back to the Golden House, giving him the leverage to coerce Lia Clark into compliance.
"If anyone's to blame, it's your family for humiliating me in every way. Especially Lia, who once considered using me, a cripple, as a human experiment to curry favor with court mage Reno. It seems like digging their own graves now!"
Although Nathan naturally excelled at playing the villain, forcing a completely innocent girl was still a psychological burden for him.
But in Lia's case, it was purely for revenge, and he felt no remorse.
After all, he had nearly died at Lia's hands.
…
It wasn't long before they arrived at Grove Street, where the Intelligence Bureau was located.
Passing through a commercial district, Nathan ordered the armored guards to buy ice blocks.
Practicing fire element magic in the sweltering summer without ice was unbearable.
The carriage stopped outside an ice shop.
After a while, as the armored guard emerged from the shop carrying a basket of ice, Nathan suddenly felt the fire element around him becoming unusually active.
Sometimes the sun emerging from behind clouds could cause this sensation, but today, there were no clouds.
He lifted the carriage curtain and saw the armored guard, head bowed, his face hidden in the shadow of his helmet.
The guard, seemingly oblivious, continued towards the carriage, even as his foot kicked over a fruit stall on the roadside.
"Watch where you're going..." the vendor grumbled, his voice turning into a mutter upon seeing it was an armored guard from the royal guard.
"...acting all high and mighty..."
The fire element surged rapidly, a faint smell of sulfur hanging in the air.
Nathan's mouth became dry, sweat streaming down his temples.
"Be on guard!" The other armored guards sensed something amiss, drawing their weapons and facing the one carrying the ice.
"Halt! Lift your head!"
The armored guard with the ice quickened his pace.
Nathan saw a piece of armor that hadn't been fastened properly fall to the ground with a clang.
They were now less than twenty steps apart.
An assassin!
It must be an assassin hiding in the ice shop!
Nathan crushed two earth element defense scrolls, enchanting himself with both, then swiftly stepped out of the carriage.
As for Lia, she was safe; an assassin targeting Nathan wouldn't harm her.
"Nathan, you cur! Where do you think you're going?"
A furious shout came from the armored guard holding the ice, who suddenly accelerated towards the carriage.
"Scatter!"
With his keen sense of fire elements, Nathan deduced that the attacker must be a skilled fire elementalist, certainly no less than a level 4.
Such a master could only be from the Golden House.
And in dealing with an elementalist of this caliber, numbers were of no use.
Indeed, the armored guards who tried to intercept were hit by the hurled ice blocks, which transformed into intense flames upon impact, clinging to them relentlessly.
As the ice scattered, flames erupted everywhere.
The guards screamed in agony, vendors shouted in panic, cries for help came from the ice shop, and the passersby were thrown into chaos.
Out of the raging flames, a tall figure charged towards Nathan at incredible speed, removing his helmet to reveal a familiar face.
"Wales!" – a second-generation legitimate member of the Golden House, a level 4 fire elementalist, Lia's uncle.
Wasn't he locked up by me?
How did he escape Imprisonium?!
Nathan couldn't afford to ponder.
He quickly retreated.
On the Nofan continent, the difference in a magus's level meant a tenfold or even greater disparity in power.
Nathan, just having advanced to a level 3 elementalist, stood almost no chance against Wales, who was at the pinnacle of level 4.
And now, as the distance between them closed rapidly, Nathan could see Wales' face twisted in rage.
"Damn it, once I find out who let him out, I'll flay them alive!" Nathan roared in fury.
At this moment, both in speed and strength, he was at a disadvantage.
Nathan pulled out the only teleportation scroll his mentor had given him, bracing himself.
The flames arrived as expected!
Dark red lava-like fire streamed down from the top of the carriage, roaring and splitting into two tongues of fire that flanked Nathan from both sides.
In an instant, the ground cracked, the air filled with intense heat.
A carriage that rushed in unwittingly was vaporized instantly, turning into scattered char.
With two loud cracks, the earth element protective shields shattered under the intense heat of the flames.
Nathan widened his eyes, about to crush the teleportation scroll, when suddenly, the sound of shattering glass rang in his ears.
A blue light illuminated from a corner store.
In front of Wales, a blue portal appeared abruptly.
Nathan saw Wales, unable to dodge in time, crash into the portal and vanish without a trace.
The two massive hands of flame, losing their control, slowly turned into countless dancing specks of fire, scattering in the wind.
"Eris!" The moment Nathan saw the blue portal, his entire body relaxed.
Behind him, a witch in a light blue robe emerged from a blue portal that rose from nowhere.
"Little brother, didn't I tell you not to leave your sister behind? Teehee!"
Nathan turned to see a mature young witch.
The witch, clad in a light blue robe, had a graceful figure, delicate features, and wore silver-rimmed glasses, exuding a laid-back aura.
Her cascading blue hair, rebellious yet enigmatic, added to her elusive charm.
Nathan touched his nose, sheepishly saying, "Sister, I was on official business!"
"Boating on the lake counts as official business?" Eris sneered with disdain in her eyes.
"Mentor asked me to protect you, and there you go, shaking me off to do such things. I don't know what mentor sees in you!"
As she spoke, she handed a letter to a visibly embarrassed Nathan:
"Clan Chief, Aidan the Pyromancer of the Golden House has committed suicide in Imprisonium."
"Since the evidence is gone, the Sacred Emperor has pardoned the unrelated offspring, only executing the peripheral members who secretly contacted the spies from the Gale Empire."
"Here's a letter of introduction from our mentor, ordering you to leave immediately for Nebula Academy."
"What am I supposed to do there?" Nathan asked, taking the envelope with a tinge of reluctance.
After plotting for so long, his plan for revenge against the Golden House was suddenly rendered moot.
Many things he hadn't yet done, and now he was abruptly receiving such an order.
It was more distressing to him than death.
"Mentor is considering your safety. After all, Nebula Academy is far from Dracoria, beyond the reach of the Golden House," Eris said with a mysterious smile.
"Besides, little brother, your elementalist realm truly doesn't match the position you hold. Though appointed by the Sacred Emperor, many courtiers are dissatisfied. Even your subordinates are likely insincere in their obedience."
Nathan couldn't deny the truth of her words.
But he knew it wasn't a matter of his abilities being insufficient.
During his six months in office, he had seized the assets of many ministers, regardless of their power or influence, showing no mercy as long as he had evidence.
And his methods during investigations were ruthless, which, while justifiable, cost him the hearts of the people.
"Ah, I didn't want it to be this way!" Nathan said with a bitter smile.
Thinking about the future, no longer able to increase his Hostility Index through asset seizures, Nathan felt it a great pity.
But with things as they were, staying here could indeed be dangerous.
Without his official position, he could become a target at any time.
Although no one dared to openly confront Milo Shulin, the Guardian of Dracoria, hidden vipers would be everywhere.
"Alright, I agree. But before I leave, I want to see our mentor."