The mage's robe was a symbol of a magician's status, not just a piece of clothing. Therefore, when returning home or visiting familiar places, it was customary to remove the robe and wear regular attire instead.
For Dean Bruce, this was the first time he had been attended to in such a manner, and he couldn't help but feel a bit awkward.
Joan Michelle, on the other hand, was quite used to it. After removing her vest and mage's robe, she took Dean Bruce by the hand and began leading him further into the estate. "I'm heading to the training room," she announced. "No matter what happens during this time, none of you are allowed to come in! If anyone comes looking for me, just tell them I'm not here."
"Understood!"
The elderly man and the young women all bowed and stopped in their tracks, simply watching as Dean Bruce and Joan Michelle walked away.
Unlike modern buildings, the estate was more open and spread out. Apart from the main gate and the residential areas, most of the property was wide and spacious, with only a few structures dotting the grounds.
As Dean Bruce scanned the surroundings, he noticed that aside from the few people still bowing at the entrance, there was only one other figure busy at work near the stables in the distance.
"Do you keep horses?" Dean Bruce asked excitedly.
On Meze, horses were just as rare as they were during the Middle Ages on Earth, owned primarily by knights or nobles.
In his previous life, Dean Bruce had always been fascinated by horseback riding. However, the horses he had ridden were too tame, lacking the wild, powerful energy seen in cowboy or war movies.
The thought of finally getting the chance to live out his dream made him unable to contain his excitement.
Joan Michelle, not noticing his enthusiasm, nodded. "We have two warhorses and three riding horses. Honestly, keeping them is quite expensive. If it weren't for my father's dying wish, I would've sold them by now."
Dean Bruce's mind immediately started working on how he might convince Joan Michelle to give him one of the warhorses.
The Michelle family had indeed fallen from its former glory. Despite the size of the estate, apart from the stables and the living quarters, much of the property had been dismantled. The once-grand walkways, pavilions, and water features were long gone, leaving the estate feeling empty and somewhat forlorn.
Behind the living quarters, there was an artificial hill and a large water feature.
As Joan Michelle led Dean Bruce towards it, he quickly made a guess: there must be some kind of mechanism near the hill.
Rumble—
Sure enough, as they approached, a section of the hill began to tremble. A stone slid aside, revealing a hidden passageway.
Almost immediately, a figure emerged from the shadows.
"Sis, you..." The voice trailed off, and the figure halted abruptly.
Joan Michelle softly introduced, "Teacher, this is my younger sister, Lucy Michelle. She's my only family."
Hearing this, Dean Bruce took a closer look, just as the figure stepped into the sunlight.
She bore a striking resemblance to Joan Michelle, though her features were more youthful and fresher. Her figure, however, was remarkably well-developed—so much so that even under her clothing, her curves were pronounced, causing a noticeable bounce with each step as if her outfit might burst at any moment.
Seeing this, Dean Bruce couldn't help but marvel silently: [These sisters are both quite stunning, but Lucy is something else. She has that innocent look, yet her figure is more voluptuous than Alita's. The contrast is just striking!]
Joan Michelle stepped forward, her tone firm. "Sister, this is the teacher I told you about, the one who taught me high-level magic. Show your respect."
"Ah, so it's you!" Lucy Michelle's face lit up with excitement.
High-level magic was rare and powerful across the entire Meze planet. The fact that Dean Bruce could teach it made him a formidable figure in their eyes.
Michelle family has ruin, the two girls are powerless, there is no reason they exciting if they communicate with the powerful man.
However, before Lucy Michelle could say more, Joan Michelle cut her off, "Teacher is here to check my mastery of magic. Sister, please go prepare the dinner."
Lucy Michelle pouted slightly, clearly displeased, but she understood her place. Knowing that she didn't have the same connection with Dean Bruce, and that it wasn't her place to be present during their magic practice, she reluctantly agreed and left to attend to the dinner preparations.
Before leaving, Lucy Michelle cast a curious glance back at Dean Bruce.
Only after she had walked away did Joan Michelle turn and gesture for Dean Bruce to follow her into the passageway.
Rumble—
A deep, heavy sound echoed as they stepped inside, the stone door sliding back into place to seal the entrance behind them.
Fortunately, the passageway wasn't dark, as crystal stones lined the walls, emitting a soft glow that lit their way.
They followed the path downward until it opened up into a spacious hall.
The walls were lined with talismans and inscribed with strange symbols.
From what Dean Bruce could gather, this room, being a training room, likely functioned like a magic array. It was designed to isolate sound, block the transmission of magic energy, and even accelerate the gathering of magical power.
A brief sense of his surroundings confirmed his suspicions. The flow of magic within him moved more swiftly here than outside, even faster than in the academy's training room.
[Impressive], Dean Bruce thought to himself. [Even though the Michelle family has fallen from their former glory, the effects of these magic talismans and inscriptions are still stronger than those in the academy's magic array.]
"Teacher, I'll demonstrate it for you now!" Joan Michelle announced.
She walked to the center of the hall where a mat lay, grasping her staff firmly. Taking a deep breath, she focused her energy and swung the staff, channeling her magic power into it.
Buzz—
In an instant, a brownish-yellow glow filled the room as she cast The Compassion of Heaven and Earth, utilizing earth elements.
The display of the magic differed slightly due to the elemental variation, but the core remained consistent with the spell she had learned from Dean Bruce.
The spell harnessed the environment's most abundant elements to absorb and mitigate damage, control enemies, and bestow blessings upon herself and her allies.
As the waves of magical energy radiated from her, Dean Bruce nodded in satisfaction. With a talent like Joan Michelle's, it wouldn't be long before she could help him master a second high-level magic spell!
Nicholas William had initially seemed like a dark horse, a prodigy who might bring Dean Bruce a second round of rewards from the system. However, it was becoming increasingly clear that his hopes lay with Joan Michelle.
Time passed slowly.
For two full hours, Joan Michelle demonstrated her mastery of The Compassion of Heaven and Earth with various elements.
Even with the training room's magic array, which helped to rapidly replenish and restore magic energy, the toll on her body and mind couldn't be fully mitigated in such a short time.
After receiving Dean Bruce's praise, Joan Michelle finally let out a broad smile before collapsing onto the ground, breathing heavily.
Without her magic robe and vest, Joan Michelle had been wearing relatively little. Now, sprawled out on the floor and gasping for breath, her appearance stirred something within Dean Bruce, awakening a sense of desire.
He walked over to her, his eyes drawn to the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. His heart raced, and he felt an immediate physical response.
"Teacher… can you… teach me… the new… magic…" Joan Michelle managed to say between breaths, her voice shaky.
"I can, but first, let me help you relax a bit," Dean Bruce replied.
As his words left his mouth, Joan Michelle felt a warm hand on her chest. She gasped in surprise.
"Teacher… I'm… covered in sweat," she murmured, her face flushing.
As Dean Bruce continued to knead her chest, Joan Michelle couldn't suppress a moan, her gaze becoming more and more unfocused.
Dean Bruce, experienced and confident, kept one hand on her chest while the other trailed down her abdomen. The sensation was like a wave of warmth, electrifying her body and leaving her powerless to resist.
With a smirk, Dean Bruce leaned down and kissed Joan Michelle's lips. His tongue slipped into her mouth, searching for hers like a skilled dancer.
"Mmm…"
Joan Michelle couldn't even speak anymore. Exhausted and parched, she instinctively responded to his advances, drawing him in closer.
Dean Bruce's hands continued their work, skillfully moving across her body. By the time Joan Michelle realized what was happening, her shorts and undergarments had already been removed, and her top had been pushed up, revealing a smooth expanse of pale skin.