After thoroughly dealing with William, Alan gathered the prepared Isabella and swiftly left Roan Castle.
Alan kept a moderate pace; after all, Isabella had been frail since childhood, plagued by a strange illness.
They hadn't traveled far when Alan noticed a sheen of sweat on her forehead and checked the map in his hand.
The Northern District was still quite far from the Imperial City.
Although they could stop at several towns along the way to rest, Lioncrest Academy's enrollment was approaching, and Isabella's condition couldn't be delayed indefinitely.
Time was of the essence.
"A carriage might be a good solution."
Just as Alan was about to lead Isabella to a nearby merchant, he saw a group rushing toward him.
"House Black, House Manson, House Quixote…"
Recognizing the figures, Alan's brow furrowed, and he moved Isabella behind him.
"Alan, we bear no hostility—we simply came to see you off!"
Sensing the hint of killing intent from Alan, the three lords of House Black and the others quickly softened their tone, displaying the many gifts they had brought.
"Oh?"
Alan raised an eyebrow.
There was lingering resentment between him and the three lords; after all, he had been instrumental in seizing their mines as Roan's heir.
Sensing Alan's thoughts, the lord of House Black, the small, thin old man, smiled and said:
"We were blind before, rashly offending Mr. Alan. But that's all in the past. Now that you have left House Roan, we no longer have any conflicts of interest."
"On the contrary, as former rivals, we greatly admire Mr. Alan."
The other two lords nodded in agreement, joining in.
"Mr. Alan is setting out on a long journey. Lioncrest Academy is quite distant, and these gifts are tokens of our goodwill. We hope they may be of some help."
Their attendants stepped forward solemnly, presenting the gifts one by one before Alan.
"This is a spirit elixir—twenty vials in total. It should help alleviate Miss Isabella's ailment!"
Looking at the vials, Alan's gaze softened.
He was running low on spirit elixirs, and this offering from the three lords was indeed a gift in a time of need. Spirit elixirs were both valuable and scarce!
"This is a carriage we at House Manson prepared for Mr. Alan, equipped with supplies sufficient for more than ten days."
A carriage drawn by two horned steeds, beasts with spell-beast bloodlines, rolled up on iron-clad wheels.
Horned steeds weren't fast but were steady and known for their endurance, often favored by Northern District nobles.
"Alan, we at House Quixote didn't prepare much else, but these mana stones should prove useful for your journey."
The tall, lean lord of House Quixote looked on with a pained expression as his attendant presented a sack of mana stones.
Mana stones?!
Alan glanced at the bulging black bag, surprised. His sharp sense allowed him to detect the items within.
Most were first-tier mana stones, with a few second-tier, black and crystal-like, radiating intense elemental energy.
Mana stones were rare and highly valuable, aiding mages in advancing their levels and serving as hard currency among them.
Even a single first-tier mana stone was worth a hundred gold coins, while second-tier ones were worth three hundred.
That bag was worth nearly ten thousand gold coins!
Alan gave a slight nod and said gratefully, "I accept these gifts. Let the past grievances be forgotten. If you ever need my assistance, consider this a favor I owe you."
The three lords' faces lit up, and they said with pleased expressions:
"No need for thanks, Mr. Alan! It's an honor to earn your favor!"
After exchanging a few more words, Alan bid them farewell, then boarded the horned steed carriage with Isabella.
Watching Alan ride away with the gifts, the three lords had mixed emotions.
"Who could have guessed that not long ago, Alan was just a promising youth—and now, he's someone we look up to, even trying to win over."
"With his magus abilities and Duke Alice's favor, his future is boundless. I believe the mysterious phenomenon at Roan Castle wasn't due to William but to Alan!"
"I thought so, too. When Alan displayed his killing intent earlier, I felt as if a ferocious beast was watching me!"
"His strength is becoming unfathomable!"
"Yes, I heard that William was killed in his courtyard. Alan is not only loyal but also ruthless and meticulous!"
"He accepted our gifts, so any danger we might have faced is likely resolved. Now, let's focus on taking Roan Castle. We might stand to gain from this!"
"Indeed, he is loyal, gifted, and backed by powerful allies. His journey will be vast, like a dragon diving into the sea!"
"I wonder how strong he'll be the next time we see him."
…
As Alan's carriage gradually left the Northern District, on a distant mountain peak, Alice and a noblewoman in a golden mage robe watched the carriage move away.
"Young Miss, it's time to go. You've lingered here too long," the noblewoman urged sternly.
"I know what I'm doing. His strength and potential make it worth my time," Alice replied.
"Young Miss, although he's a magus, his journey will be challenging. In the Northern District, he's an exceptional talent. But in the Imperial City, he'll be one among thousands, while you are already among the New Star Rankings."
The New Star Rankings was a prestigious list on the Eldritch Continent, highlighting the top talents under twenty.
Out of millions in the Plantagenet Kingdom, only two were on the list—one of them being Alice.
Alice understood the noblewoman's reasoning but ignored her and said:
"I simply admire him. Someone who is passionate toward friends and cold as a blade toward enemies appeals to me!"
"Besides, I have a feeling that once he reaches the Imperial City, he'll stir up quite a storm. As it stands, there's only one magus in the Plantagenet Kingdom!"
The noblewoman nodded.
The strength and rarity of magi were common knowledge, especially in the remote Plantagenet Kingdom, where there was only one—an elderly, yet fearsomely powerful figure, seen as a pillar of stability in the kingdom.
Yet the noblewoman still doubted that Alan could reach such heights, and even if he did, he would still be worlds apart from Alice's family, background, and talent.
…
In the carriage, Alan, comforting Isabella to sleep, suddenly glanced out the window, sensing a distant gaze.
On the mountaintop, he thought he glimpsed Alice's figure.
She still wore her signature silver armor, gleaming brightly under the midday sun.
"Alice…" Alan murmured, touching a ring in his pocket, his expression complicated.
Whether it was House Roan's restraint or the gifts from the three lords, he knew at least half of it was due to Alice.
Her strength was formidable—the strongest opponent he had ever encountered!
Thinking of meeting her again someday at Lioncrest Academy, Alan felt a mix of anticipation and urgency.