It was quite unexpected that Charles would return to Hainess City in such a short time, of course, this was a private meeting, and the majority of the family were not aware of it, otherwise it would have triggered an unrest that would be difficult to quell.
The hands that persecuted Charles had not continued their actions, because at this critical juncture, the risk of exposure was too high. Moreover, they had to clean up the mess left by Griffin, and upon learning that Grand Mage Rowan had intervened in this war, they had to re-evaluate their subsequent plans.
The meeting between Grand Master Rowan and Duke Thomas was conducted in secret, and no one knew what they discussed. Charles was not qualified to participate in it, and was brought by a servant to the duke's study to wait.
The room was not large, and at first glance, it did not match the noble status of the lord of Hainess City. However, although small in size, the space seemed exceptionally spacious.
The room was six meters high, and at a height beyond Charles' reach, there was a stained-glass window with the Paviel family crest, magnificent and imposing.
The walls were built of solid obsidian, hard and rough, uneven, with two heavy axes hanging on the coarse walls, the blades covered in dark red spots, the edges jagged with signs of age.
Charles was somewhat familiar with them. One was called "Judgment," representing the supreme judicial power of the Paviel family; the other was called "Radiance," representing the honor and glory bestowed upon the family members. They were the weapons of the most outstanding patriarchs in the history of the Paviel family.
The entire room showed no signs of lavish decoration, everything was simple and practical, perhaps offering a glimpse into Duke Thomas' temperament.
Charles walked up to the desk, where piles of invitations, reports, and documents were stacked. This small space was likely the decision-making center of Hainess City, with countless information and instructions being sent out from this room every day, affecting a city of millions of people. The worn marks on the solid wood desk showed how much time and effort his father had spent in this room over the past decades.
His gaze shifted, and Charles saw a familiar yet unfamiliar portrait, and he froze in place.
The portrait showed a young girl in a gray dress sitting on a swing, her lovely face slightly pale, with an aura of melancholy and ethereality, giving a sense of distance, but her eyes were filled with sunshine, pure and clear. Through the portrait, one could feel the purity of her soul.
Her appearance was both familiar and unfamiliar to Charles. He quickly realized the source of this familiarity - the angular features resembled his own when he looked in the mirror. Yes, she must be his mother, the only companion of Duke Thomas. This was the first time Charles had seen her youthful appearance.
From an earthling's perspective, she was an elegant beauty. In this world without genetic modification technology, to have such a countenance was a testament to divine favor, no wonder the iron-fisted duke had remained immersed in the pain of losing her for over a decade, unable to extricate himself.
"What do you feel seeing her?" a familiar voice interrupted Charles' reverie.
Charles put down the portrait and remained silent.
The two men looked at each other, an awkward silence brewing between them.
Thomas looked at Charles and said, "Just now, Grand Master Rowan described the whole incident to me, saying that you had done some remarkable things in the botanical garden, even his teacher, Magister Randolph, gave an 'originality' comment. I say, when did you study herbs? I don't recall having such a thing!"
Charles remained silent, not because he didn't want to speak, but because he also didn't know how to face the duke, as despite the fusion of Charles' memories, his consciousness still felt completely unfamiliar with this man, revealing how cold their relationship had been over the past decade.
"Okay, let's not talk about that." Thomas' expression was not good, but he was also at a loss for how to deal with the current Charles, who was somewhat different from the past and did not lose patience or storm out.
"I know you have some dissatisfaction. I have many things to do every day and cannot verify the truth of every matter. If a few people say something about you, I won't believe it, but when everyone is saying it, you should think about the reasons behind it yourself."
"Mm." Charles nodded in response, which was a pleasing signal in the duke's eyes, at least he was starting to learn to listen.
"That night, I sent someone to secretly protect you and Brian. The report said you single-handedly turned the tide, killing countless magic wolves. I thought it was a joke when I heard it, so... is this also true? You know magic?"
"Yes."
"Okay, you have your secrets, I won't pry." Thomas furrowed his brow and murmured, "Since someone has already revealed traces of persecuting you, I will not let it go. Griffin is a clue, I will dig deeper. I want to see who... dares to play schemes in front of me!"
"You should investigate, but be careful you don't dig too deep. They have had enough time to clean up the aftermath after we left the castle."
"I'll do my best!" Thomas sighed and said, "I will clear out Griffin's forces and hand over a clean Wilheim Castle to the new steward, Brian. He will be fully cooperative with your studies."
"That's good."
"Regarding the princess incident, there are indeed many doubts. When I wanted to investigate, someone had already cleaned up the traces, so there is almost no chance of turning the tables. This burden can only be borne by you, and the family and you have already paid the price for it.
I advise you, even if this is a plot, you also have a great responsibility. Don't put yourself in a dangerous position. This is the principle of dealing with people. If you hadn't appeared at the Cloud Tower that night, no one could have dragged you there!"
Charles nodded silently.
"You don't have to think about returning to Hainess City for the time being. There are many problems in the family, and being away from the family will be safer for you. I have asked Grand Master Rowan to take care of you. As long as you can maintain your current state, when you graduate, these problems will be largely resolved, and then... we'll see how you perform."
As he spoke, a rare smile appeared on Thomas' face. He had always wanted to communicate with his son like this, but in the past, the young Charles was shallow and impatient, unable to understand the connotations behind some of his choices, which was utterly disappointing. But now the situation had finally changed.
Charles calmly said, "I haven't thought about coming back, at least not by relying on you."
Thomas furrowed his brow and asked, "What do you mean?"
"No matter how glorious the family is, it is your glory, not mine. I want to regain my own glory through my own efforts!"
Hearing the word "father," Thomas' emotions were complex, and the depression in his heart dissipated. He feigned seriousness and said, "Your ambition is not small! I hope what I see is the real you, and not just a performance, not something you have to do because you have reached a dead end."
Charles sneered, "Don't always use your own perspective to measure others. How much do you really know about me? When did I start growing medicinal herbs? When did I master magic? You don't even know, and you'd rather believe others than believe me. What else is there to say?"
"Mm, that was my mistake!" The Iron Duke rarely admitted his errors. After a pause, he said, "Charles, you've grown up. You should understand my difficulties.
Anyway, I don't want to explain too much about this. You're with Grand Master Rowan, study well, and the family will support your entire learning process. As long as your requests are not excessive, I will foot the bill for you."
"Thank you."
Seeing Charles stand up to leave, Thomas' mood was extremely complex, and a whispered murmur escaped his lips, "D*mn brat!"
After leaving Duke Thomas' study, Charles heaved a sigh of relief. He had temporarily escaped the sense of urgency and unease.
The forces persecuting him would be subdued under the duke's relentless pursuit. The evil servant Griffin had been removed from Wilheim Castle, replaced by the old steward Brian, who was close to Charles. As long as Brian could set up the castle's defenses with the help of the father, Wilheim Castle would be safe.
The identity of Rowan's disciple would be a good shelter, and most importantly, he could start learning magic and take control of his own destiny.
Sitting in the carriage back to the castle, Rowan fell into deep thought, frowning at times, sighing at times, and muttering to himself.
After a long silence, Rowan said, "Charles, your father has sold you to me for the next ten years. I'm a bit hesitant now, not sure what choice to make. Why don't I give the choice to you?"
Rowan looked directly into Charles' eyes and said solemnly, "Now there are two paths before you. The first is to continue being my magic apprentice and assistant. I will recommend you to the Hainess Academy to learn systematic magic knowledge, and I will also teach you advanced magic. I can guarantee that you will become a qualified mage."
Rowan deliberately paused, and it was within his expectation that Charles did not rush to make a decision.
"Well, you really know how to keep your cool!" Rowan smiled and nodded at him, then continued, "The other path is, I don't know if you're interested in going to the 'Arcane Circle'?"
The Arcane Circle?!
Hearing this name, Yolanda couldn't help but exclaim, then quickly covered her mouth, embarrassed, and glanced at Rowan.
But Charles didn't notice her reaction. He seemed to have heard this term before, and the impression was that it was very famous, but the previous Charles never paid attention to such news, so he had no memory of it now.
"Yes, the Arcane Circle!" Rowan emphasized this term and explained, "It is located in a place called the Mage Vortex, the ruins of an ancient magical battlefield, and also the highest magical academy on the Vagren continent. 90% of the registered magi on the continent come from the Arcane Circle. It is also the headquarters of the Magi Association.
It is independent of all the powers on the Vagren continent and is a neutral magical nation, a spiritual sanctuary for mages."
It sounded very interesting, Charles' eyes were shining.
Sensing Charles' emotion, Rowan added, "I have an old friend who is an alchemist in the Arcane Circle. He needs a magic apprentice, and he has been asking me to find one for him. I think you should be able to meet his requirements, and I can recommend you."
Rowan continued, "I can simply analyze the differences between these two choices. If you choose the former, it is a relatively stable path, and you will become a qualified mage, but due to your advanced age, your future achievements may be limited.
If you choose the latter, perhaps you can find your own opportunities in the Arcane Circle and achieve extraordinary success. Of course, your identity there will be a self-funded extern student, which is a fancy way of saying a servant. Whether you can learn anything will depend entirely on yourself, even with my recommendation, it may not be of much value."
Charles fell silent.
"You don't have to give me an answer right away," Rowan patted Charles' shoulder and said, "No matter what choice you make, I will support you. But before that, you still need to help me solve the problem of the bloody magic yams. This can also be a good opportunity for you to consider what choice to make.
By the way, I have one more thing to tell you. The reason I let you solve this problem is partly out of self-interest, but for you, it may not be a bad luck, so be sure to seize this opportunity."