Extreme City has temporarily returned to a state of tranquility.
The time bomb planted by Connie's demise has finally detonated, culminating in the death of the A-class mage, Lanwei.
Both the outer and significant portions of the inner city have suffered devastating consequences, reduced to ruins devoid of any reparative value.
It seems that the only course of action now is to embark on reconstruction.
However, this time, the endeavor should prove considerably easier.
With the involvement of the Black Ice Dragonborn and the assistance of Eve, the wealth previously held by the Dead Sea nobility has been successfully transferred to Chu Yan's accounts.
Having long since shed lowly ambitions, Chu Yan holds no interest in money; his greatest joy lies in the occasional pocket money bestowed by his guardian.
Thus, all these funds have been allocated towards the reconstruction efforts.
Moreover, with Aefaline as his so-called "slave," Chu Yan can leverage her connections to summon numerous workers, craftsmen, and scholars to aid in the rebuilding and fortification of Extreme City.
To put it succinctly, without Aefaline's presence, it would have been utterly impossible for Chu Yan to gather such support; this is not something that wealth alone can facilitate.
In this world, artisans with specialized skills and erudite scholars invariably find themselves aligned with certain influential factions; they are not typically in want of money.
Within the Dragonflame family, lacking a direct protector like Velin indeed hindered his ability to command the craftsmen of the clan. The ancient figures from his family's trials at the Dead Sea border would certainly attempt to obstruct his efforts.
From this perspective, it seems that the Black Ice Dragonborn has delivered him a grand windfall?!
Even if Lady Losta's motives stemmed from a desire to eliminate rivals, allowing him, a descendant of the Red Dragon, to benefit so profusely feels excessively generous.
Yet, as a dragonborn himself, he could vaguely comprehend Losta's dilemma; it would be a tremendous loss to slay someone as powerful as Aefaline, as it would significantly diminish the overall strength of the Black Ice Dragonborn.
Thus, standing in the upper echelons of the Black Ice Dragonborn, Losta, despite her disdain for Aefaline, cannot hastily eliminate her; she does not intend to position herself against the entire clan of dragonborn, unless Aefaline crosses a critical threshold.
"This is clearly a scheme to exploit your family, drawing ire toward you while preventing you from slaying Aefaline, simultaneously ensuring that Losta has one less adversary. What a cunning strategy!"
Janet contemplated Aefaline, the captive, through the lens of a merchant.
In comparison to Aefaline, the formidable dragonborn mage, she harbored greater trepidation toward Losta.
"Perhaps we should eliminate her; she remains the last unresolved threat following the Connie incident."
Shanoya expressed her unease, feeling increasingly anxious.
Though this once-noble female mage posed no direct threat to the Dead Sea border at present, should she decide to retaliate in the future, the fallout would far exceed the troubles brought about by Lanwei.
"Can you contend with her now? The contract magic binding me does not grant me the authority to decide her fate; thus, Aefaline is capable of retaliating if her life is threatened."
Chu Yan responded helplessly.
Despite Aefaline's constraints under the contract, she could not act freely; if compelled to fight, she would effectively be unsealed.
"A-class may not be insurmountable, but the cost would be considerable."
Janet was reluctant to appear weakened; currently, Aefaline was a slave.
Moreover, within the eyes of the Dead Sea's taboo practitioners, an A-class mage was not deemed an invincible foe.
"Ah~"
Nancy, who had been mostly silent, sighed. Having accompanied Velin for many years, she was well aware of Losta's potential maternal connection to Chu Yan, which lessened her vigilance toward Aefaline.
This woman was likely a pawn designed by Losta, sent to serve as Chu Yan's "bodyguard," to protect him from the more malicious members of the Dragonflame family, while also leveraging Aefaline's sense of urgency to compel Chu Yan to strengthen himself.
This indeed aligned with Losta's character; she despised the way Velin indulged Chu Yan's idleness.
Currently, Nancy found the taboo practitioners' anxious speculations regarding Aefaline somewhat amusing.
Yet, she longed to discern which specific type of slavery contract Losta had imposed upon Aefaline...
"It's time to rest; Janet, you haven't taken a break today."
The enigmatic female officer entered, dutifully fulfilling her role as the "sleep alarm," now even appearing at the lord's level to call for rest.
This conversation could only be momentarily paused.
Janet waved her farewell, musing as she stepped out of the room:
"Perhaps I should also prepare a room on the lord's level; there are plenty of vacant ones."
Chu Yan instructed Shanoya to rest well, as he planned to discuss matters regarding the Church with Nancy.
As they exited the chamber, Nancy exclaimed:
"I hadn't realized you had become so familiar with the taboo practitioners here, but why does that one, Shanoya, have a better room than you, the lord?"
It was impossible for Chu Yan to let his aunt discover that he had been sharing both living quarters and beds with Shanoya.
Following the fierce battle days prior, he had been residing in the guest room previously used by the executioner.
During this time, Shanoya had seemed inclined to persuade Nancy to allow Chu Yan to return to the lord's bedroom, but he had deterred her.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Chu Yan said:
"Ahem, when I first arrived, this was an abandoned floor, and Shanoya tidied up her own room; how could I possibly take advantage of her hard work?"
"Is that so?"
Nancy either did not care or had sensed something but chose not to pursue it further.
Chu Yan guided his drowsy aunt to sit down; her deep dark circles and half-closed eyes wasted her delicate beauty.
Her tidy maid's attire stood in stark contrast to her lazy demeanor, creating a subtly humorous conflict.
"Aunt Nancy, you possess anti-magic skills; have you had dealings with the Sanctum of Law before?"
"Are you inquiring about my stance toward these taboo practitioners?"
The woman could hardly bear Chu Yan's cautious probing, wishing he would be more straightforward, cutting through unnecessary words to reach the crux of the matter and conserve energy.
"Yes..."
Chu Yan felt a pang of embarrassment, as if his concealed thoughts had been exposed.
"I hold no particular stance; I am no longer a member of the Sanctum of Law, and the taboo practitioners harbor no animosity toward me—that is sufficient. Besides, this is the prison fortress of the Dead Sea; would I truly disdain the presence of taboo practitioners here?"
"Indeed!"
It would be illogical to complain about the presence of men in the men's restroom.
Just as Chu Yan was about to inquire about the nun at the church on the second floor, a clear voice from the window interrupted him.
"Brother Lord, the scholars you mentioned have arrived!" Dura called out from the courtyard, waving her small hand enthusiastically.
These scholars had been summoned through Aefaline's connections, as Chu Yan sought to see if these learned individuals could devise a method to restore the formation.
At the very least, offering a viable alternative would be beneficial, as it pertained to the safety of the taboo practitioners.
Stabilizing their power and reducing the potential for chaos was the foremost priority at the moment.
If a solution could be found to mitigate the risks of taboo practitioners losing control, that would be an unparalleled victory!
"Aunt, why don't you lie down for a moment? I'll set those scholars to work and return to check on you shortly."
"Alright, you go ahead, ha~"
Nancy yawned and lethargically lay down.