Under the perfect concealment of the 【Shroud of the Gloomy Night】, Lin Gui and Elvia slipped into Duke Joseph's mansion as silently as two ghosts.
The moment they stepped inside, Lin Gui got his first direct taste of the staggering wealth possessed by a top-tier noble of the Royal Capital.
The path beneath their feet was paved with solid slabs of white jade, naturally veined with cloud-like patterns and polished to a mirror-like sheen.
Hanging on both sides of the corridor were not ordinary oil paintings, but Epic-grade scrolls infused with magic to maintain dynamic light and shadow effects.
The battlefields depicted in the paintings even seemed to echo with the faint sounds of clashing weapons and war horns.
Exquisite porcelain vases standing taller than a man and lifelike taxidermy of magical beasts were scattered everywhere.
Armor and weapons studded with various precious gems also served as decorations.
The maids and butlers walking to and fro wore matching uniforms.
The fabric of their clothes was of better quality than what wealthy merchants wore, and they moved silently and with meticulous training.
The air was filled with a rich, fragrant blend of rare spices and fresh flowers.
Clinging to Lin Gui's back with her face almost pressed against his shoulder, Elvia stared greedily at everything around them.
She sighed softly, her voice tinged with an undisguised envy and even a hint of jealousy. “A noble should live like Joseph... Compared to this, my princess's manor is practically a country bumpkin's estate.”
“I'm afraid only the Carter Palace, situated at the peak of Stellar Mountain, can surpass him in grandeur and luxury.”
Lin Gui had absolutely no interest in her lamentations and cut straight to the chase.
“Where is his private vault?”
Elvia composed herself and confessed helplessly, “To be honest, I'm not entirely sure.”
“That old fox Joseph hides things too deeply. Even the informants I planted in his estate have only heard vague rumors.”
She lowered her voice, speaking as if sharing a deep secret. “Some say the entrance to his vault is hidden behind the massive full-length mirror in his bedroom.”
“Others say there's a mechanism in his private study that leads to an underground secret vault.”
“There are even wilder rumors claiming he hid his most valuable treasures at the bottom of the massive artificial lake inside the estate...”
After listening, Lin Gui commented calmly, “It would be great if Theia were here.”
“With her vision and sharp perception of energy fluctuations, she would have easily found any hidden mechanisms or secret compartments.”
Elvia nodded in deep agreement. “That girl's eyes are indeed incredible, like searchlights, especially when it comes to finding treasure. But Joseph's guards are no joke either.”
She began to list the defensive forces of the estate, her tone turning solemn. “There are twenty-six High-tier Transcendent knights permanently stationed here!”
“And there are two hundred and forty-nine Transcendent Rank warriors and mages combined!”
“And that's just inside the manor! Right next door is his private army camp of three thousand men, which includes two thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine high-level warriors!”
“This scale is almost comparable to a regular knight order or a city defense regiment in the Royal Capital!”
Lin Gui suddenly asked, “Did Gorn also come from here?”
Elvia nodded. “Yes. Gorn was basically raised by Joseph, who poured an ocean of resources into him.”
“To nurture Gorn into a Legendary archer, Joseph spent no less than five hundred thousand gold coins just purchasing the blueprints and materials for Magic-Breaking Arrows.”
“He even hired two Legendary rangers from the transport teams to take turns tutoring him, which cost an astronomical fee.”
“Not to mention his custom-made semi-divine longbow and various secret potions to boost his perception and agility...”
Elvia let out a bitter laugh. “Now you know why the vast majority of adventurers are stuck below High-tier Transcendent, right?”
Lin Gui replied calmly, “I do. Warriors need a mountain of resources to increase their strength, while the advancement of mages is practically a bottomless money pit.”
And indeed, it was so.
Whether it was the precious materials and potions required for a warrior to temper their body and break through bottlenecks,
or the ancient scrolls, experimental materials, and guidance from master mages needed for a mage to study profound magic,
or even the powerful equipment that both absolutely required and had to constantly upgrade as their strength grew—
every single aspect demanded an astronomical amount of gold.
Moreover, as one's strength reached higher levels, many things could no longer be bought with mere money.
Elvia sighed in deep empathy. “Exactly! Just nurturing a single knight to break through from High-tier Transcendent to Legendary almost drained all of my personal savings as a princess!”
“Not to mention those adventurers from commoner backgrounds.”
“For someone of commoner birth with outstanding talent who wants to take a step further, there are basically only three paths.”
“They either swear fealty to a noble, becoming a guard or a knight to exchange their freedom for resources,”
“or they risk their lives in ancient ruins where survival is slim, just like Rona did,”
“or they join a transport team, which offers extremely high returns but comes with an equally high mortality rate and strict entry requirements.”
These words made Lin Gui realize once again just how precious his system was.
If the system didn't directly infuse mana into his body,
he would probably be like other mages, constantly running himself ragged for a single High Rank magic scroll or a potion to increase his mana.
He might even have to take extreme risks.
Ordinary mages had to spend vast amounts of time meditating to accumulate mana.
They had to spend fortunes to purchase or copy higher-tier spellbooks.
They needed expensive materials to practice spell control.
And they had to pay hefty tuition fees to higher-level mages just to acquire knowledge...
Yet, from the time he left New Covenant City until now,
Lin Gui had barely 'properly' cultivated like a traditional mage even once.
Yet, his strength had steadily risen to Mid-tier High Rank.
This was a full half-year ahead of his original plan.
Furthermore, the mana reward for delivering a letter over the ultra-long distance from Caran to the Royal Capital was estimated to be over a thousand points!
Although it wasn't enough to make him break through to High-tier High Rank immediately, it wasn't far off.
Indeed... before long, the rank of this 'messenger mage' would likely catch up to the princess knight currently clinging to his back, who was green with envy over Joseph's wealth to the point of unraveling.
The two of them sneaked around the heavily guarded ducal estate several times.
They even risked slipping into Duke Joseph's ultra-luxurious bedroom, which was as spacious as a small plaza.
There, Elvia's gaze was instantly locked onto several documents on the desk regarding troop movements and mining approvals.
If she could get her hands on these, they would be of immense help in her future struggle for power.
Forcing herself to suppress the urge to steal them, she gritted her teeth and, with tears in her eyes, followed Lin Gui out.
Even if she took them, she wouldn't be able to use them yet, and it would only trigger a frenzied retaliation from the Duke.
Leaving the mansion, they arrived at a spacious garden.
They discovered that the Duke's estate was exceptionally lively tonight.
In the massive garden behind the mansion, a grand noble banquet was underway.
Soft magical lights illuminated the garden, making it as bright as day.
Splendidly dressed and elegant nobles gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing.
Dancers in sheer, flowing dresses danced gracefully on a temporary stage.
Long dining tables were laden with exquisitely prepared delicacies.
And in the center of the crowd, the figure of the Third Prince was clearly visible.
He was deep in a jovial conversation with a slightly plump, ruddy-faced middle-aged man wearing a formal suit embroidered with gold thread.
That was none other than the master of the estate, Duke Joseph.
Elvia narrowed her eyes like a lioness that had spotted her prey.
She gently tapped Lin Gui's shoulder.
Leaning close to his ear, she spoke in an extremely low whisper, a hint of excitement in her voice. “Let's creep closer and listen to what they're saying.”
Rate on N.U.
