Erica had started preparing everything early.
During these past days, she had been constantly learning about the Empire's northern border.
The Empire's northern border had two relatively powerful forces. One was the knight family that guarded the northern border of the Empire, the Delin family.
And the other was a faction made up of mages and magi, called the "Pale Mage Council."
The Mage Council's territory was even farther north compared to the Delin family.
That area was already part of the Extreme Northern Ice Plains, a land of extreme cold.
That land was covered by heavy snow all year round, and deep within it lived a group of barbarians who feared no cold.
Those barbarians, whose physical strength far surpassed that of ordinary people, were called "Beasts."
The "Beasts" would often invade the Empire's territory, burning, killing, and plundering the border villages and towns, committing all sorts of evil.
So the defensive policies of the Empire's northern border were mainly aimed at those savage marauders.
And the place Erica was going to was the mage alliance in the very far north, near the Extreme Northern Snowfield.
She would undergo two months of training there.
"Are you ready, Erica?"
Her father's voice sounded from outside the door, and Erica quickly answered.
"Yes, father."
Erica had prepared everything.
In the previous illusion, she had challenged Viktor.
Viktor's world-destroying, sky-shattering magical power did not leave Erica in long-lasting gloom or despair. Instead, it made her grow even more competitive and full of longing.
She desired even more to become a mage as powerful as Professor Viktor.
"I can set out now."
———
Erica wore her cloak, sat atop a fine horse, carrying her heavy pack, following within the mage unit.
The orderly mage troops rode their horses, surrounding Erica in a circle, slowly heading north.
Dozens of magi all had impressive strength. Erica only needed to follow these experienced mages to reach the Pale Mage Council.
Even if they took a shortcut, they still needed to travel nearly a thousand kilometers.
So they had to speed up their journey.
And the rough terrain of the shortcut made it impossible for Erica to sit comfortably inside a carriage like a noble lady.
Therefore, Erica learned to ride a horse.
Which was actually very simple for a genius like her.
Duke Levi did not come to see Erica off. This departure, during the journey itself, was also a kind of challenge for Erica.
Even though the mage regiment protected her and nothing would happen to her, how she dealt with the harsh environment was something Erica had to handle on her own.
The group gradually left the capital. When they had traveled a hundred meters, Erica stopped her horse. The group merely glanced at her and continued onward.
If this young lady regretted things now, they would not indulge her.
Erica sat on her horse, looking reluctantly at the familiar capital. A trace of determination and resolve flashed across her eyes.
'I will definitely become stronger.'
She turned around, pulled on her hood, and hurried to catch up with the group.
Tock! Tock! Tock…
The messy sound of hooves grew farther and farther away, lighter and lighter, until it finally disappeared completely into the distant forest, no longer audible.
Duke Levi looked toward the distant slope, with a group of personal guards standing behind him.
He watched Erica's departure, his eyes showing no reluctance.
'My child, she has grown up.'
He always understood what his child needed.
With this talent surpassing ordinary people, what she sought had always been more recognition.
Thus, she always tried to accomplish things that could not be achieved at her current stage.
She wanted to gain everyone's approval.
But this was not being blindly ambitious.
'You will obtain the opportunities that belong to you, and gain that great power.'
'For you, my child, I should not continue to stay low-key anymore.'
Duke Levi extended a hand. A strand of blue magic power twined and rotated around his wrist.
A flow of air slowly formed in his palm. Under the breeze, the cloak behind him fluttered loudly.
A fourth-tier magic formation formed instantly. The subordinate mages present could recognize it at a glance.
At this moment, Duke Levi… was beginning to reveal the sharpness he once possessed.
———
Viktor had long prepared to go north, but this plan needed to be put aside for now.
Because Gwen did not want to go back.
Although no one knew why, even Liya couldn't explain the reason Gwen didn't want to return home.
Viktor knew that if Gwen didn't return, then there was no point in him going to the Delin family.
"So what, you're not going anymore?"
Vega looked up at Viktor.
"No. I'm still going." Viktor said expressionlessly.
Vega, however, was completely confused. According to Viktor, the only reason he accepted the Delin family head's invitation was because of Gwen.
But now, it seemed Viktor had other plans?
Of course he did. Viktor calmly explained, "The Extreme North, that is the territory of the barbarians."
"But if you go deep into the Extreme North, all the way to the northernmost border, there lies the place I told you about."
Vega suddenly understood.
The Temple of Inheritance.
"Ho, interesting."
"You're planning to go there?"
Viktor didn't speak, but his attitude already made everything clear.
Vega pecked at his feathers and gave a suggestion.
"Then just build a huge teleportation array like before. You could go there directly, right?"
"Anyway, you know where everything is. Go once and come straight back, oh, it'd be a quick trip."
Viktor shook his head.
"Impossible."
"The Temple of Inheritance is a place protected by the gods. Those without qualification cannot face the temple."
"Teleportation magic cannot reach that place."
Vega narrowed his eyes.
"Then how do you know whether you'll be qualified or not?"
"It doesn't matter."
Viktor said calmly, as though his gaze had already pierced through space and seen the hidden Temple of Inheritance.
"If I don't have the qualification, then I'll forcibly make it acknowledge that I do."
"I like the way you put it."
Vega giggled, then added, "But I hope you're not just running away after being confessed to by a little girl for the first time, not knowing how to react and choosing to flee instead."
Viktor closed his eyes.
"Vega."
"What?"
"If you still want to keep those feathers of yours, I suggest you shut your mouth."
"Tch."
———
Three days later, early in the morning, Viktor stepped out of the residence.
Liya followed behind him, asking anxiously, "You're just leaving like this? Don't you need to bring anything else?"
Viktor looked at Liya and asked in return, "What? Worried about me?"
"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm just afraid that if my dear mage lord dies out there, even collecting the body will be troublesome."
Liya pouted and turned her head away as she said that.
Viktor nodded and laughed softly.
"This trip… I should be back in about half a month."
"I've asked Henny and Cocotte to handle more things at the capital residence. You don't need to worry too much."
Liya waved her hand quickly, interrupting him.
"You don't need to tell me that. Alright, alright, hurry up and go."
"I happen to be returning to my territory these days. I won't have much time."
Viktor nodded.
"If anything happens..."
He extended a hand and lightly tapped the gems on Liya's gloves.
The gems on the Mage's Hand glowed faintly. The stored magic seemed richer than before.
He had updated and replaced it with an even stronger third-tier spell.
"Remember to use it."
"And then, I'll come back."
Liya withdrew her hand, looking at the gems on her gloves that seemed to glow more brightly.
"..."
Her nose felt slightly sour. She shouldn't be having this kind of emotion.
Viktor was only leaving for a few days.
So she stubbornly turned her head and refused to look at him again.
"There won't be any problems."
"Don't worry."
But Viktor's reply was no longer there.
When she turned around, looking at the spot where Viktor had just been standing,
He had already disappeared. A faint trace of magic still lingered in the air.
Liya stood there for quite a while.
Only then did she seem to realize that Viktor had already left.
She turned and walked back toward the residence.
———
At the crowded magic-train platform, Viktor waited quietly.
It was extremely crowded here, perhaps because the platform was narrow, or perhaps because too many people were passing through.
The magic train was a massive vehicle powered and driven by magic, used to travel to other imperial cities, and even leave the Empire.
This giant object was a magical tool created by the mages of Endymion high above the sky.
It was originally a suggestion proposed by a dwarf councilor. Once the idea proved feasible and was put into practice, and after decades of laying tracks across the world, it finally became the most convenient mode of transportation between regions of the Empire.
But only a minority could afford to ride such a thing. Aside from long journeys, most people still chose carriages.
Of course, in the game, the magic train was simply a station for players to travel to other cities.
It was a reasonable setting, otherwise, with such a huge continent, relying solely on teleportation arrays to travel everywhere would be too unrealistic.
The magic train was a good alternative.
Soon, a slowing train approached the station.
The magic of burning mage-stones acted as power, and the tracks vibrated with each tremor.
Whoosh!
The train spewed thick white smoke from above, slowly coming to a halt in front of Viktor.
The entire train was pitch black, countless iron wheels hidden under the massive connected cars. A huge chimney stood at the front, and red doors divided the train into sections.
Those seeing such a behemoth for the first time would easily think it was a giant serpent capable of devouring the world.
The ticket Viktor had booked was for the first-class compartment of this express train.
Just as he was about to step aboard, a familiar voice came from behind him.
"Hey hey, Viktor!"
He turned his head, it was a familiar purple-haired woman.
It was Gwen's eldest sister, Kefra.
Viktor naturally remembered her.
Viktor watched as Kefra waved toward him while half-jogging over, smiling as she said, "Are you going to my home?"
"Perfect, I have to go back too, and it's this train."
She shook the ticket in her hand. Written on it was, "Express Train, First-Class Carriage."
It was the same compartment as Viktor's.
"Looks like we're going back together."