Silver Moon Spirit Ring

A girl calling my name?!

Worried that Edith or Loria had been hurt, Hekate immediately followed Teacher Hubbard.

Before long, she saw a girl lying on a bed with her eyes tightly shut.

She wore tattered clothes. The exposed wounds on her body had healed considerably after treatment from a physician, leaving only faint scars. Her once-dazzling golden hair had dulled, still tangled with dark grime, and an unpleasant odor wafted from her body.

Hekate did indeed know this girl.

Natasha Dewey von Christine, one of Yarn City's nobles. Her father was a viscount of the Uruk Kingdom.

Seeing no sign of her waking, Hekate called over a classmate and had her brought into a townhouse in the residential area.

After two months away, quite a bit of dust had accumulated here.

About half an hour later, Natasha slowly woke up. She immediately sat up, clutching her collar as she looked around in terror. Only when she realized she was not inside an iron cage and saw bright sunlight streaming in through the window did her tension ease somewhat.

Hearing movement from inside, Hekate entered the room.

"Hekate!"

Natasha cried out in delight, crossed the large bed in a few strides, and threw herself at Hekate.

"I know you're happy, but could you get down first? We're not close enough for this yet." Hekate pried the clinging Natasha off herself.

There seemed to be light in Natasha's eyes as she said happily, "I finally found you."

"Tell me what happened to you first. How did you suddenly end up in Lundria, and why are you so dirty?"

Natasha's eyes instantly reddened. Tears as large as beans poured down like rain as she choked out, "My father said he was taking the whole family to Lundria, but we were attacked by bandits on the way. My family was all killed. Father hid me inside a horse's belly, so they didn't find me."

The girl no longer had her former elegance and composure. There was only collapse and helpless confusion.

"After those bandits left, I didn't dare stay. I kept running toward Lundria, ran into the city, and then came looking for you."

Hekate frowned.

After news of the war spread, many people headed for the royal capital because it had the strongest defenses. As a result, the official roads became extremely dangerous.

Many criminals lay in wait on those roads for big prey. Natasha's family had simply been unlucky enough to become that prey.

"Hekate, can you take me in? I can even be your maid. Please don't abandon me. Other than you, I don't know anyone here." Natasha dropped to her knees, crying.

Her tears continuously washed away the grime on her face, making her look like a beggar stripped of all dignity.

Grrrr...

Natasha's stomach chose that moment to rumble hungrily.

"Get up first. There's no need for you to be a maid." Hekate shook her head, then took out a set of clothes and handed them to her. "Go take a bath first. Then I'll take you to eat."

Natasha nodded gratefully.

In the bathroom, Natasha painstakingly washed away all the grime. Then she picked up the clothes Hekate had given her. They were clearly clothes Hekate had worn before.

Smelling the fragrance lingering on them, Natasha gradually calmed down.

Hekate took her to the cafeteria for a hearty meal, then returned with her to the family home in the city center.

On the way, Natasha took a silver engraved ring from her pocket and said, "Hekate, this was dropped by those bandits. See if it's useful. If it is, please help me exchange it for some money..."

Hekate took the ring. The moment she touched it, an attribute list appeared.

Silver Moon Spirit Ring: Rare-Tier · Ring. Increases the wearer's comprehension.

Holy shit! A piece of Magic Equipment that increases comprehension!

This could be passed down as a family heirloom, yet she managed to pick it up?!

Hekate froze. She did not know whether the bandits were lucky or unlucky. They had robbed an entire cart of goods, yet lost a piece of Magic Equipment that could not be bought with money.

"It can be exchanged for money. How much do you want for it?"

"Fifteen gold pounds?" Natasha said hesitantly.

The ring looked quite ordinary, and it had fallen from a bandit. She did not know its value either, but it was the only thing she had left to offer. She hoped it could be exchanged for a little more.

Hekate directly gave her one hundred gold pounds.

Natasha's mouth fell open. Could this ring really be exchanged for that much money?

After thinking it over, she handed all the money to Hekate. "I... I want to use this money to rent a room in your house. I have nowhere else to go, and I don't know anyone else."

As she spoke, her eyes reddened again.

"It's only one hundred gold pounds. Keep it. You can stay at my house as long as you want—even until you get married."

Having acquired a magic ring, Hekate was delighted.

She brought Natasha home, explained her situation to her father, and arranged for her to stay there temporarily.

Naturally, she said nothing about the ring.

Her father agreed. After all, only Natasha remained of the Torristin family, which meant she could inherit Torristin's title. To her father, she was a useful connection.

That evening, her father introduced Natasha's circumstances to everyone.

Her mother knew Natasha as well, and upon learning what had happened to her, she felt deeply sorry for her. The others also welcomed her.

After dinner, Hekate returned to her room and rubbed the silver ring on her finger, still feeling a surge of joy.

She happily went to the window for her nightly stargazing routine.

A massive conflict had erupted at the Uruk border. In a single morning, Roho City had been reduced to ruins, with countless casualties, though Chaos's soldiers had not fared well either.

Roho City becoming ruins meant the war had officially begun. Prices would continue to rise from here on.

Hekate's good mood instantly vanished, and she frowned in worry.

Rising prices were a minor matter. The important question was whether the Uruk Kingdom could win this war.

With her current strength, she could not guarantee that disaster would not reach her.

Some of the teachers from Grants Academy had already headed to the border, and Teacher Ivin was among them.

That was normal enough.

But Teacher Ivin taught Meditation Studies. Would she only hold everyone back by going along?

Princess Betty had decided to come tomorrow and reveal her identity to you, asking you to become her Personal Knight.

Why hasn't she given up on that idea yet...

Hekate was somewhat speechless.

Mabus Christison had lost a ring. He was following leads in search of it and would enter Lundria tomorrow.

Since this information involves me, the ring Mabus is searching for must be the Silver Moon Spirit Ring. If he wants to find the Silver Moon Spirit Ring, then he must be one of the bandits.

Hekate activated the Star Chain ability and summoned the Star of Magic.

A brilliant blue point of light appeared out of thin air. Hekate sneered. "Someone actually dared to covet my things. Looks like they're begging to be barbecued."