Two Years, 7-star Archmage

Half a month later, Grants Academy was still suspended. Betty and Puli occasionally came to Hekate's house to play.

News of the Uruk Kingdom sealing its borders spread throughout the country. Many newspaper companies were forcibly shut down by soldiers, but Hekate could still learn about the front lines through Star Speech.

In short, the situation was far from optimistic. Even Teacher Ivin had been injured several times.

Unfortunately, the border was too far from the royal capital. Otherwise, he could have cursed Teacher Ivin's enemies and eased some of her burden.

Over these past two weeks, Hekate had only drawn Magic Level once in exchange for his lifespan, successfully advancing to a 6-star formal mage. His luck had been somewhat poor, but he had finished absorbing all the knowledge of Projection Imaging Magic within those two weeks.

The Silver Moon Spirit Ring was truly powerful. It was worthy of being Magic Equipment that improved comprehension.

Today, an unexpected visitor came calling.

Fast, an upperclassman who had helped him several times after he enrolled.

"Fast, what did you come to see me about?" Hekate went down to the first floor to receive him.

Fast smiled. "It's like this. The Uruk Kingdom recently issued the Demon-Breaking Decree. Mage students from all the Academies can take on missions. Those who complete them can receive Magic Equipment as rewards. I was thinking of bringing you along."

"Cultists?" Hekate was puzzled. Star Speech had not mentioned this.

War outside, Cultists within. It would be a miracle if the Uruk Kingdom could hold on. Hekate sighed inwardly.

"That's right. The Chaos Kingdom itself is ruled by Cultists. Their people often come here to spread disgusting doctrines. Now that the war has thrown everything into chaos, even more of them have come. The Kingdom's forces are all deployed beyond the border right now, so they don't have time to deal with such trivial matters."

So that was it.

Hekate immediately shook his head. "I won't be going. I'm too weak."

"There's no need to be afraid. We have plenty of people with us, and those Cultists aren't strong to begin with. You just need to follow behind us." Fast winked and gestured suggestively, practically spelling out that it was an easy tagalong position. He could get the Kingdom's rewards just by coming along.

Hekate still shook his head and refused. The Magic Equipment the Kingdom could offer would mostly be ordinary standardized Magic Equipment, certainly nowhere near as good as what Gift of Fate gave him. Rather than waste his time doing hard labor, he might as well wait for a windfall to drop from the sky.

After all, with his talent usable once every day, the chances of a windfall were still quite high.

Seeing this, Fast left helplessly. He had wanted to use this opportunity to deepen his relationship with Hekate, but since Hekate would not go, there was nothing he could do.

Two years later, inside a room.

Hekate woke from Meditation as Loria skipped into his room, shouting, "Brother, Brother, wake up!"

"I know. I'll come down in a moment." Hekate rubbed his little sister's head and had her go downstairs first.

A great many things had happened over the past two years, but they had had little impact on the Calilans family. The biggest event was undoubtedly his eldest brother Revolen's marriage. He had married the daughter of a count from the royal capital, and they had a child.

Grants Academy was still suspended, and the war between the Uruk Kingdom and the Chaos Kingdom was still ongoing. However, the situation was currently extremely unfavorable for the Uruk Kingdom.

He opened his status panel.

Name: Hekate Noah di Calilans

Age: 14/∞

Race: Witch

Magic Level: 7-star Archmage

Magic: Fire Curse Technique (Apprentice-tier · Mastery), Magic Crystal Modification (Apprentice-tier · Mastery), Projected Imaging (Apprentice-tier · Mastery), Summon Thunder Technique (Beginner-tier · Mastery)

Equipment: Eternal Moonlight (Legendary-tier · Necklace), Silver Moon Spirit Ring (Rare-Tier · Ring)

Talent ①: Gift of Fate

Talent ②: Star Witch (Max Mana Affinity) (Star Speech) (Star Guard) (Star Chain)

Talent ③: Immortality

Over the past two years, Gift of Fate had kept giving him Magic Level. It had not given him a single piece of knowledge or Magic Equipment. Then again, that was probably normal. Before he turned twelve, it had always worked that way too.

Besides, he had advanced too quickly, and his mana frequently went berserk. He had no choice but to spend time Meditating to stabilize it, so he had not learned any new magic.

But this time, Hekate would not complain about being unlucky. Who could break through to Grand Magus at his age?

Absolutely no one!

As everyone knew, the lowest mage rank was Magic Apprentice, followed by Apprentice Mage, formal mage, Intermediate Mage, High Mage, Great Mage, Magus, Grand Magus, and Archmage!

He was now only two major ranks away from Archmage!

He closed the status panel.

Hekate went downstairs for his usual meal.

After the meal, his father, Count Fortes, called everyone to the study, including Revolen's wife, Nydia.

She was Count Bridges's eleventh daughter from the royal capital. Her standing in her family was quite ordinary. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for a noble from the royal capital to marry into a provincial noble family.

Of course, his father's capabilities had also played a role. Every noble in the royal capital had been dragged into the war, while the Calilans family alone continued as before, sailing calmly through the stormy waves of war. This made Count Bridges view his father in a different light.

If his father were gone and his eldest brother inherited the family, whether the Calilans family could even survive would be a question.

Hekate deeply doubted his eldest brother's abilities. He still remembered the nursery rhyme from two and a half years ago vividly.

Count Fortes said, "King Uruk has sent a surrender agreement to the Chaos Kingdom, but the Chaos Kingdom does not seem inclined to accept it. Make your preparations. If things reach the point of no return, we must evacuate the royal capital as soon as possible."

Everyone present widened their eyes in shock at their father's words.

Revolen said in disbelief, "Father, has the surrender agreement passed through the Council of State?"

"Yes."

"How is that possible... Didn't the Far Bird Newspaper say the front lines were going wonderfully? How could we suddenly surrender?!" Revolen staggered back several steps, his face deathly pale. Nydia hurriedly supported him.

Count Fortes was unsurprised. Only those people in the Council of State knew the true situation at the front.

Hekate could only think of one sentence: battle reports could lie, but the front line could not.

Through Star Speech, he knew that not only was the situation at the border terrible, but the situation within the country was equally dire. The price surges caused by the war had triggered massive conflicts throughout the Uruk Kingdom. Then the Cultists from the Chaos Kingdom took the opportunity to infiltrate, blossoming everywhere.

The Uruk Kingdom was already riddled with holes.

His mother Audrey and second sister Edith were both pale-faced. They could not imagine what the future would become, but it certainly would not hold the peaceful life they had now.

Only Loria looked lost, unable to understand what her father was saying.

"Enough. Go and make your preparations. If Chaos refuses to accept our surrender, we must leave this place immediately." Count Fortes waved his hand.