Preparations Before Departure

August 31, morning.

On Anvis's last day before leaving Moonrise Fortress, Duke Carlot summoned him once again.

"Father—"

In the study, Anvis placed his right hand over his chest and bowed his head to the duke in greeting.

The duke had been reading a document, occasionally using a Magic Quill to make notes on it.

After a minute or two, he returned the quill to its Crystal inkwell and fixed his azure eyes on Anvis. In a seemingly casual tone, he asked a question that made Anvis's heartbeat quicken slightly.

"I heard that yesterday, you crafted a Magic Curio with growth potential?"

"Yes, Father. It is a low-rank growth-type curio. I intend to give it to Fiona as a farewell gift before I leave."

Unable to guess why the duke had brought this up, Anvis answered somewhat cautiously.

"It is very good that you can craft a growth-type curio at your age, Anvis. But you must understand that a person's time and energy are ultimately limited."

Seeing Anvis's slightly nervous expression, Duke Carlot smiled kindly and offered his guidance in a gentle tone.

Anvis immediately understood. The duke was worried that he would become overly absorbed in secondary professions and thus neglect his magical studies and the improvement of his personal strength.

Although, as a reincarnator, Anvis did not have such a problem, he could not explain that to the duke.

"I understand, Father. I will properly manage how much energy I devote to secondary professions in the future."

"Mm—"

Duke Carlot nodded, ending the subject.

"Tomorrow is the day you leave for Pamir. Given your personality, I assume you have already looked into Pamir Academy?"

"Yes, I have gained a certain understanding of the academy's basic information."

Anvis answered modestly.

"Then, do you know about the 'societies' within Pamir Academy?"

"I know a little. They are loosely structured small groups voluntarily formed by official students for various shared purposes, usually consisting of five or more students."

The duke nodded again, satisfied with Anvis's answer.

"Very good. What I am going to tell you about now is one such society, called the Truth Society."

Anvis politely tilted his head slightly, his sapphire-blue eyes focused on the duke to show that he was all ears.

"Though not well known, it is the most powerful and influential society in Pamir Academy.

Unlike those ordinary societies where students squabble among themselves, the Truth Society is a semi-hidden organization. Every year, it only accepts several to a dozen or so new members from official students who have passed their freshman period.

Its standards are based on a comprehensive evaluation of factors such as a student's background and talent. Only the most exceptional talents are qualified to receive an invitation."

"If Pamir Academy gathers the Gloria Empire's finest talents and noble offspring, representing the future Gloria aristocracy,

then the Truth Society is the gathering place of the aristocracy's most elite members—

Every member who emerges from the Truth Society will become a pillar and cornerstone of the Gloria Empire's future development.

Of course, as a direct descendant of Olivenndi, you already qualify to receive an invitation. I am only telling you this now so that you may gain some understanding in advance."

As he spoke, the duke smiled and touched the Emblem Ring on his hand. His gaze grew slightly distant, as if recalling events from years past.

"So far, eight Ninth Rank Professionals have emerged from the Truth Society's members, myself included—yes, I too am one of its members.

I will not say much about the specific membership rules. They are included with every invitation. When the time comes, you may decide for yourself whether to join."

Then, the duke rose from behind his desk and waved his right hand. Three items immediately appeared in midair within the study.

An exquisite staff set with a deep-blue Crystal, a silver-white spellbook, and a dark-silver Ring encircled by pale cyan runes.

Under the sunlight streaming through the window into the study, the three items radiated magical halos of different colors, appearing incomparably beautiful and mysterious.

"These are farewell gifts your three older brothers and sister prepared for you."

At the duke's words, the items in midair drifted toward Anvis and hovered before him.

"The Dark Moon Staff can enhance spellcasting success rates, spell effects, and duration. It comes with Sixth Rank Disintegrate and can be cast twice per day.

For spells below Fourth Rank, its enhancement effect is 2.5 times. For spells above Fourth Rank but below Sixth Rank, it is 1.5 times, while Seventh Rank spells receive a 1.15-fold enhancement."

"The Mithril Codex has eighteen pages in total. Of those, three silver pages can record spells up to Seventh Rank, while the remaining ordinary pages can record spells up to Sixth Rank."

"The Thinker's Ring can keep its wearer's mind clear and reactions sharp. It also provides partial resistance to magical power.

When its wearer suffers a powerful attack, the Ring will automatically deploy a defensive Force Field once per day, with sufficient defensive power to withstand any attack below Seventh Rank."

Gesturing to the items in midair, the duke explained their effects to Anvis one by one.

Although he had already known, hearing these famous names still made Anvis sigh inwardly.

They were all top-tier Purple Equipment with names and pedigrees, each of which had sold for astronomical prices at auction houses in his previous life! And every one of them came with top-tier skills! In his previous life, when Anvis was over level forty, he had earned the favor of a high-level NPC alchemist through a series of hidden quests.

He had then chosen a Dark Moon Staff from the exchange list provided by the alchemist.

However, that staff only provided a 2.2-fold enhancement for spells below Fourth Rank. For spells above Fourth Rank but below Sixth Rank, its enhancement was only 1.35 times, and its attached spell was merely Fifth Rank Chain Lightning.

Disintegrate was out of the question. It was a spell that only masters could attach. Hiring a master not only required an enormous fee, but also a certain level of favorability with an NPC.

Other than the presidents of major guilds and Professional Players from clubs, no one could afford the cost of hiring a master even once.

Yet even so, that Dark Moon Staff had ranked seventeenth on the player staff rankings at the time!

One had to know that, in that era, spellcasters' mainstream spells were still between Third and Fourth Rank, and staff enhancement coefficients generally did not even reach 1.5x.

A staff with a 2.2x enhancement coefficient and two free Fifth Rank Chain Lightnings per day was a true divine artifact! The spell-effect enhancements in Mysterious Era were not merely dry increases to magic panel damage.

They were flexible, all-around enhancements encompassing spell stability, spell range, spell duration, and more—

These three pieces of equipment were not the end. The next item that appeared before Anvis made even him hold his breath slightly.