Hogg: Your Mother Was Murdered

"Linley, would you be willing to join the Ernst Magic Institute?"

The admissions teacher from the Ernst Magic Institute came over and asked Linley.

Everyone turned their attention to Linley.

Ernst Magic Institute.

The greatest magic institute on the continent.

Although the Yulan Empire had a High Priest who had trained a large number of Saint-level mages, when it came to magic institutes alone, Ernst was undoubtedly the greatest on the continent.

For a moment, everyone waited eagerly for Linley's answer.

Linley smiled slightly. "It would be an honor to become a member of Ernst Institute."

"I'll submit your information to the institute." The admissions teacher was a little excited, too. "You only need to arrive at the institute by February 9 next year. Here's your admission letter."

As he spoke, he took a red envelope from his robes and handed it to Linley.

"Thank you!"

Compared with the system and Grandpa Doehring, getting into Ernst Institute wasn't much of a big deal to Linley, so he remained calm throughout.

"Mr. Hogg, congratulations."

"Mr. Hogg, congratulations!"

"Mr. Hogg..."

The many nobles around Hogg, on the other hand, came forward one after another to congratulate him.

This time, not only Patterson and Kale but also several minor nobles came to offer their congratulations.

Since they were coming over to say a few kind words, Hogg responded with a smile.

"Everyone," the white-robed priest said, "the Magic Test isn't over yet. Please don't disrupt the proceedings."

At the priest's words, Hogg finally managed to extricate himself from the crowd.

"Mr. Hogg." Just as Hogg and Linley were preparing to leave, Patterson and Kalan caught up with them. "His Majesty would like to host the two of you at a banquet in the Royal Palace tonight. We hope you'll honor us with your presence."

For a duke to address Hogg and Linley, two country nobles, so courteously was already quite a display of humility.

After all, neither Linley nor Hogg had revealed their strength.

"Linley and I will be there on time." Hogg hesitated, then nodded. "But we need to go back and change first. Please excuse us."

"Of course." Patterson nodded repeatedly. "Then we'll see you tonight."

Patterson and Kalan took their leave.

Linley simply waved to Alice, who was outside the church, ignoring her eager, expectant gaze.

"Tsk, Linley, you must have some serious pull!" Yale came over to him. "The Golden Lion is throwing a banquet just for you. Impressive."

Yale's reaction was genuine.

After all, the Dawson Chamber of Commerce could afford to ignore the king of a kingdom, but it couldn't afford to disregard a Rank 9 Warrior.

The king of the Fenlai Kingdom, Clayde, known as the Golden Lion, was not only a king but also a powerful Rank 9 Warrior.

Although the Fenlai Kingdom relied on the Dawson Chamber of Commerce for business, the Dawson Chamber of Commerce still showed the kingdom a great deal of respect.

That was the influence of the strong.

It was also why the Dawson Chamber of Commerce went out of its way to befriend powerful people.

The Dawson Chamber of Commerce made at least tens of billions in profits each year.

However, more than half of those profits went to the chamber's retainers and Saint-level experts.

Money didn't mean much to Saint-level experts.

But even Saint-level experts had families and descendants.

If the Dawson Chamber of Commerce ever stopped paying its dues, all it would take was for a Saint-level expert's descendant to mention it in passing for the chamber to face disaster.

"It's not because of me," Linley said, shaking his head. "It's because of my teacher."

The change in his strength had given Linley a clearer understanding of how the world worked.

Linley hadn't revealed his strength, so he was certain these people—especially the great nobles of the Fenlai Kingdom—valued him more as the disciple of a Ninth-rank Mage than as a talented boy.

After all, talented boys were common, but powerful experts were not.

The Yulan Continent was vast, and new talents emerged every year.

But very few of them ever grew into powerful experts.

"What's the difference?" Yale shrugged. "You're the one who benefits either way."

Linley had been looking rather serious, but Yale's words made him laugh.

"By the way, you don't have formal clothes for the banquet, do you?" Yale looked Linley up and down. "There's no time to have anything made. When we get back to the hotel, I'll have someone bring you a few outfits to try on."

Linley didn't refuse.

There was something truly mysterious about taking a liking to someone at first sight.

From the moment Linley first saw Yale, he'd known they would get along.

The same was true of Alice.

At first, when he'd suddenly met Alice, a girl as lovely as a porcelain doll, Linley had liked her.

But when she'd mentioned the Holy See earlier, the fervor in her eyes had left Linley baffled.

That was why Linley had merely greeted her before taking his leave.

He couldn't understand how Alice could be so fervent about a god who was nothing more than a fictional figure.

Although he was only eight, becoming stronger had already shown Linley that things were different from what he'd once thought.

For example, gods weren't actually untouchable.

Especially given what Big Brother Lin Ke had told him about Low-Gods, Mid-Gods, and High-Gods.

And the Emperors among High-Gods, as well as Paragon High-Gods.

That so-called Radiant Chief Sovereign might not even measure up to a Paragon High-God.

With Big Brother Lin Ke and Grandpa Doehring's help, Linley was certain he'd become a Paragon High-God in the future, too.

So, devote himself wholeheartedly to a god whose real name he didn't even know?

Linley couldn't do it.

After they returned to the hotel by carriage, Yale and Munro tactfully took their leave, giving Linley and Hogg some space.

Once they reached Linley's room, Hogg smiled and ruffled Linley's hair. "You've successfully gotten into Ernst Magic Institute. How does it feel?"

"Nothing feels different," Linley said, shaking his head. "I won't stay at Ernst Institute for long. And before classes start, I still need to go to the Magical Beast Mountain Range to see my teacher."

Hogg didn't think there was anything wrong with what Linley said.

But then Hogg's expression turned serious. "Linley, I'm about to tell you something. You absolutely mustn't tell anyone else."

Seeing his father so serious, Linley felt his heart tighten. "Grandpa Doehring, are there any Saint-level experts spying on us nearby?"

Linley hurriedly contacted Doehring. Fortunately, no Saint-level expert was bored enough to spy on a hotel.

After Doehring confirmed it, Linley spoke. "Father, don't worry. It's safe here. No one's watching us."

Hogg glanced at Linley in surprise. He'd meant they should go somewhere else to talk, but since Linley had said that, Hogg chose to trust him.

"Linley, I've always told you that your mother died giving birth to Wharton. But in reality, your mother was murdered."

Hogg spoke with a pained expression, and Linley's face changed dramatically.

Linley's voice turned hoarse. "Father, who killed Mother?"

He couldn't even remember his mother's face, and he'd longed for a mother's love ever since he was little.

He'd always believed she'd died in childbirth. Who could have imagined that she'd been murdered?

If Linley had been powerless, he could only have raged helplessly.

But now, Linley and Hogg could easily bring down a duchy between them.

Linley couldn't let this go.

"I haven't figured that out yet," Hogg said, shaking his head regretfully. "I only know that one of the killers had a Red Spider birthmark on his arm."