Monica and Linley met at the end of the school year, and the annual break was just a month away.
Hillman was originally supposed to pick up Linley directly, and the two would walk home together.
However, Monica insisted on visiting the Baruch Clan mansion, so a carriage had to be rented on the spot—of course, it was Monica who rented the carriage.
Hillman, from an ordinary family, had never ridden in such an aristocratic carriage before and was quite reserved. Linley, on the other hand, had always received strict education from Hogg and had not lost his aristocratic demeanor.
"Don't be so nervous. I'm not some noble lady. I used to live a rough life in the Sunset Mountain Range. I've seen plenty of good and bad people." Monica hugged Bebe, looking relaxed.
Hillman kept his head down. Linley had introduced Monica as his teacher, though he hadn't specified what she taught. But teachers at Ernst Institute were all of high rank.
The carriage gradually slowed down and entered the dirt road of Wushan Town.
Monica parted the curtains and looked outside. "So this is Wushan Town!"
Linley and Hillman exchanged a glance, both wondering why the other's tone carried a hint of melancholy.
In the Baruch Clan drawing room, Hogg, along with Linley and Wharton, greeted Monica.
As for Hillman, he had already gone home; Hogg had sent Steward Hiri to town to hire some village women to cook a good meal for the Ernst Institute teacher.
"Mr. Hogg, there's no need to be so serious. I'm just here to pay my respects because I admire the Baruch Clan's achievements," Monica said with a smile, sitting in the side seat.
"Not at all, not at all Dragonblood Warrior haven't appeared for over a thousand years. Our Baruch Clan is just a small family." Hogg sounded a little melancholy as Monica brought up the past.
Monica looked around and said, "My father wrote in his travel notes that he had also visited Wushan Town back then. At that time, the Dragonblood Warrior' power was still strong, and he was only a Seventh-level Warrior, so it was a pity that he couldn't visit the Baruch Clan's interior. I came here this time to make up for his regret."
"Oh?" Hogg was somewhat surprised. In his view, Monica was very young, and the Baruch Clan had been able to refuse entry to Seventh-level Warrior for at least five hundred years.
Linley turned to the side and whispered, "Monica is very strong!"
Hogg was filled with awe. He had originally thought Monica was just a curious noblewoman who had come to the Baruch Clan by chance after meeting Linley, but he hadn't expected her to be such a powerful figure.
Monica's gaze fell on Wharton, who had been hiding behind Linley.
The New Year hadn't even passed yet, Wharton was only five years old, hiding behind his long-lost Bebe.
"This is Wharton, my brother." Linley pulled Wharton out.
"Hello, my name is Wharton Baruch, and I am five years old," Wharton said timidly.
"Hello," Monica greeted, her eyes holding a scrutinizing look. "Wharton, would you mind showing me around your house?"
Hogg felt Wharton was still too young and wanted to stop him, but Linley suddenly said, "Alright, Wharton, why don't you show Ms. Monica around the house?"
Linley agreed to bring Monica to the Baruch Clan, though he certainly had other motives.
In his view, Monica was Saint Warrior, while Wharton was Dragonblood Warrior. If possible, wouldn't it be better for Monica to take Wharton as her apprentice than for him to go to the O'Brien Academy?
However, he didn't dare to say it directly, because Monica hadn't mentioned that she was from the Saint-level, and he didn't want to expose Doehring Cowart's existence.
Actually, Doehring Cowart had previously suggested that Linley and Hogg discuss it first before deciding whether or not to bring Monica to the Baruch Clan.
It can be said that Linley was still young and unguarded, having only known Monica for a little over a month before letting his guard down without considering whether Monica had any ill intentions.
A bewildered Wharton, carrying Bebe, walked hand in hand with Monica towards the backyard, leaving only Hogg and Linley in the living room.
"Linley?" Hogg asked, his voice tinged with doubt.
Linley leaned close to Hogg's ear, though he knew he couldn't escape Monica's senses, but it seemed to make him feel more at ease.
"Father, Teacher Monica might be from the Saint-level!"
Hogg stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief.
Linley explained, "She didn't say it explicitly, so I didn't dare bring it up publicly. But Teacher Monica can independently improve magic and create new magic; the books say that only those at the Saint-level can do that. So, I want her to get closer to Wharton. If she could take Wharton as her apprentice, it would greatly benefit Wharton's cultivation!"
Hogg processed his son's words for a moment. As a descendant of the Dragonblood Warrior Clan, he had some understanding of creating magic.
"But Wharton is Dragonblood Warrior— "
"With the Saint-level's perspective, even a little guidance from Wharton would be better than any of the teachers among the students; besides, Teacher Monica is in Fenlai City, we can have Wharton study at the Warrior Academy in Fenlai City and receive guidance from Teacher Monica during the holidays." Linley desperately tried to cover up the lie and conceal Doehring Cowart's presence.
Hogg pondered for a moment. The Holy Union was renowned for its magic education, but as a holy city, Fenlai City's Warrior Academy was certainly not as good as O'Brien Academy, but it wouldn't be too bad either.
"If Lady Monica is truly willing to accept Wharton, then let Wharton stay." Hogg finally agreed.
In his view, it was almost inevitable that the Dragonblood Warrior would break through to the Saint-level. His plan to send Wharton to the O'Brien Academy was simply to accelerate Wharton's breakthrough and prevent him from dying prematurely. Moreover, having a Saint-level instructor was not necessarily a bad thing for him to stay in the Fenlai Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Monica was strolling through the Baruch Clan's backyard with Wharton.
Wharton was too young to lead a tour, but he felt comfortable being held by the hand of an older sister, which was very comforting for someone who had never had a mother.
Monica was indeed visiting, because in Jason's travel notes, not being able to visit the Baruch Clan compound and not being able to admire the stone carvings at the Proulx Gallery were his two biggest regrets from his early years.
Monica had certainly visited the Proulx Gallery before, and even bought a few nice stone sculptures; this time, however, she was seriously visiting the Baruch Clan.
The Baruch Clan has been in decline for a long time, as evidenced by the dilapidated houses around them, some of which have even collapsed. Monica's abilities had already allowed her to thoroughly survey the surrounding area.
Of course, she was also on guard against enemies lurking in the shadows.
For years, she has been secretly investigating the Four Ultimate Warriors, especially the mastermind behind the downfall of the Baruch Clan.
It has already been confirmed that the two major papal courts were involved in this matter; however, according to the clues, there should be another powerful figure involved, a powerful figure that both major papal courts must treat with caution.
This is also why Monica hasn't gone directly to the Baruch Clan to take them away all these years; she's afraid of arousing the suspicion of the mastermind behind it all, who might then wipe out the last remaining bloodline of the Baruch Clan.
It wasn't until a few days ago, when Monica overheard Linley and Hillman's conversation, that she learned the Baruch Clan had produced a dragon warrior who had awakened his bloodline on his own! Only then did Monica realize she couldn't sit still any longer and found an opportunity to come.
"Squeak!" Bebe pointed her little paw at a house in the distance.
Bebe was asked to come along by Linley, and since Bebe hadn't seen Wharton for a long time, he was quite compliant.
"My brother said that he and Bebe first met in that room over there." Wharton, unsure of how to entertain guests, just said whatever came to mind.
Monica chuckled softly, "Wharton, are there any powerful individuals in Wushan Town?"
"Strong? My brother is a mage, Uncle Hillman is Sixth-level Warrior! My father is Fifth-level Warrior," Wharton said, counting on his fingers.
"Wharton knows so much about this," Monica said, patting Wharton's head.
She wanted to know if there were any spies from the Radiant Church in the town.
"My dad told me that a few days ago when I learned how to Dragon Transformation," Wharton said, then covered his mouth.
Wharton's face then fell. "Dad told me not to tell anyone, can Sister Monica keep this a secret for me?"
"Show me what you'll look like after you Dragon Transformation, and I'll keep it a secret." Monica wanted to see what Dragonblood Warrior who had awakened his bloodline would look like.
"But, but... Dragon Transformation hurts a lot." Wharton's eyes welled up with tears.
"It hurts a lot?" Monica asked curiously, then remembered something. "It hurts the first time Dragon Transformation, but it doesn't hurt after that."
"Dad said the same thing, but I still don't dare."
Wharton has only Dragon Transformation once so far, and hasn't Dragon Transformation since. Hogg didn't force his son because he was still young.
Monica smiled and said, "Hey, I'm a magician. I can make your Dragon Transformation painless. Just let me see what you look like in your Dragon Transformation, and I'll teach you magic!"
"Real?"
"Real."
Wharton pursed his lips, closed his eyes tightly, gritted his teeth, and began to circulate the Battle-qi within his body.
In an instant, the dragon's entire body was covered in turquoise scales, and dragon horns sprouted from its forehead. The turquoise dragon tail seemed to stand straight up out of tension. Under the sunlight, the turquoise scales reflected a dazzling light.
This is what the Dragonblood Warrior truly looks like.