"Dare to repeat that?"


    "It''s for Mary. She actually absorbed the rich mana permanently into her system. Look, a talent you should scout is behind you," Viktor repeated his words with additional information.


    He didn''t look pleased.


    After hearing that Mary had insulted Minerva, he expected the old grandma to take her out for a lecture. Mary wasn''t someone ordinary that Minerva could ignore—she was a high-level yer.


    Any normal yer or amoner would be casually ignored by The Imperial Mage.


    In her ce, the guards would deal with any imprudence.


    Minerva, however, didn''t bother taking anyone with her to Viktor''s workce. It wasn''t an official meeting either, and it could be said that she hade on her own ord in her free time.


    Of course,ing here was still a job that required a mage''s attention, but it was a piece of cake for Minerva. Thus, she didn''t consider it an official meeting or work.


    Mary also proved to be a worthy mage. Even if she weren''t, her high level should have been enough to snatch Minerva''s attention.


    s, Viktor didn''t know Minerva that well. He was also blinded by his naivety.


    "Have you ever heard of a royalty serving amoner?" Minerva asked. She raised her hand andpelled the young noble to serve her tea. When he was about to put down the second cup meant for Mary on the table, Minerva stopped him with a re he couldn''t ignore.


    He took it back to his workce''s mini kitchen.


    "Just take it yourself," Viktor said to Mary.


    "Well, don''t mind if I do." Mary couldn''t pass up a chance to drink more royal tea, so she skipped over to Viktor''s mini kitchen and indulged in rich mana and taste.


    Her stats once again went up.


    Sheughed so much that no one was mistaken about it.


    "Your fall intomonality is more serious than I thought…" Minerva parted her lips. "You really thought I would have my hands full with a yer? That I would prioritize her over you? Viktor!"


    Viktor mmed his hand onto the table, "I did!" He needed that to vent his feelings. In a much calmer tone, Viktor said, "Look outside. No tree up, all wood neatly organized and ready to work. I''m also about to be done with themission for Marquis. I''m working! You can tell Grandma that I''m fine and safe!


    I enjoy this life! This life without a bow!"


    Minerva took a sip of the royal tea.


    She gently put the cup down and said, "I no longer am satisfied with you working here."


    "You have nothing to do with it," Viktor replied. "I can do whatever I want."


    "You can''t," Minerva faintly smiled, "Such is a fate of royalty."


    Viktor scoffed, "Whatever."


    They weren''t even from the same families. Their bloodlines were so thin that Viktor coulde out with an excuse that they weren''t even rted.


    His status was irrelevantpared to Sword or Orb''s branches.


    Magic and a sword—those were two prevalent and strongest weapons.


    "I''ll meet you halfway," Minerva said, "How are you again in contact with yers?"


    The word ''again'' was so stressed that Jake could tell Minerva had heard about Viktor''s prior meetings with yers. Since he was introduced to him by his master, Ingrid, Jake believed she was rted to it.


    Perhaps Minerva knew more than it met the eye.


    If he were to chime in and ask about those yers, would he learn Ingrid''s first character''s nickname?


    Jake was tempted to do it.


    Viktor, however, punched his ns.


    He said, "Don''t mention that ever again."


    Minerva stared at him for a few seconds before nodding. "Introduce your new friends, then."


    "I only have one friend here," Viktor said, "He''s Archer."


    Although it couldn''t have been seen by anyone in the room, Minerva''s interest in Jake grew greatly upon hearing his nickname. She curtly nced at him while Viktor talked about him.


    "He''s rted to that yer, so I won''t go into pointless details. I. Don''t. Want. To. Talk.


    About. That. Incident. Again," Viktor underlined his feelings before returning to hismon tone, "I''m teaching him about a woodman ss. We''ll soon delve into a Fletcher ss, too. Mary''s his sister, and that man is her boyfriend."


    Minerva smiled, "I''m pleased with this much." She stood up and turned her head to Mary, "Since you''ve bothered to set her against me, I''ll let you off for today."


    Viktor couldn''t hide his shock. After a short talk, which wasn''t evenparable to the nagging he''d received in the past, Minerva let him go and switched the targets!


    Though things didn''t go exactly like he wanted, this was a much-desired oue!


    He leaned on his chair and quietlyughed.


    Feeling Minerva''s eyes on her, Mary looked up and got onto her two feet like a rabbit, "Hehe! Are you finally interested in me? Um, I didn''t want to be that vulgar, by the way… I was too heated and excited because of this royal tea!"


    "Your excuses matter not," Minerva replied, "Children like you ought to respect elders, regardless of their status. It is not the age and our feeble bones that demand this respect but the years of life experience weighing us down. My hair''s not white because of old age but because of the myriad of responsibilities I''ve had wielded and am now wielding.


    The fact that I stay here while having the highest authority of The Orb Household requires the utmost respect, however."


    She appeared before Mary like a ghost and stretched her hand to p her face.


    Mary''s face craned to the side upon receiving a p. She stared ahead with a surprise on her face.


    Minerva''s passion for magic took over her, "A Mana Step. It''s one of the first skills young offensive mages learn to keep themselves safe on battlefields. You''re still using your eyes to execute this skill, are you not? I can tell. You wanted to block my vision so that I couldn''t enter the workce with this skill. It exins your surprise."


    The trick Mary wanted to use on Minerva was indeed just as the old grandma described.


    By standing close to Minerva, Mary blocked her front vision. In this way, she limited her mana step''s range. Swordsmen and other melee sses limit mages'' vision in this way.


    The famous four-pincer instant attack is one of the most used tactics against mages when ites to duels between yers.


    Mary learned about it the hard way.


    "I have years of experience, child. I''ve learned to memorize thendscape and teleport anywhere I want based on my memories," Minerva exined.


    Robert was shocked to hear that, and so was Mary. She couldn''t imagine how much effort it took to do that.


    Of course, Minerva was familiar with Viktor''s workce. Even if his utensils and stuff were in different spots, her raw presence would break them apart instead of her getting hurt by them, which was a privilege of a high mage.


    In a nutshell, Minerva''s mana step was on a totally different level, much higher than Mary had expected.


    ''Amazing!'' Mary thought.


    Minerva said, "What does a bad child say when it understands its wrongdoings?"


    "Sorry…" Mary said, her heart impressed by the old woman.


    Jake and Robert nced into each other''s eyes.


    Minerva''s elderly presence was more effective than they thought.


    Viktor scoffed, "What''s so amazing about her? She''s just an old hag. Annoying one, at that."


    "I heard you, Viktor," Minerva said, her calm tone causing goosebumps on Viktor''s back. She turned to Mary and nodded, "Apologies suits my book much better. Sorry is deserved for children like Viktor rted to me."


    "Okay! My apologies!" Mary apologized, her back straight like an honor student.


    "I ept your feelings," Minerva smiled as pride curved her lips.


    She turned around and walked into the shaved tree ntation. The trees had been neatly cut off, and the new seeds were nted, waiting for Minerva''s magic to harness them.


    Since it was her second objective, and the main one had been achieved, Minerva raised her hand and channeled her mana through her veins. An emerald orb sneaked out from her sleeve and orbited around her bony hand.


    "Jade Blossom," the olddy whispered.


    In an instant, the scenery straight from a fantasy movie unfolded around her. The seeds broke and sprouted their green forms that weakly peeked outside. They didn''t even have a second to look around as Minerva''s magic prompted their growth, taking them to the skies.


    It was a picture impossible on Earth that had snatched Jake''s, Mary''s, and Robert''s attention.


    It was a disy of natural magic at the highest level!


    What was feeble and overly green at first turned into towering and straight trees of various shades. For a moment, Minerva stood like a queen of nature—The Queen Of Leaf Elves—surrounded by the impregnable defenses.


    Those trees could also be viewed differently, even though their shapes remained the same.


    Some people could take them as shields, and some as spears. Some might even believe the trees were like an opened box meant to be closed into an eternal prison.


    Minerva lowered her hand and spun around, facing everyone.


    She said, "A talent alone does not impress me."


    Her eyes pierced through Mary.


    Viktor looked at the grandma suspiciously and thought, ''She''sing out with the initiative? That''s odd. What is she aiming for? What for? What''s her purpose?''


    Minerva''s lips arced into an endearing, soft smile, "Show me how you wield your magic talent."


    Robert couldn''t have been more pleased to hear that!


    He loudly encouraged his girlfriend, "Do it, Mary! Show her what you are made of! Use all you have!"


    Mary nodded. "I will!"


    Jake crossed his arms and thought, ''All''s happening like I thought! I should have done a great favor to Viktor by introducing Mary to him! I will be able to learn a fletcher soon! Today was a good day!''


    Archery was on his mind even now!


    Was everything really over, though?


    Would Minerva soon just leave?