The next morning, Leo woke up and decided to take a shower. When he stepped out, a group of three maids—different from the ones from the night before—opened the door and entered the room. All of them froze, surprised to see Leo already awake.
"Sir, we deeply apologize. We thought you were still asleep," the maid at the front said quickly, bowing her head for coming in without permission.
"It's no problem," Leo replied, glancing at the mirror as he checked himself over, glad that he'd at least wrapped himself in a towel.
His body had changed noticeably over the past year. He was much taller now—still not as tall as Captain Edmond, but he had two more years to catch up. Muscle lines were visible all over his body, proof of his training.
"Sir, you're expected in the main hall in one hour. Mr. Moser will be waiting for you there," the lead maid informed him. She hesitated, seeing that Leo was already halfway through his preparations, then asked with some uncertainty, "Would you like assistance getting ready?"
"Just lay out the clothes I need on the dresser," Leo answered casually.
The maids nodded and quickly arranged the outfit for him.
Leo walked behind the room divider where the maids had set the clothes, but when he noticed they hadn't left, he raised an eyebrow, "If you have to stay, that's fine, but please wait behind the divider. I'm feeling a bit uneasy like this." He understood it was their duty to assist him, and now that he'd handled most of the preparation himself, they might be punished for leaving prematurely due to a misunderstanding.
He dressed in the black trousers, crisp white shirt, long black coat, and formal black boots the maids had prepared, then stepped out to stand before the mirror once more. The clothes were of far finer quality than anything he owned, the fabric smooth and the stitching precise. He took a good look at himself. Though only midway through his sixteenth year, his body already appeared nearly mature—broad-shouldered, well-defined, and strong.
When he was done, to avoid getting lost in the vast mansion, he turned to the lead maid. "Please lead the way."
"Sir, it's still a little early…" she replied cautiously.
"Well, I need to eat breakfast too, don't I?" Leo answered with a light smile.
The lead maid nodded and began walking, with the other two maids quietly falling in step behind her. Their soft footsteps echoed faintly on the polished floors as they guided him through the wide corridors, past tall windows that let in the early morning light. As they walked, Leo stole glances at the windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious city. Instead, he noticed they overlooked the yard entirely. Finally, the maid led him to a dining room he hadn't seen before—a smaller, cozier space with a polished oak table, far less imposing than the grand hall from the night before.
Waiting for him was a spread of food far beyond what he expected: fresh bread, cured meats, cheeses, fruits, and warm tea. Leo sat down and ate at a comfortable pace, appreciating the quiet moment before the day ahead.
Once finished, he made his way to the main hall, where Klaus happened to be approaching from somewhere else. They reached the hall at the same time.
"Mr. Klaus, good morning."
"Good morning. I see you're a morning person," Klaus replied, glancing at Leo with mild surprise.
"I'm used to it," Leo answered with a smile.
Klaus gave a nod. "Then shall we?" he said, turning to lead the way.
Leo followed at his side. "Where are we going?"
"To the lower city for some grocery shopping."
"Grocery shopping? That's part of my duties?" Leo asked, raising a brow.
"Sort of," Klaus replied with a knowing smile. "You'll see."
They continued through the mansion until they entered a spacious chamber lined with runes glowing softly along the walls—a teleportation room. Leo couldn't tell if it was the same one he had arrived in yesterday; the markings all seemed similar, and the energy in the air felt just as heavy with magic.
With a pulse of arcane light, they materialized at the mansion in the lower city. The moment they stepped outside, the air felt different—livelier and filled with the hum of morning activity. Before going out Leo's eyes was darting around, searching for the old woman, Estelle, he'd seen the day before, but she was nowhere to be found. Without pausing, Klaus guided him away from the city center and toward the market streets, which were just beginning to bustle with vendors and townsfolk preparing for the day.
"More than just buying groceries, you need to get to know the people here—and let them get to know you, too, as the grand magistrate's new student," Klaus said thoughtfully as they strolled along the bustling street.
"Why?" Leo asked, genuinely puzzled.
Klaus glanced around at the morning activity before continuing. "Because soon enough you'll be tasked with things that go beyond simple errands. Imagine having to deliver a message from the lady to the Covenant Citadel, or retrieving fresh research from the Arcane Research District—everyone there needs to recognize your name and your face. And don't be surprised if one day you have to venture into the black market to obtain something crucial."
Leo furrowed his brow as he recalled a passage from the book he read. "I read about that underground market in one of the texts. But one thing still confuses me—if the details of the underground markets are so well-documented, why has no one taken action against them?"
Klaus stopped for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he chose his words carefully. "It's because powerful nobles are quietly pulling the strings behind those markets. The city's underbelly is far more perilous than the Lady's house, requiring an S-rank operative for an intervention. Trust me, the kingdom wouldn't risk using an S-rank just to disrupt this city's delicate balance."
Leo's voice softened slightly. "It all seems... fixable, though."
Klaus shook his head, a wry smile on his lips. "You really think the nobles will just sit back and remain silent? Their silence could very well ignite a war. And besides, as long as they keep their ambitions in check, the black market can sometimes be a useful tool rather than a dangerous liability."
Leo walked alongside Klaus through several different shops as they picked up all kinds of groceries. At the fourth shop, a tall, broad-shouldered man stepped out, his round face breaking into a wide grin.
"Klaus! I see you've got company today."
Klaus returned the smile. "Good morning, Joe." He gestured toward Leo. "I thought I'd show the city to young Mr. Black. He's Lady Clayden's new student—needs to learn his way around."
At those words, everything around them seemed to pause. Movement stilled, conversations stopped, and all eyes turned to Leo. Murmurs rippled through the small crowd.
"What?"
"Lady Clayden took a new student?"
"How many students has she even had?"
Joe stepped closer, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Black."
Leo shook it and replied, "Please, call me Victor." He glanced around, slightly confused by the attention. "Is it really that surprising?"
Joe nodded. "Well, you're only the third student she's taken in the last hundred years. The fact she accepted you says a lot about your talent."
A mocking laugh rang out from a nearby corner. A large man with a massive sword slung across his back approached, his voice loud and dismissive.
"Klaus, you expect us to believe that this kid is Lady Clayden's new student? That's ridiculous."
Klaus turned to face him, brow furrowed. "Just because you weren't qualified to be her student doesn't mean no one else is, Ivo," he said, his tone hardening. A faint shimmer of mana began to pulse around him. "And mind your tone."
But Ivo wasn't backing down. He crossed his arms and scoffed. "Then let's test it. Fight me, Mr. Student. Prove you're qualified."
"Come on, Ivo," Klaus. "You're B-minus. He's a C-plus. That's hardly fair."
"What? A C-plus?" He burst into laughter. "Well, that explains every—"
"I accept," Leo said calmly.
The laughter stopped. Both Ivo and Klaus turned toward him, surprised.
"You... accept?" Ivo repeated, blinking.
"Victor, he's a B-rank," Klaus warned, his voice low.
"It's just a match to prove I'm qualified," Leo said, looking Ivo straight in the eye. "Isn't that right?"
A wicked grin crept across Ivo's face. "Yes, of course," he said, before turning and walking calmly toward the center of the street.
The nearby shopkeepers, sensing what was about to unfold, immediately began casting protective spells and activating wards. Magical barriers shimmered to life around their storefronts, creating a soft hum in the air.
Leo followed, stepping forward. As he walked, he retrieved his shield and sword, along with a pair of bracelets. The sword and bracelets floated into the air, orbiting him in a slow, deliberate pattern. The shield remained firmly in his left hand. Once everything was in place, he glanced up at Ivo, whose smug expression hadn't wavered. Leo smiled back.
"You can come at me whenever you're ready."
Ivo's grin twisted into a scowl. Without warning, he reached over his shoulder, gripping the hilt of the massive greatsword strapped to his back, and charged.
Reacting instantly, Leo directed the bracelets to position themselves midair between him and his opponent, while his floating sword shifted to the right, hovering in a defensive posture.
Ivo was fast—much faster than expected. He covered the twenty-meter distance in seconds and swung his greatsword in a brutal, downward arc, clearly intending to kill or at least cause serious injury. But the bracelets now activated, suddenly dropped onto his right shoulder, disrupting his balance. The blow, while not enough to injure a B-minus-ranked warrior, shifted his swing just enough. Leo slipped to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade. At the same time, his sword traced a glowing line on the ground as it circled Ivo.
Surprised that Leo had dodged the attack, Ivo flexed his thick muscles and swung again. But before he could follow through, Leo raised his hand, pured mana into his ring. A Fear spell activated instantly in front of him, causing Ivo's movements to become slow.
Since achieving C-plus rank and his domain, Leo's spells had grown considerably stronger—powerful enough to affect even a B-rank warrior, if only for a few seconds.
As the enemy faltered and dropped to one knee, Leo's bag snapped open. A flurry of spells—one hundred and one in total—burst forth. All but one surged toward Ivo, wrapping around him like chains. The final spell embedded itself in the ground and activated and a Dome containment spell appeared.
All of this happened in under five seconds.
Despite the onslaught, Ivo pushed to his feet, roaring in defiance. The mana pouring from his body pulsed violently, destabilizing the spells wrapped around him.
Before Ivo could reach the edge of the Dome spell's boundary, Leo charged and met him head-on, his shield catching the rim of Ivo's sword. The impact was brutal, snapping Leo's arm at the elbow. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he activated one of the Mana Surge Snares embedded in the earlier spell barrage.
Instantly, a massive surge of magic erupted. The Dome spell shattered, and the released energy slammed into Leo's shield. Even that shield couldn't absorb it all. The blast hurled him backward; he hit the ground hard and rolled several times before coming to a stop.
Around them, the onlookers watched in stunned silence.
Leo staggered to his feet, blinking through the dust cloud that now filled the air. Visibility was low, but after a few seconds, Ivo's figure emerged from the haze. His clothing was shredded, and burn-like marks scored his skin. Despite his injuries, he didn't look defeated—just furious.
A fiery aura of mana ignited around him as he pointed his blade at Leo and charged again. "That's not enough to take me down!"
Leo, more in tune with his domain now, reached inward and tried to recall the same feeling he'd had when he first drew energy from it. After a brief pause, a rush of power coursed through him.
"Ivo, that's enough!" Klaus shouted from the sidelines, sensing the growing danger. But Leo, now overflowing with mana and energy, activated his Shield crystal and ran forward to meet his opponent.
He triggered the Fear spell embedded in his ring once more and dashed sideways to avoid Ivo's side strike. The force of the greatsword pushed his shield, and the edge of it slashed across Leo's waist, drawing blood—but he didn't slow down. He rammed into Ivo with his shield.
"What are you doing, kid?" He snarled, eyes blazing. "Trying to offer yourself to me?"
"Let's see what happens when all that magic explosions hit you in one place."
Before Ivo could react, Leo's shield—now glowing with condensed magical energy—unleashed a concentrated beam. The blast struck him square in the chest and launched him backward, his scream echoing through the street.