Count Reyne stared at the chest, momentarily speechless.
Twenty thousand gold coins! Almost the entire annual income of the Reyne estate at its peak.
And the two shops in the capital's eastern district were worth a fortune, their yearly rent alone could cover all the estate's operating costs.
Orlando then handed over another item, a letter sealed by the royal crest.
The Count's hand trembled as he took it and tore it open. On the parchment was only one sentence:
Old man, stop sending me magic crystal fragments. I know it's hard for the family, just live well yourselves. I'm fine here!
A familiar handwriting, his eyes filled with tears.
"That brat..." he whispered.
The boy who once only knew how to party had, unconsciously, grown into someone capable of looking out for his family.
"His Majesty holds Master Robb in high esteem," Orlando continued.
"To show his regret, the Crown has decided that, starting next month, we will directly sponsor him twenty fragments of magic-crystals per month as training support."
Edmund couldn't contain himself. "The Crown will sponsor someone not of royal blood so generously?"
"That's an investment, Master Edmund." Orlando smiled.
"Master Robb's potential merits royal attention. The Farwynd Kingdom needs powerful mages, and someone who rises from Sixth‑Tier Aptitude to Apprentice in under a year is precisely worth investing in."
The Count nodded, understanding fully. In a world ruled by the supernatural, having a powerful mage ally could be far more valuable than dozens of castles. The Crown was simply placing its bet well in advance.
"I want my youngest son to know... I am proud of him, and the family will always welcome him home."
Orlando bowed deeply. "I will deliver your words to Master Robb personally. And regarding the courier issue, I have been appointed as your new official liaison."
Once Orlando left, the family remained in stunned silence, eyes fixed on the chest and letter.
"Father," Edmund finally spoke, voice trembling with emotion, "I think we underestimated him."
The Count gently stroked the letter, as though imagining his son's presence through it. "Yes, that boy has finally grown up."
Farwynd Kingdom, Black Mist Forest, Dormitory District
Night had fully fallen. The dim glow of magic-lamps cast soft shadows inside the room.
Robb sat at his desk, reading a letter sealed with the royal crest.
"The royal envoy has delivered your handwriting and gifts to the Reyne estate…" the letter read.
He allowed himself a small smile as he closed the letter.
He had suspected Hawkins's theft of fragments, deceit was all too common in this world.
But he never expected the Crown to respond so decisively: executing Hawkins and his family, sending a personal envoy to apologize, and pledging a generous, ongoing sponsorship.
"The Farwynd Crown is indeed worthy of ruling for centuries…" Robb murmured, respect shining in his eyes. "Not just strong, they know how to balance power."
On his desk lay a pouch containing twenty perfectly cut magic crystal fragments, each gleaming with purity. The accompanying note explained they were a congratulatory gift for his promotion to Apprentice.
"Twenty fragments a month in exchange for a potential ally, such a bargain for the Crown."
Robb chuckled softly. "And for me, these resources will speed up my growth."
His fingers traced the smooth surface of a fragment, feeling its faint energy pulse.
Since becoming a Wizard Apprentice, he had become more sensitive to mana. He could discern each fragment's energy signature and purity level.
In the Library:
Robb buried himself in ancient tomes, researching the relationship between sound and vibration, the key to refining sonic magic.
In Darude's notes were numerous attempts to combine audio waves with spiritforce. Yet the theory was fragmented, lacking a coherent structure.
"The key is finding precise vibration frequencies…" he told himself, turning to a yellowed page filled with records of how sound waves affect different materials.
Since mastering Whispers of the Star-Eater, his spirit power had grown. Revisiting Darude's notes, he now understood many previously obscure references.
"So Darude was seeking a resonance point between mana and soul…"
Robb picked up his pen and recorded new insights in his notebook.
The concept of rhythm began to take form. Every form of energy had its intrinsic vibration frequency, and discovering harmonious combinations could lead to more powerful, stable effects.
That, he realized, was the heart of sonic magic.
Later, he closed the volume, retrieved Darude's notes, and turned to the last pages filled with complex charts.
Now, he could comprehend the patterns Darude had outlined, how to craft audio waves that could penetrate consciousness without physical contact.
"No wonder Oliver was so interested in this research…" he said aloud.
"If sound can carry spiritforce, then curses…"
An idea sparked. Traditional curses required physical tokens, hair, blood, or belongings, to channel magic. That limited their range.
But if curse energy could be embedded in carefully tuned sonic waves… then distance and contact would no longer matter.
Seizing the moment, he hurried to a nearby public experiment chamber.
He used a fragment to reserve an isolated area, then began integrating his spirit-control techniques into sonic spell construction.
Closing his eyes, he shaped his spirit power into the familiar spiral form.
But this time, he mirrored the pattern of celestial vibrations, like stars pulsing across the cosmos.
[Spell Construction (Novice) EXP +2]