[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-114":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Above the Mage!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2257118,4404,"Chapter 114: Clinging to a Thigh","above-the-mage-chapter-114",114,"\u003Cp>“If a city is lost, doesn’t the duchy intend to hold anyone accountable?” Gao De couldn’t help asking another question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his past life, if any city suffered a natural disaster or human calamity causing such massive losses, the local government would surely be held responsible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, an entire city has fallen, and casualties are incalculable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should the Lord of Bremen, as the highest leader of the entire Bremen region, face no punishment whatsoever?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Logically, some accountability is inevitable—after all, signs of the earth vein’s rebirth have been evident for so long; there’s clearly negligence in failing to notice,” Ma Qieyi didn’t mind revealing some secrets to Gao De.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But our lord’s connections are extremely strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The wife of the current dean of the Ceres Arcane Academy comes from our lord’s family—the Hains family,” Ma Qieyi pointed upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks to this connection, Lord Hains enjoys certain privileges; matters like this—whether they warrant punishment or not—are usually ignored by those above.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And with this connection, any direct bloodline of the Hains family who shows even a slight talent for magic can enter the Ceres Arcane Academy directly, without enduring its extremely strict examinations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Ma Qieyi’s tone was filled with envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed this was the true “privilege” he cared about most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like this time, Master Frey led the team to support Bremen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yet within a short time, our Lord Hains has already smoothed over all the connections.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When Master Frey returns, he will take Lord Hains’s three children with him, to send them to study at the Ceres Arcane Academy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the familiar “Ceres Arcane Academy,” Gao De instinctively sat up straight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss Jelica is fine—she’s only sixteen, and she already broke through to Third-Rank Arcane Apprentice three years ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s merely held back at Third-Rank Arcane Apprentice to cultivate a powerful specialization upon her next ascension, focusing these past years on mastering spells and expanding her spell repertoire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With Miss Jelica’s talent, even if she formally took the Ceres Arcane Academy’s entrance exam, she’d have a high chance of passing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the other two are several years older than Miss Jelica, yet they’ve only just reached Third-Rank Arcane Apprentice this year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With the lord’s mansion resources, even a pig could be forcibly boosted to Third-Rank Arcane Apprentice through magic potions—this kind of talent entering the Ceres Arcane Academy is a waste of resources,” Ma Qieyi sneered, muttering under his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean Miss Jelica?” On the other side, Gao De paid no attention to Ma Qieyi’s muttering—his eyes had already lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never imagined that the beautiful lady with the melancholy gaze was actually a magic prodigy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Qieyi didn’t think much of it—he had no way of knowing that a wild mage like Gao De could have any connection to the lord’s daughter. He simply assumed Gao De was curious and added casually: “Miss Jelica is the most talented mage of this generation in the Hains family. Too bad she’s female, and her mother passed away early—otherwise, she might well have become the next Lord of Bremen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After her mother’s death, the lord’s many concubines began fighting among themselves, each vying to become the lawful wife.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But our lord is clever—he merely watches, letting them scheme and struggle openly and secretly, never naming a new lawful wife.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the topic turned to gossip from the lord’s mansion, Ma Qieyi couldn’t help adding another remark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, no one dislikes gossip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De listened with great interest, his mind filling with new thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a half-hour-long conversation, Gao De politely but firmly declined Ma Qieyi’s invitation to dinner, leaving his home before mealtime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss Jelica, Miss Jelica…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking down the street, Gao De repeated the name, thoughts flashing through his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, Harvest Moon, 26th.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the morning, Gao De arrived before the most central and magnificent building in all of Bremen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shenliujie No. 1, the Lord’s Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Bremen’s “center of power,” the lord’s mansion was built imposingly and sternly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its towering outer walls were built of white stone, each stone carefully selected and polished, gleaming with a cold, profound luster. The mansion’s gate was made of thick red oak, inlaid with intricate bronze nails and carvings—solid yet magnificent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the lintel hung the family crest: a golden bird with wings poised to take flight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faintly visible within the lord’s mansion were several towering pagodas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every detail radiated the lord’s authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gao De stood before the mansion’s intricately carved gate, a sense of awe and dread arose within him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out his pocket watch—worth one gold coin—and saw it precisely showed nine fifteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mechanical hands on the watch moved slowly, as if silently urging him forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guards stood at the mansion’s entrance, clad in gleaming armor, holding spears, standing rigid as statues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—what do you want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Gao De had even moved, one of the guards had noticed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing him lingering at the gate, the guard strode forward as per protocol, voice loud and tone brimming with undeniable authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De smiled slightly and pulled out the “business card” Jelica had given him, holding it out to the guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Gao De, here to visit Miss Jelica. Could you please announce me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard took the “business card,” examined it carefully, then softened his expression. “Wait a moment—I’ll announce you to the young lady.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and walked swiftly into the mansion with the card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard moved with steady, brisk steps—he knew Miss Jelica’s status within the mansion was extraordinary, and as her guest, even if Gao De looked unremarkable, he dared not show the slightest disrespect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the guard returned with a maid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The maid wore an elegant lace gown and a pearl hairpin; her face was delicate, her manner refined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely by appearance, she could pass for a noblewoman from a wealthy household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She first bowed gracefully to Gao De, then spoke softly: “Master Gao De, Miss Jelica has been informed of your visit and awaits you. Please follow me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De thanked the guard, then followed the maid through the mansion’s gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passing through the heavy oak door, guided by the maid, they passed by a series of exquisite stone sculptures, fountains, and flower beds, finally arriving before a lavishly decorated reception hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gently pushed open the door and gestured for Gao De to enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Gao De stepped inside, the maid did not close the door but remained at the threshold, keeping outsiders at bay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reception hall was elegantly and opulently furnished: exquisite oil paintings and prominent family crests adorned the walls, and many priceless objects worthy of being called “antiques” were displayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center stood a large long table, set with delicate pastries and refined tea sets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miss Jelica sat at one end of the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today she wore a pale blue gown, as calm and profound as the ocean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gentle smile graced her face; seeing Gao De enter, she rose slightly and gestured for him to sit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Gao De, please sit,” Jelica’s voice was soft and melodious, bringing comfort and pleasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De sat at the opposite end of the table as she indicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Gao De, have you come today because you’re facing some difficulty?” As she poured him a cup of black tea, Miss Jelica asked softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miss Jelica was direct—after all, when she gave him the “business card,” her exact words had been: “If you ever face trouble and have nowhere else to turn… come to Shenliujie No. 1. Perhaps I can help you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1262,"2026-06-19T14:28:48.629Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9fda170686b18ba6d04b869b86c6d826f1398547c19cb442b64f10de26467701","above-the-mage-chapter-115","above-the-mage-chapter-113",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]