Chapter 462 - 252: Reborn in Fire

Earl York walked into the secret passage, and as his footsteps echoed, alarm and protective arrays emitting a faint red glow lit up on the ground of the dark corridor.

After a straight walk then a right turn.

A glow of white light appeared at the end of the corridor, and a crisp voice mixed with a hint of maturity came from inside:

"Fraser, is that you?"

"It’s me, Jessica, how does your injury feel?"

Earl York’s full name is Fraser York, and the mature lady named Jessica is the Countess, and also a Level 10 Fire Mage.

The two met during adventures in their youth.

At that time, upon meeting the talented and beautiful young Jessica, Fraser immediately embarked on a fervent pursuit.

After persistent effort, he finally won her over.

This is why Aaron aspired to become an adventurer, and neither Earl York as his father nor Jessica as his mother opposed this; on the contrary, they supported him.

The only thing Jessica feels somewhat regretful about is that Aaron did not inherit her talent as a Mage, but instead showed remarkable talent on the path of a Swordsman.

In some ways, he inherited the talent of Fraser’s father, Aaron’s grandfather.

Perhaps this is the nature of generational inheritance.

"My injuries might not heal completely for a while," Jessica shook her head and said.

She wore a light red golden-thread magic robe with an elegant demeanor.

Although she was over forty, time had only added a touch of mature charm to her lovely face, and not a single crow’s foot was visible at the corner of her eyes.

This was partly due to her strength and partly due to proper maintenance.

However, her pretty face looked slightly pale at the moment, seeming somewhat deprived of vitality.

"I’ve tried all kinds of antidotes, even advanced ones, but they can only suppress the toxin," Jessica frowned, her expression not good.

Her injuries were sustained during a confrontation with a mysterious Dragon Rider.

Although the opponent was very strong, a Transcendent Dragon Rider, Jessica, as a Level 10 Fire Mage, did not lack the strength to fight against Transcendent Combat Professionals.

Moreover, the York family had been established in Warwick City for many years, with numerous loyal and strong family guards.

The truth proved as such.

About a month ago, when the opponent first descended alone onto the estate under the cover of night, Jessica was the first to notice and, with the help of the guards, repelled the attacker.

Yet, Jessica knew the attacker didn’t attack with full force.

Thus, she invited her former adventurer teammate Salion to jointly defend the castle, but during the second confrontation, the opponent summoned subordinates.

Although the result was the opponent retreating again, it came at a great cost, including the loss of various magic scrolls and equipment, Jessica’s severe injuries, and teammate Salion’s death on the spot.

In fact.

This was why Yejiya had his adjunct Red Dragon Mage Davenport take an indirect route, aiming to capture Aaron alive and thereby threaten Fraser and Jessica into compliance.

"Is there no solution?" Earl York furrowed his brow with concern.

"The opponent’s dragon is not an ordinary one; I’ve checked, and it’s a mutation, a highly rare spiny venom dragon."

An adult ordinary dragon has a Challenge Level of about 6, but a spiny venom dragon can reach a Challenge Level of 10 as an adult, with its distinctive row of prominent dorsal spikes.

In essence, Yejiya’s dragon had been meticulously cultivated, reaching into the extraordinary, attaining Level 11.

Jessica’s injuries were due to the venomous spray from the spiny dragon.

Though it only splashed on her, not a direct hit.

While there was no threat to her life, the injuries had not fully healed, affecting her personal strength to a degree.

"I initially thought Aaron was right; he encountered a Silver Level adventurer... But now it doesn’t seem to be so, facing the difficulties ahead requires us to find our own solutions."

Earl York briefly recounted the situation to his beloved.

"No matter, the person saved Aaron’s life, after all. By the way, are there any updates from the kingdom?"

"I’ve heard the news; at the meeting, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Duke Ankes opposed our concerns, thinking we were being overly anxious. I have a feeling the kingdom’s leadership might have been infiltrated by the Black Fist Army."

Earl York frowned and said.

With the York family having a legacy spanning hundreds of years, they naturally possessed extensive connections within the kingdom’s elite, thus obtaining detailed intelligence from the royal capital’s meetings.

"However, I have asked Earl of Cumbria for help."

"I’ve also contacted my mentor again, but there’s still no news."

Jessica, being a seasoned Mage, naturally had her own legacy.

But her mentor Inge Simmons, aside from being a High-Tier Transcendent Mage, was also a seasoned explorer.

In regular times, it’s not uncommon to have long periods without contact.

In Jessica’s impression, the longest period was up to three years.

As for the other disciples under her mentor, although they have a good relationship with her, they’re research-oriented Mages and not very adept in combat.