Chapter 31: Goal: White Sturgeon Island

The next morning.

A noble carriage bearing a maple leaf flag slowly departed from the Blue Whale Mansion.

Inside the carriage, Luosen and Selena sat side by side on one side, while Lady Agneth sat alone on the other.

Luosen's expression remained as calm as ever, but both women's cheeks were slightly flushed, and their eyes flickered.

The silence inside the carriage continued, with a faint hint of awkwardness lingering in the air.

Hmm~

Lady Agneth gave a light cough, breaking the long silence.

"Since the Duke has banned trade between White Sturgeon Island and Weilan's counties, the bank certificates from Dawn Bank are of no use to you."

"Let's go to my place first; I'll exchange all your deposit slips for cash and take them with me."

Luosen had exactly that in mind, and immediately said, "Mentor, thank you very much for your help. I happen to have money now, so let me settle your debt as well."

Lady Agneth shook her head.

"No, you are exactly in need of money. I count as your elder, so let this money be my betrothal gift."

"Just say outwardly that it's my generosity as a mentor to my apprentice. Even if the Duke finds out, he won't say much, since he ultimately needs my brother's support."

Luosen didn't refuse either, and once again promised, "Mentor, Selena and I will devote ourselves to developing White Sturgeon Island. If you ever need our strength, just speak up and we'll do our best to help."

Selena also nodded in agreement: "That's right."

Lady Agneth smiled and shook her head: "Luosen, don't boast."

"Selena doesn't know White Sturgeon Island, but I do, after all White Sturgeon Island and Shire County are separated only by a narrow shallow strait."

"The residents of White Sturgeon Island total less than thirty thousand, with plenty of troubles; just getting by is already difficult, so you have no need to set overly high goals for yourself."

"Luosen, don't argue with me. I'm not doubting your ability; I just don't want Selena to suffer by following you. Understand?"

Luosen immediately promised: "Mentor, I will absolutely not let Your Highness suffer."

"That much I do believe."

Lady Agneth nodded with relief: "Selena following you may mean material scarcity, but as fellow mages you will never be spiritually alone. Your body is also strong enough to easily make her a happy woman."

Upon hearing this, Selena instantly blushed, and in a voice barely audible she complained: "Anna, Luosen's body is really too strong; I almost fainted last night~"

Lady Agneth heard clearly and smiled: "Just be content; how many girls wish they could faint but never get the chance."

Soon after, the carriage arrived at the noble district.

At the Azure Blue Manor, Lady Agneth exchanged over twenty thousand bank notes for over a thousand ordinary gold coins, plus several dozen large-denomination settlement-specific aurum coins, exactly filling a hand‑carried money chest.

Immediately after, the carriage carried the three of them toward the Holy Selena Grand Temple in the temple district.

Inside the temple, High Priest Lai Li personally presided over the formal wedding of Luosen and Selena.

It's worth noting that the high priest was originally reluctant.

Because he didn't want to offend the Duke, but Selena threatened to expose his little boy, forcing him to compromise.

After the simple wedding, the carriage drove straight out the northern city gate.

According to the route plan, Luosen and Selena will travel north along the wide thoroughfare between the counties.

Along the way they pass through Red Origin County, arrive at Shire County, and then head to the county seat, Shialin City.

Departing from Shialin's Silver‑Gold Dock, they take a boat across the Wind‑Cease Strait and finally reach White Sturgeon Island.

The land route is about 500-plus kilometers, the sea route over sixty kilometers; at normal speed the journey takes roughly half a month.

Not long after leaving the suburbs, the carriage spotted a roadside inn whose sign was shaped like a cat—the Wild Cat Inn for travelers to rest.

Parked in the open space before the inn was a rather high‑end four‑wheel travel carriage.

The carriage was loaded with luggage, and two people sat on the coachman's seat, one on the left and one on the right.

Luosen immediately said, "Mentor, the travel carriage ahead is the one I bought on credit. The seats are occupied by my attendants, whom you know—one named Ailiya, the other Stonard."

Lady Agneth certainly knew them.

In fact, she had watched those two attendants grow up from childhood; when they first met, they were just as innocent little kids as Luosen, and back then she herself was only eighteen, one of the youngest high‑tier mages on Weilan Island.

Thinking of how those once‑innocent kids have grown up while she herself has aged, Lady Agneth couldn't help feeling a bit gloomy.

But this gloom was quickly replaced by a hidden anticipation.

She furtively slipped her hand into her pocket and tightly gripped an old, worn parchment scroll.

This was a secret pointer on cultivation given to her by Sage Levin; last night she tried it carefully and discovered that her long‑stalled magical power had actually risen again.

"It's said that sages can perceive the mysteries of the magical rings, and now it seems true!"

"I also hope to receive the favor of Mother Nature and successfully break through to the Four‑ring Master Realm before I turn thirty."

Breaking into the Master Realm greatly increases power and status, while markedly slowing bodily aging, thereby greatly extending natural lifespan and prolonging youth by at least thirty years.

Of course, mere fantasy won't do; one must advance step by step with solid effort.

Lady Agneth quickly came to, smiled, and said, "This carriage doesn't look cheap; it seems you've made preparations early."

"It's a temporary replacement; the original was much smaller and inferior. Fortunately, I managed to become the Victory Chess King."

Lady Agneth nodded: "In that case, Selena following you won't be too lacking materially either, and I can finally relax." She paused, then added, "In a few months it will be the Winter Veil Festival; I will return to Shire County then and stop by on the way."

From the Silver‑Gold Dock to White Sturgeon Island, the boat ride takes only a few hours.

Selena was delighted: "Anna, I'm already looking forward to it~"

Before getting off, Lady Agneth gave Selena another hug, glanced at Luosen, hesitated a moment, then gave him a hug as well.

Luosen returned the embrace firmly and whispered his sincere thanks.

"Mentor, everything you did to rescue me, I will forever keep in my heart!"

Last night, the over a thousand mages who came out to support them certainly didn't appear out of thin air in the garden square.

That was entirely Lady Agneth using her influence in the arcane world, persuading them one by one.

Lady Agneth's eyes flickered, she glanced at Luosen's profile, and whispered softly: "Luosen, I guess you're actually stronger than anyone imagined, right?"

Without waiting for Luosen to answer, she continued to whisper.

"You must be curious how I know."

"Actually I have no evidence; I just have a plain feeling."

"I don't believe that a young man who can suppress Sarras solely with spellcraft, and who is regarded as a close friend by the Sage, could be just a low-level mage."

"So I'm very curious: what level has your cultivation actually reached?"

Luosen felt the embrace was about over, so he released the mentor: "Mentor, I truly only have low‑mid‑level magical power."

"It's precisely because my magical cultivation can't advance that I have to rely on spellcraft to boost combat ability. After all, my White Sturgeon Island is far from peaceful."

Selena heard this and immediately vouched for Luosen: "Anna, I once had the same doubts as you, but trust me, Luosen's magical cultivation is truly very low."

Lady Agneth wore an expression that was neither confirming nor denying.

She tilted her head slightly, her clear violet eyes staring unblinking at Luosen's eyes.

Luosen felt a bit unsettled under her gaze, but his spirit was steadfast and he wasn't worried about such a test, so he calmly met her eyes.

A few seconds later, Lady Agneth pursed her lips and smiled lightly: "Alright, I believe it."

Luosen knew as soon as he heard that she still didn't believe, but since she had no evidence, it didn't matter.

Lady Agneth didn't continue to press the issue; she got back onto the carriage and, before departing, gave a serious instruction.

"When you pass through Shire County, don't forget to visit my brother. Though on the surface trade is prohibited, behind the scenes we can always provide some assistance."

"We will, mentor."

After seeing the mentor's carriage leave, Luosen slipped his arm around Selena and walked slowly toward the travel carriage.

Ailiya and Stonard immediately came forward, addressing them as 'Lord' and 'Madam'.

Luosen smiled, nodded in response, and then seriously instructed: "Shitou, Ailiya, this is my wife, Princess Selena."

"From today onward, you must respect the Madam as you respect me, and trust the Madam as you trust me."

"Regarding the Madam's orders, you must execute them without hesitation."

Hearing this, Stonard immediately asked seriously: "Lord, what if you and the Madam disagree and issue completely opposite orders to us?"

Pfft~

Selena was amused, then turned to Luosen, waiting to see how she would solve this dilemma.

Luosen cleared his throat lightly, his face serious, and said: "This situation does indeed objectively exist, but I will try to avoid it as much as possible."

"But if it really happens, then you remain neutral, execute neither's orders, and patiently wait for the Madam and me to reach a consensus."

Stonard immediately followed up: "What if we can never unify opinions?"

He truly was a mage taught personally by Luosen; his thinking was extremely rigorous, and he wouldn't stop without clarification.

Luosen also answered rigorously: "Then you must remain neutral forever."

"Understood, Lord."

Selena, also a mage, loved this clear attitude rather than vague, roundabout wording, and she was very satisfied with the result.

Luosen returned to business: "The three talents we recruited are now all in the inn, right?"

"Yes, Lord, they are all in the inn waiting for you."

Luosen slipped his arm around Selena and walked toward the inn, briefly explaining the situation to her with a Spiritual Whisper as they walked.

He concluded: "I haven't returned to White Sturgeon Island in ten years; when I left, I was only a ten‑year‑old child. Now my father died unexpectedly, leaving me almost completely unaware of the current situation on White Sturgeon Island."

Previously, my father would write me a letter each month, briefly updating the family's and the domain's situation, but now it's been over two months without any letter.

"Therefore, if we truly want to control White Sturgeon Island, we must have a group of trustworthy and capable talents by our side."

"I preliminarily think these three are good, but for the specifics, I need the Madam to help screen them."

Selena was very pleased, feeling respected by her husband, whereas in this regard her brother was a total jerk.

Thus, she nodded and smiled: "I shall take a good look."

(End of Chapter)