Chapter 20: A Visit

Over the next few days, Charles remained obediently within the manor, dedicating himself to reading and study, while his hours spent training in martial arts dwindled. The terrifying events of that day had left the entire population of Goldflash Town in a stupor; none truly understood what had transpired.

The baron readily accepted his explanation, for the incident bore a striking resemblance to a meteor strike: a deafening roar, the earth quaking violently, and thousands falling unconscious.

At breakfast, the family gathered around the expansive elliptical table. Charles sat beside Baron Buyano, sharing a rare moment of quiet together. The two ate in silence, their knives and forks moving methodically, while the others barely dared to breathe. Only the soft clatter of cutlery and the muffled sounds of chewing filled the air.

After savoring a tender, flavorful piece of steak, Charles asked quietly, “Father, why hasn’t Sister Leah returned yet?”

Leah Maestrin, the eldest daughter of the family, had trained under Marcus from a young age and now possessed officer-level abilities. Recently, she had been requisitioned by the Stormport military to eradicate a band of marauders in the north.

Yet, half a month had passed, and there was still no word from her.

Baron Buyano looked up, his expression tinged with confusion. He wondered why his son, who had never shown much affection for Leah, was suddenly concerned about her whereabouts.

He paused, then replied slowly, “The number of marauders has grown, and they have retreated deep into the forests. The Stormport army is still searching nearby. It will likely take a few more days to resolve the conflict.”

“You needn’t worry about these matters. After your coming-of-age ceremony in half a month, you’ll be attending the entrance examination for the Imperial Royal Academy. Are you confident?”

The baron’s gaze was stern, making Charles tense inwardly. He quickly nodded, “Absolutely. I feel I’ve made great progress lately. Passing the exam won’t be a problem!”

He would deal with the situation as it came; whether he could attend the exam was another matter entirely.

“Excellent. This concerns your future. Once you establish the right connections at the academy, your prospects will transcend this small Goldflash Town—even the entire Fahn County!” Buyano wiped his mouth with his silver-gray handkerchief and left the dining room.

Charles glanced at the others and hastened to finish his meal.

The Maestrin family was now quite sparse; only he and Leah remained as direct descendants. There were no peers among the branch families, most of whom were either a few years old or had just reached their early teens.

With Leah away, Charles was the eldest among the young generation. He had no interest in playing childish games with those little ones, preferring instead to spend his time with three close friends.

This, at least, had its advantages, sparing him from the melodramatic family feuds and allowing him to ignore such concerns completely.

Returning to his study, Charles continued to pore over the foundational knowledge the uncle had given him, most of which pertained to the basics of Totem Masters—something he sorely lacked.

The Modulator had only supplemented his knowledge of the plot; as for all the related expertise, he would have to gather it piece by piece.

Knowledge is power—this maxim rings especially true in this world, and nowhere more so than among Totem Masters.

The more extensive and profound one’s understanding, the more accurately one could judge the potential of a totem when crafting it, thereby deciding whether to invest time and resources in its cultivation.

Then came the analysis of inheritance factors, the construction of totems, and so forth—all required a vast foundation of knowledge.

Every Totem Master was a master of biology, their expertise rivaling experts from his previous life, and their research had reached remarkable depths.

In fact, it was entirely possible to equate inheritance factors with DNA from his past world, determining the traits and evolution of creatures accordingly…

Around noon, Charles found a casual excuse to leave the manor—he claimed he was visiting Uncle Marcus and learning martial arts from the apothecary.

He now had a better grasp of Niu Kelian’s background; this formidable Totem Master disguised himself as an ordinary warrior, participating in numerous wars and achieving far greater feats than Marcus.

For that reason, Baron Buyano had wanted to hire him as chief of the family’s guards, but Niu Kelian refused, choosing only to serve as the town’s apothecary.

“I’m telling you, Old Niu, medicine won’t save the Empire—only war is the true foundation of everything!”

As soon as Charles entered the pharmacy, he heard Marcus’s familiar booming voice, which made him smile.

This man was indeed a battle fanatic, unable to resist inciting others to fight even while recovering from serious wounds.

During the previous catastrophic shock, Marcus had fortunately dodged in time and survived unscathed, though his two guards were lost without a trace.

Stranger still, when the projection of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox descended, it erased all memories related to Marcus’s encounter, leaving him with no recollection of what he had witnessed, sparing Charles the need for explanation.

“Enough, medicine may not save the Empire, but if you anger me, don’t expect me to help you,”

His retort silenced Marcus, who hurriedly changed his tone, “Old Niu, you must use your real skills to cure me. Damn it, I don’t know why I’m so unlucky—got struck by the gods with a stone, nearly killed me…”

Charles found it odd; for the first time, the usually aloof and intimidating Marcus was chattering incessantly. Perhaps when his memory was erased, they had accidentally removed a little too much, leaving him a bit broken.

“Ah, young master is here again?” Marcus’s fierce face broke into a smile, which only made him look more terrifying, like a villain grinning at you.

“Uncle Marcus, are you feeling better?” Charles walked to the bedside and asked with a smile.

Marcus, towering over two meters, looked awkward lying on the small bed. Leaning against the wall, one arm still in a thick bandage, he grinned, “Thank you for your concern, young master. I’ll be fully recovered in two days, and then I’ll continue teaching you martial arts.”

“Take care and rest well,” Charles replied.

For him now, learning martial arts was of little use—his guardian light’s defenses were so formidable that ordinary skills could not breach them.

Moreover, he was quite satisfied with his current appearance; in his previous life, he would have been the quintessential noble youth, sure to attract countless young women. If he became a muscle-bound brute, such privileges would vanish.

What he needed now was knowledge and the cultivation of auxiliary totems. Relying solely on Firefly, his main totem, would be insufficient for various situations.

It must be understood: the main totem is intimately tied to a Totem Master’s life. If it suffers a mortal blow, the master himself is gravely wounded. Auxiliary totems are needed to serve as expendable shields.

“Ricecake, come out now and accompany the young master for a walk,” Niu Kelian, busy mixing medicines, called loudly from the back.

A voice replied impatiently from inside, “So annoying, coming!”

“Young master, keep striving,” Marcus said in a lowered voice, winking exaggeratedly at Charles. The image of a cold warrior had completely collapsed in his eyes.

Charles felt a touch of embarrassment, reminded suddenly of his parents from his previous life—how they, too, would eagerly urge him to marry any girl he met, even going so far as to ask for her contact details.

Sadly, he wondered when he would ever return…