Departure (2)

As long as the other party had the intent, Matthew would be dragged into it.

And in a place like the county seat, he couldn't hide deep enough.

No matter how large the inner city was, there were only so many main roads. No matter how respectable the Stone Statue Inn was, it was still just an inn.

The Adventurer Guild, the nobility, the merchant chambers, and the patrol squads—various information networks were woven together. It was unrealistic for a Second-Grade Apprentice to completely hide his tracks here.

This was especially true since Matthew had already made contact with Regg.

Regg.

At the thought of that name, there wasn't much emotion in Matthew's eyes.

He was the Eldest Young Master of one of the three major noble families in the county seat. A Brass Rank Class holder. Not a wizard apprentice.

The man certainly appreciated him and truly intended to befriend him. Regg was of noble birth and possessed the confidence and initiative common among noble children. It wasn't strange that he valued Matthew's talent as a wizard and wanted to place a bet early.

Matthew didn't reject such connections. At certain times, the status of a noble was indeed useful.

But he would never treat Regg as someone to rely on. Because Regg's appreciation was built solely on the foundation of “Matthew potentially being valuable in the future.”

That was entirely different from being truly willing to take risks on his behalf.

If it were just a minor trouble, Regg might lend a hand in passing. But once it involved a Third-Grade Apprentice or major interests within the tomb, things would be completely different.

Regg was a noble young master, not a fool. Nobles understood the art of weighing pros and cons better than anyone. Matthew understood it just as well.

Therefore, he wouldn't go to Regg for protection. He certainly wouldn't reveal what he had obtained from the tomb to him.

Connections could be kept. Relationships could be maintained. But one's life could not be staked on someone else's fleeting appreciation.

Matthew's gaze fell on the storage ring on his left hand. The dark gray surface of the ring was silent. It looked unremarkable, even a bit crude. If Matthew hadn't already explored the space within, he might have taken it for an ordinary old ring.

Three cubic meters.

To some truly powerful wizards, this space might be nothing. But to the current Matthew, it was precious enough.

It meant concealment. It meant portability. It meant that many things no longer needed to be kept in boxes, bundles, or carriages, reducing the possibility of being seen by others.

To a cautious person, the value of this storage ring was more than just the size of its space. It gave Matthew more room to maneuver.

He could leave the county seat with magic stones. He could leave with materials. He could set off seemingly traveling light right under everyone's noses.

This was very important.

A clear judgment gradually formed in Matthew's mind. Next, he had to leave the county seat. And there was only one destination.

The Royal Capital.

Man strives upward; water flows downward. If wizard apprentices could appear in the county seat, there would only be more in the Royal Capital.

There would surely be more spell models, more magical materials, more potions, more underground trading channels, and a higher level of apprentice circles. Of course, there would also be more danger.

But more danger didn't mean he couldn't go. The question was whether the returns were high enough.

To the current Matthew, the Royal Capital was clearly worth the risk. Because the county seat was no longer sufficient.

The resources he could obtain here were limited, as was the wizardly knowledge he could access. Continuing to stay in the county seat might seem safe in the short term, but in reality, he could be locked down by troubles like Herbert or Sutton.

Going to the Royal Capital was different. There were more people, more experts, and more complex factions. Complexity itself was a form of cover.

A Second-Grade Apprentice might still be somewhat conspicuous in the county seat, but in the Royal Capital, they would likely be swallowed up by the crowd quickly.

As long as he was cautious enough, it would actually be easier to hide.

Matthew's eyes slowly grew a bit brighter. He thought of the wizardry Herbert had performed. That variety of spell methods made him wary, but also envious.

The gap between wizard apprentices wasn't just in Spirit levels. It lay in knowledge. The number of spell models. Casting experience. Material reserves. Potion assistance. Even on-the-spot judgment.

Herbert had made Matthew see one point clearly: a Third-Grade Apprentice with real accumulation was on a completely different level than a Second-Grade Apprentice with thin methods like him.

Matthew didn't like the feeling of being suppressed. He especially disliked seeing danger clearly but only being able to rely on running away to survive.

Running away wasn't shameful. But if one could only ever run, that was a lack of strength.

He needed more spells. At least protective spells. He also needed detection spells. It would be best to master a method of restricting enemies as well.

Energy Missile could serve as a regular attack, but it couldn't be his only means. Otherwise, once he was targeted, he would fall into an awkward position.

These things were hard to get in the county seat. Only in the Royal Capital would they be possible.

However, going to the Royal Capital wasn't something he could do the day after deciding. Although the journey from the county seat to the Royal Capital was shorter than the journey from the village to the county seat, it was still a distance measured in weeks.

Carriages, horses, rations, water, routes, merchant caravans, overnight locations, and the bandits and magical beasts that might appear on the road all had to be considered.

If he were an ordinary person, he might just find any carriage, bring a few bags of rations, and set off. But Matthew wouldn't do that.

He had just escaped from the tomb and was carrying a large amount of resources. The more this was the case, the less he could afford to be rash.

Leaving the city itself also required the right timing. Too fast, and it would look suspicious. Too slow, and trouble might catch up.

It would be best to complete preparations within a few days and then blend into a large merchant caravan heading toward the Royal Capital. Many people, many goods, many guards—there would be a lot of commotion. With Matthew and Aidan sandwiched in the middle, they wouldn't stand out easily.

Handing these specific trifles to Aidan was perfect. Aidan was just a follower, but followers had their uses.

Running errands, inquiring, buying supplies, and observing news—these things didn't require high strength, but they did require being obedient enough. And Aidan currently fit the bill perfectly.

Matthew sat quietly for a moment. After confirming that external affairs were temporarily arranged, he slowly stood up.

He first walked to the door and re-checked the latch. His fingers brushed over the edge of the wooden door and lingered on the lock for a moment. No abnormalities.

Then, he walked to the window and pulled the thick cloth curtains completely shut. The curtains fell, obscuring the lights on the inner city streets and distancing the sounds of carriages, tavern patrons, and patrolling footsteps.

Matthew took out two alarm talismans. He pasted one behind the door and one below the window frame.

A faint gray light flashed and vanished. The talisman paper quickly grew quiet, looking no different from ordinary old paper.

Having done all this, Matthew turned and returned to the bedside. He didn't lie down immediately. He couldn't sleep tonight.

His body was full, but that was only to recover physical strength. What was truly important was his Spirit.

Before leaving the county seat, he had to keep himself in the best possible state as much as he could.

Matthew sat cross-legged, preparing to meditate as usual. But just before he closed his eyes, his movements suddenly stopped.

His gaze fell once more on the storage ring on his left hand.

Magic stones. He now had a large number of magic stones.

If he just kept them in the ring and waited until he reached the Royal Capital to use them, it seemed a bit too conservative.

What was the meaning of resources? It wasn't for collection. Nor was it simply to make one feel at ease by looking at them.

Resources only truly belonged to oneself once they were converted into strength. Otherwise, they were just bait carried on one's person.

Matthew's eyes flickered slightly. He never considered himself a talented apprentice.

The growth rate of his Spirit wasn't fast, and his meditation efficiency could only be described as average. To have reached where he was today, he hadn't relied on stunning talent, but on caution, patience, and opportunities carved out of danger time and again.

If he only relied on ordinary meditation, who knew how much longer it would take him to break through to become a Third-Grade Apprentice.

But things were different now. He had magic stones. And not just one or two. He had about three hundred.

This quantity was enough to make Matthew's heart race. Even with his personality, he couldn't completely suppress that excitement.

Three hundred magic stones. What did that represent?

It represented potions. It represented spell models. It represented materials. It represented a large amount of meditation aids. To put it more directly, it represented strength.

In the world of wizard apprentices, magic stones were resources themselves. And resources could buy progress.

Matthew slowly raised his left hand and touched the storage ring with his Spirit. The next moment, an ordinary magic stone appeared in his palm.

The magic stone was only the size of a thumb. Its surface wasn't transparent, but it glowed with a faint and stable light. The light wasn't dazzling; it was even somewhat restrained. But in Matthew's eyes, it was much brighter than a gold coin.

Gold coins could only buy secular supplies. Magic stones, however, could drive the path of a wizard apprentice.

Matthew placed the magic stone in his palm, not rushing to absorb it. He observed it carefully for a while.

There were several fine lines on the surface of the magic stone. It felt cool to the touch, and there was a steady energy fluctuation hidden within. That energy wasn't scattered like the free mana in ordinary air, nor did it carry obvious attributes like some magical materials.

It was pure. It was uniform. It was like essence left behind after being compressed, filtered, and sealed by some invisible force.

Matthew's breathing was slower than usual. He was excited. But the more excited he was, the more he had to exercise restraint.

Absorbing a magic stone for the first time couldn't be rushed. Any external energy entering the spiritual sea could bring risks. Even if magic stones were known for their stability, he couldn't let his guard down.

Matthew closed his eyes. The meditation method began to operate slowly.

Initially, everything was no different from any other day. His breathing gradually became steady, the sensations of his body faded away bit by bit, and his attention sank deep into the center of his brow.

The surrounding sounds grew distant. The clear clinking of glasses downstairs, the sound of the kitchen clearing dishes, the occasional footsteps in the corridor, and the dull rumble of carriages over the cobblestone road outside all felt as if they were separated by a thick layer of cloth.

Matthew's consciousness sank into his spiritual sea. It was an internal area that could not be seen with the naked eye.

On ordinary days, he would guide the movement of his Spirit through his meditation method bit by bit, letting it flow along a fixed trajectory to absorb free mana from the outside and slowly convert it into his own accumulation.

This process was very slow. It was also very dull. Especially for an apprentice with average talent, many times, a whole night of meditation would only result in an extremely minute increase.

But tonight was different.

When the meditation method reached the third cycle, a hint of cool air suddenly came from the magic stone in Matthew's palm. It was very light, like a drop of cold water falling on the skin.

Then, that coolness didn't dissipate. Instead, it followed the lines of his palm and slowly seeped into his skin.

Matthew's mind stirred slightly. He didn't immediately speed up the absorption. Instead, he gently pulled with his Spirit.

That thread of magic stone energy was like a fine silk, being pulled bit by bit into his meditation trajectory. At first, Matthew only felt his right hand grow cold. Then, that coolness followed his wrist and arm, moving all the way up.

It wasn't violent. There was no stinging. No burning. Nor were there any signs of uncontrolled crashing. It was like an extremely gentle stream, slowly merging into his meditation trajectory under the guidance of Matthew's Spirit.

Matthew's brow trembled slightly. The next instant, he felt as if a drop of spring water had fallen into his spiritual sea.

His Spirit, which had been slightly parched due to the trip to the tomb, was suddenly nourished. The sensation was very obvious. It was like a person who had been walking in a parched wasteland for a long time suddenly getting a sip of clear water.

It wasn't much, but it was enough to make one's spirits rise.

Matthew continued to operate the meditation method. The energy in the magic stone began to be released thread by thread.

After they entered his body, they didn't directly turn into Spirit. Instead, they first circulated along the meditation trajectory. With each cycle, a portion would be converted, a portion would make up for his previous exhaustion, and another portion would naturally dissipate during the conversion process.

Matthew could feel this loss. It was very clear. This made his heart sink slightly, but he wasn't surprised.

His talent wasn't good to begin with. His meditation method wasn't necessarily the most excellent kind either. It was simply unrealistic to expect to convert magic stone energy one hundred percent into his own accumulation.

However, even so, the effect was still astonishing. On ordinary days of meditation, he felt like he was struggling to fish out extremely fine mana dust from the air. Now, the magic stone had directly delivered a ball of pure energy to his hand.

Even if the conversion efficiency wasn't high, the part that actually remained was far more than what ordinary meditation provided.

Matthew's breathing became even steadier. He forced himself not to speed up due to excitement. The better the energy in the magic stone, the less he could afford to be greedy.

His Spirit was like a cautious hand, carefully guiding every thread of energy into the fixed route, not letting it deviate or accumulate.

One cycle. Two cycles. Three cycles.

Deep in the spiritual sea, that originally somewhat dim meditation trajectory seemed to be polished bit by bit. Matthew felt a coolness at his brow. Then, that coolness slowly turned into a warm fullness. It wasn't a physical heat, but a spiritual enrichment.

The stray thoughts in his mind decreased. His attention became more focused. Even the lingering fatigue from the tomb was partially suppressed.

Matthew tried to outline the spell model for Energy Missile in his consciousness. The familiar structure quickly emerged. Spirit lines interlaced, connected, and closed, forming a stable spell framework.

At this moment, he clearly felt that the spell model was clearer than usual. Some nodes that had been slightly blurry in the past now had distinct outlines, as if they had been washed with clear water.

The condensation speed was also a bit faster. Not by much, but it was indeed faster.

This improvement made Matthew's heart warm slightly. This was the power of resources.

When he had no resources, he could only rely on time to grind slowly. When he had resources, his cultivation speed would be forcefully pushed faster.

No wonder the gap in background and accumulation between wizard apprentices was so obvious.

Those with good talent had higher conversion efficiency. Those with more resources had faster cultivation speeds.