Improvement (1)

The room fell silent. Matthew stared at that line of text, remaining silent for a long time.

If he remembered correctly, before yesterday, this had still been 【Excellent】.

But now, an extra “+” had appeared.

Although it was just a tiny symbol, Matthew knew very well what this change meant.

His talent had improved—an improvement in the truest sense.

It was not an increase in Strength, nor an increase in Constitution, nor a growth in experience. Instead, it was a change in his talent itself.

Matthew slowly sat up straight, his eyes gradually lighting up. Then, he quickly looked further down.

【Sword Affinity: +12】

【Weapon Perception: Slight Improvement】

【Sword-type Learning Efficiency: Improved】

Seeing this, even with Matthew's calm temperament, he could not help but clench his fists.

His feeling in the training ground yesterday indeed had not been an illusion.

That Purple-quality Blood-Veined Rapier was truly affecting him, and the influence far exceeded his expectations.

Matthew even wondered if he had misread it. He closed his eyes, opened the panel again, and reconfirmed.

The data remained unchanged. Every single character was crystal clear.

Matthew suddenly smiled. The smile gradually widened until he could no longer suppress the curve of his lips.

If he had only felt he got a bargain when he bought the Blood-Veined Rapier yesterday, then now, he was absolutely certain that he had struck gold. A massive treasure, at that.

Attributes could be slowly raised, and strength could be enhanced through cultivation, but talent was different. The thing that truly determined a person's upper limit had always been talent.

A person with mediocre talent, no matter how hard they worked, could often only reach a certain limit. But an improvement in talent meant that the path to the future had been widened. This was a completely different concept.

Matthew stood up, unable to resist pacing back and forth in the room. His steps grew faster and faster as countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Could Blue-quality equipment do this? Clearly not. At least, the blue longsword he had used before could not.

What about Purple-quality equipment, then? The answer was right before his eyes. Purple-quality equipment could affect talent, and even help the user grow.

At this thought, a burning heat could not help but surface in Matthew's eyes.

If Purple-quality equipment could do this much, what about even higher-grade equipment? Gold-quality? Legendary? Or even those things that only existed in legends?

For a moment, Matthew felt his heart surging with excitement. Coming to the Royal Capital had indeed been the right choice. On his very first day here, he had already obtained such a harvest. If he continued to explore, what would he encounter in the future?

At this point, Matthew suddenly stopped pacing. The heat in his eyes gradually cooled because he remembered something else.

In the training ground last night, that sudden bloodthirsty impulse—that urge to swing his sword, to see blood, to continue slaughtering. Even now, he still remembered it very clearly.

Matthew slowly sat back down in his chair, the excitement on his face fading significantly.

Power did not appear out of air. The greater the benefits, the greater the price usually was. This was the simplest truth of this world.

Since the Blood-Veined Rapier could improve talent, the side effects it brought would naturally not be simple either. Yesterday was only his first contact with it, so the impact was not yet very obvious.

But what if he used it long-term? One year? Three years? Five years?

Would it unconsciously change his personality? Would it make him increasingly bloodthirsty? Or even cause him to lose his sanity in the end?

Thinking of this, the excitement in Matthew's eyes completely turned into calm. However, he quickly shook his head gently.

Risks existed, but that did not mean it could not be used. On the contrary, as long as the risks could be detected and controlled, then this sword was still worth having. The benefits it brought were simply too immense, immense enough to warrant taking the risk.

Matthew looked at the tabletop. His gaze seemed to pierce through his storage ring, falling upon the Blood-Veined Rapier that lay quietly inside. The corners of his mouth slowly curved upward.

On his first day in the Royal Capital, this gift he had received was indeed somewhat astonishing. And he liked it very much.

Matthew closed the panel, and the room fell silent once more. Sunlight poured through the window onto the table, and a faint woody fragrance drifted in the air. His mood was much better than before.

The value of the Blood-Veined Rapier had been proven. What he needed to do next was to confirm whether the side effects could truly be controlled.

At this thought, Matthew raised his hand. His storage ring flashed with a faint light. In the next instant, the black long case appeared on the table.

The case lay there quietly. Its surface was dark and dull, yet its edges carried an indescribable, subtle chill. Matthew looked at it, his eyes flickering slightly.

When he was at the weapon shop yesterday, he had only thought he got a bargain. But now, this thing was no longer just a simple bargain; it could very well become one of his crucial trump cards for a long time to come.

Click. The long case opened, slowly revealing the Blood-Veined Rapier. The slender blade reflected the sunlight, its dark red patterns flickering faintly, resembling long-dried blood.

Matthew reached out and slowly gripped the hilt. A cold sensation traveled up his palm. It was familiar, but not nearly as intense as last night.

Matthew did not swing the sword immediately. Instead, he stood quietly in place, sensing it as time trickled by.

One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes.

That faint, elusive restlessness from last night did not appear. There was no killing intent, no bloodthirsty desire, and certainly no inexplicable urge to swing the sword and draw blood.

Matthew raised an eyebrow slightly, then gently drew the rapier.

As the blade left its scabbard, a soft, subtle hum instantly echoed in the room. He casually executed a thrust. The movement was very slow, yet exceptionally smooth, the tip of the blade gliding along some naturally existing trajectory without the slightest hesitation.

Matthew's eyes lit up slightly. This feeling was even more pronounced than yesterday.

When he was at the training ground yesterday, he had thought it was just an illusion born of his excitement. Looking at it now, it was not at all.

The Blood-Veined Rapier's enhancement of his swordsmanship was real, and it was extremely obvious.

Thrust, retract, horizontal slash, pivot. Matthew performed a few simple basic movements. The movements were not large, but they became smoother the more he practiced.

An indescribable feeling gradually surfaced. It was as if many things that had been blurry in the past suddenly became clear.

They were clearly the same movements, yet his understanding of them was entirely different.

The power delivery methods he previously had to think about could now be executed almost instinctively. The angles he previously had to adjust repeatedly could now be optimized almost at a glance.

Matthew stopped his movements. He looked down at the sword in his hand, a trace of marvel flashing in his eyes.

Purple quality was indeed on a completely different level from Blue. This was no longer just a matter of the weapon's sharpness; it could actually affect the user themselves.

However, Matthew did not let joy cloud his judgment. He still patiently observed his own state.

After a long while, he finally came to a conclusion. The side effect was still there, it had just weakened.

Or rather, the influence accumulated from last night had largely dissipated. Keeping it sealed in the storage ring had clearly played a role.

At this thought, the last trace of worry in Matthew's heart vanished. As long as it could be controlled, then the risk was no longer a risk.

Instead, it was a price—a price paid to obtain power. He could fully accept that.

Right then, a knock came from the door.

Matthew sheathed the sword. “Come in.”

The door opened, and Aidan walked in. The young knight seemed to have slept poorly last night, with dark circles under his eyes.

As soon as he entered, his gaze instinctively drifted toward the long case on the table. Then, he asked cautiously, “Brother Matthew, is that sword... all right?”

Matthew could not help but chuckle at his words. It seemed yesterday's scene had indeed given Aidan quite a fright.

“There is a problem.”

Aidan's expression instantly changed. Matthew continued, “But it's not a big deal. I can control it.”

Aidan was stunned for a moment, then let out a visible sigh of relief as his entire body relaxed. “That's good. I was worried about it all night.”

Matthew smiled. He did not explain too much. The Blood-Veined Rapier involved the secrets of his status panel, so there was no need to go into detail. It was enough for Aidan to know the outcome.

After that, Aidan seemed to remember his actual business and quickly said, “By the way, Brother Matthew. I went out for a stroll yesterday and gathered quite a bit of information.”

Matthew grew interested. “Tell me.”

Aidan immediately began to report. “The Royal Capital is roughly divided into several districts. The center is the Commercial District, which is also the most bustling place. Class Holder Plaza is right nearby, where many mercenaries, guilds, and Class holders operate.

“Further east is the Materials Market. Weapon shops, apothecary shops, and alchemical materials shops are basically all located there.

“There is also the Auction House. Word is they hold a large-scale auction every month.”

Matthew nodded, committing it to memory. He would have to visit these places in the future, especially the Auction House. Such places were usually where one could most easily gain access to high-end resources.

Aidan continued, “To the west is the Scholar District, where there is a library and many academies.

“To the north is the Noble District, which is the most heavily guarded. Ordinary people cannot enter many of those places at all.

“To the south, near the Port District, there are many chambers of commerce, and a massive amount of goods flows in and out every day.”

Matthew listened quietly, nodding from time to time. Although this information could not be considered a secret, it was exactly what he needed most at the moment. For a newcomer, understanding the city's layout was far more important than burying one's head in cultivation.

Once Aidan finished speaking, the room fell silent. The young knight suddenly looked a bit awkward. “As for other things... I don't know. I couldn't find out.”

Matthew was somewhat puzzled. “What other things?”

Aidan scratched his head. “You know, those special figures. I felt like you would be more interested in them, Brother Matthew.”

Matthew was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then realized what he meant. He could not help but shake his head and laugh.

Aidan had absolutely no idea what a wizard was, so he naturally did not know how to look for them, let alone where to start.

Asking him to gather information now was no different from asking an ordinary person to find a single drop of water in the ocean.

At this thought, Matthew stood up and walked over to the window. His gaze drifted toward the bustling streets in the distance, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved upward.

There was no rush today. Since wizards hid themselves so deeply, it meant being impatient would not help.

He would get to know the Royal Capital first and understand this city. As for the things hidden in the shadows, they would reveal their traces sooner or later. And he had plenty of time.

...

...

With these thoughts in mind, Matthew prepared to tidy up and head out.

Matthew changed into a clean, neat black robe, lightly draped his cloak over his shoulders, and stood in the center of the room. As was his habit, he double-checked his belongings.

His storage ring, his money pouch, a few spare magic stones, his blue longsword, and the Blood-Veined Rapier he had acquired not long ago.

Matthew's gaze lingered on the black long case for a moment. The scenes from when he tested the sword yesterday flashed through his mind once more—that unprecedented fluidity, that feeling as if the sword had become an extension of his own body, and finally, that bloodthirsty impulse that had triggered his vigilance.

With this in mind, he did not hesitate to place the long case back into his storage ring. Today was just a casual outing, so there was no need to bring it along. Being able to control it did not mean he could be reckless; it never hurt to be cautious.

The blue longsword was hung back on his waist. Matthew gently patted his side, confirming that it would not hinder his movements, and nodded in satisfaction.

Then, he walked to the door. He did not rush to leave. Instead, he checked whether the windows were locked, if there was anything unusual about the door, and even scanned the arrangement of the items on the table.

These actions had long since become an instinct. When he had first transmigrated to this world, he did not have such habits.

But along the way, having experienced so much, he had gradually come to understand that in this world, danger rarely announced itself in advance.

Being a fraction more careful could often buy one another day of life.

After confirming that nothing was amiss, Matthew finally opened the door.

The hallway was extremely quiet, the thick wool carpet absorbing almost all footsteps. Occasionally, only a server would pass by pushing a dining cart, moving quietly and even stopping to bow slightly to Matthew.

“Good morning, Lord Matthew.”

Matthew nodded slightly. “Morning.”

Then, he walked over to the neighboring door and knocked twice.

Footsteps quickly approached from inside, and the door opened to reveal Aidan, who was already dressed. It was obvious that his mental state today was much better than yesterday.

Entering the Royal Capital for the first time yesterday, running around with Matthew all day, and getting frightened by the Blood-Veined Rapier at night had left him thoroughly exhausted. Now, after a night's sleep, his complexion had visibly improved.

Upon seeing Matthew, Aidan immediately stood straight. “Brother Matthew.”

Matthew smiled. “Let's go.”

Aidan nodded. “Alright.”

The two of them walked down the wide wooden staircase, one after the other. As soon as they reached the lobby, the faint aroma of fresh bread wafted toward them.

The inn's lobby was as spacious as it had been yesterday, and the morning light poured through the tall glass windows, illuminating the space. Quite a few guests were already dining.

Some spoke in low voices, some flipped through their newspapers, and a few merchants sat together, discussing business over breakfast. The entire lobby was lively, yet far from noisy.

The inn manager was organizing the ledgers behind the counter. Seeing Matthew come downstairs, he immediately put down his quill and walked over with a smile.

“Lord Matthew, did you sleep well last night?”

Matthew nodded. “Very well.”

This was not mere politeness. There was absolutely nothing to complain about regarding the room or the service; since the Fiery Lion family could establish such an enterprise in the Royal Capital, they naturally had the capability to back it up.

The smile on the inn manager's face grew even brighter. “That is wonderful to hear. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask.”