Evening, the birthday banquet.
The grand banquet hall of the Marquis's manor was as bright as day, with crystal chandeliers refracting brilliant light and melodious strings flowing through the air.
Ethan sat in the seat of honor in his dark blue formal attire. Several elders of the family sat beside him, while important officials and landed knights of the territory occupied both sides of the long table.
Exquisite delicacies were served in a steady stream.
"Young Master Ethan," the white-bearded old finance official sitting to his left said, raising his glass. "Happy birthday once again! May the Gods bless your test in ten days and bring new glory to House Leo!"
Before the old official could finish his sentence, the warm and harmonious banquet hall seemed to freeze instantly.
The music stopped abruptly, the clinking of glasses vanished, and every smile solidified on every face, turning into a deathly silence.
"The Gods"!
The gentle smile on Ethan's face vanished instantly.
He snapped his gaze toward the old finance official, his eyes as sharp as blades.
A second later—
Clang!
The crystal wine glass in Ethan's hand slammed onto the table, splashing wine everywhere.
"Seize him!"
Without needing further explanation, two elite knights in black leather armor pounced from the shadows in the corner of the banquet hall like leopards.
One pinned the old official's arms behind his back, while the other deftly gagged him with a specially made soft cloth.
The entire process happened in the blink of an eye.
The old finance official didn't even have time to struggle before he was firmly restrained and dragged from his seat.
"Mmph! Mmmph!" He stared in terror, his muffled pleas for mercy trapped in his throat.
The entire banquet hall was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
Every guest turned pale, as silent as cicadas in winter.
Ethan slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping across the room as the oppressive pressure of a high-ranking noble filled the air.
"Ford."
Old Ford appeared soundlessly at Ethan's side, bowing to listen.
"Interrogate him immediately. Find out if this was a senile slip of the tongue, if he was enticed by others, or if... he harbors other treacherous intentions."
"Yes, Young Master."
Old Ford raised his hand slightly, and the two guards immediately dragged the still-struggling official into the depths of the side hall.
Ethan's gaze swept over the trembling crowd again, and a faint, cold smile returned to his face. "A small interlude has disturbed your enjoyment. Let the banquet continue."
He was the first to pick up his refilled glass and took a light sip.
The musicians snapped out of their shock, their fingers trembling as they resumed the melody.
But the atmosphere in the hall was now entirely different.
The clinking of glasses resumed, but it was accompanied by cautious, hushed voices, and everyone's smiles appeared stiff and forced.
A birthday banquet that should have been warm ended abruptly in a cloud of oppression and awe.
When the guests retreated with the feeling of having narrowly escaped death, only Ethan and Old Ford remained in the vast banquet hall.
"Young Master, the preliminary interrogation results are in. It was indeed a case of senility. Long-term use of tranquilizing potions led to occasional lapses in consciousness, resulting in a slip of the tongue. There was no outside influence or other intent. His family was also entirely unaware and is in a state of extreme terror."
"Hmph. Since he's senile, there's no need to waste food on him. Hang the body at the North Gate and display it for three days."
"As you command," Old Ford bowed.
...
Marquis's Castle, front courtyard.
Five heavy iron-oak carriages, covered with the dark blue Thorn Crest of House Leo, were lined up. Nearly fifty elite knights in armor held their horses, their auras as solid as stone.
The lead knight captain, Blake, stood at attention. The bruise on his wrist from the previous night had been intentionally left visible. He met Ethan's approach with an absolute reverence that hadn't been there yesterday, pounding his right fist against his chest in a steady, powerful salute.
Old Ford silently opened the door of the largest carriage in the center.
The interior was spacious, with large, soft dark velvet seats. A small built-in table held crystal glassware, while a side compartment held food, maps, scrolls, and a book titled 《Basic Imperial Heraldry》.
Ethan nodded slightly and stepped onto the footboard.
It was a pity the family was so strict; aside from daily service, maids weren't allowed to get too close. Truly a pity!
"Young Master," Old Ford lowered his voice and stepped closer. "The route has been optimized, and all guard posts along the way are on the highest state of alert. The journey is expected to take five days."
"I understand." Ethan stepped into the carriage, and the door closed soundlessly.
"Depart!"
The carriage shook slightly, followed by a steady vibration transmitted through the reinforced suspension.
The scenery outside began to recede at a steady pace, and the castle's high spires were gradually swallowed by the morning mist.
When the massive silhouette of the Imperial City first appeared on the horizon, it was already the evening of the third day.
The massive city gates were like the mouth of a giant beast. People and carriages flowed in an orderly fashion, undergoing inspection under the sharp gazes of the city guards and the light of detection arrays.
The Thorn Crest carriages of House Leo did not need to queue, driving directly into the side gate reserved for high-ranking nobility.
The moment the carriage entered the Imperial City, Ethan looked through the soundproofed reinforced crystal window toward a cluster of buildings in the distance, shrouded in a translucent force field and glowing with a faint light in the twilight.
A massive tower—the Wizard Tower.
It sat at the heart of the Imperial City like a silent beast, looking down coldly at the busy mortal beings below like ants.
That was the Wizard Tower of Gal, a Third-Tier Wizard Apprentice serving the Empire.
Yes, a Third-Tier Wizard Apprentice. He was only a thin line away from becoming an Official Wizard, a 'failure' of a wizard apprentice who would never be able to cross that line.
And yet, even such a 'failure' was the most powerful person in this empire.
Even the Emperor had to respect his opinions.
The streets were wide, and the obsidian-paved road was as smooth as a mirror.
The Thorn Crest carriages of House Leo possessed passage privileges and did not need to wait in the congested traffic at the city gates.
However, when a motorcade bearing the Royal Golden Lion Crest slowly passed ahead, Ethan's carriage, along with all other noble carriages, halted silently to give way.
The royal motorcade had no special honor guard, but as it passed, pedestrians, vendors, and even some low-ranking nobles along the streets instinctively bowed their heads or placed their hands over their chests in salute.
It was not because of the royal family, but because an inconspicuous black carriage in the center of the motorcade had a tiny silver badge of three intersecting diamonds branded on its side—the servant's mark of the Wizard Tower.
The mere travel of a servant could cause the motorcade of the empire's top nobility to pause.
Ethan watched silently.
The carriage window blocked out the external sounds, but the reverence born from absolute power was clearly transmitted through that silent pause and posture.
Blake and the other guard knights straightened their backs on their horses, their expressions solemn.
Old Ford stood by the carriage, his face as calm as a stagnant well, though a flicker of gravity passed deep within his eyes.
The wheels rolled once more, heading toward the House Leo residence in the Imperial City.
Outside the carriage, the Imperial City remained bustling and prosperous, but within the carriage, a clear and unprecedented longing rose in the youth's heart:
Power!
Power that truly belonged to himself, enough to transcend rules and look down upon the mortal world!
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