The black sun hangs high

Chapter 90 A Letter from the Teacher
The moment Hugh saw the pendant, he knew who had sent the letter.

He put away the somewhat ostentatious pendant and unfolded the letter.

The letter was unsigned, but Vera's handwriting was easy to read, probably because she had practiced it. Her handwriting was beautiful and neat, always giving people the feeling of "a serious flower dancing".

Of course, her speaking habits are more distinctive, even in her letters.

“Mr. Hugh, there are three things in total, all of which are important and there is no distinction between primary and secondary matters.”

"Firstly, your spellcaster rating application has been completed, and the certificate will arrive with the letter. It consists of two parts: a pendant and a magic certificate. Please check them carefully... Due to the approaching war, the Mage Council urgently needs to expand its manpower. Therefore, the assessment standards for all newly promoted mages have been relaxed. Furthermore, due to the mentor's guarantee and the Ernst family background, the council members have agreed to exceptionally issue you a Stream-level certificate. However, this is only temporary. Within three months, you must personally go to the Borden Council headquarters for verification and assessment."

"Secondly, due to personnel changes within the council, I need to temporarily handle some mage affairs. If all goes well, I expect to finish them all within two to three days. After that, I will go to the manor to meet you... Other mages have mentioned that the Ernst family is indeed preparing to select an heir. Some people believe that the selection process may not only assess the abilities of family members, but may also involve some complex rituals, so please be careful."

"Thirdly, there is a simple magic book in the velvet pouch inside the letter. If conditions permit, you can do some targeted previewing (I remember the textbook is already in your hands). I will check your progress after I arrive at the manor."

"Also, if there is an opportunity, please inquire about matters related to 'The Poem of the Night' for me in advance."

"Your teacher."

It was unsigned, but Hugh was certain that no one but Vera could have said these words.

That seems to be her style; no matter what, she lists everything out like a magic formula. Although it may seem impersonal, it actually makes all the important things clear.

It is well-balanced in its level of detail, resembling a weekly work report.

Hugh glanced at the date Verine had left on the letter and found that it was just yesterday. Clearly, both the Mage Council and his teacher were extremely efficient.

"Two to three days... In other words, she could arrive as early as tomorrow evening? Or at the latest the day after tomorrow."

Hugh estimated the possible arrival time of his "reinforcements".

At moments like these, he becomes even more acutely aware of the importance of strength.

If he had a professional mage advisor by his side, or if he had already successfully mastered a vast amount of magical knowledge, then he wouldn't need to use those tricky methods to obtain and verify information.

"I need to make some other preparations before I can explore the manor's underground floors further."

Thinking of this, Hugh also carefully put away Vera's letter, and then opened the black velvet bag inside the letter.

Then a very small magic book appeared in front of Hugh, only the size of a palm and two fingers thick. It looked like a notebook that could be carried around. Perhaps because it was a gift, it looked completely different from the magic books that the members of the Law Committee carried around.

"It doesn't look like magic, nor does it look like a book."

Hugh took it in his hand and gently turned it over a couple of times.

The paper is very stiff, and you can clearly feel the texture when you rub the surface of the paper with your fingers. According to the book, the paper used by mages for their magic books is mostly made from a plant called "Red Lily Grass". They mostly grow in humid areas with high magic concentration, so Goddess Plains is the main production area of ​​magic paper.

Because red lilies naturally grow in environments rich in magic, paper made from them is often used to record the flow and traces of magic.

The process of recording magical runes and drawing magical models on magical paper is like carving water flow marks on a hard rock. If the marks are correct and complete, the magic they represent can be activated at any time by injecting magic power.

This is how the magic book works.

"There's absolutely no problem with the quality..."

Hugh put away the spellbook with satisfaction, and then took out his paper magic certificate from the velvet bag. It looked no different from other general certificates. The biggest difference was that this official certificate, which proved the identity of a mage, was made of cardboard and contained a lot of magic crystal powder, so it would be extremely bright in the light.

He couldn't help but shake his head.

"I don't know if these documents are still valid in Vann."

The thought of Merlinler and the conflict with the Mage Council on the plateau gave Hugh a headache, but ultimately, his main troubles were still at Ernst Manor. As for the disputes between mages and the issue of universal identification, he didn't need to worry about them yet.

The "energizing drink" worked very quickly. The slight drowsiness he had felt from eating had completely disappeared because of it. So Hugh spread jam on the last piece of bread and ate it slowly. After that, he picked up his things and left the restaurant.

He did not intend to immediately proceed with further exploration of the manor's underground levels. Strategic contempt and tactical caution were both important in dealing with the enemy he was about to face.

At least Hughes believes that he needs to conduct an important round of resupply and preparation before facing a new "battle".

He spoke with the hotel's housekeeper and confirmed that Ernst Manor did not require its young members to stay at the hotel for extended periods; all "guests" only needed to return before nightfall.

So he decisively chose to go out.

The moment Hugh stepped out of the hotel lobby, he felt the so-called "special treatment." Before he could even take two steps, the two bodyguards he had met earlier appeared. The younger one naturally approached Hugh and asked him solicitously if he needed a car.

During his conversation with Hugh, the young bodyguard intentionally or unintentionally revealed a pattern outlined in silver thread on his cuff.

Hugh saw that it was a falcon, a strange falcon with three sharp talons.

The only one who can match him is clearly that old guy, Zeke Ernst.

Hughes accepted this gesture of goodwill quite naturally.

He had no intention of walking out in this weather anyway.

After a brief conversation, Hugh learned that the older bodyguard's name was Ellen and that he was a pure-blooded Waterman.

The younger one, named Igor, was from Saint Steel and would serve as Hugh's driver on the upcoming trip.

"Sir, may I ask about your travel plans?"

“The plan is simple… First, take me to the largest alchemy shop in the Lyland district. I need to buy some things. Then, take me to a quiet place where I can rest in peace.” Hugh’s request was a bit strange, but the two bodyguards, probably on orders from Zeke Ernst, did not express any doubts. Soon, the “black luxury car” drove out of Ernst Manor and headed towards the northeast corner of the Lyland district.

Hugh noticed that Ellen remained vigilant throughout the drive. Although he was not a mage, he carried a magic pendulum that could be used by ordinary people, and under his coat, he concealed a new type of pistol made by Walter and other emergency supplies, making him look extremely professional.

"Were you all soldiers before?"

"He was once a marshal's personal guard."

Ellen immediately revealed her position and identity upon speaking: "After Marshal Zeke handed over his affairs, we also became members of the Ernst family. However, in recent years, the guards and servants around the Marshal have been replaced... so we have gone from being personal guards to ordinary bodyguards."

"In recent years?"

"To be precise, it was three years ago, in 2696. The personnel change happened very quickly, and the new guards who replaced us were unfamiliar to us."

"They didn't even pass the manor's formal assessment!"

Igor, who was driving, added at the top of his lungs, "God knows where they came from, but the Marshal just accepted them, although so far these guys have done a decent job..."

Hughes nodded.

This is a very important message.

"2696... If I remember correctly, that should be the time when Hugh Ernst was forced to leave the magic academy and was sent to the city of Seren."

Hugh squinted as he recalled his meeting with Zeke Ernst that night, and he naturally thought of the two incredibly silent maids—they exuded a faint magical aura, and their every move was quite oppressive. Although they did obey Zeke Ernst's commands, there seemed to be something strange beneath that obedience.

"Ellen, among those guards who replaced you, are there two maids as well?"

“That’s right, two very ordinary-looking women… While they are indeed very dedicated, we believe that ensuring the Marshal’s personal safety is the top priority, and in this regard, relying on two maids is simply…”

Ellen didn't finish her sentence; she simply shook her head.

Hughes reached into his pocket, gently pinching his mage pendant as his mind raced: "If it were three years ago at this time, then many things would make sense... The only force capable of directly interfering with the decisions of a family's leader, or even replacing his personal guards, would probably be the Black Sun Society. This also fits the unusual aura of those two maids; they were very likely 'created' based on special individuals like the Sword-wielding Hermit."

"In other words, at that point in time, the Black Sun Society decided to strengthen its control over Zeke Ernst or the entire Ernst family. The reason for this may be that they had sensed some of old Zeke's thoughts, but it is more likely that they wanted to strengthen their control over 'me'."

"But regardless of the purpose, Zek Ernst's personal will will inevitably be subject to considerable limitations..."

Hugh turned to look out the window. Just like the world he knew, although the streets were beautiful after the snowfall, the increasing number of vehicles and pedestrians inevitably stained the white surfaces with a lot of black grime, making them quite unsightly.

Therefore, many sanitation workers in Borden are now pushing those small snowplows with engraved ceremonies to begin their work.

"By the way, Ellen, do you have enough money?"

The bodyguard paused for a moment, but then nodded immediately: "The Ernst family has a credit limit for most of the stores in the Leland district. As long as the bill is left, the store owners can settle accounts with the manor butler at the end of each month. Unless you plan to empty a store, it should be enough."

But then he added, "If you're looking to buy alchemical goods or materials, that might be a bit difficult."

"how?"

"Because of the war..."

Igor, who was driving, replied, "There's mobilization everywhere right now. Besides people, there are also resources... I heard that Saint Steel is already imitating the Delan people by forcibly recruiting and mobilizing mages. My hometown is near Merlinle, and once war breaks out, all sorts of spells might melt the ice and snow."

"That's it."

Ellen shrugged: "If you're looking to buy some simple medicines or ordinary civilian alchemical supplies, Mr. Hugh, that should be fine. But if it involves military preparedness and lethality, you'll need an official mage's certificate."

"Don't worry, I have that."

Hugh smiled and said, "Although I just received it this morning, it is indeed the latest certificate issued by the council. It should be sufficient for the Stream level, right?"

"There is more than enough material to purchase alchemy."

"That's good."

Hugh's spirits lifted slightly. He was ready to make a big purchase at the alchemy shop. As the capital of Wotel, Borden's abundance of alchemy materials was far superior to those in the shops of Seren City. Hugh was even looking forward to finding out how many rare materials he could use in the Dream Sanctuary.

Since someone else is paying for it, I should at least take a little bit.

Hugh has absolutely no psychological barriers to taking advantage of the family's resources...

In the northeastern corner of Leland District, there exists a rather unique commercial area.

It was named "Lyland's Kiss" and was a commercial district exclusively for the noble residents of the Lyland district to engage in special consumption.

Besides collectibles, artworks, and a huge alchemy shop, there are many "special shops" that are not found in other commercial districts.

Also, because of its proximity to the Water Magic Academy, spellcasting students on holiday often come here to relax...

Although he had "heard" of the fame of the Kiss of Lyran long ago, Hugh had never had the means to come here to take a look.

However, as the vehicle approached the northeast corner of the Leland district, Hugh gradually noticed something amiss. He discovered that there seemed to be an unusually large number of soldiers on the streets, and in addition, many large military steam transport vehicles were parked on the nearby streets.

It seems... this place has been booked by the military.

(End of this chapter)