Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Regarding the so-called secret that Russell brought, Hill certainly had no intention of keeping it secret, nor did he plan on helping.

Ulrich may not understand his uncle’s true intentions, but Gilbert understood his family’s attitude all too well... Otherwise, he wouldn’t have rushed to the meditation chamber and stayed there, never leaving the house upon returning home.

The higher-ups of the Hainarson Clan had grand ideas... at least they thought they could lead by a year or two before the word got out.

However, when a few apprentices, whose talents were insignificant, suddenly became intermediate mages, it could no longer remain secret.

The day Ulrich inexplicably and after much effort got promoted to a mage, he emerged only to face this long-anticipated news... Back in the day, when he saw that the family wouldn’t even make a slight concession for Gilbert, his father said this family could only endure hardship together.

Once they are free from pressure, they’d surely split apart.

His promotion came at a perfect time, especially since he had been forcefully taught a few one-ring spells by Gilbert before... A high-level apprentice can use one or two one-ring spells with the help of certain strange objects.

Otherwise, how would Gilbert feel at ease letting Ulrich run back and forth between the Magic Tower and the town? Although the Tower of Dark Enigma people certainly wouldn’t do anything to Gilbert’s nephew, there were many more people in Dark Enigma Town driven by interests.

These desperados might be incompetent, but they were insidious and decisive enough. If they managed a successful assault, they would immediately slip into the wilderness, each living for themselves.

But Ulrich’s success also stirred up the mages at the Tower of Dark Enigma, who hadn’t taken the matter too seriously at first.

Prutt simply chose to bet in advance.

After observing the disappointment of this seventh-circle mage, others quickly wrote letters to inform their family members on the battlefield to quickly find that Tower Master Rute, lest too many people should prompt Rute to intentionally create some unexpected incidents based on his temperament.

That Archmage loves studying human nature, and even if he ultimately reveals things... who wishes to be the one pushed to the brink of breakdown?

People shouldn’t assume that just because Rute ultimately would give everyone a chance, they can escape the mind games played by the Archmage.

However, they are very well aware that only Archmage Ruth can coax Gilbert into revealing things... Rute always had a fondness for Gilbert, and the people at the Tower of Dark Enigma were not surprised at all.

Ha~ Neither the teacher nor the apprentice were decent; both enjoyed watching others being tormented to their breaking point.

A secret that even the whole Hainarson Clan knows can’t be much of a secret, and obviously, Gilbert was just waiting for a word from his teacher.

Moreover, the secret wasn’t significant enough to astound the entire world, so there was no need to offend Gilbert, who evidently has a future.

Otherwise, who wouldn’t have the skill to capture an apprentice from the Hainarson Family for interrogation?

Prutt couldn’t understand if he was the foolish one, as others simply watched the situation, hoping to possibly gain information for free or ahead of others, so as to avoid dealing with the recently illusion-magic-obsessed Archmage Rute.

However, if even Prutt, a seventh-circle mage, couldn’t get the news beforehand, then Gilbert must have resolved to stand with his teacher.

Which is understandable, considering Archmage Rute values mutually beneficial exchanges. Even with his own student, he’d demand a price he deems appropriate.

Although it may not appear to bring as much as individually bartered resources, Gilbert has never been one to be bothered with cumbersome matters.

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Gilbert soon welcomed his eighth-ring senior sister, Aislin Laine.

Indeed, among Archmage Rute’s three eighth-ring students, there was a female, and she held the highest status among the three.

Not only was she the person staying behind to control the situation at the Tower of Dark Enigma, but she was also the one who could genuinely make decisions... without needing to consult their teacher on everything like others.

Speaking of which, among Archmage Rute’s mid-high tier students, the number of female mages was the highest.

This is also one reason Hill had a slight good impression of this Archmage... though he was suspicious by nature, he had his bottom lines, and he treated his students equally, only valuing strength without regard to gender or origin, and wouldn’t send any student out for marriage alliances.

After all, the students who were carefully nurtured by him had survived Rute’s excessive suspicion and were generally quite trustworthy.

After realizing something was amiss with Kamente Tower, Hill’s discontent with Rute secretly monitoring Gilbert diminished a bit... Given the Hainarson Family’s experiences, such surveillance was actually quite normal.

Rute is most likely not worried about Gilbert hiding secrets related to the Defense Tower, but rather about receiving a student who is another Kamente Tower.

”Gilbert, I believe you know why I’m here,” Aislin said with satisfaction, sitting down in the soft sofa on the high platform that Hill had set up for her, unable to resist pressing her hand on it, ”This sofa is nice. Did you make it yourself?”

”Yes.” Hill blinked.

This sofa was one that Gilbert had placed in his warehouse.

Due to injuries in his mental sea, Gilbert would suffer from excruciating headaches from time to time.

But being of strong character and unwilling to display his pain, he would go to draw on metal and stone when he felt like shouting.

To avoid others viewing it as venting, he even began learning furniture making.

Sofas and chairs became his forte... the finished products made with thin stones and metal wires could be described as art pieces.

Even Hill had to exert some effort to produce something akin to what he made.

Gilbert’s inner world is actually very rich, and his sensitivity level is extremely high... The mages in the normal world, especially the stronger ones, are generally artists because of their acute perception of the world.

Upon seeing that furniture-filled warehouse, Hill really felt a little sorry for him.

”This one’s mine,” Aislin said straightforwardly, tossing a piece of paper to Gilbert, ”Look at this, does the resource in it suffice to trade for the Hainarson Clan’s secret?”

Then she paused for a moment, pondering before speaking, ”Actually, the teacher has mentioned that when we move to the Sia Tower, it’s best not to bring your family directly.

As for us, it doesn’t matter much, since there are almost no people we care about left.

But you... Gilbert, the Hainarson Clan, do you plan to take them away from the start?”

”While I haven’t established a foothold, there’s no need, right?” Hilbert couldn’t quite grasp Aislin’s intention, ”They’re not entirely incapable of self-defense.”