As the history lesson with Geoffrey was nearing its end, Lord Lombardo asked a significant favor. There had been negotiations with several caravans regarding a trip to the north, and it seemed the client had chosen Lord Lombardo’s family’s hand.
Lord Lombardo planned to take his son Geoffrey along on this trip. It was about time for him to start learning about work, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity.
The head of the household asked Yuric if he would like to participate, but unfortunately, he had some work to do here.
“I’ll be a bit disappointed with my son.”
As expected, Geoffrey felt somewhat disappointed, but he fully understood Yuric’s situation.
The young master was excited about the first expedition and wore a big smile for several days.
“Teacher, I’ll make up a lot of stories when I come back!”
“I look forward to it, Young Master.”
Lord Lombardo gave Yuric, who had done an excellent job as Geoffrey’s history teacher, a bonus along with a letter of recommendation.
“There happens to be a request for a home tutor here. If you want, you can go and check it out.”
“Thank you.”
Early the next morning, Lord Lombardo and Geoffrey left the mansion in a carriage. They were seen off by Yuric and his wife, who also bid farewell to them and packed their bags before leaving the Lombardo family, where they had been comfortably staying.
Yuric walked for quite a while following a map until he arrived at a large mansion. While the Lombardo mansion was impressive, this one was twice as large, with not only the main building but also two separate annexes.
“This must be the Shuliphen residence…”
The Shuliphen family was very famous, known for the “Golden Hand” Niruin Shuliphen. A prestigious family whose influence extended beyond the upper echelons to politics, thanks to their wealth alone. Yuric recalled the first time he heard the name when his mentor Violetta told him about the Codex of the Devil.
The main house was in the central region, and this place was one of the Shuliphen family’s many strongholds. The third son and his wife lived here.
“What brings you here?”
“Oh, I came to meet Lord Shuliphen. Here is the recommendation letter from Mr. Lombardo.”
“Would you mind waiting a moment?”
The guard took the recommendation letter inside. After a quick delivery, permission to enter was granted shortly after.
Yuric went to the study room in the main house with a guide. It was there that he first met Amic Shuliphen, the third son of Niruin Shuliphen, a middle-aged man with a robust build and clear features.
Lord Shuliphen, impressed by the meticulous Lombardo’s approval, had no doubts about Yuric’s abilities and appointed him as the home tutor without much hesitation. His demeanor matched his straightforward speech.
This time, Yuric was to teach a woman named Ior Shuliphen, who was 15 years old.
They first met in the garden, where she was lying on the grass observing insects, which was unusual for a noblewoman.
“Hello, Miss. I am Mage Yuric. I came here on the introduction from Mr. Lombardo.”
“Oh, so you’re the new teacher.”
Ior had a keen interest in history, archaeology, and magic, and she knew how to handle mana.
Yuric decided to teach her history and magic. Lord Shuliphen, as a proud father, agreed to pay a substantial amount for her tutoring, more than double what Yuric received from the Lombardos. With this, he wouldn’t have to worry about money for a while.
Ior was exceptionally bright, already having prior knowledge and asking insightful questions. She showed remarkable talent in magic, particularly in circuitry, delighting in analyzing ancient runes. Each time, Yuric could sense the potential of a mage within her.
Cecilia’s treatment was progressing smoothly. The medication was seamlessly integrating into her body without side effects, and although slowly, her condition was clearly improving.
However, once mana blockage occurred, a complete cure seemed almost impossible. Even after bringing her condition under normal parameters, lifelong management would be necessary to prevent recurrence.
Even so, curing an incurable disease like this within a few years was an extraordinary achievement. Mana Blockage Disease was that devastating for mages.
Cecilia herself purchased the scales needed for the potion directly from the duchess. While the potion cost was exorbitant, it was negligible compared to her life.
Yuric was gaining valuable experience through this endeavor. Especially in creating highly complex potions, his alchemy skills had significantly improved. He learned how to use seemingly insignificant ingredients effectively and realized the importance of improvisation. These were things one could only learn through direct experience.
A month passed in what felt like a blink.
As the barley ripened, a courier arrived urgently at the Shuliphen residence, delivering a summons from the main house for Niruin “Golden Hand” Shuliphen.
It was an order from heaven. Lord Amic Shuliphen immediately invited the captain of the Golden Dragon Mercenary Corps, Cecilia, to the mansion to hire a mercenary group to safely escort the family members to the main house. Given that Yuric, the home tutor, had a close relationship with Captain Cecilia, it was thought that he could be helpful in negotiations. Despite his friendly appearance, he was undoubtedly the son of the Golden Hand.
Coincidentally, Cecilia was running low on funds, making this a timely assignment. She believed that Yuric accompanying her wouldn’t hinder her treatment.
Lord Shuliphen also asked Yuric if he wanted to accompany his daughter as her home tutor. Having heard Cecilia’s circumstances, Yuric thought it was a good opportunity to seek the head’s permission.
“I’ve always wanted to meet the Golden Hand.”
Thus, the Shuliphen family and the Golden Dragon Mercenary Corps agreed and set out for the main house the very next day.
As a tutor for Ior, Yuric continued teaching during their journey. Lord Shuliphen even arranged a separate carriage specifically for his daughter’s education.
Every time Yuric and Cecilia entered and exited the carriage, the mercenaries would smirk. Especially since Yuric, who had become Cecilia’s confidant, was constantly by her side. The talkative mercenaries couldn’t help but speculate.
During the journey, they encountered a horde of monsters once and a band of thieves twice. However, they managed to fend off all threats without any casualties, largely due to the efforts of Captain Cecilia and Mage Yuric.
As they approached the central region, the journey became surprisingly peaceful. They didn’t encounter any monsters or bandits, indicating the surrounding cities’ diligence in maintaining security.
After moving for twenty-five days, they finally arrived at the central city of [Gramsi].
This was the hometown and stronghold of Niruin “Golden Hand” Shuliphen.
Ah.
Yuric was captivated by the city’s splendor.
The exterior walls of the towering fortress were adorned with sculptures of heroes carved from marble, and majestic marble statues were placed atop the walls.
Surprisingly, the streets were completely paved, and all buildings were made of stone. The cathedral on the outskirts was breathtaking even from afar.
From the mercenaries’ accounts, Gramsi was thoroughly influenced by the “Golden Hand.” Although it was a city ruled by a baron, it was said that the baron was a loyal old retainer of Niruin. The “Golden Hand” preferred to control things from behind the scenes rather than leading from the front.
Such was the son of the Golden Hand. Naturally, his presence was imposing.
The Golden Hand’s mansion was located in the eastern part of the city, sprawling to an unimaginable extent. It was as if there was a small village within the city.
The golden shine on the surface of the grand main building was entirely made of gold. Even the fountain was gilded. Yuric now understood why they called it “Gold Power.”
Amic Shuliphen’s group parked the carriage in front of the annex. Although it was called an annex, it was as magnificent as the Shuliphen residence in Noblevento. This was where the third son, Amic Shuliphen, resided.
He praised Captain Cecilia for safely escorting his family members and allowed her to rest comfortably in the annex before she left. Then, accompanied only by his personal guards, he headed to the main house where his father, the Golden Hand, was residing.
Along with his wife and youngest daughter Ior, the third son’s family and the Golden Dragon Mercenary Corps gathered their belongings and moved into the annex. Cecilia thanked her subordinates for their hard work and warned them not to cause trouble here. This was no ordinary place; it was the stronghold of the Golden Hand. It was better to stay in their rooms and drink than to risk getting into trouble.
Not long after, Lord Amic Shuliphen returned to his quarters. He informed everyone that there would be a banquet tonight and that places had been arranged for Yuric and Cecilia.
Cecilia warned Yuric, who was unaware of the situation, not to think of the banquet like those he enjoyed at the duchess’s castle.
“It’s a social event, but it’s also a fierce battleground. People around will constantly test and provoke you. But don’t underestimate it, understand?”
“Yes, I understand.”
Yuric smiled reassuringly, but Cecilia remained concerned.
She was somewhat immune, but Yuric, being naive, was an easy target for others. She worried that he might fall for the allure of some sophisticated lady.
‘He’s not that naive…’
Still, one never knows what can happen. Especially with the Shuliphen lineage, known for their ruthless nature.
So, she decided to stay close to him to protect him.
Of course, this was all out of goodwill to preserve Yuric’s innocence.
…Really.
