Although Duke Rogest had heard about it in the bard’s story, he never thought it was true. Now Aresia was telling him that it was indeed true.

Duke Rogest, who was always skeptical, fell silent for a while to digest this information before finally asking, “What kind of inheritance memory is it? Who is the owner of the memory?”

“I didn’t believe it at first, but she was a Saint Mage”. (Saint Mage is equivalent to Grand Sorceress in her 2^nd life which is her level before she died.)

Saint Mage? This was an unfamiliar term to Duke Rogest.

Aresia added, “She is a ninth-level mage.”

Upon hearing this, Duke Rogest was taken aback and almost lost his composure. He quickly denied it, saying, “That’s impossible! There are no ninth-level mages in this world. It is a power peak only reached by the Dragon race.”

While the professional level of the intelligent races reached level eight, the magical beasts had a ninth level. However, even among the Dragon race, only a few dragons with exceptional power could reach this level.

Indeed, in ancient legends, there were divine beings and other non-Dragon races that reached the ninth level of power, but it was considered almost impossible.

In reality, reaching the level of a Saint Mage in this world was indeed difficult, if not almost impossible.

Firstly, mages of this level needed to master rare magic from multiple disciplines, such as light, darkness, and spatial magic. A Saint Mage would need to at least reach the level of a second-tier mage. However, the magic system in this world was not fully developed, and the magic of each discipline was incomplete. Even composite magic that combined different disciplines was rarely seen. It was similar to a graduate who only received a certificate but lacked practical experience.

Secondly, this world was a low-magic world, with a low concentration of magical energy in the air. It couldn’t compare to the high-magic world where Aresia came from. Even magic aptitude was scarce due to the low magical energy concentration. With low magical energy and insufficient aptitude, not to mention becoming a Saint Mage, it was difficult to even advance to the level of a second-tier mage.

This situation applied to non-mage professions as well. Other professionals didn’t reach level nine because the low magical energy concentration in this world made it impossible. They accepted level eight as the pinnacle for intelligent races.

Aresia had experienced two worlds, the one she currently lived in and the high-magic world. It seemed like she had traveled from one to the other, from a world in the early stages of magical exploration to one that had already reached its zenith and was turning towards the divine. There was a saying that went, “Doesn’t the end of magic lead to divinity?”*

In Aresia’s previous high-magic world, second-tier mages were considered the peak for intelligent races. However, as the magical energy concentration in the world increased, the achievements of successive generations pushed the boundaries further. In this world, level eight was no longer the limit for the intelligent races.

This great change was due to the existence of the magic network.

Though it was unimaginable, this network-like entity caused the world to undergo a massive transformation, as if it had upgraded itself.

Aresia didn’t want to argue with the Duke any further, so she used the “knowledge” she possessed to explain.

“I learned from this inheritance memory that the original magic notebook did not belong to this world.”

“It came from a more advanced and powerful high-magic world.”

“The owner of the notebook had an accident related to a magical experiment in another dimension, which caused the notebook to fall into our world.”

After listening, the Duke remained silent for a while before finally asking, “So, this is what the inheritance memory told you?”

Aresia nodded.

In reality, this was Aresia’s personal experience, but she told it in a different way to the Duke.

Aresia was well aware that she wasn’t good at acting, and the longer she delayed the research, the more likely it was to be discovered. Even if she used soul magic to give her loved ones and friends suggestions to prevent them from questioning her, it didn’t mean they wouldn’t eventually think deeper or directly suspect something was wrong as flaws became more apparent over time.

Aresia had always wondered how to solve this problem and even considered confessing directly. However, she gave up on that idea as it seemed impractical. Instead, she decided to fabricate a convincing and realistic reason.

And so, she mentioned her former teacher, the owner of the inheritance memory.

No matter what she did, the inheritance memory served as a cover.

“When did you receive this inheritance memory?” asked the Duke with a smile, finding it amusing. “Why are you telling me only now? If you didn’t tell me then, why tell me now?”

Aresia had just sorted out her thoughts recently, and she was trying to deceive him. However, she hesitated before answering, “Actually, I obtained this notebook by performing a blood contract with its previous owner.”

The Duke chuckled and said, “It took you so long to tell me. If it wasn’t for now, when would you have told me?”

Aresia realized that she couldn’t deceive the Duke any longer. So she said honestly, “The inheritance memory was gradually awakened, almost like a dream. At the beginning, I thought it was just a notebook, and I had dreams like anyone else. It was only recently that the memories began to manifest, and the owner of the memories appeared in my dreams. He told me that I had passed his test, and I realized it wasn’t just an ordinary dream.”

“A test?” the Duke asked.

Aresia explained, “It was about whether I was diligent and hardworking enough. The method was clear, but it wasn’t a real person. There was no other way to communicate.”

“And passing the test caused a significant increase in my magical level. My combat power is now at the level of a fourth-tier mage, and my knowledge in alchemy and potion-making is not inferior to any other apprentice. However, I still need more practice to catch up.”

The Duke disappeared for a moment, and his daughter had suddenly become a fourth-tier mage with knowledge almost on par with alchemists and potion-makers. It was a story that even a bard couldn’t make up.

The Duke scrutinized his daughter with suspicion. “Are you making up a story?”

Aresia replied honestly, her face showing sincerity. She reached for the magic wand at her waist and said, “If you want proof, it’s simple. Shall I cast a fourth-tier spell on you?”

The Duke glanced at her wand. “The Amosius Staff, a solidified magic wand.”

Seeing her eager expression, the Duke began to believe that what she said was true.

He sighed, rubbed his forehead, and felt a mixture of complicated emotions.

Aresia had encountered an opportunity, and the Duke genuinely felt happy for her. However, he also had concerns. This so-called inheritance memory could be a plot by an evil mage trying to take over her body, using the method of inheritance memory to make her believe in it.

The Duke wasn’t being paranoid. There were dark mages who were universally despised, and their ability to extend their lifespan made them almost immortal. They would find a suitable body to possess, even if it meant taking over the body of a noble prince. The incident almost led to the dark mage ascending the throne, but fortunately, it was exposed. Dark mages were now considered street rats.

Though it wasn’t a problem in the Holy Lotean Empire, due to the negative influence it could have, a ban was placed on the spread of this knowledge. Nevertheless, it had already spread widely.

Duke Rogest was worried that Aresia didn’t encounter an inheritance memory; she encountered a dark mage.

His concern wasn’t unfounded, and he had mistaken Aresia’s situation. He had unintentionally startled the snake.

He put on an expression that showed he already believed her, and he didn’t press further about the production line. Instead, he insisted that Aresia discuss the setup of the alchemy workshop with the palace. It was like losing face, indebted to others, and having to request Antonio, the chief mage, to conduct an examination for Aresia.

Aresia didn’t know what her father was thinking, but she realized that her recent actions had made him worried that she might be possessed. Although she had given them soul magic to prevent them from questioning further, it didn’t mean they wouldn’t eventually think deeper or directly suspect something was wrong as flaws became more apparent over time.

Aresia had always wondered how to solve this problem and even considered confessing directly. However, she gave up on that idea as it seemed impractical. Instead, she decided to fabricate a convincing and realistic reason.

And now, she had a qualification in the form of a recommendation from a familiar alchemist, thanks to the Duke’s inquiries during their previous conversation. The qualification allowed her to build an alchemy workshop.

Even though the Duke didn’t believe that ordinary people could possess magical tools, he had already helped her obtain an alchemy workshop.

In light of this, Aresia was overjoyed and almost jumped up. “Father, this is amazing! I’m ready. Shall we go?”

The Duke planned to have someone examine Aresia, but instead of arranging it immediately, he said, “There’s no rush. I’ll arrange for an escort to bring you back to the territory first. You can wait there.”