Chapter 66: Another Lie

If it weren’t for the fact that the Emperor was extremely fond of the Duke because of the addition of numerous magical beasts to both the Gryphon Legion and the Imperial Legion, resulting in a significant increase in their combat power, the Emperor would never have easily allowed him to take troops away from the imperial capital. Even with the Duke taking five thousand soldiers, the military strength of Holy Lotean City would not be significantly reduced. After considering all this, the Duke finally agreed to his request.

The Duke hurriedly returned to his territory at a speed that nearly exhausted several horses.

The Duke had been awake for days of traveling. Although he was a level seven knight with a strong physique, his appearance was a bit disheveled, but nothing seemed out of place.

Aresia could sense a trace of fatigue from him.

She felt guilty and said, “I’m sorry, I made you worry.”

The Duke waved his hand. “No need to feel sorry. What about the teacher?”

Aresia kindly pushed him to sit on the sofa and poured him a cup of tea. Then she explained, “Actually, it was me who disguised myself.”

The Duke was relieved that the tea cup was intact, as he didn’t want to be choked.

Moreover, he had already been accustomed to Aresia’s magical abilities during their training, so he was no longer surprised. “What do you mean by disguise? Please explain.”

After listening to Aresia’s explanation, he learned that the mage Isis is actually Aresia who had disguised herself.

Through the use of transformation magic and split body magic, which were taught through inherited memories, Aresia proved her point by transforming into Isis’s appearance.

The Duke saw Aresia’s transformation and realized that her clothes had changed into a mage’s robe.

He knew that using magic for disguise was possible, but it usually relied on potions to change one’s appearance, not spells like Aresia did.

Moreover, the clone she created was disguised as an eighth-level mage, which was incredibly audacious.

He rubbed his forehead, not knowing how to react. “How did you manage to disguise yourself as a mage? It’s not an illusion, is it? A fake mage wouldn’t be able to kill the sea beast or capture the entire Gryphon Legion.”

The Duke found it hard to believe that a child like Aresia could pull off such a disguise.

Aresia told him, “When I received the inherited memories, I also inherited the teacher’s belongings, such as this ring.” She raised her thumb, showing him the ring. “This ring is not an ordinary spatial ring. Its space is extremely vast, and there is a sealed part. As I continue to learn from the inherited memories, the seal gradually unlocks. For example, the seal on the sea beast meat has been unlocked. Besides that, there are other powerful things within that are enough for me to disguise as a mage.”

“And I drugged the Gryphon.”

Aresia wasn’t good at acting, and her lying skills were average at best. However, she had become accustomed to maintaining her appearance and not revealing any abnormalities.

This greatly helped her, especially during this conversation.

Her demeanor didn’t betray any signs of deceit, and after hearing her words, the Duke finally believed her.

He still had some questions he couldn’t understand. “Why did you do all this? Why did you choose to be an eight-level mage instead of a seven-ranked mage? After all, the entire Holy Lotean Empire only have a single powerful mage like that.”

Aresia looked at the Duke seriously and explained, “I did this not for fun but because the inherited memories compelled me to do so. I cannot ignore them or study them openly. Due to my age, others would not believe in my abilities. I cannot explain the source of my knowledge. If I were to use my identity, it would bring great danger to the Duke’s Mansion and even the Holy Lotean Empire. So, I need a strong identity to ensure everyone’s safety.”

“Being a seventh-level mage is not enough to achieve my goal.”

While a level seven mage was indeed powerful, they were not intimidating enough to deter others, and they might even attract more danger. The Duke understood this very well, especially after witnessing what Aresia had acquired. Some things were not only coveted but could also change the world, like the contract with the magical beasts.

In the face of such tempting interests, it was difficult to rely solely on a seventh-level mage. They needed someone more powerful.

The deeper he delved into the matter, the more guilty the Duke felt. Aresia had to do all this because he wasn’t strong enough to protect her.

In the end, he sighed and compromised. “Alright, maybe it’s for the best. Can you guarantee your safety while disguised as a mage?”

“Is it really possible for someone to become a mage, the embodiment of power, just by inheriting memories?”

With a smile, Aresia reassured her father, “Father, when I inherited the memories, I also inherited many magical artifacts from the memory’s owner. It’s enough for me to disguise as a mage.”

In reality, there were no magical artifacts. If they were needed, Aresia would have to acquire them, and the explanation for her sudden increase in power wouldn’t be reasonable at her current level.

At this moment, Aresia mentioned, “Father, I should be breaking through to level five soon.”

Upon hearing this, the Duke, who was originally marveling at how strong the ninth-level occupation of Saint Mage was, was immediately brought back to his senses by Aresia’s words. He asked in surprise, “So fast?”

The last time they met, Aresia had just upgraded to level four due to the inheritance of memories. But now, within a month and a half, she had reached level five?

A fifteen-year-old fifth-level mage was probably rare not only among humans but also among intelligent races. It was inconceivable.

Could it be due to the consumption of magical potions?

The Duke’s frown deepened. He was concerned that rapid growth might cause harm. It was like using potions to enhance one’s power, which provided false strength but made one weaker in the long run. Aresia’s rapid progress made him worry even more.

Repeatedly ensuring that this increase in power wouldn’t cause harm, the Duke reluctantly allowed her to continue.

He was even somewhat relieved. Aresia’s progress in strength was not unrelated to her efforts and intelligence. The stronger she became, the more she could protect herself.

But before parting ways, the Duke reminded Aresia not to tell Amos about her current strength. It would probably be a blow to him if his younger sister surpassed him. After all, the Duke was planning to savor the pride of having a son who was proud of his talents before letting Aresia deal him a blow.

Aresia chuckled, “Of course, Father.”

The Duke finally understood Aresia’s progress and let go of his concerns. It was getting late, so he asked Aresia to rest while he changed his clothes for the evening banquet.

“Thank you,” he said.

“About the long-distance magic teleportation array. If Father is interested, I’ll explain it to you another time.”

After Aresia finished speaking, she considerately closed the door, leaving the Duke dumbfounded by her explanation.

Now that the Duke understood and supported her, Aresia felt a sense of joy and went to find her clone at the plaza.

The banquet was about to begin, so the mages were asked to return and prepare for the feast. It wouldn’t do to continue standing here.

She let the clone stay in Isis’s identity and left the square. Aresia planned to go to Isis’s room and change the mage robe for the clone.

As they walked, Aresia glanced at the chaotic scene. The elite members of the Gryphon Legion, including the vice-commander, had accompanied the Duke. With a total of three thousand soldiers and five hundred magical beasts, the number of attendees was considerable. Due to the size of the magical beasts, some knights were arranged to have their dinner on the square.