Six days had passed since William, and Finch arrived at the Wargrave Ducal Estate, and in that time, they had immersed themselves in an experience far beyond their expectations. They spent the first day touring, but their exploration did not stop at the grand Ducal Estate itself; they ventured through the vast Wargrave territory as well, eager to understand what truly distinguished a Ducal land from a humble Barony.

William and Finch paid close attention to every detail, studying the terrain, the architecture, and even the atmosphere in an effort to grasp the true gulf of difference between their world and this higher-ranked domain.

And the difference was far greater than anything they had imagined. The clean, well-paved roads, the sophisticated infrastructure, the majestic buildings reinforced with elemental formations, the peaceful and serene air that carried no hint of danger, all these elements were so different from the simplicity of their own Barony.

They listened to the laughter of children running freely through the streets, the rhythmic humming of sellers advertising their wares, the calm conversations of townsfolk who lived without fear. Everything seemed almost surreal, like a scene pulled from a tale rather than an ordinary day of life. Even though they had always considered their Barony decent and sufficient, experiencing the magnificence of the Wargrave territory made them realize how narrow their worldview had been.

Hearing the locals casually mention that the Wargrave territory had not experienced a Monster Tide in ages left William and Finch speechless. They learned that the Wargraves routinely swept the surrounding forests, eliminating dangerous monsters long before they could gather in sufficient numbers to form a tide.

But, despite their strength, the Wargraves did not cleanse the forests entirely. They deliberately left enough monsters alive, ensuring constant opportunities for adventurers, mercenaries, and guild operatives within their territory. It was a perfect balance of security and sustainability, something William and Finch had never witnessed before.

During their tour, they also came across several statues of Duke Azeron Wargrave, erected proudly by the citizens in various locations throughout the territory. The imposing presence of those statues filled them with awe. Each statue seemed to embody the overwhelming difference in power, status, standard of living, economic stability, and governing capability, not merely among nobles, but between individuals who bore the responsibility of leading vast populations. The sight emphasized how far removed they were from the world of a Duke, and it left a deep impression on them.

Throughout their stay, both William and Finch trained diligently under the supervision of Instructor Elowen, focusing on refining their movement techniques, while also spending time with Instructor Clinton at the weapon training grounds. Their days were filled with effort and discipline. However, despite the intensive training, they did not experience any dramatic breakthroughs. Their progress was subtle, small improvements, slight increases in efficiency, minor refinements in form, but progress nonetheless.

Over those days, they also grew close to Lyra in a gentle, respectful way. They learned how to speak to her without sounding commanding or arrogant, understanding that her quiet loyalty came from sincerity rather than obligation. Lyra, in turn, was always quick to meet their needs and responded promptly whenever they called for her.

To her, life felt as though it had regained a purpose after a millennium of hollowness and emptiness. Although she knew her time with Asher and the others would only last a short while, it was enough to make her feel whole again. Coupled with her anticipation of breaking through to the next Life Rank, her world finally felt full.

Within the Wargrave Ducal Estate, inside the Tenth Sun's room, Asher sat with a calm and composed elegance. His gaze was fixed on the scenery beyond the window, where soft rays of sunlight reflected upon his face, casting a warm glow over his expression. Unlike William and Finch, he had not participated in their daily training, instead dedicating himself entirely to cultivation. He focused on drawing Astra energy into his Astra veins, strengthening them with each steady breath.

Asher had recently achieved a breakthrough, only a sub-Life Rank advancement, but a breakthrough nonetheless. He had now stepped into the Spark Blazestar Life Rank. A glass of juice rested in his hand as he quietly admired the outside view.

"Lyra," Asher called calmly, his voice devoid of emotion but carrying unmistakable familiarity. The door creaked open, and Lyra stepped inside, dressed neatly in her usual maid uniform.

"You called, Young Master," she said softly. Though she could not bring herself to address Asher by name, she had stopped bowing every few seconds. Of course, if anyone else was present, she would immediately revert to the traditional etiquette.

"As you know, I will be returning to the Star Academy today," Asher said. His words struck Lyra like a cold blade to the chest, yet she did not feel the same crushing emptiness she once would have felt.

"Yes, Young Master. I am aware. What preparations do you need me to make?" she asked, her expression steady.

"No major preparations are needed. I only need you to gather something for me." With a wave of his hand, battered pieces of armor clattered onto the floor, a damaged breastplate, vambraces, and greaves. These had been shattered by the Grave Rank Goblin's attack, which Asher had barely managed to block. He briefly wondered whether he would still be alive had he not raised his guard in time.

"I need you to get replacements for these armor parts," he said casually, taking another sip of juice.

Lyra observed the damaged equipment for a moment before speaking. "Do you require replacements of the same quality, or something superior? And how many of each should I prepare?"

Asher smiled faintly. He could tell that Lyra already understood his true intention. Although she did not know his exact method, she assumed he would use the same approach he had employed to secretly bring food into the Star Academy. He was planning to store the armor parts she brought him inside his system space and take them back without issue.

"Hm…" Asher fell into thought. It would be tempting to request hundreds of sets, after all, the Wargrave estate had plenty available. He could easily sell them within the Star Academy for points. But he knew such an action would draw unnecessary attention and suspicion. It was safer to use the armor for himself alone. And even if he did decide to sell anything, he would limit it only to William and Finch. Besides, with his talent and abilities, he was unlikely to struggle for points.

"Just bring me three sets of this particular quality, and seven sets of higher quality," he finally said. He had no intention of exploiting Lyra's access any further.

"As you command, Young Master," Lyra replied with a respectful nod before leaving the room. Within moments, she returned and neatly arranged the armor pieces on the floor with a graceful wave of her hand. Asher nodded in satisfaction and transferred them all into his system space.

"Anything else, Young Master?" Lyra asked. Asher shook his head. There was nothing more he required.

Just then, the door creaked open, and Finch and William entered.

"So, we're leaving, huh?" Finch said with a sigh. He was truly going to miss this place, the training grounds, the luxurious meals, the comfortable rooms, and of course, the maids.

"We are. This is the last day assigned to us. We can't stay here forever, can we?" Asher replied with an easy smile.

"That's true… sigh," William added. "Besides, we've missed many classes. We'll have to catch up."

Asher and Finch nodded. None of them were particularly bothered. It had only been a few days, and they only needed to make up the theoretical classes, a trivial matter for Asher.

Lyra turned toward William and Finch. "Young Lord Canestane, Young Lord Whale, it was a pleasure meeting both of you," she said, bowing gently.

"Thank you, Lyra," they replied with sincere smiles. Over the past days, the two had grown fond of her and found comfort in her presence.

Asher stood, approached them, and summoned a teleportation scroll into his hand. William and Finch mirrored him, retrieving their own from their space rings.

"Goodbye, Young Master," Lyra said, her face blooming into a soft, sweet smile.

"Thank you for everything, Lyra," Asher replied warmly.

Without further delay, Asher, William, and Finch tore their teleportation scrolls. In a streak of radiant white light, they vanished from the Wargrave Ducal territory.

Lyra remained still for a moment, staring at the space where they had stood. Her smile lingered softly. After a long breath, she turned toward the door, hope igniting quietly within her heart. She wished that by the next time she saw the Tenth Sun, she would have already stepped into the Wavestar Life Rank.

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