CHAPTER 120: SIEG'S VISIT; THE DRAGONS' DESCENDANTS

Putting down the Notes on Void Research in his hands, Wang Yu leaned back against the couch in the living room, lost in thought.

"This legendary Roland does have a very different perspective on the void compared to that magician, Egor. According to Roland, what Egor referred to as 'void affinity' is, more accurately, 'void authority'..."

Lately, Wang Yu had been studying Roland's Notes on Void Research, which he had conveniently acquired from the Minister of Finance. The treatise contained the legendary mage Roland's fundamental research on the void.

Within its pages, Wang Yu discovered that Roland's thoughts on the void differed greatly from the views presented in the magician's notes he had obtained from the bandit hideout.

Wang Yu had always considered Egor, a magician attempting to become a wizard, a genius. Despite lacking any talent for wizardry, he had, through sheer enthusiasm, researched and compiled a wealth of knowledge about the void.

In the end, he had even attempted to use soul-based magic to steal Avia's talent for wizardry, which Egor had called "void affinity."

In fact, Wang Yu had successfully embarked on wizardry following the void research outlined in Egor's studies. That was how he had obtained his latent ability, the starting point of wizardry. However, because Egor himself was not a wizard, all his research couldn't advance beyond a fundamental level.

As a result, Wang Yu later turned to the library in the forest academy to advance in wizardry. Egor had become an increasingly distant memory—at least until he acquired and began studying Roland's Notes. Even at a fundamental level, Roland and Egor had completely different views on wizardry.

Egor had identified talent for wizardry as "void affinity," an innate potential that could not be improved, whereas the legendary Roland considered it to be something akin to "authority."

Both viewpoints agreed that this talent would be difficult to improve—typically, a person's talent for wizardry, much like that for magic, was determined at birth and could be assessed through testing.

However, the fundamental difference lay in their perspectives on the void itself. One saw the void as a sentient entity, the favor of which determined an individual's "void affinity."

The other perceived the void as a machine. The higher one's "authority," the more void power one could access, and thus, the greater one's talent for wizardry.

Wang Yu was hardly a professional wizard, and his own talent was quite poor. It was difficult for him to judge which theory was correct.

Though Roland was undoubtedly one of the most legendary wizards, his era had long since passed. Later generations had built upon Roland's research for a long time—perhaps Egor had, in fact, successfully developed a new and more accurate theory.

"Still, the concept of 'authority' seems closer to the truth. Setting aside my own peculiarities, when the Voidblade gauntlet absorbs the void reserves of those entities it slays, could I actually be seizing their 'authority'?

"But that raises another question—who grants this 'authority'? The void itself? If so, doesn't that bring us back to the idea of void affinity—that the void simply grants it to those it favors...?"

Wang Yu felt exasperated. It seemed like he wouldn't find an answer anytime soon. His research into these matters had originally been aimed at determining whether or not he had a soul.

So far, all evidence suggested that he was incapable of using any soul-related abilities. He could neither perform astral projection nor generate spiritual tremors. His experiments seemed to point firmly toward the conclusion that he had no soul.

However, both Roland and Egor's research unequivocally stated that without a soul, it was impossible to become a wizard. Elemental beings possessed intelligence, yet none had ever become wizards. So if Wang Yu truly lacked a soul, how had he become a wizard?

"Dammit, it's all so paradoxical!" Wang Yu slumped back into the couch, feeling a bit frustrated. Despite acquiring more knowledge, he was still far from finding an answer to his problem.

"Forget it. There's no need to overthink something bordering on philosophical speculation. As long as it doesn't affect me, that's all that matters."

Wang Yu twisted and turned on the couch like he used to on Earth, then suddenly sat back up again. His frustration came simply from the feeling that all his research had amounted to nothing. But feeling troubled by it was out of the question.

People usually thought of Wang Yu as calm and serious, but in reality, he was just frighteningly strong-willed.

After sitting up, Wang Yu briefly considered what to do next. He decided to continue his training.

Just as he was about to get up, his ripples suddenly detected something. He turned his head toward the door, but quickly let down his guard upon recognizing who it was. Even so, a trace of curiosity remained.

Two sharp raps on the door were followed by Sieg's voice. "Wang Yu, are you home?"

"I'm here," Wang Yu replied, opening the door. Sieg stood outside, dressed in a thick coat, his signature smile on his face. However, his eyes were unmistakably fatigued.

"And where's Miss Avia?" Sieg asked casually.

"Still at the academy, studying magic and alchemy," Wang Yu replied. The girl's dedication to improving herself was almost as relentless as his own.

"She's really hardworking..." Sieg sighed.

"Come on in, Professor," Wang Yu invited Sieg inside.

"Thanks." The Professor stepped in, pulling along someone behind him.

"And who's this?" Wang Yu had noticed the person behind Sieg earlier—a child, from the looks of it.

"Oh, this is my younger sister, Noelle Anri. I'm here because of her, actually," Sieg introduced her.

Noelle pulled back the gray hood she had been wearing, revealing her face. She was a young girl, perhaps seven or eight years old. She had vibrant red hair, much like Wendy's, but softer and longer.

Her features hadn't yet fully developed yet due to her age, but she was undeniably adorable. It was obvious she would be a beauty in the future. What stood out the most, however, were the two slightly protruding horns on either side of her head and her striking golden eyes, whose pupils had a distinct dragon-like vertical slit.

Wang Yu wasn't sure why Sieg had brought his sister to see him. Considering Sieg's background, though... "Professor, if you don't mind me asking, how old is your sister?"

"By dragon standards, Noelle is about eight years old. But if we were to compare her age to that of a human, she would actually be older than you are."

Sieg sounded a little awkward. Despite his vast knowledge and wisdom, the fact that he had lived as a human for so long made him feel somewhat uneasy in this situation.

Wang Yu clicked his tongue. Based on the fact that she was eight years old as a dragon, he could roughly estimate Noelle's actual age. She wasn't just a little older than he was—she was at least fifty years older! The dragon race really was absurd.

"I need your help with something," Sieg said, adjusting his glasses. Ever since stepping into Wang Yu's home, he hadn't bothered maintaining his usual composure. His exhaustion was clearly visible.

Wang Yu was a person it was easy to reveal your true self to.

"No problem. If I can help, I definitely will. Professor, you look exhausted." Wang Yu placed some of Avia's homemade cookies on the table. The professor didn't touch them, but Noelle, who had been silent until now, ate them happily.

"There's no helping it. The truth is, the kingdom's internal investigations have run into major issues. Many noble families outwardly appear loyal but carry out their own plots in secret. What's that phrase you use?"

"Lip service."

"Right. This is a problem that has built up over time. The Charlemagne royal family has ruled for a very long time. As a result of this stability, the great noble families have gathered considerable power.

"The war in Selwyn was merely a trigger. In reality, even if external issues hadn't arisen, internal turmoil would have surfaced sooner or later. In fact, you could say that the war in Selwyn actually delayed the outbreak of internal chaos to some extent.

"But this winter has given these noble families a chance to recuperate and form new alliances. Since the Nightblades operate with a certain degree of independence from the nobles, it's only natural that these families have set their sights on us—whether to recruit us or to threaten us. We'll have to tread carefully."

Wang Yu thought about it—it made perfect sense. The temporary truce this winter had allowed those great nobles to recall their conscripted private soldiers from the frontlines.

Even Avia's grandfather had likely managed to retrieve most of his forces. The ambitious nobles wouldn't let such a rare opportunity slip away.

War brought losses, but those who seized opportunities and had enough influence were able to profit immensely as well. This applied not only to noble families but also to high-ranking ministers. Even the Minister of Finance's investment in Wang Yu was steeped in political maneuvering.

For these noble families, this was a prime opportunity to consolidate power. Naturally, they wouldn't pass up the chance to recruit the Nightblades, an independent yet formidable force. Thinking about all this, it was no surprise the Professor looked so exhausted.

"You've been working hard," Wang Yu said, sighing.

"A bit. Honestly, I envy you. Aren't you worried at all? Even Charles has temporarily returned to his family. He wasn't too happy about it, but his father offered a lot of money. Edward, on the other hand, has been quiet, but given his father's status as the Grand Duke of Lionheart, his position won't change regardless of who sits on the throne."

"I'm not from Aleisterre," Wang Yu said with a smile. "I work for the Nightblades largely because of Avia—and because you guys are great friends. When it comes down to it, I'm just an employee. I don't have much to do with this kingdom. All their scheming and maneuvering? It's none of my business. Of course, I do know that I've been able to avoid a lot of trouble thanks to you and the others shielding me. If you need my help, I definitely won't refuse."

Wang Yu's relaxed attitude made sense—he wasn't a citizen of Aleisterre. He worked diligently out of professionalism, not loyalty to the kingdom.

But he also understood why he could afford to be so carefree. It was thanks to the Professor, Hugin, and the other high-ranking members of the Nightblades. They took the heat, so lesser-known members like Wang Yu remained off the noble families' radar.

Without the Professor and the others, Wang Yu wouldn't have it this easy.

If Sieg needed his assistance in return, Wang Yu wouldn't hesitate.

"Ah, right. You were never from Aleisterre to begin with." The Professor nodded helplessly.

Wang Yu's words were a reminder to Sieg that he had little attachment to this kingdom. He had come on Fang's recommendation. If he wanted to leave, no one had the right to stop him. He was free.

"Actually, I'm the same," Sieg murmured, shaking his head. "It's just... when you stay in one place for too long, there are always things you can't bear to leave behind.

"Alright, then. That day, the entity that tried to kill me—you saw it too. It's not just after me. It's targeting my family—both my younger and older sisters.

"Noelle's current condition is actually a form of protection. Only half-dragons with impure blood manifest both human and dragon traits. A true dragon's transformation doesn't leave any physical traces.

"This has led to a lot of discrimination against her at school, and I can't guarantee her safety myself. I'd like her to stay at the Church of Nightfall for a while to study and learn from its members.

"And if the Lady of the Night is willing to offer her protection, that would be even better. That dark dome that appeared last time—it was her doing, wasn't it? Please convey my gratitude to her."

Sieg laid out his request. Considering the terrifying entity that had tried to kill him, Wang Yu became even more certain that there was far more to Sieg's background than he was aware of.

He glanced at Noelle, who was quietly munching on a cookie. Sieg had never mentioned this sister before. It seemed that the sudden summoning of that terrifying entity had pushed Sieg into a corner.

This wasn't a difficult request. Wang Yu had no reason to refuse his superior, who had always had his back. "No problem. After all, I'm supposed to be the archbishop of the church. Leave it to me."

"Thank you." Sieg stood up and bowed in gratitude. Wang Yu's immediate agreement warmed his heart.

"Ah, hold on a second. What a coincidence—I actually do need to visit the Church of Nightfall myself." A vision had appeared in his mindscape, an image transmitted by the Lady of the Night herself. Wang Yu's expression turned sharp.