Chapter 13: Chapter 13 – A Gift with a Purpose (2)

Eternia stared at the letter silently.

Her expression did not change.

But inside her mind, alarms immediately rang.

"Nothing in this world is free."

It was a lesson Shatter had learned painfully in his previous life.

Every gift carried a purpose.

Every favor created a debt.

Eternia folded the letter carefully.

Then she looked at the servants gathered around her.

"You may leave."

The maids hesitated.

"But—"

"I’ll handle it."

Her calm voice left no room for argument.

One by one, the servants bowed and departed.

Soon the hallway was empty again.

Eternia turned back toward the crates.

"...Let’s see what this ’gift’ contains."

She opened the first box.

Inside were neatly folded garments.

High-quality combat clothes designed for mage battles.

Lightweight.

Flexible.

Reinforced with mana-conductive thread.

Eternia examined the fabric carefully.

"...Expensive."

Far beyond anything an illegitimate child should normally receive.

She opened another crate.

Inside were several glass vials.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Mana elixirs.

Not simple recovery potions.

These were far more valuable.

Each one contained concentrated magical energy capable of accelerating a mage’s development dramatically.

Eternia lifted one carefully.

"...This will save months of training."

More importantly—

Mana elixirs could help her form her first mana ring much sooner than expected.

Mana rings were critical milestones in a mage’s development.

Once formed, they stabilized mana circulation and increased casting efficiency.

Obtaining such items through normal means would have taken years for someone in her position.

Yet someone had delivered them to her door.

Eternia placed the vial back in the crate.

"...Too generous."

Which only made the situation more suspicious.

She glanced again at the letter.

The meeting location was clearly written.

The Palace of Eternal Solace.

A quiet estate building often used by high-ranking members of the Sinclair family for private discussions.

Eternia folded the letter slowly.

The Palace of Eternal Solace stood on the far side of the Sinclair domain, surrounded by tall trees and elegant gardens illuminated by glowing mana lamps.

Eternia approached the entrance calmly.

Her silver hair shimmered under the soft lights as she stepped through the courtyard gates.

The building itself was strangely quiet.

Too quiet.

No guards.

No servants.

Just silence.

"...Suspicious."

She continued walking until she reached the central hall.

And there—

Someone was waiting.

A tall man stood near the center of the chamber.

His presence alone felt heavy.

Powerful.

His hair was dark gray, his expression sharp and battle-hardened. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

A long coat bearing the Sinclair crest hung over his shoulders.

But what truly caught Eternia’s attention was the weapon at his side.

A sword.

Not a staff.

Not a wand.

A sword.

Eternia stopped several meters away.

Recognition flickered in her mind.

Godfrey Ender Sinclair.

The War Mage of the Sinclair family.

Third in command of the entire defense force of the Sinclair domain.

A legendary battlefield mage known for combining swordsmanship with destructive magic.

One of the strongest individuals within the family.

Eternia frowned slightly.

"...Why is he here?"

Her confusion deepened when she noticed something else.

Godfrey’s hand rested calmly on the hilt of his sword.

Eternia opened her mouth.

"Were you the one who—"

But before she could finish—

Godfrey moved.

There was no warning.

No signal.

One moment he was standing calmly.

The next—

He vanished.

A flash of steel cut through the air.

The distance between them disappeared instantly.

And the sword was already descending toward her.