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When I handed back the book over to Felita, her pleasantly surprised look was an indescribable one.

Naturally, her fiery gaze also made me unconsciously look away.

I explained to Felita that there happened to be a travelling merchant who understood ancient writing passing by, so I paid him to help translate it. Although Felita was a bit skeptical, getting smoothly interpreted ancient texts was undoubtedly a good thing. It saved her many nights of work and made it so that she could go straight into the core content of the book.

She pounced on the book just like how a starved man bounces on bread.

I don’t know if she’ll be able to become stronger after reading these books, but seeing the happy expression on Felita’s face, I felt that it wouldn’t matter even if she doesn’t become stronger. What the slime said is right, the greater part of sorcerers have their own teachers and magic is the product of their knowledge being passed down generation after generation. But Felita has no teacher, she’s had to unceasingly absorb knowledge from studying books and grow step by step into her present level. This in itself can be called a miracle.

Felita stayed two days, day and night, attentively studying in the library room and read all of the translated ancient texts. When I saw Felita again, I found that her mental state wasn’t in a good condition. The dark circles under her eyes were so heavy that it seemed as if she had permanent smoky-effect makeup around her eyes. Her white hair was also disheveled and her magic robe in disarray. When she was holding onto the wall to support herself, I could see a faint black aura behind her.

After seeing me, Felita immediately staggered into my arms, took a deep breath, and buried her face into my chest. I patted her on the back. Felita rubbed herself against me for a good while before she recovered her spirit. Letting out a breath of turbid air, she said:

“Master, I……am just a little step away from the next level.”

Level 5 at greater perfection realm, the same state as Aleya.

Felita stretched out her hand and flames rose up in her palm. It curled up and shuttled through the air like a nimble little snake before ultimately disappearing. She used this as a way to prove to me that her control of magic had greatly improved to the point that she could play with a fireball in such a way.

Felita grinned foolishly with her face lifted upwards, as if she were waiting for praise.

Even though she’s about as tall as I am, I still stroked her head and used it as an excuse to help her brush her hair and let her lie on my lap. After helping her smoothen out her hair, I suddenly stretched out my hand and crushed the seemingly intangible black mist behind her.

When I opened my hand, several drops of black mud-like things fell onto the floor.

Felita didn’t notice anything at all, still squinting her eyes and clinging to me.

“Felita, did anything happen to you when you were reading?”

Felita rubbed her teeth against her lips and said after a moment of thinking:

“No. I just feel that I’ve been really tired for some unknown reason lately. My head also gets a little dizzy at night. It should be because I’ve read many books.”

“When did it start?”

“Mmm……about just before. After I finished reading the rest of the books, I read the last book on resurrection and studied it for a while. But that book’s very difficult, so I haven’t been able to understand it and I’ve failed the several experiments I tried.”

I rubbed her head:

“It’s best to not read that book again.”

Felita cutely nodded.

She said with a smile:

“But, as long as I’m by master’s side……I immediately feel clear-headed……moreover that fatigue disappeared very quickly.”

I smiled and didn’t comment.

The black mist that appeared behind Felita just now should be some kind of curse and it’s very likely Felita caught it while studying those magic spells. Although it wasn’t too clear in the beginning, the curse was clearly slowly draining Felita’s life force. No wonder the slime mentioned that it would be best to not contact such a grimoire. It appears as if this thing really isn’t some fortuitous encounter.

After Felita regained her spirit, she sat by my side and asked quietly:

“Master, do you think I’ll be able to pass through the barrier before Level 6?”

I didn’t react at first, but soon realized what she was talking about.

Whether it’s the Martial Path or Magic Path, Level 6 is a watershed. Following Level 6, including Level 6, there will be a tribulation to cross for each major level up. The tribulation from promoting from Level 5 to Level 6 is the ‘Heart Inquiry Tribulation’. If you’re unable to make it through, then you’ll halt at your current realm and it’ll be hard for you to make progress in your lifetime. This is also one of the reasons why Heji stopped his strength at Level 6 at greater perfection realm.

But I’ve almost never thought about this issue in the past. It’s because I taught Aleya personally, so if she can’t even get through a tribulation, then I, as her teacher, may as well kill myself with a block of tofu. I’m not worried for Aleya at all. All she needs to consider is how to improve her Sword Path cultivation. On account of her having a firm heart without any flaws, she’ll be able to overcome any test easily.

But it’s different for Felita.

I’m almost certain that she’ll screw up at the most critical joint. The more scars a person has in their heart, the harder the【Heart Inquiry】hurdle will be.

Using all my mental capacity to think about this issue, I found that I don’t have a totally effective way to help her out.

Fortunately, Felita has stopped over at the peak of Level 5 for now. Her realm is equal to that of Aleya’s and hasn’t progressed into the next stage. I consoled her:

“Don’t worry. My eyes for people is the best; if I say you can do it, then you can do it. It’s also fine if you can’t. Besides, in the case that it’s impossible for you, I’ll help you. There’s no need to be anxious, just prepare well and do your best.”

I spoke like a father consoling his daughter on the eve of the college entrance exam.

Speak of which, Felita and Moon are about the same age; they’re both 20 as of this year. If I don’t include my pre-transmigration age, then Felita’s actually three years older than me. But no matter how you look at this scene, it appears like I’m the older one.

Is this what people call maturity beyond one’s age??

After spending the morning with Felita, I changed my clothes as per usual and left my City Lord’s mansion to go for a stroll on the streets.

Ever since I caught Hunter prompting his lackey to beat people, I’ve gone out occasionally for a stroll. The pleasant way to put it would be that I’m mingling with the people incognito, but actually, it’s just that I’ve eaten and drank my fill in my City Lord’s mansion and have nothing to do, so I’m out here to find some fun.

It’s not about going out to rush to the rescue and save the masses out of disasters, but rather to let those people, who take advantage of their position to bully orders, understand a principle. This principle being ‘don’t believe yourself to be some character by being unbridled in West-Resisting City’. Since they’re doing things like using their power to suppress people, they should be prepared to be slapped in the face by other people.

In this world, the concept of class penetrates deep into its denizens. It isn’t rare to see upper-class nobles pushing around ordinary people. Such a thing also includes slavery. Even though the kingdom has proposed to abolish slavery several times, slavery contracts is still one of the most popular items in the market. Moon’s slavery contract was something I had to spend a lot of time and effort to earn at the time.

Therefore, I don’t plan on using my own power to change anything.

It’s too troublesome and also unnecessary because I also profit under such a system.

Wouldn’t it be too hypocritical to harp on about public morals degenerating every day while also consuming the fat and wealth of the people?

But when I wandered around this time, I didn’t find any interesting scenes. When I was about to go back, however, I ran into someone unexpected.