A steaming bowl of meat broth, a small dish of fresh seasonal vegetables and fruit, three slices of buttered bread, and several desserts were brought out almost immediately.
Lance fell on the food without the slightest concern for appearances.
He had, after all, gone an entire day without eating.
Head Chef Hogg really knows how to read the room.
Even while he ate, Lance could not help reflecting on it. No one who survived for long in Viscount Lane's castle was simple. At the very least, everyone here had learned how to judge people's moods.
Hogg was a perfect example. He was responsible for feeding the viscount and his children. Normally, once mealtime had passed, Lance would have had trouble getting a spread like this.
Tonight, however, Hogg had somehow arranged a lavish meal for him in barely three minutes.
That was probably why the man had managed to remain head chef of the castle for nine years.
Lance did not particularly mind the servants' sudden eagerness to please him. If it meant better food, he was perfectly happy to accept it.
Nearby, Viscount Lane still held the beast hide in his hands.
He looked at Amman again, disbelief lingering in his eyes.
"Amman, is this really genuine?"
The old wizard answered with complete certainty.
"Without question. This is a standard Lesser Meditation rune. I cannot find a single flaw in it. Young Master Lance drew it with extraordinary precision."
Amman's expression grew increasingly astonished as he spoke.
"I find it difficult to believe that he completed a rune of this quality in only three minutes. Many Level 2 Wizards could not do the same."
He paused, then added, "If this level of talent continues, then I can only call him a genius in spellcraft."
Lane and the others exchanged looks.
They were ordinary people. They could not even properly perceive the rune on the beast hide.
Because Amman had warned them beforehand, none of them dared deliberately focus on it and try to interpret its structure. Spell runes possessed real power. An ordinary person who forced his mind to comprehend one could easily suffer severe mental damage.
Viscountess Nancy clearly found the situation impossible to accept.
She looked suspiciously at Lance, who was still eating as though nothing else mattered, then at Amman. The old wizard was every bit as shocked as the others, but there was unmistakable delight in his expression.
'There has to be some trick here.'
After thinking it over, Nancy could come up with only one explanation.
Did Amman accept something from Lance and deliberately falsify the result for him?
Otherwise, how could Lance possibly have changed overnight from a useless failure into a spellcasting genius?
Her face turned ashen.
Several times she almost spoke, only to stop when she saw the joy on Lane's face.
The viscount trusted Amman deeply. He was also notoriously protective of Lance. If Nancy openly accused the wizard of fraud without proof, she might only provoke her husband.
This isn't the right time.
Let the boy enjoy himself for a little while.
Nancy pressed down on Biqi's arm before the girl could protest and forced a smile onto her face.
"Then congratulations, Lance. It seems you truly learned quite a lot during the past six months."
Lance did not even notice the barbs hidden in her words.
He was simply too hungry.
He swallowed another mouthful of bread, took a long drink of hot broth, then looked up at the viscountess in confusion.
"Madam, did you say something just now? Sorry. I'm really starving."
Nancy nearly trembled with rage.
This time, she did not even bother pretending to smile. She gave a cold snort and turned her face away.
Lance glanced around the room, smiled and nodded at the delighted Irene, then returned his attention to the food.
...
The hall fell completely silent.
The only sound was Lance eating.
Everyone looked at one another.
Amman and Viscount Lane both wore smiles. Lane, who only moments earlier had been impatient to begin his monthly meeting, suddenly seemed to have all the time in the world. He simply sat and waited.
If the viscount was willing to wait, no one else dared complain.
Only after quite some time did Lance finally fill his stomach.
He let out a tremendous burp.
Lane normally placed great importance on etiquette, yet for once he tolerated his son's crude behavior.
Instead, he smiled.
"Are you full? If not, I'll have Hogg prepare more."
Lance shook his head.
"Thank you, Father, but I've eaten more than enough."
The viscount let out a long breath.
His expression became complicated.
He handed the beast hide back to Amman and said thoughtfully, "Since you can write this rune, it means you are ready to move on to the next stage of wizard training."
He paused.
"Forget what I said about the Church."
Lance's immediate future had changed with those few words.
"From now on, you will study under Amman every day. As for the cost..."
Lane frowned.
Studying magic consumed an enormous amount of money. Even for a man who controlled a large stretch of territory along the western coast, the amount Lance had spent during the past six months was not insignificant.
The first madam immediately sensed danger and interrupted.
"My dear, Lance's monthly expenses were already substantial, but studying magic requires investment. I think it would be best to maintain his previous allowance."
It sounded as though she were defending Lance.
In reality, Nancy was trying to prevent Lane from increasing his investment now that Lance had demonstrated real talent.
The fact that Lance could write the Lesser Meditation rune meant that becoming a wizard no longer seemed impossibly distant. At this point, Nancy considered it fortunate enough if Lane merely kept Lance's funding unchanged. She certainly did not expect him to reduce it.
Lane glanced at her and nodded.
"Very well. For now, it will remain unchanged. Three hundred gold coins each month."
Irene and Sabina looked at Lance with open envy.
Their own monthly allowances were only ten gold coins.
Lance received thirty times as much.
Biqi's reaction was entirely different. The jealousy and resentment in her eyes were almost impossible to hide. To her, the difference in treatment was unbearably unfair.
Nancy quietly let out a breath.
She was furious inside, but still had to maintain the appearance of being pleased for Lance.
"Thank you, Father."
Lance himself was not overly excited.
Magic truly devoured money. He could not support his training alone. Without the resources of the entire territory behind him, his chances of advancing would be slim.
Amman nodded in satisfaction.
"As for the cost of his studies, old friend, don't worry too much. In addition to the money you provide, I will supply Lance with some spellcasting materials myself."
Everyone in the hall was startled.
Lane's face lit up with surprise and pleasure.
Before tonight, Lance had merely been someone receiving lessons from Amman.
With that single promise, their relationship changed.
Lance would now become Amman's true disciple.
A student and a disciple were not the same thing. The latter relationship was far closer and carried much greater significance.
Lance understood this immediately.
"Thank you, Teacher."
Amman smiled and shook his head.
"You earned it."
...
The mood throughout the castle quickly changed.
Word that the viscount's second son had crossed the first threshold on the path to becoming a wizard spread at astonishing speed.
From the soldiers of the castle patrol to the stable hands and gardeners, servants throughout the estate discussed the news.
Back in the hall, Lane concluded Lance's test and motioned for the patrol captain and several other men to follow him to his study. Everyone else was free to leave.
Lance had just turned to go when his father called after him.
"Wait. Lance, you come to the study as well. Even if you don't understand these matters yet, listening will do you some good."
Lance had no choice but to obey.
The viscountess's expression became even darker.
Lance said goodbye to his sisters, then followed Amman and the unfamiliar men into Lane's study.
The moment they left the dining hall, the atmosphere became serious.
"Who will begin this month's reports?"
Lane cleared his throat and sat behind his desk.
"My lord, allow me."
A middle-aged man stepped forward. He smiled briefly at Lance, then handed an account ledger to the viscount.
"These are the tax revenues from the territory's five districts for this month. Please review them."
Lance searched through the memories he had inherited.
After a moment, he finally identified the man.
His name was Terry. He was the territory's tax officer and a cousin of Lane's second wife.
The meeting held in the viscount's study took place once every month. The officials responsible for the various parts of the territory gathered here and reported directly to their lord.
By having Lance sit in, Lane clearly intended to begin educating him in the management of the domain.
Lance therefore listened carefully.
At the same time, he silently ordered Fox to begin recording everything.
A good memory isn't as reliable as a written note.
And a written note isn't as reliable as a gene chip.