The necklace's allure had already captivated Fors, but its significance made it feel impossibly heavy in her hands. She looked up, reluctant but earnest. "This is too much, Mr. Door. I can't accept it!"
"I don't take back gifts I've given. If you don't like it, you can throw it away," Bethel said, shaking his head.
Throw it away? No way! Fors thought, still flustered.
The item was simply too precious for her.
Alaric chimed in, "Take it, Fors. Think of it as compensation for your mental distress. You won't have a moment's rest in the days ahead."
He paused, his smile turning mischievous. "Interested in a pile of assignments big enough to bury you?"
Fors' imagination kicked into overdrive, picturing herself drowned in a mountain of study materials and exercises. Suddenly, the necklace didn't seem that precious.
What chilled her more was that Mr. Door didn't contradict Lucifer's words.
So, there really are assignments that could bury me?
Fors took a deep breath, meeting Bethel's faintly encouraging smile. She didn't refuse further and put on the necklace, saying, "Thank you, Mr. Door."
"No need to thank me," Bethel replied with a satisfied smile, not bothering to clarify the assignments.
Because, well… given Fors' shaky foundation, Alaric's comment wasn't exactly wrong.
After presenting the gift, Bethel and Alaric didn't linger, bidding farewell and leaving.
Once they were gone, Fors lowered her head, touching the necklace. Then, she smacked her forehead against the desk.
"Ow, ow, ow… ugh, this isn't a dream."
Rubbing her head, tears of pain in her eyes, Fors glanced out at the crimson moon, her expression woebegone. "It's over. I can never be a slacker again."
…
"She seems to have impressed you," Alaric said, glancing at a visibly pleased Bethel as they left Fors' place.
"You should trust your own judgment," Bethel replied, nodding without denial. "She's indeed a fine young woman."
"Of course! My judgment's never wrong," Alaric said, unabashedly nodding. Then, as a thought struck him, he added, "But where's the Abraham family's main residence now?"
"Honestly, I don't know where their current base is. It's probably not somewhere I'm familiar with," Bethel said with a smile, looking at Alaric. "But going forward, they'll have a new one."
"Whoa!" Alaric raised an eyebrow, unsurprised.
They returned to Dorian's residence, where he was furiously writing letters, likely to other Abrahams.
"Ancestor, you're back," Dorian said, pausing his frantic scribbling to look at Bethel with a touch of unease.
His anxiety wasn't baseless... he was worried about Fors. Though he viewed his student through rose-tinted glasses and had overheard Bethel and Alaric's conversation about her promising future, he knew her lazy streak and feared she might have offended their ancestor.
Then he heard Bethel say, "Fors refused to be my student."
"..."
Fors, what are you doing?!
"Ancestor, please forgive... " Dorian began, instinctively pleading on her behalf.
But Bethel interrupted with a smile. "Don't you want to know why she refused?"
"Why?" Dorian asked, his plea stifled as he followed Bethel's lead.
"Because she already has you as her teacher," Bethel said plainly.
Dorian froze, wondering if he'd misheard. Confirming he hadn't, his emotions swirled... part frustration that Fors didn't seize the opportunity, part pride in her loyalty, confirming he hadn't chosen the wrong student.
Still, a hint of unease lingered as he cautiously glanced at his ancestor.
"Don't worry, I'm not upset. In fact, I'm pleased," Bethel said gently, not teasing further. "Talent is important, but character matters more. Fors made a good choice."
Dorian exhaled in relief, though a touch of regret remained.
He genuinely wanted Fors to become Bethel's student for the opportunities it would bring.
Bethel could tell what he was thinking and smiled. "Though Fors won't be my student, I still value her. She'll study under me alongside other promising Abraham members."
Dorian fully relaxed, though still a bit regretful.
After all, being "the sole student" was different from being "a favored junior in training."
But he couldn't blame Fors for her choice, only sighing inwardly.
…
Over the next few days, Bethel was incredibly busy.
He first secured a new location for the Abraham family's main residence. He transferred their remaining Sealed Artifacts there, dealing with those that had severe negative effects... shattering the ones that could be broken into Beyonder characteristics and resealing those that couldn't.
Next, Bethel sorted through the family's inherited texts, weeding out fabricated or unreliable parts. He organized the rest into categories and compiled a systematic mysticism curriculum, from beginner to advanced, ensuring future Abrahams would have a comprehensive learning path.
Additionally, he took stock of the family's current industries, resources, and wealth... a task far from small. Though diminished, the Abraham family, like a wrecked ship with a few sturdy nails, still had considerable worldly wealth.
The challenge was that, with family members scattered worldwide, their assets were a chaotic mess.
During Bethel's flurry of activity, Abraham family members gradually arrived at the new residence. Those responding to Mr. Door's call weren't few... about seventy to eighty percent of the family. The rest were resolute in living as ordinary people.
***
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