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After returning to Helia’s Castle, Vaan joined Helia Ashenborn for dinner in the Great Hall. The table and chairs were already set up, and the food was already laid out upon his arrival.

Surprisingly, only Helia Ashenborn was present at the dining table.

Helia Ashenborn waved her hand and dismissed Hester Thornton and the rest of the servants from the Great Hall, leaving Vaan and her alone.

“I’m sure you’ve already heard from Hester, but please join me for dinner, Sir Vahn,” Helia Ashenborn gestured to the seats in front of her before continuing, “You don’t have to worry about my daughters joining us for dinner.”

Evidently, Helia Ashenborn hadn’t overlooked her daughters’ attitude during their first meeting with Vaan and was aware of their condescending attitudes.

Yet despite that, Helia Ashenborn simply sent them to have dinner elsewhere instead of educating them about Vaan’s importance and how to treat him.

A dozen thoughts flashed across Vaan’s mind before he guessed it was Helia Ashenborn’s way of handling her children.

One of her children will eventually succeed her and become the new lord of Redpine City one day. But until then, she will only observe and select the most worthy successor among her children rather than nurture one from the start.

“I am flattered by Lord Helia’s consideration,” Vaan expressed his gratefulness before smiling wryly, “However, I’m afraid this will only make the young ladies dislike me even more. They will feel like I, a man, is more important than them.”

“Which is not wrong, though it isn’t generally the case,” Helia Ashenborn casually replied.

“However, behind you stands the Delarosa Household, and we have a business partnership. Thus, even if you are a man, your importance exceeds theirs.”

“If my daughters cannot collect the information to understand that much, then none of them are ready to succeed me,” Helia Ashenborn coolly stated.

Vaan silently acknowledged with a nod.

Sure enough, it was Helia Ashenborn’s way of raising her children. It was her way of testing her children and finding her successor.

“In any case, I’ve invited you to dinner with just the two of us, so we can discuss official business in private, Sir Vahn. You’ve been quite busy in the grand library, but I haven’t been idle either,” Helia Ashenborn brought up.

“Headmaster Tabitha has granted you permission to enter the academy and freely peruse the knowledge in the library. However, it is based on one condition.”

“Oh? What condition would that be, Lord Helia?” Vaan asked.

“Headmaster Tabitha’s condition is for you to work as a part-time library assistant in the academy,” Helia Ashenborn stated.

“If you agree, you can freely peruse the library knowledge, whether on-duty or off-duty. But in the case that the librarian finds your work inadequate, you can be dismissed from your job, and your library access will be revoked.”

“There’s no need for me to send a letter to Headmaster Tabitha if you agree to her condition. It will be taken as you have agreed if you step foot into Redpine Academy,” Helia Ashenborn informed him.

“I see…” Vaan uttered with a thoughtful look.

The condition to peruse the knowledge in the Redpine Academy’s library was not much different from his situation back in the Blackmoon Academy’s library.

So long as the librarian was easy-going and didn’t make things difficult for him, he would have an easier time in the academy.

‘Redpine Academy is a higher-rank magic academy than Blackmoon Academy. The knowledge in their library shouldn’t be too shabby. Even if the librarian is a difficult person to deal with, I can put up with it for the potential gain,’ Vaan mused.

“Also, I have also looked into obtaining an Atomic Visualizer for you, Sir Vahn. However, I must say I have underestimated the rarity and value of Atomic Visualizers,” Helia Ashenborn mentioned.

“Oh? Is it difficult to obtain one, Lord Helia?” Vaan inquired.

“It is. This is the main reason I wished to speak to you over dinner, Sir Vahn,” Helia Ashenborn stated before continuing, “There was actually one on the market. Unfortunately, I was a step too late.”

“It was purchased by Wise Scholar Sacha from the Redpine Academy not long ago. Although there is another Atomic Visualizer on the market. It’s not from the local market. I will have to fetch it from another city.”

“Furthermore, the price is not small. It will cost at least 120 high-rank mana stones to secure it,” Helia Ashenborn stated.

“120 high-rank mana stones are 12,000 low-rank mana stones… that is definitely not a small sum,” Vaan muttered in thought.

The currency in the seven witch kingdoms was divided into low and high currencies.

Low currencies include the most commonly used metal coins, such as copper, silver, and gold. Rarer metals also fall under the category of low currency.

On the other hand, high currency dealt with mana stones, which were divided into ranks based on their concentration of mana, ranging from low to high.

Higher ranks than high-rank mana stones exist but are generally not that common to be found on the market.

After contemplating for a moment, Vaan looked up at Helia Ashenborn.

“In other words, Lord Helia was hoping I could find a way to borrow the Atomic Visualizer from Wise Scholar Sacha—should I enter the academy?” Vaan asked.

“That’s right,” Helia Ashenborn confirmed with a nod and said, “If it’s not too much to ask, I was hoping you could borrow the Atomic Visualizer from Wise Scholar Sacha, Sir Vahn. It would certainly save me a lot of mana stones.”

“Furthermore, Wise Scholar Sacha is known to be quite a reasonable person. Given your excellence, Sir Vahn, I believe it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to gain her favor. The brats in the academy won’t trouble you if you have her protection.”

“Wise Scholar Sacha is someone who treats knowledgeable people very well if you can gain her acknowledgment,” Helia Ashenborn stated.

Most reasonable academics were like that.