Chapter Fifteen: The Countess's Peculiar Indulgence

On the morning of the following day, a gentle ray of sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the floor of the room. Will had already emerged from his meditation, taking a deep breath. The cool air filled his lungs, bringing a refreshing clarity to his mind.

After carefully organizing everything he needed, Will finally stepped out of his room. As was his habit, he wandered leisurely around the entire Count’s estate, but this time his pace was noticeably slower. He had deliberately torn two small holes, each the size of a little finger, in the pockets of his trousers. With his fingers pressed against them, whenever he reached one of the predetermined locations, he would pause briefly, release the pocket’s hole, and reveal a small, round sphere. Casually, he would step on it, burying it beneath the earth’s surface.

All of this happened in an instant. Anyone observing Will would simply believe he was enjoying a relaxed stroll, occasionally pausing to admire some sight within the estate. Who could have guessed that beneath this seemingly aimless wandering, Will was laying down an enormous illusionary magic array throughout the entire Count’s manor?

Meanwhile, Ist stayed hidden in the shadows, his eyes sharp as a hawk, scrutinizing Will’s every movement, unwilling to overlook the slightest detail.

Will reached the rear garden. With the final sphere buried without a sound, he suddenly raised both hands and waved them twice in the air with precise rhythm, chanting, “Mist Spell!”

“Something seems off…”

Ist’s gaze locked onto Will, his brow furrowing unconsciously. Before he could react, a thin veil of mist began to rise around Will, rapidly thickening until it shrouded all nearby scenery in a dense fog.

“Hey!”

Almost by instinct, Ist burst from his hiding place, bellowing loudly. An intense aura erupted from his body, and a silver-white wolf emblem appeared, his fists clenched, and a surge of silvery energy exploded forth. He struck the misty ground with tremendous force; a thunderous boom resounded, and a massive crater was smashed into the earth. The violent gusts scattered the dense fog, revealing Will’s figure.

“What are you trying to do?!”

Ist charged forward, closing the distance in two strides, his eyes brimming with murderous intent as he glared furiously at Will. Yet Will seemed entirely unconcerned, dusting off the sand and grit from his clothes, looking up at Ist and replying with calm assurance, “What am I doing? Didn’t you see? I’m practicing magic—just a simple Mist Spell. Sir Ist, is there any need for such tension?”

“Hmph. Who can be sure you’re truly practicing magic? Perhaps you’re using the mist as cover to secretly do something else!”

Ist snorted coldly, his gaze openly hostile.

It was only at this moment that Will realized his previous assessment of Ist had been utterly mistaken. If he had once believed Ist to be a powerful and clever warrior, now, in Will’s eyes, Ist was simply a formidable guard, vigilant to all threats. He cared little for Will’s origins or identity; his sole concern was whether Will posed any danger to Wei Ling, the estate, or the entire Chels family, nothing more.

Will chuckled softly, addressing Ist, “Sir Ist, if you truly think so, there’s nothing I can do. I am a mage, just as you are a soul master. We must both find time to hone our skills and knowledge, so we can improve, don’t you agree? Of course, if you’re uneasy, you’re welcome to stand guard here. I don’t mind having a strong soul master as my protector.”

With that, Will waved his hand openly before Ist, as if preparing to cast the Mist Spell again. Ist, however, frowned, snorted, and turned away from the garden.

Watching Ist’s departing figure, Will knew better than to believe he had truly left. Still, for a brief moment, Will was afforded some time to take care of other matters.

The mist soon enveloped the surroundings once more, turning everything hazy. Seizing the opportunity, Will swiftly began to activate the illusionary magic array. Hidden by the thick fog, a faint glow flickered near Will, and a vague silhouette appeared, while Will himself gradually faded into obscurity.

――――――

From one perspective, Bill was unfortunate. Born into a declining noble family, he was only ten years old when, during a migration, his family was attacked by bandits and slaughtered.

Yet from another perspective, Bill was lucky. The bandits did not kill him but instead sold him as a slave to the slavers. Because he bore noble blood, Bill quickly caught the eye of a certain noblewoman, who bought him and took him home. This noblewoman was none other than the Countess Lister, renowned throughout the entire Vera Empire.

The Lister family had managed mines for generations, supplying the empire with weapons and equipment, enjoying tremendous prestige. The Countess Lister herself was even more prominent for three reasons: first, she had inherited the entire Lister family’s enterprises, including mines and armories; second, she had assumed her late husband’s title; and third, most importantly, was her bizarre obsession with young boys.

In the extravagant circles of the aristocracy, eccentric preferences were not uncommon. Most nobles had peculiar tastes, such as an affinity for men, but these were kept as discreet as possible, for such hobbies were hardly something to boast about in the eyes of ordinary folk. Yet Countess Lister was unique; she made no effort to conceal her perverse obsession, and in the Vera Empire, few were unaware of her notorious predilection.

Rumor had it that, aside from necessary guards, nearly all servants in the Lister Estate were handsome boys under thirteen. From garden craftsmen to personal attendants, every aspect of her daily life was served by these youths. The grand estate housed more than a hundred such boys, and even that did not satisfy the Countess. At a ball, she took a fancy to the child of a military general and forcibly brought him to her estate. When the general discovered this, he mobilized three thousand cavalrymen to surround the manor overnight, causing a stir in the royal court. By the next day, the whole empire was abuzz with gossip about the incident.