Chapter 81 - 80 Joyce’s Memories (Thanks to the legend of the beginning for the 5000 Points reward!)
Chapter 81: Chapter 80 Joyce’s Memories (Thanks to the legend of the beginning for the 5000 Points reward!)
Memories of the Kane Mansion.
A middle-aged man lay in the master bedroom bed, his face inexplicably flushed, looking gravely ill.
Next to the bed sat a young man, whose features somewhat resembled those of Butler Joyce.
“Cough, cough, I must look terrible, Joyce. You wouldn’t despise me, would you?”
The man on the sickbed still had the mood to joke, but the Joyce beside him wore a very sorrowful expression.
“Brandon…”
...
Joyce gazed at Viscount Kane lying on the bed, unwilling to see his childhood companion, who was like a brother to him, approaching the end brought by death.
But the severe internal damage caused by the failed breakthrough to Legend was beyond Joyce’s ability to heal, and what was more crucial was that Brandon’s source of Magic Power had completely collapsed. Even if a legendary Priest were present, they would be powerless to reverse the fate.
Moreover, he was but a Legendary Assassin, and Joyce had never felt so powerless.
“Hey, don’t look so downcast. You seem even more upset than I am.”
“You already know my condition. Although it’s excessive, this is both the first and last time.”
“I’ve actually had a premonition about the failure of the breakthrough, but I couldn’t resist. After all, it is the family’s most important and alluring secret.”
“After I die, Joyce, I entrust the care of Lis to you!”
“His mother passed away early, and I have been so absorbed in magic that I never properly looked after him.”
“Cough, cough—The legacy of the Kane family is in your hands now!”
“If Lis has the talent, then pass the legacy on to him.”
“If he is not up to it… then let that little girl I brought back inherit it!”
“Let her carry on the name of Kane and continue the family’s legacy.”
“As for Lis, even though it is just a diversion, the identity of Court Viscount in the Feis Kingdom is enough for him to live a stable life.”
“Just to live a safe and peaceful life.”
“To grow up, get married, have his own children… It’s a shame I won’t be able to see all that.”
“Cough… cough, cough!”
Brandon on the bed coughed violently, and his body, like an old bellows, was nearing the end of his life.
Joyce got up to pour a cup of hot water for Brandon, but was stopped by a firm grip on his wrist.
Joyce had never felt Brandon’s grip so strong before.
“I don’t have much time left.”
Brandon, disregarding the dark red blood he coughed up at the corner of his mouth, stared intently at Joyce.
“I’m sorry, Joyce, I’m going to break my promise.”
“Please, take care of Lis for me!”
Suddenly, Brandon’s hand relaxed, and he fell back onto the bed as if all his strength had been drained away.
Joyce’s outstretched hands hung in mid-air and he looked up at the ceiling, as if he didn’t want Brandon to see his current weakness.
—————
Butler Joyce returned from his daze of memories and shook his head.
How, in maintaining an elderly demeanor, had he himself also grown fond of reminiscing?
Considering that he’d been adopted by the Kane family, from his first meeting with Brandon to now, it had only been a little over fifty years—in the realm of Legends, he was still quite young!
Yet, looking at Lis now, he could see a reflection of the dashing and spirited Brandon of those days, and himself.
That settled it. Little Lis had already set foot on this path; the old master would surely have wished for him to do so.
Joyce, holding a few letters that had arrived fresh this morning, walked toward the mansion’s dining room.
Today’s breakfast was butter-fried fish, Northern smoked chicken, and fried eggs with potato cakes as Lis had specially requested.
There was no worry about leftovers, as Lis had also instructed the kitchen to prepare extra portions, knowing that with Angela the glutton around, no amount was too much.
These last few days, Lis had also realized that Angela was quite the homebody.
It was just that they were quite excited when they had just come out of the tomb, looking around everywhere.
Once the novelty wore off, they returned to their listless state.
Eat, then sleep; sleep, then eat!
Initially, Lis thought she hadn’t recovered from that battle.
But when he asked her yesterday, Angela looked at him with a puzzled expression, “Didn’t that little wound heal very quickly?”
Fine, you have a Duke-level Vampire heart, you’re awesome!
Just a little sucking and she healed, after all, she was close to a Legendary Vampire, and Angela didn’t yet have the capacity to digest the essence of the blood within.
Now, Angela had two hobbies.
One was to lie on top of the heart or on Lis’s head to sleep;
The other was to enjoy tasty food, fighting with Lis for the meals.
Lis tasted the butter-roasted fish made by his family’s chef, tender and fragrant, with a hint of salt and black pepper that was just perfect.
As Lis was enjoying the delicious food, the butler, Joyce, walked up to him as usual, and placed the recent correspondence on the table.
Lis glanced at them and noticed that this time they were all unimportant invitations, so he asked Joyce to handle them all for him.
However, this time Joyce didn’t leave; instead, he stood next to Lis and said,
“Young master, yesterday the servants discovered some Magic Books while cleaning the mansion. I had them sent to the old master’s Library. Would you like to go have a look?”
Magic Books!
Now those were some real treasures, as Lis had recently been studying all kinds of Magic Books and was about to finish all the stock he had here.
However, his father’s Library…
Truth be told, Lis had no memory at all of the previous Viscount Kane, whom he had never met, and there were none in the memories he received either.
He did have a recollection of the Library, where all the Kane family’s books were stored, including Magic Books.
The previous owner did go there once to take some Magic Books, but most were still kept there, guarded by a custodian.
Perfect! He could go check out what Magic Books were there; it would be great if there were any on Magic Rune.
Lis, who had recently been delving into Magic Rune, thought to himself.
He grabbed Angela’s short legs and picked her up, carrying her towards the Library.
Angela was too busy to resist, struggling to stuff the last large chicken leg into her mouth, getting oil all over her face.
—————
The Library was located at the innermost top floor of the mansion.
After Lis placed Angela, who had finished the chicken leg, on his head, he pushed open the door and entered.
A faint scent of ink filled the room, and the morning sunlight streamed in from the large floor-to-ceiling windows, making it feel like time itself slowed its pace here.
The books were neatly arranged on row after row of shelves, without a speck of dust—clearly, the librarian was doing their job well!
I wonder where Joyce put those Magic Books?
Lis began searching the shelves in front of him.
Basic Potion Making
On the Mastery Techniques of the Four Basic Elements
Advanced Elemental Theory – Basic Chapter
The Unspeakable Tales of the Princess and Me
…
Indeed, there were a wide variety of books, but many of them were of no use to Lis now.
He took the last two books he had just seen and tucked them under his arm out of habit, but his love for learning made it impossible for him to resist the temptation of knowledge.
At that moment, a cool and pleasant female voice suddenly sounded from behind a bookshelf.
“Who are you?”