Veil of Destiny

Chapter 4 A Nobleman's Winter Pursuits

The city of Etherea lay blanketed in a shimmering layer of snow, sunlight refracting through the icy branches to create a dazzling display of colors,all the dirt and ugliness in the city seemed to have been cleaned up. The winter had come early this year, much to the delight of the city's nobles and the wealthy. It was the perfect opportunity for the ladies of society to flaunt their latest winter fashion.

In stark contrast, the southwestern district of Soren was the city's neglected slum, home to those eking out a living through menial labor,people engaged in various low-level occupations gather here, and this is also a paradise for criminals. For the inhabitants of Soren, winter brought nothing but hardship: dilapidated houses need to be repaired, and winter clothing and fuel need to be prepared.

On the outskirts of Soren stood Dorian, eyeing his new abode with satisfaction. The old two-story building, though situated in a less desirable part of town near a small cemetery and surrounded by towering oak trees, was perfect for his needs.Even on a sunny day, this place appears somewhat eerie.

Dorian cheerfully entered the house. It had been vacant for some time, with dust and cobwebs covering the sparse furniture. The blinds were mostly inoperable, and a wooden staircase led to the second floor where three rooms awaited. He intended to use the large room as his study, while the two smaller ones would serve as storage and a makeshift laboratory. Who knows what Dorian could experiment and create? At least for now, it's not possible.

Due to its unique geographical location, Dorian was able to acquire the small building for a mere 50 gold coins, which just a week ago would have been equivalent to Dorian's annual living and tuition expenses. However, Dorian now has 350 gold coins in his pocket. The staff he seized from the mercenary mage a week ago turned out to be of good quality, with a decent grade of aquamarine stone on it, which is quite beneficial for mages who specialize in water-based spells. Thanks to Dorian's remarkable achievements, single-handedly taking down two warriors and a mage, Reginald and the others unanimously agreed that the staff should rightfully belong to Dorian. However, after spending a few days reflecting on the battle, Dorian came to the conclusion that the staff held little significance for him at present, so he decided to sell it for 400 gold coins.

Dorian had never had so much money before. Viscount Wilson, his father, only received around 300 gold coins in various rents and taxes throughout the year, leaving little surplus for his son. Besides, fallen aristocrats are still aristocrats, and they still have to pay attention to the necessary social etiquette.The heavy economic burden caused Viscount Wilson's temper to become increasingly irritable.

After another week of arranging the interior of the building, Dorian spent 20 gold coins on new furniture. Now, Dorian lay contentedly on the bed in his study (in his taste, having a bed in the study seemed perfectly fitting), surrounded by piles of gold coins. Only a fallen noble's son truly knew the extent of his longing for wealth. After countless rounds of counting, Dorian finally grew tired and fell into a deep sleep, waking up the next day well past sunrise.

"Ah...!" Dorian exclaimed as he stretched out in a massive yawn, leaping up from the bed. Several gold coins jingled and clinked as they fell to the floor. The sound was truly delightful to the ears.

Over the next month, Dorian frequented his new home, equipping it with various traps and mechanisms. His friends, Reginald and others, visited and contributed many mischievous yet occasionally brilliant ideas. Though their novice-level traps lacked power, their devious nature made them somewhat effective.

During this time, Dorian mastered a new spell, "Flame Finger," which allowed him to emit a small jet of flame from his finger. Despite its limited power, it was a valuable addition to his arsenal. He also discovered that his mental energy could serve as a tripping wire, though his attempts to harness this skill proved futile, but apart from the cat getting a little fatter from being fed, there has been no progress since the beginning of the month.Dorian finally realized that success cannot be achieved overnight. After his enthusiasm subsided, he started to loaf around with Ryder and the others again.