Inside the carriage.

  Yancey chuckled warmly, the sound rumbling comfortably in the confined space. "We have already arranged a residence for Lord Pierce. It comes fully furnished; you can move in immediately without concern."

  Eunon quickly added, "However, considering that most Wizards prefer to establish their own defensive wards and alarm arrays personally to ensure absolute security, we have deliberately not installed any magical protections in the residence."

  "Thank you. You two Lords can just call me Pierce," Pierce replied with a polite, measured smile.

  The smiles on Yancey and Eunon’s faces deepened. They naturally wouldn't refuse an opportunity to build rapport with a rising star like Pierce—a seventeen-year-old Formal Wizard was an asset worth cultivating—and their tone became noticeably less bureaucratic.

  "As for servants, if you require them, we can make arrangements," Yancey offered. "Of course, if you prefer to select them yourself, there are specialized slave markets in the Inner City. They sell qualified, magically trained servants with strict quality guarantees. You can purchase them there."

  Pierce nodded in understanding.

  Wizards were creatures defined by paranoia.

  Crucial security measures like home defensive arrays could never be entrusted to others; only by setting them up personally could one sleep soundly.

  The same logic applied to servants.

  If he let the Wizard Management Department arrange his staff, who knew if a spy from a rival faction would be planted among them?

  Just to be safe, buying them himself was the wiser option.

  The three chatted casually for a while until the carriage trembled imperceptibly and began to slow down.

  Pierce lifted the heavy velvet curtain and looked out. They had arrived at the Ring of Truth.

  A majestic, towering white rampart dominated his vision. The smooth, seamless wall extended endlessly to both sides, radiating a faint, oppressive hum.

  Looking up from the base, the wall seemed to pierce the heavens, bisecting the sky itself.

  The material of the wall was neither metal nor stone. It seemed to possess the property of isolating mental perception.

  The moment Pierce extended his mental sensing towards it, the energy was absorbed without a trace, unable to penetrate even an inch.

  Directly ahead, a massive gate—over a hundred meters high and nearly thirty meters wide—stood open. A squad of fully armed soldiers with formidable auras guarded the entrance.

  They stood rigid and vigilant, scrutinizing the flow of people and carriages with sharp eyes.

  As the carriage passed through the gate, Pierce keenly felt a scanning fluctuation sweep across the vehicle. It wasn't until a small object inside Yancey's sleeve vibrated in response that the fluctuation receded.

  Moments later, they passed through the gatehouse tunnel and entered the Inner City.

  Pierce looked out the window, watching the streetscape flash by, a nostalgic glint in his eyes.

  Architecturally, the Inner City wasn't drastically different from the Outer City, merely more refined.

  The true disparity lay in the integration of magic into daily life.

  Pierce could clearly sense the ripples of energy particles permeating the buildings and streets.

  Magelamps lined the roads, glowing with steady light; fountains in the plazas flowed with permanently enchanted water cycles; Earth Golems lumbered past, carrying heavy stone construction materials effortlessly.

  Here, magic was not just a weapon, but a utility woven into every aspect of existence.

  This was a level of civilization the Outer City couldn't hope to match.

  The carriage turned a corner, and a cluster of majestic towers rising in the distance came into view.

  The Wizard Towers.

  Dozens of them stood like spears piercing the sky.

  Pierce had lived within the Ring of Truth for over a decade in his youth; this skyline was etched into his memory.

  The Inner City was roughly divided into five sectors. The center was the domain of the Wizard Towers.

  That was the seat of the Council of Dawn, the beating heart of Aurora City.

  Almost every Wizard of Rank 4 or higher resided there. Each tower represented a powerhouse capable of leveling mountains.

  To the west of the Towers lay the direct agencies of the Council—the Golem Department, Potion Department, Magic Tool Department—as well as the headquarters of the Silver Legion.

  To the east lay the Residential District for Wizards, Pierce's destination.

  Typically, newly advanced Wizards were allocated a townhouse or mansion in the East District upon entering the Inner City.

  To the north lay the estates of the Great Wizard Families.

  These clans, with histories spanning centuries and countless members, occupied vast, interconnected compounds. They existed in a separate world from the meritocratic Wizards of the East District, rarely interacting socially.

  To the south lay the Commercial District.

  This was the economic hub, housing shops for daily needs, arcane resources, slave markets, auction houses, and coliseums.

  The carriage was currently cutting through this district.

  The streets were bustling with noise and dense crowds.

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  Wizard Apprentices, a rare sight in the Outer City, were everywhere here.

  Non-human races—Barbarians, Elves, Gnomes—were also common sights.

  Pierce scanned the crowd casually. Most of these non-humans possessed strength equivalent to Grand Knights, with a fair few reaching the Legendary Knight level.

  They were mostly followers or servants of Wizards.

  Pierce even spotted a Succubus walking down the street with a swaying, arrogant gait.

  She was dressed provocatively, straps of black leather barely covering her vital areas, leaving acres of flawless, milky-white skin exposed. The curve of her back was exquisite, her thighs plump and round.

  A pair of bat-like wings folded against her back, and a black, spade-tipped tail curled from behind her, tracing the inside of her thigh, accentuating the porcelain quality of her skin.

  Meeting Pierce's gaze, the Succubus giggled. She winked and licked her lips with deliberate, predatory seduction.

  Yancey noticed the exchange and chuckled. "That Succubus is Lios's pet. That guy is a notorious lecher. He wasn't satisfied with his harem of elf and beastkin slaves; he specially imported a Succubus to 'change the flavor,' as he puts it."

  Eunon laughed. "The Abyss is a harsh place. Succubi are physically weak among demons, so they survive by pleasing the strong. Their... technical skills are legendary. I wonder if Lios's scrawny frame can even survive her attentions?"

  The two burst into laughter.

  A faint smile touched Pierce's lips.

  He wasn't surprised by this Lios character.

  Not all Wizards were research maniacs or ascetic cultivators.

  Some, realizing they had hit their potential ceiling, chose to pivot—enjoying the immense status, wealth, and power that came with the title.

  Their pursuit shifted from knowledge to hedonism: gourmet food, luxury, and lust.

  And in the realm of lust, the Succubus was the apex predator.

  To describe a Succubus as merely "beautiful" was an understatement. They were the physical manifestation of desire itself.

  Whatever your ideal partner looked like, the Succubus could mirror that fantasy. Flawless. Perfect.

  This was why, despite being low-tier combatants in the Abyss, they were infamous across the multiverse.

  As she walked, the Succubus drew eyes like a magnet. Some pedestrians with weaker wills simply froze in place, staring at her swaying hips with glazed, infatuated expressions.

  Only Formal Wizards with powerful minds, like Pierce and Yancey, could shrug off her natural charm aura effortlessly.

  As they conversed, the carriage left the temptress behind.

  Minutes later, they exited the Commercial District and entered the quiet, tree-lined streets of the East District.

  Countless mansions lined the roads.

  Externally, each estate occupied only two or three hundred square meters—modest by noble standards.

  But Pierce knew better. Spatial Expansion Technology was standard here; the interiors would be vastly larger than the exteriors suggested.

  Finally, the carriage halted in front of a mansion with a distinct classical aesthetic.

  Waiting by the gate was a middle-aged man in crisp, professional attire. He looked capable and sharp.

  Pierce glanced at him.

  A Level 3 Wizard Apprentice.

  As the trio disembarked, the man stepped forward and bowed deeply. "My Lords. This humble one is named Tobin. I was ordered to await your arrival. If you require anything, please command me."

  Yancey acknowledged him with a faint grunt, his expression impassive. Turning to Pierce, however, he smiled warmly. "He is an officer from the Wizard Management Department, responsible for maintaining vacant properties. He is here to give you the tour. Also, if you need to purchase supplies or furniture in the coming days, you can delegate the tasks to him."

  Pierce nodded. "Tobin, show us the property."

  "Yes, Lord."

  Tobin straightened up and led them inside, narrating the features of the house with the practiced ease of a curator.

  As Pierce expected, the interior was a different world.

  While the exterior suggested a modest townhouse, the entry hall alone was as grand as a castle's.

  Decorated in tones of gold and linen grey, an elegant bronze chandelier hung from a vaulted ceiling far too high to fit inside the external roof. Soft red carpets dampened their footsteps.

  Luxurious, yet tasteful.

  And this was just the first floor.

  The mansion had three levels.

  The first floor alone contained over a hundred rooms. The upper floors had fewer, but larger suites.

  According to Tobin, the mansion could comfortably house two hundred people without crowding.

  Crucially, it came equipped with a Spell Laboratory, a Potion Room, and an Enchanting Workshop.

  Beneath the structure lay a magically reinforced basement—or rather, an underground plaza—spanning nearly two thousand square meters, perfect for large-scale or volatile experiments.

  After the tour, Pierce remained outwardly calm but was inwardly very satisfied.

  This mansion completely outclassed his old apartment. The integrated facilities meant he no longer needed to commute to The Spire Academy for his work.

  "Well? Are you satisfied?" Yancey asked with a chuckle. "If not, there are other vacancies. You may choose at will."

  "No need. This one is excellent," Pierce smiled.

  Yancey nodded. He pointed at Tobin. "If you wish to buy servants, have him guide you. Having someone familiar with the slave markets will save you a lot of trouble."

  Pierce glanced at Tobin, who puffed out his chest slightly, and nodded.

  "One last thing. This is your Pass for the Ring of Truth."

  Yancey handed Pierce a metallic card etched with complex runes.

  "You must carry this to enter or leave the Inner City. Replacing it is a bureaucratic nightmare, so keep it safe."

  Pierce understood. The scanning fluctuation at the gate must have been verifying these cards.

  He thanked them and stowed the card in his Bag of Holding.

  Their business concluded, Yancey and Eunon exchanged Arcane Marks with Pierce—a magical method of exchanging contact information—and took their leave.

  "You may go, Tobin. I will summon you if I need anything," Pierce dismissed the steward.

  Tobin bowed, left his own contact mark, and departed respectfully.

  In the blink of an eye, Pierce stood alone in the vast, silent hall.

  "Setting up protective wards and alarm traps for a place this size will be a massive project," he mused.

  "Forget it. I'll build it up slowly."

  He turned and left the mansion, intending to return to his apartment in the Outer City.

  He didn't have much to pack, but Eve was still waiting there. If he forgot the little sprite, she would probably cry for days.

  Unexpectedly, just as he reached the gate, he saw two figures approaching.

  The leader was a man in grey robes with restrained mental fluctuations and deep, bright eyes. Clearly a Wizard. He appeared to be in his thirties, though appearances were deceiving for magic users.

  The second figure surprised Pierce.

  It was Ingram.

  The young apprentice was looking at Pierce with a profoundly complicated expression.

  "Lord Pierce. Forgive the presumptuous visit," the leader said, placing his right hand over his heart in a formal greeting.

  "My name is Innis. I am Yuna's uncle."

  Uncle?

  Pierce glanced at Ingram and noted the family resemblance—about fifty or sixty percent similar to Innis. He understood immediately.

  Since they were technically "allies" via Yuna and Morven, Pierce couldn't turn them away. He stepped aside. "Please, come in."

  Innis thanked him with a smile and entered with Ingram.

  Once seated in the grand hall, Pierce asked, "What brings Lord Innis here?"

  Innis smiled faintly. He placed an exquisitely crafted wooden box on the coffee table.

  "I am here primarily to represent House Innis in congratulating Lord Pierce on your advancement to Wizard. This is a small token of our respect."

  Seeing Pierce raise an eyebrow as if to decline, Innis hurried to add, "You are Lord Morven's student, which makes you a friend of our family. It is only right and proper that we celebrate your success. Please, do not refuse."

  Since it was put that way, Pierce accepted the gift graciously.

  Seeing Pierce take the box, Ingram's tense expression relaxed into a bright smile, and his attitude became even more enthusiastic.

  "Our family has some influence here in the Inner City. If Lord Pierce ever needs assistance, please ask. If it is within our power, we will not refuse."

  "Then I thank Lord Innis in advance," Pierce said politely.

  Beside him, Ingram watched his father chatting and laughing with Pierce, his heart heavy with complex emotions.

  He and Pierce were the same age. They had entered The Spire Academy in the same year.

  But while Ingram was still struggling to construct Will Runes, Pierce had already ascended to the rank of a Formal Wizard.

  Even though he had suspected during the trials that Pierce was close, hearing the confirmation was still a shock to the system.

  A Formal Wizard at seventeen... That was an achievement even his idolized cousin Yuna hadn't managed.

  It was a height Ingram knew he would never reach in his lifetime.

  Looking at Pierce, who conversed effortlessly with his father as an equal, and feeling the deep, abyssal aura radiating from his former classmate, Ingram sighed internally.

  He completely extinguished any lingering thoughts of rivalry.

  Some geniuses were simply born to soar in skies others could only dream of.