Sixth Ring Wizard

"Mr. Herag, will you continue to the late-night banquet or...?" Hu En caught up and asked with his head lowered.

Herag stretched lazily, "I'm going back to rest; I won't be attending the banquet any longer."

"Alright, then I wish Mr. Herag a good rest," Hu En nodded and smiled.

When Herag returned to his lodging in the palace, he found the two maids still waiting at the door.

"Does the master need a bath?" the maid asked with her head lowered.

"A bath?" Herag realized it had been days since he'd last bathed, and nodded, "Yes, you can go prepare it."

"Yes," a maid responded softly and then withdrew to make the preparations.

The room Herag stayed in had a large bathtub, which should be quite comfortable for soaking.

Shortly after the maid left, she returned to report at the door, "Sir, the water is being prepared; it will be ready shortly."

"Hmm," Herag nodded and lay down on the bed.

In this world, taking a bath was quite troublesome. It required boiling water on-site and carrying buckets of it to the bathtub; there were no water pipes or anything like that.

After more than half an hour, four strong guards came with wooden buckets. Steam was rising from the hot water inside, indicating it had just come off the boil.

After pouring the hot water into the bathtub, the guards returned with two buckets of cold water. After pouring one bucket, one of them said, "Sir, please check if the temperature is suitable. If it's too hot, we'll add more cold water."

Herag walked to the bathtub, dipped his hand in to check the water temperature, and remarked, "It's about right. You can leave now."

The guards quickly retreated, but the two maids remained.

Herag turned back, "What are you still standing there for?"

The maids lowered their heads, "We're here to serve you during the bath, sir."

Herag laughed, "I know. What I meant was, why are you still standing? Take off your clothes."

The two maids exchanged a glance, a slight blush on their faces, and then slowly began to undress.

Herag knew they misunderstood him, but he didn't stop them.

...

The next morning, Herag pushed aside the fair arms draped over him and got up to dress.

"It's fine once in a while, but I can't live like a decadent noble," Herag thought after getting up, then meditated for a while to calm his mind and dispel many stray thoughts.

After leaving the room, he immediately saw Hu En and his three sons outside the palace.

"Mr. Herag is awake. Did you rest well last night?" Hu En asked with a smile.

"Not bad," Herag nodded.

Hu En smiled, "That's good to hear. Oh, and Mr. Herag, I'm feeling much better now. The wound has healed a lot; it was difficult before."

"Hmm, it's just a superficial wound now. It won't take long to heal completely," Herag remarked.

"Thank you, Mr. Herag, for saving my father. Josh is very grateful!" Josh expressed gratefully.

Herag glanced at the sky and said, "I need to go out; I'll be leaving in a couple of days, so I won't bother you for long."

Hu En quickly replied, "Mr. Herag, it's no bother at all; we're more than happy to have you here. If possible, please stay longer, and we'll provide whatever you need. By the way, where is Mr. Herag going? Maybe I can help."

He promptly offered assistance, as it was rare for something in Markfield City to be beyond his reach.

"Hmm... alright, I was planning to visit the Adventurers' Association," Herag thought, realizing Hu En might be able to help.

"The Adventurers' Association? What is Mr. Herag planning to do there?" Hu En felt a vague sense of foreboding.

"I'm planning to find that thief named Robert and ask him some questions," Herag said casually.

Hu En laughed, "Such a small matter shouldn't trouble Mr. Herag. Don't worry; I'm well acquainted with the people at the Adventurers' Association. I'll just have to talk to them. But be prepared; Robert is quite elusive and may not be in Markfield City."

"No problem, I just need to know where he is," Herag decided to find this Grand Knight-Level Thief to ask some questions.

Hu En nodded with a playful smile, "I'll go inquire for Mr. Herag right away."

"Then I'll wait for your news," Herag turned back into the room, preparing to continue his meditation practice.

The reason he wanted to find Robert was simple: he wanted to ask about the origin of the Resentful Doll. He needed to know where it came from to make future plans.

If Herag guessed correctly, the source of the Resentful Doll wouldn't just have one type of casting material; there must be other valuable things there.

However, such a place might also harbor dangers that needed to be assessed carefully after gathering more information.

Count Hu En was very efficient. Within just an hour, he personally came to report back.

"Not in Markfield City?" Herag asked, casually popping a grape into his mouth.

Hu En wiped sweat from his forehead, "Yes, I just consulted the chairman of Markfield City's Adventurers' Association. Robert went out a couple of days ago."

"Where did he go?" Herag inquired.

"The information suggests he's on a mission in Storm City, tasked with protecting a noble," Hu En explained.

"Storm City?" Herag recalled the map and realized it was south of Markfield City, outside the jurisdiction of the Tasoni Territory.

"It's under Duke Theodore's domain. If Mr. Herag plans to go, I can write you a letter of introduction," Hu En offered.

Herag gave him a sidelong glance and smiled, "Sure, write me the introduction letter. I'll set off right away."

"Now? So urgently?" Count Hu En was quite surprised.

"I don't have much to do here; if I delay, I might lose track of Robert," Herag decisively began packing his belongings.

Seeing Herag's determination to leave, Hu En remarked, "I'll arrange it for Mr. Herag immediately."

Hu En quickly got Herag a carriage and a robust coachman.

He had also arranged for the two maids who served Herag the previous night.

"No need for the maids; I'm not going out for leisure," Herag refused, having no time to take care of them, nor could he cast them aside once he was tired of them.

For nobles, these maids were just property. Staying in the castle ensured a secure life; outside, once leaving Herag, they lacked even basic survival skills.