After ending the communication with my father, I felt the familiar notification pulse in my consciousness.

[Daily Login Available!]

[Would you like to claim your daily reward?]

I pressed yes without hesitation, curious about what today would bring after the recent string of useful items.

[Congratulations! You have received: Book of Hints]

A leather-bound book materialized in my hands, its cover unmarked except for a simple title embossed in silver: "Hint." The weight felt substantial, and I could sense faint magical energy emanating from its pages.

I opened it carefully, unsure what to expect. The first page was blank, but as I focused my attention on it, words began appearing in flowing script:

This book will provide one hint about imminent dangers facing those connected to the bearer. The hint will only appear when threats are immediate and significant.

My heart rate increased as I turned to the next page. More text materialized, and what I read made my blood run cold.

[Duke Marcus Blackwood has been ordered by King Aldric to eliminate the monster threat that has seized control of Thornhaven, a town within the Blackwood duchy. Intelligence reports indicate a Commander-rank beast leads the force, supported by dozens of Transcendent-rank creatures. The King will provide some support - three Transcendent guards and dozens of elite-rank guards as supplementary forces.

[Probability of Duke Marcus Blackwood's survival: 5%]

I stared at the page in complete shock, my hands trembling slightly as I processed the information. My father was being sent on what amounted to a suicide mission, and he hadn't mentioned a single word about it during our conversation mere minutes ago.

Why hadn't he told me? The answer came immediately, he didn't want me to worry. He was trying to protect me from the burden of knowledge about dangers I couldn't influence from the academy.

But that was unacceptable. I wasn't the same helpless person he thought I was anymore.

My mind raced through potential solutions. Could I stop him from going? Unlikely - refusing a direct royal command would be treason that could destroy our entire family. Could I accompany him? The academy would never permit it, and my Transcendent-rank strength would be useless against Commander-level threats anyway.

Then it hit me, I could give him better tools to survive.

The Royal-rank secret art I had just obtained from the shrine. The footwork technique that increased agility by ten percent even at the first stance, with presumably even greater benefits at higher levels. If my father could master even the basic forms before departing, it might provide the edge he needed to survive.

I grabbed my communication crystal and immediately contacted the carriage.

"This is Adrian Blackwood. I need immediate transportation to the Blackwood estate. Emergency priority."

"Young master, we can have a carriage at the academy gates within five minutes," came the swift response.

"Make it less," I commanded, already moving toward my dormitory to gather essential items.

As I packed, my thoughts continued racing. The communication crystal wouldn't work for this conversation - my father would simply order me to stay at the academy and not worry. I needed to confront him in person where he couldn't dismiss my concerns so easily.

I contacted Lex and Lux through my crystal while rushing toward the academy gates.

"Young master?" Lex's voice came through immediately.

"Drop everything and return to the estate immediately. I'm on my way there now. This is urgent," I commanded.

"We've just arrived at the city outskirts with Kojiro," Lex reported. "Is something wrong?"

"My father's been given a mission that's essentially a death sentence. I need you both at the estate as soon as possible."

"Understood. We'll head there immediately, young master."

The carriage arrived at the gates exactly twenty minutes later. I climbed in and commanded maximum speed. The driver nodded and urged the elite-rank beasts forward at a punishing pace.

During the two-hour journey, I couldn't stop my mind from analyzing every possible angle. The Royal-rank secret art was valuable beyond measure - something I had risked my life to obtain and planned to use for my own advancement. Giving it to my father meant delaying my own progress significantly.

The typhoon pendant Kojiro was carrying - I'd need that too. A rare-rank item with offensive capabilities would provide my father with additional tactical options during combat. Every advantage mattered when facing such overwhelming odds.

I pulled out the Book of Hints again, hoping for additional information that might help. New text appeared:

The attack on Thornhaven will occur in approximately one week. Duke Marcus Blackwood plans to depart in five days to assess the situation and prepare defensive strategies. Time is limited for preparation.

Five days. That gave my father barely any time to train with new techniques or equipment. But it was better than nothing.

The carriage finally reached the Blackwood estate as the sun was setting. I could see Lex, Lux, and Kojiro waiting near the entrance, having arrived shortly before me. They were near the forest, so they were closer to the estate than I was.

I stepped down and immediately approached them. Kojiro looked different - his aura had transformed completely, radiating the power of a Transcendent-rank warrior. Under different circumstances, I would have celebrated this achievement enthusiastically. Having a transcendent rank body guard that materialise out of thin air, nobody had such privileges.

"Kojiro, congratulations on your advancement," I said quickly. "But I need the typhoon pendant back immediately. It's an emergency."

He didn't hesitate, removing the rare-rank item and handing it over. "Of course, my lord."

A smile formed on my face at his words. It seemed like Kojiro was no longer reluctant in calling my lord after his advancement. He had been convinced that working under me was good for him.

Lex stepped forward with concern evident in his expression. "Young master, what's happening? You said the duke is in danger?"

"The King has ordered him to eliminate a Commander-rank beast leading an army of Transcendent monsters. The mission is almost impossible to complete, with minimal support, overwhelming opposition, and possible political enemies orchestrating his death."

Both guards' faces went pale. They understood the implications immediately.

"We need to speak with Duke Blackwood urgently," Lux said.

I nodded grimly and strode toward the estate entrance, my newly acquired Transcendent guards flanking me. My father wasn't going to like this conversation, but I was done accepting situations I could potentially change.

The survival rate might be only five percent, but I was going to do everything in my power to improve those odds, even if it meant sacrificing advantages I'd worked hard to obtain.

I pushed open the heavy oak doors of the estate's main dining hall, my hurried footsteps echoing against the marble floors. The scene before me was one of domestic tranquility that felt jarringly at odds with the urgency burning in my chest.

My father sat at the head of the long table, my mother to his right, and Kael - looking healthier and more robust than when I'd last seen him - seated across from her. They were in the middle of their evening meal, engaged in quiet conversation.

All three heads turned toward me simultaneously, their expressions shifting to shock.

"Adrian?" My mother stood up immediately, concern flooding her features. "What are you doing here? You didn't tell us you were coming."

My father's eyes narrowed slightly, his mind already assessing my unexpected arrival and reading the tension in my posture. "Son, is something wrong?"

I forced myself to take a calming breath and walked toward the table with measured steps. "Please, continue eating. I've already ate, I'm not hungry, I would like to speak to father about something after."

"But Adrian—" my mother began.

"After dinner, Mother," I said firmly but gently. "There's no immediate emergency that can't wait another twenty minutes."

My father studied me for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Very well. Take a seat."

A servant quickly set a place for me, and I sat down, not tasting the food that was placed before me. The conversation around the table had become stilted and cautious, everyone aware that something significant had prompted my unannounced visit.

Kael kept glancing at me with curious concern, clearly sensing the tension but wisely remaining quiet. The physical transformation in him was remarkable - he'd gained healthy weight, his posture was more confident, and there was a sharpness in his eyes that spoke of regular training.

The meal stretched on interminably, each minute feeling like an hour as I rehearsed what I needed to say. My father maintained his composure, though I could see the questions in his eyes every time our gazes met.

Finally, the plates were cleared and the servants withdrew.

Before my mother could speak, I addressed my father directly. "Father, I need to speak with you. Privately."

His expression remained neutral, "Let's go to my study."

We both stood, and my mother reached out to touch my arm. "Adrian, please tell me everything is alright."

"I will, Mother. Just... let me speak with Father first."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.