From Secret Clan to the Divine Dynasty

More than half a year later.

The first elementary education literacy school in Nasir Town was finally built, and all underage local residents could attend school for free as long as they paid a minimal food fee.

"His Excellency Byrne has done a great deed!"

"In the future, there will definitely be many scholars emerging from Nasir Town, and even the gods will be pleased with the achievements of the Fischer family!"

"From now on, the children of Nasir Town will also have the opportunity to recognize words!"

On the day the school was officially established, many people who came to the fundraising charity banquet praised the Fischer family and Byrne, but how sincere they were was unknown.

In the past, members of the Fischer family often heard slander and dissatisfaction, but after becoming a viscount family, they heard it almost no more; everywhere in their lives was filled with people's praise and respectful expressions.

Nowadays, most of the primary education schools within Cyart Kingdom were established by the church, and the most important part of their curriculum was undoubtedly the theological class, and the church schools were also not open to everyone.

Often it was the families of status and wealth whose offspring could gain the opportunity to enter these schools.

On the Ouden Continent, the opportunity for ordinary people to receive an education has always been rare.

Then there were the secondary education grammar schools and civil service schools, also part of Nasir's construction plan, and finally, the university area Byrne truly wanted to establish in Nasir Town.

He knew that establishing a higher learning institution was not an easy task, as Nasir Town was not yet able to provide the necessary environment, and the university would also have difficulty operating normally after it was built.

Currently, within the entire Cyart area, there were actually no higher education institutions aimed at commoners, and many higher education institutions were merely places that imparted existing knowledge and cultivated civilized gentlemen.

Byrne's heart hoped to establish a new type of university that would adhere to academic freedom, prioritize talent, and pursue knowledge as the key principle!

Most importantly, it would recruit students from all backgrounds, regardless of whether they were poor or wealthy, of noble birth or humble origins! As long as they had the sufficient grades, they could all enter the university to study!

He deeply knew the importance of the transmission of knowledge to the world, and he was also very clearly aware that many scholars in Cyart lacked places to discuss and study academia.

Byrne, deep in his heart, disapproved of the practice of higher education institutions only nurturing the nobility.

The Fischer family was not a noble-born family, but had received an opportunity granted by godly grace, coupled with their own efforts, to finally achieve some accomplishment.

Many commoners could also shine with their own light, if only they had always been given the chance!

"The Fischer family will provide them with an opportunity, a chance to try, on behalf of the great Lord of the Lost," Byrne thought.

When the primary school was completed, Byrne suddenly felt that he had a greater grasp of his Power of Consecution, and his heart was immediately filled with excitement and surprise!

"So it is, the method of assimilating the Path of Knowledge is actually not just learning, but establishing places to spread and share knowledge is also a very effective method!"

That's great!

Byrne's face broke into a smile, for he had originally estimated that fully mastering the power of the 3rd Rank would take a full ten years, but now he had a new way, and the pace of breakthroughs would clearly be much faster than before!

"The path of knowledge lies in study and inheritance," he mused.

Looking at the elementary school before him and its first group of students, mainly from Daybreak Orphanage, he thought about how education in Nasir Town and everything else was still very simple, but at least there would be a good start and a future.

"Nasir Town will change completely sooner or later, even if it doesn't happen in my generation, it will one day become a city that surpasses Fein City..."

I look forward to this and truly believe it.

——

Finally, the decades-long peace treaty between the people of Cyart and the Rhea came to its limit.

It was a sleepless night when countless people from both nations, and even many people from the other two nations of the Eastern Four Kingdoms, Carnia and Vallere, couldn't sleep.

If these two nations were to go to war, it would undoubtedly affect the entire situation in the east.

Months ago, the military forces all over Cyart were already on alert, fearing a lightning-fast surprise attack by the Rhea the day the peace treaty ended.

But days passed, and the invasion by the Rhea, as assumed in various scenarios, did not come at all.

Just when countless people breathed a sigh of relief, even feeling a bit puzzled, they finally heard a shocking piece of news!

A civil war broke out within Rhea Kingdom!

Led by the "Adranus" Meyer family, many extraordinary nobility once again challenged the Rhea Royal Family, the 'Fog Wayfarer' Abernathy clan, on the grounds that the Rhea Royal Family had decided not to attack Cyart to reclaim their lands.

More than half of the nobility collectively rebelled, believing the Rhea Royal Family, who did not wish to attack Cyart by marching southward, no longer deserved to be the royal clan for the Rhea people, thus they wanted to nominate the pro-war Meyer family to become the new king of the Rhea!

War had erupted in an instant!

The prevalent World Order Church and Salvation Church within Rhea territory supported the two sides respectively; the World Order Church hoped that the "Adranus" Meyer family would become the new Rhea kings, while the Salvation Church supported the existing Rhea Royal Family "Fog Wayfarers" of the Abernathy clan.

At least for the short term, the Rhea people would no longer have the capacity to invade Cyart.

The Cyart people mostly breathed a sigh of relief, the common folk even believed that the war would not come their way, rejoicing with great delight, yet the Cyart upper-class nobility still felt the situation was tense.

For inside Cyart, the great nobles were discussing what to do next.

"Do we sit idly by and ignore the internal conflict of the Rhea people, or choose to support the Rhea Royal Family in attacking the Meyer family, or perhaps invade Rhea completely?"

"What exactly must we do?"

The possibilities brought forth by the three choices were numerous, and the Cyart upper-class nobility bickered endlessly, day and night, without reaching a decision in the short term.

Everyone was acutely aware that this was a choice that would determine the fate of the nation, so each person, declaring their own viewpoint as the correct one, argued vehemently while also hoping that the clan they represented could scoop up more benefits.

For example, within Cyart, the "Fog Wayfarers" branch of the Abernathy family, were very much hoping to lend their support to the master Rhea Royal House "Fog Wayfarers."

Decades ago during the war between the two countries, the "Fog Wayfarers" even found reasons not to engage in mutual slaughter—the idea that family was greater than the nation still dominated the thoughts of many nobles on the Ouden Continent.

"War, huh..."

Byrne took a deep breath; he had once again arrived at Viscount Bast's estate.

No matter whether Cyart would ultimately march troops into Rhea, he must first repay the kindness of the Lion clan, fulfilling the agreement made several years ago.

In the brown study room filled with bookshelves, Viscount Bast, with his snow-white hair, chuckled as he rose to his feet, looking sternly at the aging Byrne and nodded:

"You've finally arrived, Byrne, everyone on our side has gathered; it's time to enter the Spirit Realm together!"

He couldn't help but sigh, tilting his head up and lamenting:

"At last, the day has come, Byrne, I am indeed too old, too aged, haha!"

Viscount Bast glanced at his own aged hands and said slowly: "I can't wait any longer, Byrne, if not for the treasures within the Spirit Realm, I'm afraid I will disappear from this world in a decade or two!"

"I can't reconcile with that!"

"The years are unbearable, time is the most ruthless Grim Reaper; I believe with your age you have already grasped this truth."

Byrne nodded gently, his heart becoming a bit heavy as he remembered Irene, whom he hadn't seen for some time.

"Yes."

Time is the most ruthless Grim Reaper.

"Byrne, it is said that some of the miraculous treasures or Forbidden Knowledge in the Spirit Realm possess the potential to extend one's lifespan."

Upon these words from Viscount Bast, Byrne suddenly lifted his head, then realized he was too excited, which wasn't good, as it could easily allow others to take advantage of him.

He was usually a very composed person, but for some reason, he always became less adept at concealing his feelings around Viscount Bast.

"Hehe, come with me."

Viscount Bast laughed, then led Byrne down to the basement of the estate.

In the dark and vast underground space, a long black floor-to-ceiling mirror already had fifteen or sixteen people waiting before it, their numbers quite considerable. Moreover, several were mysterious individuals hiding their identities, unwilling to reveal their true faces, possibly illegal Extraordinary Exponents, church members, or even heretics.

Apart from the always enigmatic "Black Lion" who had not shown up, Bast's two brothers, the police chief Renzo and Colonel Abel, had also arrived.

"Excellent, all of us have gathered; there's no need to wait any longer, let's enter the Spirit Realm together."

Bast gazed at the people present and said slowly:

"Our target this time is a long-sealed palace, a Spirit Realm palace constructed from purple crystals..."

Byrne was startled, finally realizing the gravity of this foray into the Spirit Realm; Viscount Bast had actually summoned so many Extraordinary Exponents in one go!

And he could feel that all the Extraordinary Exponents present were Transmutation Level powerhouses! In a certain sense, this lineup was potent enough to potentially obliterate the powerful Eagle clan entirely!