From the Ship of Fools to Earl of Wugang

Edmund reached over the scroll and unrolled it, discovering it was a contract written in an archaic variant of Sisyphus.

Fortunately, he possessed the original owner's language skills, so he wasn't completely unable to understand.

He scanned the text line by line and found that its core clauses were not complicated, and could be roughly summarized into three layers:

The first layer is a promise by the signatory that she will not harm Ms. Rebecca Young's safety by any direct or indirect means, nor will she authorize others to do so on her behalf.

The second layer is a pledge by the signatory that, without Ms. Rebecca Young's knowledge, she shall not actively involve herself in any events, organizations, or activities related to the supernatural world.

The third clause stipulates that if force majeure causes Ms. Rebecca Young to be unfortunately involved in the extraordinary event, the signatory shall do everything in his/her power to ensure her safety until the threat is eliminated—this clause shall be effective a maximum of three times depending on the relative rank of the two parties.

The breach of contract clause was written quite concisely: "The soul of the breaching party will be cursed by the 'Crystal Dragon,' a god of perfect understanding, who will confuse the soul of the one who breaks the contract."

Edmund's gaze lingered on the line of text for a moment before the information feed arrived as scheduled.

【The Defender's Oath】

[A special contract, imbued with spiritual power by a second-tier "Arbitrator" on the Knight's Path, is subject to the supervision of the "Glassy Dragon" and acts upon the soul of the signatory. The contract contains no hidden clauses, double interpretations, or trap wording; breach of contract results in "soul confusion."]

【"The Glass Dragon" Clamon Soros, a "Rhythm" on the path of magnificence, is a pure and magnificent dragon, a god of perfect understanding, who relies on the pillar "Resonance" to ensure that contracts signed in His name are protected.】

[This can exempt you from the "Soul Confusion" cost, but it will attract the attention of the "Glassy Dragon," potentially leading to unpredictable consequences.]

Edmund weighed the options silently in his mind.

His confidence stemmed from his ability to be exempt from "Soul Confusion." Although breaching the contract would attract the attention of the "Glassy Dragon," he had no intention of doing so.

Rebecca Young is his most important collaborator in the world right now, and protecting her safety and interests is in his own best interest.

"Thomas, I think I need a pen?" Edmund looked at the butler.

The old butler seemed slightly surprised by his straightforwardness and took a pen from the desk next to him and handed it to Edmund.

The latter took the pen, thought for a moment, and wrote "Ryan Hall" in the signature column at the end of the contract.

The moment the pen touched the paper, he felt a strange sensation coming from the parchment, as if something had lightly touched the surface of his brain and then retracted.

Edmund signed the contract, and the text on it flickered.

The contract is now in effect, signed by Lane Hall (Edmund Lockman).

After receiving the contract, Thomas carefully examined the signature and nodded slightly.

"It seems Blake isn't your real name, but that's all I ask for." Thomas rolled up the contract and put it away.

"Then, Mr. Blake, from this day forward, the mansion's basement, study, and all its books are completely open to you. Furthermore, I will assist you in reading the master's research notes, some of which use special ciphertext that is difficult for those without decoding methods to understand."

Edmund asked, "Did you already know these decoding methods?"

"Shortly after I became 'me,' the master gave me these things," Thomas replied. "Actually, these were insurance measures prepared for the young lady, but the master instructed that they could be passed down as appropriate."

Edmund leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping over the tall bookshelves surrounding the study.

It seems that what lies hidden within is far more abundant than what appears on the surface.

"Then," Edmund stood up, "shall we begin now?"

The old butler glanced at the clock on the wall and shook his head, saying, "It's probably too late now. I suggest I retrieve the necessary documents from the basement early tomorrow morning. You need to rest tonight; the ceremony just now probably took a toll on you more than you realize."

Edmund had no choice but to comply with the butler's suggestion: "Very well. See you tomorrow, Thomas."

"Good night, sir. I will take care of the ritual traces in the garden for you." The old butler picked up the double-barreled shotgun and left.

After returning to his room, Edmund did not rush to sleep, but instead reviewed the abilities he had gained after being promoted to a suitable candidate.

The information flow refreshed his consciousness, listing all the abilities he currently possessed:

Your current rank is Competent One (Traveler's Path), and your abilities include: Spiritual Perception, Swift Movement, Vibrant Energy (Passive), and Path Intuition (Passive)

[Spiritual Perception: Once activated, it allows you to sense surrounding spiritual fluctuations and extraordinary beings, within a range of approximately ten meters. This ability consumes spiritual energy; the accuracy of perception can be improved through meditation. Current proficiency: Basic.]

[Swift Steps: Increases movement speed and body coordination upon activation. This ability consumes Spirit; current proficiency: Basic.]

【Full of Vitality (Passive): Slightly higher than average vitality, passively enhances disease resistance and vitality, and accelerates fatigue recovery and injury healing.】

[Path Intuition (Passive): Possesses an intuition for direction and location, is less likely to get completely lost in unfamiliar environments, and rarely forgets routes taken. Its strength is influenced by the concentration of spiritual energy in the environment; the higher the concentration of spiritual energy in the area, the stronger the intuition.]

[You have received a gift from Siheng Yingying, which will take effect after you advance to the first tier of the Traveler's Path, "Traveler".]

Although being a suitable candidate is only a transitional phase, having four abilities means that he has truly stepped into the extraordinary threshold of this world.

The ability was quite practical, but what really excited him was the tip from "Siheng Yingying".

It takes effect after advancing to "Traveler"—meaning that once the formal ceremony is completed, he will gain more core power.

Edmund closed his eyes, but soon found that he didn't feel tired at all. He realized that the "energetic" effect was working.

He sighed and got out of bed again.

It seemed inappropriate to disturb the housekeeper now, so he worked on the third floor all night.

Edmund didn't sit up until the morning light pierced through the curtains the next day. He stretched his stiff neck and went downstairs.

Thomas had already prepared breakfast in the restaurant.

"Good morning, sir." Thomas handed him a napkin. "It seems you slept well last night?"

"Good morning, Thomas. There's really no such thing as rest." Edmund sat down. "Last night's conversation... I hope it didn't bother you too much."

Thomas shook his head slightly: "It's alright, I was mentally prepared a long time ago. At least now we have a common ground."

After breakfast, the two went straight to the study, where Edmund was pleased to see the documents the butler had mentioned piled up on the writing desk.

He glanced around and saw a stack of notebooks, several scrolls, two books with worn covers, and a stack of letters bound with silk rope.

Thomas then served Edmund a cup of tea on a pre-prepared tray.

"Mr. Hall, are you ready to deal with some old issues?"

Looking at the butler, who seemed to be making a witty remark, Edmund smiled and replied, "History makes one wise, Thomas. Let's begin."