Faerun: The arcane mage is still too imprisoned.

Outside the window, the night in Rilder City was still bustling.

In the master bedroom of Silvershine Manor, Arya Silvershine stood by the window, holding a glass of red wine, her gaze fixed on the riverside area.

"Lance Charlotte..." she murmured the name, her amber eyes gleaming with a complex light.

"Mom?" came Lillian's voice from behind.

Arya turned around and saw her daughter standing in the doorway in her pajamas, holding a doll in her arms.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Arya put down her wine glass and walked over.

"I can't sleep," Lillian whispered. "I'm thinking about the magic network... Teacher Lance said I need to relax so the magic network will get closer. But the more I tell myself to relax, the more nervous I become."

Arya sat down on the edge of the bed and hugged her daughter. "Then don't think about it anymore. Go to sleep, we'll try again tomorrow."

"Mom," Lillian looked up, "what kind of person do you think Mr. Lance is?"

This question left Arya silent for a few seconds.

"Humans are very complex creatures, my little star," she said slowly.

"And mages are the most complex group among all races."

"Highly talented mages are all more complex than the last... take Lance for example."

She stroked her daughter's red hair: "He's not a 'good person' in the traditional sense. But in my opinion, Lance would most likely be a good person to you and me."

"Moreover... he is powerful enough and talented enough."

"Is Professor Lance's talent as a mage greater than my talent as a warrior?"

When Lillian first wielded a sword at the age of eight and defeated an elite veteran, everyone around her told her that she was a genius the Silvershine family had never seen before.

In the not-too-distant future, she will surely become the brightest star in the Silver Glow family.

"Perhaps even higher...no, definitely higher." Arya narrowed her eyes, her hand stroking Lillian's tightening slightly.

"I personally inspected the scenes where he wiped out those gangs. If he didn't use spell scrolls, then he's at least a level 3 mage..."

"Moreover, my mother always felt like she had a thorn in her side when she was around him. Lance truly possessed a power that threatened my life."

"This means he is very likely a level 5 mage, an elite-level mage."

Arya dared not guess any further.

"Little Star also knows that the training of a mage is ten times, even dozens of times, more difficult than that of a warrior," she said softly.

Similarly, at the same level, mages are ten to dozens of times stronger than warriors.

"Is being powerful really that important?" Lillian asked.

"Of course! Strength is extremely important in this world." Arya's voice deepened.

"Being strong means you can protect yourself and your loved ones. Your mother works so hard to become stronger so that she can protect you and the Silvershine family."

"And... only by becoming strong can you obtain what you desire..."

Lillian nodded, seemingly understanding. She didn't fully grasp the deeper meaning behind her mother's words, but she could feel their heavy weight.

"Go to sleep," Arya kissed her daughter's forehead. "Tomorrow is another day."

"Okay! Goodnight, Mom."

Goodnight, my little star.

Arya tucked her daughter in and quietly left the room.

She returned to the window, looked at the night sky, and remained silent for a long time.

He picked up his glass again and drank it all in one gulp.

The aftertaste of the red wine lingers on the tongue, carrying fruity aromas and a hint of astringency.

The taste reminded her of Lance again.

"What an interesting guy..." she murmured to herself, a smile curving her lips.

"Who exactly are you, Lance Charlotte?" Arya asked softly, gazing at the night outside the window.

She recalled Lance's words about the magic network and the goddess of magic during dinner that day.

Those theories were not mainstream views—at least Arya had never heard them from the mages of Rield.

It was truly unconventional, and more importantly, when Lance spoke those words, there was no reverence for the goddess of magic in his eyes, only an almost indifferent calm, even contempt.

This is very unusual.

In the world of Faerûn, even the most rebellious mages maintain a basic level of respect when speaking of the Goddess of Magic—even if it's just respect for the strong!

Moreover, that being controlled by someone with authority over the magic network. But Lance didn't; his attitude was more like he was talking about a…annoying bureaucrat?

"This is getting more and more interesting," Arya chuckled.

She walked to the desk, opened the drawer, and took out a parchment document.

This is the information she had gathered about Lance; it's incredibly scarce:

1. Approximately one and a half weeks ago, I appeared in Rild City, accompanied by a half-elf girl.

Second, on the night of their entry into the city, Baron Yodl's mansion was massacred.

Third, for the next eight consecutive nights, twenty-five gangs were completely eradicated.

Fourth, I rent a villa in the western riverside area and live a secluded life.

5. No known background, no family crest, no past records.

It's as if it popped out of a crack in a rock.

Arya's fingers tapped lightly on the table. As a level 10 "Heart of Flame" warrior, she possessed a beast-like instinct.

Her intuition told her that Lance Charlotte must have a complicated story behind him.

"Perhaps..." she murmured to herself, "we should investigate further."

But then she shook her head.

Investigating a mage is a dangerous thing, especially when the other party clearly does not want to reveal their past.

Taking rash action might anger the other party and damage the currently good relationship.

"Take your time." Arya put the file back in the drawer. "He still has a month to teach Lillian, so there's plenty of time to observe."

She picked up the wine bottle again and poured herself another glass of red wine.

Tonight, she seems to be having some trouble falling asleep.

……

At the same time, in the riverside villa area.

Lance leaned against the headboard, fiddling with a gold coin in his hand.

Moonlight streamed through the window, reflecting a soft sheen onto the gold coin's surface.

Cielsa was already fast asleep beside him, her long silver-gray hair spread out on the pillow, her breathing even.

After becoming a ranger, her breath seemed to become more lingering, her skin more delicate, and even her figure more slender.

Her body glowed with a healthy and beautiful luster under the moonlight.

Lance's consciousness sank into the system panel.

His current magical reserves are quite extensive. He has learned almost all the useful first and second-level spells, and is steadily learning second-level spells as well.

Not to mention his Arcane Echo feat, which makes his already formidable sustained combat ability, far surpassing that of other mages of the same level, even more outstanding.

"But it's still not fast enough," Lance thought.

He needs to learn second-circle spells as soon as possible, then level up to 5 and gain third-circle spells.