The Grand Master's Legacy

The next day, early in the morning.

The morning light struggled to squeeze through the gaps in the tattered curtains, casting pale streaks of light on the simple room floor.

Amarun woke up first.

The moment her consciousness returned, the subtle soreness throughout her body and the lingering warmth on her skin that didn't belong to her made her freeze instantly.

Memories flooded back like a tide: the chaotic fragments of last night, the burning breaths, the intertwined body heat... made her ears burn instantly.

She turned her head to look to her side.

The man who drove her crazy last night is still fast asleep.

The morning light outlined his perfect profile, and his long eyelashes trembled slightly with his breath, making him look exceptionally charming.

That... bastard!

Amarun stared at Yewei'an's face, a nameless anger rising within her.

She clenched her fists, really wanting to punch that handsome face right there!

She recalled with regret, wondering how she had... how she had been so confused last night.

Is it because his words about exploration and the future were so persuasive?

Was it the shock he felt when he took out the Santalinian symbol?

Or is it because of... that flutter in my heart that I don't even want to admit?

The reasons were already vague, but the result left her with nowhere to escape.

Just as she began to seriously consider the power and angle of the punch, her gaze involuntarily fell back onto Ye Weian's face.

The morning light softened the lines of his features, and in his sleep, he shed all his sharpness and scheming, becoming so quiet that he was almost... harmless.

This face is indeed a masterpiece of the Creator; no matter which angle you look at it from, you can't find a single flaw.

Fragments of memories from last night flashed through her mind—his focused gaze, his deep, magnetic voice, and the tenderness and force that made her lose control…

The fist loosened without the person realizing it.

In this quiet gaze, Amarun's anger was gradually replaced by a more subtle emotion.

Let's set aside the conspiracies, deals, and the semi-coercive chaos of last night... and focus solely on the "object" itself...

Amalune's ears turned even redder, but in some corner of her mind, a thought that she herself found extremely shameful popped up:

It seems... that I've actually benefited from all of this?

This thought made Amarun's ears burn.

She quickly turned her head away, not wanting to look at this annoying guy anymore, but her eyes seemed glued to him, and she couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.

The more you look at it, the more you appreciate it; the more you look at it, the more you want to look at it.

Just then, Ye Wei'an's eyelashes fluttered, as if he was about to wake up.

Amalune turned her head away abruptly as if burned, her heart pounding uncontrollably, while she tried her best to maintain a cold expression.

She didn't want Ye Wei'an to find out that she had been watching him since early morning, otherwise this guy would get carried away again.

But she was a step too late.

"Spying on me so early in the morning?" Ye Wei'an's voice was a little hoarse from just waking up. "What, are you captivated by my charm? Didn't you get enough of me last night?"

"Stop flattering yourself!" Amalune was both annoyed and embarrassed. She threw off the thin sheet that remained on her body, wanting to escape this awkward situation.

But before her feet even touched the ground, her wrist was grabbed by a warm and strong hand.

"Trying to run away already?" Ye Wei'an pulled her back, his arm naturally encircling her waist, loosely holding her in his arms, his chin resting on her head. "You're so heartless to use me and then throw me away."

"Let go of me!" Amalune tried to break free, making an excuse. "It's all your fault! You've made me all sticky and uncomfortable. I need to take a shower!"

"It's just a shower, why didn't you say so earlier?" Ye Wei'an chuckled and casually snapped his fingers with his other hand.

"A zero-ring trick, a magical feat!"

A cool breeze, carrying a faint scent of soapberry, appeared out of nowhere and gently caressed Yevian and Amarune.

Amalune felt as if she had been wiped with a soft, damp towel, both inside and out, all the sweat and stickiness were swept away, and she felt refreshed.

"Well, are you clean now?" Ye Wei'an withdrew his hand, looking at her leisurely. "Any other excuses?"

With her escape route blocked, Amalune deflated like a punctured balloon, giving up the struggle. She resignedly let Ye Weian pull her back into his arms, awkwardly burying her face in his shoulder, and muttered, "...You real mages' spells are so convenient. A snap of the fingers solves everything."

"Envious?" Ye Wei'an chuckled. "If you want to learn, I can teach you. It's not difficult to perform a zero-ring trick."

"Me?" Amarun raised her head slightly, her eyes filled with doubt. "Forget it. With my meager magic, I can barely support a handful of sorcerers, let alone learn anything else. Not everyone has your kind of talent."

Amarun felt she couldn't learn it.

"My talent?"

When this was mentioned, Ye Wei'an finally became serious.

He loosened his embrace and looked down at her: "Amalun, you are completely unaware of your own talent! You are the true genius."

"Don't make fun of me." Amarun buried her face in the man's chest again.

"This isn't sarcasm." Ye Wei'an placed his hands on her shoulders, making sure she could see the seriousness in his eyes. "To be able to use the trickster's methods so skillfully at this age, your intellect is top-notch. I've seen many people who claim to be geniuses, but very few like you... What you lack is systematic magic education."

Amarun looked at Yevian and saw only seriousness in his eyes.

Ye Wei'an was certainly serious.

Just now, Ye Wei'an noticed that Amarune Whitewave's portrait had appeared in the companion slot.

This allowed him to see the full panel.

Name: Amarune Whitewave

[Level]: LV.6 (40/9000)

Race: Human

[Occupation]: Trickster

[Background]: The remnant of a criminal and a grand mage

【属性】：力量10、敏捷18、体质12、智力15、感知14、魅力16

[Specialties]: Alertness, Spell Apprentice, Ambush, Agility, Hand of the Wizard, Steady Aim, Deceptive Strike, Intuitive Evasion, Stealth

[Spells]: 0-level Tricks - Wizard's Hand, Lesser Illusion, Magical Tricks, Light, Friendship

1st Ring Spells - (5/5) Cloud, Charm, Slippery Feathers

At first glance, this is a decent roamer stat panel.

But Ye Wei'an noticed that, compared to ordinary people, Amarune had a dual background.

The second background element, the legacy of the Grand Master, is the key to everything.

[The Archmage's Legacy]: The afterglow of a great mage flows in your blood. As a descendant of one who was once favored by the goddess of magic, Mystra, that dormant legacy awakens as you embark on the path of arcane magic.

Attribute Boost: Your Intelligence +2. This feat increases your maximum Intelligence attribute to 22.

Bloodline Awakening: As your spellcaster level increases, the arcane potential in your bloodline will further erupt. When your spellcaster level reaches 2, 4, and 8, your Intelligence will increase by +1, +2, and +3 respectively, and you will gain one first-level, second-level, and third-level spell slot.

In the past, Ye Wei'an always looked down on the natives of Feren because he could obtain a complete professional inheritance and freely choose powerful combinations through the system.

But now he realizes that the reason he was able to do this was simply because he had never seen the genius of Ferren.

It wasn't until he obtained Amarune that he realized the incredible power that true geniuses could wield.

Has anyone ever seen a character with a background that grants 5 points to intelligence?

Ye Wei'an couldn't imagine how powerful a mage ancestor must have been to pass down such a background.

At least their own principal, Ganlahast, doesn't have that ability.

Unfortunately, Amalune's class is a trickster, and her spellcaster level is calculated as 1/3 of her class level, so she only received the first stage bonus.

If Amalune were a mage, her Intelligence would already be 18.

However, it's not too late to start over as a mage.

Amalune licked her dry lips, hoping, "You...you really want to teach me? And you're not just saying that?"

"certainly."

Amarun looked at Yevian and suddenly made a somewhat childish gesture—she stretched out her right hand, raised her little finger, and presented it to him.

"Then it's a deal?"

Ye Wei'an extended his little finger and solemnly hooked it with hers: "It's a deal." He responded softly.

The promise made with a pinky swearing seemed to have a magical power, dispelling the last trace of estrangement between the two.

Amalune's unease suddenly melted away, turning into a light, sweet warmth.

She withdrew her hand, but instead moved even closer to him, almost embedding herself in his arms, her voice softer than ever before: "...You're so good to me...You're the first person in my life to be this good to me."

Suddenly, she looked up again, her eyelashes fluttering: "Then, how should I repay you, Professor Ye Wei'an?"

Ye Wei'an understood her invitation.

He lowered his head, his nose gently brushing against hers, his voice low and husky: "If you want to repay me... you can start now."

…………

Another intense entanglement ensued.

After the strenuous exercise, the two were panting and covered in sweat.

As usual, Ye Wei'an used magic tricks to clean the two of them.

The refreshing feeling dispelled their fatigue, and they lay side by side on the not-so-spacious bed, their bodies relaxed and pressed together.

Having finally recovered, Amalune looked at the man with some confusion:

"Why do I feel... you're even stronger than last night?"

"That's because I felt sorry for you being injured last night, so I didn't go all out," Ye Wei'an said proudly.

He wouldn't tell Amarun that he had refreshed his achievement after last night: "First In-Depth Visit".

The achievement rewards the Perseverance talent.

[Endurance]: Your endurance is greatly increased, your constitution is increased by 1, your stamina recovery speed is increased, and you are more difficult to die when you are near death.

Physical strength brings physiological satisfaction, and physiological satisfaction brings spiritual closeness.

Ye Wei'an is now able to discuss more private topics with Amarun.

Amarun recounted her experiences as a bandit in Susar, while Yevian introduced her to his forces and men.

As they chatted, Ye Wei'an suddenly remembered something: "Yesterday, after we talked about smugglers, your reaction seemed... quite intense. Can you tell me why?"

Amalune's body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, a complex pain flashing in her eyes.

Silence spread through the room, broken only by the faint sounds of bustling city life in the distance.

"Okay, it's fine if you don't want to say."

Just when Ye Wei'an thought she wouldn't answer, Amarun finally spoke:

"I'm actually... not from Susar."

"My father, Berta Whitewave, was once a war wizard of some renown. He was stationed in Marshanbo, where he started his family and had...me."

She paused, as if organizing her memories.

"About twelve years ago, he died, not in the war, not at the hands of the enemy... He was killed by a smuggling caravan of the Zantalin Society... They set a trap for him with insidious magic."

Her tone remained calm, but Ye Wei'an could sense the bitterness within it.

"But that wasn't the end. Not long after my father died, those people came to our house. For something my father might have left behind, or just to silence us, to rob us... I'm not sure, but in the end, they killed my mother and my brother, and only I managed to escape under their cover."

Her voice finally trembled slightly.

"I remember it was raining heavily that night, and the roof of Masab was wet and slippery. I climbed over the neighbor's roof and left the house. I just kept running and running, not daring to look back. I knew that if I couldn't escape Masab before dawn, I would be lying there, just like my mother and brother."

Ye Wei'an fell silent after listening.

He didn't say anything like "condolences" or "it's all over now," but instead tightened his arms around her, pulling her closer to his embrace and letting his body heat dispel her chill.

"So it seems we have the same enemy, don't we?" Ye Wei'an said in a low voice. "Although I don't know who killed your father, as long as they remain in the Zantalin Society, one day they will fall into our hands, and then I will make them pay for their atrocities."

"...Thank you, Ye Wei'an." Amarun was somewhat moved.

"So, you can try to look at things more positively." With that, Ye Wei'an lifted her chin, making her look at him. "At least you survived, and you've become stronger than any of them imagined. Your mother and brother would definitely want you to live a good life, a vibrant one, instead of remaining trapped in the shadows of the past, wouldn't they?"