Ascension from Dual Professions

Chapter 238: Chapter 227: The Awaited Returnee, Battle Situation

The front hall of the Grent Manor’s main residence was originally a rather spacious reception hall.

But ever since Jon moved in, it had been converted into an office for the Giant God Workshop, and Rosalind, who managed all the workshop’s affairs, spent most of her time here.

At this moment, snow fluttered outside the window. Although a fire was lit in the fireplace, a chill still permeated the room.

The silver-haired, silver-eyed woman sat alone at her desk, methodically handling the matters at hand. Her frosty temperament made the already spacious office feel even more desolate.

So much so that a female employee who came to deliver a form shivered involuntarily upon entering and subconsciously began to tread lightly.

"Lady Rosadeline, this is the recent summary of material shipments. Please review it."

Rosalind didn’t even look up, merely humming in acknowledgment.

"Understood. Just leave it there. I’ll look at it in a moment."

"Yes. Thank you for your hard work. I’ll take my leave now."

The employee’s already respectful posture grew even more deferential, bordering on reverence.

This was only natural.

Since awakening her bloodline, Rosalind’s already frosty temperament had grown even colder, and she was even showing faint signs of developing in a "non-human" direction. This was a process every bloodline sorcerer had to endure: a struggle against the bloodline within them, until one side was completely conquered by the other.

Until this process was complete, a bloodline sorcerer’s Spirit and body would be unavoidably affected.

To an Ordinary person, facing a bloodline sorcerer in this state would naturally induce a feeling of being suppressed by their bloodline—not to mention the fact that the bloodline within her came from an Ascension Level Sub-dragon.

However, this suppression was almost negligible to other Professionals.

After a brief moment of silence, the creak of the manor’s main gate opening echoed, causing Rosalind, who was absorbed in her work, to look up instinctively.

A moment later, a lively clamor, growing louder as it approached, pierced through the swirling snow and thick glass, invading the quiet office.

"Whoa! Reya, look! The snow is even deeper than yesterday! We can build a super big snowman!"

"Sister, be careful, the path is slippery."

"Alright, alright, Xia. We can worry about the snowman later. Xina’s right, walk carefully."

This chattering, however, caused a faint smile to grace the lips of the ice-like, silver-haired lady.

She knew Reya had arrived.

Ever since the weakness from forcefully activating her Saint Spirit Stance had completely faded, the red-haired young lady had become a frequent visitor to Grent Manor.

She came every day, like clockwork, regardless of the wind or snow.

Ostensibly, she came to visit her sister—one connected by blood and closer to her than a biological sibling—and to bring the latest battle reports from the Heta County front: how far Viscount Paris’s counterattack had advanced, what new tricks the Blood Eye Association had come up with, how the nobles’ private soldiers were performing under the cover of the Mechanical Bodies...

This intelligence was indeed quite valuable for managing the Workshop’s production pace and the direction of potential orders.

But Rosalind knew better than anyone why Reya truly came.

A moment later, the footsteps stopped outside the door. Rosalind gently set her quill pen down beside the inkwell and pushed aside the report on Magic Crystal Ore Powder.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—

"I’m coming in, Rosalind!"

"Pardon the intrusion."

Following the greetings from Xia and Xina, Reya led them through the door and into the hall, which was warm yet still felt vast and desolate.

A gust of cold air briefly swept in before being shut out by the quickly closed door.

The moment she stepped into the room, Reya’s emerald eyes subtly and swiftly scanned every corner of the hall—the high-backed chair in front of the fireplace was empty, the corner piled with miscellaneous items was quiet, and the curtain leading to the inner chamber was perfectly still.

The tall, sturdy figure that put her mind at ease was nowhere to be seen.

A flicker of unconcealable disappointment rippled through her eyes like a pebble dropped into a lake, and she pursed her lips slightly.

But the dejection vanished in an instant, like a snowflake scattered by the wind.

She took a deep breath, her face blooming into its usual bright smile as she walked openly toward the silver-haired, silver-eyed woman behind the desk.

"Good afternoon, Rosalind!"

Rosalind nodded slightly and gestured with her hand as she always did.

"Have a seat. The tea and snacks are ready."

"Hooray!"

Xia cheered and threw herself onto a chair with a thick velvet cushion by the fireplace.

The next second, her fingers had already expertly plucked a sugar-dusted shortbread cookie and stuffed it into her mouth with a distinct lack of ladylike grace. Her cheeks puffed out as she let out a muffled, contented whimper.

"Mmph~ Rosalind, the pastries you make are so delicious!"

"Sister!"

Xina immediately furrowed her brow and shot Xia a reproachful glare, her voice tinged with exasperation.

"Mind your manners! It’s so rude to act like that in front of Lady Rosadeline!"

Although she also walked to her seat, her steps were far more composed. She sat down properly, though she couldn’t help but glance at the plate of pastries out of the corner of her eye.

Rosalind, long accustomed to this, showed no reaction on her ice-like face.

She picked up a silver pot that was warming by the hearth and gracefully poured a cup of hot tea for Reya and herself. Steam rose, carrying the fragrant aroma of tea.

She gently pushed one of the cups toward Reya, her silver-gray eyes watching her calmly as she asked softly, getting straight to the point.

"How are things at the front?"

Reya cupped the warm teacup, feeling the warmth of the porcelain through her fingertips.

She gently blew aside the floating tea leaves and took a small sip, letting the hot tea warm her slightly numb lips and tongue, as well as her spirits.

When she set the cup down, her emerald eyes had regained their usual brightness and focus. She nodded, her tone growing solemn.

"There are new developments. And it’s rather important intelligence."

"Tell me."

"Mm."

Thanks to the intelligence network of the Heta County Noble Union Chamber of Commerce, single-handedly established by Yed, the information Reya had as the head of the Golden Maple Leaf Trading House was sometimes even a step ahead of the Lord’s Mansion in Birch Town.

"First, the good news."

"Thanks to Mr. Jon’s strikes on the rebel strongholds along the Bolaya River Valley, the first team sent to Trulane County to purchase scarce supplies and request aid has successfully returned."

"Not only did they bring back several types of supplies that Birch Town urgently needs, but more importantly, they made contact with an aide of His Highness, Second Prince Harvey Benest."

Tempered by recent events and the attack on Yed, Reya now spoke of serious matters with the bearing of someone in a position of power.

"His Highness has since promised to dispatch an elite team of Knights from his Personal Guard to secretly provide reinforcements."

"By my estimation, their numbers won’t be large. It’s more of a symbolic gesture than a practical one."

"It’s more likely a move to gain prestige for his king-selection ceremony."

Rosalind nodded after listening.

"That’s very likely. For these Princes and Princesses, every bit of power they currently have is precious. Getting involved in a county rebellion is undoubtedly an extremely unwise move. The slightest misstep could expose a weakness."

"That’s what I was thinking, too."

Reya picked up a pastry but didn’t eat it immediately. Instead, she toyed with it between her fingers as if it were a chess piece.

"Furthermore, there’s news from the main front."

"According to repeated confirmations from our ’eyes’ planted on the edge of enemy-controlled territory, the elite private soldiers of the Heta family—the ones who have been putting immense pressure on our frontline troops—have suddenly withdrawn from the main standoff area."

"It wasn’t a tactical adjustment, but a large-scale, organized transfer. It seems they’re heading toward Heta City."

"Their specific objective is still unclear."