Grace stepped inside, her words leaving Kael momentarily stunned. The future development of Laffey City?
When it came to the territory's political and administrative affairs, Kael trusted Grace implicitly—so much so that he had delegated everything to her. With Grace at the helm, his burden had lightened considerably.
And the results spoke for themselves. His junior sister, the first heir of the ancient Empire of Gui, had managed Laffey's affairs with impeccable order.
"You're talking about Laffey City's long-term development?" Kael studied Grace intently. The territory was already progressing at breakneck speed—did she have even more ambitious plans?
"Exactly!" Grace nodded firmly, taking a seat beside him. "Senior Brother, in your vision, how far should Laffey City grow?"
"The most prosperous city on the continent, of course," Kael answered without hesitation.
Grace's bright eyes locked onto his. "That's entirely achievable. Laffey's growth is the fastest I've ever seen. Within a few years, it could rival even the great cities of the mainland."
Kael agreed. The momentum of Laffey's expansion was nothing short of astonishing—this much was undeniable.
"But what comes after that?" Grace smiled.
"After?" Kael frowned.
"Yes. After Laffey becomes the continent's most flourishing city—what then?" Her gaze was playful yet probing.
A realization dawned on Kael. He understood what Grace was hinting at.
"Senior Brother, I've been thinking deeply about Laffey's future—how to ensure it remains yours forever. Right now, its rapid rise has already drawn the attention of many powers. If one day, Laffey truly transforms into the most prosperous territory across the Three Continents, no longer just a small town like today, and you lack the influence or strength to protect it… you'll face unimaginable trouble."
Kael nodded slowly.
"Worse, the Sacred Council could issue a decree under some pretext and legally strip you of your fief!" Grace's eyes bore into his.
Kael's brow furrowed. She wasn't wrong. He had considered this before but had no intention of laboring only for others' benefit.
"Junior Sister, what do you think Laffey's territory should become in the future?"Kael smiled as he looked at Grace, whose face still carried a hint of youthful innocence.
This girl is practically a loli—where does she get all these clever ideas?
Seeing Kael's interest piqued, Grace grinned and blinked. "Senior Brother, if you want Laffey to grow, you must expand your own influence! Why has the Reynolds family dominated Moonlight City for decades? Because they had two 10th-tier mages overseeing it, along with eight thousand Black Eagle Guards and countless high-ranking mages within their ranks. The Sacred Council and the Holy Temple are the same—these colossal forces all have formidable figures at their core and powerful armies backing them!"
Kael nodded in agreement.
Grace continued, "I've thought long and hard about this, and I've come up with two paths suitable for Laffey's development. First—territorial expansion! You're now a 10th-tier mage, with renowned generals like Lone Wolf under your command and the backing of the Sacred Council. You could follow in the footsteps of my ancestor, the 'Sacred Gui'! She single-handedly became the founding queen of the Empire of Gui..."
Kael was taken aback. Grace was essentially suggesting continental conquest. As for the Empire of Gui's founder, he was well aware of her legacy—a true powerhouse who, centuries ago, carved out an empire through sheer force of will, becoming a legendary empress.
However, Kael shook his head. He had no interest in vying for continental dominance. His primary focus was reaching the pinnacle of the magical path. No matter how powerful a nation might be—even the emperor of the Kingdom of Mide—they would still bow before a legendary 14th-tier mage, who could effortlessly annihilate an entire country.
"What's the second path?"
Seeing his reaction, Grace said, "Senior Brother, I know you're not interested in conquest. The second path is to emulate forces like the Sacred Council or the Holy Temple—transcending national boundaries and making even empires wary of crossing you!"
Kael's eyes gleamed. "Go on!"
"Why is the Sacred Council the continent's strongest faction? Because it boasts over a dozen legendary mages, with Grand Speaker Berg being one of the closest to godhood! Not to mention its million-strong army. Why is the Holy Temple so formidable? Because it commands billions of devoted followers and fields the Sacred Knight Order..." Grace answered her own rhetorical question.
She looked at Kael and declared, "So, Senior Brother, you must use Laffey City as your foundation to build a formidable faction!"
Kael fell into deep thought.
"Now is the perfect moment. Think about it—you just single-handedly annihilated the Reynolds family, shaking the Three Continents. Without exaggeration, your prestige now surpasses that of every other lord across the land! A single call from you would rally countless followers." Grace's words carried conviction.
Kael felt a stirring of interest.
Seizing the momentum, Grace pressed on: "Laffey's two greatest weaknesses right now are population and military strength! Our city's population is too small—we must attract a massive influx of people. Secondly, we need to expand our army. I believe our territory's forces should number at least fifty thousand, all of them elite..."
Kael rubbed his temples in mild exasperation. Grace wasn't wrong—population, military power…
"Fine, leave these matters to you and Lone Wolf," Kael conceded with a sigh.
"Senior Brother, you..." Grace gave him an exasperated yet amused look. Is this trust or sheer laziness?
"There's one more thing—I want you to start recruiting retainers," Grace added.
"Retainers?" Kael's interest flickered.
Retainers were a privilege exclusive to mages. Across the Three Continents, any mage who reached a certain level of power could recruit warrior retainers. Only those who had attained considerable strength were qualified to serve under someone like Kael.
Without question, Kael would need retainers at least at the 10th-tier or above.
"That's no issue. You can begin the search for me," Kael agreed with a smile.
Grace nodded eagerly. "Then I'll make the announcement today. I'm certain we'll have no shortage of applicants!"
True to her nature, Grace acted swiftly. Kael glanced out the window—dusk was settling in. He couldn't help but marvel at how tirelessly Grace devoted herself to Laffey's affairs, and a pang of guilt pricked his heart.
He had noticed how exhausted she'd been lately.
"Junior Sister, don't overwork yourself. Get some rest." Unable to help himself, Kael reached out and ruffled Grace's hair, then lightly tapped her forehead.
Grace's face flushed red as she swatted his hand away. "Senior Brother, stop treating me like a child!" Being patted on the head always made her feel infantilized. She wrinkled her nose and huffed in dissatisfaction.
Kael chuckled. It seemed the young lady was quite sensitive about this.
But then again, Grace was already around seventeen. On Earth, she might still be a high school student, but in the Three Continents, girls her age were often mothers already—hardly a child by any measure.
No wonder she was annoyed that he kept treating her like one.
"Ahem, my mistake," Kael admitted with a smile.
Sure enough, Grace's expression brightened instantly at his words, her face lighting up with a grin. "Senior Brother, you and Sister Amelia should rest. I'll take my leave now!"
Seemingly in high spirits, she skipped out of the room.
"Let's get some rest." Once Grace was gone, Kael smirked, his gaze turning suggestive.
Amelia's cheeks burned as she shot him a glare. This guy… sometimes he just doesn't know how to be proper.
Night fell, draping the world in darkness.
Kael wrapped his arms around Amelia, their eyes meeting in the dim light—hers dark yet luminous. Their gazes locked, and Amelia's face grew even redder.
Holding her close, Kael slowly guided her toward the bed…