Dawn's faint glow seeped through his eyelids, gently pulling Anvis out of sleep.
He opened his eyes, slowly sat up, and silently swept his gaze across the room.
Exquisitely crafted silk curtains, a luxurious ceiling woven of blue and gold, furniture carved with meticulous artistry—everything carried a mysterious and enchanting elegance.
A carpet so expensive-looking that even at a glance one could tell its worth covered the floor; stepping on it would sink one's feet softly to the ankles.
Anvis wordlessly spread the hand wrapped in his nightclothes and, following the method in his memory, attempted to construct a spell.
A flame of pale blue suddenly flickered into existence, hovering in midair above his slender, pale palm.
Through the window, he could see three towering spires suspended in the sky, each reaching into the clouds. Near the spires, the faint silhouettes of floating magi could be seen, drawing complex magical arrays in the open air.
"Tok, tok, tok—"
Three knocks rang out precisely. It was Leonard, the chief butler.
Anvis quickly responded, dismissing the flame and his drifting thoughts. He tapped the bell on the bedpost, summoning the young maid to help with dressing and washing.
He had once been fond of sleeping in, but after several unpleasant memories, the butler had successfully corrected this habit.
If Anvis had not answered just now, Leonard would have silently counted for dozens of seconds, then knock three more times.
If there was still no response after the second knock, Leonard would grant another ten seconds—then enter directly and dispel Anvis's drowsiness with magic.
For example, by conjuring an icy water orb that shocked one wide awake.
As for Anvis's fury at having his dreams disrupted, Leonard's original words were: "If young master wishes for uninterrupted sleep, then please work hard to become stronger than me."
A side note: Leonard was a ninth-tier peak sorcerer—in simpler terms, somewhere around level 98 or 99.
After changing into a set of intricate noble attire shimmering faintly with magical radiance, Anvis descended using an old-fashioned elevator, heading downstairs for breakfast.
Rows of giant luminous crystal pillars carved with reliefs passed by as the elevator descended; soon, he arrived at the breakfast hall.
The Lorix-style curtains were pulled open by the maids, letting the morning sunlight pour in.
Inside, the Marquis of Caron sat at the far end of the snowy-white long table, reading the latest issue of the Free Star Morning Post presented by the butler.
It was his daily must-read. In addition, there were the Apocalypse Era Daily and the Radiant Destiny Herald.
Though the marquis possessed an intelligence network of his own, he still maintained the habit of reading newspapers.
To ensure timeliness, these newspapers were printed instantly from their electronic editions and sent through a dedicated teleportation device from the distant capital or the headquarters of the Radiant Order—directly into the marquis's hands.
"Good morning, Father, Mother."
Just then, Anvis stepped into the breakfast hall, bowing respectfully to the marquis and marchioness.
The Duke of Caron nodded out of habit, while Elina returned his greeting with a warm smile.
.....
(lol and bruh）