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It wasn\'t that Dean and Lina were afraid—far from it. But they had to consider the repercussions for the Jones family, who would still remain in Stanlow City after all was said and done.

After much discussion, Dean Bruce decided to take the direct approach: provoke Medro Cep into a duel.

This world still held onto its sense of chivalry. Once a duel was declared, no matter who won or lost, both parties were bound to let the matter rest.

At least, publicly.

Behind the scenes, of course, anything could happen.

But as long as they secured a public resolution, it would be enough. If the Jones family was safe from retribution, it didn\'t matter whether Medro targeted Dean or Lina afterward.

They were confident they could handle whatever came next.

With the plan agreed upon, Lina gave Dean a surprising reward.

Her promised payment came in the form of a hefty stack of books—Ancient and Modern History and The Complete Magic Compendium.

For most people, this collection might seem useless. But for Dean Bruce, it was a goldmine. His knowledge of this world was mostly pieced together from conversations with those around him, and progress had been slow.

As for the books?

The libraries in the Michelle family estate and at the beginner magic academy were limited. There were plenty of books, but none that gave him the comprehensive understanding he needed.

Lina Jones smiled softly and said, "These books cover everything recorded on this continent, from the myths and legends of every god, to the properties of various herbs, architectural styles, types of crystal minerals, and even detailed explanations of countless types of magic."

"Since you come from another continent, you probably aren\'t familiar with much of this. I hope these books will help."

Dean thanked her sincerely and wasted no time, storing all the books in his system\'s storage space.

"But just these books… hmm, it still feels like it\'s not enough," Lina suddenly said, twisting her space ring. Three scrolls, each adorned with angelic symbols, appeared before Dean, causing his eyebrows to rise in surprise.

"You said the Divine Descent magic scrolls were used up," Dean chuckled. "Seems like you weren\'t entirely honest with me."

Lina Jones sighed softly, "Once you leave home, how many people really tell the truth anymore? But, these three Divine Descent magic scrolls are genuinely my last ones. Even Carol doesn\'t know I managed to get so many. I can give them to you."

"However, be careful when using them,"

Lina warned, her eyes narrowing slightly. She lowered her voice. "Every time I\'ve used a Divine Descent scroll, I\'ve felt a presence within me, something foreign—an essence that doesn\'t belong to me. If you use them too often, there\'s a real chance your body could be taken over by the so-called god."

"..."

Dean Bruce froze for a moment, a memory flashing through his mind of similar tropes from shows and movies in his previous life. The concept of summoning gods and losing one\'s body to them was a familiar narrative.

Feeling a chill, Dean nodded and said, "That\'s definitely something to be careful about. You should also try to avoid using those scrolls unless absolutely necessary, only in extreme danger."

"I\'d love to use them less…" Lina sighed again, before flashing a bright smile. "Anyway, let\'s not dwell on that. Since you\'re still unfamiliar with this continent, is there anything else you\'d like to know?"

"Yes, actually!"

Dean said immediately. "I want to know how many factions are allied with the Nine Provinces Alliance?"

As soon as Dean asked, Lina\'s smile stiffened, and she rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Are you serious? Do I look like someone with insider knowledge of all these factions? I\'m not a high-ranking official in any of those groups!"

"But," she added thoughtfully, "I do know a few factions that have clear enmity with the Nine Provinces Alliance. Whenever they cross paths, things almost always turn violent."

"Oh? What factions?" Dean\'s eyes lit up.

With his modern-world education, he knew better than anyone how to leverage conflicts between others to his advantage.

Lina didn\'t keep him in suspense. "The Imperial Army and the Bloodcloaks," she replied. "The Nine Provinces Alliance used to be part of the military, but their defection left the army in shambles. Ever since, the military has lost control over several duchies and cities. The higher-ups in the army hate the Nine Provinces Alliance with a passion."

"In their wake, the military has been taught to hate the Nine Provinces Alliance just as much,"

Lina continued. "As for the Bloodcloaks, I\'m not entirely sure why they\'re enemies. The story goes back about three hundred years, and it\'s said the grudge runs so deep that whenever they cross paths, it\'s a fight to the death."

Dean Bruce mentally noted the Bloodcloaks but decided not to press further.

After all, the information about an entire continent was overwhelming.

Even though Lina had offered to answer his questions, if he asked too much, she\'d surely grow tired of it.

And besides, Dean preferred not to owe too many favors. He had already received the books, and he could learn what he needed from them in his own time.

"Hey, sis, Dean! Dinner\'s ready. Come on out!"

Herbert Jones suddenly called from outside the door. "Father really went all out today. He even had a fourth-tier beast slaughtered for the meal—probably thanks to Dean. We\'re lucky if we get to eat something like that even once a year!"

Hearing this, Lina Jones grinned and looked over at Dean. "How\'s that for a difference in treatment?"

"The change is pretty drastic," Dean shrugged with a smile, though he didn\'t seem overly concerned.

He had long since learned that respect only comes when you prove yourself capable, regardless of the world you\'re in.

Standing up, Dean and Lina pushed open the door and stepped out, only to see Herbert peeking into the room, trying to snoop.

Lina didn\'t let him get away with it. With a quick slap to the back of his head, Herbert yelped and dashed off with an awkward laugh.

With Lina leading the way, Dean didn\'t have to worry about getting lost as they quickly made their way to the main hall on the first floor.

The dining table wasn\'t overly large, but it was filled with an impressive array of dishes. To Dean\'s surprise, the platters were rotating slowly, much like a modern-day dining table with a lazy Susan.

Obona Jones and his wife were already seated at the head of the table, with their three sons and two daughters seated along the sides.

Dean and Lina\'s seats were directly across from the Jones couple.

All around the hall, servants stood with their heads bowed low, remaining in a deep, respectful posture. They didn\'t dare meet Dean\'s gaze.

Even when spoken to by Obona or his wife, they kept their heads lowered as they moved.

Seeing the scene before him, Dean Bruce couldn\'t help but reflect. In the modern world, even if you paid someone to work, expecting them to behave with such subservience would surely result in being publicly shamed.

Unless you paid them an outrageous amount.

But here, in this world, servants like these were everywhere. They were paid next to nothing, and yet their very lives were considered bought and owned.

Dean silently felt a wave of relief. He was grateful that he hadn\'t been reincarnated as a servant, but instead found himself living in what felt like paradise by comparison.

After Dean had demonstrated his strength, Obona Jones treated him with far greater respect. Even the hospitality had been elevated to a higher standard.

The meal was a grand affair, with everyone enjoying themselves, lasting well into the afternoon. No one even mentioned preparing for the upcoming banquet.

The drastic shift in their attitudes left Dean feeling a quiet sense of satisfaction.

However, in an effort to maintain his composure, he didn\'t overindulge. Despite the impressive spread, including the meat of the fourth-tier beast, he left most of it untouched. Herbert, on the other hand, devoured more than half of the beast\'s meat, much to Dean\'s surprise.

With the enhancements from his system and treasures like the Dragonheart Pendant. He just could consume less than a platter, and he feels came to limit.

Herbert\'s lower level, he ate two full platters of the beast\'s flesh!

Noticing Herbert\'s remarkable physical resilience, Dean began to consider a new idea—perhaps he could teach Herbert some magic. Would he be successful?

Now that the thought had crossed his mind, Dean couldn\'t help but plan how to approach it.

Herbert had to be the one to ask, of course.

After all, no one just hands over magical knowledge for free.

Dean\'s distracted demeanor hadn\'t gone unnoticed by the Jones family, who were growing more anxious by the minute.

Sensing this, after lunch, Obona discreetly pulled Herbert aside, advising him to spend more time with Dean and build rapport.

Seeing this shift in treatment, Lina couldn\'t help but burst into laughter.

Obona might have felt a bit embarrassed, but seeing how naturally close and comfortable Lina and Dean had become put his mind at ease.

There was no other choice for him now. He had already informed the Lord\'s Manor that the engagement with Medro Cep was off. While the marriage hadn\'t been formally announced yet, the rejection would still likely irritate the lord of Stanlow City.

Even if it didn\'t result in outright conflict, the relationship between the Jones family and the Lord\'s Manor would never be the same.

Having already angered the Lord\'s Manor, Obona couldn\'t afford to lose Dean Bruce as well. That would be a disastrous setback for the Jones family.

With the engagement dissolved, there was no rush for Dean and Lina to attend the banquet. Taking advantage of the extra time, Dean pulled Lina back to her room, ready to select a new magic spell for her to learn.

Based on Lina\'s deceptively innocent yet shrewd personality, Dean carefully chose a spell that would be well-suited to her.

If this spell didn\'t work, it would confirm that his teaching methods only worked on people with very specific mindsets.