Chapter 464 -463: The Rightful Owner Comes Knocking

Inside a lab in the second tier of the Round Tower, two individuals stared at each other, neither willing to easily break the silence.

Ever since Hotter had paid him a visit, Ivan had known that the principal involved would soon arrive, and sure enough, just two days later, Tanaya showed up alone.

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Tanaya used the discussion of enchantment knowledge as an excuse, and Ivan was in no rush to debunk it.

They exchanged knowledge on whichever aspect she wished to discuss; both individuals were not easy to deal with, and neither fell short in the exchange of enchantment knowledge.

After who knows which question, they fell into a prolonged silence.

Tanaya was originally the darling of the Fitzgerald family, a genius sorcerer renowned throughout the sorcerer world, but the topic to follow was too far-fetched, and she found it somewhat difficult to broach.

...

She didn’t speak, and Ivan was even less likely to bring it up; after all, there was no rush.

“Ahem! Sorcerer Ivan, you must be aware of the difficulty in advancing from Level 3 to an Arcane Wizard, right?” After a long silence, Tanaya finally broke the quiet.

“Indeed, I am aware. It’s more difficult than any previous promotion,” Ivan nodded slightly.

“Not just that, the difficulty is a hundred, a thousand, even ten thousand times greater than before. You wouldn’t deny that, would you?” Tanaya said gravely.

“You’re not wrong. If it weren’t so tough, there would certainly be more than just forty-some Arcane Wizards in the sorcerer world today. Every time I think about the promotion, my head starts to feel heavier.”

“If, and I mean if, there were an opportunity for you to gain the support of the Fitzgerald family, their full support in your promotion to an Arcane Wizard, would you be willing to take some risks for it?”

Hearing Tanaya’s probing question, Ivan thought to himself, This one has finally gotten to the point.

“Not willing,” he firmly shook his head.

“Right now—you’re not willing?” Tanaya almost couldn’t react, “Why is that?”

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world, especially not the promotion to a Level 4 Sorcerer, which is no ordinary task. In the end, one must rely on one’s own strength.”

“It’s different with the help of the Fitzgerald family; you could save a lot of time and energy. You should understand that my family has such capability.”

“I believe in the capability of the Fitzgerald family, but I would rather believe that one must not reach for things that don’t belong to them. Otherwise, the consequences could be dire, bringing calamity to both the hand and person involved, with life and death hanging by a thread.”

Facing Ivan’s decisive words, Tanaya finally grasped that he might already know what she was going to request.

This is why he seemed to avoid it at all costs.

Tanaya took a deep breath. After careful consideration, this was good; she could now speak frankly without having to beat around the bush and waste more time.

She had learned about his character and way of handling things and thought it over before speaking up again.

“Since you are informed, let me be straightforward. I don’t need you to marry me, nor will I actually marry you. I only need to use your title. You will remain as you are, and I won’t interfere with you in the slightest.

As long as you agree, I will give all the compensation I can afford, including the use of the Fitzgerald’s power to ascend to Arcane.”

Hearing her words, Ivan’s brows raised, appreciating her directness.

“Don’t be hasty in refusing. If I’ve sought you out, this means something—that you are definitely the most suitable candidate at the moment and can surely meet the requirements of the Fitzgerald family,” Tanaya added.

“I have four wives in the East Capital,” Ivan said after some thought.

“That doesn’t count. They are not qualified to be your wives, at best concubines; a powerful man is bound to have a few lovers and concubines,” Tanaya was evidently well-prepared.

Crude though her words were, the logic was sound; the sorcerer world places more emphasis on reality than the mortal realm, and the powerful indeed have many privileges.

To say that Pearney, as a Level 2 Sorcerer, wasn’t qualified might not be entirely true, but no one would actually bother about it, especially when the official wife herself did not care.

“How about it? If you agree, every word I’ve said stands. If I go back on my word, may bad luck cling to me and I not die a good death; I swear upon the Mother of Earth Core and the honor of the Fitzgerald family.”

Seeing him seem somewhat moved, Tanaya further emphasized.

Ivan had never seen anyone so determined to escape an arranged marriage, a Level 3 Sorcerer, a wise and talented individual, yet he could go to such lengths; Ivan felt quite emotional about it.

“May I ask why you’re so adamant about changing your marriage candidate?”

“There’s nothing I can’t say, I have someone I love.”

“That’s it?”

“Isn’t that enough?”

When he saw the seriousness on Tanaya’s face, Ivan realized she very likely truly thought that way.

In other words, by agreeing to this strange marriage arrangement, he would also have to wear an additional ‘hat.’

“Why don’t you have him stand up for himself?”

“He can’t.”

Upon hearing Ivan’s question, Tanaya immediately replied without thinking.

Ivan silently looked at her, knowing full well the other party wasn’t up to it, yet she was still so resolutely in love. Wasn’t this a contradiction? Truly a complex woman, regardless of being a sorcerer.

“I’m sorry, I can’t do it either.”

“No, you can, I trust my judgment,” Tanaya was very firm.

“Your judgment is wrong, I really can’t do it.” Ivan shook his head. Putting aside everything else, he would never allow himself to wear a cuckold’s hat, even in name only.

“Don’t be in a hurry to refuse, listen to my offer first. I can provide several complete sets of Advanced Meditation Methods, many secret techniques, and various resources, such as element crystal essences, magic marrow stones—-

Besides that, I can mobilize one to three Arcane Wizards, and have them act once according to your requirements.”

Seeing that he was still unmoved, Tanaya quickly laid out her bargaining chips.

There was no denying that Tanaya, hailing from the Fitzgerald family, was offering conditions that not just anyone could match, such as the element crystal essences and magic marrow stones, which even a regular Level 3 Sorcerer probably had never seen.

Ivan hadn’t seen them either; he had only heard of them.

These two things were actually of the arcane level; the magic marrow stone was above the high-grade magic stones, and the element essence was a step above the high-grade element crystals, both quite rare.

Such items could have unexpected effects when placed in the hands of a Level 3 Sorcerer.

Even so, Ivan stubbornly shook his head.

“Give me a definite reason to refuse, so I can completely give up on you,” Tanaya stared at him for a while, her pearly teeth tightly clenched as she spoke.

“My wife wouldn’t allow loving another man.”

“That’s it?”

“Isn’t that enough?”

Tanaya revealed a smile as if suddenly amused.

“Is that the only reason?”

“No, it’s just one point I care about, that’s all.”

Hearing his words, Tanaya was genuinely amused. This guy truly was impermeable.