Engrossed in the cascade of notifications and my newly acquired skills, title and more importantly than anything this newly reached threshold, I barely noticed Justaff approaching. It took a familiar tap on my shoulder and his congratulatory words to pull me back to reality. "Well done," he said, snapping me back to the present.

  "Thanks," I replied.

  Noticing my distraction, Justaff's eyes narrowed slightly. "Did something happen?" His tone carried a knowing inflection, suggesting he was already aware of my recent level up.

  "I leveled up," I confirmed, meeting his gaze. "I'm finally level 11." My eyes drifted briefly to the defeated Thunderflame Ursus as I spoke.

  A soft chuckle escaped Justaff's lips, his eyes twinkling with a mix of amusement, pride, and perhaps a touch of relief. "So that's why you were so determined to defeat that creature on your own…"

  I nodded.

  "Well... This old man would like to extend his congratulations, Milady, on becoming a level 11 Sorcerer," he said, offering a half-genuine, half-teasing bow.

  "Thanks," I said once more, feeling a warm sense of accomplishment.

  "Reaching level 11 at 14 is no small feat," Justaff continued, his tone earnest. "Many spend their lives, either succumbing to old age or falling in battle, without ever reaching this milestone. You have every reason to be proud."

  "Is that so?"

  "Yes, it is," he affirmed. "You've achieved something remarkable, becoming a level 11 sorcerer at your age."

  With that, I moved towards the Thunderflame Ursus's lifeless form, stopping just short of the pooling blood to avoid getting any dirtier. Justaff followed suit, walking through the crimson puddle to join me beside the creature's body. He reached out, examining it closely as if searching for some hidden truth.

  After a moment, he turned to me, his expression one of genuine admiration. "That was quite the performance. To be honest, I was sure I would have to intervene."

  "Why?"

  He chuckled dryly. "I mean, this creature was, by human standards, at least the equivalent of a level 15 Verdenkind, and the other two were at least a level 9."

  "Really?" I said, feigning surprise. "Are you sure it was?"

  "Yes, I was. I've hunted this creature myself. It literally terrorized a small town with no one there being able to do anything against it."

  I understood what he meant. At my level, I shouldn't be able to handle something of this caliber. I got it, but I refrained from commenting on that, or even letting it show on my face. Instead, I kept a pleasantly surprised expression. "That means I'm good, very good, right?"

  He stared at me for a brief moment, then very casually said, "That wasn't exactly my point, but that isn't wrong either. Though..." He stalled, cast a last glance at the creature beside him, and let out a self-deprecating sigh. "I guess there's nothing wrong with that. It just means that I'll have to capture more monsters of this level to help you level up."

  Wanting to keep his attention away from me and my true "level", I asked, "Is it hard to do? To capture them?"

  He seemed hesitant to answer but ultimately did. "At my level, monsters of this level don't pose much of a threat, but to defeat one and to capture it are two different things altogether."

  That made sense. Unless one's skill was specifically geared toward capture or restraint, killing is usually the easier option than capture. Now that I think of it, that was not only applicable to monsters but to many things that weren't monsters as well.

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  With a playful glint in my eye, I quipped, "Sounds like capturing monsters for me is beginning to feel like too much trouble for you. Maybe you won't feel like doing it anymore?"

  Justaff chuckled at my remark, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Trying to get me in trouble with that question, aren’t you, Milady?"

  I grinned, enjoying the playful banter. "Not at all, but my brain is performing well enough to know that at the rate it's going, someday in the future, maybe in six or perhaps five years, capturing monsters for me will get more and more complicated, and my leveling up slower and slower."

  "True enough," he conceded, before sinking into a pondering silence. Eventually, he added, "But as you said, it'll be in five or six years. You still have at least eight to nine levels ahead of you before this old man will really struggle to capture monsters for you."

  "That's good to hear," I smiled.

  "Even then, I or your father could always explore alternatives, like hiring people to help us capture these monsters. At that level, people are difficult to hire, but with enough money involved, there'll always be someone to take over these kinds of commissions."

  The more I listened to him trying to apparently reassure me about this situation, the more I realized that for at least the next 20 levels, they had no plan of letting me out there to level up like most people do.

  With the position and ambition this family has, it's understandable that they do not wish to see me out there.

  "Anyway, that is to say that you've got nothing to worry about, Milady. We've got you very much covered," he said, once again tapping my shoulder. "That being said, it seems your next level up, to level 12, will have to wait for our return," as he said those words he seemed to doze into a reminiscing reverie. "Ah, level 12, already, huh? To think that little girl from back then is already so close to her class-specialization level already. This is enough to make this old heart of mine melancholic."

  "Not close," I corrected. "That level is still months away, especially with how you'll be gone and how I won't be able to train in consequence."

  "That is unfortunately true," he grimaced. "Will you miss me, Milady?" He teasingly asked.

  But giving him no attention, I asked, "Do you really have to leave?"

  "I'll take that as a yes.... And to answer your question, Milady, yes. I have to."

  Several months ago, we received an invitation from the Emperor, summoning his vassals for a grand gathering in the imperial capital on the auspicious 33rd day of the First Moon, in the year 615 OaOE. Today, on the 1st day of the Third Moon, the time has finally come. This invitation wasn’t just for our 'father' and his fellow Dukes; it extended to the Kings of the Empire and their royal families as well. It’s a significant event that our 'father' couldn’t afford to miss, and in attending, he was to bring Justaff, the most esteemed and trusted servant of the Wei? family.

  "This event will be His Grace, your father's first official gathering as a Duke," Justaff continued, his voice tinged with pride. "It's a momentous occasion, and his presence there is crucial for the family's standing and future endeavors."

  Despite the questionable nature of the people he dedicated his loyalty to, I couldn't help but appreciate the sight of this kind of loyalty.

  "It is why your father will need all available support at his side—your mother, your older sister, your little brother, and I, Justaff."

  If I were playing the persona of the spoiled little genius princess I sometimes am, I would've replied something along the lines, But since I was already very satisfied with the overall direction the discussion took, I decided not to go overboard. Instead, I simply nodded and said, "I understand."

  After a moment, Justaff, seemingly out of nowhere, said, "Milady, this is just a passing suggestion, but you should take advantage of the time when there will be no training to get along with your sisters."

  Raising my eyebrow, I replied, "I'm getting along with them."

  "We may not have the same definition of 'getting along,' my lady, because it looks more like you're bullying them."

  "I'm not."

  "I know. Which is why I said it looks like you are... I don't think that's how siblings should be."

  "Is that so... I will try then. It's not like I'll have better things to do," I lied, heading for the stair leading to the room's exit. "Anyway, I'm beat. I'm headed to my room. I need a bath; I smell like wet coins, and once I'm done, I'll go allocate these attribute points of mine."

  "As always, Milady... Wisely distribute them."

  "That's what I plan to do," I said, walking to the room's door at the top of the stairs. Instead of leaving, I turned around to see Justaff still looking in my direction.

  "Forgot something?"

  "You can say that," I replied, before genuinely adding, "Justaff, have a safe journey out there."

  He, from where he was, smiled, then said, "Thanks, Milady."

  With those words, I left.