Sword of Dawnbreaker

Victoria’s mind was swirling with countless thoughts, yet her face remained unchanged, maintaining her usual icy demeanor. Modir, observing such a ”descendant,” suddenly felt a headache. He didn’t expect to be faced with a woman so serious—completely different from his own personality. How did such a hard-to-get-along character get nurtured?

But thinking about it, he seemed unqualified to speak in this aspect—after all, according to Victoria, he was already the ”ancestor” from six hundred years ago. In child-rearing... he really couldn’t say anything.

Fortunately, the old Mage finally spoke up, breaking the silence in the cabin, ”Victoria, right? What’s your surname?”

Victoria: ”...”

Modir: ”...”

”The same surname as yours, only...” The extreme awkwardness nearly broke through the dozen layers of mental defense Victoria had, and she trembled slightly at the corner of her mouth, barely managing to speak without expression, ”I was instructed not to casually reveal surname-related matters to you—it seems it will trigger your ’memory gaps.’”

”Ah, ah, that’s it, I remember now,” Modir quickly hit his forehead, speaking a bit awkwardly, ”I remember Heragor reminded me about this matter not so long ago, saying that there’s a ’gap’ in my memory system. Touching key information leads to breakages and resets in consciousness. Well, that’s my oversight.”

As he spoke, he laughed, and the previously tense awkward atmosphere seemed to dissolve somewhat due to this little interlude: ”Let me ask something else... what do you do? The family... which should be mine now, what is the situation?”

”I... mainly manage—um, manage a vast amount of land, upon which many people depend,” Victoria spoke awkwardly. Previously, she never considered describing her daily life and those around her in this way, ”Your descendants this generation have shown some promise. Apart from me, some are in the military, or running enterprises. Most of the youth are still studying, among whom the most talented is my nephew, studying in the imperial capital...”

Modir stared wide-eyed, feeling all these matters seemed distant—an unreal sensation surged again, causing him to subconsciously mutter, ”Me, an old man wandering the world, suddenly have a bunch of descendants who sound impressive?”

Victoria seemingly didn’t hear clearly: ”What did you say?”

”Oh, nothing,” Modir quickly waved, looking curiously at Victoria again. ”All that sounds quite remarkable, with enterprises and land. But I’m even more confused now, what do you usually do... sounds like farming? But seems a bit more impressive...”

”Well, slightly more impressive,” Victoria spoke with difficulty, not adept at conversing this way. Yet she had to quickly think of ways to explain her matters to the ancestor, ensuring he doesn’t associate them with the tremendous Wilder Clan of the north, ”I don’t personally handle the land, but merely manage vast territories, as well as all enterprises on such land...”

Modir listened earnestly, but suddenly frowned, the seriousness in his expression surprised Victoria, prompting her to halt her narrative: ”Ancestor, is there a problem?”

”You mustn’t break the law,” Modir abruptly said without preamble. ”This isn’t something to joke about.”

Victoria was at a loss: ”Huh?”

”Though I usually wander everywhere, I’m quite familiar with laws promulgated by the Empire and policies published by the Administrative Office,” Modir continued, with a serious look toward Victoria, genuinely like an elder worried about descendants straying, ”Child, land seizure and monopoly operations are illegal!”

Victoria: ”...?”

After being dumbfounded for two seconds, she finally reacted, intensely embarrassed (though her face didn’t show it), explaining: ”No, you misunderstood. I merely manage them—lands belong to the country, industries to others, I’m simply in charge of management. Of course, our family industries exist, but they’re far from annexation or monopoly—everything is within legal premises...”

The ruling duchess of the entire northern region was unusually at a loss, yet Modir gradually relaxed his brow, the old Mage finally nodded, comprehending, ”I’m relieved, understanding now... Are you working in the Administrative Office?”

”Well...” Victoria blinked in surprise, then swiftly embraced the new thought, nodding repeatedly, ”Yes, I’m working in the Administrative Office—almost daily showing up at the office, sometimes bringing documents to handle at home...”