The son of the God-Emperor in Warhammer Fantasy

The sludge teeming with powerful corruption entangled Ryan's hands, trying to seep into his body.

"No!" The first to react were Veronica and Teresa. The sorceress hurried forward but slammed into the light barrier created by Tigris. Veronica managed better, pressing her hands against the barrier, "Ryan, be careful!"

Emperor Karl-Franz furrowed his brows, and the Riksguard swiftly surrounded the emperor, blades drawn, watching Ryan with vigilant eyes. Should the emperor give the order, they would execute the fallen without hesitation.

However, under everyone's gaze, Ryan's hands burst into golden flames. The Chosen Champion of the Lady of the Lake's eyes swirled with pale blue psychic energy, burning and purifying the corrupt tendrils in the psychic vortex. The corrupt sludge evaporated into the air, leaving only burnt ashes.

Ryan roared angrily, breaking free from the Book of Chaos's entanglement. He stepped back twice, his pure psychic energy cleansing the surroundings, dispelling all corruption emanated from the Book of Chaos.

The scene was left with a burnt smell and white smoke. The Riksguard's weapons were drawn, pointing at Ryan, ready to act should he show any signs of corruption.

"You have conquered chaos, haven't you?" Emperor Karl-Franz asked quietly.

The emperor was uncertain, his eyes filled with doubt, causing everyone to tense.

"...I have only conquered the corruption of chaos, not chaos itself," Ryan indicated he was unharmed and turned his attention back to the Book of Chaos. "It was close."

Ryan turned around, showing no signs of anomaly. The blessings from the Lady of the Lake and his own power still circulated around him, reassuring everyone. The Riksguard sheathed their swords as Tigris moved forward to the table.

The Book of Chaos was now burnt through, its chaotic power dissipated under Ryan's counterattack. Naturally, nothing remained inside. Tigris sighed, "I told you I should have done it. Ryan, you can fight and purify corruption, but as you purify the corruption of chaos, the knowledge and secrets it contained also disappear. These things are tightly bound with chaos itself, just like magic."

"I'm sorry." Ryan knew his actions might have been inappropriate and apologized.

"Lord Tigris, could you clarify? Why does purifying the corruption also eliminate the knowledge within?" The emperor, intrigued, looked regretfully at the charred Book of Chaos and asked Tigris.

"The realm of chaos, also known as the subspace or 'Eshir,' 'Supreme Heaven,' is where all magic originates from the winds of chaos. This realm, or subspace, is a reflection of all living beings' emotions, like a shadow that cannot be erased. All magic originates from the winds of chaos. The octagonal sigil of chaos is not just a random symbol; it represents the eight winds of magic," Tigris explained. "Everything begins with chaos. Of course, subspace is not only home to chaos gods. Many benevolent and just deities also protect mortals, tirelessly battling the chaos gods."

"The Great Vortex filters the winds of chaos, but magic is still not entirely safe. Likewise, books containing chaotic power also contain countless knowledge and precious treasures because they reveal the essence of the world."

"It's especially difficult for humans to harness the power of the winds of chaos because humans are not naturally adept at magic. In using magic, you must strengthen yourselves against corruption and avoid falling into it through an excessive pursuit of power. You need a strong will to feel the winds of magic without becoming stubborn and letting your will be unwittingly twisted by chaos. Therefore, I always believe the best approach for humans facing such forbidden objects is to avoid contact and directly purify them." Tigris regretfully looked at the Book of Chaos. "What Eggrim saw, we will never know... Perhaps it's for the best."

The group fell silent. The threat of chaos was eternal; mortals had no choice but to fight desperately.

"Despite this, we still need the power of magic. Spellcasters have proven to be powerful weapons against chaos. We cannot pretend not to see magic's dangers; doing so would only force those with magical talent in the Empire to turn towards chaos," the Emperor quickly overcame his concerns and declared boldly, "They must also join the fight against the enemy!"

"Exactly, Your Majesty, please allow me to express my admiration. It's fortunate for mortals that you think this way," Tigris finally smiled.

After no further incidents, Emperor Karl-Franz departed, leaving the group to spend the entire day touring the Royal Wizard Academy of Brunswick. From the Sky Academy with its sixteen wizard towers to the Emerald Academy set in a beautiful garden, from the Flame Academy bursting with heat waves to the Shadow Academy deep within the slums, each of the eight academies had its unique

 features matching their respective winds of magic.

The Alchemy Academy and Amber Academy were not located within the city. The Alchemy Academy, nestled in a corner of the suburbs, buzzed with machinery, featuring large chimneys and massive metal furnaces. The Grand Alchemist, Baelshazar-Gaelt, was conducting an important experiment and only briefly greeted the group. The Amber Academy, located in a cave outside the city, was home to the hirsute Dean Greg-Matak, who, reeking of animal scent and clad in furs, greeted everyone with a nod.

After a day of tours, Ryan, Sulia, Veronica, and Teresa enjoyed a day out shopping, insisting on Ryan's company. With nothing else pressing, Ryan readily agreed.

In the crisp winter air, the group, three women dressed in fluffy coats and high-heeled boots, each with distinct styles—Sulia's knee-length skirt exuded dignity; Veronica braved the cold in a miniskirt and stockings; and Teresa opted for tight leather pants, preferring skirts only during private times with Ryan.

Even in the affluent districts, Brunswick's streets appeared disorganized and crowded, filled with buildings of varying heights that seemed haphazardly constructed. The bustling crowd made it difficult to see far, and each street hid many alleys housing restaurants, homes, or shops, only identifiable by their signs.

Sulia's cheeks glowed with a rosy hue, a constant state recently. Holding her husband's hand, she remarked on the vibrant yet chaotic scene.

"This is the capital of the Empire, Lady Sulia," Veronica explained understandingly. "The city's transient population far exceeds its capacity, making such crowding unavoidable. It's much better now in winter; in autumn, farmers coming to sell their goods could overwhelm the place."

"But this is an affluent area, right? Shouldn't be so crowded," Teresa said, sneaking her arm through Ryan's other arm, whispering, "Ryan, have you been to Brunswick before?"

"This is my first visit, though I've heard about it," Ryan responded with a smile, dressed in a standard Bretonnian earl's outfit, the Grail Knight's badge displayed on his chest. "Ladies, today is your day. Pick whatever you like; I'll handle the bill."

"That's the least you can do, Ryan. But I like this gesture," Veronica flirted, "Really, we can buy anything?"

"Anything. I'm just paying," Ryan replied, unfazed.

Veronica immediately pulled out a booklet listing all the renowned clothing and jewelry stores in the affluent area, while Teresa produced a map of Brunswick, marking all the worthwhile spots. "Let's get started!"

"Shop 'til you drop!"

"Ryan's footing the bill!"

"Don't buy, you're no fun!"

"Lady Sulia, come on! Ryan will definitely love this on you!"

The group embarked on a shopping spree, with the two witches and the knightess purchasing clothes, shoes, jewelry, and many souvenirs with abandon.

The Empire, a diverse nation, was perfectly represented in Brunswick, where goods from all over the Old World could be found—from Kislev's white fox fur to Cathay's precious silk fabrics, from Riksguard's superior velvet stockings to Ostland's genuine leather boots, from the southern stronghold of Nuln's lace-trimmed garments to Averland's superior brown sugar syrup, and even the Halflings' "Halfling Trinkets" (various exquisite snacks) from Mootland.

The ladies' extravagant shopping attracted many noble onlookers, with some young nobles even attempting to flirt. Quickly realizing they were being ignored, these nobles became frustrated. However, Emperor Karl-Franz had anticipated this; his greatsword guards reminded the young nobles that if they truly persisted, they could choose between "cherishing" their hard-earned lives and dueling with the renowned human hero, the "Devout" Earl Ryan Macado.

Seeing the thunder hammer in Ryan's hand sparkling with lightning and his smiling face, the young nobles scattered.

Ryan wondered if any would dare trouble him, leading to a small confrontation that might escalate, ending with him facing an army and demanding a hefty compensation. But none were so bold!

It seemed his reputation was too formidable; the Empire's nobles weren't foolish. In this dark and bloody world, strength ruled, and the Empire, never long at peace, valued military achievements highly in its noble inheritance and selection processes. Ryan's fame was well-known, especially in the bustling, populous Riksguard.

The ladies continued their shopping spree along the southern affluent district, passing the circular road around the Church of Justice, down "Riksguard Lane," across "Open Street," and finally along "Haisen Street" to Riksmarket.

Here lay a famous shop called "Boone's Little Bear," covering over 200 square meters and selling various bear dolls and a

 well-known bear-shaped fruit juice gummy candy, along with many royal luxuries. When Ryan led Sulia and the others into the crowded shop, a giant golden bear sign shone brightly with magical light.

"Ryan! Look at this, I love it!"

"So cute, these little bears!"

"Do they still have this gold bear doll?"

Sulia, who adored bear dolls and bear patterns, was captivated upon seeing the shop. The knightess and the two witches dove in and began buying aggressively. Ryan let them shop freely, smiling and paying without interference. Sulia bought many bear-patterned clothes, including those for babies and children, with Ryan indulging her.

After purchasing many items, Ryan, through the shop's glass window, noticed something on the street outside.

A detachment of Riksguard was passing by, about a dozen mounted troops swiftly moving along the street, their crosses, skulls, and laurel wreaths on their shields clearing the way for them.

Leading the imperial general was Kurt-Heilberg, recently victorious in the northern battles and formally appointed by the emperor as the Riksmarshal just days ago. Clearly, he had just led the Riksguard on a mission and was now returning to the Riksguard castle.

Behind Kurt-Heilberg followed many young men, each dressed lavishly in clothes that would cost a commoner a year's income, regardless of their looks, most sporting neatly groomed mustaches and hair.

Ryan noticed these young men, and they noticed him.

"Rudolf, look, there's a Grail Knight! He's watching us!" a young man with long brown hair and dressed in silk pointed out Ryan behind the glass window.

Soon, the group erupted in heated discussion.

"Oh, I think I know who he is—that's Duke Ivan's foster son, Ryan! I know him, Wagner Knight, do you know of him?"

"No one in the Empire doesn't know the name Ryan, Baron Lehmann, please be quiet," a tall noble said gruffly.

"Lord Theodricson, I recall you attended his wedding?" The tall noble's remark didn't quiet the young men but sparked even greater discussion. "Can you share the details?"

"Is that his wife? She's quite beautiful!"

"Enough! Recruits!" Newly appointed Riksmarshal Kurt-Heilberg intervened, his long mustache trembling with his shout, "This is not the place for chit-chat! His Majesty needs your swords!"

"Yes, sir!"

...Updated! Asking for your votes!

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