Dynasty Rebirth Infinity

An hour later-

A ship sailed through the skies, its magical sail conjuring winds to move.

And yet, only a gentle wind entered on board, protected by an invisible magical barrier.

While on board, Ewan also got to learn the reason why the ship was there.

"We came here for the Tithes, a harvest for young Wizard Talents," Valli explained, leaning on the railings.

"Wizard Talents?" Ewan curiously asked.

"Yes. Aside from the six visible Stats one has, people are also born with invisible ones. Everyone is born with Magical Roots. The weaker they are, the worse their qualifications as a Wizard are. Even if you are born with immense Spirit, if you have weak Magical Roots, you are as good as disabled as a Wizard, with meditation going at a snail's pace. Me and my sister are both Grade 2 talents, meaning it is hopeless for us to be Wizards. However, we had great warrior talent, so we became Grand Knights." Valli explained.

"How does the talent grading go?" Ewan curiously asked.

"It starts from Grade 0, which is essentially a talentless mortal. You can say they are individuals who put ten times the effort for a tenth of the result. Grade 1 talent is a bit better, but they are unlikely to surpass level-1 Wizard Apprentice, so they are better off choosing another profession. Those with Grade 2 talent usually stop at level-2 Wizard Apprentice, unable to advance further. And then there is the Grade 3 talent, which we call the Wizard Honey Trap." Valli said.

"Wizard Honey Trap?" Ewan raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Grade 3 talents have a slight chance of becoming Wizards in their lifetime, but for every 100 apprentices, less than one becomes Wizards. The rest get stuck at the 2nd or 3rd level." Valli said.

"Why take them, then?" Ewan asked.

"They are convenient helpers. They have the false hope of transcending their limits while signing draconian contracts. Vugast, the captain of this vessel, is such an individual. He has passed his prime, used augments to surpass his limits, and will forever remain a pseudo-wizard." Valli explained.

"Then what of talents above that?" Ewan asked.

"Grades above this are separated into regular and peak. Regular Grade 4 talents are the real backbone that Wizards notice, having a decent chance to become Wizards, around 10-20%, while peak Grade 4 have 30-40%. Regular Grade 5 would usually become personal disciples, having at least 50-60% of becoming a Wizard. Peak Grade 5 are nurtured with care and are seeded talents with up to 80% chance of becoming Wizards before turning 40. The mistress was a peak tier 5 talent." Valli explained.

Speaking up to that point, Valli smiled, "Speaking of which, you never got tested, were you? To reach the level you did in the mortal world, you should at least have Grade 5 talent."

"How do I measure that, anyways?" Ewan asked.

"We have a measuring device. Come with me." Valli walked to the door leading to the hull of the ship.

Ewan followed her and soon arrived at the captain's room. Valli then walked to a shelf and pulled two boxes before placing them on the table and opening them. One had a crystal ball, and the other hand had a stone with nine inlaid gems.

"The crystal ball helps measure elemental affinity, and the stone measures magical talent up to the peak 6th grade," Valli explained. 

"6th grade? So there are grades above the 5th grade?" Ewan tilted his head.

"Yes, but those are too rare to come by. Those children are guaranteed to become Wizards and have a chance to become 2nd-order Wizards. There are rumors of grades even above that, but they are so rare that only the holy lands can raise them." Valli said.

"The more I speak with you, the more questions I have." Ewan warily said.

"Don't worry. You will gradually learn everything." Valli said and gestured to the two devices. "Now, come and test yourself."

Ewan nodded and walked to the two devices. First, he placed a hand on the crystal ball. The next moment, it shined brightly with a brown color. All other colors were dim and got pushed aside.

"High Earth Affinity, as expected." Valli smiled.

"Is High considered good?" Ewan asked.

"Yes. It is enough to support you to become an Earth Wizard. The higher your elemental affinity is to one element, the faster your meditation and spellcasting speed in that element, and the easier it is to promote later." Valli said.

"Are Core Skills reflected in this?" Ewan curiously asked.

"In this case, yes. Elemental affinity can indeed improve through Core Skills. However, Magical Roots is a different story. You can only improve the roots through rare external means, such as consumption of higher-grade food, unique magical techniques, and certain rituals." Valli explained.

"I see." Ewan thoughtfully nodded.

"Now, why don't you try checking your talent?" Valli asked, gesturing at the stone.

"Do I touch it?" Ewan asked.

"Yes, just touch it. The more crystals light up, the higher your talent." Valli said.

Ewan nodded and touched the stone.

As soon as he did, the first crystal lit up with white light, followed by the 2nd brown crystal, then blue, green, yellow, orange, and finally, red which lit up at 90% capacity. Seven crystals.

"Congratulations, Sir Ewan! You have Peak tier-5 talent. It is the same as the mistress." Valli happily smiled. But then, her smile dimmed. "What a pity you didn't receive support early on. There is a good chance you could have become a Wizard by now."

"It's fine. I will have support from now on." Ewan shook his head, unsurprised by the result.

He always vaguely felt his talent as a Wizard was excellent. Perhaps he reincarnated as his most talented descendent, or his reincarnation did something to the body's talent. It explained why he could even become a level-3 Apprentice in an environment where Magic Particles were sparse and without resources and guidance, with only the most fundamental meditation technique while a full-time farmer.

But Ewan was never one to cry over spilled milk, so he didn't complain about it.

"True. That is a good mentality to have." Valli regained her smile. "You haven't tried the meditation circles yet, have you?"

"No, I didn't." Ewan shook his head. He read about it in the books that it helped gather magical particles and made them more effortless to absorb into the body.

"Then you should try the meditation rooms. Unfortunately, we only have grade 1 and grade 2 meditation circles on the vessel, and while the mistress has a grade 3 circle, it is of the fire element, incompatible with you. But when we arrive, there will be grade 4 and even grade 5 Earth element circles for you." Valli said.

"Thanks, but I would first like to spend some time with my wife and children," Ewan said.

Valli paused, not expecting that answer. Most would rush to try meditating, yet Ewan preferred his family over it.

"You are a sentimental family man, Ewan. I envy your wife and children." Valli said with a gentle look.

Wizards were creatures of logic and reason, driven by power and greed. Rarely do they show their family affection, especially if no benefits are involved. If a child had extraordinary talent, a Wizard might spend time with them to foster familial feelings. Otherwise, they would be tools to strengthen the family, like her and Theli.

"No, I am the blessed man to have them as my family," Ewan replied with refined wisdom in his eyes.

After four lifetimes, his family was the only joy and color in his grey and monotone life, his source of motivation. What is the point of power if you are not happy? Isn't the reason for acquiring power to protect what you love?

Valli's eyes flickered with conflicting emotions and said, "Then I won't keep you."

"Okay. See you later." Ewan turned and left.

But just as he opened the door, Valli added a sentence that almost made him stumble.

"And do tell your wife about what we discussed in the carriage," Valli's teasing voice echoed behind him.

"... Okay," Ewan replied with an embarrassed smile and hurriedly left the room, closing the door behind him.

Now alone, Valli leaned against the wall, clutched her aching chest, and muttered, "I truly do envy you."

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Inside one of the private rooms-

Ewan and Shiri handed their children over to his sister and sisters-in-law before privately explaining the situation to Shiri.

"So they essentially want a political marriage to tie you to their family?" Shiri guessed.

"Probably." Ewan nodded.

He wasn't some dense idiot. The clues were all over the place. That Valli and Theli took an interest in him was a poorly made excuse made on the spot that anyone with half a brain could see through. Perhaps they did find him fascinating and talented enough, but was Ewan the only one out there? As wonderful as Ewan was, the two beautiful ladies likely had a better stock of males to select from. They wouldn't choose a married 30-year-old man they barely knew unless ordered to. And Fladrinne likely knew that it was a poor excuse but didn't care.

"Honestly? It is your choice to make, Ewan. If you marry them, I won't oppose, stop you, or think any less of you. It would secure our future in this new world we are going to." Shiri said with understanding eyes.

If Ewan agrees to the deal, they would likely tie themselves to a powerful force, for better or worse. If Ewan was a young bachelor, this might be an unattractive proposal since he had less to lose and had more future possibilities. But now, he was married and had five children, a sixth now on the way. If he married into that force, then she and her children would be half-adopted, giving them protection. She knew what was best for them, even if she was unhappy with sharing her man.

Of course, this was Ewan's choice, and she couldn't interfere even as his wife. It was especially so because she was a powerless mortal, not a Wizard or Knight. She knew her place. If Ewan was cruel enough, he could even discard her to further his agenda. It was not unheard of for some men to divorce or, in extreme situations, even poison their spouses and children to death to remarry. That they wanted a polygamous marriage was already a good thing and a significant concession!

And also-

"And I can't satisfy you in bed, so marrying a few physically powerful women should be good," Shiri said with a relieved look.

"... You knew?" Ewan had an embarrassed smile.

"Obviously. I can't keep up with you! You have too much stamina until it makes my hips sore. And when I am pregnant, there are many months where I can only satisfy you with my hands, thighs, butt, and tits. And even then, I often caught you trying to hold back your erection. How can you have so much energy with all the work and training you have? My sisters-in-law always complain there is too little sex, not too much!" Shiri complained.

Ewan turned even more embarrassed. He didn't know how to retort to that.

Seeing him like this, Shiri smiled, pecked Ewan's lips, and said, "Don't worry, husband. I will speak with my prospecting sisters. You can go train."

"You are the best wife a man could ask for." Ewan smiled.

"And don't forget it, mister," Shiri playfully replied. 

They kissed and hugged each other a bit longer before leaving the room, heading in different directions.

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In Fladrinne's room-

Valli gave her report to Fladrinne.

"So he has Peak Grade 5 talent? As expected. I actually wouldn't be surprised if he had Grade 6 talent with the shit conditions he had." Fladrinne said after hearing the report.

She then shook her head. "What a pity he was not born in the Wizard World. He would have achieved much more otherwise."

Usually, becoming a Wizard was of paramount importance since it increased the lifespan to several centuries. A 1st-order Wizard could live for 300 years. In this regard, Fladrinne, barely 52 and advanced when she turned 32, was considered young by Wizard standards. As for how she was as old as Valli's aunt when she was her grand-aunt? She was born with a 22-year gap with her brother.

If Ewan had the same conditions as her, he could have become a pseudo-wizard by now, getting ready for his inevitable advancement.

As if thinking of something, Fladrinne's eyes flickered and ordered, "Also check Ewan's children when you can. Talent begets talent, and although I don't expect Grade 5 talent, some may have Grade 3 and 4."

"Yes, mistress." Valli nodded before excusing herself out of the room.

After stepping out, she returned to her room, only to find Theli chatting with Shiri over tea and cookies. She meaningfully looked to Theli.

"Miss Shiri was just speaking to me of our future cooperation." Theli clarified.

"Sorry for taking your time." Shiri calmly said.

"No, thank you for sparing your time. We also wanted to talk to you." Valli smiled and joined the conversation.

They spoke civilly and cordially with one another.

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Meanwhile-

Ewan was trying out the Grade 2 meditation room. He felt that the concentration of magic was at least three times as dense and absorbing the Magic Particles was twice as easy.

"If I had this before, I could have reached level 10 before advancing. What a pity." Ewan regretfully thought and continued meditating.