Chapter 855:20 Years Later

Chapter 855: 855:20 Years Later

Twenty years had passed since the end of the Great Continental War.

That was the name given to the war between Arcadia and other empires.

A lot has changed during these twenty years.

What was once a developing territory had slowly turned into one of the most important regions of the Eldorian Empire. The roads had been expanded and properly maintained, while large buildings had appeared throughout the cities. Merchants from different parts of the Empire had started coming to Blanks, and the once quiet streets had become filled with people.

The portal network had also been completed.

This was one of the first things Ethan had ordered after returning from Eldorian. Several portals had been built across important cities, and one of the main portals directly connected Blanks with the Imperial Capital of Eldorian.

Travel that once took months could now be completed in a short time.

The development of Blanks had also attracted many people.

Mage Academy has become one of the most important institutions in the region. Mareti had gathered many talented students and teachers, while the research facilities established under him continued to expand.

The academy was no longer limited to a few students.

It had become a proper organization with different departments and research groups.

The laboratories recovered from the Devine Family had also been put to use. Under proper supervision, many of the dangerous experiments were abandoned, while the useful research was studied and improved.

Medicine had advanced.

Healing methods had improved.

Several inventions had also started appearing throughout Blanks.

The people slowly began to enjoy a better life.

The economy of Blanks had also grown rapidly.

The businesses controlled by Ethan’s family had expanded to other parts of the Empire, and the branches established in different cities had started bringing in a steady flow of wealth.

The territory had also become safer.

The soldiers stationed throughout Blanks were trained regularly, while the Black Thorns continued to operate from the shadows. Their presence made many criminal organizations think twice before causing trouble inside the territory.

Even the nobles had started changing their attitude toward Blanks.

Ten years ago, many had considered Ethan’s appointment as Duke a political problem.Now, very few people dared to question his position.

His strength had also continued to grow.

Ethan had spent these years studying the Laws and improving his understanding of his own power. The techniques taught by Gu Cheng had also given him a new direction.

His understanding of the soul had improved greatly.

The Divine Sense that he had once struggled to understand had also become much easier to use. His soul could now extend over a large area without much effort, and he could control the strength of his mental attacks much better than before.

Gu Cheng had also continued his cultivation.

During these ten years, he had become accustomed to this world. He often travelled around Blanks and sometimes left the territory for months to explore different places. At the same time, he continued studying magic and exchanging knowledge with Ethan.

Their relationship had also become closer.

Instead of teacher and student, they had slowly become Dao friends who exchanged their understanding with each other.

As for Valeria and Maria, they had also settled into Blanks.

At first, both of them had been cautious about their position.

They had believed that Ethan might treat them as spies sent by the Empress.

But as time passed, their worries slowly disappeared.

Ethan had never treated them differently because they had come from Ophelia. They were given proper positions and freedom, and they gradually became part of the household.

Maria had become familiar with the kitchens and often helped prepare food, while Valeria had become one of the important people responsible for training the guards.

Their relationship with Ethan also became natural over time.

The wives of Ethan had also become accustomed to them.

There were occasional disagreements, but they were nothing serious.

The family had also grown.

Children could now be seen running around the residence, and the once quiet halls had become much livelier.

However, not everything during these ten years was a happy event.

Oliver and Nina, the old workers of Blanks, finally passed away peacefully.

Ethan used to visit them often, but since the war, he hadn’t been able to see them. When he finally saw them again, they had already become quite cold bodies.

It was the first time Ethan had seen someone close to him pass away.

Originally, the two would have lived for around eighty years, but with all sorts of blessings, they had almost lived past a century. They weren’t sad. Rather, they died happily, so how could he be sad?

Even so, their deaths had a great impact on Sophia.

She knew that if she kept falling behind, she would also pass away one day. With the miraculous power of Knights that could extend their lives, leaving this world too soon would be a regret.

From that day, she dedicated herself to practice, and her strength grew by leaps and bounds.

With potions from the System and Mareti supporting them, how could she fall behind?

Even though it would take a long time, she was bound to reach the peak. So would the others.

Sophia had changed as well.

Over these ten years, she had become even stronger and had taken greater responsibility for managing several matters inside Blanks.

Rina continued handling businesses and various external matters, while Julia and the others also had their own responsibilities.

Ethan no longer needed to personally handle every small matter.

The system of administration had become stable enough that most things could be handled without him.

The territory had finally started running on its own.

And this was exactly what Ethan wanted.

He didn’t want Blanks to depend on his presence forever.

So, during the past years, instead of focusing only on himself, he also extended his effort toward his children and worked hard to nurture them.

He gave them proper training and made sure they had enough resources to grow. He didn’t want them to become people who could only rely on their father’s name.

He wanted them to have their own strength.