Chapter 230: Eliminate the possibility of living a life of idleness and waiting for death
Vico looked at Aaron's somewhat expectant eyes, and it took him a while to regain his composure. "Why do you have such a thought?"
"It's only normal to have such a thought!" Aaron said jokingly, "I am the sole heir of a prominent family. I can slowly, diligently inherit the family fortune, and live a happy life free from worries about food and drink.
One could say I was born at a finish line others can never reach. With these conditions, why would I go to other worlds and take unknown risks?"
"Hehe!" Vico laughed in exasperation. "I'm afraid, son, you're going to be disappointed. Ensuring the connection between this world and other worlds is Gaius's duty.
And you've also received professional training. With the skills your ancestors taught you, you'll do well no matter which world you go to.
The most important thing is that you... have no worries. Your mother and I..."
"Don't say it." Aaron took a deep breath. "I'll go. Give me one day to prepare."
Vico and Lisanna exchanged glances and nodded in relief.
It was good that Aaron understood; they didn't need to persuade him any further.
They were reluctant to send their thirteen-year-old son to explore other worlds, but this was an opportunity others yearned for, and it was something he, as the heir of Gaius, had to do.
"How do I leave here?"
"It's simple, whenever you wish, you can," Vico said.
Aaron instantly understood. He picked up Abey, walked a few steps forward, and saw a door.
He didn't hesitate and walked straight out.
"Aaron isn't going to overthink things, is he?" Lisanna asked worriedly.
"No," Vico said confidently. "His mental resilience is recognized by all the ancestors. He just needs a little time to accept this."
After leaving the Chamber of Secrets, Aaron felt quite drained, and his heavy heart made him walk half as slowly as usual.
He had thought about the mission he carried before, but in his imagination, at most, it would involve interacting with other races as the family heir, maintaining good cooperative relationships, or helping to deal with unknown secrets hidden within the Magical World, such as strengthening a certain seal or something similar.
He thought his imagination was already wild enough, but compared to the so-called mission, it was a joke.
"Young Master." Gines walked over at some point, asking knowingly, "You seem to have something on your mind..."
"Don't bother me. Are you saying you don't know where I just went?" Aaron impatiently waved his hand. "From now until tomorrow morning, I don't want to see anyone. Even if it's the end of the world, don't disturb me."
"Uh... I mean, if you need psychological counseling, Young Master, you can go to Lord Flo."
Aaron scoffed. "At this point, it's useless for me to find anyone. No one can help me."
"That may be true, but Lord Flo is, after all, someone who has been through it."
Hearing the words 'been through it,' Aaron suddenly remembered something, and his listless spirit instantly recovered.
"Butler, that's the most meaningful thing you've said in over ten years."
Aaron immediately turned back, quickly opened the study room, and inserted the key into the twenty-eighth keyhole.
Click!
Before the door fully opened, he eagerly walked in and skillfully summoned Flo's memory.
After Flo appeared, he looked at Aaron with interest. Seeing his anxious expression, he immediately understood his intention. "It seems you already know what you need to do."
"Ancestor, only you can help me now."
"I can't help you." Flo shook his head. "Even the God of Magic may not be able to pass through the barrier between two worlds, and I am merely a memory now, unable to help."
"I don't mean that. What I want to ask is if there's a way I don't have to go?" Aaron asked somewhat nervously. "I know this question might somewhat go against the ancestral teachings."
"Then why do you ask?" Flo said irritably. "Do you know how rare this opportunity is? If a Saint Magister had this chance, the probability of breaking through to a God of Magic would increase by at least twenty percent."
"But what if I mess up, then Vico and the others will have to clean up my mess." Aaron's demeanor weakened after he finished speaking, and then a bitter smile appeared on his face. "Why should they?"
"Understood." Flo applauded. "I was as indignant as you back then, but I didn't think that much because I was still very confident in myself."
"Stop with the nonsense, just tell me if there's a way.
When I asked Vico, he hesitated for a few seconds, which means there must be a way."
"Maybe there really isn't?"
Hearing this, Aaron looked at Flo seriously and, without a word, hugged his thigh.
"Again? Are you ever going to stop?"
"I don't care." Aaron said with snot and tears, "One person does the deed, one person bears the consequences. I can bear any outcome, but I don't want to implicate them."
"Let go." Flo said with a look of disgust, "Your snot got on my clothes."
"Help me and I'll let go."
"Let go and I'll tell you."
"Oh!"
Aaron decisively let go, then tidied his clothes, and looked at him respectfully like a student eager for knowledge.
"You must have specialized in that face-changing technique!"
"No, it's purely from practice," Aaron said confidently.
"There are three ways to avoid going." Flo held up three fingers. "The first is to become the patriarch, but you don't need to think about that for now. You have to be an adult to inherit the position of patriarch."
Aaron nodded regretfully. "Next."
"Reach the strength of the God of Magic." Flo looked at Aaron playfully. "Do you think you can achieve that before you're an adult?"
"I can't." Aaron gritted his teeth. "What's the third way?"
"The third is the simplest, most reliable, and achievable in a short time." Flo said very casually, and under Aaron's extremely expectant gaze, he gave him a thunderbolt of an answer, "Have a child."
Pfft!
Aaron almost spat out a mouthful of old blood. "Are you kidding me?"
"This is no joke." Flo said earnestly. "Besides duty, the Gaius Family values bloodline the most.
As long as your bloodline meets the conditions, it will automatically take your place."
"Let me process this." Aaron held his head. "Bloodline, and it has to meet the conditions... Wait, this isn't right!
If I follow this method, it's another dead end, and I'm only thirteen. I'm not that much of a beast.
Even if I were, it wouldn't work. I'd have to fulfill my mission before the child is even born."
"So you can't escape it." Flo patted Aaron's shoulder with some sympathy. "Accept it! This is fate."
"Ancestor, you really know how to tease me." Aaron rolled his eyes. "Is this amusing?"
"It is.
Actually, there's no need to be so pessimistic. The probability of failure among past heirs is less than one-tenth, and at least half of that one-tenth were voluntary sacrifices.
You are our proud disciple, and you will definitely return safe and sound."
"Forget it, if I can't avoid it, then I can't avoid it!" Aaronlowered his head, choosing to settle for the next best thing. "Then what if I accidentally die, is there a way to prevent Vico and them from intervening?"
"There is, but are you really that unconfident in yourself?"
Aaron remained silent. He had confidence, but facing the unknown, he was somewhat lacking in assurance.
"Alright! For the sake of your filial piety." Flo said indifferently, "The first is suicide. Whether it's before or after you go, this is the fastest and most effective method."
"Definitely the second one." Aaron immediately said. Suicide was impossible; he hadn't lived enough yet!
"The second is to possess absolute strength. As long as you are strong enough, you can disregard the rules."
Aaron chuckled. "Then how strong do I need to be?"
"At least a God of Magic."
"That's also definitely out. If I were that powerful, I wouldn't be here asking you.
Is there a third method?"
"That... there is." Flo stroked his chin and said profoundly, "For example, Wehert, he used the third method."
"Ancestor Wehert really died in another world?" Aaron said with some disbelief. "I always thought he died of old age."
"No, he was one of the few who brought about his own demise." Flo said with emotion. "The world he went to was engulfed in war, with various races fighting.
Logically, he only needed to develop cautiously, do what he could after the war ended, and leave Gaius's mark in that world to return safely.
But he refused. The day after he arrived in that world, he joined the army, entering the battlefield as a human."
"And then he was killed?" Aaron said. "Isn't that too rash?"
"Uh... you're underestimating your ancestor too much!
He was a Saint Magister when he went, and he was proficient in offensive magic. He single-handedly slaughtered forty-three races and defeated over one hundred and twenty alien races."
"Hiss!" Aaron took a sharp breath. "Isn't that a bit too exaggerated? I personally think Ancestor Wehert was quite benevolent."
"Hmph! If you went, you probably wouldn't fare much better than him.
Family history records that in that world, humans had an incredibly difficult time. Their status was extremely low, and their living space was compressed to an appalling degree."
Hearing this, Aaron almost lost his footing and slumped onto the floor.
He hadn't even left yet, was there any need to scare him like this? This was the rhythm of doom!
Flo saw Aaron's dazed expression and pouted. "You don't need to worry. The first trip is relatively safe; you won't encounter such bad luck."
"First time?" Aaron quickly caught the key point. "How many times do I have to go?"
"After you return, it's a two to three-year cycle. This arrangement is quite humane.
Of course, you can also choose to stay in another world for a longer period, improving for decades or even centuries before returning."
Aaron painfully closed his eyes.
A two to three-year cycle meant he would have to leave as soon as he recovered.
As for staying in other worlds, that was even more impossible. The time flow ratio was too great; by the time he returned, his mindset would be incredibly weathered!
Having the face of a teenager but a heart older than Albus Dumbledore, just thinking about it filled him with dread.
"Let's talk about what happens next!"
"After that, he naturally ran into a tough opponent. Seven beings, comparable to peak Saint Magister, ganged up on him, forcing him to sacrifice his life. In the end, he exchanged one for seven, which was quite remarkable.
If you're lucky enough to go to that world, you'll be a duke upon arrival, and even the king will treat you with respect.
Because Wehert Gaius's status there is similar to God's. His statue stands at the center of the world, revered by all."
Aaron didn't know what to say. "Do all our family members like to be saviors that much?"
"Who knows! It's not out of the question that they were just bored stiff."
"Then what exactly is the third method?"
"I've said all this, you still can't guess?" Flo said with a half-smile.
Aaron was stunned for a moment, a bitter smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "It wouldn't be becoming a savior, would it?"
"Close." Flo nodded affirmatively. "Wehert changed the human living environment and created a new order. According to family rules, he had the right to decide what happened after his death."
"That's truly ruthless." Aaron said with a bitter smile. "The ancestors who set this rule have practically got us cornered."
"It's good that you know. For this kind of training, you need to find a balance. While ensuring your own survival, try to do meaningful things.
I have to admit, the ancestors were truly far-sighted and righteous, greatly eliminating the possibility of heirs just idling their lives away."
Aaron:...I feel like I'm being subtly criticized.
"I roughly understand what I need to do." Aaron slowly stood up. "Ancestor Flo, I've learned so much. Could you give me some other advice?
For example, what items should I bring? What things should I not do?"
"You want to bring items?" Flo had to pour cold water on Aaron. "According to family rules, each heir can only bring some travel expenses for their first trip, not exceeding ten gold coins.
Besides that, nothing that could potentially offer help can be brought.
After all, it's for training, not for enjoying life."
"Damn!" Aaron couldn't help but curse. "Don't tell me I can't even bring my wand!"
"You can already cast spells without a wand, so why do you care?"
"Why wouldn't I care?" Aaron said righteously. "If I run out of money, selling my wand could at least help me last a bit longer."
Flo:... "You really are a genius."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Aaron pretended not to hear the sarcasm in his words and unceremoniously accepted his ancestor's praise.
Flo raised an eyebrow. "I'll inform Vico later to change 'not exceeding ten gold coins' to 'cannot bring items with a total value exceeding ten gold coins'."
"Ah!"
Aaron was immediately dumbfounded, feeling as if he had shot himself in the foot.
"Hahaha, just kidding. I wouldn't be so petty about a little travel money.
Wands are allowed, but other magic items are not.
As for things you shouldn't do..." Flo pondered for a moment and said seriously, "Try to hide yourself deeply, and act like an ordinary person.
Also, remember not to use magic casually. This is advice, and also a warning.
Because some worlds consider magic heresy, and Wizards caught will be immediately executed."
"Just like in the books?" Aaron frowned. "Burned at the stake?"
"That's just one of them.
Although Muggle execution methods pose no threat to Wizards, they are very troublesome."
Aaron nodded. Luckily, he had learned a lot of things, and in the face of ordinary dangers, he could protect himself even without magic.