I materialized a sci-fi fortress in a magical world.

The "battle aura" cultivated by samurai is essentially magical power, but it has been transformed through special training methods, somewhat similar to the "arcane conversion" of high-level mages.

Therefore, they still need to meditate to accumulate power and comprehension, but not as frequently as mages, and they still focus more on real-world practice.

For Grand Duke Andersai, who had reached the peak of the sixth rank, cultivation was no longer meaningful. What he needed was to raise his ceiling, that is, to advance to the next rank.

Unfortunately, he could never find the right way to advance, and his attempts to do it himself ended in failure, leaving him with some hidden injuries. After that, he remained in a state of preparation and planning for several years.

The entire empire has only two seventh-tier warriors: one is the emperor's stepmother, and the other is his mortal enemy who killed his father and stole his wife. It is absolutely impossible for them to teach Grand Duke Andersai how to advance his rank.

Even someone of this status can still be firmly shielded from the barriers of knowledge...

Therefore, the Grand Duke's current cultivation is basically just maintaining his state, and his main energy has long been transferred to other things.

But just last night, when he was about to fall asleep in meditation, something went wrong.

His mind and consciousness plunged into an endless ocean, with only darkness before his eyes and a biting cold all around him, while piercing cries and screams continued to echo in his ears.

The Duke had lived to such an old age and this was the first time he had encountered such a situation. He fainted shortly afterward, it was unclear whether he had fainted from fright.

After daybreak, he was physically fine, but felt listless. He immediately asked the steward to inquire about the other guests, and he also asked his subordinates.

It turns out I'm the only one suffering this kind of pain...

So the Grand Duke didn't think much of it. After a simple breakfast, he mustered his spirits and took the talented young girl he had his eye on, Lemir, to meet the guests.

[Night Banquet] There are a total of 30 spots. The Grand Duke reserved only two for his own people, one for Lemir and the other for his future daughter-in-law. All the other spots were distributed.

Those who could attend the banquet were at least earls, with many marquises as well, and also sons and representatives sent by other dukes.

The three iconic supernatural forces—the Purple Lily School, the Free School, and the Classical Magic School—also sent representatives, along with the Church, which has been keen on expansion in recent years. The entire lakeside town resembled a gathering of heroes.

These nobles and powerful figures naturally had their own grudges and feuds. When they gathered together, they either fought each other or fought each other, making the town as lively as if it were New Year's Day.

The Grand Duke, meanwhile, constantly maneuvered and mediated, accumulating diplomatic resources for himself.

Lemir followed silently behind him, like a quiet bodyguard, wearing a mask and hardly ever speaking.

But her gaze kept drifting towards her own place, worrying about her junior from a humble background. Would he be looked down upon? Would he be bullied?

In the stories she'd heard from Luo Yue, there were many such plot points...

But this is completely unnecessary worry; they have no idea that there is such a person as Luo Yue in this place...

Suddenly, a sweet voice, tinged with a hint of arrogance, reached her ears:

"By the way, is that Lemir behind you? She's one of our students. Let her come closer so I can take a look."

Lemir quickly stepped forward, approached a witch's hat floating in the air, bowed respectfully, and greeted it:

"It is an honor that you remember my name, Ms. Purple Lily."

The person the Grand Duke is currently meeting with is none other than the leader of the Purple Lily School, the seventh-tier Great Witch.

She certainly wouldn't come in person; she would only convey her voice through that witch's hat. But that didn't mean anyone would dare to disrespect her. Even the emperor of the empire would have to show enough humility and respect in front of that witch's hat.

But the Great Witch didn't seem to care much about her aloof and mysterious persona, and even joked with a smile:

"Hehe~ You're very pretty, aren't you? And you have a hot body too. Suddenly I'm a little reluctant to leave you with a rough guy like Andersai. Why don't you come back?"

"Ahem~ Ms. Purple Lily, you should still remember our previous agreement, right?"

"Alright~ I was just kidding. I just think this kid is surprisingly outstanding. Despite being Joshua's student, he was able to advance to the third rank in a short time through his own efforts. He has some of my former glory."

The Great Witch, in a sudden turn of events, asked:

"By the way, do you have a boyfriend? You're so pretty, you must have a lot of suitors, right?"

Before Lemir could speak, the Duke answered for her:

"Yes, he's her junior from school. I checked, and his talent for cultivation is very average. It took him five years to awaken his magic, but he's honest and hardworking, and he's good at engraving scrolls, which is why he's highly regarded by Hugo."

"Oh? Now that you mention it, I remember you. Your name is Rojo, right? Joshua wrote to me about him, hoping I could help him think of a solution, but it seems he's recently awakened?"

"Yes, I have assessed this young man. With Lemir's talent, he is bound to have a bright future. Finding a low-key partner would be good, as it would save him a lot of unnecessary trouble."

"That's your business. Our school has always encouraged free love and never interferes with our students' marriages... Alright, judging by the time, the drug's effects have almost worn off. How are you feeling now?"

The Great Witch's interest in a nobody like Luo Yue was limited to this little bit. After chatting for a few minutes, she got down to business, which was the Grand Duke's strange symptoms last night.

To the Duke's surprise, the Great Witch showed a unique interest in this matter. She not only asked many questions but also had a representative of the school send over a bottle of potion, seemingly genuinely wanting to help the Duke.

But this only made the Grand Duke very nervous.

Anyone who can be called a 'witch' is definitely not a kind and gentle woman...

Naturally, he couldn't afford to provoke them, so the Duke truthfully described his feelings and reactions after taking the medicine.

"Hmm... let me think..."

The witch's hat fell silent for a few minutes before her voice returned:

"If nothing unexpected happens, you must have fallen into a mysterious space called the [Void] last night. It's a realm of thought and consciousness, extremely dangerous. Fortunately, you didn't go too deep and you passed out in time, otherwise you probably wouldn't have woken up..."

"Is this some kind of assassination method?"

"It shouldn't be. No one knows that place better than me, and no one can control the power within it, so this must be an accident."

The Great Witch, with a very confident tone, dispelled the Grand Duke's doubts, and then changed the subject, saying:

"Alright, tell me in detail what you've done and what you've experienced. I'm currently exploring a way to reliably enter the [Void], and you happen to be a very suitable sample."