Published: March 11, 2025
CHAPTER 35: Attack
Although Merlin was very dissatisfied with the Aksu Empire, she still hoped that one day Zhao Hai could return to the Imperial Capital and become a powerful noble capable of commanding authority there. That would truly represent the Budah family gaining recognition from the established nobility and becoming strong in their own right.
Merlin did not know that Zhao Hai had no intention of returning to the Imperial Capital, nor did he ever think about gaining the recognition of those old nobility. In Zhao Hai's view, their acknowledgment had nothing to do with him. Whether they recognized him or not, he would still live his life as he pleased. As long as he had strength, their recognition or lack thereof did not matter.
It was no wonder their perspectives were so different. Merlin had lived her whole life in the Ark Continent, a world where nobility was held in high regard. Gaining the recognition of the established nobility was the goal of the rising nobles. Achieving that recognition meant they were true nobles; otherwise, they would be labeled as nouveau riche.
On the other hand, in the Earth where Zhao Hai lived, there was no concept of nobility. What did it matter if you were a noble? As long as he had money, he could consider himself a noble. As long as he had power, it didn't matter if they recognized him or not. Therefore, Zhao Hai was completely unconcerned with the recognition of nobility.
However, he still took his studies seriously to better understand this world. Only by doing so could he help the Budah family develop quickly and gain greater strength.
After returning to the study, Zhao Hai did not rush to look at the miscellaneous notes. He carefully searched the study and found that there were indeed no enlightening books; the simplest ones were just the basics of fighting spirit and magic. He picked up those items and took a glance, only to find that they were written in a very esoteric manner. Without someone to guide him, learning just by reading would likely yield little success. Moreover, since he had consumed Void Water, he could not learn magic or fighting spirit, so he did not pay much attention and tossed them aside after a few glances.
In the end, Zhao Hai focused on the miscellaneous notes and, while flipping through them, he actually found a good item: a book about calligraphy.
This book on calligraphy provided a detailed introduction to the different types of pens on the desk. Zhao Hai realized that these pens were not just for aesthetic purposes; each had its own function.
The brush was used for writing and painting, typically employed by those who particularly enjoyed calligraphy. Mages also used brushes when creating large magic scrolls because the magic circles drawn on the scrolls were quite large.
The feather pen was the main tool for making magic scrolls, as it produced finer lines, suitable for creating medium to small-sized scrolls.
The pen that resembled a fountain pen was used for regular writing and recording because its ink reservoir allowed for a significant amount of writing, making it very convenient. However, this type of pen could not be used to create magic scrolls because metal has poor magic conductivity. Generally, mages do not carry metal items that could interfere with casting magic. Of course, some special metals have excellent magic conductivity, but those metals are very expensive, and no one would be willing to use them to make pens.
Charcoal pencils were specifically for alchemy; they were generally used to sketch plans or to create rough drafts for drawings.
Zhao Hai then understood that the various pens on the desk were not just for decoration; each had its own distinct purpose.
In the miscellaneous notes, Zhao Hai also saw that the major nobles on the continent still used brushes when signing particularly important documents, as it was a symbol of status.
This brought a small surprise to Zhao Hai. Back on Earth, he had always wanted to learn calligraphy and write with a brush, but unfortunately, at that time, he had neither money nor a teacher, so that wish remained unfulfilled. He never expected that this world would also have calligraphy; it seemed his wish might be realized.