Chapter 16 10 5 10 vouchers Cutting off a man's livelihood was as good as cutting his throat - Barton understood that perfectly . If those formulas ever spread , the small workshops wouldn't survive . Then a lot of townsfolk would lose their income , and prices for wool cloth would drop across the market . That was the last thing he wanted . Immediately . Barton promised he would use the formulas with extreme care and never leak them . After the contract was signed , Lorrayne received her first earnings since arriving in this world - 100 gold coins , roughly equal to 300 thousand dollars back in the real world . It looked like a fortune , but for the Highborns it couldn't even cover day - to - day expenses . In this era , even a single Baron held nearly thirty thousand acres of arable land and commanded around twenty knights as vassals . Each knight held roughly fifteen hundred acres , about the size of a village . Neyna's father , Count Wesley , ranked higher and owned far more farmland . A Count's estates neared a hundred thousand acres , with more than sixty knights , plus a sprawling household and a standing force of a thousand or two . If Lorrayne meant to pass as a Highborn , her lifestyle had to at least match a Baron's daughter - carriage , knights , servants , a custom crest , proper tableware , a full wardrobe , the works . But because at noon she'd thrown down hard words to Veyna , hinting her rank was much higher , she now had to raise her standards even further . At the very least , Lorrayne needed to present herself as the daughter of a frontier Marquis - and one with a clear line of succession . ' I had really painted myself into a corner , ' Lorrayne thought , a headache finally kicked in . She thought , Telling one lie means patching it with a bigger one ; I'm marching farther and farther down the road to the gallows . ' Forget it . What's done is done . Better to make more money ; it'll boost the odds when it's time to run . ' If the coffers rival a kingdom's , maybe money could even buy a way out of a death sentence . That night , Lorrayne fell asleep grinning over her hundred gold coins . In her dreams , the coins spun off more coins , then more , until they piled into a shining mountain that nearly swallowed her . She couldn't stop smiling . Sadly , dreams would end , When the first ray of morning slipped through the window crack , that mountain of gold popped like a bubble and vanished before her eyes . Knock , knock , knock- Hearing the door , Lorrayne dragged herself up , rubbed her sleep - puffed face , and went to open it . At the threshold stood an elderly mute woman , the one who delivered hot water to the Highborn girls on that floor . Last night Lorrayne had renewed six months of delivery at the water office ; from now on , every morning , someone would bring hot water straight to her room . By the time she finished washing up , it was close to seven - thirty . Lorrayne headed out to the lower division's Astrology classroom . Ever since learning that magic was real in this world , Astrology shot way up the mystery scale for her - Physics got kicked right off the syllabus in her head . Astrology had its roots on the ancient plains of Mesopotamia , reading the stars to explain and forecast a person's fate , a bit like Celestial lots and divinations . Therefore , Lorrayne wondered if the Astrology here worked the same way . Inside the room , a few students were talking about the professor - Lady Tobias 11/5 P Chapter 16 Lady Tobias's full name was Jacqueline Tobias , and her life story was the stuff of legend . 10 vouchers D Jacqueline was born into a great house ; even if she'd done nothing , she could have lived in comfort that others could only envy . But she also had serious magic talent and a sharp mind ; as a girl , the High Archbishop had foretold she would become a great mage . Back then , heirs from several kingdoms proposed to her , and Jacqueline turned every one of them down . Everyone assumed she would devote herself to magic . Instead , she had a rebel's heart : she vanished to some godforsaken corner of the world for more than a decade , then reemerged an astrologer . Women who once envied Jacqueline mocked her for losing her mind - until the Sanctum invited her to serve as High Archbishop . A woman - the High Archbishop ? Before doubts could take root , Jacqueline proved herself unmatched in the art of the stars - her Chronoselect , choosing the right hour by stargazing , was nearly foolproof . With her on hand , even a nation's harvests rose by half . From then on , Jacqueline received one Seal of Elevation after another from various kingdoms and , on her own merits , became a Lady . Listening to her classmates tell the tale , Lorrayne felt like she was reading a queen - sized power fantasy . The heroine kept her head clear , chased her craft , smacked down doubters one after another , and climbed straight to the top . Gossip time flew ; in a blink , the hands touched eight . And the star of the story - Jacqueline Tobias - finally entered the classroom . She wore a black gown and a wide black veiled hat . Her deep brown hair , streaked with silver , was twisted into a high coiffure , most of her face hidden in shadow . Judging by the hair alone , one might think her elderly . But drop your gaze and you saw full , luminous skin and deep - red lips , her fairness so bright it seemed to glow - no hint of her true age at all . In truth , her age was a mystery. Jacqueline was a mystery too , even when she taught . She never removed the wide - brimmed hat ; her dark gaze filtered through the veil , the corners of her red mouth faintly lifted , as if she could read straight through a person . Especially when her hand glided over a flawless Seer's Orb , that unforced aura of mystery only tightened around the room . Lorrayne didn't get a good look at her face , nor did she dare stare . She thought , ' If Lady Tobias saw through my origin at a glance , I'd be in trouble . " Seers always have strange tricks . What if this oracle actually had true sight ? ' Thankfully , most of the time the professor didn't look their way . Facing the board , Jacqueline drew star charts and explained the planets ' positions , their paths , and what each one stood for . Two hours later , the lecture wrapped . After a fifteen - minute break , class resumed . Jacqueline stopped talking constellations and set a sandalwood box on the lectern , asking them to line up for supplies . " What kind of supplies can fit in a box that small ? ' Lorrayne was still wondering when gasps broke out up front , It's a Seer's Orb ! " " Whoa , there's another one ! " " Huh ? Mine opened to a Tarot deck . " I get it - it's the ones of Spatial Weave . That's insane ! " " No , no - there's more . This has to be the work of an Arcanesmith , or it couldn't hold runes that strong ." " Not just that looks like traces of Runes of Summoning too . Dual runes - how did they even pull that off ? " The line inled forward , and only when Lorrayne neared the lectern did she finally see what was happening . 1278 P Chapter 16 0 12 10 vouchers The sandalwood box was a treasure , Each time it opened , it produced something new - sometimes a Seer's Orb , sometimes a Tarot deck . From what she could tell , most students drew Tarot , only seven or eight had gotten an Orb . Is it luck or talent driving the draw ? ' Lorrayne wondered . When it was finally her turn , Lorrayne prayed for a few seconds and lifted the lid , peeking inside with high hopes . She wondered , ' Huh ? Why is it all green ? 1878 Title: ReelTalk EP 40 - Contract Lovers & Heartbreak CrushReel's ongoing romance series, Miss You After Goodbye, continues to captivate on the latest ReelTalk episode. Haley Lohrli dives into her daring new character, while Ben and Josh share insights into their own memorable roles, promising a blend of laughter and heartwarming moments. Exploring themes of love, loss, and unexpected connections, this episode delves deep into the intricate relationships that drive the narrative forward. As the stars reveal their on-screen chemistry and off-screen camaraderie, viewers are in for a treat with each unfolding scene. What sets this episode apart is its ability to balance humor with poignant storytelling, offering a refreshing take on modern romance dynamics. Dive into the world of Contract Lovers & Heartbreak, available to read at CrushReel for a journey that promises both entertainment and emotional resonance.