Black Hearted Mage

Chapter 128 Basten

The demonic descendant was a peak-level Paladin assassin, his ability to conceal his whereabouts unparalleled. However, shockingly, such a formidable figure was ambushed while in stealth mode. When the spy chief heard of this, he was deeply shaken and could no longer calm down.

You know, the elves have a unique talent. They can enter stealth mode quietly and silently under the sunlight, which is a skill that human stealth can never achieve.

Within just half an hour of Solomon's arrival, nobles from the Violet Alliance, as if prearranged, began to descend upon Earl Ronald's residence. Interestingly, these nobles were all very tight-lipped, their excuses invariably being to inquire about Earl Ronald's health. As for their true purpose—a visit to Duke Solomon—they didn't mention a single word.

Oddly enough, Earl Ronald had been in a state of dementia for several days, and during this time no noble had ever come to visit him. But after Duke Solomon arrived, these nobles, who usually ignored Earl Ronald, suddenly became enthusiastic and rushed into action.

Time flew by, and two days passed, and the nobles' enthusiasm for visiting him remained unabated. Meanwhile, Caesars, who had been away on business, finally returned to Violet City. He had purchased a sufficient quantity of pastries and cheese on this trip, spending nearly all his gold coins on it.

"Liv, quickly take everything the three elders want back to the crater. Now that old Solomon is here, I need to find a way to trade him for some gold and magic crystals!" He then reminded Liv to be careful on the way and avoid any mistakes. He divided tens of thousands of pounds of soufflé and cheese between Liv, and Caesars kept half for himself.

"Okay! By the way, Caesars, when are we going out next time?"

After Liv packed up her things, she started to inquire about the time of the next trip.

"Liv, we have to hurry up and improve our strength. The demons are all stronger than us. If we encounter them, it will be difficult for us to escape!"

Originally, Caesars had planned to continue his journey, but the appearance of the demonic offspring forced him to change his plans. Liv had a fiery temper and didn't understand the concept of forbearance. On this particular trip, a mercenary provoked her, and instead of arguing, she simply beat him up. Other mercenaries who came to intervene were beaten to the ground by her.

"That's right. I need to go back to the Elven Tribe. I'm running low on adamantium arrows, and I need to replenish my magic steel arrows!"

"Liv, I have magic steel arrows!"

"I have plenty of ordinary magic steel arrows, but what I want is a magic pattern arrow!"

Kaisas shut his mouth. There are many types of arrows used by magic archers. Magic pattern arrows are divided into several types, including armor-piercing arrows, armor-breaking arrows, explosive arrows, ice arrows, etc.

The two parted ways from the Thorn Flower Trading Company. Liv took the trading company's carriage to the crater, while Caesars went to Earl Ronald's Mansion.

Outside the Earl's Palace, five or six luxurious carriages were parked, and several figures in noble robes were milling about. More than twenty guards stood outside the gate, one of whom, a burly figure, looked familiar and had even accepted gold coins from the noble.

"Delon, I just saw you accepting the gold coins. Did the Duke allow it?"

"Master Mage, it's quite hot in Violet City. It's hard for us to guard the door. I only charge for tea!" Delon grinned, and his smile was a bit flattering.

"Delon, no need to explain. I've been waiting here for a while to share the gold coins. By the way, who went in to visit His Excellency the Duke?"

These nobles were stopped at the door, there must be visitors inside who have not come out yet.

"A count, I think his name is Basten. This old fellow has been here twice!"

"Delon, you must have collected three servings of tea. I'll change my clothes before going back in. Old man Basten said I was poor!"

"Hmph, this ignorant old dog is simply blind! How dare he say that high-level magicians are poor?" Delon was so angry that his face turned red and he cursed uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, Caesars leisurely strolled behind the gate. He sheathed his staff and methodically began to change his clothes. For a moment, a rustling sound could be heard, like a gentle yet rapid melody. After a long moment, with the completion of his last movement, Caesars finally appeared before Delon's eyes once more.

Instantly, everyone's eyes widened in disbelief. Caesars wore a magnificent black and gold aristocratic robe, woven from the finest pure black velvet, soft and smooth to the touch. Even more astonishing was the dense gold embroidery that took up a full third of the robe! Such lavish embroidery and exquisite craftsmanship were only afforded to the most distinguished nobles. Even the emperor's robes were only half covered in gold embroidery!

Seeing everyone's shocked expressions, Caesars's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile. He turned to look at Delon and said in an unquestionable tone, "Delon, tell those nobles waiting outside to come back this afternoon. I have something important to discuss with the Duke!"

Upon hearing this, Delon quickly bowed and replied, "Yes, young Duke!" Then, he swiftly straightened his body and, like a well-trained soldier, extended his right fist without hesitation and pounded it hard on his chest, expressing his absolute obedience. Then, he turned around, waved to the still-dazed young nobles, and shouted, "Everyone, please go back and visit again in the afternoon!"

These petty nobles were not blind, they knew very well what the robe on Caesars represented, it was a symbol of identity and status.

In the castle's living room, the gray-haired Duke Solomon sat on the sofa, his face expressionless as he looked at the beaming Basten. The other party wanted to establish a friendship with him, which was, to put it bluntly, a way out for him. When the Roland Empire recaptured the Violet Alliance, Basten wanted to retain his title and fiefdom, but of course, all this came at a price.

"Your Excellency, there are guests here!"

Caesars walked into the living room with a swagger, and this time no one informed him.

Kaschi and Carlos were both surprised that Delon, who was guarding the castle, hadn't sent a message. Duke Solomon glanced at Caesars. It was the first time he saw him wearing his noble robes.

"Caesar, let me introduce you, this is Count Basten!" Solomon said with a smile.

Count Basten's eyes widened. He looked at Caesars and then at Solomon. They were both wearing the same noble robes, which made him a little confused.

"Your Excellency, Count Basten has very high standards. In his eyes, I am just a poor fellow. He said so himself!"

Caesars walked to the side of Duke Solomon, sat down, crossed his legs, and looked at Basten whose expression kept changing.

"Haha, this is the funniest joke I've ever heard! Basten, even if you have tens of millions of gold coins, you're not necessarily as rich as this kid!"

Before Duke Solomon could react, the masked spy chief sitting beside him suddenly burst into laughter. The laughter was like a thunderclap, shattering the tense and solemn atmosphere.

The spy chief has confirmed a fact - Caesars is the mysterious old magician who once set up a stall in the big square in Huofeng City.

"He is a Duke too?"

Count Basten asked, eyes wide open, a look of astonishment on his face. Beads of sweat instantly formed on his forehead, and he thought to himself: I'm so determined to climb the Roland Empire. If I'm abandoned midway because of this, it would be a loss!

However, in response to Count Basten's question, Carlos simply shook his head and replied calmly, "No, he is not the Duke. However, Duke Solomon and I both need his help. So, Count Basten, please leave first. We have important matters to discuss."

Hearing these words, Count Basten felt a wave of loss and helplessness. Though he was unwilling to accept this, he knew he had no chance of resistance when faced with an expulsion order from the all-powerful spy chief who controlled the entire Roland Empire's intelligence agencies. Carlos not only wielded the Empire's Eagle Eyes but also controlled the dreaded Black Prison, and he had the backing of the Roland Imperial Family.

Finally, Count Basten slowly stood up and walked towards the door. As he turned to leave, he couldn't help but glance back. He saw Duke Solomon, Carlos, and Caesars, who had just arrived, huddled together, whispering something, seemingly oblivious to him...

"Kaisas, there are no outsiders here anymore. Let's talk about the matter of life and death of the Roland Empire. We rushed all the way here just for this matter!"

Everyone else was driven out, leaving only four people in the entire castle. Duke Solomon, who was sitting on the sofa, urged them.

"Your Excellency the Duke, please don't be anxious. Some things cannot be rushed. We need to slowly make things clear. Is there a definite conclusion about the true identity of Count Sauron?" Caesar asked curiously.

Duke Solomon nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "It's fake. If it weren't so, why would we go through all the trouble of making this trip in person?"

Hearing this answer, Caesars nodded and continued, "In that case, then we should talk about the mine. What you don't know is that the mine is not simple! Not only does it lead directly to the Saint Laurent Empire, but deep underground, it also hides a shocking and huge secret!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the other three people widened their eyes and asked in unison: "What kind of secret is it? Tell us quickly!"

Kaisas took a deep breath and spoke slowly, "From what I know, there are terrifying monsters hidden deep underground. What's even more terrifying is that with your current strength, you are simply unable to contend with them, so you must not rush into the mines!"

At this point, Caesars detailed the general direction of the mine and the two terrifying monsters. He observed the changes in the expressions of the three people before him. He saw that Duke Solomon's face instantly turned ashen, and his brows were furrowed tightly, as if they could pinch a fly to death. The spy chief was wearing a mask, so no one could see his current expression. As for Kaschi, her once rosy complexion had turned as pale as paper, as if she had been suddenly frightened. Especially when she heard about the ghouls eating people, she felt nauseous and her stomach churned.

"Earl Garlon is an accomplice of Earl Soren. His mercenary group is capturing people everywhere in the Endless Forest and sending them all into the mines regardless of whether they are dead or alive!" Caesars added.

"Caesars, the two of them ran away a long time ago. By the way, is there any way to deal with the two monsters?" Duke Solomon looked at Caesars, hoping to get an answer.

"They are stronger than paladins, with thicker skin and flesh, immune to poisons, and high magic resistance. It's difficult for you to kill these monsters. However, they are afraid of strong acid and flames, and the smell of feces can damage their sense of smell. You should try to block the mine instead of killing the monsters."

"Caesar, how do you know all this?" the spy chief asked curiously.

"Master Carlos, Ocus has been in there several times!"

After hearing Caesar's answer, the spy chief nodded, and this explained it.

"There are approximately a thousand guards surrounding that quarry, including over thirty high-ranking assassins. Your Excellency, the only way to prevent these people from escaping is to storm the mine entrance. This will require the help of the Legion, as well as a large amount of strong acid and the alchemical glue needed to seal the mine. I'm afraid it will take quite a while to prepare!"

The spy chief's tone revealed helplessness, and the old duke nodded solemnly. The Saint Laurent Empire's schemes were too vicious, and they needed to deploy a thorough plan.

"Don't forget to prepare more feces!"

Caesars added this, and Kasqi beside him felt nauseous and fled out of the living room in a panic.

"Caesars, stop talking about this stuff and be more polite!" Duke Solomon looked at Kasqi's back and said with some complaint.

"Old Duke, is Kaschi your illegitimate daughter?"

"She's my son's illegitimate daughter, but she's very capable. Carlos, notify the Imperial Capital immediately and have them start making preparations!"

The old duke looked at Caesar with interest as he spoke. "Boy, you've hidden quite a few secrets. A snake breeder in a high tower in the north, yet in just a few years you've become a high-level magician!"

"Your Excellency the Duke, I have an excellent talent for magic!" Caesars said with a smile.