Black Hearted Mage

Chapter 265 Tunnel

The robbers' lives gradually faded away with their painful howls. However, this was not the end, but the beginning of another story.

One of the two souls was devoured by the mysterious soul gem, as if sucked into the endless dark abyss; while the other was absorbed and refined by Caesars in a peculiar way.

In the process, Caesars delved into the depths of the robber's memory, as if exploring a forgotten treasure, where he discovered a surprising name - Earl Garon.

Garlon, the former southern earl of the Roland Empire, was probably in his seventies or eighties by now. The grudges and hatreds between him and Caesars actually stemmed from Garlon's son, Little Garlon.

Fast forward over twenty years, and Caesars had just entered the Northland Tower, becoming a snake breeder. However, his peaceful life was disrupted by two students of the Grand Alchemist Kandel. One of them was Garlon Jr., a man with exceptional talent for both magic and alchemy, possessing the potential to become a Grand Alchemist.

Little Garlon had ulterior motives and attempted to use the power of the black snake to eliminate Kaisas. Unfortunately, his plan ultimately failed, and he was killed by the fangs of the golden-eyed black snake.

"Earl Garlon is actually hiding in the Roland Empire. This news is really shocking!" Caesar couldn't help but sigh.

Who could have imagined that this fox-like figure was hiding in plain sight in the Roland Empire? This secret was accidentally uncovered by Caesars from the robber's memory.

Earl Garlon, the famous nobleman, the mysterious Earl Soren, and another victim, Earl Burns, are the three most powerful figures in the southern part of the Roland Empire.

However, unexpectedly, the so-called Earl of Solon was actually an imposter! His true identity was actually from the Saint Laurent Empire. Over a hundred years ago, the real Earl of Solon and his family were brutally murdered by the Saint Laurent Church. The entire Earl's mansion was massacred, and not a single person was spared.

Before the massacre, the Church of Saint Laurent searched for someone who looked like Earl Soren, and then replaced the original people in the Earl's mansion with these imposters one by one. In this way, the fake Earl Soren infiltrated the aristocratic circle of the Roland Empire with impunity.

Half a quarter of an hour later, Caesars had packed up all the spoils and returned to the parked carriage. He whispered to the still-shocked driver, "Let's go. There are no more robbers ahead."

The driver felt relieved upon hearing this. He shook the reins vigorously, and the horses' hooves began to beat rhythmically on the road, making a crisp sound. The carriage slowly started moving and headed forward.

At this moment, a childish voice came from the carriage: "Brother, how can your magic penetrate the boulder? Also, how did you suddenly disappear?"

"Emily, I'll answer these questions for you later!"

Caesars' voice was a little serious, and he pointed forward as he spoke. Emily immediately understood what he meant - there were strangers around.

Emily felt a little disappointed, but she also knew that now was not the time to ask further questions, so she nodded obediently to show that she understood.

Seeing this, Caesars softened his tone a bit and continued, "Emily, I have good news for you. These bandits have been lingering near Wind and Rain Canyon for a long time, and no one from the Gravel Kingdom has passed through here in a long time. So, I guess the Safin family must have a lot of puff pastry and cheese accumulated!"

Upon hearing this news, Emily's eyes lit up and she said excitedly, "Then we can buy them all!"

However, Caesars waved his hand and said, "Emily, don't worry. Let's talk about it after we arrive at Safin Castle. I need to rest for a while and recall my spellcasting process."

Emily nodded quickly. She knew that recalling and summarizing the spellcasting process was crucial for a magician. Although she was only an apprentice, she would carefully consider each time she practiced a spell. This was all taught to her by Professor Caesars.

Emily had been learning magical theory from Rad, and her spellcasting skills were entirely taught by Caesars. In this regard, Caesars could be said to be her enlightenment teacher, and his influence on her was profound.

In the distant past, the Kingdom of Stonebreak was originally known as the Blackstone Kingdom. This kingdom was relatively small, covering just over 300 miles in radius, slightly larger than an average duchy. However, this small kingdom was renowned for its unique geographical location.

The Blackstone Kingdom gets its name from the Blackstone Mountain that lies within. This mountain is no ordinary mountain, but rather composed of a unique volcanic rock called blackstone. This blackstone possesses a remarkable property: it weathers relatively quickly. When blackstone powder is added to the soil, it has a miraculous effect, significantly increasing grain yields by approximately 30%.

However, over time, the magical Black Stone resources gradually became depleted. Without the Black Stone's nourishment, much of the land began to become barren. Once fertile fields gradually became barren, and crop yields plummeted. Faced with this predicament, many people reluctantly chose to leave the Black Stone Kingdom in search of more hospitable places.

Eventually, the name of the Blackstone Kingdom was forgotten, replaced by a new name: the Kingdom of Shardstone. This name perhaps better reflects the current state of this land: broken, barren, and no longer prosperous and vibrant as it once was.

After half a day's journey, the carriage finally reached its destination: the ancient Safin Castle. Perched atop a massive hill, the castle resembled an impenetrable fortress. Built atop natural rock over 30 meters high, it exuded a sense of majesty and solemnity.

The outer edge of the rock is surrounded by a wide and deep moat, more than ten meters wide and seven or eight meters deep. This huge moat is not only a natural defensive barrier, but also shows that the castle owner attaches great importance to security.

Guards patrolled the castle's towering walls. Their vigilant gazes scanned the surroundings, a sure sign that the Kingdom of Stone was not a peaceful place. The carriage slowly crossed the sturdy drawbridge and finally stopped at the gates of Safin Castle, as if entering a world full of unknowns and challenges.

"Who are you? What brings you to Safin Castle?"

Several guards looked at the carriage and asked loudly from their high position on the wall.

Caesar, wearing a black magic robe and holding a dragon blood wood staff that looked like red crystal, pushed open the car door and walked down, looking up at the guards on the wall.

"My name is Caesars. I'm from the Violet Alliance. I'm here to buy soufflés and cheese. Go and inform Count Safin; he should still remember me!"

"You are the Magician Caesars!"

The guard on the high wall cried out in surprise, then shouted to his companions nearby, "Hurry and inform the Count that a big customer has arrived to buy soufflés and cheese!"

Obviously, although these guards had never seen Caesar's true appearance with their own eyes, they must have heard of his deeds.

After a brief wait of several minutes, the unusually heavy gate of the castle wall slowly opened. Before Caesars appeared an elderly man with a white beard—Count Safin. He was dressed in a dark green aristocratic robe, his face brimming with joy. He stood steadily at the gate, as if he had been waiting there for a long time.

"Mage Caesar, it's been nearly twenty years since we last met! You don't look changed at all, please come in!" Count Safin smiled warmly and invited Caesar, his voice revealing excitement that was hard to conceal.

Seeing this, Caesars raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a faint smile, and responded: "Count Safin, I have actually been to your Safin Castle twice, but unfortunately I didn't meet you both times!"

As he spoke, Caesars waved gently toward the carriage behind him. Emily glided down from the carriage, and the plump puppy leaped down like an arrow, sniffing eagerly at the mouth-watering milky aroma that permeated the air.

"Fat dog, take off your backpack!" Emily stood beside the carriage and shouted loudly to the greedy puppy.

Hearing Emily's call, the puppy excitedly wagged its tail, opened its mouth wide, revealing its sharp teeth, and leaped onto the carriage. It first threw the little golden-eyed black snake out of the carriage like trash, then picked up the backpack with its mouth and jumped out lightly.

This fat dog had always loved bullying the little black snake. Although Caesars had taught it a lesson many times, it didn't seem to take it to heart and continued to do as it pleased. But then again, the lava dog was a high-level magical beast after all, so it was quite obedient for not eating the little black snake outright.

The driver took the gold coins Emily handed him, carefully counted them, and after confirming they were correct, he smiled and thanked her. Then, he gently waved the whip, and the carriage slowly turned around and returned the way it had come.

The forecourt of Safin Castle was vast, stretching as far as the eye could see. Unlike other areas planted with flowers and trees, it had been transformed into a vast martial arts training ground. On one side stood a long row of weapon racks displaying a variety of weapons, while on the other stood a dozen or so archery targets. In the center of the training grounds lay an open space capable of accommodating hundreds of people for simultaneous practice.

"Brother, this place looks like a war fortress!"

Emily followed behind Caesars, observing her surroundings and suddenly spoke.

"The Stonebreak Kingdom is quite chaotic and poor, and the king only has a little over a thousand soldiers, so the nobles have to defend their territory on their own!"

After Caesars said a few simple words, Emily understood everything.

The living room of Safin Castle was large. Armor and weapons were still displayed on the wooden shelves along the walls, and a map of the Stonebreak Kingdom hung on the center wall. As Caesars and Emily took their seats, a young maid immediately brought them tea, along with large plates of soufflé and cheese.

"Count Safin, are there foreign forces in the Stonebreak Kingdom? We encountered seven robbers in Windwhispering Canyon. They were all high-level professionals, but I killed them all!"

Caesars asked Count Safin, while gently pushing two large plates of soufflé and cheese toward Emily, as if they were a precious gift. Emily looked at the delicious food in front of her and couldn't help but smile.

According to the memories of the robbers' souls, they had arrived in the Stoneshatter Kingdom in the hundreds, a number that surprised Caesars. With so many people arriving, only seven or eight were assigned to disguise themselves as robbers, blocking or robbing anyone entering or leaving Windwhispering Canyon.

"More than a year ago, we were divided into three groups, with a total of more than 300 people coming!"

"More than three hundred people came to the Gravel Kingdom?" Caesars repeated.

Count Safin said with certainty, "More than 300 people. They originally wanted to dig a tunnel in my territory. That's where the Safin family grows pasture. Of course, I can't agree to their request!"

The Safin family's main income comes from dairy products. Although they do not grow much grain, a large area is used to grow pasture to supply the family's livestock industry.

"Those people will definitely not give up easily." Kaisas said after a moment of contemplation, "So, where are they digging now?"

Digging a tunnel in the Yellowstone Mountains was no easy task; it required not only a huge amount of financial resources but also a significant investment of manpower and material resources. Caesars couldn't help but imagine the difficult digging scenes in the mountains.

Count Safin seemed to have been prepared for this question. He stood up, walked to the map hanging on the wall, stretched out his finger, and pointed out a location accurately.

"The tunnel has been dug for a year, right here," Count Safin said, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "It's south of my territory. Those people bought 40,000 acres of land from Count Barak for 20,000 gold coins!"

Count Safin spoke incessantly about the situation in the area south of his domain. Count Garlon's men had already begun extensive construction on the edge of the Yellowstone Mountains, building numerous houses and high walls. As for the depth of the tunnels they were digging, Count Safin said he had no idea.

At this moment, Caesars suddenly interrupted and said, "Count, I came here mainly to buy some puff pastry and cheese, and I will buy more this time!" He directly brought the topic back to the business.

After all, digging a tunnel wasn't something that could be accomplished overnight, especially since it had to pass through the Yellowstone Mountains. It would likely take at least eight to ten years to dig through. So, compared to the progress of the tunnel, Caesars was more concerned with the soufflés and cheese.

After hearing this, Count Safin quickly replied, "We have quite a bit of cheese in stock. They can be kept for a long time without needing to be put into storage rings. But the soufflés are different. They can't be kept outside for a long time, so I only filled five storage rings with them."

After hearing this, Caesars nodded in satisfaction and said, "That's fine. I'll buy as much cheese and puff pastry as you can get. Also, can you help me make some puff pastry in the next two days? We came from Fire Maple City this time and plan to rest here for two or three days!"