The artificially transplanted white flowers exuded a delicate fragrance, and because they had just been watered, the water droplets clinging to the petals shone with a crystalline brilliance.
Inside Moli Restaurant, the conversation between Bai En and Mars was nearing its end.
Just as Mars stood up to leave, Bai En looked at the quiet, oval-shaped iron block, obsidian black with a shimmering surface, lying on the table, and called out to him.
"Compared to you directly finding the ore I needed, merely telling you about Fana seems quite disadvantageous for you. How about this…" Bai En held up two fingers: "I've never liked owing favors, so I'll add two more pieces of information on top of that."
"First… your Diamond Kingdom's King is old now, and is seeking ways to prolong his life and achieve longevity, isn't he? I imagine it won't be long before he sends you Eight Shining Generals to attack the Witch's Forest, to find a method for the Witch Queen's long life."
"If nothing unexpected happens…" Bai En paused: "Eye of the Midnight Sun will also seek out the Witch Queen for some reason. Compared to searching the entire world, that will be your greatest chance to meet Fana."
Mars didn't know why Bai En knew so much… In his eyes, the man sitting there was incredibly mysterious and strange, seemingly very clear about the future's developments.
Could there be some magic that could foresee the future?
That's unlikely.
If there was… it shouldn't be a power belonging to a human Mage.
Up until now, he was half-skeptical of what Bai En said, but if it was exchanging something useless to him for information about Fana, he had to try his best, no matter how troublesome. This was his only hope.
"And the second point?"
"Work hard and become stronger. A great disaster will erupt in the near future, and your Diamond Kingdom will be the first to bear the brunt. I believe you've already heard some news; the great nation to the north is no longer maintaining its peaceful policy as in previous years, becoming increasingly restless."
Mars fell into contemplation. As one of the Diamond Kingdom's Eight Shining Generals, he naturally knew that the number of border clashes with the Spade Kingdom in recent years had exceeded those with the hostile Clover Kingdom.
Combining this with the news… could something major have happened within the Spade Kingdom's Royal Family? It seems he would have to investigate thoroughly once he returned to the Diamond Kingdom.
After finishing the additional information, Mars nodded in thanks, pulled up his hood, and turned to leave. As he reached the door, a glance from the corner of his eye caught two stealthy figures observing him.
Perhaps crossing the Clover Kingdom's border two or three times had already attracted some attention. He pulled the hood of his black trench coat lower and walked towards the crowded area.
When the investigators followed Mars's trail to a secluded dead end, they found no one there.
A grimoire with a rhombus block pattern floated beside a stout and a thin figure respectively. The stout man spat, muttering, "Damn it, we lost him. How am I going to explain this when I get back?"
The thin figure in front of him pondered for a moment, then, looking at the crowd behind him, his eyes darted around: "Olm, he's over there!"
"Huh?" The stout man called Olm searched for a long time in the direction he pointed, but still couldn't find Mars in the crowd: "Where? I don't see him?"
"Idiot, you actually believed that. He's long gone, but… we were following Mars back to the Diamond Kingdom, do you know that?" The thin figure, named Cajole, stared at Olm with a sharp gaze: "If the General asks later, that's how you'll answer!"
"This, Cajole, you're lying. If the General finds out, we'll be in big trouble." Olm, in his simple-minded way, suggested, "We should still go search that restaurant Mars was in earlier. Maybe we'll find something."
Cajole slapped Olm on the head: "This is the Clover Kingdom, not the Diamond Kingdom. Search? Are you out of your mind? If the Magic Knights find us, we'll both be finished here."
"But…"
"No buts. We're out here working for money, it's just a mission, just play along. If we knowingly go into danger, wouldn't that make us idiots?" Cajole sighed, earnestly advising his companion: "Be steady. Just answer the General as we just discussed. Don't lose your life over one mission."
"I still have a son to raise, so don't be foolish, let's go."
"Oh, coming." Olm rubbed his head and quickly followed.
Mars, hidden in the corner of a rooftop, quietly watched the two figures leave for a while. Only when they were completely out of sight did he turn and depart.
Inside Moli Restaurant.
After Mars left, Bai En placed the grimoire from his waist onto the table. With a casual flick of his finger, the pages of the grimoire turned, and the obsidian iron block on the table rapidly flowed into the grimoire like molten iron.
In just a few breaths, the heavy iron block disappeared without a trace.
Bai En closed the grimoire, placed it into the satchel at his waist, then stood up and walked towards the kitchen. 'The fourth cooking utensil is in hand, one step closer. Now, even if I meet a Captain, I won't say I'll win, but at least I'll have some confidence.'
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
The morning sun to the evening sunset was but a fleeting moment; time passed quickly. Beyond the outer wall of the Royal Capital was a vast plain, with winding streams hidden among lush green grass, and occasional piles of withered trees on the grassy expanse.
A figure sat on a dead tree, gazing far into the distance at the majestic walls and buildings of the Royal Capital. The wind swayed the boundless prairie, and its echoing sound was incessant.
"It's strange, isn't it?!"
"Why do I have to be driven out? My magic power is even stronger than that of the Royal Family?" His voice paused slightly, "Isn't this world where magic power determines everything?"
"Tell me?!"
The one-eyed man with gray-white hair and an eye patch questioned the noble beside him, whom he had turned into a corpse puppet, a noble who "emphasized that magic power was everything."
But how could a corpse puppet speak? It only kept making "awu" sounds.
"Who are you talking to, Ladis." A sudden reply came from the black rippling space behind him, from a figure wearing a long black robe that concealed his face.
"Heh, nothing, I'm just talking to myself." Ladis turned to look at the newcomer: "Valtos, you're dressed quite similarly."
"Don't worry, I'm almost ready. The injuries from last time have also recovered."
Valtos responded in a low voice: "That's good."
The two waited in silence for time to pass and for their comrades to gather. Ladis stretched out his right hand, enveloping the Royal Capital within it, and laughed coldly: "Let me properly teach you my power again…! Magic Knights, this isn't like last time, after all, it's the Royal Capital!"
The sea of clouds in the sky was exceptionally beautiful and golden, but unbeknownst to anyone, the shadows piled up on the ground were being submerged forward with the wind…
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