Leaving the courtyard behind, Magus made his way toward the main building of the inner castle.
The patrolling soldiers he passed along the way all stopped and saluted respectfully.
For the sake of secrecy, Rune, his elder brother, had ordered that news of Magus becoming a Wizard Apprentice be kept confidential. Because of this, the common folk and ordinary soldiers of Blackstone City knew very little about him. To them, he was merely the lord's reclusive younger brother — a quiet man who rarely left his residence.
Only the knights privy to the truth regarded him with genuine awe.
Magus ascended the stairs to the third floor, heading straight for the study. Aside from meetings with his generals in the council hall, Rune usually handled most administrative affairs there or trained in the castle's yard. Judging from his routine, Magus knew he would likely find him in the study at this hour.
As he stepped onto the third-floor corridor, a beautiful maid emerged from the study. Her hair was damp and disheveled, her cheeks flushed, and her clothing in slight disarray — signs that she had recently experienced rather vigorous activity.
Startled at the sight of him, the maid froze mid-step. When she recognized who it was, she quickly bowed, her face burning.
"Y-Young Master Magus."
Magus regarded her with an unreadable expression. He vaguely remembered this particular maid — a widow, if his memory served correctly. He hadn't expected his elder brother to have such… distinct tastes.
"You may go," Magus said simply, waving her away.
The maid lowered her head and hurried off down the corridor.
Magus lingered for a moment before pushing open the study door and stepping inside.
Behind the desk sat Rune, already dressed neatly, eyes absorbed in a book. Hearing the door open, he looked up and smiled naturally.
"Ah, Magus. What brings you here, little brother?"
Magus took a seat across from him, his expression calm. "I wanted to ask how things are going at the Black Stone Mining Area."
Rune's smile widened. "Quite well. Exceptionally well, in fact."
The moment the mining area was mentioned, his expression brightened like a man watching gold rain from the sky.
"In just half a month," he said with satisfaction, "we've already earned over a hundred gold coins selling black stone iron. And this is only the beginning. Once the output stabilizes, I estimate the mine alone could bring in four to five thousand gold coins annually!"
Magus nodded slightly. That was indeed impressive.
A viscount's entire domain might generate four or five thousand gold coins a year. Yet Blackstone City alone was now matching that amount — all thanks to the mining area's reopening.
"The profits are good," Magus said, "but what about Shining City? Have they reacted yet?"
Rune's smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression.
The operation at the Black Stone Mining Area was far too large to conceal for long. If Owen, the ruler of Shining City, had any sense, he would realize how quickly Blackstone City could rise in strength by relying on that mine. It was only a matter of time before he tried to interfere.
Rune leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping the armrest. "The merchants purchasing our black stone iron come mostly from the Thorn Flower Duchy. We're not using the Golden Rock Province trade route, so Owen won't find it easy to block us."
That duchy was one of the great principalities bordering Blackstone City, as renowned as the Starlight Principality itself. By trading through that border, their caravans avoided Owen's checkpoints entirely.
Of course, Owen could still send soldiers to intercept their trade — but that would mean trespassing into the Thorn Flower Duchy, provoking diplomatic trouble. Rune doubted Owen would risk that unless he was truly desperate.
Even so, they couldn't afford to let their guard down.
Rune's eyes glinted suddenly. "I've been thinking… it's time to form a cavalry regiment."
Magus raised an eyebrow. "A cavalry?" He quickly understood his brother's reasoning.
Owen's dominance over the other three honorary lords stemmed from his elite cavalry force of five hundred men — heavily armed and expertly trained. If Blackstone City wanted to stand on equal footing, they would need their own formidable army.
Rune nodded gravely. "A well-trained cavalry will cost a fortune — warhorses, armor, weaponry, training, maintenance. But it's necessary."
Magus frowned slightly. "That will require a massive amount of gold, won't it?"
"Yes," Rune said with a wry smile. "A single warhorse and a full set of armor cost thirty to forty gold coins. And the expenses don't end there — feed, training, repairs. The cavalry is a bottomless pit for money."
He was right. In this age, cavalry forces were the symbol of true power. Even minor nobles measured their influence by the number of knights they could field. Most lords spent nearly all their annual tax revenue just to maintain a single regiment.
Even with the new mine as a golden goose, raising a full cavalry battalion would still strain Blackstone City's coffers.
Magus, however, smiled faintly. "If that's the case, I might have a solution."
Rune's eyes lit up instantly. "Oh? What kind of solution?"
Having witnessed his younger brother's miraculous talents more than once, Rune had come to trust him implicitly. Whenever Magus said he had a way, there was usually a reason to believe it.
"Black Rock Leopards," Magus said simply.
Rune froze for a heartbeat before understanding dawned. His eyes brightened with excitement.
He had already seen the power of the Black Rock Leopard — a puppet beast whose combat strength rivaled that of a knight. It felt no fear, required no rest, and consumed no food. If such a creature could serve as a mount, it would be the perfect warhorse.
"Can you actually refine them?" Rune asked eagerly.
"It shouldn't be a problem," Magus replied confidently.
The Active Potion he'd been taking recently had greatly accelerated his progress in the art of Puppet Refining. His mastery was already past ninety percent. In just a few more days, he would complete the learning process and be able to craft his own Black Rock Leopards.
"That's… incredible!" Rune exclaimed, rising to his feet, pacing the room with unrestrained excitement.
A cavalry regiment mounted on such constructs — tireless, fearless, unstoppable — would be the strongest army in the entire Golden Rock Province. Even with only three hundred riders, they could stand against or even overwhelm Shining City's elite knights.
For the first time in years, Rune's heart surged with genuine hope.
After a long moment, his expression softened. He looked at Magus and sighed quietly.
When he had returned from the mines, Magus had given him a few enlightenment books, saying they might awaken his magical potential. Rune had tried, but after only two pages, a blinding pain had seized his mind — proof that he lacked the aptitude to become a Wizard Apprentice.
For days afterward, he had been consumed by regret. But in time, he found peace with it. He didn't need to become a wizard — not when his younger brother already was one.
With Magus by his side, Rune believed the two of them could revive the Arnest Family's lost glory.
After a while, Rune finally calmed himself and placed a hand on Magus's shoulder, his voice steady but full of emotion.
"I'll leave it to you. If you can succeed with this… you'll be the greatest contributor our family has ever had."
Magus smiled faintly at the praise, then steered the conversation back to the reason for his visit.
Rune listened, then suddenly smacked his forehead with a laugh. "Ah! I nearly forgot — I was just about to tell you about that."
He stepped out from behind his desk and gestured for Magus to follow.
"A few weeks ago, I asked the Fire Fox Merchant Guild of the Thorn Flower Duchy to help locate what you needed. They arrived in Blackstone City this morning and are resting at the tavern now."
His eyes glimmered with satisfaction. "Come on — let's go see them."
The brothers left the study together, the heavy wooden door closing softly behind them. The morning sunlight poured through the corridor windows, casting long shadows across the stone floor.
For the first time in a long while, Magus felt the stirring of genuine anticipation.
If everything went according to plan, Blackstone City's fate — and the future of the Arnest family — was about to change forever.
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