Chapter 706: Chapter 495: The Two Legendary Mages Have Gone for Reinforcements

The matter was settled.

"Let’s head back."

Raylo gave the order.

Lightning once again transformed into a hundred-meter-long Thunder Dragon, its massive body nearly filling the entire ravine.

Raylo, along with Moonlight and Coal Ball, leaped back onto the dragon’s back.

"ROAR!"

The Thunder Dragon roared. Its wings beat, kicking up a cloud of dust, and its colossal body transformed into a streak of purple lightning, soaring into the sky and disappearing into the night.

...

By the time Lightning carried Raylo back to Black Stone City, the eastern sky was already showing the pale light of dawn.

The first rays of morning pierced through, banishing the last vestiges of darkness that clung to the land.

Black Stone City slowly began to awaken from its slumber.

When he returned to his room, Avril was still fast asleep, her breathing steady and deep.

Raylo tiptoed to the bedside, tucked in the corner of her blanket, and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Then, he took the three starving little creatures to the dining hall.

A lavish breakfast was already prepared.

There was golden-brown, fragrant bread; perfectly seared meat patties; and steaming milk with fresh jam.

"Dig in."

With that single command, three blurs shot past.

Moonlight, Coal Ball, and Lightning each claimed a plate and began their "battle," devouring the food like a whirlwind.

Raylo couldn’t help but smile as he watched them wolf down their food.

Raylo sat down as well, eating his breakfast in a slow, deliberate manner while organizing his thoughts.

The entrance to the Skeleton Wasteland had been successfully "packaged" and brought back.

The next step.

He needed to figure out the situation on the other side of the rift, assess the danger level, and then decide on his subsequent actions.

This matter would require the involvement of the two Legendary Mages stationed in Black Stone Territory.

By the time he finished breakfast, the sky had completely brightened.

Raylo wiped his mouth and stood up.

"Come on, we’re going to the Alchemy Workshop."

He said to the three cats, who were now lying on the soft carpet with round bellies, licking their paws.

"Mrow?"

"Meow?"

The three cats lifted their heads in unison.

Raylo patted the three little guys on their heads and strode toward the plaza outside.

The three cats exchanged a glance, shook their heads helplessly, and followed him with a lazy feline gait.

Morning in Black Stone City was already brimming with vitality.

The wide Stone Slab roads were bustling with people and carriages.

The cries of vendors, the hammering of artisans, and the laughter of residents all mingled together in a chaotic yet orderly symphony.

As Raylo walked, subjects continually bowed respectfully and greeted him.

"Good morning, my Lord!"

"Good day, Lord Earl!"

Raylo responded with a smiling nod.

Soon, Raylo arrived at the Alchemy Workshop located in the plaza.

He pushed open the heavy Refined Steel doors of the Alchemy Workshop.

Inside, the workshop was a scene of bustling activity as usual.

A dozen or so young Alchemy Apprentices in their robes were working methodically at their stations.

The air was thick with the mixed scents of various Magic Materials.

Raylo’s gaze swept across the room, and he quickly found a familiar figure.

Master Barnaby.

The Potion Master was standing before a huge, bubbling cauldron. His hair was still a messy bird’s nest as he waved a glass rod and loudly berated the Apprentices beside him.

"Idiot! Carl! I told you to add the Moonlight Grass juice last! Are you trying to turn this whole batch of Flying Dragon Bloodline Potion into a laxative?"

Carl shrank back from the scolding and hurriedly tried to defend himself.

"But Master, according to the procedure you taught me yesterday, we were supposed to add the Moonlight Grass first..."

"I drank too much yesterday! Forget what I said yesterday! Do what I’m telling you today!"

Master Barnaby fumed, being completely unreasonable.

Raylo shook his head with a helpless sigh and walked over.

"Master Barnaby."

Hearing his name, Master Barnaby turned around impatiently, but when he saw it was Raylo, the anger on his face instantly subsided.

"Oh, it’s you, my Lord."

He casually tossed the glass rod to Carl.

Raylo got straight to the point.

"I’ve come looking for the two masters. I have something important that requires their help."

Master Barnaby scratched his already messy hair and sighed.

"Them? They’re gone."

Raylo froze.

"Gone? Where did they go?"

"Where else?"

Master Barnaby wore a look of utter despair.

"To the Mage City."

"The Mage City?"

Raylo frowned.

"Why the sudden trip?"

"Don’t get me started."

Master Barnaby waved his hand dismissively.

"It’s all because of that damned ’Phillips’s Puzzle’!"

"The two masters studied it for days on end, barely sleeping, but they still couldn’t solve Phillips’s puzzle. Last night, after discussing it, they decided to head to the Mage City. They’re going to search for clues in the Continent’s largest library and drag a few old friends back to help."

Raylo nodded. He hadn’t expected the puzzle on the door to the "Creation Furnace" to be so difficult that even two Legendary Mages were stumped and had to go find help.

Since the two Legendary Mages were gone, Raylo decided to put the matter of exploring the Skeleton Wasteland on hold for now.

...

「Three days later.」

The morning sun bathed the spires of Eagle City in a layer of gold.

But the castle’s master, the Count of the Eagle—Count Alan—was not in a good mood.

Inside the study, flames roared in the fireplace, driving away the winter chill.

Spread out before Count Alan was an urgent order from Thunder Dragon City, sealed with wax.

The contents of the order were simple and blunt.

Cease the war with the Count of Fury.

Immediately lead your army to the Amber Territory in the northwest to fight the Crimson Bloodline.

Whoever achieves greater merit will be granted ownership of Sunset Canyon.

"This is outrageous!"

Count Alan slammed his hand on the table. The desk, made of expensive mahogany, let out a groan as if under unbearable strain.

His face, tanned from years of campaigning, was flushed with anger.

"That Raylo brat! Who does he think he is?!"

"A wet-behind-the-ears kid dares to boss around us founding fathers?!"

"Regent? Is he even worthy?!"

Count Alan’s roars echoed through the empty study.

He had followed the Thunder Dragon Duke, fighting in campaigns from south to north and earning illustrious military honors.

After the Duke successfully founded the Duchy, he was granted the title of Count, becoming one of the first nobles of the realm.

Now, he was being ordered to obey a young man more than twenty years his junior—and with such a domineering, merciless command at that.

To him, this was a profound insult.

Of course, he conveniently forgot that he had already twice rejected orders delivered by envoys from Thunder Dragon City.

"Father, please calm your anger."

A voice came from a corner of the study.

A handsome young Knight in Silver Armor stepped out from the shadows.

He was Count Alan’s eldest son and the future heir to the Eagle Territory, Ryo Falcon.

"Calm my anger? How can I calm my anger?!"

Count Alan pointed at the order.

"Look at this! Just look at what this Raylo wrote! Is this an order? This is a blatant threat!"

"He’s treating us like dogs to be ordered around!"

Ryo’s face, however, showed no signs of anger.

He just looked at the order quietly, his eyes glinting with a calm and rationality that belied his age.

"Father."

He began to speak slowly.

"I believe we should... obey the order."

"What?"

Count Alan shot up as if he were a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"Ryo! Do you have any idea what you’re saying?! You want me to be that Raylo brat’s dog?!"

"No, Father."

Ryo shook his head.

"I simply believe that we have no choice now."

"No choice?"

Ryo’s words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Count Alan’s head.

It instantly cleared his mind, which had been muddled with rage.

"His Highness the Regent’s move is a blatant scheme."

Ryo continued.

"He has made ownership of Sunset Canyon the prize for our competition with the Count of Fury."

"If we refuse, the Count of Fury will certainly seize this opportunity and gladly accept the order. At that point, not only will he get Sunset Canyon without shedding a drop of blood, but he can also use the charge of ’defying a military order’ to launch a ’righteous’ crusade against us with the support of the Thunder Dragon Knights."

"By then, we will become the public enemy of the entire Duchy, attacked from both front and rear, and we will die without a proper burial."

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