The Vastness of Magical Destiny

Chapter 87 - 87 15 The Mystery

?Chapter 87: Chapter 15: The Mystery Chapter 87: Chapter 15: The Mystery This was an arrowhead cast from Myles Silver, a rare magic metal that isn’t commonly seen. Besides sharing the same characteristics as conventional metals, its unique, unyielding magical rigidity made it a sought-after target for warriors and casters across the Continent. However, Myles Silver was extremely scarce, typically found only near silver mines and even then, only a piece could be discovered over many years. Moreover, even if Myles Silver ore was obtained, ordinary casters could not refine it. The extraction of this magic metal required specialized furnaces and fuel. If one wished to purify it to a higher degree, it necessitated the use of magic power to reinforce it with Fire Magic; doing so would also imbue the metal with the intrinsic properties of the magic used during its purification, enhancing its power even further.

Whether it be a crossbow bolt or an arrow, it’s highly unlikely that it would be used by a mage. Magic practitioners on the Continent, once they reached the level of a Magician or higher, were held in considerable esteem. Regardless of whether they cultivated Dark, Elemental, or Light Magic, they all cherished their honor and would never stoop to base acts such as assassination with a bow or crossbow. Only one type of person would commit such acts: assassins or killers. Lord Onia also believed that even if the knights within the kingdom harbored dissatisfaction toward the Church of Light and Magician Malone, it was highly improbable that they would resort to such means to oppose him. Yet, such a significant issue had arisen in Versailles—a place teeming with powerful individuals—while he had simply returned to Jazair on business. If he couldn’t uncover any leads, he indeed felt a sense of unwillingness to let it go.

So, who was Malone here to meet after all? What kind of person could make him so confident to come here? This question deeply troubled the Archmage from the Church of Light.

“Lord Tez, I think it rather unlikely that a person with a suspicious manner like the messenger could come to Versailles to deliver a message to Malone without being discovered. Are you saying that the kingdom’s Guard and the surrounding soldiers haven’t noticed anything at all?” Onia changed his questioning approach, as it was somewhat abrupt to directly confront the other party without any evidence.

“I am truly sorry. We have already conducted a thorough vetting of visitors to Versailles, and we’ve found no individuals who match or resemble the description provided by the guards. Additionally, the soldiers responsible for securing the area have not discovered any suspicious individuals entering Versailles during this time.” The Minister of Internal Affairs also felt somewhat embarrassed; after all, a court mage had been murdered right under his watch without leaving a trace, which indeed was a difficult situation to justify.

“Does that mean, Lord Tez, that you believe the murderer to be hiding among the guests within Versailles?” The white-robed mage’s eyes flashed sharply, his words growing more incisive.

“Lord Onia, there are hundreds of guests within Versailles, and the number of people of all sorts around the Hunting Manor is even more difficult to account for. I cannot be certain where the killer comes from. If an assassin truly intended to carry out an assassination against Malone, I believe they could have easily crossed the perimeter security line of the Guard Cavalry. Especially, as you mentioned, this murderer seems to possess a considerable level of magical skill, perhaps even that of a mage. Nonetheless, I have arranged for people to investigate. However, as to whether we will obtain a satisfactory result, I cannot give you a definite answer.” The Internal Affairs Manager spoke deliberately, for such matters were no trivial concern; arousing suspicion or discontent in others could only worsen the situation.

The white-robed mage said no more. He too was aware that what the other party said was indeed true. Versailles, serving as the private Hunting Manor for the king of the Kingdom of Nicosia, had evolved over several decades into a small-town centered around the Manor. Beyond the Manor itself, the various service industries that had sprung up surrounding it were exceptionally prosperous. Taverns, inns, banks, clothing stores, jewelry shops, pawnshops, casinos, brothels, and more all contributed to a bizarre landscape. Alongside nobles, merchants, and scholars from all over the kingdom and the Continent, this place had become a microcosm of the Royal City of Jazair.

It is indeed no easy task to find a murderer among so many people. If the assassin were to drift in, make their move, and promptly flee far away, I’m afraid it would be difficult for anyone to find many useful clues. As time passes, people’s memories will gradually blur, and after three or five days, it would be even harder to recall the trivial matters from a few days prior that had no bearing on themselves. To complete a sweep of all related individuals within a few days is an entirely impossible task, and it is highly likely to cause many unnecessary troubles. Moreover, Lord Onia had a premonition that the killer who murdered Malone was not just any assassin but one of the guests at the Versailles Hunting Manor. Of course, there was no evidence for this, but Lord Onia trusted his intuition.

“Lord Tez, I think it would be more convenient for our Church of Light to investigate this incident. After all, Magician Malone was one of our own, and the person who killed him should be a mage with dark magic attributes. I believe that if we follow this clue, we will eventually find the murderer,” the white-robed man tactfully declined the Internal Affairs Manager’s suggestion. Initially, he had only intended for the Internal Affairs Manager to come alone, but the cunning Tez had brought along another court mage who did not belong to the Church of Light. The white-robed man was very dissatisfied with the craftiness of the Internal Affairs Manager, but it was not good to refuse. It was best to keep an incident damaging to the Church of Light’s image contained to the smallest scope possible, whether or not the killer was caught.

“Oh, what Lord Onia says makes sense. However, if you find any suspicious individuals within the kingdom, please notify the local Internal Affairs Department as soon as possible. After all, such an incident happening in Versailles is nothing to be proud of for either the kingdom or the Church of Light. I, too, hope for a final resolution,” Duke Tez had already spoken the unspoken for the other party, and this changed the white-robed mage’s impression, who had been unhappy with the Internal Affairs Manager for bringing in an outsider to the scene.

Within three days, the old man in white received two space transmission letters and sat quietly on a quaint wooden chair, pondering. Malone’s letter was simple, only mentioning that he had discovered something strange but did not specify what it was. The message conveyed by the second letter was appalling – Malone had been murdered, and by a dark practitioner at that. At this thought, a shadow of gloom swept across the lean old man’s rosy cheeks. He felt a storm approaching, and though he had believed the world would follow the trajectory he recognized, it seemed that even the slightest deviation could change direction and everything would be beyond his control, so much so that even he, usually so confident, could not predict where it would all lead.

Although Malone was not a supremely powerful warrior, he was a Senior Magician and a court mage who had mastered a considerable level of offensive magic. To be burned to death by Fire Magic used by a dark practitioner was indeed miraculous. It was not only an insult to the Church of Light but also a provocation to the entire order! The old man in white did not agree with Lord Onia’s suspicion about the incident but concurred with the suggestion passed on – that perhaps there would be those within the Kingdom of Nicosia who may seize this opportunity to attack the Church of Light, requiring cautious handling.

Logically, he should not tolerate such an event, but now he had more important matters to attend to. With this in mind, the old man in white’s gaunt face turned unintentionally towards the west. The person there seemed to have improved somewhat. Could it be that after being shone upon by the Sacred Light Mirror one could possess the power to return from the brink? This was a troubling question, and it seemed for now that all he could do was to wait patiently. The good news was that Lord Onia’s capabilities were sufficient to face any challenges within the Kingdom of Nicosia. However, it would be more appropriate to have two knights for support. After thinking for a moment, a faint, blue luminous glow danced in the old man’s deep-set eyes.

The old man in white stood up and cast his gaze toward the azure sky. Things in the North did not seem to be progressing as he had hoped; the stage he had designed was starting to veer off course, although not by too far. A mysterious smile crossed his lips as he pulled a magic scroll from the bookshelf. With a flick of his fingers, the scroll floated in the air, quickly unfolding and expanding. A dazzling white light radiated from the magic scroll, piercing through space and departing.