Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 343 Rumors
It's certainly not a pleasant feeling to be spied on by a cunning old fox lurking near your own lair. Fortunately, when it comes to matters involving heretical beliefs, the Church of Orthodox God, especially the Temple of Heim, which is involved, has an inescapable responsibility.

They figured they wouldn't have to fight alone, and they could even let others take the lead. Thinking about it this way, the two of them felt much more at ease.

Leaving aside the two Neverwinter Guards who entered the castle with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow to report to Nash, the important targets and evidence had already been packed up by the mages and taken to the academy to hand over to the Starcloak and the Covenant with their superiors.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yuan was truly relieved of his burdens. He no longer had to scheme and plot against gangsters every day, nor did he have to sleep with one eye open to prevent the opposing gang from getting angry or his identity from being exposed, which would have prompted the Arcane Brotherhood to take action.

Returning to academia once again felt like reliving the old days, but now, as a faculty member, it was quite different from before.

Those basic courses have already been studied. In fact, few academies offer courses for intermediate and advanced spellcasters.

Once mages have left their apprenticeship and reached a certain level, they either follow a chosen mentor as their assistant to further their studies, or they conduct independent research, but also participate in various project discussions as members of the faculty.

Alternatively, they could simply leave the academy and start anew, honing their skills through extensive travels and dedicated themselves to research, reaching even greater heights.

Or they might join forces with a powerful faction, or go it alone, take on a few apprentices, form a small organization, and live a carefree life in their own little corner of the world.

Of course, no matter which path you take, only a very small minority can ultimately reach the pinnacle of arcane magic and own their own mage tower.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many different mage organizations attracting spellcasters to join.

Zhang Yuan was quite happy to return to college life. He said goodbye to the days when he could only ponder alone and bury himself in books. Now he was also a staff member and researcher of the college. He was looking forward to planning his next research direction and experimental plan.

Naturally, they cannot neglect the three schools of magic, sculpting, and transmutation, which are their own specialties. They can also exchange knowledge on various extensions of these skills, as well as spellcasting and supermagic techniques, or simply seek guidance from their own senior masters and ancestors.

As for other factions, Zhang Yuan felt he had followed a path of being a semi-generalist. While he might not have profound expertise, a basic understanding and discernment of them, as well as a grasp of some practical and commonly used spells, were to be expected.

Once all these tasks and plans were assigned, I was really busy day and night, even more so than when I was the gang leader. After all, I could be a hands-off boss in the latter case, but who could replace me in the former?
A month passed in the blink of an eye. The Canaan team members, now with some free time, enjoyed this peaceful yet somewhat monotonous period. After the initial novelty wore off, they couldn't help but feel a bit idle.

However, these seasoned veterans quickly found their own ways to get ahead.

Lawrence, that old lecher, needs no introduction. He spends all his time at Moonstone Mask, using the pretext of gathering intelligence to hang out there and never leave. He practically treats it like his own home, living a life of luxury. Fortunately, he has some influence with the proprietress, Ophira, and can even get a discount from time to time.

Meanwhile, Münster, Kegan, Bard, and the half-ogre brothers, a bunch of roughnecks, wandered around various taverns, drinking, singing, and boasting, embellishing their adventures to win applause. They could be described as middle-aged bandits, befriending heroes from all over the city.

The only one doing anything productive is Nancy; the female thief has been making frequent trips to the Mandane family mansion lately.

Because of the assassination attempt on the Grand Duchess in the past, the Mandaen family did not necessarily treat this former personal maid with much favor. However, things are different now!
Ever since the two old noble families were completely wiped out by Nash and the mages' sudden actions, the entire upper echelons of Neverwinter have been plunged into an indescribable panic and turmoil.

This blatant act of destruction—no, utter trampling and annihilation of the tacit understanding and rules among the aristocratic class—undoubtedly shocked and enraged these upper-class gentlemen. Unsurprisingly, driven by this unprecedented sense of crisis, the Winterless Aristocracy, after their initial panic subsided, anxiously began communicating and coordinating among themselves.

The repeated clandestine visits and secret talks, along with the numerous confidential letters, flowed like underground streams converging into a hidden river, or like a web of intrigue woven from eerie threads. For the sake of secrecy, they even abandoned the convenient communication crystals, fearing that they might be intercepted and discovered by the mages.

After all, they bought these things from the Starry Cloak Tower for a hefty sum back then. Those maverick eccentrics were quite business-minded, often making these kinds of low-tech but highly practical gadgets to earn extra money.

The clandestine dealings of the upper families of Neverwinter did not escape the notice of the mages and Nash.

Prophecy is indeed not omnipotent; without intelligence and clues, it is far from being omniscient.

However, when this method is combined with Nash's intelligence system and Moonstone Mask's underground network, it becomes so sophisticated that it's almost impossible to see the details clearly.

Nash had long anticipated the undercurrents within Neverwinter and the backlash from the nobles, but he also foresaw that all these tricks and schemes would ultimately amount to nothing.

These guys have been indulging in the so-called glory and nobility of their family name for far too long, so long that they have forgotten who is the mastermind behind the foundation of order and the most basic reverence for power.

Therefore, while Nash was worried about what was to come, he also had a vague sense of anticipation.

After years of power struggles and interplay, Nashel, despite holding the title of lord and controlling most of the power in Winterless City, which is not deeply rooted in the region, has had to make concessions in many areas in the face of these long-established families who have been deeply rooted in Winterless City for a long time and have a complex network of influence.

After all, under the constraints of order, the checks and balances between powers and the old framework cannot be broken simply by violence.

Or rather, Nash's power was not at that level, insufficient to reshape the new order.

What he cannot do, others can.

While worrying about the turmoil the situation would cause, Nash also began to plan his chips and expected profits in this reshuffle.

The combined power of the Covenant and the Starcloak, while intimidating the aristocratic class, will inevitably elevate my status as their public representative.

Although it may seem a little like a fox borrowing the tiger's power, isn't it a win-win situation?

Thank you chen1111hao and Jakiro_J for your monthly tickets!

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(End of this chapter)