Black Hearted Mage

In stark contrast to the deserted tower in the north, the Magic Guild Hall was bustling with activity. Magicians of all stripes hurried about, stopped to chat, and some gathered around to point and comment at the magical items on display.

Dressed in a black robe, Caesars walked steadily through the crowd and arrived at the reception desk. He raised his chin slightly, revealing the gleaming High-Level Magician badge on his chest. With this symbol of status, he successfully purchased 500 intermediate magic crystals at a very favorable price. Caesars would not waste such a rare bargain; it was a huge boon for the Magic Guild, and he had to take advantage!

After carefully putting away the magic crystals he had bought, Caesars turned to the young receptionist who looked quite immature and said, "Notify Keynes that the goods from the Thorn Flower Trading Company have arrived. Ask him to come down and inspect them!" After that, he leisurely leaned on the staff in his hand, walked to a chair beside him and slowly sat down.

However, the fledgling low-level magician was bewildered upon hearing this. He blinked and asked in confusion, "Master Mage, I'm sorry... I wasn't aware of any deal between the Magic Guild and the Thorn Flower Trading Company."

Kaisas smiled slightly and said, "You've just arrived and may not be familiar with these things. The Thorn Flower Trading Company and the Magic Guild have always had a cooperative relationship and will regularly provide you with various precious magic materials. Okay, don't waste time, go and notify Cairns!"

"Oh, so that's how it is. Please wait a moment. I can only contact the butler first."

The young receptionist nodded as if waking from a dream, then quickly took out a communication stone from his pocket and began to contact the deacon of the magic guild.

Just two minutes later, a gray-haired figure hurried down the stairs at the side of the guild hall. The magician, wearing a dark red magic robe and walking with his head held high, looked familiar to Caesars.

"Deacon Sandro, this magician is from the Thorn Flower Trading Company!"

When the word "Sandro" reached his ears, Caesars's lips involuntarily curled up slightly, a faint smile spreading across his handsome face. He recalled the fierce battle in the Imperial Capital's Grand Arena that year. That once arrogant and conceited old man was finally ruthlessly trampled under his feet, begging for defeat and surrender. The scene was still vivid in his mind, and a sense of pride welled up in his heart.

At this moment, Sandro, who had been smiling broadly, froze as if under a spell the moment his eyes met Caesars's. He stared at his former rival with wide eyes, his expression instantly changing to a complex mixture of fear, surprise, and embarrassment.

"Sandro, we haven't met for many years! But don't be so nervous, don't worry, I'm not the kind of person who likes to hold grudges. Under normal circumstances, if someone offends me, I will settle the account on the spot. By the way, you will be responsible for the inspection and acceptance of this batch of goods shipped by the Thorn Flower Merchants this time!" Caesars slowly stood up, smiling, and said slowly.

Hearing this, Sandro's forehead suddenly broke out in a thin layer of sweat. He quickly waved his hands and said, "Caesars, I really can't make the decision on this matter! Please wait a moment, I will immediately ask Lord Cairns to come and handle this matter!"

After saying that, Sandro winked at the receptionist beside him, indicating that he should lead Caesar to the reception room on the second floor to rest first. Then he quickly took out a communication stone from his arms and reported the situation to the top leaders of the magic guild in a low voice.

Following the receptionist to the second-floor living room, Caesars surveyed his surroundings with great interest. He saw the room was lavishly furnished, with all the tables, chairs, coffee tables, and wine cabinets crafted from precious flame maple. This wood was not only hard and beautifully textured, but also possessed a unique aroma. Only those of high status could afford such high-end furniture.

The little maid brought tea and snacks. The greedy puppy looked at them eagerly, his saliva began to flow, and his scarlet tongue kept wiping the saliva. He was just waiting for Caesars to nod.

"Dead dog, eat it!"

Following Caesar's command, the plump puppy, starving, placed its front paws on the coffee table. The sound of shattering porcelain plates echoed, and the maid stared with wide eyes in shock. Soon, the coffee table was empty except for the teacup.

A few minutes later, several veteran magicians entered the reception room. Caesars saw that they were all familiar faces. Keynes, Tru, Sig, Sandro, and Portman—except for Keynes, the others all avoided looking at him, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Why don't you have some snacks?"

The Great Alchemist of the Magic Guild sat on a chair and spoke sternly to the little maid beside him.

"The dessert was served, and my puppy ate it right up with the plate!"

Kaisas said with a smile, he didn't expect the puppy to be interested in the porcelain plate, so he chewed it up and ate it.

"Fire-type dog-like monster!"

It seemed like all the great alchemists had a keen interest in puppies. This was true of Kandel of the North Tower. And even more so of the elderly, wrinkled Boman before him. His cloudy eyes, gleaming with greed, stared intently at the pup lying quietly beside Caesars, as if he could see through it.

The puppy seemed to be keenly aware of the malicious gaze from Portman, and its originally lazy body tensed up instantly. It slowly stood up, let out a low growl from its throat, and bared its sharp white fangs, fiercely protesting towards Portman.

Seeing this, Caesars couldn't help but feel a little angry. You know, before, Sandro, a student of Portman, had snatched his Golden Eyed Black Snake. He didn't expect Portman to have his eyes on this puppy.

"Old man, I advise you not to go after this dog, otherwise it might really treat you as food!" Caesars warned in a bad tone.

However, facing Caesar's threat, Portman was unfazed. He chuckled contemptuously and said, "Hmph, relying on it? It's just a little puppy, what can it do?" As he spoke, his eyes revealed a look of disdain and disdain.

Hearing this, Caesars sneered and responded, "Since you don't trust its strength, why not throw a big fireball at it and see what happens!"

"Okay, you said it yourself!" A hint of cunning flashed in Portman's eyes, and then he began to chant a spell, preparing to cast a powerful fireball.

Seeing a conflict about to break out, the people gathered around, eager to see how this farce would end. At this moment, Caesars crossed his arms, a confident smile on his face, as if he had already grasped victory. Meanwhile, the puppy stared intently at Bowman, ready to strike...

As the scorching fireball took shape in Bowman's hands, he was startled to discover that the spell had slipped out of his control. The fireball seemed to be squeezed, becoming thinner and longer. The dark red puppy opened its mouth and sucked it in, swallowing the fireball like a noodle.

As the person involved, Bowman's heart was pounding like a drum, and cold sweat was dripping down his forehead. The deep sense of powerlessness brought by the momentary loss of control over the spell washed over him like a tide, leaving him with a lingering fear. Now, when he looked at the seemingly harmless puppy again, a hint of unconcealable fear appeared in his eyes.

Standing nearby, Caesars's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smug smile. He patted the puppy's head gently, then turned to Portman and the others and said, "Don't underestimate my dog. Even though it's still small, if it gets really angry, it can easily bite the five of you to death. After all, you're all just fire mages, while it's a real fire beast! To it, fire is just one of its many food sources. Okay, enough nonsense, let's quickly inspect this shipment. I have other customers waiting to be delivered to!"

After saying this, Caesars walked to the side of the chair and took out the items that the Magic Guild had previously ordered. The old magicians, who had originally been curious about the puppies, turned their gazes away after hearing Caesars' words and focused their attention on the goods awaiting inspection. After all, they were more concerned with whether this transaction could be successfully completed than with a mysterious magical cub.

This puppy was truly extraordinary, able to so easily absorb fire spells. This ability was clearly far beyond the comprehension of these veteran magicians. For a moment, the entire living room was remarkably quiet, save for the occasional soft sounds of objects being moved.

Not long after, the inspection of the goods was finally completed. After a thorough examination, all the goods were found to be flawless and fully met the Magic Guild's requirements. Seeing this result, Caesar's smile grew even brighter. He counted the magic crystals the other party had brought out, and after confirming the correct number, he turned and walked towards the door without hesitation.

Just as Caesars stepped out of the Magic Guild's gate and was about to board the carriage, he suddenly stopped and looked back at the old magicians who were still standing at the window of the reception room, watching him leave. The sunlight shone through the window onto them, outlining several slightly aged figures.

At this moment, Caesars' heart remained calm. He knew those old men were no match for him. Thinking of this, he took a deep breath, realizing that he had become too soft-hearted towards the weak.

Caesars got on the carriage parked outside the door. The coachman raised his whip and drove the carriage forward quickly.

"Listen up, everyone! Don't mess with Kaesus again. You were no match for him in the first place, and now there's a monster that's immune to fire spells. He can easily kill you!"

Keynes stood at the window, watching the carriage gradually go away, and said a few words to the people beside him.

The others lowered their heads and listened to Keynes' lecture in silence.

The Magic Guild was in the outer city, and the Imperial Capital Magic Academy was in the inner city. When passing through the inner city gate, the city guards still conducted strict inspections, checking every carriage coming and going.

Kaisas was filled with doubts. What earth-shattering event had occurred in Fire Maple City? Filled with curiosity and unease, he decided to find out more after arriving at the Magic Academy.

Passing through the inner city gate, the beautifully decorated carriage sped away like an arrow from a bow. On the empty streets, the sound of horse hooves was crisp and resounding, like a stirring melody. As the distance closed, the speed increased. In less than ten minutes, the carriage came to a steady stop in front of the Imperial Capital Magic Academy.

This renowned magic academy is the cradle of the Roland Empire's magician training. The magicians who teach here are all elites carefully selected from the Royal Mage Corps. They possess unfathomable magical powers and profound knowledge. For this reason, the magic academy has become the dream destination of countless young people, and it is also the cradle of a constant supply of fresh blood for the Royal Mage Corps.

Old Joey's granddaughter, Avril, possessed a remarkable talent for magic. She studied magic at this prestigious institution. Due to various limitations, the meditation techniques she could access were of a low level. To attain more advanced and powerful meditation techniques, one had to sign a harsh contract with the Roland Empire, like many others, promising to serve the empire loyally for a century. Otherwise, obtaining these precious cultivation techniques was practically impossible.

The meditation technique Avril was currently using was pretty good; at least it had allowed her to take solid steps on her path to cultivation. However, this meditation technique didn't originate from the Magic Academy, but was given to her by Caesars.

In reality, Avril wasn't the only one facing this dilemma; most students from other professions at the Imperial Capital Magic Academy faced similar circumstances. Whether warrior, thief, or archer, seeking better training methods and sufficient resources almost inevitably required signing a contract with the Roland Empire that restricted their freedom.

Walk through the unguarded gate, follow the tree-lined path under the fire maple trees, and enter the magic academy that looks like a giant garden castle.

On the lawn in the distance, many students were strolling and chatting leisurely. Most of them were from professions other than magicians.

Caesars was wearing a black magic robe. He didn't carry the dragon blood wood staff because it was too conspicuous. As soon as he entered the hall of the giant castle, a clear and pleasant voice called out his name.

"Kaissa!"