Black Hearted Mage

The midday sun poured down upon the great square of Abel City like molten gold, coating the ancient cobblestones with a flowing golden edge. An old wizard in a dark gray robe walked slowly, leaning on a blackthorn staff. The dark red magical gem inlaid on the staff's tip shone eerily with his steps. His long, silver-white beard reached nearly to his waist, and each step made a subtle "click"—the sound of the metal cleats on the soles of his boots.

Kaisas wore an elven transmogrification mask, his forehead covered in wrinkles like ravines. The mask perfectly simulated the appearance of a wizard in his seventies, even the subtle age spots at the corners of his eyes and the veins under his skin were lifelike. He had chosen this image deliberately—old enough to command respect, but not so old as to attract undue attention.

"Make way, make way! Master Magician, please pass by!" A farmer pushing a vegetable cart hurriedly made way for him.

Caesars nodded slightly, tapping his staff lightly on the ground. An invisible force pushed the scattered cabbages back onto the cart. This small spell drew gasps and bows from the surrounding civilians. The corner of his mouth twitched imperceptibly—human reverence always seemed so cheap.

At the entrance to the Mercenary Guild on the east side of the square, a caravan bound for the city of Hailansa was making final preparations. Twelve carriages were lined up in a neat formation, with four fully armed knights at the forefront, their armor engraved with the insignia of the Silver Wings Merchant Group.

"Your Excellency the Mage!" A well-dressed middle-aged man hurried forward. The gold badge on his chest identified him as the caravan leader. "I'm Malcolm, the caravan leader. Are you heading to the city of Hailansa?"

Caesars deliberately made his voice sound hoarse and old: "Exactly, I have some research that needs to be completed in the Great Library of Hailanza!"

Malcolm's eyes lit up. "It's an honor to have a high-ranking mage traveling with us! Please follow me. We have prepared the most comfortable carriage for you."

Kaisas noticed the supervisor's gaze, which lingered for a moment on the gem on the top of his staff - that was the "Blood Flame Stone" that only mages above the seventh level could control. This small prop was more effective than he imagined.

The interior of the luxurious carriage was covered in crimson velvet, and a small ice crystal cast a magic circle to maintain a comfortable temperature. As soon as Caesars sat down, his backpack began to move violently, making a muffled "woohoo" sound.

"Master Magician, is there something in your backpack?" Malcolm asked curiously, his fingers unconsciously touching the amulet at his waist - his merchant instinct made him wary of the unknown.

Kaisas untied the backpack calmly, a kind smile on his face. "It's just a newly weaned little demon puppy. Don't be nervous."

Malcolm's eyes widened when the chubby "puppy" was brought out. The creature was indeed only the size of a boot, covered in short, dark red fur, but it gnawed at the golden cheese with remarkable ferocity, its tiny fangs easily tearing through the precious food that usually required specialized knives.

"Is this... a Flamehound?" Malcolm frowned. "I've seen pure-blooded Flamehound pups in the south. Their muzzles should be longer..."

Caesars's finger pressed imperceptibly against the back of the puppy's neck, and the creature immediately purred contentedly, temporarily pausing its feeding. "It's not a pureblood," he sighed, his voice dripping with just the right amount of regret. "The female is a mountain dog, which makes it look a little... peculiar."

The puppy suddenly looked up, its scarlet pupils shrinking into a thin line in the sunlight, and Malcolm felt an inexplicable chill. But the next second, it returned to its adorable appearance, rubbing its wet nose against Caesar's palm, leaving a trail of melted cheese.

"Don't look at it like that. Its affinity for fire magic is no less than that of a pureblood." Caesars pulled out a piece of parchment from his sleeve, and the puppy immediately spit out a small fireball to burn the paper to ashes - the ashes formed a perfect merchant group emblem in the air.

Malcolm's doubts were instantly replaced by amazement: "Amazing! Half-bloods have such control!"

Caesars gently stroked the puppy's swollen belly and gazed out the window at the receding walls of Abel City. A hint of a sneer crossed his face beneath the mask. The first step of the plan had gone even more smoothly than expected.

The "puppy" stretched its head towards the backpack again. Eating cheese was just a small matter. As long as it didn't sneak out in the middle of the night to prey on the caravan's pigeons, it shouldn't arouse more suspicion.

Kaisas focused his attention on the crystal stone, which shone with a faint blue hue, gently stroking the rough edges with his fingertips. This type of crystal is indeed rare on the market, imbued with pure ice energy, making it an excellent material for crafting magical props. According to the "Roland Continent Mineral Encyclopedia," the only known high-quality cryolite mines exist beneath the perpetually unmelting glaciers in the northern Icecrown Mountains. However, puzzlingly, the highland ogre tribes that occupy that area have never systematically mined it. The large, gray-skinned men seemed to have no idea of ​​the crystal's value, only occasionally casually picking up some rough stone washed out by the thawing glaciers.

"Mr. Malcolm," Caesars frowned as he held the crystal to the window. The sunlight allowed him to clearly see the turbid, flocculent impurities inside. "The purity of this ice crystal is probably less than 60%, far inferior to the crystals produced in the highlands!"

The sunlight refracted inside the crystal, forming scattered spots of light, which was completely different from the neat ice-crystal patterns that formed from high-quality ice crystals.

The merchant with the mustache immediately smiled upon hearing this. He patted his chair and said, "Respected Master, these are low-grade ice crystals, so of course they can't compare to the finer products from the highlands. You may not know that the high-quality products produced in the highlands are simply not available on the market right now." He lowered his voice and leaned closer with a mysterious look, "Those nobles in Fire Maple City, wearing mink cloaks, have already reserved all the ice crystals. These were mined from the mine in the Gravel Mountains - it's truly a magical place. The mine is like it was split by a sword by a god. One half produces low-grade ice crystals, and the other half is buried with low-grade fire crystals!"

"Gravel Mountains?"

Kaisas's fingers suddenly tightened, the sharp edges of the crystal causing pain in his palm. As a frequent traveler between the northern and southern continents, he was all too familiar with the pass winding through the limestone hills. He had passed it at least six or seven times, yet had never noticed any signs of mining.

"When was the magic crystal mine discovered there?"

"It happened last year!"

Malcolm took out a glowing red fire crystal and played with it. "It was jointly mined by Yinhui Trading Company and Roland Trading Company. However, this low-grade ice crystal is very affordable, only three gold coins a piece." The crystal turned between his fingers, casting a flickering red light on the account book.

"Only three gold coins?"

Caesars raised his eyebrows when he heard this. This price was less than one-third of the market price. He keenly sensed that there must be something fishy going on.

"You don't know!" The merchant smiled wryly and shook his head, pulling out a certificate bearing a magic seal from his storage ring. "These crystals are like leaking barrels. They won't last more than three days before their energy runs out. Roland Trading Company specially asked the great magician of Fire Maple City to conduct an examination. He said they were too young to form, and the ice elemental structure is unstable." He pointed to the gilded magic seal on the certificate. "Look, even the sealing technique can't stop the elements from escaping. They're like grains of sand that can't be grasped."

The wind chimes outside the car window suddenly jingled. Caesars stared at the blue crystal in his hand, which gradually faded. He had lost interest in the mysterious mine. Sealing spells couldn't stop the elements from escaping, and neither could placing them in a storage ring.

The appearance of the ice crystals made Kaisas vaguely uneasy. To prevent their bodies from rotting, the necromancers would undoubtedly purchase large quantities. With the blessing of ice energy, the fragile bodies of the undead would become stronger.

Five days later, as the first rays of dawn pierced the mist, the convoy finally arrived outside the eastern gate of Hailanza. From afar, the grayish-white city walls shimmered in the morning light, and the blue flag with a golden anchor fluttering overhead was clearly visible. Dozens of carriages lined up in a long queue along the official road, slowly creeping toward the city gate. Fully armed city guards inspected each vehicle for documents.

Caesars lifted the gold-embroidered curtains, and a salty sea breeze immediately rushed in, blowing his silver hair into the wind. Seagulls cried from the distant harbor, and the air was filled with the unique salty smell of the sea. He took a deep breath, turned to Malcolm, who was sorting his spellbooks in the carriage, and said, "Mr. Malcolm, let's say goodbye here!"

Malcolm pushed his round glasses up to the tip of his nose, the parchment pages rustling in his hands. "May the stars guide your path, Master Mage!" He looked up, his eyes gleaming with wisdom behind his glasses.

Caesars held his blackthorn staff, his black leather boots making crisp sounds on the gravel pavement. As he stepped out of the carriage, a strong sea breeze suddenly hit him, carrying fine grains of sand. He squinted his eyes toward the city gate. From the queue came the cries of vendors and the rude shouts of guards. The salty, damp sea breeze ruffled his black cloak, as if urging him to embark on a new journey.

"Damn it, get out of the way!"

The guard saw the senior magician badge and immediately pushed aside a few people who were not queuing properly. He trotted over to Caesars and saluted respectfully: "Master Mage, please come in!"

The Roland Empire's preferential treatment of magicians was fully demonstrated at this moment. They didn't have to queue at the crowded city gates, didn't have to undergo any inspections, and were even greeted with smiles by the city guards.

Caesars nodded slightly to the guard in thanks, then slowly walked towards the city gate. Those who were queuing made way for him.

"Boss, why are you so respectful only to this magician?" a new recruit asked curiously.

"Boy, this is a profound subject. The old wizard just now wore the magic badge of the Northland Tower. They are all skilled fighters. The ones who came yesterday were all vase wizards, or rather, stake wizards. Their spells were all fancy and gimmicky, but in actual combat, they were a world away from the old wizard just now!"

The older guard spoke while gesturing with his hands, as if he were a magician demonstrating a spell.

Caesars strolled along the winding streets of Highland City, treading on the damp cobblestones. The salty sea breeze, carrying a faint fishy scent, pierced his nostrils. Suddenly, the leather backpack stirred, and a furry puppy poked its head out, its wet black nose twitching and making a whirring sound.

"You greedy dog!" Kaisas smiled and patted his backpack. "Let's go to the dock in the south city first. Maybe we can run into a fishing boat that has just docked and get you a fresh sea fish to try." As he spoke, he took out a yellowed map of the city of Hailansa from his arms. The edges of the parchment were already frayed.

The map clearly marked the city's layout: to the east and south, bordered by azure bays, docks and markets formed a bustling commercial district; to the west, a treacherous fjord dotted with reefs, the crashing of waves a constant cacophony; to the north, barren hills teeming with jagged rocks. Each of the latter two directions had a narrow city gate, barely wide enough for pedestrians. There were no paved roads, only two narrow paths, worn by locals, winding their way into the distance.

Caesars's gaze wandered across the map, finally settling on the aristocratic district in the city's west. There lived a unique nobleman—the imposter Earl Soren. Though he currently held only the title of Baron, he controlled nearly a third of the shops in Highland City and even owned a small, impoverished barony outside the city. This upstart, a former Saint Laurent Empire spy who had built his fortune through brutal means, now openly mingled among Highland City's aristocratic circles.

This city is full of spies belonging to Count Soren, who should now be called Baron Sesis. This current baron status was also obtained by killing the original baron's family and impersonating him. Initially, it was Soren's double who was in the city of Hailansa.

Over half an hour later, Kaisas finally arrived at the fishing port south of the city. A damp sea breeze, carrying the stench of fish, lashed him in the face, and the wooden plank road creaked beneath his feet. The dock was deserted, save for a few dozen dilapidated fishing boats, their mottled lacquer bearing testament to their age. A few blackened baskets piled on the shore, filled with rotting, smelly fish and shrimp, attracted swarms of flies buzzing around them.

Caesars stopped a hunched old fisherman. The fish basket on his shoulder emitted a pungent smell, and his dark face was covered with wrinkles from the weather.

"Master Mage!"

The old fisherman put down his fish basket and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his rough hands. "The fresh sea fish have been sold out long ago. What's left now are some unwanted leftovers. Even cats dislike them." He pointed to several wooden barrels filled with water in the corner, in which were floating several dead fish with their bellies turned upside down.

The old fisherman continued, air leaking from his mouth with missing front teeth, "Master Mage, if you want to buy live fish, you have to come to the dock before dawn. Those fishing boats go out to sea in the middle of the night and return to the port before dawn. By the time the sun rises, the good stuff has been snatched away by the restaurants and wealthy families in the city!" He shook his head and picked up the fish basket to leave. His straw sandals left a series of deep and shallow footprints on the slippery dock.