Black Hearted Mage

Hearing the low black market price, coupled with the 10% tax, Caesars weighed it in his mind. The weapons and equipment sent from the Endless Forest were a significant sum, and with the extremely low price plus the 10% profit being taken away, it was undoubtedly a significant loss.

"Kaisas, the black market is a great bargain. Selling things for half the price, plus a 10% tax, is practically giving them away for free. Show me your weapons and equipment, and I'll give you an estimate!"

"My Lord Duke, my weapons and equipment are a little different. Please don't be surprised when you see them!"

Most of the weapons and equipment sent from the Endless Forest belong to the Church of Saint Laurent. It is not easy to sell them at half the price at a stall. Kaisas estimates that it will be even more difficult to sell them at half the price on the black market.

"Boy, I've seen a lot of things, and some weapons and equipment can surprise me?"

Dozens of sets of heavy armor of the Paladins were placed on the carpet in front of the sofa, as well as the Paladins' special two-handed swords, all with the emblem of the church.

"These things really surprised me!" Duke Solomon stroked his beard on his chin and looked at Caesar with interest and spoke.

"Caesars, in fact, the Roland Empire will purchase all of these items, and depending on the quality of the armor and weapons, you can even get a generous reward of varying amounts!" said the old duke with a bright look in his eyes.

"Old Duke, I really can't understand why the Roland Empire wants to purchase the weapons and armor of the Paladins? After all, the magic patterns engraved on these things are all specially customized, and they are of no use to other people at all!" Caesars asked suspiciously, his brows tightly furrowed, as if he was very confused about this situation.

The old duke narrowed his eyes slightly and slowly explained, "Caesars, you really should seriously study the long history of the Roland Empire. The Saint Roland Empire was once an inseparable part of the Roland Empire, as was the Violet Alliance to the south. Unfortunately, when the Roland Empire was at its weakest, they took the opportunity to secede and turn against us. Now, they have become our mortal enemy. Therefore, anyone who can destroy the Roland Empire should naturally be rewarded!"

After hearing the old duke's detailed explanation, Caesars's heart couldn't help but beat a pounding. He had tens of thousands of sets of weapons and equipment, and with his current capabilities, selling them all in a short period of time would be practically impossible. The Roland Empire's willingness to purchase them was undoubtedly the most ideal solution. At this thought, Caesars' heart ignited like a raging fire, his excitement evident.

"how's the price?"

"The Paladin's weapons and armor are being weighed and purchased at the price of high-quality magic steel. The other weapons and armor, depending on their quality, will definitely be more than half the price!"

"So where should I go to complete this transaction?" Caesar asked with a frown.

Duke Solomon's lips curled up slightly, revealing a mysterious smile. He slowly said, "Go to the Black Prison, the headquarters of the Empire's Eagle Eyes, and find the spy chief Carlos there. They are responsible for the detailed recording and analysis of the various weapons and equipment of the Paladins. Through these records, we can roughly infer the true strength of the Saint Laurent Church. In addition, there is another important news. The Empire has taken action against the Golden Viper Mercenary Group. Their weapons and equipment will probably fetch a considerable price."

Hearing this, Caesars couldn't help but curl his lips and mutter, "Old Duke, what do you mean by mentioning these rural nobles in the south? I have no dealings with them, and I have no connection with them at all!"

However, Duke Solomon just smiled slightly, but his deep eyes stared at Caesar, as if he wanted to see through the secret hidden deep in his heart.

After a moment, the Duke spoke earnestly, "Boy, you're truly capable of lying! On the Roland Continent, not many things can escape the Empire's rigorous scrutiny. You've been included on the assassination mission list issued by Shadow, and the person who submitted this assassination mission is that country noble from the south. And you still claim to have nothing to do with them?"

This time, it was Caesar's turn to stare with eyes wide open, his face filled with surprise. He had never imagined that the news of his assassination would spread so quickly. Not only did the elven elders know the inside story, but even Duke Solomon knew it clearly.

"Old Duke, is there anything in this world that you don't know?" Caesars couldn't help but ask, with a hint of disbelief in his tone.

Duke Solomon stroked his beard and replied with a smile, "Of course there are. For example, how to obtain the extremely precious golden ginseng, or where to get the powerful life potion and vitality potion. I know nothing about these!"

Upon hearing this, Caesars said quickly, "Old Duke, the Kingdom of the Thornflower has very strict regulations, and I'm sure you're aware of that. Don't dwell on those potions. However, when I have some free time, I can explore the forest and see if I can find any golden ginseng."

Upon hearing this, Duke Solomon smiled with satisfaction and nodded slightly in agreement. For him, simply obtaining the golden ginseng was enough.

At this time, Caesar looked at the sky and said, "Old Duke, in this case, I will not bother you any more."

However, Duke Solomon waved his hand and warmly urged him to stay, "Don't leave so quickly. Stay and enjoy lunch with us. You know, the food in the Black Prison is barely any better than livestock feed. I bet you're not too keen on trying that kind of food, are you?"

During lunch, Caesars inquired about items that fetched high prices on the black market. He found, as he had expected, various magical items, with the higher the quality, the higher the price.

There are many magicians on the Roland Continent, but only a few can craft magic items. Alchemists and magic pattern masters account for less than one percent, and high-level alchemists and magic pattern masters are even rarer. Without counting elven alchemists, the number of great human alchemists can be counted on one hand, so high-level magic items are relatively rare.

After lunch, the sun was blazing, the scorching sun in the sky mercilessly scorching the earth, making the ground seem as hot as if it were scorched by flames. In such unbearable heat, Caesars resolutely set out on the road to the Black Prison.

When he arrived at the ancient castle, he saw that its outer walls were covered with lush and extremely dense vines. These vines were intertwined and entangled with each other, like a huge green spider web, wrapping the entire castle.

Entering the castle, a chilly, damp air hits you, sending a chill down your spine. The dim light creates an eerie feeling, as if it hides countless secrets. In stark contrast to the scorching heat outside, the castle feels exceptionally cool and pleasant.

"Magician, who are you looking for?"

Just as Caesars entered the castle hall, a voice suddenly rang out. The Black Prison was a very special place, with no guards stationed outside, and the castle gates were open. It wasn't until he entered the hall that someone asked.

Caesars calmed himself down and replied, "I want to discuss some business with Lord Carlos!"

Hearing this, the middle-aged man in leather armor frowned slightly, a hint of doubt on his face, and asked, "Trade?"

Caesars nodded without hesitation and said affirmatively: "Yes, it's a big deal!"

Seeing this, the middle-aged man stopped questioning and instead pulled out a magical communication stone emitting a mysterious glow from his bosom. He began reporting the matter to the head of the Imperial Secret Service. A short moment later, accompanied by the sound of soft footsteps, movement could be heard on the castle's marble staircase. Then, a heavily wrapped figure slowly emerged before everyone.

Before the figure even walked towards the stairs, he couldn't wait to ask, "What's the big deal?" His tone was full of curiosity and anticipation.

"There are over a thousand sets of Paladin magic steel plate armor, over two hundred priest staffs, in addition to a large amount of leather armor, various weapons, and a lot of miscellaneous items!"

The masked spy chief was showing excitement that was hard to conceal, but it was all covered by the black mask.

"This is a big deal! Hurry and call everyone out. Check, count, and keep detailed records!"

Before long, people began to walk quickly into the hall from all corners of the castle. Among them were six elderly men with graying hair and kind faces, dressed in simple yet solemn scholar's robes, appearing to be highly educated. There were also over fifty sturdy middle-aged men, all wearing tough leather armor. Their sturdy and powerful figures revealed the experience of countless battles.

"Master Caesar, please hurry up and take out all those treasures. Remember to take them in batches, otherwise our hall won't be able to hold them all!" The spy chief was extremely anxious, rubbing his hands constantly and urging Caesar anxiously.

Caesars nodded in agreement, then unhurriedly pulled out a collection of storage rings gleaming with mysterious light. He then gently twisted the rings in his hand, and with a resounding clang, suits of thick, solid magic steel plate armor poured out of the rings like a tidal wave, instantly filling a vast expanse of open space. The crisp crashing sound echoed throughout the empty castle, like a stirring song of wealth.

"Just these first, you guys take your time to check!"

Caesars walked to the side of the hall, sat down on a comfortable sofa, and observed the actions of several old scholars.

"The Guardian Knight's heavy plate armor can only be worn by the Knight-General among the Paladins. It should weigh over two hundred kilograms."

An old scholar looked at the plate armor in front of him and gave his own judgment, while another old man took notes on the side.

"The plate armor of the Punishment Knight, the magic patterns can be seen at a glance, take one!"

The six veteran scholars split into three groups, and their examination and judgment were swift. The inspected magic steel plate armor was moved aside by the leather armored men, where weighing had already begun.

Caesar wasn't familiar with Paladins, but he knew Guardian Knights and Punishment Knights. Guardian Knights were similar to Heavy Shield Warriors, charging into the front lines. Punishment Knights were similar to Wind Warriors, primarily responsible for all-out attacks. The difference was that Punishment Knights wore plate armor and wielded a two-handed greatsword.

From the scorching afternoon sun until sunset, its afterglow bathing the earth, after a long and arduous work, the appraisal of the more than one thousand sets of Paladin plate armor was finally complete. The several veteran scholars in charge of this task were now exhausted and worn out.

The spy chief sat leisurely in his chair, clutching the newly completed appraisal record in his hands, carefully reading it line by line. He crossed his legs, shaking them slightly from time to time. His face beneath the mask was filled with unconcealable joy.

"This time the harvest is quite rich! There are actually three sets of plate armor belonging to the Grand Knight Commander level, which means that three powerful Grand Knight Commanders have died. In addition, there are more than 500 sets of high-level paladin armor, and the rest are basically ordinary paladin armor. Mr. Caesar, for this reward, would you prefer the extremely precious magic crystal stone or the glittering gold coins?" The spy chief raised his head, looked at Caesar with a smile and asked.

Without any hesitation, Caesars answered decisively: "I want the magic crystal!"

Hearing Caesars's swift and resolute response, the spy chief nodded slightly, expressing his understanding and agreement. He continued, "Since you've chosen magic crystals as your reward, then according to Imperial regulations, each set of Grand Knight Commander armor will receive a generous reward of one thousand gold coins. Each set of high-ranking Paladin armor will receive two hundred gold coins. As for ordinary Paladin armor, each set will receive one hundred gold coins. Of course, we also have to consider the total weight of all these armors. All told, this amounts to two boxes of magic crystals as your final reward!"

Carlos showed the records to Caesars before putting them away and having his men collect all the magic steel armor. He took out two boxes of magic crystals, looked at the tired old scholars, and shook his head.

"We need to find a few more people to appraise tomorrow, otherwise these old guys will be exhausted to death. Mr. Caesars, there will be leather armor, armor, and weapons appraisals tomorrow, right?"

Carlos asked, estimating the additional manpower needed for tomorrow.

"Well, there are quite a few types of weapons. There are Paladin weapons, Warrior weapons, Assassin weapons, and even Magic Steel Bows!"