Shadow of the Evil God

"I know you're usually a silent listener. It's really hard for you to leave your dark corner and stand in the sunlight to confront so many powerful people." Cesar put the remaining snacks in her palm. "But let me put it this way, even if you just want to be a mage - a great mage, you still have to move in this direction."

"Why?" she asked.

"The Orvera School is the most thoroughgoing court mage school, playing a crucial role in the political struggles of the Kasar Empire. You should know this, right? Besides the Orvera School, the most famous mage faction is the Origin Society. You should also know this, right? And did you know that Itris has political exchanges with the outside world?"

"There are diplomats from various kingdoms there," Firth said thoughtfully, "and they also have their own diplomats from various kingdoms."

"In that case," said Cesar, "learn

The politician component of the mage must be higher than that of a simple researcher. In fact, the ruler will not delegate all power to others. Even in the midst of pleasure, he will monitor his agents and use bloody means to clean up the house. I think, Yi Cui

The mages of the Silken Silk may be worse than the worst nobles you have seen in Noien, because to put it bluntly, they are also a kind of guardian of the aristocratic order, but what they protect is not bloodline, but secrets and true knowledge."

Firth seemed to be trying to suppress her turbulent emotions. She nodded, her gaze lost in thought as she stared at the dessert in her hands. Suddenly, everything seemed unfamiliar, even the dessert itself taking on a mysterious depth. Perhaps it was because Noien's castle was too small, and she had experienced so little. She knew a great deal, but she couldn't draw her own conclusions from it.

"Although in Neuen, you only need to be Firth like you did just now, you will have to learn to deal with these things in the future," Cesar said again.

Fils suddenly broke off a small piece of pastry and held it to his mouth. César was slightly surprised and stared at her for a moment. Seeing that she didn't look away, he opened his mouth and bit it. When his lips touched the tip of her finger, she whispered, "You can't lick feet, but you can lick fingers..."

He pressed the tip of his tongue against her trembling, white fingers, savoring the lingering sweetness of the pastry. Then he kissed the tips of her fingers, biting down half a knuckle and holding it in his mouth. Phils bit her lower lip, her breathing quickening, her heartbeat seemingly racing. He raised a hand and stroked the hair by her ear, feeling it burning.

She leaned in, her free hand tugging at his collar, half-leaning in his embrace. Her upturned blue eyes, her half-parted lips, and her damp hair were only a hand's length from his mouth, which was biting her finger. Feeling the subtle shift in her breathing, he knew instantly that he could kiss her neck or the center of her lips without resistance. Then she would close her eyes, waiting for it with a mixture of nervous curiosity.

However, doing so is somewhat boring.

With this thought, Cesar picked up the last small piece of pastry and placed it in Phils's mouth. Then, tentatively, he placed his finger against her lips. She licked it with her tender pink tongue before gently biting it, sucking on half of his knuckle. Her eyes shone with a hazy brilliance, like sapphires shrouded in mist.

She put her tongue on his finger and licked it gently. Her soft red lips wrapped around it and sucked it continuously. Saliva overflowed from the corners of her lips from time to time, as if spring water seeped out from between the rocks.

Since he hadn't closed his eyes, Cesar admired the changes in Phils's eyes and expression the entire time, from her initial blush to her later focus. Her breathing gradually slowed, and her gaze no longer wandered. When he pinched the tip of her delicate, smooth tongue and pulled it outside her lips to rub it, she grabbed his tongue in return, but because of the rough and clumsy technique, it hurt him a little.

After a while, Fils stepped back. "I know what I'm going to do next." She looked at her saliva-stained fingers and then linked them with his wet ones. "Although... Anyway, I don't think you're someone who would be captured by love, just like I certainly wouldn't be. Now that you've helped me through this particularly difficult journey, I'll definitely repay you with what I've learned in the future."

"Really?" Cesar looked down at her. "Then I'll just assume you're not capable of that, Miss Mage. You have ideals, but I don't. I can't guarantee that I won't love you."

"I imagine you've said this to more than one person." She suddenly raised her head, "Or at least something similar."

"Ok?"

"The best lover I've ever met was the Earl's nephew, a court artist, I'm told. He came to Neuen when I was eight. He almost asked Corinne out on a date. This year, he can only recite some cheesy love poems, which are nothing compared to his brother. But you know what? I suddenly feel that you're better at this than he is—he lacks a bit of spontaneity."

"You must be overthinking it."

Chapter 26 My Unknown Cousin

......

Cesar stood at the castle's main entrance, looking out the upper-level window. He immediately saw Sean standing there overlooking the courtyard. They had fled in panic from the back garden, leaping down the hillside, but now they were walking through the main entrance with the temple's high-ranking officials. It was truly amazing. He couldn't have imagined this happening just over a month ago.

The old man at the window was the lord of Noien, a hereditary earl descended from a line of distinguished military exploits. His family's garrison at the fortress of Noien was as old as the Kingdom of Dominion itself. He was now in his sixties, yet he looked robust and hale, with a face as hale and hearty as if he were only in his thirties or forties, though his hair and beard had prematurely grayed.

Count Thane was a massive figure, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and exceptionally muscular arms. His stature dwarfed the guards and servants beside him, making everyone else seem shorter and thinner. He had a neatly trimmed short beard that extended down to his temples. His eyes were dark, and his features bore a striking resemblance to César's.

These characteristics also add a bit of credibility to the rumors.

At that time, Sean was wearing a dark blue silk robe, holding the bloody head in the darkness, so Cesar could not see the outline of his body clearly. Now he saw that the old earl was a perfect image of a military aristocrat. Cesar believed him absolutely when he said he could lead troops to the front.

Thought

In a moment, Count Thane met his gaze. Cesar returned a polite smile, while the old Count raised his eyebrows, his eyes seeming to be somewhat meaningful.

"The old man's attention is not entirely on us," Cesar said, "and today

Something else big happened.”

Firth remained silent. This place weighed heavily on her. If he hadn't been there, holding her hand, she might have shrunk into the ground. "I saw that man when I was little." She suddenly glanced off into the distance. "Garcia is the old count's first nephew. He's said to have made great military achievements in the north."

Cesar looked around but couldn't see who she was looking at.

"North?" he asked.

"It's the Casal Empire. Domini sent mercenaries to support one of the factions, and Garcia was one of the mercenary leaders. I heard that he led his troops to victory in several key battles, preventing the northern forces from advancing on the southeast. Their advance was constantly delayed, forcing them to retreat and regroup."

It seems the confederation of the southern kingdoms has contributed significantly to the turmoil of the Kasar Empire. They hinder whichever warlord is victorious, and support whichever warlord is losing. As long as the Kasar Empire remains unreconciled, the southern kingdoms can sit back and watch, enjoying their rare good life.

Cesar continued to follow the temple procession. Today, snow fell heavily, and the sky was as gloomy as ever. Looking back from this spot, the battlements, embrasures, and stone gun mounts of the inner city walls were all covered in a layer of snow. The gray walls of the barracks appeared hazy and blurred in the distance. A few black jackdaws flew through the air, finally landing on the pyramids of cannonballs. Sentinels stood motionless on their watchtowers, inspecting each group of guests passing through the gate.

This was a banquet, and the gathering was attended by numerous guests, not least of whom were high-ranking officials from the Hiel Temple. According to Fils, there was also Garcia, Noyen's eldest son, sent by the Earl's brother. This young noble had long served within the Kasar Empire and had made distinguished military achievements.

Cesar continued to inquire with Fils about the situation, and learned that the so-called "princes" in the southeast of the Kasar Empire were relatively small forces, not as powerful as the other factions vying for legitimate imperial power. However, just as they were about to be conquered by the largest force in the north, the Kingdom of Domini suddenly responded to their call for assistance, providing considerable military support. This incident caused this territory to become like a thorn in the side of the other factions, hindering their capture and leading to a deepening stalemate.

The unification of the Kasar Empire had already threatened the southern kingdoms. Given the rare opportunity, the Domini Kingdom, a key member of the Confederation, naturally assumed the responsibility of reversing the situation. Initially, they had refrained from intervening, lacking a legitimate pretext. However, once they secured that pretext and signed several agreements, they naturally felt obligated to dispatch troops as mercenaries.

As for why Garcia came to this place, from what others said, it seemed to be related to the death of his younger brother who had visited Noien some time ago.

"The guy who only knows how to recite love poems?" Cesar asked. "Is there anything special about him?"

"If you don't count the illegitimate children, he's the youngest son there," said Firth. "I'm sixteen, and he's only two years older than me."

"The youngest child is always the favorite..."

Did he really die in an attack by the steppe people? Cesar heard people whispering in the courtyard. For years, no one had publicly offended and accused Count Thane like that young man. In previous years, the Count's nephews and nieces had always been very polite, if not cautious, then at least maintaining a proper appearance. But this year, this one had become arrogant and repeatedly disrespectful, so revenge was only natural, wasn't it?

People were saying that for a powerful nobleman with his own army, privately killing a tax collector would be an offense against the king's authority and would not result in any real punishment. So, what was the big deal about killing a court noble who had offended him? Moreover, Count Thane had already given both sides face by staging a grasslands attack, so pretending nothing had happened would be in everyone's best interest.

Normally, a frontier fortress whose lord was responsible for its own military expenses wouldn't be responsible for the kingdom's tax revenue, and even the king himself had to be courteous to him. Regardless of how much Dominy spent on northern border defense and mercenaries, the burden shouldn't be shared with Noien, and increasing taxes would be absurd.

The reason things had come to this was that, while Sean had no children, his younger brother had many sons and daughters, many of whom were highly accomplished. Not only did his eldest son achieve great military success, but his eldest daughter also married into the royal family and had children. He had every intention of bringing down Sean and inheriting the family lineage, which was a natural outcome for him.

On the other hand, Sean himself was a master of squandering. The amount of revenue he siphoned off for the True God's ceremonies surpassed even his famously profligate ancestors, who transformed the castle's reception room into a cathedral several generations ago. While famous paintings were at least acquired through secular means, Sean had to rely on the mages of the Origin Society to smuggle in contraband materials in bulk. Over time, his reputation for embezzling military funds for personal gain spread far and wide throughout Noien.

It is as reasonable for a rising nobleman with outstanding military achievements to seek revenge on an old man who has made a fortune by relying on the legacy of his ancestors as it is for the old man to kill the court nobles who have offended him.

These nobles did not need evidence to fight each other, they only needed to have suspicion in their hearts. If they had a name and an excuse, they would openly demonstrate to the enemy. If not, they would assassinate the enemy in secret. As long as they could strike the opponent without leaving any secret, they could show their skills and power.

prestige.

There are many factors that can make people believe private rumors and throw public statements into the gutter. He Cesar is the illegitimate son of Count Thane, this is a rumor that is gradually becoming true.

The Earl's nephew was killed by someone sent by the Earl himself, and this was a rumor that gradually came true.

Local nobles enthusiastically spread rumors, selecting the most alarmist and even outrageous ones as social gossip. No matter what the rumors were or how much evidence they had, they would always believe that the rumors they spread were the truth.

Garcia believed that Count Thane was responsible for his brother's death, and Cesar believed it for the same reason. They both knew that the man's death couldn't possibly have been caused by a steppe attack. Furthermore, Cesar knew that, because of the message he had sent, Count Thane would surely send enough men to kill his steppe bodyguards.

Cesar followed the temple procession through the courtyard, stopping in an open space where the attendants and servants rested and lit a bonfire. Bonfires were also burning in other open spaces nearby. The attendants, servants, mounted servants, coachmen, and guards, unable to enter the banquet, warmed themselves in the courtyard. Cesar heard them spreading the nobles' gossip, and it was likely from these mouths that the rumors that reached Libio were spread.

Not far away in the reception hall, Earl Thane's personal guards were lined up in two rows. They were wearing armor and holding axes, and there was a passage in the center for the guests to pass through.

There were so many unrelated factors that Cesar felt things were changing. He used this rumored identity to confront the Count, thinking he would have to face the questioning of Sean himself, but now it seems...

A man in full armor suddenly pushed through the crowd and stood before Cesar. Several local nobles wanted to curse him because of his rude actions, but when they saw his face and the fine silver armor with gilded carvings on his chest, everyone fell silent for a moment.

Fils pulled Cesar's hand, and he immediately understood: this person was Garcia, the most prominent nobleman of the Domini Kingdom in recent years. He turned the tide in the southeast of the Casal Empire. His sister was a relative of the royal family and gave birth to young children who might inherit the throne.

Many people recognized Garcia, finding him standing before the Count's rumored illegitimate child. The whispers grew louder, then gradually died down. Everyone was shocked to see such a prominent figure harassing a bastard, but when they realized this was Count Thane's only child, hidden for over twenty years, the situation became more understandable. Attending a banquet in full armor was highly unsuitable for dress etiquette, but for Garcia, it was perfectly normal. Perhaps he was demonstrating, perhaps simply disrespecting the old Count, or even wary of Count Thane, lest he attempt to kill him. Each reason made sense.

Garcia glanced around the temple, bowed to the nearby high priest, and then turned to Cesar. He also glanced at Fils with interest, as if he knew which woman his brother had pursued in Neuen. He was tall, not as burly and powerful as the Count, but still well-built. The short black hair beneath his mask made it even more certain that he was the young Borgia's cousin. His presence at the banquet, fully armed, spoke volumes about his attitude.

"Do you know what abilities the heir to a border fortress needs to prove?" the man said succinctly. "My unknown...cousin?"

Some troubles seemed to be able to be dealt with smoothly, but others... It was obvious that Cesar had overlooked the core of the matter - Count Sean's illegitimate son was not only a way to solve his identity problem, but also a big trouble with many implications.

Testimonials

While the universe of Dark Wizards differs, and the protagonist's name has changed from Sun Xingzhe to Zhe Xingsun, the paper figures are still used, and the background and tone are largely the same, making it a spiritual remake. While some of the outdated wives with quirks have been removed, characters like Diana and Solaire are still present. For example, the red-haired woman from the previous book is now directly promoted to swordsmanship master, and from now on, she's simply called "Master" when hugged. Furthermore, while the protagonist's moral compass is more flexible this time, he's still generally human, and some of them can be considered good.

Chapter 27 You have a talent for acting

"I'm afraid someone like me can't prove his military prowess like the pure-blooded eldest son," Cesar replied gently. "Some people can only live in the shadows."

"Like competing for the love of a young man who was tragically murdered, huh?" Garcia said, glancing at Fils beside him. "I've never heard of such doting, cousin. You know best to whom a lover won like this belongs. Is it you? Or someone who swung the knife?"

Did Garcia think Sean murdered his nephew to help his own son win love? Or did he simply want bystanders to see him that way? To be fair, if he had to rely on his father for his own love, and secretly murdered a family member to be satisfied, then his weakness and incompetence were undeniable.

The young court noble was already arrogant because of his favor, and Garcia's sarcasm made it seem as if he was even more incompetent than the other.

Cesar shrugged, "If you must choose between the Sassoulet and your dear brother, who is better,

Then I think the Sasoulai people would at least show their bravery instead of curling up in a crib made of sword-wielding guards and reciting lame love poems. ” At this point, he paused and smiled helplessly.

"Do you know what kind of person would accept his advances?"

Someone in the courtyard laughed, but Garcia didn't, because Cesar had countered with his own rhetoric. Garcia, using the rivalry between the two parties, was essentially implying that Sean had orchestrated the murder, and that his motives were particularly vile. Cesar then singled himself out, highlighting the Sassulei, whom the French considered barbarians, to make it seem as if Garcia's own brother was even worse than a barbarian.

By adopting this posture, he not only showed his disdain to be compared with this person, but also implied that it was the grassland people who caused this person's death, so don't try to shift the blame to him.

Seeing that Garcia remained silent, Cesar didn't care and continued, "--those village women who were afraid of being killed. Now you should ask, to whom does this love belong? To those lame love poems, or to the swords at her neck?"

It was a vicious joke, and the whole courtyard erupted in laughter, and Garcia himself twitched his lips.

"You have a talent for acting," Garcia said after a pause. He showed no surprise, nor did he look insulted, but he looked Cesar up and down.

Cesar remained calm. "Given past events, if I wasn't a skilled actor, my fate is uncertain." He was speaking the truth, of course, but only Firth could grasp his true meaning. The two Borgia brothers were equally ruthless. One was determined to sacrifice the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians in the lower town of Neuen to pave the way for his inheritance, while the other treated human sacrifice as a mere meal. Neither was more human than the other.

Since Sean dared to send someone to murder his nephew and buried the grassland sword dancer who protected him, Sean's brother would naturally not do much worse than him. Cesar was able to survive until now because he hid well enough, but he couldn't hide forever.

Judging from the current situation, Sean is more adept at direct murder, while Sean's younger brother is more adept at leveraging power and using various political tactics. If Cesar wants to use this power to move from covert to overt, the threat he faces will also shift from the former to the latter.

The premise is that the old earl does not want to continue to murder him.

"What are you doing here?" Cesar asked Garcia.

Garcia's gaze remained fixed on him. "To visit my dear uncle and the cousin I've never met, and to test your abilities according to family tradition. Did you know that defending Noyen is our roots?"

This guy is also very good at pretending and acting. He clearly knows that Noien is about to be sold to the Sasule people, but he still swears that Noien is their root.

"Haven't you heard that I'm not interested in this?" Cesar asked him.

"You are very good at acting, but you must know that this has nothing to do with your ambition. As long as your uncle is still the patriarch, his eldest son will shoulder the family's honor and reputation."

This was true. To make up for the shortfall in the True God Ceremony, Sean would not give up his position as city lord. Originally, Sean himself bore the burden, but once he had a child who everyone considered an illegitimate child, Cesar became the one to bear the burden.

"And you?" Cesar asked him.

"Me?" Garcia said with a disapproving smile, his tone sharp. "To tell you the truth, I'm more than capable of shouldering the reputation of a new family. I'm just worried about you, cousin. This little witch is adorable, but it's best for you to find a lover who can support the family through the difficult times in Noien. This is also my advice to you."

"Those with ability don't need to seek support from another family." A voice suddenly rang out from the main entrance. Everyone turned to find the old earl slowly strolling out. His resonant voice drew everyone's attention. "It's rare for you to return to the place of your birth. Why bother with your cousin right after saying hello to your uncle?"

Count Thane walked between Cesar and Garcia, looked up and scanned the entire room, a cruel smile on his face:

"I understand how you feel, Garcia. Enil was your beloved brother, and I understand you want to blame my failure to protect him. However, I can also tell you clearly that his death was entirely due to his own stupidity. They could have taken the safer waterway, but Enil insisted on seeing the scenery of Blade's Edge Mountain beside the Stone Abyss. I heard that this was because he wanted to write poetry to his lover in the palace. Am I correct?"

Cesar had no idea the man's name was before Sean spoke. He hadn't even asked.

Garcia's smile twitched. Considering that both Cesar and he knew who had killed Enil, the old count was already using a dead body as a joke. Cesar was still trying to decide his tone, trying to distance himself from suspicion, but Sean didn't care at all. As long as Garcia didn't have evidence, he wouldn't take the murder seriously.

I believe that before long, the absurd story of the court noble Einil dying in Blade's Edge Mountain while writing love poems will spread throughout Noien and become a new joke.

"I have no doubt about that, uncle," Garcia said.

Lord Thane nodded and put his hand on Cesar's shoulder. "Then how do you plan to test your cousin?

Can you live up to the honor of our family?" the old earl asked calmly.

Cesar had a blank expression on his face. He knew that he no longer had to face the life threat brought by Sean, but this also meant one thing, that Sean would have to bear the responsibility he had shouldered so far.

All the political pressure was transferred to him.

Even if not all, then most of them.

Count Thane's words also made one thing clear: his family lineage meant nothing to him. He could make fun of it if he wanted to, or use it as a tool if he wanted to. As for Fort Neuen, it was likely just a treasury to provide him with financial income, devoid of any extraneous meaning or symbolism.

Garcia said indifferently, "Riding, swordsmanship, longbowmanship, leading troops in battle, and a variety of other skills. You perfectly surpassed my father in every one of these contests, as you know only too well, Uncle. None of our ancestors could match the records you set."

In this sense, Sean was actually a rare heir to the Borgia family, and in his youth, he was once legendary for making the family even more glorious. His younger brother sounded very politically savvy, but he withdrew from the succession race and voluntarily left Noien.

But what can be said? When someone is too good, they tend to explore their abilities on a new level. Earl Thane's choice of the True God ritual suggests he may no longer value family honor and traditional customs. He knows what he's doing, but others don't. They simply assume he's old and incompetent, having accomplished nothing, completely discarding the legendary spirit of his youth, and thus look down on him, even despise him.

"I hope we can give him more time." Earl Thain smiled helplessly.

"Of course, Uncle," Garcia nodded. "If he forgets, you must remind him to practice more." He glanced at Cesar. "I'm busy fighting in the north and have no interest in interfering in family affairs. Don't bully my cousin who doesn't even have a sword. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to wait until he's a few years older. However, I can tell you in advance that your nephews and nieces in the Kingdom Military Academy are around his age. In the future, we can compare and see whether your private education is superior or the military academy that brings together all the elite of the kingdom. Considering the changing times, it would be best if your cousin could temporarily study engineering and ballistics. The enemies in the north are not as conservative as the steppe people."

Engineering? Ballistics? What the hell? Horseback riding, swordplay, and bowmanship are fine, but this kind of thing? And he's competing with the elite graduates of the aristocratic military academy? If he's capable, then compete with him in local folklore and linguistics!

"Perhaps, Garcia," Count Thane said indifferently, "but that doesn't mean I want to share the financial burden of your mercenaries."

Of course the old earl was indifferent, since it wasn't him who was being sacrificed, but a ritual sacrifice who had stolen his important property, kidnapped his only assistant, and then ran back to pretend to be his fictitious son.

"The king understands this deeply, but he is also very grateful for your assistance. That's why he ignored the rumors and slander, insisting that you are upholding your honor and there has been no misappropriation of military funds. Of course, we all believe it," Garcia said sarcastically.

From this perspective, Cesar concluded that using the grasslands to undermine Count Thane's reputation was the primary measure. Cesar's presence meant that even if Count Thane's reputation was undermined, there would be an heir to back him up. Therefore, attacking the heir became a subsequent measure; both were essential. Even if Cesar could survive the potential siege, he would have to confront the king in the capital. This way, the old earl could focus on his True God rituals in the castle of Noyen, leaving all the political pressure to him alone.

Chapter 28 No Matter What

If the old earl's brother was so politically savvy, why was he only able to threaten Thane indirectly outside of Noyen? He was clearly a lonely old man who had amassed excessive wealth and had a dark side he absolutely couldn't show to the world. Why was there such a monolithic presence inside the fortress?

Cesar glanced behind the count and spotted Askrid, the commander of the Noien army. He was a burly, well-built man with a full beard and a weathered look. If it weren't for his pure blond hair and blue eyes, one could easily mistake him for a Noien native, rather than a court noble educated at the Kingdom's military academy.