Execution and Surveillance

Vincent and an adjutant beside him walked in front of the miners.

Electricity flashed in the air around him, and an indescribable pressure made everyone who faced him involuntarily lower their heads. Some of their knees went limp and they almost knelt.

"Where's the person who killed the supervisor?"

Vincent went straight to the point and asked in a very calm voice.

The leader replied in fear, "He's… He's in the mines."

"Are all of you here?"

"About half of them aren't around…"

"Where are they?"

"That magic chanter opened a portal and let them escape."

At this moment, under the powerful pressure of this Master magic chanter, these miners forgot all the strategies they had discussed before speaking. Basically, they answered whatever the other party asked.

Vincent pondered for a moment before speaking to the adjutant beside him.

"Lock them up in the dungeon."

However, the adjutant shook his head.

"Before we came, the duke instructed that Bramble regulations are to be enforced here according to the mine riot plans."

Vincent looked at the adjutant and said without changing his tone,

"Do as I say. Take them to the Rose Palace's dungeons and lock them up. I'll talk to the duke."

The adjutant hesitated for a long time before finally lowering his head slightly and replying,

"Yes, by your orders."

Then, he looked up and asked, "Then what should we do with the heretical mage in the mines?"

A deep rift that flickered with lightning opened beside Vincent's hand. He took out an ebony staff embedded with a blue gem.

"I'll go down alone," he held his staff and said.

"Why?" the adjutant asked in surprise.

"These miners just said that the other party activated a portal to let the remaining people escape. If too many people go down and make the other party find it difficult to resist, he can just activate a portal again and escape. Moreover, the mine is narrow, so it's not suitable for the Bramble Guards to form a formation. Having too many people will only be a burden."

As he spoke, the blue gem on the staff lit up, and circles of ripples that stirred space spread out.

The adjutant glanced at the ebony staff in envy. He and Vincent were both Sages of Astrology Constellations. The magical medium made of Void Crystal in Vincent's hand was definitely something that all mages who focused on lightning spells dreamed of.

"If there's a problem, I'll contact you immediately through spatial spells."

Vincent said this and walked deeper into the mine without looking back.

The adjutant bowed slightly at his back.

"Good luck."

When his back completely disappeared into the depths of the mine, the adjutant—who had been humble—suddenly straightened his back and revealed a mocking and regretful expression.

However, this expression disappeared in an instant. He turned around and called for a mage whose robe was embroidered with a golden rose badge.

"Go back and inform the Duke that Master Vincent's choice is as he predicted."

The person nodded and looked at the miners surrounded by the Bramble Guards.

"Then, what about these people? So we escort them to the dungeon as per Master Vincent's instructions?"

The adjutant smiled and shook his head.

"No."

Then, he raised his voice.

"Carry out the Blackthorn regulations."

His voice was neither loud nor soft, just enough for the black-armored guards to hear.

Then, screams and blood splattered endlessly.

…

"Speaking of which, I've always wanted to ask why you appeared in the Silverstream Mine that day."

Cass wore a black cloak and stood in an alley opposite an enchantment shop. His face was hidden under the hood of the cloak, and he unhooked the huge sword that was as exaggerated as a door and leaned against the wall beside him.

He was drinking a bottle of berry wine to ward off the cold while staring at the enchantment shop not far away.

The faerie named Liz sat on his shoulder and played with the stray threads on the cloak in boredom.

Upon hearing Cass's question, she slowed down.

He had previously learned from his interactions with Liz that faeries were Transcendent creatures that needed to live on ambiguity and mystery. Mist, forest, dawn, dusk, dreams… They could only be replenished by magic in places with ambiguous elements.

Correspondingly, faeries hated places with specific rules. They definitely wouldn't take the initiative to approach a mine like the Silverstream Mine that was close to the embryonic form of a company.

"Ah, I'm not sure either. I remember falling asleep in the forest that day. When I woke up, I realized that there was mist. Then, as I flew, I found myself at the Silverstream Mine. Sigh, speaking of which, was there mist in the mine that day?"

As Liz spoke, she picked up the bow she had tied out with the thread and looked disgusted.

"I didn't notice it after I entered the mine with my teammates, but doesn't mist happen in mines? Or did someone deliberately arrange it?"

Cass asked with a frown, but Liz didn't answer his question. Instead, she continued tussling with the bow.

Cass sighed softly. This seemed to be the case with faeries. They were born out of ambiguity, so they weren't interested in anything that needed logical analysis. Everything they did naturally depended on their mood. Whether they could use magic or not and the effects they produced would change according to their mood.

The door of the enchantment shop opened from the inside, and a man and woman walked out. The two of them were wearing Arcana University's uniforms.

The woman was about 16 or 17 years old. She was looking at the ancient pendant in her hand in confusion, and the man was in his twenties. He lowered his head and said something to her with a warm smile.

Cass, who originally wanted to ask more, gently patted Liz's head.

Liz came back to her senses and put down the bow. Her eyes lit up with a faint purple light.

"Yes, it's that man. I saw the aura of parasitism on his body previously."

She pointed at the smiling young man.

"It's really a magic chanter this time. What about the woman beside him?"

"There are no signs of parasitism, but it looks like the two of them are classmates? I suggest you wait for the two of them to separate before going over. Otherwise, you won't be able to explain yourself," Liz suggested.

"If I don't follow her, that woman will probably be parasitized tonight."

As Cass spoke, he tied the huge sword to his back again.

"As usual, return to that wooden hut and wait for me."

"No way."

Liz suddenly flew in front of Cass and stopped the man.

"The host this time is a magic chanter. I can save you if something happens."

Cass fell silent for a moment. Seeing that the two of them were about to leave, he nodded gently.