Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System-Chapter 61: Death of the Bishop

Three days passed, and all remained quiet at the outpost.

One morning, before his patrol, Arthur chatted idly with Murphy, who was feeding the horses.

"Do you think this patrol has been too quiet?" Arthur leaned against the stable fence, his gaze sweeping over the distant border.

Murphy put down the fodder and respectfully straightened up. "It is indeed much quieter than usual."

Arthur lowered his voice. "Lord Kelvin was worried about a disturbance on the border, which is why he sent us to patrol. It’s not just Black Wood Forest; he’s sent men to the other key border posts as well."

He sighed, his gaze drifting to the outpost’s courtyard. "It’s just that we’re critically short on men right now. The only ones he could spare were me and Luca."

Murphy asked softly, "Are the other border areas... as quiet as this one?"

Arthur shook his head, his brow furrowing. "We got word from the Gray Rock Outpost to the east the day before yesterday. They found suspicious tracks." He patted Murphy’s shoulder. "Take good care of the horses. We might be needing them very soon."

Gray Rock Outpost was located on the border between the Hans Viscount Domain and the Baron’s Domain.

The Viscount’s domain was adjacent to the Baron’s, and both were located in the Northern Territory.

Before the border war broke out, even though Viscount Hans’ domain was nearly twice the size of the Baron’s Domain, its tax revenues had never been as plentiful.

This was all due to the trade route that ran through the Northern Territory.

Although the Vilt Kingdom and the Rosenia Kingdom had long been hostile, merchant caravans still traveled endlessly along this passage, known as the Northern Trade Route.

It was thanks to the wealth from this trade route that the previous Baron had been able to maintain dozens of warhorses and hundreds of packhorses. Inside the Inner Castle, rare silks from the East were a common sight.

However, the war changed all of this.

The trade route was forced to change course and now primarily runs through Viscount Hans’ territory.

The Viscount, naturally, would not easily relinquish this unexpected source of wealth. This had become the greatest source of conflict for the Baron’s Domain in recent years.

The future was unpredictable. In the eyes of some, having the brilliant Kelvin as Baron might actually be less advantageous than if the deposed Sylvan had inherited the title. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Murphy fell silent for a moment, then cautiously asked, "Could there be trouble from the Barbarians’ outpost as well?"

Arthur’s gaze grew distant. "Who knows? Perhaps the Barbarians will suddenly decide to push south one day."

’These political struggles really are complicated,’ Murphy reflected. ’They’re far beyond what a humble Groom like me can get involved in.’

...

Ever since obtaining the Source of Negative Energy, Roger had been in high spirits for the past half a month or so.

Back when he was fleeing, he had thought recovering from his injuries would be exceptionally difficult, but he never expected the Source of Negative Energy to have such a miraculous effect.

Not only did it heal his injuries with incredible speed, but it was also far easier to absorb than the methods recorded in the Book of Undying.

’This must be because it was meticulously refined by the Mechanical Witch,’ he figured.

To his even greater delight, breaking through to the level of a Third-Class Wizard Apprentice had been far smoother and faster than he’d ever imagined.

With almost no conscious effort, the negative energy naturally nourished his Spiritual Power.

He could clearly feel his Spiritual Power growing at an incredible rate. With every breath, his consciousness expanded outward.

The Witchcraft Runes that were once obscure and incomprehensible now became perfectly clear, illuminated by his enhanced Spiritual Power.

And just like that, he reached the level of a Third-Class Apprentice.

Yet even so, he was not in a hurry to return to the Duval Baron’s Domain to retrieve the other half of the Source of Negative Energy.

’No need to rush things,’ he thought.

After all, he still had two years before he had to leave the Continent. He could always retrieve it closer to the deadline.

’What if the commotion at the Baron’s Castle has already drawn the attention of the Church Court? Rushing back now might expose my position.’

As a cautious future Wizard, Roger had always known how to weigh the pros and cons.

Right now, he was traveling south comfortably in a carriage, a beautiful slave girl acquired from the Rosenia Kingdom nestled against his side.

"Master," the slave girl suddenly said softly, "it’s a little cold."

Roger replied absently, "Is it?" He casually draped a cloak over her shoulders. "Winter must be approaching."

The slave girl pulled the cloak tighter. "Of course it’s cold," she said, confused. "We’ve been traveling north. The nights in the Northern Territory are bound to be cold. Besides, winter isn’t coming. It’s only the end of summer..."

Roger gazed at the scenery flying by outside the window, completely oblivious to the slave girl’s words.

Seeing her master ignoring her, the slave girl just assumed it was one of his unique quirks.

As a slave, she naturally knew not to ask too many questions. She just silently pulled the cloak tighter and leaned closer to her master.

...

In the outpost’s courtyard, Arthur and Lawson were engaged in their daily sparring session.

After a few bouts, Arthur sent Lawson’s Wooden Sword flying with a precise flick of his own.

"You’re improving quickly. You haven’t neglected your Knight’s training even during your time on the border," Arthur said, putting away his Wooden Sword. "The Baron’s Domain is in need of capable men right now. I believe you’ll be able to return to a position in the castle soon."

Lawson picked up his Wooden Sword and answered respectfully, "Thank you for your guidance, Lord Arthur."

Arthur took a few steps closer and shook his head. "I’m no ’Lord Arthur.’ Just call me Arthur. I know you still hold a grudge over the business with Red Leaf, both against me and Murphy. But you have to understand, in these changing times, yesterday’s enemy can become tomorrow’s ally."

He stared into Lawson’s eyes. "You and I are both commoners. If we want to make a place for ourselves in the castle, we need to understand that we’re stronger together. We should be helping each other, not fighting our own separate battles."

Arthur believed that Lawson, who had been tempered by years of service at the Black Wood Forest Outpost, would easily grasp this.

However, Lawson scoffed inwardly.

He no longer needed to rely on the power and influence of the Baron’s Castle. The one who truly gave him strength was his mysterious master.

When he thought of the Knight’s Secret Medicine his master had given him—a concoction far superior to anything from the Baron’s Castle—and felt the power growing daily within him, his loyalty became unshakable.

On the surface, however, he still showed an expression of agreement. "Arthur, you’re right. In these troubled times, we should indeed put aside our prejudices and work together for the good of the domain."

Arthur showed a gratified smile. "In that case, why don’t we have dinner together? The wine at the outpost is crude, but I brought some good stuff from the Baron’s Castle."

Lawson put a hand on Arthur’s shoulder. "Excellent! Let’s have that dinner."

Arthur was slightly startled, then he also naturally put his arm around Lawson’s shoulder. "This is the Lawson I remember, the one who was always so gentle and kind!"

Lawson said with a smile, "I’ve always been this gentle."

’Gentle, my ass!’ he thought. ’In this world, being "gentle" just means you’re someone else’s dog! If it weren’t for my master’s grand plan, I’d have chopped off that filthy hand of yours long ago.’

And so, Arthur and Lawson walked side by side, laughing and talking amicably. When Luca’s passing followers saw them, they gladly joined them for dinner.

The three men raised their cups and drank heartily in the outpost’s mess hall, the atmosphere thick with camaraderie.

Just as they were drinking to their hearts’ content, a message was delivered by a soldier: several bodies had been found not far from the Black Wood Forest Outpost.

One of the corpses was identified as Bishop Alberto.