Chapter 538 - 288: Arcane Star (Part 2)
Happily, the misunderstanding between Raine and his aunt has already been cleared up;
Yet a trace of gloom, because his aunt actually treats Raine as an equal, doesn’t this mean if the two...
Then would he really have to call Raine uncle one day?
At this moment, Leonore raised her head to look at her nephew Henry: "Henry, please step out for a moment, I have some matters to discuss with Raine."
"Ah? Oh, okay!"
Henry was initially stunned, but then he nodded and obediently retreated, carefully closing the door behind him.
What’s this?
They actually need to talk behind my back.
Raine was also puzzled, not knowing why Leonore asked Henry to leave.
Then, Leonore smiled brightly and sat next to Raine: "Raine, the regeneration technique you just used certainly didn’t come from the special effects of your two Warhammers."
Hmm?
Leonore’s words made Raine’s pupils slightly contract.
He was about to explain something, but then saw Leonore extend her fair palm and wave it, continuing her smile:
"Don’t be nervous, everyone has their secrets."
"It’s just that most Extraordinary Level mages will have some research on Magic Items. If I’m not mistaken, the dual hammers in your hand, based on their style and patterns, should be crafted by the ancient Gray Dwarves."
"You might not be aware, but as records show, hammers made by Gray Dwarves with magic equipment have never exhibited Healing Spells above the Fifth Level."
"This seems to be because the Divine Beings worshipped by the Gray Dwarves, Solemn, are inherently not skilled in this aspect. On the contrary, the magic equipment of the Drow Elves tends to have more special effects in this area."
"But even at the Seventh Level... rare indeed, and if there is, it’s almost a Divine Artifact."
Leonore spoke with precision, recounting the crafting techniques of the Gray Dwarves from ancient to modern times.
Raine listened, sweating profusely.
He now realized how easy it was for his previous words to Henry and Viscount Olsen to be disproved by facing a true Extraordinary Level Mage.
"If next time, you truly wish to explain where the regeneration technique comes from, you might as well say it’s this Secret Star."
After speaking, Leonore covered her mouth with a gentle laugh, her lake-blue eyes blinking, showing a pure smile.
For a moment, Raine didn’t know what to say.
Silence is tonight’s Cambridge.
...
Meanwhile.
Underdark.
On the open ground near the ancient Moritan tunnel.
After a fierce battle, finally managed to repel the legendary Beholder, the ’Incinerator’ Lehman slightly calmed his greatly depleted Spiritual Power, side-eyeing Kobata, puzzled:
"Kobata, how did you end up engaging with this legendary-level Beholder?"
The young ’Incinerator’ Lehman had once been an Adventurer and was very familiar with Beholders.
He knew that these top-tier monsters mostly reside deep within the Underdark, and under normal circumstances, without delving deeper underground, it’s unlikely to suddenly encounter a legendary-level Beholder.
Moreover, before this, the Empire had already conducted preliminary investigations in this area without finding any signs of its existence.
"This Beholder should have been lured out of the depths by someone." Hearing the question from Incinerator Lehman, Kobata stated what he was almost certain about.
"Deliberately lured out? Was it the Drow?"
"How did your operation suddenly get exposed?"
Human Adventurers are not uncommon in the Underdark; this time, the Empire also disguised the elite Legion’s dragon hunting operation through several adventurer groups.
"It seems it’s not just the Drow. I saw two figures earlier, one was a Drow, but the other, if I’m not mistaken, should be human." Kobata affirmed with a certain tone.
"Human?"
Upon hearing Kobata’s words, even the legendary powerhouse Incinerator Lehman could not help but raise an eyebrow.
A moment later, Lehman spoke with deep significance: "It seems there are quite a few who do not wish for the Empire’s expansion."
At this moment, the Captain of the Flaming Wings, Hamilton, solemnly said: "Perhaps asking the Drow Elf family near the city Belendaan will provide answers."
"Regarding this matter with the Beholder, I think they are most aware. If intentional, it wouldn’t be difficult for the Drow to achieve this."
"And if some human forces are secretly interfering, it probably won’t bypass this Drow family."
Hearing Hamilton’s words, ’Incinerator’ Lehman recalled seeing several Drow Elves departing swiftly earlier, heading towards the direction that was indeed west of Belendaan.
What Hamilton said was based on facts, not merely to absolve Kobata of responsibility.
If that’s the case then, it might also give an explanation to the higher-ups.
At least, neither he nor Kobata would have to bear the responsibility for this failure in opening a second battlefield against the Empire.
Even if there is some punishment, it’s within bearable limits.
"Master Lehman, since the original plan to open the second battlefield to bypass the Bane Family’s rear for attack is no longer feasible, why not take things steadily, and first clear out the surrounding small and medium-sized Drow families to avoid being attacked from both sides."
"Coincidentally, then during the interrogation of Drow captives, we can learn exactly which human forces are cooperating with the Drow."
Upon hearing this, Lehman fell into deep thought, and after a long time, nodded slightly: "I will report this to the His Majesty immediately. Kobata, change the march direction, target temporarily set at the Drow city Belendaan."
"Master Lehman, your meaning is?" Suddenly, Kobata’s eyes slightly widened, looking excitedly at ’Incinerator’ Lehman.
"His Majesty should agree." Lehman paused, continuing, "Now a raid will certainly see the Bane Family prepared, and the significance is lost."
"Understood, I’ll arrange it right away."
...
Dorne City.
Underground of the Olsen Clan Castle.
At this moment, a knock on the door was heard outside, followed immediately by Henry’s voice from outside the door.
"Aunt, Viscount Olsen is here."
"Please come in."
Once inside, Viscount Olsen’s face froze because he saw that the originally pale-faced Eldest Princess Her Highness Leonore had turned quite rosy, while Raine’s face seemed much paler.
As if the two had swapped places.
"Your Highness, the Princess, your injuries?"
"Thanks to Raine, it’s no longer a problem."
"Yes, indeed, Mr. Rein, the Critter team has returned." Viscount Olsen said as he looked at Raine.
"Oh, they’re back?"
Raine calculated, indeed, Sulfur Vine, Laisa and others, if they rode Griffins immediately, should be arriving around now.
"Aunt, your injuries are basically recovered, Raine and the Critter team have returned, Dorne City is much safer now!" Henry said excitedly.
"I’m afraid it’s still insufficient..." But Leonore wasn’t as optimistic as Henry, slightly frowned, shaking her head.
"Can’t contact other Kingdoms?"
"Although the Fadir Kingdom and our Soladin Kingdom have formed a certain alliance, the Black Fist Army and Talin Association are attacking from multiple directions, currently the Fadir Kingdom is also struggling."
"Damn! If it weren’t for the Urein Empire’s constant negligence in allowing the Black Fist Army’s development in Winterless City, things wouldn’t have reached this point." Henry said angrily.
Upon hearing this statement, Raine’s eyes lit up as if he thought of something.
Yes, given the power of the Urein Empire, the strongest in the Human Realm, it would be very easy to suppress or eliminate the Black Fist Army when it first appeared in Winterless City.
Yet the opposing side hasn’t done anything and instead allowed its development, which is very strange indeed.
"Why does the Urein Empire want to do this?" Viscount Olsen furrowed his thick eyebrows, muttering to himself.
Faced with this question, perhaps the only person present who had the answer—Eldest Princess Leonore, slowly said:
"Perhaps we’ve underestimated the ambition of Taros III, the Emperor of the Empire."
"He allows the situation to develop, his goal could very well be to plunge Winterless City into chaos, and finally swallow all Kingdoms, including Winterless City, achieving a grand unified Empire."
"What!"
....
In the sky, not far from Dorne City.
A flock of Griffins was rapidly approaching and swiftly descending.
Two minutes later, a cold, serious man wearing blood-red leather armor appeared not far from the city walls of Dorne City.
He took a look at the walls with slightly squinted eyes, then smirked coldly, and his figure suddenly blurred, vanished in an instant.
...