The Wild Hunt Has Arrived

"When I left the Passerlon Forest, I left a small magical resonance mechanism in the place where I hid things in the Wild Hunt."

Vilgefortz hastily summoned his wand and waved it a few times.

The unruly beard on his chin was immediately shaved clean, and his hair lay flat against his scalp.

"Although the Wild Hunt's target is Ben Ade, which has little to do with us, I don't want to move after only staying in one place for six months."

"The Drakken Great Tomb?" Lydia took a hat off the hanger and handed it to Vilgefortz.

"Thank you," Vilgefortz said. "Yes, it was the trap in the Drakken Great Tomb. It seems we are all impressed by that treacherous ancient elven ruin."

"I was very impressed with Drakken's hidden yet timely magical traps, so I deliberately studied them."

"The Warding Stone —the name I gave that little contraption—is one of the research findings..."

"A very nice name."

Lydia looked at Vilgefortz with admiration; she admired Vigor for casually presenting a unique alchemical achievement.

"However, I think we can add the prefix 'Vilgefortz' to it. It's a magical item that can hide from the Wild Hunt's senses. It seems our merchant guild will have another popular alchemical item."

"Thank you for the compliment, Lydia," Vilgefortz said as he opened the door, "But it might not necessarily escape the Wild Hunt's notice; perhaps they simply don't bother to hide."

"I thought this little mechanism would only be used on other people's graves, or on my own..."

"Shh!" Lydia extended her slender, pale index finger and pressed it against Vilgefortz ' lips. "You will definitely find the path to transcendence. I have always believed that."

Looking into the Sorceress's tender, watery eyes, Vilgefortz sighed:

"I'm very curious about what kind of perfect image I have in your eyes. To be honest, I don't even have that much confidence in myself..."

"You can do it, Vigor, you definitely can." Lydia interrupted him, then opened the study door for him like a true maid.

"Would you like to come with me to see Senne?" Vilgefortz asked as he walked out of the study.

"No," Lydia shook her head gently. "Haley is still waiting for my reply, and right now, Senne probably doesn't want to see any irrelevant people around him."

"You're right, that large group of Radical Faction haven't been having an easy time lately."

Vilgefortz's lips unconsciously curled up, his tone tinged with schadenfreude.

He only accepted the invitation to come to Ban Ard because he wanted to become a member of the Advanced Council of Conclave of Sorcerers.

To be honest, given Ban Ad's current miserable state, he would have been a shoo-in even without Senne and Miguel's promises.

after all...

There are only so many positions available for Advanced Council members, but there are far fewer male wizards competing with him.

Night fell.

Dust drifted haphazardly in the air, mingling with a faint, acrid smell of burning.

A cold wind was blowing.

The empty Ban Ade was even more eerie than the ancient elven graveyard.

"But if you really count it, the number of people burned alive by Ban Ade is hundreds or thousands more than the number of dead buried in the ancient elven cemetery, so it's not surprising."

Vilgefortz thought to himself.

After so many deaths, Ban Ade is no longer a suitable place to live.

Because of the existence of the Conclave of Sorcerers, necromancy is taboo in the Northern Continent, but it's hard to guarantee that the Wild Hunt won't use it.

Even though Senne has arranged for the wizards to clear the ruins in recent days, it's still not safe enough.

certainly.

He knew why Senne and the Radical Faction, and even the other male wizards who were being suppressed, were unwilling to leave...

The whereabouts of Henry Gedimidis was merely a pretext.

The male wizards gathered in Ban Aard are the core of the wizarding world, even if they are ignorant and only know how to boast and flatter.

"Rights..." Vilgefortz sighed softly.

In fact, he was no different; otherwise, none of this would have anything to do with him.

Vilgefortz stood in an empty space with some remaining ruins.

This is where Ban Ade's library is located.

Since the Wild Hunt's attack on Ban Ad, the Radical Faction led by Senne has used the underground library as their base.

They handle seemingly complicated but actually minimal administrative affairs here, and spend a great deal of energy seeking aid, or rather begging, from various countries on the Northern Continent.

However, it is said that the begging process did not go smoothly.

Of course, this has nothing to do with Vilgefortz.

He had already planned that as soon as the year-end wizarding conference ended, he would take Lydia away.

All the reasons have been prepared.

The newly excavated ancient elven tombs certainly require careful excavation.

The Wild Hunt is actually a good way to tap into political capital, prestige, and money, but unfortunately, with his strength and influence, it's far from enough.

If he stays, everyone will "use" him, but everyone will also be wary of him.

after all.

He is Ban Ad, the only source of magic besides Hen Gedimidis.

"Unfortunately, it's a demonic source that hasn't fully matured yet..."

Ignoring the countless hostile, scrutinizing, or indifferent gazes directed at him from all around, Vilgefortz gently waved his staff.

"Please inform Lord Senne that I have urgent news to report..."

Vilgefortz hadn't finished speaking.

"Buzz~"

Amidst the friction and hum of the boulders, a deep, hollow, rotating stone staircase was revealed in the empty ruins.

"Splash splash splash~"

From near to far, one wall lamp after another lit up, spiraling downwards to illuminate the darkness, like a coiled snake.

Vilgefortz waited at the door for a few seconds, and seeing that no one came up, he raised an eyebrow and stepped into the corridor.

"Buzz~"

With a deafening roar, the giant rock was closed again.

He glanced back at the tightly sealed stone gate, then continued down the stone steps.

"Ta-da!"

The eerie echoes of footsteps reverberated through the corridor, and the dim lights went out behind us.

"Vilgefortz?" someone shouted.

The empty space made the shouts seem drawn out, and the overlapping echoes sounded particularly eerie.

However, Vilgefortz recognized the person's identity.

"It's me, Miguel."

To avoid trouble, Vilgefortz stopped.

"Why did you stop?" Miguel emerged from around the corner, the wall lamp illuminating his haggard face.

He approached, seemingly sensing the awkwardness emanating from Vilgefortz, and chuckled warmly twice, a friendly smile playing on his lips, "We're all on the same side, no need to be so strict, come on over!"

Vilgefortz continued walking forward, but inwardly he was cursing.

If they were truly one of their own, why would the entire faction move to this underground library without even inviting him?

certainly.

He didn't really care; after all, his dealings with Miguel, including Senne and the Radical Faction, were just transactions.

To be honest, if you were to list the people who were most hostile to Ban Ade, the seemingly friendly and amiable Radical Faction would probably be in the top ten.

Miguel and Senne are undoubtedly included.

This is unavoidable.

Humans always categorize themselves into different social groups based on various factors.

Some people believe that fellow countrymen in a foreign land, fellow countrymen when surrounded by different ethnic groups, and kindred spirits when from different social classes are all natural friends and have close ties.

Just like him and Henry Gedimidis, who was imprisoned somewhere by Senne...

But since they are both sources of magic, are we really going to risk our lives for a stranger?

"... I always mistook the reflection on the lake for the stars in the night sky..."

"What stars?" Miguel was leading the way, turned around.

"Nothing," Vilgefortz shook his head. "I just read a prophetic poem before I came. It was very interesting."

"A prophetic poem?" Miguel paused, then chuckled and shook his head.

"I really envy you, you still have time to read poetry," he sighed, stopping in front of a wall. "I don't even know when the last time I had any free time was..."

Vilgefortz simply smiled and said nothing.

Miguel didn't care. He summoned an obsidian staff, faced the empty wall, and chanted a few incantations.

"Bang—"

A brass door suddenly appeared on the previously empty stone wall.

"By the way, Vilgefortz," Miguel asked as he pushed open the door, "What do you need from Senne ..."

Miguel hadn't finished speaking.

The moment the bronze door was pushed open, a fierce argument erupted from inside.

"King Covir's request is the same as Gedymar's; he is the ninth nation on the Northern Continent to make the same demand..."

"Dean! Dean! It's all the Dean's fault! Is a single Magic Source really that important?!"

Senne's suppressed growl made Miguel pause in his action of pushing the door open.

Vilgefortz looked a little embarrassed. "Senne doesn't seem to be available. Should I... come back another time?"

Miguel paused for two seconds, sighed, and shook his head. "No, you're one of us, it's nothing."

He pushed open the door.

Under the pale purple magic lamp, countless ancient books, waving the dust accumulated over the years, flitted between bookshelves three or four people high.

However, there were very few people in the huge library, only five or six.

Vilgefortz glanced around and noticed that several books flying overhead were about sealing magic.

On the pages of another book that brushed past his body, there were many strange symbols handwritten.

He recognized some Elder Speech and ancient dwarven languages that even the dwarves themselves rarely used, as well as a language whose script was twisted like worms.

Vilgefortz didn't recognize the characters, but he identified the handwriting as belonging to Henry Gedimidis.

The handwritten letter from the strongest mage of the Northern Continent is found all over the academy; it's not hard to recognize.

"It seems that Henry Gedimidis is still safe, at least for now," Vilgefortz thought.

He then looked away before Miguel could turn to him.

"Senne is... well... still busy. Shall we sit and wait for a bit?"

Miguel led Vilgefortz to a sofa, gave a few winks to the wizards around him, and then the books flying in the sky rose higher and higher without leaving a trace.

He turned around and was pleased to see that Vilgefortz was not looking around or asking any inappropriate questions.

"Do the kings have very high demands?" Vilgefortz asked calmly, picking up the cup brought to him by a waiter.

Miguel didn't hide it either, perhaps because it was something that Vilgefortz could easily find out by asking around, so there was no need to hide it.

"It is indeed very tall," he nodded, "Or rather, I don't know why, it suddenly became taller."

"How so?" Vilgefortz asked curiously.

Miguel sighed, "We had almost reached an agreement with Temeria, Lyria, and Redania, whereby they would mediate between Kedwen and Ard, and we would hold off and distract the Wild Hunt for them."

"But for some reason, Temeria suddenly changed his mind the next day."

"Following closely..."

"Lyria, Redania, Hengfors, Covir..."

"Later on, even small countries like Hidaris, Foden, and Cintra began to defy Ban Ade's will..."

"Even Hidaris and Cintra object?" Vilgefortz exclaimed feigning surprise. "What are they demanding?"

To be honest, he was really curious.

Since returning from the Passerlon Forest with Miguel, he has been busy researching the authenticity of the Child of Miracle and the Elder Blood. He has only heard rumors in the academy about the Radical Faction ' misfortunes, but he really doesn't know the specifics of the negotiations.

Miguel opened his mouth, but before he could speak.

"Release Henry Gedimidis!" Senne's voice came from behind.

Vilgefortz got up and looked in the direction of the sound.

Senne walked out from between the bookshelves with a gloomy expression. When he saw Vilgefortz, he seemed to want to put on his usual gentle, all-knowing smile.

However, despite tugging at the corners of his mouth, he couldn't manage a proper smile.

"Sit down, we're all on the same side..." Senne waved his hand and sat down next to Vilgefortz, opposite Miguel.

"These damned mortal nobles, these stupid pigs who can be killed with a wave of their hand," he took a sip of water and cursed viciously. "The Dean is in dire need of treatment and recuperation right now. How can he be allowed to be treated like a monkey by a clown and watched by them?"

I believed it... Vilgefortz's elegant smile remained unchanged.

"And on what grounds were they questioning me?"

Senne's anger didn't seem to have subsided, and he cursed for a while longer.

Vilgefortz sensed that he was getting a little angry, so he didn't say much, only responding with a couple of words when Senne looked over.

For some reason, Vilgefortz felt that it was Ailin who was involved, since it was King Gedymar of Temeria who changed his tune first.

Although, given Ailin's age and his exceptional skill in alchemy, swordsmanship, and signs, he was almost certainly not politically astute, especially since he had only recently left the secluded Ancient Sea Fortress and had spent the past thirteen years in training...

While politics also requires talent, rich experience is the most indispensable.

How could he possibly hit the exact spot that the Radical Faction find so hard to handle?

"I'm completely obsessed..."

Vilgefortz maintained his impeccable smile, shaking his head inwardly, yet for some reason, he felt an even stronger longing for Ailin.

"Oh, right!" After confiding in him, Senne finally remembered Vilgefortz's purpose for coming and interrupted his reverie.

"What brings you here?" Senne asked.

"The mechanisms in my Passerlon Forest have been triggered," Vilgefortz sat up straight, glanced at Miguel, and said solemnly, "The Wild Hunt is here."

Miguel and Senne exchanged a glance, showing no excitement, but simultaneously letting out a sigh of relief.

"They've finally arrived!"