Sorcerer of Victoria Harbor

Northwest of Silver Moon Bay, Victoria Harbor.

As dawn broke, a few rays of morning light pierced through the clouds, illuminating the bustling dock where fishing boats of all sizes were moored.

Boatmen, shirtless and with their skin tanned dark by the sun, came and went, while on the shore, merchants argued fiercely over prices.

Seagulls circled in the air, their cries mingling with the occasional sound of a ship's horn.

Some fishermen whispered prayers towards the sea, beseeching the "Sea Queen" Umberlee to quell her anger, to bring calm to the sea, and to prevent monsters like the Sahuagin from appearing again.

This is Victoria Harbor, a city located at the mouth of the Zeller River. It is a rare deep-water port and the largest and most prosperous trading city in the Silver Moon Bay area.

The city is named after a hero from hundreds of years ago— Victoria, the Grey Harbor adventurer.

Victoria led her fleet to explore the vast Western Sea, accumulating countless treasures over more than a decade, and selflessly built this magnificent port city.

However, some argue that their hero was merely a pirate leader who made his living through plunder, and that the so-called city was nothing more than a base for pirates to hide their treasure. Therefore, Victoria has been jokingly referred to as the "Pirate Queen" by some skeptics.

Centuries later, Victoria Harbor is now ruled by Council of Four composed of several noble dukes, with the most respected duke serving as consul.

From nobles to commoners and thieves, even notorious pirates gathered here. Dozens of believers of different gods lived together, and various unknown cults lurked in the shadows.

Victoria Harbor is now a melting pot of all sorts of people, and is known among adventurers as a "breeding ground for conspirators." In recent days, a group of mysterious "undead" has appeared out of nowhere, making the situation in the city even more unpredictable.

On the mottled walls of Victoria Harbor, accompanied by ripples in the air, a man dressed in a grey robe and holding Bronze Scepter appeared out of thin air.

He looked to be in his fifties, with a few wrinkles around his eyes, and his pale green pupils were quite deep, making him appear particularly mysterious.

The man stroked his beard, looked down at the bustling crowd on the street and the caravan about to depart, and said softly:

"It seems I've arrived a bit early; the Seville Family's caravan has only just set off."

According to the original plot, the kidnapping should have happened five days later, at which point I should have been able to make my appearance.

"Tsk tsk, ever since he was crowned emperor, he's left all the miscellaneous affairs to his family. It's been a long time since he's done anything personally. I really miss it."

He stroked his chin, lost in thought, "But what should I name this pseudonym?"

Suddenly, he saw a fortune teller at a street stall pull out a tarot card. The card depicted an old man in a gray cloak carrying a lantern—it was the Hermit card.

He immediately smiled slightly, clapped his hands, and muttered to himself, "Let's call him ' The Hermit '."

Hermit the Albert, that sounds pretty good, at least it has a certain sophistication.

This so-called "Albert" is actually the Dragon's Simulacrum of Keosius, and also the embodiment of his true will.

At this moment, Keosius also arrived at Victoria Harbor, ready to begin his plan and stir up the already murky waters even more.

On the Faruq Wasteland, a caravan was traveling south, their destination clearly Victoria Harbor, a few dozen miles away.

The caravan was quite large, with fifty horses, hundreds of guards, and more than a dozen carts carrying heavy goods, all of which were decorated with exquisite Golden Finch patterns on the wooden crates.

—That represents the owner of the goods, one of the four major families of Victoria Harbor, the Seville Family.

Contrary to its seemingly exquisite and elegant floral emblems, the Seville Family is actually the most powerful military force in Victoria Harbor, controlling the city's largest mercenary organization, "The Mithril Hand."

Surrounded by guards, inside a luxurious carriage in the middle of the caravan was a blonde woman in a long dress. She looked very young, only in her early twenties, and also wore Golden Finch emblem.

Her name is Heloise Seville, the most beloved only daughter of the current Duke of the Seville Family, and also regarded as the family's future heir.

Heloise lifted the curtain, looked out at the tranquil wilderness outside the carriage, and said to the captain of the guard standing beside her, "Marvin, it's a little too quiet here."

After receiving the goods from the Grey Harbor, we traveled south along the road for over ten kilometers without encountering a single caravan, which was highly unusual.

The guard was a middle-aged man in his forties with a rough mustache, a long scar on his face, and wearing standard armor.

He was Marvin, the veteran bodyguard who had served the Seville Family for decades and was in charge of the caravan's armed forces.

However, at this moment, Marvin seemed somewhat distracted as he listened to the question posed by this noble young lady.

After all, he had been escorting the Seville Family's caravans for decades, while the inexperienced Heloise was only arranged by her father to get involved in the family business.

"Recently, banditry has been rampant in the Faruq Wasteland area. It is said that many caravans have been robbed and have instead detoured to the Grey Harbor via the eastern route, however..."

Marvin puffed out his chest and said in a relaxed tone, "Miss, we are the Seville Family, the overlords of Victoria Harbor."

Even the most reckless thieves and bandits wouldn't dare mess with the Seville Family. If they dare lay a hand on us and threaten your safety, we'll smash their hands with our muskets!

Marvin patted the rifle in his hand, his tone exceptionally confident, as if he were stating something trivial.

Heloise frowned slightly, but said nothing more, only quietly instructing him to be careful and pay attention to his surroundings.

As the daughter of the Duke of Aiden, she was well aware of the power of the Seville Family.

This caravan had 574 well-trained family guards and was equipped with the most advanced firearms purchased from the mysterious Embers of the Burned Empire in the north.

Even the regular armies of nearby city-states would find it difficult to defeat them, let alone the bandits and thieves in the wilderness.

The goods they were escorting this time were also of exceptional importance.

On those carriages, in wooden crates adorned with Golden Finch emblems, were piled high with brand-new firearms, ammunition, and even small cannons; there were more than three thousand of the most basic rifles alone.

During that fierce "Three Emperors' War", weapons from the Embers of the Burned Empire came into view and quickly became popular across the continent with the promotion of the Wojin Merchant Guild.

The Duke of Aiden's purpose in purchasing a large amount of weaponry was also clear—to strengthen the military power of the Seville Family.

Heloise looked out at the desolate wilderness beyond the carriage. It was still so quiet, with only the faint chirping of insects to be heard.

Just then, she spotted the wreckage of a carriage in the rubble in the distance. Upon closer inspection, she could see broken wheels, mangled arms, and even a head crushed into a pulp.

No, such a horrific scene could not have been created by ordinary thieves and bandits!

As the eldest daughter of the Seville Family, she received a thorough education and was even considered a half-apprentice mage. She understood the power of those extraordinary beings.

Heloise's expression changed abruptly, a serious look appearing in her deep purple eyes. She reached out and stopped the caravan.

"Marvin, stop."

"Young Miss, we must hurry. Lord Aiden said the goods need to be delivered before dark."

"I said, stop. This is my order to you as the head of the Seville Family caravan."

Heloise's tone was resolute, yet her watery eyes revealed an expression that brooked no refusal—a gaze unique to the Seville, which even made Marvin's heart tremble.

"Yes, Miss."

Marvin then took the order seriously and somewhat reluctantly called a halt to the guards and grooms in front of him. Everyone in the caravan stopped and waited.

However, in the eyes of this loyal old guard, this young lady, who was just starting out, was a bit too suspicious and did not have the demeanor of a successor of a great family.

This is around Victoria Harbor; who would dare to mess with the currently powerful Seville Family?

Ahead lay the narrow Karl Valley, only wide enough for one carriage to pass at a time. The Seville Family's caravan stopped outside the valley, unable to move forward.

Marvin continued to persuade her, "Miss, please don't worry."

I know this Karl Valley all too well. I've been here hundreds of times over the decades. It's more comfortable than coming home.

However, Heloise interrupted him coldly, pointing to the caravan wreckage in the distance, and commanded:

"Marvin, keep a close watch. Send another elite team over there to check the situation. If there's anything unusual, we'll go around to the east."

"But, Miss."

Marvin wanted to say something, but after seeing the unquestionable look in Heloise's eyes, he had no choice but to lower his head and obey—after all, the person in front of him was a young Golden Finch, who was very likely to become a duchess.

Just as he was about to send someone over, a heart-wrenching wail suddenly came from the front of the caravan, followed by screams from the people and the neighing of the horses.

"Ah--"

"Enemy attack! Protect the young lady!"

Marvin immediately tensed up, quickly cocked his rifle, and yelled at the guards around him.

He never expected that someone would actually dare to provoke Seville's caravan! Instantly, a neat and crisp sound rang out, and these well-trained guards quickly loaded their guns and surrounded Heloise's carriage.

Marvin leaped onto his horse and discovered the source of the wailing—a young groom had been pierced by an arrow, and blood was gushing from it.

Immediately afterwards, countless figures shrouded in black robes emerged from behind the rocks on the hillside, like shadows in the dark night.

"Praise be to the Overlord God."

"You are the only Lord of this world, the ruler of all things, and we will offer our sweet blood as a sacrifice to you."

They uttered hoarse whispers, as if in quiet prayer, and occasionally let out eerie laughter, which even made the seasoned Marvin feel a chill.

Marvin dismounted, drew his longsword, pointed it at the enemy, and shouted, "Damn cultists! Do you know who you've messed with?"

This is the Seville Family's caravan! Your actions will incur Duke Aiden's wrath! If you know what's good for you, get out of here now!

Hahahaha!

The chilling laughter rang out again, and a tall, thin man in black robes, holding Bone Staff, stood on the hillside and said in a hoarse voice, "The Seville Family, that's right, it's them! Capture Miss Heloise of the Seville Family alive! She will become the best sacrifice for the Overlord God!"

Marvin turned pale instantly, realizing that he had been negligent and made a grave mistake!

Clearly, these mysterious cultists were after the Seville Family —or more precisely, Heloise Seville! "Damn it, quick! Follow me and meet the enemy!"

"Bohr, you immediately take the personal guard and escort the young lady away! She must not be allowed to suffer even the slightest harm!"

"An enemy heading towards the Seville Family?"

Heloise looked extremely solemn, but remained calm. Escorted by her guards, she mounted her horse and fled towards the northern Grey Harbor.

"Attack! Shoot these damned cultists through the air!"

Marvin raised his rifle and fired at the black-robed man on the hillside, while the caravan guards continued to pull the trigger.

"Bang!"

"Bang! Bang!"

Hundreds of guards fired simultaneously, gunfire whistling, bullets raining down like a storm, instantly felling many of the men in black robes.

"That's it, shoot them! Show no mercy!"

But the cultists continued to laugh wildly, seemingly unconcerned about the death of their companion. The leader raised his Bone Staff, and a surge of black mist instantly swept over them.

Marvin cursed angrily, "Damn it, it's the spellcaster!"

The mages accompanying the caravan hurriedly chanted incantations, releasing beams of light from their staffs, but they still couldn't penetrate the darkness.

Meanwhile, Heloise and his group, who were retreating northward, also discovered that enemies had appeared ahead of them. Evil creatures such as Goblin, Worg, Gnoll emerged, numbering in the thousands.

Many of them had black cracks on their faces, their eyes had turned black, and they wore fanatical expressions, while whispering the name of the "Overlord God".

Such a monster army was definitely not assembled on a whim; it was clearly a long-planned ambush!

Heloise waved to her bodyguard, Bohr, and said coldly, "Stop. They've been ready for a while."

Bohr's voice trembled as he asked, "Young Miss, then, what should we do?"

Heloise said firmly, "Go back and join Marvin immediately. This is the last resort. We must hold out until Father's reinforcements arrive."

The falcon trained by the Seville Family took to the sky with a brief distress message, letting out a loud cry, while Heloise and his party rode back to the caravan's camp.

At this moment, the black fog surrounding Karl Valley grew even thicker, and the soldiers fired wildly into the darkness, yet they were still inevitably hit by arrows.

Upon seeing Heloise return, Marvin, filled with remorse and panting, said, "I'm so sorry, Miss. It was my negligence that led you to this."

Heloise interrupted him, trying to keep her voice calm, and continued, "Marvin, this was a premeditated ambush."

The north has been blockaded by the enemy's army. We must continue to hold out and wait for reinforcements. Now, all guards must obey my command.

Give me another gun.

Marvin paused for a moment, then took out a brand-new rifle from the box next to him and handed it to the young lady's slender hands.

Heloise weighed the rifle in her hand, skillfully loaded the bullets, chambered a round, then aimed at the black-robed man a hundred paces away and pulled the trigger.

"Bang!"

The cultist fell to the ground with a thud, while Marvin stared in disbelief for a long time before picking up his gun and continuing to fire.

He then truly remembered that this was the successor of the Seville Family, known as the "Blade of Victoria Harbor".

The firefight between the family guards and the men in black robes continued, with casualties on both sides, but the caravan managed to hold its ground for the time being, preventing the crazed cultists from getting close.

"Ignorant mortals, are you resisting the favor of the Overlord God?"

Just then, the leader stretched out his withered hand, tilted his head, and a strange light shone from his dark pupils.

Suddenly, a huge black vortex appeared above the caravan, attracting the surrounding vegetation, sand, and even nearby humans with its immense power.

"Gods, what is that?"

"Wow, what incredible power!"

No, no—

The guard screamed in terror and struggled, but he was still drawn into the air by the black hole, and his blood was drained in an instant.

Even the guns in their hands were sucked into the black hole and crushed into scrap metal.

"Gods? Gods are nothing but fraudsters who deceive the world! Only the Overlord God is the true home of all things!"

Blood rained down from mid-air. The man in black robes spread his arms, raised his head, and fully enjoyed this feast of carnage.

Heloise looked up at the terrifying black hole above her head, sweat dripping down her pale face, her hands gripping the carriage beside her tightly.

"This is... Psionics."

She had seen this power before, with the monks invited by Duke Aiden, only the Psionic Black Hole before her was far more malevolent.

This single move left hundreds of guards helpless, forced to watch as the cultists grew increasingly rampant, while the Goblin and Gnoll legions behind them surrounded them.

This was a premeditated attack—no, more accurately, a war—these cultists were declaring war on the Seville Family.

With Sheen Woth above, who can save them? Faced with such a dead end, even the usually composed Heloise felt a sense of despair. Clutching her gun, she leaned against the carriage and couldn't help but think this.

Just then, as if hearing Heloise's plea, a mysterious male voice appeared and clearly reached her ears.

"Heh, I didn't expect these insects to become so arrogant after only sleeping for a few hundred years."