Magic Exchange Conference

However, when news of Morton's fall reached Keren Royal Capital, it caused one uproar after another.

In Keren Royal Capital, Cleveland sat on the throne, his face so dark it looked as if water might drip from it. News of the main city's fall and the legion's annihilation had reached the palace that morning. Cleveland had been so anxious to convene an assembly that he hadn't even noticed his crown was crooked. The other nobles had noticed, but seeing his expression, they didn't dare say a word and pretended not to see it.

"I've just received word from the front. The Third Legion has been wiped out..." Cleveland looked down at the ministers, but they weren't all that surprised. Instead, their faces were full of worry.

"You all knew?" Cleveland asked, anger rising in his heart.

Finance Minister Isli hesitated, then said softly, "Your Majesty, the whole capital has been buzzing with the news since yesterday. It simply hadn't been confirmed, so we didn't dare report it."

Cleveland slumped wearily on the throne and pressed a hand to his forehead, as though it pained him.

After a long silence, he spoke in a slightly hoarse voice. "This Demon Beast breached one of my border cities without the aid of any siege weapons, and wiped out the entire Third Legion, one of the kingdom's three great legions. And now its leader has brazenly declared that in twenty days, he'll be sitting on my throne, drinking wine! What do you suggest?"

The nobles looked at one another and whispered among themselves, but fell silent under Cleveland's gaze.

"Are you just going to wait and watch him sit on my throne and drink wine a month from now?!"

"Crash!" Cleveland hurled the cup beside him to the floor. His furious roar reverberated throughout the palace, making the two ministers in the front row flinch.

"Your Majesty..." Finance Minister Isli spoke again. "Your Majesty, the Magic Guilds of the neighboring kingdoms are holding a Magic Exchange Conference, and the venue is here in our capital. I believe the Third Legion lost to the Demon Beast because we knew too little about it and because our magical strength remains too weak. If we can hasten our research into this newly discovered Demon Beast species and obtain help from the Magic Guilds of the other kingdoms, defeating them shouldn't be too difficult..."

Cleveland's gaze swept over the other ministers. "Did you hear him? Did you see? When the kingdom's security is threatened, the mighty Keren Kingdom has to rely on its Finance Minister for military advice! What about the rest of you? Are you all useless?!"

"Your Majesty, I request the help of the Magic Guild. I will lead the First Legion to reclaim our lost territory and exterminate the Demon Beasts!" Yarman, commander of the First Legion, suddenly stepped forward and declared with conviction.

"At last, a general who's actually alive!" Cleveland said with deep displeasure. Then he turned to Yarman. "The mages in the Magic Guild are a bunch of selfish old fools who don't care a whit for royal authority. Are you sure you can get them to help?"

Yarman gave a strange smile. "Your Majesty, aren't they holding a Magic Exchange Conference? Even if they call it an exchange, guilds from different kingdoms and provinces are bound to compete for the top spots. And actual combat is the only true test of fighting strength. If we offer a big enough reward for the conference, I believe those old fools will be willing to move their exchange from a training ground full of targets to a battlefield where they can conquer Demon Beasts..."

"At last, I've heard something that doesn't make me angry. Yarman, you'll handle this matter entirely. You have three days. In three days, I want to see the First Legion's soldiers off at the city gates as they set out to fight the Demon Beasts and reclaim our lost territory!"

"No, Your Majesty. I'm confident I can persuade those mages today. Tomorrow, tomorrow our army will set out to reclaim our lost territory!"

"Excellent, Yarman. Exterminate these Demon Beasts, and I'll make you a marquis!"

On the bustling streets of the capital, Ye Yan walked out of a magic shop. He weighed the dozen or so gold coins in his hand, then slipped them into his pocket. Two mages followed closely behind him.

Three days earlier, on Ye Luo's orders, he had assembled a merchant caravan and set out for the capital to gather information. After selling the goods to the shops, he had earned little more than enough to cover the travel expenses, but Ye Yan didn't mind. He led the two mages behind him toward a tavern. In any kingdom, taverns were undoubtedly the perfect breeding ground for news and rumors.

"Damn it, mages really do get treated like nobles. When we warriors are conscripted, where do we ever get rewards that big? Tsk, tsk, Merlin's Robe. That magical robe must be worth at least eight thousand gold coins on the market..."

"Eight thousand? You couldn't buy one for ten thousand! Merlin's a Radiant Mage, with fire magic mastery at the pinnacle. How could his robe be measured in gold coins? Tsk, the Keren royal family was lucky to get their hands on it. For a hundred years, the capital's Magic Guild has repeatedly asked for the robe, but the royal family always refused. I can't believe they've finally brought it out!"

"Heh, that Demon Beast species is finished. The mages from the six great kingdoms have gathered here. Even if they're only members of the Magic Guilds, there must be at least a thousand of them..."

Ye Yan's heart stirred, and he relayed every word he'd heard to Ye Luo. The Flying Ant on his shoulder transmitted the scene directly into Ye Luo's mind as well.

In the enormous bedroom of the City Lord's Mansion in Morton, Ye Luo listened to Ye Yan and the Flying Ant's reports while looking at Caroline, who wore nothing but her undergarments.

She was a stubborn girl. Her golden hair was tied in a high ponytail, and a warrior's spirited glint often shone in her eyes. Her small, delicate red lips were irresistibly alluring. As a fourth-tier Silver Warrior, her breasts were a little small, but they were surely more supple and resilient than those of other girls.

A true beauty!

Ye Luo drained the red wine in his goblet. "Caroline, I won't deny that you're very tempting, but I'd still like to hear your reason. Only then can I set my mind at ease and fully enjoy your service..."

"..." Caroline gritted her teeth, her face full of helplessness and despair. "Because... because the Barute Chamber of Commerce is our enemy. He has Ye Luo's backing, and sooner or later he'll retaliate against us."

Ye Luo looked at her with a trace of sympathy. "Why bother? Why should two women have to compete with a bunch of stinking men?"

"..." Caroline remained silent.

Ye Luo sighed. His long-suppressed desire, the repeated betrayals by humans, and the loneliness and anger in his heart—all his complicated emotions surged together. His clothes instantly burst apart. With a wave of his hand, an invisible force pulled Caroline into his arms!

"Ye Yan, take your squad and return at once. I already have a plan for dealing with these mages!" After giving Ye Yan his orders, Ye Luo shut out all outside sensations.

The bedroom was filled with passion...