Azure Scepter

Page 158

"It's a long story," the orc chuckled.

Unlike his usual gentle demeanor, Seres said in a deep voice, "I'm afraid you'll have to explain yourself."

The two stared at each other, neither willing to give in. After a long while, the orc sighed and then seemed to utter a curse in orcish slang.

“I originally thought that Lord Trill had only found the legacy of a master by chance,” the orc said. “And his offer was too high—so I originally planned to just steal the treasury where his knowledge was stored.”

"However...then...the wraith I sent out...is...still...not yet back," the metallic monster added. "Obviously...obviously...my wraith was captured, and...and...I sensed an extremely astonishing magical fluctuation. I...I have no...any hostility. It's up to you to mediate."

at the same time--

Trier sat at the table, staring at the messy sketches on it, trying to figure out the possibility of maintaining the underground entrance to Wirth through some kind of self-operating ritual.

There is no doubt that the crowd and Saint Seir have joined forces, which also means that I must make a new contingency plan.

"If only I had a group of high-level mages to assist me."

Trier threw down his pen, stood up, walked slowly to the window, and shook his head.

"With so many people in the Kingdom of Orko, how come they can't even find a few qualified mages? That's outrageous."

"I still have to play along..."

Just as he was talking to himself, suddenly, a fair human hand reached up from under the floor!

Trier was stunned for a moment, then realized that it was Neuer who had passed through the wall under the floor.

"Master, I've captured an unknown ghost. It's possible that enemies have already invaded the castle." Noi's tone was serious, her wine-red eyes filled with worry.

After saying that, she reached for the floor and a strange, wriggling spherical object appeared in her palm.

“This is… a ghost?” Trier took the spherical object, examined it for a few seconds, and then asked uncertainly, “Why is it spherical—how did you do that?”

“I used the healing technique to create a cage and locked it inside,” Noy blinked innocently. “It seems to be working quite well.”

The transmigrator fell silent.

For a moment, even he was somewhat amazed by Noy's skill in tormenting the undead.

"Master, please be careful, this monster might let out a banshee's howl," Noi warned. "It's quite dangerous."

Trier nodded and casually cast a "Silence" spell that could affect the entire room.

He drew his longsword, observed for a moment, and then used Holy Healing to directly melt the almost imperceptible positive energy cage of the ghost's outer shell.

In an instant, the wriggling spherical object suddenly expanded, and in less than half a breath, a female spirit in a tattered long dress suddenly appeared in the room.

Trier's pupils contracted slightly.

This isn't a ghost, it's a banshee!

In the game "Azure Scepter", this thing has a challenge level of up to 18! It is even the banshee in the ninth-ring necromancy spell "Banshee's Howl" refers to this thing!

And then this dangerous spirit was so easily caught by Noy and turned into a ball?

Trier subconsciously scrutinized the banshee in front of him.

At this moment, the banshee, who should have attacked all living things out of her bloodlust, actually cowered in a corner far from Noy. Her rotting face displayed a strange expression that simultaneously conveyed resentment, hatred, and a pleading look.

Trier looked at Noe with a complicated expression.

PS: Second update! More tomorrow!

Chapter 305 Swords Talk

Trier knew very well that Noy's fighting ability increased along with her own strength. The fact that Noy could subdue the Banshee so easily meant that Trier could do the same.

With that thought in mind, he snapped his fingers, canceling the silence spell that had been cast over the room.

The banshee trembled slightly, cowering in the corner, and made no attempt to howl.

"How did you do that?" Trier asked, glancing at the Banshee's bizarre behavior.

Noi reached out and smoothed a strand of silver hair behind her ear, then smiled faintly and said, "In the right place, with the right divine spell, it will learn quickly."

Pavlov's dog, right? But even banshees don't have the physiological basis for conditioned reflexes... and is divine magic really used for this?

Trier couldn't help but grumble to himself.

“Look, she seemed to be an elf in her past life,” Noy said, her voice trembling. “Hey, she looks a bit like Fythia.”

Aside from both being elves, they have absolutely no similarities. Trier continued to complain in his mind.

He shook his head, ignoring Noy's cryptic remarks, then turned to the Banshee: "Where did you come from? What is your purpose?"

Upon hearing Trier's words, the banshee, who had been hanging her head in dejection, suddenly raised her head, her rotting, pus-filled eyes revealing a look of resentment and contempt.

“Speak, then speak.” Noi frowned slightly and whispered, “Don’t try to challenge your master’s authority.”

The banshee shivered, then spoke haltingly in a hoarse, icy voice, "I...I'm here to deliver a message. I come from the City That Never Sleeps in the Great Swamp. I'm a messenger!"

Trier's expression remained calm, but he felt quite pleased inside.

Good heavens, this is like a pillow being delivered to someone who's just fallen asleep—the City That Never Sleeps is full of mages.

As long as I have the support of some of them, there will be no resistance to maintaining my plan to enter the entrance to the underground mirror city of Wirth.

But why would they appear in the Southern Duchy?

He pondered for a moment, then realized a possibility—it seemed that the blind old mage he had sent out a few weeks ago had returned with people.

With that thought in mind, Trier looked down at the Banshee and asked in a kind tone, "Where is your master now?"

“I am bound by a contract,” the banshee shook her head.

Noy sneered and succinctly threatened, "Don't lie."

The banshee's already mournful face seemed even more grief-stricken now, her voice almost choked with sobs: "He's in Wilt, in the tavern on Mud Street. Please let me go, I beg you, I'll do anything."

“…” Trier paused for a moment, then continued, “Who is your master?”

“I don’t know his name. I found this job through the contract labor market, and I really can’t lose it… All I know is that he has a rather strong orc follower.”

The Great Swamp region south of the Southern Duchy is the center of necromancy research in the entire Material Plane. Although it is teeming with the undead, it is also home to many living people, such as the barbarian Galber, who is a native of the area.

Although the Great Swamp is chaotic, its market economy is extremely developed. In order to compete for jobs with the tireless undead, the living sometimes have to wear undead prosthetic bodies... As for various high-ranking undead with intelligence, they sometimes sell their labor.

"Is your master made entirely of machinery, seemingly driven entirely by brass springs?" Trier asked.

The succubus was stunned. She nodded hesitantly: "How did you know?"

Trier didn't answer, but he could no longer hide the smile on his lips. The other person was an old acquaintance from his past in the game—the lich "Parallelist" Orenroz.

It's time to set off and have a heart-to-heart talk with this old friend I don't know yet.

“Master, shall I go with you?” Noi asked.

Trier shook his head: "I'm fine on my own. Go help Edith organize the Asmo army."

"No, please don't tell on me! Otherwise, I'll not only lose my job, but I'll also have to pay a penalty for breach of contract! Don't go! Please!" the banshee screamed.

Trier frowned slightly: "Don't worry, you definitely won't lose your job because of this."

After saying that, he stepped into the shadows and disappeared from the banshee's sight.

At this moment, inside the tavern—

“I will go to see Lord Trier this afternoon,” Cyrus said in a deep voice, “but I cannot guarantee success, nor can I guarantee that I will not reveal your whereabouts.”

The orc's voice was cold: "I like honesty. It's efficient. Regardless of success or failure, this deposit is yours."

“I rarely accept deposits,” Seres shook his head. “Let’s talk about it after it’s done.”

“Your approach is inefficient,” the orc shook his head. “False, artificial morality is hindering your progress.”

“Your insights are so insightful!” Jasmine exclaimed eagerly.

“At least I will try to recommend you to Trier, and we’ll talk about it after I meet him.” Despite his wife’s objections, Cyrus made his decision definitively.

Suddenly, a male voice rang out beside him: "Then you can take it now."

Seres instinctively turned his head to look, then was so frightened that he stood up abruptly.

"Lord Trier, what are you doing here?!" Ceres stammered. "How did you find me?"

“You said my name, so I can naturally sense it,” Trier said casually as he sat down next to Seres.

—Since Trier gained divinity, he could indeed vaguely sense others calling him, but because he did not have divinity, he could not accurately locate and respond. However, with the approximate location revealed by the banshee, Trier immediately locked onto the exact location.

Seres and Jesmin were both stunned.

Is Trier Saint Trier? This clearly falls within the realm of a saint's abilities.

The orc mage opposite him nodded thoughtfully: "You are Trill?"

Trier nodded slightly: "So, it was the old mage who found you?"

“Obviously,” the orc said. “We also replaced his eyes with vampire eyes, just as you instructed in your letter.”

At this moment, the old mage, who had been silent all along, gave an awkward smile, then untied the ribbon covering his eyes: "Lord Trier, I have completed your mission."

“Well done,” Trier said. “I will also keep my second promise. Once everything is settled, I will help you take your necromancy skills to the next level.”

Having said that, he turned to the orc: "So, let's get straight to the point—I need to hire at least twenty well-trained high-ranking mages and one hundred apprentices who graduated from the Scholomance Academy for at least six months, and the compensation will be the knowledge I mentioned in the letter; in addition, I can provide extra knowledge about a single life box corresponding to multiple bodies."

The metallic monster, Orenroz, nodded slightly, gears creaking, and a puff of steam slowly billowed from the chimney behind him: "Lord Trier, you...you certainly know how to be concise. I agree, I agree, that's generous."

However, the orc mage suddenly sneered: "Excuse my offense, but as everyone knows, a single body can correspond to a split phylactery, but a single phylactery cannot correspond to multiple bodies. This is determined by the process of the soul being projected through the astral plane. Your knowledge in this area is less knowledge and more the ramblings of a madman."

"Moreover, if I'm not mistaken, you've only lived for less than 30 years. Even if you're a Silver Wizard, the guardian of knowledge, you couldn't possibly understand these complex academic issues—let alone a Paladin. This is absurd, Lord Trier."

“I know most of the necromancers in the world, and you are certainly not one of them, so we can rule out the possibility that you are a lich who has possessed a young body. So, Lord Trier, I mean no offense, but your words are just too suspicious—I have ample reason to suspect that you are trying to scam me.”

Trier gave the orc a deep look, then suddenly drew his sword.

The hum of the blade was fleeting, and thick blood gushed onto the wall like a geyser. The orc's strong, headless body slowly slumped onto the table.

Trier shook the blood off his sword, then sheathed it. Only then did the orc's hideous head fall silently to the ground.

—His sword was too fast; the sudden killing was completed in the blink of an eye, and Trier didn't even attract the attention of the others in the tavern.

"?!"

At this moment, although the tavern was still bustling with activity, the elf Jesmin, the military contractor Seris, and the old mage were all dumbfounded.

Killing someone over a mere disagreement? Trier isn't that kind of person.

The waitress who had been watching from the side covered her mouth and chuckled softly. She turned slightly and then disappeared into the candlelight.

At this moment, the metal monster Orenroz seemed to be completely enraged, and he even stopped stuttering.

“Trill, what do you mean by this?” it said in a deep voice.

“Just to prove something.” Trier picked up the orc’s head and placed it on the table. “To prove that you know my technical approach is feasible.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Orenroz’s voice grew colder. “This is a provocation against us, Trier. Even if you are a saint of the Church of Radiance, you have crossed the line.”

"Come on, Orenrods, you and I both know perfectly well that the orc is your other body—you can control two bodies yourself, don't you think what you just said was absurd?"

The metal monster's aggressive aura suddenly froze, and the lights in his eye sockets flashed red and blue alternately.

PS: This is the first update. There will be another update later.

Chapter 306 Mind-Stealing Lich

The elf Jasmine was completely dumbfounded; she had no idea what was going on.

Why did Trier suddenly kill someone?

What does it mean that "a half-orc is your other body"?

Could it be that the refined, generous half-orc and the metal monster who can't even speak properly are the same person?

What are they talking about?

The dizzy elf stared blankly at her husband beside her, only to find that he was also looking bewildered.

Trier picked up a tissue from the table, casually wiped the blood off his hands, and said leisurely, "A few weeks ago, Morion died in the Southern Duchy—I killed him. With Morion dead, no one can compete with you for the resources for research on lich transformation innovation."

“I do not like Morion,” the Metal Man said calmly, “but I value the lives of every colleague.”

“Don’t joke around, dear Orenrods.” Trier slowly put down the blood-stained tissue. “You hired a dark elf assassin, but Morion was already dead before she even set off.”

"Who exactly are you, Trier?" the metallic monster asked in a deep voice. "What do you want?"

Trier spread his hands and said calmly, "I am Trier, without a doubt. My purpose is very simple, as I said before, I want to prove that the technical route of controlling multiple bodies with a single life box is feasible."

The metal monster Orenroz tapped the table with his metal hand.