Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 355 Ruling
The biggest problem is that no matter how beautifully the pie is drawn, it's still just a pie in the sky.

The distance between the current situation and the goals on paper is like the difference between creating a new folder and the official release of a AAA game—there's a long way to go.

Leaving aside the hardware such as castle buildings, streets, shops, mills, and fields, the shortage of manpower alone is a major problem.

What's most important when starting a business in Faerûn?

Talent!

The talent here cannot be simply grabbed from the farmers working in the fields. This is not discrimination, but given the current state of education, literacy is a luxury for farmers and even ordinary urban residents, let alone the cultivation of other abilities.

Furthermore, as summoned items, chess pieces are subject to the dual limitations of summoning time and spell slots. Just arranging their appearance time is a major headache. How can we balance the development of various functional departments?
He only regretted not having a private mage tower, otherwise, relying on the summoning circle built inside the tower, he could have greatly extended the summoned target's range of influence.

But this money-devouring beast…

Faced with a host of problems, even those who had anticipated them can feel overwhelmed.

The road ahead is long; we must take it one step at a time and not rush things.

Zhang Yuan silently gathered his scattered thoughts and refocused his gaze on the ongoing trial ceremony in front of him.

The once-brilliant eyes of the Tyr statue have dimmed, and the scales in its hands have returned to their original stone form, reverting to their simple, unadorned state, making it seem like an ordinary statue once more.

Only the longsword at his feet remained, still shining brightly with its golden light and sharp blade.

The eye of justice has closed, the scales of fairness have dimmed, the trial has ended, and all that remains is—the verdict!
Bishop Holon, the one-eyed archdeacon, declared the end of the two great families in Neverwinter with words devoid of any inflection or personal emotion.

The names Deszell and Manuel have been deeply rooted in the city for many years. In the eyes of those who believe in bloodlines and clans, these names, which carry history and the glory of their ancestors, are far more worthy of respect and praise than Aragonda, who came later.

After today, everything will be rewritten. Neither Tyr nor Nash's side is ruthless enough to eradicate all members, but the seriousness and impartiality of the trial cannot be shaken.

Those involved in the case of the worship of evil gods were all sentenced to death without exception;

Those who commit other serious crimes or misdeeds shall be dealt with in accordance with the law;

Only those with minor offenses, or those who were innocent, were expelled from Neverwinter and exiled with large caravans under armed guard.

If this was considered a minor injury, then the next announcement from another female pastor truly severed the problem:
In the name of Sheenworth, strip the Deszel and Manuel family names and all their honorary titles!

As the verdict was announced, the ashen-faced defendant collapsed to the ground, no longer even struggling. The other family members who had been watching quickly went from feeling a sense of shared grief to being utterly terrified.

This drastic, life-or-death treatment truly chilled them to the bone. Their greatest reliance, their proudest surname, was stripped away and torn apart, and their family's face was crushed and covered in dust.

It was only at this moment that they suddenly remembered that Her Majesty Sheenworth, the goddess in charge of noble lineage, was in the same camp as the Three Gods of Justice, and even her divine kingdom was located in the Three Gods Temple on Mount Paradise.

Seeing the scene before them, most of the mages remained unmoved, but Baras said to his junior with a meaningful expression:
"What they consider an everlasting legacy is nothing more than a foundation built on mud and sand, and will vanish in the blink of an eye, like chaff blown away by the wind."

"Thank you for reminding me, I understand now." The junior in front of him was humble and his speech was impeccable, but he couldn't figure out what the young man was up to. Barras said no more, leaned back in his chair, and resumed his old-fashioned demeanor as a spectator.

Zhang Yuan knew that while the other party meant well as an elder, he knew his own family best and chose to trust them. He believed that having that territory in his own hands would bring him far greater benefits and power than if it were entrusted to someone else.

What is the comparison between an academy mage holed up in an ivory tower and a powerful mage lord who commands his troops from a secluded corner?
He could, of course, take his time, cultivate in seclusion for a few years, and then emerge to stir up trouble. But time waits for no one. There are only three years left before the son of Baal of Candlekeep embarks on his destiny's journey.

Three years seems like plenty of time. After all, Zhang is a prodigy who advanced to level nine in just over a year. Three years? He'll be soaring to new heights!

Unfortunately, there are no such things as assumptions in the world, and the advancement of a mage's level is not an arithmetic sequence.

If the fourth-circle arcane spells were still in a transitional phase and their complexity had not increased significantly, then the difficulty curve showed an exponential increase after the fifth circle.

Even spells from specialized schools require considerable effort to study and master, let alone those from unfamiliar schools.

Two months have passed since Zhang Yuan was promoted to the ninth level mage, and he has only learned and mastered a handful of new spells.

To be precise, it's six fifth-circle arcane spells. At this rate, it will take several more months just to build up a sufficient spell reserve.

After a long talk and reflection, Zhang Yuan realized that he had already made a wild sprint on the path of a mage by relying on his talent, and it was time to accumulate more and refuel this supercar.

Even though he was determined to solidify his theoretical foundation, he estimated that it would take more than a year to raise his level to the point of touching the sixth ring of the magic network.

Three years. When that moment comes, he'll be grateful if he can even reach the threshold of a high-level mage.

Indeed, regardless of where they are—whether in the frigid Northlands, the Sword Coast where hidden talents abound, or further south in Ascatra and Kalinsan—high-ranking mages always occupy the upper echelons of power.

Although there is a saying: "Liches are everywhere and legends are as common as dogs," that's just a saying. The ultimate powerhouses at the top of the pyramid are not so rampant as to be seen everywhere like moss after rain.

However, this strength is truly insufficient when facing the turbulent times and swirling eddies that Faerûn will face in the future.

Leaving aside other places, how many major events have occurred in Neverwinter alone? When the tide sweeps in, who can remain unscathed?

Moreover, Zhang Yuan wanted more than just self-preservation. The greater the crisis, the greater the turmoil and danger, the greater the opportunity.

He wasn't very clear about other historical processes, but the benefits contained in the fateful journeys of the protagonists of Baldur and Neverwinter were an irresistible treasure trove, making Master Zhang extremely eager.

In any case, given that the growth of one's own strength has slowed down and requires time to accumulate and hone, it is inevitable to strengthen one's power through other means.

The idea is good, but we'll have to wait and see how it turns out.

Thank you to Gu Dao Wu Wo Wan Gu Ru Chang Ye for the monthly ticket support, thank you.

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(End of this chapter)