What's wrong with me, a mage, loving to farm?

Chapter 154 The Loyalty of the Punished, The Dragon in the Moon Sea

Chapter 154. The Loyalty of the Punished, The Dragon in the Moon Sea (5K)

Now that the Baron has officially pledged allegiance to Kroya, Kroya's attitude towards him will naturally be different.

The monk ordered food to be brought over, including bread, milk tea, and exquisite dairy pastries—all things that Robert had taught him, and as a former knight, he knew these things all too well.

Sweets can lift your spirits and provide energy, making them perfect for our conversation right now.

Kroya casually sat down to the side, picked up her milk tea, took a small sip, and the sweet taste immediately filled her mouth.

The rich aroma of rock sheep milk blends perfectly with the lily of the valley petals, creating a flavorful yet light and refreshing drink that's incredibly comforting on a cold day.

He narrowed his eyes with pleasure, looked at the Baron, and asked, "What are your plans next?"

Upon hearing Kroya's question, the Baron immediately put down his bread, sat up straight, and replied, "According to the laws of the Kingdom of Norland, those of lower rank can challenge those of higher rank to gain promotion."

I intend to challenge Viscount Bernard for his lands and title.

This was clearly something he had thought about for a long time.

His eyes were burning with ambition, and his tone was excited: "I've been preparing for a long time to challenge him."

With my men, weapons, and my own strength, there should be no possibility of failure.

"Oh." Kroya took another sip of milk tea and continued, "What level is that viscount? How many superhumans does he have under his command?"

"The viscount himself is a second-level knight, and he has thirty first-level knights under his command."

It's clear that Kemoye had already done his research, otherwise he wouldn't have blurted it out so easily.

"Second-level knights, and thirty first-level knights."

This number was much less than he had imagined. A viscount, and he only had this little fighting power?

That's a viscount, you know.

Logically speaking, with a territory spanning tens of thousands of acres, one should have at least a hundred first-level knights and a dozen or so second-level knights under their command, if not several hundred.

He felt that if all the mage and knight apprentices he was training were to rush in, they could overturn the Viscount's territory.

If he were to take action himself, the other party probably wouldn't last even half a minute.

Kroya curled her lip in disdain: "If you can control Thorns, you should be able to defeat him easily."

"Why does he have so few superhumans under his command?"

The baron said, "He has only recently become a viscount and hasn't had time to properly manage his territory yet."

Moreover… I heard he doesn’t have a complete knight training method.”

"That makes sense," Chloe said thoughtfully. "Without a knight training method, the knights have no choice but to learn it themselves."

"You only mentioned his superhuman abilities, not the military. Did you not pay attention to these things?"

"no!"

The baron quickly shook his head and explained, "My lord, you don't know, challenges from a lower-ranking person to a higher-ranking person can only be decided among extraordinary individuals."

It will not involve their respective armies.

This is the law of the kingdom.

"Ha, this law is really quite unique."

Kroya had never heard of such things before and asked curiously, "If the army isn't allowed to be used, then what use is the lord's army?"

In his understanding, wars between lords and nobles should be a contest of the quantity and quality of their armies and the sophistication of their weapons and armor. Has it really come down to lords fighting each other?

Even in a game of checkmates, this isn't how you play.

No wonder the quality of the army here is so poor. They only care about the superhumans and don't improve the abilities of their troops. It's no wonder they're so bad.

The baron scratched his head and replied, "These are laws and rules personally established by the king, and they contain instructions from the church."

"The Church?" Kroya narrowed his eyes. "They wouldn't be saying that a large-scale war would affect the lower classes, so they won't allow it, would they?"

"That's pretty much what you said, Master."

"..."

Kroya shook her head.

He had learned about the church; their most impressive feature was their training methods for holy warriors and paladins. While not everyone became a superhuman, their combat abilities were still incredibly impressive.

If a low-level superhuman were surrounded and attacked by such an army, they would definitely die a very miserable death.

He didn't want the nobles of the Kingdom of Norland to care about their own armies, but he had an extremely elite army of his own...

Wouldn't that mean you could knead it however you want?

Couldn't that king see something that's so obvious with just a little thought?

Or was this promise made under duress?

After thinking about it for a moment, Kroya didn't pay much attention to it.

The matter was too far removed from him, so he didn't need to worry about it too much. Besides, for the time being, such rules were beneficial to him.

This makes it easier for him to do some subtle things.

Extraordinary?

He now has enough resources to train a battle mage corps or a knight corps.

Besides, he is a mage, not part of the kingdom's administrative system. What does the king's order have to do with a mage?

He would definitely train his troops; it's unimaginable how powerful a fully dedicated, disciplined army could be.

Moreover, now that he is a level four mage, he can pay a little attention to the Mage Association. Wasn't the mentor of the mage who murdered "him" only a level four mage?

With so many cheat codes at his disposal, if he can't easily crush his opponent, he might as well just find a tofu block to smash his head against and die.

However, before seeking revenge, it's essential to understand Estner first; knowing your enemy is the key to victory.

He will reclaim everything that belongs to him; and he will absolutely take revenge on those who deserve it.

After a brief moment of thought, he came to his senses and said to the Baron, "I will have my mages and knight apprentices help you. You should take control of the Viscount's territory as soon as possible."

Komoye was overjoyed: "Thank you, Lord Komoye!"

If he was 90% sure before, now he's absolutely 100% sure.

Kroya waved his hand: "No need to be polite. I need you to help me find out what's going on outside. Try to bring the nearby barons under your command as well."

My requirement for you is that you must at least completely control the territory surrounding Hanjiao Island.

Then you can expand outwards.

You can expand with confidence. I will provide you with the necessary logistical supplies and manpower. You don't need to worry about anything else.

If you find any magical beasts or plants, just send them all to me.

There are some things that Chloe can't do, but if Komoye does them, there won't be so many problems.

He planned to gradually cultivate Kemoye and bring him to the forefront, while he would secretly manipulate things. Unless there was something that Kemoye couldn't handle, he wouldn't personally take action.

"I understand, sir."

Baron Camille was extremely excited.

With the help of the master, he couldn't even imagine how smoothly things would go.

"Monsters and magical plants... how about we entrust the monsters and magical plants in our territory to Lord Kroya for care?"

The baron pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "My lord, there's a group of level one magical beasts, Sugar-eared Rabbits, in the forest next to my territory. Would you like some?"

"Sugar-eared rabbits?" Kroya asked curiously. "What's so special about them?"

"Their ears can be broken off and taste just like candy."

"And these wondrous magical beasts? Of course I want them! Any magical beasts or magical plants can be sent over; I want them all!"

"OK."

The Baron nodded in agreement.

He has decided to find more magical beasts and magical plants, and send the first batch back after he returns. He only needs to focus on expanding his territory.

Over the next period of time, Kroya discussed some more matters with him before getting up to leave.

He planned to eliminate the training methods of the tortured men and knight apprentices in one fell swoop, and then send them out.

Then all you have to do is wait for your subordinates to bring your things to the island.

……

A few minutes later, on the upper level of the castle.

Kroya looked at the prisoners who had been brought over and smiled slightly: "Living quite well?"

The prisoners vaguely knew why Chloe had summoned them—they had already met Mil, who was now able to control magic!

You should know that for them, becoming a mage is almost an obsession.

And now... that wish is within reach.

They couldn't wait to see Kroya.

"It's all thanks to the Master's excellent management."

It was Otto who spoke on their behalf again. This tall, warrior-like man looked at Kroya and got straight to the point.

"Sir, we are willing to serve you as our master."

This was the second time he had said it, but unlike the first time, he didn't kneel down in a dramatic way. He just spoke like this, but the credibility of the statement was obviously not the same.

"What can you offer?"

Kroya said calmly, "To make you like normal mages, I will have to pay a very high price."

Besides, I think it's better to allocate resources to the apprentices under my command rather than training you.

These words sounded like the truth to the prisoners—they couldn't believe what price they had to pay to become mages.

Even the archbishops of the church and the grand mages of the mage association couldn't do it back then. What price will this lord have to pay?

Are they... worth this price?

Besides, everyone knows that it's definitely better to cultivate your own subordinates from a young age than to give resources to newcomers who haven't been here long.

During their time there, Kroya deliberately ignored their status as prisoners, making them feel that they were nothing special.

This approach proved very effective. The people on Han Reef Island didn't react much to them; they just felt they were a little special.

The reason is simple: they've seen far too many of them, whether they're magical plants, magical beasts, or mage apprentices, they frequently appear in their daily lives.

Furthermore, Kroya himself is an incredibly powerful mage. Compared to him, the other mages are completely insignificant, let alone some of the tortured ones.

At first, I was fascinated by it, but later I became less and less interested.

Upon hearing Kroya's words, several of the prisoners bit their lips, their faces turning pale.

Otto sighed softly.

"Sir, since you're willing to let us stay here, you must have your reasons."

"We are willing to give you everything, and only if you are willing to accept us and solve our problems can our lives belong to you."

He pulled out an ancient parchment contract from his inner clothing and bowed to Kroya.

Kroya glanced at the contract and saw blood-based runes and a name on it... It was a master-servant blood pact.

Once Kroya leaves his own magical mark on it, the person bound by this contract will never be able to leave him again until the end of their life and the decay of their soul.

"You actually carry your own blood pact with you at all times."

Kroya casually waved his hand, and the parchment flew into his hand automatically. He looked down at it.

"Oh, this is the miner's contract for the Yavana Sacred Mine."

After glancing at it a few times, a flame rose from his fingertips, and he rolled the parchment into it. This magical parchment could withstand the erosion of time and most magic, but it could not withstand his power.

"Sizzle sizzle"

The yellowish parchment quickly turned into ashes in the tricolored flames, and with a gentle breeze, it vanished completely.

The victims' eyes widened in shock.

"you……"

This thing is made of the skin of a golden goat, and it can withstand most magic and sword strikes. They can't even break the contract.

It's gone now!

As they watched the parchment completely vanish, they felt a mix of emotions—surprise, shock, and a sense of relief and liberation.

"Contracts can only bind your bodies," Kroya said, looking at them. "What I want is your complete and utter loyalty."

He no longer needs to rely on contracts.

I've always been skeptical about how much loyalty comes from a contract.

Moreover, the existence of this contract is probably a thorn stuck in the hearts of these prisoners, a past they can never get rid of.

The prisoners exchanged glances and knelt down in unison.

"...My lord, since you are also unwilling to accept our contract, then let time prove us right."

"We are willing to serve you as our Lord!"

This was the third time he had said it, and Kroya finally smiled—it was at this moment that he finally sensed a change in the music in these guys' hearts.

That was the music of loyalty.

He looked down at the prisoners and nodded slightly:

"Then let time prove you right, I'm looking forward to it..."

"Now you need to get some sleep, and when you wake up, everything will be alright."

The mage gently waved his hand, and soft music and magic flowed into their ears and bodies. Even the strongest consciousness had no chance of resisting his power.

In just a few seconds, they were sprawled out in all sorts of crooked and twisted positions.

"Hehe, your magic is mine now."

Kroya looked at them and began to examine the wounds on their bodies. Since she had experience with this before, it went very smoothly this time.

He played the gopher harp, sending its gentle and elegant melodies into their wounds, communicating with the spatial rift.

The spatial rift sensed this power and actively transmitted its magic, while it itself absorbed Kroa's magic and even transmitted some pleasant consciousness.

Seventeen people, their backs wounds simultaneously gushing forth a continuous stream of magical power.

A massive amount of magic converged into a blue river, flowing past Kroa before finally converging into the Void Moon Divine Tree.

This time... it didn't just light up one branch, but gradually illuminated the entire tree trunk!

The surface of the trunk of the Void Moon Divine Tree lit up with extremely intricate patterns, like characters, densely covering the lit area.

The sea, stretching for thousands of miles, came alive, with waves surging and seemingly echoing with the soft, ethereal song of mermaids.

A clear, blue-purple magic illuminated the sea, shaping, or rather, creating, a kind of life within it…

Kroya couldn't be distracted, so she only glanced at it before continuing to focus on playing the gopher harp.

He wanted to see if he could communicate with the spatial rifts within these people's wounds through his own consciousness.

But the result was not as he expected.

The spatial rift was enjoying itself, but it had no intention of paying any attention to Kroa.

After about ten minutes, it finally expelled some more ethereal moss and then closed up completely, no longer paying attention to Kroa's magic.

"...Why does it feel like these demonic mosses are my reward?"

Kroa had a strange feeling about her.

This guy is like someone who gives a tip after a massage parlor session; there are clearly more of these magic mosses than before, and it's even giving them to them voluntarily.

This suggests that the spatial rift may indeed be sentient.

"But it still didn't work out in the end, and I don't know if communicating more will make a difference."

Kroya shook his head helplessly and let go of his hand.

After the Gopherwood Harp landed, it transformed into Gopherwood and walked on its roots, eventually settling in a nearby magic field.

He got up and walked to the crystal bottle containing the Void Moon Divine Tree, stared inside, and muttered to himself:

"To give birth to life... So you have this ability too."

Although I am very curious about what kind of life could be born from this, it has not yet fully taken shape.

Moreover, he wanted to strike while the iron was hot and plant the magic grapevines in these people, so he temporarily put it aside and went to plant grapevines for the tortured people first.

The process went very smoothly this time, and the plants were planted quickly.

He then directly awakened these prisoners.

"You guys give it a try."

I didn't say much, I just told them to give it a try.

The prisoners immediately began to mobilize the magic power within their bodies, and surprisingly, it went very smoothly; they were able to cast spells effortlessly.

"Ah, I can cast spells now!"

"Master!"

"I'm a mage now!"

They cheered and jumped for joy, embracing each other and shedding tears. The feeling of fulfilling a long-cherished wish was truly overwhelming for them.

Kroya made them happy for a while, then clapped his hands.

They immediately quieted down after hearing the sound.

"grown ups!"

The group looked at Kroya with warm and grateful eyes.

"Mir has the magic books I gave you. Go and study them carefully. In three days, I will arrange for the apprentices to go out and train."

You just go with them and make sure they are safe.

After giving the order, Kroya waved for them to leave.

They certainly didn't dare to be negligent. After bowing, they left quickly, and jumped for joy as soon as they left the laboratory.

Kroya, who saw this scene through the "monitoring" of the Woody Vine King, shook his head and didn't pay much attention to it.

He had already set his sights on the crystal bottle.

Inside, a small figure is gradually taking shape.

A long neck, a body covered in moon-white scales, and enormous wings...