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

Chapter 256 The Patricide Plan, the Identity of the God of Order

Chapter 256. The Patricide Plan, the Identity of the God of Order

Over the next few days, no matter how quickly the Duke's side moved the camps, every afternoon an unbearable, cursed hunger would erupt.

This hunger drives them to overeat, consuming several times the normal amount of food at each meal.

Once things returned to normal, Dukes Olivier and Nar immediately sent people to investigate, thoroughly digging up the entire military camp.

Strangely, so many mages, warriors, knights, and magical beasts were involved. Even several priests were summoned, but none of them could figure out what had happened.

Even more bizarrely, apart from hunger, nothing else happened. They could even feel their physical strength and magic power were exceptionally abundant, even stronger than usual.

So gradually, the two dukes just let it go.

After all, for superhumans, eating more is a good thing in a sense. Being able to absorb so much food containing nutrition and magic helps them become stronger quickly.

The dragons can attest to this.

however……

Another half month passed, and the dukes' expressions changed because the food supply was becoming insufficient.

The Kingdom of Norland's food production was already somewhat low during this period, and in addition, the Royal Court and the Mage Association were unable to receive the food sold by Kroya.

Another group of superhumans were feasting and drinking excessively, and the food was being consumed faster than it was burning.

It's important to know that extraordinary individuals, especially knight warriors, require an astonishing amount of food each day. The Nar monster, for example, consumes as much as two hundred kilograms of meat and other magical plants, fruits, and vegetables daily.

Magicians are slightly better off, but they still need to eat fresh vegetables and fruits and require an elegant, aromatherapy environment for meditation—they're incredibly refined.

The biggest factor limiting war has always been logistical issues, and this is no exception even in a magical world like this.

Although Duke Olivier's battle mage corps all possessed spatial magic devices to varying degrees, the problem was... how could noble mages use magic devices to carry food?

Even Duke Olivier wouldn't dare issue such an order. After all, Olivier is a mage. Even if he can't stay here, he can always find another place to continue enjoying his privileged treatment.

As food became increasingly scarce, the two dukes finally couldn't resist getting together.

They looked at each other, their eyes filled with embarrassment and awkwardness. They hadn't expected to have to worry about food.

"This war must end."

Duke Olivier spoke first, setting the tone: "That wall of steel has already swallowed too many people. Can you bring in more troops to attack?"

He wisely avoided mentioning the food issue, something they both knew about, so there was no need to emphasize it repeatedly.

Duke Nar's expression was grim. It had been almost a month, and they had tried to dismantle the steel wall with magic and brute force, but it was growing back faster than they were dismantling it.

Even the Battle Mage Corps and the Nar Warbeast Corps returned empty-handed—the former was driven away by a bunch of silver walls of grass and sunflowers and mages; the latter was chased around by some strange bamboo and knights.

The army, which had won by sheer numbers, was forced to endure what seemed like endless magical attacks within that narrow passage, and not a single corpse could be found, as if it were an abyss that devoured life.

In the war so far, only in the first instance were they like mice being toyed with by a cat, completely helpless.

Of course, they were extremely angry, but after that anger came a fear that felt like falling into an ice cellar—if Kroya really wanted to fight them head-on…did they really have any hope?

Even if the fighting continues, how many resources will it consume? If too many resources are consumed, will someone take advantage of the situation?

Nobles are both proud and pragmatic in certain matters.

Now, Kroya has proven with his abilities that he can withstand them, and even deal with them using some underhanded tactics outside of war.

Under these circumstances, they really had to consider ending the war.

"Let the Heraldry come," Duke Nar sighed deeply. "We recommend him for Heraldry; he should have no problem getting the title of Duke."

The implication was that a dukedom should be offered as reparations for the war.

Both of them were Grand Dukes during the founding of the nation. If they jointly recommended him, it would indeed be possible for the Heraldry and the royal family behind him to grant him a title.

If you can't beat them, you become friends. To put it bluntly, this war was started because they were robbed of their treasures and couldn't stand it. It wasn't a real life-or-death struggle for survival.

Duke Olivier nodded: "Alright, then send someone to the Reef Island to contact Kroya."

"Let my son Ian and your son Athos go together, and bring some gifts to show our sincerity."

Duke Nar nodded. He was very satisfied with his son, Yasos, who was filial, intelligent, handsome, and well-built—perfect for the situation.

The two dukes made a decision.

……

Soon, Ian and Yasos arrived at the front-line base.

Both of them brought many gifts, including precious magical artifacts, magical beasts and plants that Kroa would like, and even... Duke Nar gave them a little Nar.

Robert received them.

The imposing presence of this former viscount, now the head steward of Han Reef Island, surpasses even that of the duke.

He sat behind a simple table, watching the two young people, seemingly smiling, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"You want to end the war?" His expression was utterly contemptuous. "You started the war, and now you want to end it unilaterally?"

Well... actually, the whole thing started when Kroya and Lord Flame Mountain wanted to get the treasure inside the Crimson Jade Cave.

But in this world, might makes right.

Ian remained expressionless and silent.

Yasos, however, smiled exceptionally brightly. He was over 1.9 meters tall, with thick hair, and looked very sunny and handsome. If you looked closely, you could see that his face had some youthful freckles.

It's like a fluffy young lion.

After bowing very politely, he said, "Sir, this war has caused too many tragedies, and I strongly disagree with my father's actions."

so……"

He suddenly grabbed Ian's hand, a smile on his face, but his words were utterly chilling: "I killed your father, and you killed my father, so what?"

Rob: "..."

Kroa: "..."

Wait, didn't you come here to sue for peace and end the war?

Why did we suddenly start talking about patricide? And why does Athos know about Ian's secret of wanting to kill his father?

For a moment, even the shrewd Rob and the extremely perceptive Kroya were speechless, but they both took out their milk tea and nuts, intending to see what kind of show they were putting on.

Under Rob's amused gaze, Ian could no longer tolerate the guy. He shoved Rob's hand away and said, "I can assure you that what he said is true."

"..." Rob nearly swallowed the nut in his hand in surprise, asking, "Are you sure?"

Father-killing is neither common nor uncommon in the world of the nobility, but it is quite rare to see two of them at once.

"OK." Ian nodded.

"He is the Duke of Nar's twenty-third son. If he weren't good-looking, the Duke wouldn't even bring him along."

"Such a vase has absolutely no right to be inherited by the family."

Despite being described this way, Athos made no move, his face still bearing that endearing smile, as if that was the only smile he knew.

This is the skill he relies on to make a living.

Rob stared at him for a moment, then suddenly thought of some of the quirks of the nobility, and a strange look flashed in his eyes.

After receiving Kroya's orders from the magic circle under the table, he said, "Very well, this is what the lord instructed me to give you."

He took out two exquisite little bottles from the drawer of the table. The crystal bottles were covered with beautiful and intricate magic patterns, and they contained a liquid as enchanting as the sunset and moonlight.

"This liquid is a potion called 'Intoxicating Night,' personally made by the lord. Just one drop is enough to make even a strong level five warrior fall into a deep sleep."

"The lord said that you must bring the heads of the two dukes to end the war, and he will help you take control of the family."

Two crystal bottles were placed on the table with a soft clatter, and then immediately taken away by the two dukes' sons.

Without saying anything more, the two bowed to Robert and then turned and left in unison, disappearing into the faint morning light.

After watching them leave, Rob couldn't help but ask Chloe, "Sir, why did you help them?"

In the original plan, this was a necessary condition for them to prove their abilities. If they couldn't even assassinate the Duke, what use would they be?

The blue cat golem standing to the side spoke up: "That potion contains solar oil that I added, which can absorb the souls of the two dukes."

It stirred, its eyes fixed on the clear window: "Robert, your other son and your wife are actually still alive."

The Duke of Olivier was in charge of your area; they were arrested and secretly imprisoned.

But they are indeed still alive in this world.

"Well, you should thank me for helping you discover this secret, and you should also thank me for giving Olivier's soul a good beating to vent your anger~"

The chubby, endearing cat's voice, just like Kroya's own arrival here, was still full of aloofness and calm.

Only the last sentence carried a hint of uplifting joy.

Rob couldn't help but tremble, and his eyes turned bloodshot.

—That was exciting.

He never imagined that his youngest son was still alive, and even his wife was still alive.

……

"Your news is quite timely."

Kroya put down her teacup. "Ms. Moira, are you really that eager to see the spirit of Duke Olivier?"

He gazed at the beautiful woman in front of him, who had changed into a simple cotton dress.

The latter nodded under his gaze: "I want to, I think about it every day."

Lady Kroya, you have no idea how much I used to love him. He rescued me from the hell of the battlefield and gave me back the title of Duchess.

He even ignored the royal family's challenge.

I once thought he was the knight sent by the gods to save me…

Moira's expression held a longing for the past; if it were someone else, they would probably patiently wait for her to finish speaking.

However, before she could finish speaking, Chloe interrupted her rudely, "Ms. Moira, I know far more about this story than you do. I could easily write several books for you to read."

What I want to know now is...

The mage gently brushed his palm across the table beside him, and magical runes belonging to the space quickly intertwined and took shape. After a flash of white light, a crystal box appeared inside.

Inside were white thorns.

Its white color is pure and flawless, allowing no other colors to blend in.

"..."

Moira's eyes flashed with barely suppressed surprise.

She stretched out her slender, white fingers, as if wanting to touch the crystal box. As her fingers approached, the thorns inside suddenly began to flash at an incredible speed.

A liquid-like white glow seeped from the thorns, like dry ice smoke generated by water, slowly permeating the entire box.

"Please wait a moment."

Suddenly, Kroya reached out and pressed his hand on the box. His golden magic, like threads, swiftly suppressed all the smoke back into the white thorns.

Moira's eyes widened even more when she saw this.

She was somewhat dazed.

that……

That was a divine relic of the Sester royal family.

To be able to suppress a mage like this, she looked at Chloe with even more awe.

"Lord Kroya, this is the thorn of justice."

"right."

"It suddenly started flashing when you arrived, as if it had sensed something."

Can you tell me why? Does your Sethian royal family still have a way of controlling it, or does it still recognize you?

His knights and apprentices have now been inoculated with the Thorns of Justice and have practiced the Thorns Meditation Technique—and the Thorns of Justice even contain his eternal magic!

Given these circumstances, the occurrence of such an anomaly suggests that if there's a problem with the Thorns of Justice, things will become very troublesome and difficult. Therefore, he had no choice but to come and see Moira.

If the Thorns of Justice were to truly fall under Moira's control...

Then all he could do was apologize to Moira.

His power is something only he can control.

Whether Moira sensed something from Chloe's expression or not, she quickly took a necklace from her neck and handed it to Chloe with both hands, saying respectfully:

"That must be why it suddenly mutated."

Kroya took the necklace and examined it carefully: it was a necklace that didn't seem special at all, just woven from silver, and wouldn't even be considered a gift among nobles.

"strangeness……"

Just as Kroya was wondering what was going on, the Holy Spring Crystal Card hidden in his pocket suddenly started beating rapidly, as if he had a rabbit in his pocket.

This urgent reaction is clearly a response to the necklace.

"Why did it suddenly react? Could it be related to the Holy Spring Merchant Guild?" Chloe wondered inwardly, but calmly accepted the necklace.

Then he said to Moira, "Please write down everything you know about the Thorns of Justice. The information you provide will determine my attitude toward Ian."

After he finished speaking, he got up and left.

Only Moira remained, deep in thought—she had discerned the importance Chloe placed on the Thorns of Justice, coupled with Rob's presence…

Could it be that Kroya learned the Thorn Cultivation Technique?

That was a treasure that even the royal family had long lost. It is said that the knight who was most skilled in that cultivation method was captured by a mage. Could it be that Chloe was that mage's apprentice?

She silently took out a piece of paper and tried hard to recall all the legends about the Thorns of Justice, and wrote them down completely.

……

the other side.

Back in his mage tower, Kroya retrieved the Holy Spring Crystal Card. The flashing light on it immediately stopped, and an urgent voice came from within:

"You possess a magical artifact belonging to the Semurio Continent branch of the Holy Spring Merchant Guild. Would you be willing to sell it to our guild?"

"We are willing to exchange it for something you will absolutely be satisfied with."

Kroya was slightly taken aback.

The magical artifact of the Semurio Continent branch president of the Holy Spring Merchant Guild?

Isn't this something related to the thorns of justice?

Could that branch president be related to the God of Order?

He pondered for a while, then suddenly felt that the thing was a bit too hot to handle, but since it involved the thorns of justice, he couldn't help but ask for clarification.

Therefore, he directly said to Crystal Card, "I want to know what connection the God of Order has with the branch leader of the Zemurio continent."

"Use this necklace as the exchange."

"..."

The Holy Spring Crystal Card remained silent for a long time.

About five minutes later, the voice inside changed to an even stranger, gender-neutral voice.

"Hello, dear Celestial Spirit."

"I am the Solon Spring, one of the seven holy springs of the Holy Spring Merchant Guild."

The voice was clearly full of life, completely different from the mechanical voice that sounded like a golem. It was as if a polite gentleman was really talking to him.

"Since you have the good fortune to obtain the relics of the Zemurian Continent branch leader, then I will tell you something."

"He is the God of Order who was forcibly buried into the World Tree by the various holy spirits and gods of the Zemurian continent."

Well... how should I put it? Kroya had considered this possibility beforehand, so she was only briefly surprised and didn't react much.

There was even a sense of relief, like "I knew it."

The voice of the Holy Spring of Solon continued: "We have tried to bring all the contracts of the Zemurian continent under the guild's purview."

Unfortunately, it ultimately failed.

He was buried in the World Tree, transforming from a branch leader into nourishment that sustains the fundamental laws of the Zemurian continent.

This may be the only proof that He ever existed, and the only way to commemorate Him.

If you are willing to hand it over to us, I will provide you with a path that allows you to leave the continent of Zemuria at any time.

No matter when or where, no matter how much you bring, no matter if anyone wants to stop you.

"As long as you make a request to us, we will immediately remove you and everything you own from the continent of Themuronia."

This is quite a high price to pay. Previously, Kroya learned from the angels that the only way to leave the Zemurio continent was through Star Town.

Now, another path has unexpectedly appeared before us.

He was indeed tempted; no treasure could compare to this path that led to the vast star realm.

Moreover, this is a trump card that can be used to save one's life.

If all else fails, just take your own Hanjiao Island with you and run away!

He opened his mouth and asked one last question.

"I want to know the connection between the Thorns of Justice and the God of Order."

The Holy Spring of Solon replied, "That was a creation of the World Tree. Although it was buried within the World Tree, the laws it carried still influenced the World Tree."

The World Tree strives to assimilate the power of the laws signed by the beings of the Zemurian continent, using these laws as anchors. Once the contract of the Temple of Order has been used, one cannot escape the control of the World Tree.

Unless a more special power can replace this power.

However, please rest assured, we have not sensed the order of the World Tree of the Zemurian continent in you.

Hearing this, Kroya felt fortunate that he had already assimilated the Contract of Justice with eternal magic, otherwise he and his subordinates would not have been able to leave this world.

With that thought in mind, he simply threw the necklace into the spring formed by the Holy Spring Merchant Guild.

"Thump~"

The small silver necklace sank into the sacred spring.

"Here you go, I have no use for this."

The sound of the sacred spring of Solon carried a hint of joy.

"Thanks you."

"I would like to include a small gift with you; please accept it."

"We hope you will continue to cooperate with us."

The moment the blue light of the sacred spring went out, a bright, clear starlight-emitting tiny shooting star flew out from it.

It radiates an eternal starlight, a clear yet mysterious blue, like the ultimate magic in legend.

Light from the astral plane.

The Celestial Imprint Technique took effect immediately, diligently marking its name—