Dark Wizard: Rise! My undead army!

Seeing Lynn's gaze fall on him, Bal gritted his teeth and struggled to stand up.

Trembling with fear, they found a piece of cloth, wrapped it around Oleg's cold body, and put it into a simple storage bag.

Baka took a deep breath, staggered out of the fortress, and summoned a level 1 skeletal horse to ride.

Throughout the journey, Barr was in a state of turmoil, repeatedly pondering how to phrase his words.

If I say too harshly, I might anger the Keller family; if I say too mildly, I might fail to fulfill my mentor's instructions and appear incompetent.

"So... Senior Brother Oleg made a mistake and hoarded resources from the mine, which was discovered by our mentor, and he was severely punished according to the rules?"

That should make them feel better, right?

With a heavy heart, Baka walked toward the Keller family's settlement on the outskirts of the valley.

The Keller family mansion was much more refined than the Ironbone family’s rugged stone castle, with armored knights guarding the entrance.

Baal walked to the door, trying to straighten his back, but his voice was still dry: "Please announce that I am Baal of the Ironbone family. I have important business to discuss with Patriarch Morton."

The guard glanced at him sideways, his gaze sweeping over the Ironbone family's unremarkable insignia, and a slight smirk appeared on his lips:

"A member of the Ironbone Clan? You want to see our patriarch? Who are you to think you can just see the patriarch whenever you want?"

"Tell me directly if there's anything, and I'll see if it's worth reporting."

The disdain and insult in his words were undisguised.

Barr's face flushed red with embarrassment.

It was one thing for Oleg to look down on him, but for one of his great knights to dare to disrespect a wizard apprentice like himself! How utterly ridiculous!

Barr clenched his fist, then relaxed it.

You know what, at close range, even a first-class apprentice like myself might not be able to defeat a Grand Knight.

Or rather, there was no chance to make a move at all!

Just as the guard was about to wave him away, Baal had a sudden inspiration and, in a moment of quick thinking, raised his voice slightly:

"I am not here solely on behalf of the Ironbone Family! I am an apprentice of Lord Lynn, the resident wizard of the Shadow Mine at the Bone Spire Academy!"

"I serve Lord Lynn alongside my fellow disciple, the nobleman Oleg! I have urgent business to report to Chief Morton in person, concerning my fellow disciple Oleg!"

The words "Lord Lynn" and "Shadow Mine Guardian Wizard" certainly carry weight.

The guard's contempt vanished instantly, replaced by surprise and uncertainty. He looked Baal up and down a few more times, seemingly trying to determine the truth.

The official wizards of the Bone Spire are not to be trifled with, not even by an apprentice delivering a message.

"You...wait here."

The guard's tone softened somewhat, but he was still suspicious. He turned and quickly went into the mansion to report, but did not immediately lead Baal inside. Instead, he told him to wait at the door.

Another guard stared intently at Baal, seemingly afraid that he might do something underhanded.

The guards who entered the mansion first reported the news to the head steward of the mansion.

The head steward knew that the patriarch's son, Oleg, had been sent to the new resident wizard as an apprentice, and he also vaguely knew that members of the Ironbone family and the Nightsong family had gone with him.

Upon hearing that it was the young man named Baal from the Ironbone family who had come alone, claiming that it was something important concerning young master Oleg, his heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition arose in his heart.

"Quickly! Have him wait in the side hall! I'll go inform the clan chief immediately!"

The head steward dared not delay, and while instructing the guards to bring the people away, he hurriedly rushed to the inner courtyard.

Chief Morton of the Keller Clan was in his study reviewing clan affairs when he heard the head steward rushing in to report. He felt a sudden unease and a strange sense of panic.

He immediately got up and quickly went to the side hall.

Baal was sitting there anxiously when he saw Chief Morton enter with a somber expression. He quickly stood up, his palms sweating with nervousness.

"Where is Baal? Oleg? What business does Lord Lynn have with you?"

Chief Morton didn't mince words and asked directly, his eyes fixed on Baal.

Baal swallowed hard, and under the lingering pressure of Lynn and the clan chief before him, he nervously recounted what had happened.

How Oleg used his position to secretly hide valuable resources, how Lord Lynn discovered it, and how Lord Lynn presented the evidence.

Finally... through the extraction and refining of Oleg's soul, it was transformed into a vengeful spirit.

Of course, he didn't dare to mention the torment Ogle had suffered, for fear that the "old man who had lost his son" in front of him wouldn't be able to bear the blow.

As Baal recounted the story, Chief Morton's face went from surprise and doubt to ashen, and finally to utter despair. He swayed slightly and was caught by the quick-thinking head steward.

The pain of losing his son and the immense fear he felt were intertwined, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

He was certainly heartbroken by his son's tragic death, but what terrified him even more was the methods and attitude of that "Lord Lynn"!

Although Baal glossed over Lynn's crafting process, Morton, who had also witnessed the crafting of vengeful spirits, was well aware of the pain involved.

Extracting souls and refining spirits to create vengeful spirits!

What a cruel and merciless punishment this is!

This is clearly a case of making an example of someone to scare others, not only punishing Oleg, but also showing it to everyone who is paying attention to this matter!

The thought of his family's "prodigy" dying so tragically filled Morton with boundless rage.

Oleg was the family's hope for revival, and more importantly, his own son. The family had spent countless resources supporting him, and he just died like that?

But in the end, when faced with Baal's eyes, which held a hint of fear yet also conveyed a sense of "I am merely conveying Lord Lynn's will," his anger was forcibly suppressed.

He could not, and dared not, express any dissatisfaction with Lynn, for fear that if Baal went back and reported, he too would become a vengeful spirit.

This is also the tragedy of small families; all the members of the family combined are not enough to withstand a single slap from someone else.

"That unfilial son!!"

Chief Morton forced out a few words through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse and filled with heartache and helplessness.

"He actually... he actually dared to use such despicable means against Lord Lynn! All my hard work in sending him to study was for nothing! This brat... he deserves to die!"

He spoke the last four words with extraordinary difficulty, as if he had used up all his strength.

He closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and barely managed to calm his turbulent emotions. When he opened them again, he had regained the composure befitting a clan leader.

He waved to the head steward: "Go and fetch three hundred magic stones."

The head steward was slightly startled; three hundred magic stones was no small sum for the family.

However, he dared not be negligent and understood the clan chief's meaning: when facing a formal wizard, he had to show sufficient sincerity.

Soon, the head steward brought over a small bag containing magic stones.

Chief Morton handed the bag to Baal, his voice low: "Nephew Baal, thank you for making this trip."

"These three hundred magic stones are an apology for the trouble I have caused Lord Lynn due to my poor upbringing of my son. I hope you will take them back and present them to Lord Lynn to express the apologies of my Keller family."

"Oleg's funeral arrangements...the family will handle them themselves, so I won't...please don't bother Lord Lynn any further."

He was ultimately afraid and dared not confront the cruel young wizard again, lest he incur his wrath.

Baal quickly took the heavy magic stone bag, feeling relieved, knowing that the hardest part of this mission was over.