Chapter 251: Deliberations of the Lower Ranks

If a soldier is carrying out a mission on the battlefield, and an enemy shoots an arrow from a house, nearly taking your life, first of all, in this situation, would you attack? To kill the enemy, who cares about the house and the people inside it? You can't be sure they're your comrades, and while you hesitate, they could ambush you from the shadows." Shaoke calmly stated his view. "Moreover, on the streets, if I don't clear out everything around me, who can guarantee that an Infiltrator isn't hiding among the panicked civilians, waiting to strike at me? I just want to survive."

"You've convinced me." The officer frowned at Shaoke. "Did you take part in that battle? Why did you leave the military? Couldn't it meet your needs?" The officer set aside the inquiry about the street killing and instead tried to recruit this Sixth Tier Mage into the military. After all, that battle had cost the military a significant number of mid-level personnel, and they were now in urgent need of replenishment. This displeased the nobles and merchants who had been injured in the tavern, but they had no right to make a scene here.

"Before the war ended, I was a mage attached to the Blizzard 33rd Corps." Shaoke calmly revealed his former position. "I just didn't agree with the military's methods back then."

The officer studied Shaoke once again for a moment, his gaze falling on the mage's broken staff. He confirmed the message passed to him by the Eighth Tier Mage. Finally, he said, "Do you need our help tracking down the attackers? Can you dispel your Defensive Spell now? No one here will attack you anymore." The officer's sudden shift in topic caught most people off guard, but the other officers sitting in the middle remained impassive, sitting upright as if nothing had happened.

"Thank you, but I can handle it myself." After a brief pause, Shaoke declined the offer. He then dispelled the Seventh Rank Defensive Spell, which had been cast using a depleted Sixth Rank staff.

Just then, an officer entered through a small door at the back, carrying a stack of documents. He handed them to the officer who had been questioning Shaoke and whispered a few words in his ear. The officer then retreated to his original position.

The officer briefly glanced through the documents before passing them to the other officers. He then looked at Shaoke's staff, which was damaged and missing its gem. "The Mist Trade Guild ordered the assassination attempt on you. I regret to inform you that while you were under attack today, the inn where you stayed last night was also raided. A female mage was injured, but fortunately, a patrol arrived in time, otherwise..."

The officer's words made Shaoke's head spin. He asked uncertainly, "Just some injuries? Nothing too serious?" He stood up, pacing back and forth, and finally fixed his gaze on the nobles and merchants who had followed him. He desperately needed an outlet for his anger. The Mist Trade Guild—if he remembered correctly, they had tricked him and Mage Francis Dun back when he left the Misty Forest. Now, they were attacking mages in the capital.

"Yes, just some injuries." The officer confirmed. "I think you should return to the place that offers you shelter. At least the families of the deceased children won't come looking for you there to seek retribution."

"I can offer some compensation for my mistake." Shaoke paused, then made this suggestion to the officer. "If they accept, I will provide them with some compensation." The officer was surprised by Shaoke's words but nodded in agreement. He didn't care what decisions this mage, still under the protection of the Death Mage Corps, made. Nor did he want to provoke that group of madmen.

When the officer relayed the compensation offer to the witnesses who had followed, the nobles were very dissatisfied. However, the officer ignored their attitude and warned, "He is still a mage under the protection of the Death Mage Corps. If you want to take any extreme actions, wait until you leave here to seek revenge for today's injuries according to your own wishes! But I remind you, this mage is currently under the protection of the Death Mage Corps." The officer repeatedly emphasized Shaoke's former status.

This reminder made the leader of the nearby Black-armored Cavalry feel both embarrassed and fearful. He hadn't realized earlier that this mage belonged to the Death Mage Corps; he only found him somewhat odd. If this mage sought revenge after leaving here... The thought made the Black-armored Cavalry and his companions very uneasy. The lead cavalryman glared fiercely at the Red-armored Cavalry, blaming them for their earlier taunts that had caused him to misjudge.

Although the nobles and merchants didn't fully understand what "protection of the Death Mage Corps" meant, they sensed the situation was complicated when the officer suddenly shifted from discussing the battle and casualties to offering help in tracking the assassins and their backers. They fell silent, wisely choosing to forget what the Death Mage Corps was. Given that several nobles had died in this incident, and the officer had still refrained from punishing the mage, they dared not bring it up again.

Shaoke twirled his broken staff, thanked the officer again for the information, and then raised the issue of compensation. The injured all refused compensation, claiming it was just an accidental injury. Nevertheless, Shaoke eventually took out some high-grade magic materials, hoping to use them to compensate the injured and the families of the three deceased nobles. Whether they accepted it in their hearts was not his concern.

Leaving the small fortress of the military department, Shaoke quickly made his way under the protection of the Black-armored Cavalry toward the small fortress of the Blizzard Legion. Fortunately, the streets designated for military personnel on duty were empty, so Shaoke and his escort arrived in less than half a magic hour. After nodding to the Black-armored Cavalry, Shaoke hurried into the fortress. According to the military's information, the mages attacked at the inn had already returned here.

The Black-armored Cavalry hesitated for a long time before finally leaving under the command of their leader. Since the incident had already occurred, worrying was useless. They might as well focus on today's duties, or else others would accuse them of dereliction of duty.

After reporting his name and providing identification, Shaoke was allowed into the fortress. This was only because some mages recognized him; otherwise, no matter the reason, entry would have been denied.

From some mages, Shaoke learned that the injured party was Fifth Tier Alchemist Mage Roman, a female mage. Though her injuries were not severe, they would significantly hinder her ability to perform tasks for a long time. When the mages heard that a trade guild had orchestrated the attack on Mage Roman, they became visibly angry, especially those from the former Blizzard 33rd Corps, who still remembered past events.

After a thorough check, Shaoke was allowed into Mage Roman's room. The room was small, containing only a simple bed, a wardrobe, and two or three large writing desks cluttered with materials, books, and vessels. Books were scattered on the floor, but the carpet protected them from damage.

Shaoke's arrival surprised the mages in the room, all of whom were Female Practitioners. Some in gold and white robes were busy working, while a female physician leaned over the mage, checking her injuries. A few young Clerics took turns casting healing spells.

Mage Yisier noticed Shaoke and quickly stood up, inviting him to sit on a nearby chair.

Mage Roman had already taken the physician's medicine and was in a deep sleep, so she couldn't get up to talk with Shaoke.

"I'm sorry." Both Shaoke and Mage Yisier apologized simultaneously after she signaled the other female practitioners to leave, leaving only the two of them.

"Maybe I shouldn't have attended that banquet. If not for it, Mage Roman wouldn't have been hurt." Shaoke leaned forward, reaching out to touch the female mage's pale face. "I guessed it was the Mist Trade Guild behind this." He sighed softly, feeling powerless for the first time. A Sixth Tier Mage, hunted by a merchant—this was unacceptable.

"It's all in the past." Mage Yisier noticed the male mage's self-reproach and quickly comforted him. "The Blizzard Legion has already gone to negotiate with the Mist Trade Guild. If all goes well, they will face the punishment they deserve." She added, "Along with the punishment for opposing the 33rd Corps back then."

"Will the Blizzard Legion eliminate the Mist Trade Guild at this time?" Shaoke asked uncertainly. "If the Blizzard Legion suffered heavy losses back then, they would have too many concerns now to retaliate. The enemy definitely knows your identities, yet they still attacked us. That means they no longer fear the Blizzard Legion's threat here." Saying this, Shaoke helplessly twirled his staff, then put it away and took out a new one from his magic bag.