Chapter 72: Discussion
The shift in the hall was immediate. The murmurs now held curiosity—and greed. A few nobles nodded, calculating profits behind composed expressions.
The musicians began playing again. Laughter returned. But underneath the renewed festivity, the air buzzed with politics and ambition.
Noble ladies drifted toward Raven, daughters in tow—girls who had ignored him an hour ago. Now their mothers smiled as though they had always seen his worth.
He greeted each politely, offering nothing more than polite words.
I'm not marrying anyone using Thomas Holmes's identity. That will become a noose around my neck.
[But what of the Holmes House when you become Emperor? What of their knights and people?] Zera's voice brushed past his thoughts, gentle yet piercing.
I… don't know. Maybe I'll tell the truth after I take the throne?
[Revealing your identity then would be disastrous. Why not adopt someone from a distant Holmes bloodline? Someone married into another family?]
Later, Raven muttered mentally, letting the thought fade.
Outside in the courtyard, metal clashed as young nobles, filled with pride and wine, challenged each other. Sparks danced where blades collided. A few ladies squealed when their favorites won. Even Count Andres's sons waded into the duels and emerged victorious.
Viscountess Rowena approached him with slow, measured steps. Her presence carried weight—one Raven couldn't ignore.
"You shift tides rather well, young lord," she said, watching the courtyard with half-lidded eyes. "When I arrived, half this room held disdain for you. Now they're fighting to align themselves with you."
Raven chuckled. "I only spoke truth, My Lady."
"The truth that most nobles fear." She swirled her wine. "And you seem to be aware of Falcons. Interesting." Her gaze sharpened. "Tell me… can you truly reclaim Azmar without aid?"
Raven didn't rush his reply. "Whether I can or not is irrelevant. It is my duty as the heir of Holmes."
Rowena smiled, slow and knowing. "Count Andres doesn't shift alliances lightly. And Daley Findlay… Lady Anastasia…" She raised a brow. "People of their status don't treat anyone casually."
Before he could answer, she continued.
"Here's advice, young lord—free of charge. If you reclaim Azmar, appoint a proxy governor and join the Army."
Raven blinked. "The Army?"
"You must feel the tension at the border. Zenith and Viser are inches from war. A great military achievement would elevate your house to true nobility."
Cheers erupted outside as a duel ended. The noise briefly stole her attention before she took another sip.
"I'm looking forward to what you will accomplish," she said, drifting away like smoke.
Army, huh… Raven sighed inwardly. A single mistake in war could ruin everything.
Eventually, the feast was announced. Aromas of roasted venison, river fish, warm bread, and spiced wine filled the dining hall. Laughter grew louder as plates were filled and toasts were made.
Raven watched them all—nobles discussing borders, merchants whispering trade, knights boasting victories. Threads of politics tangled with greed and ambition.
Hours later, guests began departing. Count Andres left with a final unreadable glance. His sons followed him wordlessly. Lanterns dimmed as the hall emptied.
Anastasia lingered near him.
"What was the real reason for inviting me, Mr. Holmes?" she asked. "You didn't need me to win over these nobles."
Raven watched the last guests leave the hall before answering.
"It's true I wanted to draw attention." He looked at her. "But the real reason was to discuss certain… deals."
"Deals?" Her brows arched. "What kind?"
"This way."
He led her through the quiet corridors into his study. The warm lantern glow stained the mahogany furniture in gold. Old parchment and ink scented the air.
Anastasia settled into a leather chair, graceful yet sharp. Raven poured wine for them both.
"I need your help acquiring potion materials, elemental stones, artifacts, magical beasts."
She studied him carefully. "Potion materials and artifacts, I understand. But elemental crystals and magical beasts?" She leaned forward. "You buy beasts from me, yet resell none. You don't even show the corpses. Are you dabbling in some Rayner-like sorcery?"
Raven smiled faintly. "I dislike undead as much as you do. The beasts I buy are either buried… or returned after extracting their bloodline essence."
Anastasia frowned. "Then what kind of beasts do you want now?"
Raven set his glass down, his expression shifting.
"Tell me, My Lady… have you heard the tale of the Mysterious Kidnapper of Arcturus?"
"What does that tale have do with magical beasts and our deal?" Anastasia asked, genuine confusion tightening her gaze.
Raven didn't answer. He reached into his inventory and placed a thick bundle of newspapers on the table. The faded edges, ink stains, and torn corners showed years of age—decades, even.
"The Mysterious Kidnapper has been active for twenty years," Raven said quietly. "The Arcturus police department recorded nearly a thousand missing children—ages two to seven. Mostly from small towns, rural villages, and regions without strong walls."
Anastasia flipped through the first paper. Her brows pressed together.
"What exactly are you implying?"
Raven pulled a single sheet from the pile and laid it before her.
"All eyewitnesses reported the Kidnapper as a ten-year-old child. But tell me, My Lady—can a child remain a child for twenty years?"
Anastasia's eyes froze mid-blink. "Then… he isn't a child at all?"
"No." Raven leaned back in his chair. "Whenever police pursue him, he runs faster than a warhorse—and vanishes."
"A child running at warhorse speed?" Anastasia frowned. "He must be a Radiant Walker since childhood… or maybe a dwarf? Their growth is slower—"
Raven shook his head. "Dwarves have short legs and move slower than humans. Besides… the police cornered the Kidnapper seven times with full preparation."
"And yet he escaped?"
Raven flipped to another article. "Every time."
"What happened?" Anastasia asked, leaning forward.
"In one case," Raven said, tapping an article's headline, "the Kidnapper hid inside an abandoned windmill. Elite walkers surrounded every exit. As they moved in…"
He let the words hang.
"...a sudden earthquake toppled part of the structure, creating a gap just big enough for the Kidnapper to flee."
Anastasia stared at him. "An earthquake? Convenient timing."
Raven nodded. "Another time, they chased him into a dead-end alley. Suddenly a runaway carriage smashed into the wall, opening a hole. He walked out before anyone could react."
She leaned back, her eyes darkening. "These aren't coincidences."
"No," Raven said, voice low. "They're not."
He spread out several clippings across the desk. "Whenever they almost caught him—something unnatural intervened. Sudden lightning. Stone bridges collapsing at the right moment. Animals going berserk. Third parties appearing and vanishing."
Anastasia scanned the pages, her breaths growing sharper.
"Eyewitness says the kidnapper's skin looked pale green…"
"Another report says someone was scratched and infected…"
"And this one…" She paused. "His eyes looked like a beast's?"
"And here—a black cat always with him…"
"And here—fang-like bite marks?"
The more she read, the more her expression hardened.
"Fangs?" Her voice trembled slightly. "I've seen those wounds… in the Royal Capital."
Raven lifted his gaze. "Go on."
"Slums," she whispered. "Over the past decades—dozens of bodies. Fang marks on the neck. All victims died of cardiac arrest. The police formed a special investigation squad but… they found nothing."
[That reeks of a Vampire's work.] Zera said quietly.
Anastasia went silent, staring at the reports for another minute before speaking.
"This case is different," she finally said. "Children disappearing for twenty years… no corpses… pale green skin… this isn't a human." Her eyes widened. "You… you think it's a goblin?"
"Yes, My Lady," Raven said. "A variant goblin. Possibly related to the one I bought from your shop."
Anastasia nodded slowly. "So what do you want me to do? I'm not a mercenary."
Raven finally slid a scroll across the table.
"For this request, I'll give you this recipe."
Anastasia unrolled it—and her composure shattered.
"Potion of Clairvoyance?" Her voice dropped. "This is… a Rank-2 potion. A rare one."
"It's the enhanced version of the Mind of Insight potion," Raven said.
Her eyes widened. "You created this?"
"I wrote down only half," Raven said. "Help me with what I'm about to ask… and I'll give you the full recipe."
He's trapping me with a deal I can't refuse.
She exhaled slowly, resigning herself.
"What do you want, Mr. Holmes?"
"Forty percent of the profit from every Clairvoyance potion you create. And a magic contract."
"That's fair," Anastasia said. "What about the patent?"
"It's yours. But I need your help with other matters."
"Help with what?"
Raven's expression sharpened.
"I want the corpse of the Mysterious Kidnapper."
Anastasia stared at him in disbelief. "You think I can't catch it? I'm an Expert rank. A Radiant creature can't outrun me."
"It's not about speed," Raven said. "That creature's unique skill creates… incidents. Unpredictable ones."
Anastasia frowned deeper.
Raven pointed at the dates printed across dozens of articles.
"It kidnaps every two weeks. Sometimes sixteen days. There's a pattern."
"If we plant a tracking spell on it, we can find it," Anastasia said.
"Arcturus police tried the same," Raven replied. "It either nullifies the tracking, or escapes far beyond the spell's range."
"You mean… it can teleport?" Anastasia's voice grew sharp.
"It's possible," Raven said. "Which is why you must take Young Master Daley with you."
She blinked. "Daley? Why—"
"Because he has a method to prevent its escape."
Her eyes widened.
Raven continued, "And one more person will join you. If my guess is correct… she can track it even if it runs to another world."
A knock echoed.
"Enter," Raven said.
The door opened.
A woman with raven-black hair, calm eyes, and the poise of someone who had lived through storms stepped inside. She bowed with refined grace.
"Greetings, My Lady," she said to Anastasia. "It has been a long time."
"Selene?"
Anastasia's voice slipped into a rare moment of shock.
She stared at the raven-haired woman—no, at the aura blazing around her. Not gentle. Not subtle. A dense spiritual pressure that pressed against the study walls.
"That's impossible…" Anastasia whispered. "When you first visited my shop, she was an Apprentice Wizard. How did her spirit power reach Advanced Radiant level?"
Selene only lowered her head politely, expression unreadable.
Raven didn't bother to explain. "I want the Kidnapper's corpse before the year ends. Will you take the job?"
Anastasia hesitated—but the half-written Rank-2 potion recipe weighed heavily in her hand. The kind of profit it promised… No potion merchant could ignore it.
"…I'll do it," she said.
Raven briefed Selene, who listened silently with her hands clasped behind her back. Once the instructions were done, he and Anastasia finalized the contract—ink glowing faintly as the magic sealed itself.
"Anything else you need, Mr. Holmes?" Anastasia asked.
"Yes," Raven said. "Elemental crystals. As many types as possible."
"That's no issue unless you're asking for Rank-3 or higher. Those appear only through auctions." Anastasia paused. "Rank-1 and Rank-2, we can supply at market price."
"What about Time elemental crystals?"
Anastasia blinked. "…Time crystals? They're rare. Twice the price of normal crystals. Wizards snap them up immediately."
"Wizards?" Raven frowned. "You said Ivory Island wizards know almost nothing about time-related spells."
[They know a little, not nothing. And you forget what Elizabeth told you—their true purpose for invading this continent.] Zera reminded him.
Resources… So the buyers are from the main continent.
Anastasia continued, "Time crystals are mostly bought by Wizard Alliance members. I don't know what they use them for."
"I want Rank-2 time crystals. I'll pay ten percent above market rate."
"Ten percent?" Anastasia stared. "Mr. Holmes, Rank-2 crystals cost between 100,000 and 120,000 gold coins. You're throwing money away."
"That's my concern," Raven said calmly. "If you hear of a Rank-3 or Rank-4 time crystal, inform me. I want to bid."
Her eyes widened. "Mr. Holmes… if you plan to attend such an auction, you need two million gold coins just to participate. A Rank-3 crystal alone goes for 1.5 million."
"Oh? How much for Rank-4?"
She sighed. "A Rank-4 time crystal appeared four years ago. Royal Auction House. Even a Pseudo-Legendary Wizard fought for it. It sold for twenty million gold coins."
Raven nodded like she had quoted the price of vegetables. "So… over 20 million."
She stared at him. He didn't flinch—not even a twitch.
He really didn't care.
Zera snorted. [How much did you earn?]
'After Judith got the high-rank potion recipes, monthly income went from 200k to 650k. Yearly, around 8 million. My total net worth is 61 million now.'
[Disappointing. I expected more.]
'Affinity potion materials are expensive. Judith can only make one high-ranking potion a week. If she had more materials, I'd be earning 500 million yearly.' Raven sighed. 'I could've made billions if I partnered with the Wizard Union instead of a personal deal with Judith. But that would make me a target.'
[Good choice. Too much attention kills faster than poison.]
Anastasia broke his thoughts. "If you insist, I'll inform you. Anything else?"
Raven's smile made her stiffen.
He wasn't done.
"I also want a few Rank-3 magical beast corpses."
Her soul almost left her body. "Rank-3… corpses?"
She rubbed her temples. "Do you know what you're asking, Mr. Holmes? Each one costs 1 to 1.5 million gold coins."
"They're necessary."
She exhaled the breath of a woman resigning herself to insanity. "Name them."
Raven listed them calmly.
"Three-Eyed Giant. Dark Serpent. Venom Basilisk. Ice Wyvern. Orc Giant. Notify me immediately if you find even one."
Silence filled the room.
Then Anastasia muttered, "…How much did you earn from the Mind of Insight potion?"
Raven's eyes sharpened. "And will you tell me your family's annual earnings?"
She froze.
'Push more, and this relationship breaks,' she thought, heart thudding.
"…Forgive my rudeness, Mr. Holmes. I hope we maintain a good partnership."
"That depends on you, My Lady. If something like last time happens again, I will change partners. The Wizard Union would welcome me."
"I won't reveal the recipe to my family this time." Her tone was firm. Fearful. Respectful.
"A wise choice. Selene—escort Lady Anastasia to her room."
"Yes, My Lord," Selene said.
After they left, Raven returned to the hall where Daley waited, seated near the hearth.
"What is your plan, Mr. Holmes?" Daley asked.
"To reclaim Azmar."
Daley nodded. "I await the Prince's orders."
Raven studied him for a moment before asking, "Do you know a place… where snow never melts?"
Daley blinked. "Northern Land has many such places. Do you have specifics?"
Raven tore a page from his notebook and handed it over.
"This prophecy."
Daley read slowly, lips tightening.
"In the shroud of a forgotten age, frost stirs where winter never fades…"
He looked up. "Three years ago, explorers found ancient ruins in the deepest part of Northern Snow Forest. Near Eternal Ice Lake—a Snow Wyvern territory. They withdrew to avoid provoking them. But I never heard of land drying."
"If you see anything resembling this prophecy, tell me immediately," Raven said.
Daley nodded.
Raven then handed him Rank-2 spatial spell models.
"Join Anastasia and Selene for the mission," Raven said.
"I will," Daley replied.
Raven escorted him to a guest room, letting the night settle over the mansion like a closing curtain.