A Wizard’s Secret

For three days in a row, the entire Light City – the heart of the Holy Light Empire and the center of the Church of Light – was now caught in a bloody purge.

The Kingdom of Blackmoon had invaded Light City, indicating that the Holy Light Empire had fallen. The Kingdom of Blackmoon had replaced the Holy Light Empire as the second empire of unification after the Molta Empire. This was an irreversible force.

Bhutto XVII was even getting ready to be crowned as emperor after successively wiping out the resistance in other places of the Holy Light Empire. The Kingdom of Blackmoon would become the Blackmoon Empire.

This would be the greatest glory of the Blackmoon royal family in history!

Nonetheless, the Spell Caster Alliance was an issue. This had been a loose alliance from the start. It was only due to Merlin’s assertiveness that they had banded together through force.

However, the greatest threat faced by the Spell Caster world, the Church of Light, no longer existed. As a result, many Spell Casters started to think of leaving, and Merlin did not purposely stop them.

As for the Kingdom of Blackmoon, it was secretly roping in some Spell Casters too. Since it wanted to become a nation in the tradition of the Molta Empire, the Kingdom of Blackmoon’s power must surpass those spell casters’ organizations.

Otherwise, these spell casters’ organizations would be an unstable factor, capable of causing trouble at any time. Back during the glorious age of the Molta Empire, it had been managed by a Great Lord, whose power was felt everywhere. There were no Spell Casters who dared to provoke the Molta royal family.

“Wizard Merlin, thank you for your support. Otherwise, the Blackmoon Empire couldn’t be established.”

Bhutto XVII was now successfully crowned as the emperor of the Blackmoon Empire. At the same time, he was the First Emperor. He was content with what he had achieved, having established the huge Blackmoon Empire. This was a massive accomplishment, enough to put him ahead of any king in the history of the Kingdom of Blackmoon. He had become the strongest king in the royal family.

He might even revise the regulations regarding the elders’ involvement in the king’s term limit but all of this had nothing to do with Merlin. His mission in the Glorious Land was completed, and the matters of the Wilson clan were settled as well. Even if he were to leave the Glorious Land now and return to the Void Zone, he would have no regrets.

“Your Majesty, why have you looked for me today?”

Merlin glanced at Bhutto XVII and asked directly. His Majesty the Emperor was currently very busy. He had to stabilize the various spell casters’ organizations of the Spell Caster Alliance as well as organize forces to wipe out the remaining resistance of the original Church of Light.

Therefore, for him to make time to see Merlin despite being so busy, he must have a request.

“Wizard Merlin, we won’t keep things from each other. Although the Blackmoon Empire is finally established with your support, many Spell Casters are still unsatisfied. Presently, the royal family’s strength is still relatively frail, especially since we don’t have a treasure like the purple gold crown anymore. The rule of the Blackmoon Empire isn’t secure.”

Merlin nodded. Naturally, he knew about what Bhutto XVII spoke of. Even though it was true that the Blackmoon Empire had been established, the royal family was unable to exert its power all over. It was normal that some spell casters’ organizations would be unsatisfied.

“Your Majesty has looked for me because…?”

Bhutto XVII fell into contemplative silence, and finally made a decision. He said softly, “Wizard Merlin, for the Blackmoon Empire to be maintained, the royal family must have a power which can be felt everywhere!”

Merlin seemed to realize something, and hurriedly shook his head. “I’m not interested in all this, and I’ll leave very soon…”

Bhutto XVII smiled. “Please don’t misunderstand me, Wizard Merlin. I’m not asking you to stay. What I need is a favor from you.”

“What does Your Majesty need?”

Merlin wanted to hear what Bhutto XVII had planned to resolve the crisis the royal family was facing.

“Wizard Merlin, you know about the purple gold crown, right?”

Bhutto XVII did not answer directly but instead brought up the purple gold crown.

“The purple gold crown? Of course, I know of it. I’ve heard that Great Wizards are totally incapable of breaking this crown, and it’s the royal family’s most precious asset. However, it was shattered by the Divine Believer Bonnet.”

Naturally, Merlin knew about the purple gold crown. An alchemy treasure like this, even in the Void Zone, was considered comparatively valuable. In the Void Zone, despite the remarkable progress of alchemy, it was very rare to transfigure an alchemy treasure which could be used by weak Spell Casters, yet had formidable might on par with a Legend.

The purple gold crown was close to something like this. There had been both weak and strong kings throughout the history of the royal family. The weakest one was a mere Fourth-level Spell Caster but with the effects of the purple gold crown, the royal family was not weakened in the slightest. Transfiguring a treasure like that was of utmost difficulty.

“That’s right, the purple gold crown had been shattered. From now on, our royal family had lost the treasure which astounded those spell casters’ organizations. Wizard Merlin, this time, I’ve summoned you because there’s a secret – the biggest secret concerning the purple gold crown and our royal family!”

“Secret?”

Merlin’s heart jolted as he stared at Bhutto XVII’s serious expression. The legacy of the Kingdom of Blackmoon was not inferior to any spell casters’ organization and was even known to be the successor of the Molta Empire. Other than that massive lode, could there be a bigger secret?

“That’s right, a secret! The purple gold crown was obtained incidentally by the First King of the royal family – the Great Wizard Blackmoon – from a secret place, after much trial and tribulations. That place contains treasures even greater than the purple gold crown. This secret is the foundation of our royal family. Now that the purple gold crown was shattered, we urgently need a treasure with a power which can be exerted everywhere – one even stronger than the purple gold crown. Therefore, we’re telling you this secret, Wizard Merlin, hoping that you can get some treasures from that place. Our royal family only needs one treasure but it mustn’t be weaker than the purple gold crown. How’s that sound?”

Merlin stared at Bhutto XVII with a burning gaze, his mind analyzing the truth of what Bhutto XVII was saying.

The Blackmoon royal family was enigmatic indeed, able to possess even a treasure like the purple gold crown. Merlin immediately deduced that this matter was more than ninety percent true.

As he thought of this, Merlin’s heart flared up fervently. After all, the Glorious Land was not an ordinary place for it was the origin of the Spell Caster civilization. The Spell Caster’s most glorious era was also the Molta Empire’s era. If the Glorious Land still hid some secrets, it was not inconceivable that the royal family could obtain the treasure of some Great Alchemist.

“If the royal family wants to guard the secret, then why don’t you send your Great Wizards?”

Merlin knew that the royal family had a solid foundation, with a few peak Great Wizards too. They were very powerful, and not inferior to any spell casters’ organization. Perhaps it was only when Kleis had been around that Ozmu was able to outstrip the royal family.

Bhutto XVII smiled bitterly. “If we can get the treasures, then why would we only have one treasure, the purple gold crown, after such a long time? It’s because it’s far too difficult to access these treasures. Great Wizards can’t do it at all. Back then, the Great Wizard Blackmoon had only obtained the purple gold crown through sheer luck. However, Wizard Merlin’s strength is on par with the fabled Great Legends. Perhaps you could enter and retrieve the treasures!”

Merlin was indeed rather interested in a place that would have the purple gold crown.

“I can agree to this. According to Your Majesty’s proposal, as long as I obtain an alchemy treasure comparable to the purple gold crown, I’ll surely hand it over to the royal family.”

“That’s wonderful. Wizard Merlin, you wouldn’t mind signing this contract? After you do, I’ll immediately tell you this secret of the royal family in full.”

Merlin did not think that this was unreasonable. Signing a contract would safeguard the interests of both sides.

Thus, after both had signed the contract, Bhutto XVII said solemnly, “Wizard Merlin, that secret place is only known to me, along with a few Great Wizard elders from the royal family. I can’t leave Light City, and can only send an elder to bring you to that secret place.”

“If possible, I’d like to start as soon as we can!”

“Very well, anytime is fine. I’ll send an elder to bring Wizard Merlin there!”

Bhutto XVII saw that Merlin was so enthusiastic, and was naturally delighted too. The more enthusiastic Merlin was, the faster he would get the treasure. The royal family would also get a treasure on par with the purple gold crown sooner. Perhaps this would greatly alleviate the pressure faced by the royal family now.

“I wonder how this secret that the royal family has guarded for a thousand years would be like?”

Merlin waited silently. As the origin of the Spell Caster civilization, the Glorious Land was filled with secrets, and Merlin was full of anticipation.