Chapter 327 — Poison in the Lungs

Count Karlov Horsman stood at the center of the banquet hall, gazing with satisfaction at the surprise and admiration on the faces of the guests he had invited.

As always, he remained the center of it all, the focus of every gaze.

With an elegant and proper smile, his eyes swept across every face in the room—Viscount Carroll, Baroness Graham, Count Peppo. These were personages of substance. Beyond them were many other gentlemen and ladies of pure and glorious blood who held a voice in the Southern Region; some had already inherited their titles, while others were important heirs within their families or great figures capable of speaking on their family's behalf. To gather such people together was no easy feat, especially in this cold winter month. The collective visit of these grand personages alone was proof enough that the name Horsman commanded influence in the Southern Region as it always had, and to further consolidate the authority of his name, Count Horsman had of course prepared a "feast" worthy of such a banquet.

That feast was the magic net technology he had obtained after considerable effort, through the combined efforts of a great deal of money and a fair measure of good fortune.

The people applauded. Count Karlov Horsman smiled with reserve, and only after the applause had lasted ten seconds did he gently swirl his wine glass, adopting a modest air: "I must admit, that ancestor who returned from the dead was a respectable figure. He created something incredible—or perhaps he received some 'help' from certain friends among the other races. But regardless, the magic net technology is astonishing, and such a fine thing should obviously be shared with everyone."

A nobleman in a dark blue velvet coat picked up Count Horsman's thread at just the right moment: "But if I recall correctly, Duke Cecil has not forbidden the outflow of the magic net, has he? I hear that through Viscount Leslie's guarantee and introduction, so long as one pays enough, Cecil Territory will send craftsmen to help those in need build magic nets—even to build various devices based on the magic net."

"Of course, pay enough, and Duke Cecil will 'help' us build magic nets," Count Horsman raised his glass in salute to that noble representative, then smiled and shook his head. "But that is a great deal of money! Our founding duke seems determined to haul every gold coin out of our castles by the cartload. And there is a more important point—what is held in another's hands is ultimately unreliable, is it not? Cecil Territory will indeed send people to help build magic nets, but that is less help than a tight grip on the technology. If the magic net breaks, or proves insufficient, we must spend another great sum to invite those craftsmen back... Compared with this near-endless investment, do you not all think it more worthwhile to obtain the technology of building magic nets for ourselves?"

"Indeed," said Count Peppo, his pale golden curls and slightly portly figure advancing with a smile. "My old friend, how on earth did you get that technology into your hands?"

"A bit of luck. I happened to encounter two rune craftsmen who had once been responsible for building magic nets in Tanzan Town, and these two rune craftsmen just happened to be seeking better prospects," Count Karlov Horsman said unhurriedly. "They brought the blueprints of the magic net and part of the construction technology. Of course, for safety's sake, I had the scholars and mage advisors under my command take part in the actual trial production. The final result was satisfactory—I have built a working magic net, one with the same efficiency as the mine magic net of Leslie Territory. Ladies and gentlemen, you may look up at the magic crystal lamps in Xuangque Castle, and if you have the chance, I welcome you to visit the magic tower behind the castle—they are now powered by the magic net!"

"The mages on my lands will certainly be interested in this!"

"I am interested myself—I am a mage."

"Count Horsman, how do you intend to... 'share' these results with us?"

Nobles great and small gathered around, and with both flattery and genuine interest they began to exchange information with Count Horsman about the magic net, for every one of them knew of the changes in Leslie Territory over the past few months. Though they had plenty of complaints about Viscount Andrew Leslie, who had thoroughly thrown in his lot with the Cecil family, they had to admit that in the past few months the ore produced by the mines of Tanzan Town had overwhelmed and seized many of the raw ore markets of the Southern Region. The enormous output and extremely low cost had left several Southern Region nobles who had once rivaled the Leslie family in the ore trade in utter misery.

Of course they wanted the same mining equipment and magic net system as Leslie Territory, yet the price was truly daunting, and they were all the more wary of the rapidly developing Cecil Territory, unwilling to become too entangled with it directly—especially in something as fundamental as the "magic net."

Now Count Horsman had succeeded in "stealing" the magic net. How could they not be moved by it?

Though the mining equipment would still cost a great deal of money to purchase from Leslie Territory or Cecil Territory, at least they had solved half the problem—and the foundational one of energy at that.

The nobles were mediocre, but they still had heads on their shoulders. They knew the difference between the magic net and the mining magic machinery: the latter was merely a magic item, and if it broke or was lost, one lost only money; the former was the foundation. If the energy on their lands could only be built by another's craftsmen, they would never feel at ease. Only when their own craftsmen had mastered the technology of laying magic nets would they dare to use such things boldly.

But as nobles great and small clustered around Count Horsman, a tall, lean figure quietly left the banquet hall.

Wearing a black woolen coat, with a wisp of a beard and a crystal monocle, Viscount Carroll carried his wine glass past the coming and going servants and walked out of the banquet hall alone. He came to the corridor outside the great hall and gave a faint sigh.

Xuangque Castle was indeed brighter than before. This was not his first time visiting Count Horsman's castle as a guest, and he could see that many new magic crystals had been added beneath the corridors, in the courtyards, and even on the outer walls of the castle's main buildings. With the abundant supply of magic power, the bright lights made this ancient castle take on an almost crystalline, glittering quality. It seemed Count Horsman had spoken truly—he had indeed obtained the magic net technology, and could hardly wait to put it to use in his own castle.

Viscount Carroll looked at the courtyard lit by the lamps. Beneath the bright light all around, even the brilliant starry sky above the courtyard seemed to dim a little. His gaze drifted casually, and he suddenly realized that he was not the only one standing outside the great hall.

A slender lady in a black court gown and a wide-brimmed black hat stood not far from him. Her clothing looked thin, but a faint, almost imperceptible magic shield enveloped her, warding off the cold wind of the winter night.

Baroness Ropenny Graham—the wealthiest, and perhaps the most unfortunate, widow in the Southern Region.

"Lady Ropenny," Viscount Carroll said, approaching with his wine glass. He could not leave a lady to stand alone outdoors on such a cold winter night. "Do you also find the hall stifling?"