Under the coercion of the guards, Ivan arrived at this manor-style residence located in the center of the city for the second time, where the steward was waiting at the main gate. Led by the old steward, he was taken into the manor and brought to a place that was clearly the main hall.
"Young man, welcome to Karl Manor once again."
A middle-aged noble with a warm greeting was none other than Baron Karl, whom he had met once before.
Ivan said, "Baron, your way of welcoming people is truly memorable."
Baron Karl laughed and said, "Hahaha, it was a necessary measure. I hope those underneath me didn’t act too brashly and injure you."
Looking at the Baron’s attitude, Ivan was filled with suspicion. The guards before had almost drawn their swords in threat, and now he was putting on this act for whom exactly?
He didn’t speak, and Baron Karl didn’t mind.
"To get to the point, I invited Mr. Ivan here because of the last test. Didn’t you ask me where you could find a sorcerer? Well, now there is one. This is a very good opportunity."
Ivan asked, "In Flying Fish Port?"
Baron Karl shook his head slightly, "A sorcerer apprentice has come to Flying Fish Port, along with another special individual."
Ivan, surprised, asked, "Only a sorcerer apprentice?"
Baron Karl replied, "That’s enough. They represent a true sorcerer, and sorcerers are the rulers of human realms, including the Aromatic Wheat Dukedom and even Flying Fish Port."
From the Baron’s earnest words, only then did he realize that nobles were so wary of sorcerers, enough to show the terrifying power controlled by sorcerers or the exceptional strength of the organization they formed.
"Must I go?"
"Isn’t this what you wanted?"
"But the previous group who went, one after another, they died. I am quite fond of my own life."
Upon hearing this, Baron Karl’s face showed a touch of embarrassment. They had failed to adequately control the spread of information, allowing too many people to know the inner details; it was a dereliction of duty on his part.
He paused, then looked at Ivan seriously and said, "You had better go; this is the City Lord’s request."
"Regarding whether that pharmacist has any students, someone once asked me, and I said no."
"Furthermore, the sorcerer is not only looking for apprentices but also recruiting servants. Your relatives and friends won’t be going, but I can send your enemies as a gift to you."
Before sending the butler to escort him away, Baron Karl gave a few instructions and mentioned a gift he wanted to present to Ivan.
Ivan paid no attention to that, taking it merely as a warning and a threat.
"Ah! I need to make preparations as much as possible in about fifteen days."
Leaving Karl Manor, Ivan sighed deeply—truly, he had no other choice.
Flying Fish Port might seem like just a medium-sized city, but it boasted a squad composed entirely of knights—the Flying Wings Knights Squad. This knight squad was the direct force of City Lord Hobson. It was said to have twenty to thirty members, at least half of whom were high-level knights.
Flying Fish Port also had patrols and guards for city defense, and neither force was something he or the Marichadon family could contend with. Even if he could escape Flying Fish Port, he could only become a wanted fugitive, living in hiding and exile in the wilderness. The nobility alliance was not something to trifle with.
Better to take some advantage of the situation. In his pocket, he had a letter sealed with the mark of the Golden Fire Flower and the crest of the Hobson family. This was the security offered by the City Lord, a commitment from the Hobson family.
Elsewhere, the old butler returned to the manor to report to Baron Karl.
The old butler was a trusted servant of the Baron and couldn’t help asking, "Baron, why extend such courtesies to that commoner lad? His father is just an Intermediate Knight, and they have but an incompetent Mercenary Group."
Baron Karl gazed up at the ceiling, seemingly deep in thought.
After a moment, he responded, "David, have you forgotten the horror of sorcerers?"
"But he’s not a sorcerer, not even a sorcerer apprentice."
"Yet he has the chance to become a sorcerer. Even the City Lord is willing to offer a condition in exchange. Why would I incur death upon us? If he truly becomes a real sorcerer in the end, the Karl family would turn into dust in the annals of history because of one oversight."
Baron Karl had researched Ivan’s history; he was a young man skilled in learning and prone to creating surprises. Such a person’s future value should not be overlooked, which is also why the City Lord was willing to offer some benefits.
"You’re right; your wisdom shames me," the old butler conceded.
Remembering the horror of sorcerers, the old butler wiped sweat from his forehead and had to admit that the Baron’s words and actions were the wisest.
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