57 The Evil Eagle Part 2 (1/2)

Since its invention by alchemists, the telescope had come into fashion immediately. However, a normal telescope could only observe a small region and many wealthy people had only bought it out of curiosity.

On the other hand, in the army, an alchemy telescope was something a scout needed. A small but expensive telescope could also be installed on a high-grade magic crossbow, and this allowed a magic archer to kill a target from a kilometer away.

Once this method had been developed, it had been banned in many countries by the royals and the wealthy. An archer had to be at least Grade 8 before he could reach this level. However, an assassin that switched over to being a magic disciple could use something this horrifying even at Grade 1.

A mage could detect the elemental fluctuations of an alchemy telescope. However, the wealthy and the royals did not possess this ability. This made assassinating them very easy.

Even the Holy See did not approve of such an equipment. Since then, the alchemy telescope was unable to be downsized any longer and was instead upsized, being installed at the top of towers to observe an enemy’s movements from a few kilometers away.

Opening the door at the top of the tower, the corridor here was already very narrow and Sijia had reached the roof. All four sides of the roof were wide windows, but the edges of the windows were very tall and if any archers were to shoot an arrow from below, they would be easy to defend against.

The sky above the top of the castle could be seen clearly. Even though it was the middle of the night, with the alchemy telescope, every single detail was visible.

Sijia searched carefully. The moon in the sky appeared much bigger through the alchemy telescope, the mountain ridges on the surface almost able to be differentiated. Mages on the Myers Mainland believed that the moon’s surface was another mainland, only it was too far away from the Myers Mainland.

Just as Sijia was about to give up her search, a black shadow entered her field of view. She shuddered as she saw a set of massive wings with black feathers, two heads, and four eyes.

A double-headed eagle! Sijia groaned, her legs becoming a bit jellylike. She clenched her teeth and pressed her hand against the ground to stand. Outside the tower, the moonlight spilled onto the castle’s wall, casting a silver glow on the cold stone. Under this light hid many black lines, almost as if the walls of the tower had numerous cracks added to them.

Sijia had no idea how she travelled down the tower. Her thinking was muddled as she instinctively walked towards the dining hall. She had to report this as soon as possible to the baron.

All the cutleries in the dining hall had been brought away and replaced with fruit and wine. Baron Cook had told a joke and just as Aini was laughing heartily, Sijia entered the dining hall despondently.

”Sijia?” Baron Cook immediately noticed that something was wrong. After she had become a swordswoman at the age of sixteen, he had never again seen this expression from her. She was a genius swordswoman, who all the people in the capital believed would become a swordmaster before she turned thirty. Someone with a greater determination than most men, what could have happened?

”Master, I saw a double-headed eagle.” Sijia felt as if a fire in her heart had been suppressed and could not be vented. For a moment, her voice was hoarse.

The dining hall was silent. Only Sika was munching loudly on a pear, almost as if she had no feelings. The noise of her chewing was unimaginably loud. She couldn’t understand the Qin language, and even if Sijia had said something more shocking, she would still not have had any reaction.

”Baron, I will need to discuss things with Aini first.” Flamenco was the first to say something.

”Go. I’ll be waiting for you all in my study.” Baron Cook stood up, having completely lost his style as he left on his own without addressing anyone.

There was a room beside the dining hall and it was meant to be a place for any guests that arrived without notice to wait for the master to finish eating. The Nut Mercenary, Aini, and the others went into the room and closed the door behind them.

”Mr. Aini, Mage Saleen, I will not be able to complete this mission,” Flamenco said calmly. ”However, we will still ensure your safety.”

Aini was frustrated but he did not say a word. Saleen said, ”Flamenco, are you talking about black magic?’

”Yes.”

”Is it serious?”

”I don’t even know if I will make it out alive,” Flamenco answered honestly. If the legends about this place were true, he had walked into a trap that he had set for himself. If only they hadn’t spent the night here…

Saleen still was not anxious. Looking entirely steady and calm, it was hard to tell that he was only a youth fifteen years old.

”Aini, what do you plan to do?” Saleen turned his gaze to Aini.

Aini laughed bitterly. ”What can I do? We cannot sit here and wait for our deaths.”