Imperial Crown

Hovey City, Fox Castle.

Montreal looked at the document on the table, his face changing constantly.

It contained Raven's entire life story.

If he hadn't seen Raven in person, it would have been hard for Montreal to connect a "little bee" active in the lower levels of Monen City with a nobleman who was now the county governor and could be promoted to viscount at any time.

Montreal recognized Raven's power.

The tug-of-war between Raven and Earl Tyrone was wonderful.

But unexpectedly, Raven also made considerable achievements in the economy. Not only did he run his territory well, which made the spies he sent praise him, but he also created a business alliance.

Through the boasting of Earl Tyrone's youngest son, Viscount Hyde, it has become a popular trend to trade with the business alliance and get more points in exchange for high-quality products and equipment.

This can be seen from the increasingly irritable temper of his eldest son Gul'dan and the increasing curses on Raven and Hyde.

Montreal had to admit that Raven was indeed a model of the young generation of nobles in Nord Province.

Just then, a melodious bell sounded, Montreal looked up, the door of the study was opened, and a fiery red figure flowed into the room.

She had two ponytails on her head that looked like flame streamers, jumping with her movements, lively and cute; her apple-like face was not made up, her eyebrows and eyes were somewhat inseparable from childishness and arrogance, her mouth was slightly hooked, and her cheeks showed dimples.

Facing Montreal, her hands wrapped in white silk gloves lifted up the big red pleated skirt, revealing two pink calves wearing white stockings, and after her right foot moved to her left foot, she gently tapped the ground with the toes of her round-toed leather boots and saluted: "Father, you called me?"

Montreal examined his daughter, and a trace of trance flashed in his eyes.

The older she got, the more she looked like her mother, whether in her frowns, smiles or voice.

This also made Montreal think of his late wife every time he met Nancy, and once again realized the fact that she had left him forever.

Turning his eyes slightly away, Montreal asked softly: "How have you been practicing recently?"

"I am already a third-level magician! Look, father!" Nancy stretched out her hand and a bird covered with flaming feathers immediately landed on her shoulder: "This is my pet, Finne!"

Montreal smiled and nodded: "Very good, our Fox family finally has a genius."

Then seemingly inadvertently, Montreal said: "But I heard that there is another genius in our Nord Province."

Nancy was aroused by the desire to win: "Who is it?"

"Raven, Raven Ota Griffith." Montreal said: "He has only been a magician for more than a year, and I heard that It's already the second level. "

I thought my daughter would be furious, or at least show some resistance, but after hearing this name, Nancy actually smiled: "Father, you also know it. I told you that his talent in magic practice may not be as good as mine, but he is friendly to the four elements!"

"And he is also very good at leading troops in battle. I was..."

At this point, Nancy quickly changed her words: "I heard that he dared to rush to the bloody heights with only more than a hundred people and killed the third-level Sand King Heleti!"

Montreal didn't care about Nancy's little thoughts. He actually knew that Nancy had followed Raven to the bloody heights.

But in the final analysis, he didn't care much about Nancy's life or death, otherwise he wouldn't pretend to be unaware, but would severely admonish her and let her learn to cherish her life.

"It seems that you have quite a high regard for Raven." Montreal smiled kindly: "Then I have a question for you."

A few minutes later, Nancy walked out of the study, jumping and looking quite happy.

Montreal tapped his fingers on the table and whispered to the butler: "Prepare the car, tell Guldan to temporarily take charge of the territory, I'm going on a long journey."

The butler was a little surprised: "Lord Earl, where are you going?"

"Eagle Territory."

At this moment, Raven didn't know that Montreal was coming, and even if he knew, he wouldn't have any extra thoughts.

Too many lice don't itch, too many debts don't worry.

It has to be said that if you want to demystify something, the best way is to have long-term contact.

In fact, after playing chess with Crouch for several days in a row, Raven's sense of mystery about the rumored strong man was quickly stripped away. At least Crouch's joys and sorrows were not much different from those of ordinary old people.

On this day, Raven was playing chess with Crouch again.

Since he wanted to please the divine magician, Raven naturally couldn't keep up the attitude of killing all the enemies. Instead, he began to let go bit by bit, and intentionally or unintentionally told Crouch some fixed patterns, which also made Crouch gradually see a glimmer of hope in his failures again and again.

Four more games were played today, and Raven won three games and lost one game.

The winning Crouch was as happy as a child, his gums were so happy that they came out, and he "generously" let Raven go.

After Raven returned to Eagle Castle, he began to deal with some daily affairs, such as the communication between him and Denise.

There was no trace of ambiguity in the communication between the two. Except for some of the latest news from Mon'en City, they were basically talking about official business.

This time, Denise collected the last three ingredients of the magic casting potion, that is, the mage awakening potion, and sent it to Raven with the letter.

The letter also mentioned that a batch of slaves ordered from Slave Bay had been shipped and would be able to dock in Mon'en City in about a month.

Slave Bay is a well-known neutral zone, located in the west of Middles Continent, across the sea from the mainland across the Storm Fjord. As its name suggests, it often sells various slaves.

Raven ordered 100 war slaves and 500 artisan slaves with various skills this time.

The war slaves will be sent to the arena for performances, and the artisan slaves will be added to various industries in the territory.

After putting away the letter, Raven put the raw materials into the secret room, and then ordered someone to summon alchemist Baki.

Baki saw the swaggering Congyun kumquat at first sight.

Extending from the basin are six branches, as thick as chopsticks, with bamboo-like knots growing every two centimeters or so, and the orange-yellow skin has light red root-like lines.

The six branches have no leaves, but three buds grow on the top of each branch. The silver petals are as thin as cicada wings. Each petal holds a peach-sized fruit. The peel is like an orange, uneven, and pure gold. Three purple lines are wrapped around it, dividing it evenly into four parts.

The third-level magic plant Congyun Kumquat produces different fruits of different qualities depending on the growing environment.

Three purple lines mean that it is a third-level fruit, and one is worth nearly 4,000 gold coins!

And there are 18 of them growing on this Congyun Kumquat, which means more than 70,000 gold coins!

Enough to drown Buggy in it!

"Baron, are you... trying to refine the 'golden suspension'?"

Golden suspension, a second-level magic potion, can increase the meditation efficiency of a second-level magician by about 45% for one month.

"That's a waste." Raven shook his head: "I want to make a third-level potion..."

Bucky's throat moved, and the most unlikely answer, but the only possible answer in the current situation, appeared in his mind, and then flowed out of his mouth: "...You mean, magic potion?!"

Raven did not answer, but said: "I will tell you only after you make a soul oath."

The soul oath is the heaviest oath a magician can make. Once violated, whether actively or passively, his soul will collapse from the inside and completely lose any trace of existence.

This is also the oath with the highest degree of confidentiality.

Although they cannot release even the most basic magic, alchemists also have magic power and are qualified to make soul oaths.

Bucky almost did not hesitate. For him, if he could get access to the formula of the magic potion, it would be completely worth it even if he died immediately!

He took a deep breath and knelt on one knee, and the magic power in his body began to rise and fall: "I, Baki, swear here that what I see next will not be passed on to any other existence in any way."

"Whether active or passive, whether I am awake or confused, when any news flows out of me, the language I speak, the words I write, and the pictures I draw will become incomprehensible, and my soul will collapse and dissipate!"

As soon as the voice fell, the magic power in Baki's body boiled up, flowing upstream through his skin, condensing into an indescribable shadow behind him, and then disappeared.

Baki's sweat flowed out of his body, as if he had just been fished out of the river. He stood up, and his anxious tone was trembling: "Baron..."

Raven took out an ancient scroll from his belt, which was the scroll obtained from Anno, recording the formula of the magic potion!

Taking the scroll with both hands, Baki carefully unfolded it, as if holding a newborn baby, and then the content came into his eyes.

Bucky looked at the contents with his eyes wide open, and his expression was like a devout believer facing God.

"He is simply possessed." The black cat Sikoret whispered.

"If he is not crazy, he will not live." Raven shook his head and sighed.

After a long time, Bucky, who was immersed in the scroll, finally looked up: "So this is the magic potion... It's really... wonderful!"

"I asked you not to come here just to watch." Raven said: "Next, I will prepare a third-level magic potion, you come to help me."

"What?" Bucky was stunned for a moment: "But the third-level potion must be prepared by a third-level magician, you..."

"Who do you think I am?" The black cat blinked.

A talking black cat?

A pet! !

Bucky couldn't believe what he saw. This shock was even more intense than the formula of the magic potion!

Raven, actually became a third-level magician?

He is only 22 years old this year!

There are 22-year-old magicians in history, but Raven has only been a magician for two years!

One level a year, maybe the speed will slow down later, but where is his destination?

A seventh-level great magician, an eighth-level great magician, or even a legendary ninth-level legendary magician! ?

At this moment, Bucky permanently lost the desire to compare with Raven, and really began to look up to this lord.

"I understand, Baron, I will do my best to assist you in completing this task!"

The formula of the third-level magic potion is complicated. In addition to the cloud kumquat and the golden magma produced by the locust-headed bee, there are nine kinds of magic raw materials. There are hundreds of steps involved, and every step cannot be sloppy.

In the next eight days, in addition to playing chess with Crouch at a fixed point every day, Raven spent almost all his time in the secret room.

After decades of work, Bucky has accumulated quite mature operating experience, and Raven has the Eye of Truth and his own mental power is more stable, so he gradually improved.

Finally, on the afternoon of the ninth day, after consuming the eleventh cloud kumquat, the first magic potion was successfully refined.

It has a sticky and thick texture, with little silvery debris floating in it, just like the deep night sky in a bottle!

"It's done, it's finally done!" Holding the bottle, Bucky's tears kept rolling down the corners of his eyes: "Third-level magic casting potion, third-level!!!"

"If I had had this potion, why, what would have happened..."

At this point he was crying.

When he awakened that year, Bucky took the first-level magic potion, which allowed him to successfully awaken the qualifications of a magician, but it also cut off his path to becoming a magician, leaving him to only be an alchemist for the rest of his life!

Now he finally holds the third-level potion in his hand, but it is too late. The blocked road cannot be opened no matter what!

"Bucky."

"Baron Raven!" Bucky came to his senses and wiped away his tears with his sleeve.

Although he was also happy, Raven still frowned: "I think the potion we made is still flawed."

"The medicinal properties of Congyun Kumquat were not fully utilized, but were consumed a lot during the refining process."

Bucky did not expect that Raven could remain calm when he achieved such an achievement. He recalled all the details in the refining process and agreed: "I think this may be because the quality of the Congyun kumquats you planted is too high."

Raven raised an eyebrow: "How do you say this?"

"You still lack accumulation in alchemy, and many things are not in the books." Bucky said: "Actually, over the past few days, I have gradually discovered that the essence of the magic potion still lies in Congyun Kumquat."

“All other auxiliary materials are designed to maximize the medicinal properties of Congyun Kumquat and reduce its side effects.”

"And the Congyun kumquats you planted are of excellent quality and have almost no side effects. In this case, some auxiliary materials may not play a supporting role, but may be an interference."

"Just like the 'Beacon Green Peach' you cultivated, when I use it to refine the primary recovery potion, I will also reduce the addition of auxiliary materials as appropriate."

Regarding these, Raven already had some ideas during the refining process, but the primary purpose before was to refine the magic potion. Now that it has been successful, he can consider improvements.

Even for third-level magic-casting potions, the awakening success rate is only about 80%. What Raven needs is to increase this probability as much as possible.

"Then I'll leave it to you." Lei Wen said calmly: "I allow you to conduct experiments with Congyun Kumquat, and help me list the possible methods."

Then, Raven turned his attention to the black cat: "If he needs to use third-level magic, then you can help."

"Me?" Xikoret wagged his tail: "No!"

“Three brown dace a day.”

"Gojo!"

"make a deal!"

The black cat opened its mouth and spit out a black magic vortex, which turned into a silver bell and flew to Bucky's hand: "No, I will ring the bell if you need me in the future. Remember, you can only ring it once!"

Bucky took the bell and said, "Lord Baron, I will definitely live up to your expectations!"

In the blink of an eye, the time came to May 15th.

Summer has arrived inadvertently. Pedestrians on the street have already put on light summer clothes. Cicadas crawl out of the soil and climb onto the branches and begin to chirp.

Two full years have passed since Raven became a baron.

Eagle Castle became lively again.

Because today is the day Raven was adopted from the orphanage, which is also Raven's birthday.

This is his first birthday.

In addition to celebrating birthdays, there is another important event today.

That is, Raven wants to canonize the first batch of knights.

…