I Pioneered Scientific Magic

Chapter 245: Drinking this Cup of Wine, We're Still Good Friends

Walking through the long corridor, Laude's mood plunged to the depths; his previous plans were completely disrupted.

Lord Lynn probably didn't want to alert anyone unnecessarily, or perhaps he had new ideas. But facing William alone wouldn't be an easy task.

Fortunately, the ring didn't stop working once away from Laude. He could only hope Lord Lynn would find an opportunity to resolve the trouble and come to his rescue.

For now, all he could do was delay as much as possible and proceed cautiously!

"Here it is!" Cody led Laude to the right side of the fortress, and the heavy stone door slowly swung open.

Cody stayed outside the door as Laude stepped in. The heavy stone door immediately shut behind him, revealing a gorgeously decorated hall. Inlaid on the walls were priceless murals, the floor adorned with thick red carpets, exuding opulence and nobility throughout the room.

At the center of the hall, the long table displayed an array of sumptuous dishes. Were it not for the fully armed guards flanking both sides of the hall, he might have thought he was genuinely invited to enjoy a feast.

Laude's gaze gradually moved to the end of the long table, where he saw the master of the manor—William!

He was a man of over three hundred pounds, his ample gray robe tightly enveloping his fat, his hair shining like fireflies in the night. His eyes were narrowed, nostrils pointing upward, emanating a repulsive smell of alcohol.

Currently, he held a cup of red wine, leisurely savoring it, while a maid diligently served him.

"You've finally arrived." William set down his goblet, stood up, clapped his hands, gesturing for the maids to step back, then pointed to the seat beside him. "Please, have a seat, Mr. Laude!"

Laude, as if forgetting the slight discomfort from the entrance, grasped his cane and, like an invited guest, graciously sat down—not where William had indicated, but directly opposite.

Unconcerned, William ladled a cup of crimson liquid into another glass and handed it to Laude, speaking slowly and deliberately. "I've heard that Mr. Laude, like myself, worked for Lord Herlram, responsible for transporting goods from the Secas Empire to the land of wizards. Is that true?"

"It seems you've gathered quite some information in Iyeta!" Laude didn't touch the drink, unsurprised that William knew about this. When he and Lynn fled to Iyeta, causing quite a stir, almost the entire city knew. It wasn't surprising William had collected this information and deduced his identity.

Yet, observing the extravagant and almost ball-like figure of William, Laude couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy. Though he had managed a considerable number of people in Harbor Town, he couldn't compare to these noble circles, always at the beck and call of the aristocracy and the Church.

William seemed to fare much better. Not only did he flatter Crown Prince Harold, he became an actual viscount, enjoying lavishness all along!

"People like us are always inadvertently probing for information, aren't we? Despite appearances, we're nothing more than dogs at the beck and call of others." William shook his head, implying something in his words.

Laude understood the implicit meaning but didn't agree, scoffing in response. "Who in this world isn't a lapdog? Even as King Bazeel, you can't decide the heir, and that Archbishop can't defy the commands of the Church..."

"You're right. Since we're all just making a living under someone else's command, why not seek a bigger, higher support?" William casually sipped his wine, speaking slowly. "This world ultimately belongs to nobles and the Church. All the mundane matters belong to the king, while spirituality and beliefs belong to the gods..."

"But the world always changes, probably faster than you imagine!" Laude replied noncommittally.

"Well, I'd like to witness that." William was unfazed, then casually asked, "Do you have any plans to deal with us?"

Laude's heart skipped a beat; things had evidently slipped further from his control. However, he forcibly calmed his mind, inquiring, puzzled, "What do you mean, William? Didn't you invite me here to discuss the trade split of minerals and glass products?"

"Before entering, your men took away all my means of defense. Are you still worried that a non-magician cripple like me would harm you?" Laude lightly caressed his cane with his right hand, smirking.

"In that case, I might as well offer you an escape route!" William got straight to the point. "I need to know how many wizards Lord Lynn has sent into the capital, Hadralata, and what they intend to do. Additionally, where is the compass that can locate the land of wizards?"

The guards on both sides had already drawn their long swords. In just two or three minutes after entering the hall, William had weapons drawn.

Laude hesitated for a while, as if weighing the pros and cons, deeply lost in thought. Only when William showed an impatient expression did he seem to finally make a decision and blurted out abruptly.

"That compass has always been managed by Lord Orlando!"

Laude made up the answer, but truthfully, the flying ship's positioning device had long been replaced with something called a compass. Even if they got it, they'd need to know the specific location of the land of wizards; otherwise, they'd just wander on the sea.

"How many people have entered the Kingdom of Hadralata? Are there any great wizards? How many official wizards?" William queried again, staring intently at Laude.

After pondering again, Laude sluggishly answered, "Probably around dozens, but it's uncertain. Only Lord Orlando knows the exact situation..."

Perhaps noticing Laude's deliberate time-wasting, William's expression turned somewhat dangerous. Extending his chubby index finger, he pointed to the cup of red wine on the table, unmistakably stating, "I'll give you thirty seconds to consider. Drink that cup of wine, and then we'll talk."

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