Fang Zhen was absolutely resolute in his decision to execute the two remaining Mages.

"My Lord, shouldn’t we reconsider? After all, they’re Mages..." Matthew felt they were going too far and tried to advise him further.

"I agree with Lord Fang Zhen. They should be executed," Agatha said suddenly.

"I also agree with the execution," Dalia stated her position.

Seeing this, Matthew fell silent.

Fang Zhen glanced at Matthew, now understanding the Priest’s character clearly.

Matthew had likely been a Priest for too long, truly internalizing the doctrines of his faith. He was naturally kind-hearted, always preferring to leave a way out for others and to treat people with goodwill.

Such a personality would be a bonus in a peaceful, prosperous, and safe society, but it was ill-suited for a cruel, competitive world where the law of the jungle was the reality.

Fang Zhen’s refusal to spare the two Mages wasn’t because he was bloodthirsty, but because he needed to eliminate the threat completely.

Before the fight, he might have considered his relationship with the Mage Association. But once the conflict began in the reception hall, there was no room for mercy. The Mages’ spellcasting was terrifying, and he had already killed one of them and severely wounded the other two.

Once someone was killed, the seeds of hatred were sown, and there was no way to mend things later.

The young Mage whose legs were crippled, as well as the Elder Mage, probably hated Fang Zhen and the Ashton Territory to the bone. Moreover, they were Mages. If Fang Zhen were to leave, a prison might not be able to hold them.

If he actually let them go and they escaped, the two of them would meticulously plot their revenge upon returning.

’Things are rarely resolved with a smile and a handshake.’

For Dalia’s safety, and to prevent future trouble, these two had to be executed.

As for retaliation from their friends and family, they would seek revenge whether he released the Mages or not, so it wasn’t worth much consideration.

The living could rally friends and family for vengeance; the dead couldn’t.

Dalia, and even Agatha, understood this principle clearly, which was why they were so decisive in agreeing to the execution. Matthew, however, still hadn’t grasped it.

It wasn’t that Matthew was unintelligent—he was quite knowledgeable. But due to his life experiences, he just wasn’t ruthless enough. He was perfectly suited to be a liaison and advisor for matters concerning the nobility and the church, but he fell short in other areas.

But there were advantages. You didn’t have to worry about someone like Matthew plotting a rebellion. Generally, such people were quite loyal and wouldn’t scheme to harm others.

Fang Zhen now had a clear assessment of Matthew in his mind.

"Since we agree on the execution, let’s carry it out as soon as possible."

"However, before that, these two Mages still have some value. We need to extract as much as we can. Let’s not waste their lives."

Fang Zhen said.

Within an hour, Fang Zhen had interrogated the young Mage as well, squeezing every last drop of magical value from both Mages as if pressing peanut oil.

He obtained an advanced Mage Meditation Technique, which could be considered an upgraded version of the guidance technique—the fundamental practice for Mages.

If the guidance technique Matthew had taught him was like a self-built, single-story mud-brick house, then the Mage Meditation Technique was like a three-story private villa; its efficiency and features were significantly enhanced.

Besides the mental cultivation formulas, Fang Zhen also received the parchment scroll that recorded the tradition.

The Mage Meditation Technique was quite profound; the two Mages had only completed the second stage of the Three-Stage Meditation Technique.

Fang Zhen wasn’t in a hurry to learn it right away. He had the "Instance Dungeon Life Game" and could use some merit points to master it after he returned.

’This Meditation Technique looks powerful. Learning it will probably increase my Source Power Value by one or two points.’

Additionally, the Elder Mage and the young Mage each knew five or six spells they were proficient in.

However, these spells couldn’t be learned in a short time through verbal instruction alone. They required extensive professional training and hands-on teaching to master, as they involved numerous intricate details.

Fortunately, Fang Zhen never expected to learn them in the mere tens of minutes the interrogation lasted.

He did, however, obtain the Spellbooks for three spells: the Spider Web Technique, "Grease," and the Mage’s Hand. He could spend merit points to learn them after returning to reality.

In addition to that, Fang Zhen also acquired five Extraordinary Items.

These were: the Elder Mage’s weapon, a Magic Nail Hammer; a purple Magic Gemstone Earring; a silver-white Protective Talisman; an Energy Storage Stone; and a Magic Dagger.

Among them, two of the Extraordinary Items belonged to the Elder Mage: the Magic Nail Hammer and the Protective Talisman. The young Mage had three: the earring, the Energy Storage Stone, and the Magic Dagger.

’I wonder why a male Mage would choose an Extraordinary Item like an earring.’

As for the middle-aged Mage who was already dead, he was a poor bastard with nothing to his name.

Through the interrogation, Fang Zhen also gained a rough understanding of the Mages’ way of life.

Being a Mage was an expensive endeavor, from learning spells to undergoing trials. In the early stages, they couldn’t even get started without a patron’s investment. After completing their training, although various Lords were eager to hire them at a decent price, the costs of advancement were also immense. To advance, they had to spend a fortune learning new spells from their teachers. This turned them into a class of high earners who could never save any money.

So even though they were Mages, they didn’t necessarily have the money to buy Extraordinary Items. A Mage who managed to scrape together one or two such items for themselves was considered skilled at managing their affairs and doing quite well.

Fang Zhen thus guessed that the young Mage either had a major patron backing him or was the son of a wealthy noble. Otherwise, it would be impossible for someone in their twenties to have accumulated three major items.

But now, all these Extraordinary Items belonged to Fang Zhen.

Fang Zhen had no issue with having too many. Even if he couldn’t use them himself, he could sell them. As a last resort, he could have the "Instance Dungeon Life Game" refine them into ’Yuan Essence’ to upgrade needed equipment, which was also a good option.