Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree-Chapter 575: Earl Laurent

The gate of the castle was heavy, embedded with bronze nails on hardwood, now tightly shut, leaving only a side door for passage.

The guards in front of the door wore emblems of the Lorand family, a white hunting falcon perched on a rock peak, their solemn expressions betraying a hint of hidden tension and fatigue.

The Duke presented his letter of introduction from the Knight Hall, which, after careful inspection by the guards, was swiftly reported inside through a communication device by the door.

A moment later, the side door opened fully, and a middle-aged man in a black butler’s uniform, with impeccably combed hair and a stern face, quickly stepped out to greet him.

He looked about fifty, with sharp eyes, and carried the unique restraint and precision of a noble butler in his demeanor.

"Good day, respected Wizard Sir. I am the butler of the Earl of Lorand’s mansion. You may call me Ossen," the butler said with a slight bow, his tone respectful yet maintaining a distance. "The Earl is aware of your arrival and is waiting inside the castle. Please follow me."

The Duke nodded, following Butler Ossen into Red Rock Castle.

The inside of the castle was even more vast and profound than it appeared from outside. The entrance led to a wide vaulted main corridor, with columns made of red rock, and heavy tapestry depicting scenes of hunting or battles of the Lorand ancestors adorned the walls.

The floor was laid with polished dark stone slabs, causing footsteps to echo faintly in the empty hallway.

The lighting came mainly from wall lamps burning whale oil or similar fuel, and occasionally from sunlight filtering through stained glass from above, giving the castle an eerie dimness, as the air was filled with a scent mixed of stone’s chill, old wood, and faint spices.

"Is it your first time in Red Rock City, Wizard Sir?" Butler Ossen said, calmly leading the way, his words a mix of introduction and customary small talk. "The Lorand family has been in this place for over two hundred years. This Red Rock Castle was also constructed by the first Earl, taking thirty years to complete."

The Duke’s gaze swept over the time-worn armor displays and family portraits on the corridor walls, responding, "Impressive in grandeur, truly befitting the Earl’s residence."

They passed through the main corridor and into a vast indoor courtyard, with a central fountain long dried up, leaving only mottled stone sculptures.

Then, they turned into several branching corridors, occasionally encountering hurried servants who stopped immediately to bow in greeting, eyes lowered, avoiding direct looks.

"About the recent misfortunes in the household..." Ossen’s voice lowered slightly, continuing in a tone only the two could hear, "You must have been briefed in your mission. The first incident involved Bob, the gardener responsible for the east wing garden, a simple man, here for over a decade, found collapsed by the rose bushes, with a smile on his face...

Then, it was one of Miss Marjorie’s close maids, found lifeless in her servant’s quarters at night.

Next was a kitchen hand, and... alas, the most heartrending was one of the Earl’s distant young nephews, who had come to stay temporarily, a promising young man..."

The butler’s words were steady, but the Duke could sense the suppressed weight beneath them.

"All these incidents occurred within the castle?" he inquired.

"Yes, all within the castle grounds. The locations varied, and the timing was erratic. The city guard investigated several times but found nothing. The priests of the Divine Hall also visited, but..." Ossen shook his head, leaving the implication clear.

The Divine Hall here specifically refers to the Divine Hall of Light. The so-called priests are essentially wizards, only followers of the Divine Hall of Light, specializing in Light Attribute magic.

The incidents in the castle seemed like the work of evil spirits, but if it were an evil spirit causing trouble, a Light Element wizard should have easily resolved the issue.

Yet, not only did the priests from the Divine Hall of Light fail to resolve the issue, they couldn’t even find any traces.

This creates confusion because, logically, a wizard from the Divine Hall of Light should at least have found some clues, at the very least discovered some traces.

But surprisingly, they found nothing at all.

With no other options, the Earl of Lorand had to issue the task, hoping someone could resolve the problem. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Generally speaking, the Earl of Lorand, considering various factors, would prefer not to disclose this matter.

If the priests of the Divine Hall of Light could resolve it, that would be ideal.

Now that this path didn’t work, the matter had to be disclosed, hoping for a resolution.

For the Earl of Lorand, this decision was not an easy one either.

After some time wandering in the castle, they finally arrived outside a study deep within the castle’s main building, where Ossen knocked three times on the thick wooden door.

"Come in," came a voice from inside, slightly weary yet still with an air of authority.

Ossen opened the door, stepping aside to let the Duke enter first: "Earl, Wizard Duke from the Knight Hall has arrived."

The study was very spacious, with walls lined with tall bookshelves crammed with dense books and scrolls.

A huge dark hardwood desk stood near the window, piled with some documents and ledgers.

The Earl of Lorand sat behind the desk. He appeared about fifty, his face hinting at the handsomeness of his youth, yet now shadowed by a heavy gloom, dark eye bags under his eyes, and greying temples.

He wore a dark purple casual outfit, his figure slightly lean but standing with a straight back, striving to maintain the dignity of a noble.

Upon seeing the Duke enter, he got up, squeezing out a perfunctory smile, though his eyes couldn’t hide his anxiety and hope.

That a wizard had come to take the task, the Earl of Lorand had higher hopes.

Previously, some people from the Knight Hall had come, but they were all knights, incapable of resolving the problem here, left entirely clueless.

Such bizarre occurrences required a wizard’s intervention. Since the priests of the Divine Hall of Light couldn’t resolve it, perhaps another wizard could have the means to do so.

It was well known that a wizard’s methods were the most varied and unpredictable; perhaps a wizard might understand what was happening in the castle, which was the Earl of Lorand’s hope.

Despite being an Earl, within the vast Seville Empire, he was merely a negligible figure, lacking significant influence.

The status of a wizard is extremely high, even within the Seville Empire.