Chapter 320 : Chapter 320

Chapter 320. Logaris and Dorg

“Sylvia.”

Logaris, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke, breaking the suffocating atmosphere.

“The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍soldiers should have already reached their designated positions.” He lifted his chin slightly in indication. “Now, go handle your own work.”

Sylvia ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍looked deeply at Logaris. The surging emotions in her silver-gray eyes finally returned to calm.

“Good.”

She ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍said only that one word. Then she turned around, the hem of her black riding outfit stirring a faint breeze that disturbed the still-uncongealed bloodstains on the carpet.

Her steps did not hesitate in the slightest, just like her heart at this moment.

Just as Sylvia’s figure was about to disappear through the doorway, Logaris’s voice rang out again.

“Leave this place to me.” He walked to Dorg’s side, as though he did not see the mess covering the floor, his tone calm.

“Before you return, I will ensure that... your brother remains safe and sound.”

Nevira’s gaze followed the direction in which Sylvia had left until the heavy oak doors closed again. Only then did she slowly withdraw her eyes and refocus them on Dorg.

A trace of complicated emotion flashed through her eyes, as though she was slightly surprised by Logaris’s promise and Sylvia’s decision.

When the heavy oak doors closed once more, only Logaris, Dorg, and Nevira remained in the reception hall.

Along with a room full of dead people.

Logaris did not immediately speak with Dorg.

He closed his eyes, and his immense mental power swept across the entire Redleaf Manor in an instant like an invisible tide.

Nevira sensed an invisible fluctuation of power. Her body tensed slightly, and her right hand unconsciously settled on the hilt at her waist as she stared at Logaris vigilantly.

【High-Tier Conjuration · All-Soul Listening】!

In an instant, it was as though countless screams and wails of the dead echoed through the air. The souls that had just separated from their bodies still carried their final memories and obsessions from life, wandering blankly through this space.

Logaris’s mental power was like a fine net, precisely capturing every soul fragment.

“No. 17 Rose Street in the east of the city, underground treasury, secret passage leading outside the city...”

“That batch of weapons in the western district warehouse was meant to be sold to Valeria...”

“My son and the Minister of Finance’s son-in-law have business dealings through an underground bank...”

Countless filthy secrets, hidden riches, and intricate webs of relationships had nowhere to hide within the final memories of these dead souls.

Through a mental link he had already constructed, Logaris transmitted this fresh intelligence in real time to Sylvia, who was carrying out a lightning operation in the Royal Capital.

Only after finishing all this did he slowly open his eyes.

The entire process took no more than thirty seconds.

Then he turned around, ignoring the severed limbs and black blood all over the floor.

He walked straight toward the luxurious wine cabinet in the corner, which remained perfectly intact.

He opened the cabinet door, his gaze sweeping over rows of treasured wines.

“Tsk. There is even a bottle of three-hundred-year-old ‘Starlight Ruby.’”

He selected the oldest unopened bottle of red wine.

His fingertips moved slightly, and his mana turned into an invisible corkscrew.

Pop.

The cork was pulled out.

He also casually picked up two spotless crystal glasses.

Then he turned around.

Stepping through the sticky pools of blood, he walked to the long table.

In the reception hall, bloody as hell itself, the clear and pleasant sound of wine being poured rang out.

Crimson wine entered the crystal glasses, refracting an enchanting luster beneath the dim light.

Logaris picked up the two glasses and handed one of them to Dorg, who sat in the main seat.

His posture was casual, as though he were attending a high-end academic salon.

Not standing at the scene of a massacre.

“Do you mind having a chat, Your Highness the First Prince?”

Dorg looked at him. For the first time, true curiosity appeared in those sickly eyes.

“You do not seem surprised at all.” Dorg accepted the wineglass, but did not drink. He merely looked at the crimson liquid inside.

“I simply do not usually show my emotions on my face,” Logaris said with a light laugh, taking a sip himself.

“Is that so?” Dorg said with interest.

“I must say, you use 【All-Soul Listening】 quite well. It feels far better than those Court Mages.”

Dorg quickly recovered his composure. He was even able to make a joke.

“Just a few personal tricks I developed to be lazy,” Logaris said casually. “After all, compared with interrogation, I prefer looking at the answers directly.”

The two chatted intermittently, and the atmosphere became strange to the extreme.

Around them were hundreds of corpses that had died in horrific ways, yet the two of them were like old friends who had known each other for many years.

As though they were in a garden on some afternoon, casually chatting about scholarship and power.

The atmosphere slowly shifted from its initial drawn tension into a subtle tacit understanding.

Dorg swirled the wineglass in his hand and looked at Logaris through the crimson liquid, his tone carrying a trace of distant reminiscence.

“Actually, this was not the first time I became curious about you, Professor Logaris.”

“Oh?”

Logaris raised a brow and set down his wineglass. “When was it, then?”

“Many years ago. At that time, Sylvia was still studying at Saint Arcadia Academy.”

A gentle smile appeared at the corner of Dorg’s mouth.

“The palace informants reported to me that my younger sister, who had always been solitary and cold, was actually getting quite close to a commoner boy at the academy.”

Logaris’s hand, which was holding the wineglass, paused slightly. Then he chuckled and teased:

“I truly ought to thank Your Highness’s mercy for not sending someone to stuff me into a sack and throw me into the Royal Capital’s moat back then.”

“Do you not think you are imagining me as far too narrow-minded? Why would I do that?”

Dorg laughed despite himself, then gave a weak cough.

Nevira nervously offered him a handkerchief. Dorg waved his hand and refused it.

“Sylvia’s personality and the experiences of her childhood destined her not to have many true friends. She always forced herself too hard, like a bowstring that might snap at any moment.”

Dorg raised his eyes and looked at Logaris seriously.

“So when I heard that there was someone at her side she could speak to, I did not think it was anything serious.”

“On the contrary, I felt relieved.”

“For her, having one more person beside her, someone who could accompany her and allow her to occasionally set down her mask, was a good thing.”

Dorg paused. His gaze swept over Logaris’s refined-scoundrel face.

“Moreover, the facts have proven that her judgment is excellent.”

When Logaris heard this, he did not feign humility. He raised his brow slightly, and the corner of his mouth curved into an unconcealed, flamboyant arc.

He lifted the wineglass in his hand and gave Dorg a light toast, accepting the praise as a matter of course. “Naturally. Her judgment is indeed excellent.”

Looking at the sharp-edged young Mage before him, Dorg was slightly startled. Then he smiled in relief.

Not only did he not feel offended, he felt that this arrogance suited Logaris incomparably well. After all, for such an unrivaled genius who had stepped into the Sixth Tier at the age of twenty-two, this degree of pride was a privilege he rightfully possessed.