Chapter 25: Not Found (Three Updates Released Together, Please Follow for Updates)

Damia Great Knight Leader fell silent for a moment, his gaze moving from the remains on the ground, he swept his eyes over everyone, his tone low and solemn: "This is outright a trap. Fortunately you did not rashly attack the glass vessel, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable."

He paused, his voice carrying undeniable authority: "Remember, when you encounter anything of a wizard's, if safety is not certain, avoid touching it. A wizard's methods are unfathomable; a moment's carelessness can lead to utter ruin."

Fitz Knight stepped forward, knelt to examine the corrosion marks on the ground, his brow furrowed: "This corrosive liquid is clearly a wizard's careful concoction, meant to deal with anyone trying to destroy his experimental subject. This wizard apprentice is meticulous and ruthless in his methods; he must not be underestimated."

Damia Great Knight Leader nodded, his gaze sweeping over the other objects in the cavern, his tone grave: "Nothing here should be touched lightly. Fitz, take a few people and carefully search the cavern for any other traps or clues. The rest of you withdraw to the cavern's mouth and stay on guard."

Fitz Knight immediately directed several knight apprentices to begin searching the cavern, while Robin and the others followed Damia Great Knight Leader back to the cavern's mouth.

Outside the cavern the sunlight remained bright, but everyone's mood was exceedingly heavy.

Robin couldn't help but ask: "Great Knight Leader, what exactly does that wizard apprentice want? Why would he treat the Barma Knight's corpse like this?"

Damia Great Knight Leader fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly: "A wizard's motives are often hard to fathom, but one thing is certain—they seek power, whether through magic, experiment, or any other means."

The Barma Knight had been a powerful knight in life; his corpse is undoubtedly excellent experimental material for a wizard. This wizard apprentice likely aims not only to create monsters but may be attempting some more dangerous ritual or magic.

Hearing this, Robin's heart tightened and he clenched his fists: "Then we must stop him! We cannot let him continue to desecrate the dead's dignity."

Damia Great Knight Leader glanced at Robin, a flicker of approval in his eyes: "You're right. We must not only stop him but utterly eliminate his threat. However, a wizard's methods are deceitful and changeable, so we must act with caution."

Just then, Fitz Knight emerged from the cavern holding a scroll of old parchment: "Great Knight Leader, we found this deep in the cavern; it records strange symbols and text, possibly the wizard's experimental notes."

Damia Great Knight Leader took the parchment and examined it closely, his brow tightening further: "These symbols… seem to be the incantation of some kind of summoning ritual. This wizard apprentice is likely not merely reshaping corpses; he may be attempting to summon a far more powerful entity."

"A summoning?" Robin and the others felt their hearts sink.

"Exactly." Damia Great Knight Leader closed the parchment, his tone grave: "We must find him quickly and thwart his plan; otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable."

He turned to the crowd and said: "All units, hear my order! Return to the camp at once, gather more forces. We will conduct a thorough search of this area; we must not give him a chance to complete the ritual."

Everyone responded in unison and sprang into action.

Robin crouched by the campfire, gently stirring the leopard‑bone soup in the pot with his wooden spoon.

The rich aroma rose with the steam, drawing Tomson's gaze fixed on the pot, his throat involuntarily working a few times.

"My greatest fear is that he flees to another lord's territory." Robin said softly, his brow slightly furrowed, his voice tinged with worry.

If he really escapes elsewhere, our troubles will multiply—not only will tracking him become far harder, but it could also spark conflicts between territories.

Tomson's attention was wholly captured by the leopard‑bone soup; he didn't hear Robin's words at all. He licked his lips, leaned over the pot, inhaled deeply, and wore a blissful smile: "This soup smells amazing! Robin, your cooking keeps getting better!"

Robin gave Tomson a helpless glance, shook his head, and couldn't be bothered to say more.

He turned his head to Lily and Eric beside him, seeing they were lost in thought, evidently reacting to his words.

Lily sat by the fire, knees hugged, eyes fixed on the dancing flames, and said softly: "Robin is right. If that wizard apprentice really fled to another lord's domain, things would become complicated."

Other lords might think we lack the ability to handle our own affairs, or even suspect we are deliberately pushing our troubles onto them.

Eric nodded, picking up the thread: "Moreover, we know all too well what a wizard is capable of. If he really continues his experiments in another lord's land, the consequences would be unimaginable. We must find him before things spiral out of control."

Robin sighed, set his wooden spoon aside, and said in a low voice: "But we've already combed the entire territory and found no trace of him—he's as if he vanished into thin air."

Lily lifted her head, a flash of determination in her eyes: "Perhaps we've overlooked something. Wizards excel at concealment and disguise; he could be hiding somewhere we'd never expect. We need to re‑examine the clues, see if any detail was missed."

Eric nodded in agreement: "Exactly. Perhaps we can start from those experimental records in the cavern to see if we can discern his next plan. A wizard's methods may be cryptic, but they always leave traces."

Robin pondered a moment, then said slowly: "That makes sense. Tomorrow we'll go back to the cavern and search it thoroughly for any overlooked clues. Besides, we can send someone to nearby villages to inquire whether anyone has seen suspicious persons."

Tomson finally snapped out of his reverie over the leopard‑bone soup, hearing the others' conversation, he scratched his head: "What about me? What can I do?"

Robin glanced at him and couldn't help but smile: "You just handle ladling out the soup for everyone. You need a full belly to have the strength to work."

Tomson's face lit up, he thumped his chest: "Leave it to me! I'll make sure everyone gets the most delicious leopard‑bone soup."

Lily and Eric also laughed at Tomson's reaction, the tense atmosphere easing a little. Yet they both knew this levity was only temporary.

The wizard's threat still looms; they must find him quickly to avert greater disaster.

Around the campfire, the four sat together, silently sipping their soup.

Then Eric and Lily suddenly widened their eyes: "This soup is too…"

(End of chapter)