Chapter 212: Black Hand

Although Xia Duo had long been prepared to finish the Intermediate and Advanced parts, it was simply outrageous that even the Intermediate section was incomplete!

Being interrupted right when he was in the middle of it was truly annoying; Xia Duo closed the book haphazardly and took a few deep breaths to calm his mood.

Then he reopened this *Intermediate Arcane Geometry*; this time, Xia Duo read much more slowly, savoring and carefully relishing it, enjoying the feast of magic's mysteries.

There are no calendars in the Mage Tower; if not for the Tower Spirit's reminder, Xia Duo wouldn't have known that time had slipped away until dusk had fallen.

He stood up and moved his body a bit; Xia Duo secretly regretted that he had cast physical training to the back of his mind after the Arcane Competition. A strong physique was not a capital he could afford to waste.

Fortunately, it had only been interrupted for three days, so it wasn't hard to pick back up. Just as dinner hadn't arrived yet, Xia Duo started exercising in the Reception Room.

By the time dinner arrived, Xia Duo had finished a set of basic movements, but what Xia Duo didn't expect was that Aideliqi was the one delivering his meal today.

"Why is it you? Where is Walter?" Xia Duo opened the door and gestured for Aideliqi to come in and talk; Walter was the Ordinary Apprentice who had been delivering meals to Xia Duo recently.

"Walter was teased by a spell from an outsider Mage and injured his foot. I saw him on the way and knew it was for you, so I brought it along."

Aideliqi placed the food box on the table and stood where he was, appearing somewhat reserved, unlike before when he would just find a place to sit down.

"Sit down first, don't just stand there." Xia Duo gave Aideliqi a gentle push, picked up the food box on the table, and opened it to take a look; the food was the same as usual, nothing new.

While eating, Xia Duo asked Aideliqi, "You said it was on your way just now, what's that about?"

When it came to the main topic, Aideliqi became a bit coy, which made even Xia Duo feel a little awkward. "If you have something to say, just say it. Is there anything between us that can't be said?"

"My father wants to invite you to a dinner party at our home."

"A dinner party? At your home?" Xia Duo pondered carefully; Aideliqi's father was the Territory's Commercial Director, Dailike, who managed several chambers of commerce under him.

Xia Duo instantly associated this with the pioneering of Daxia Territory. He had only returned from Lady Patti's yesterday, and today there was another invitation from Dailike; he couldn't help but make such a connection.

But Xia Duo also knew that his real interaction with Dailike was probably just through Aideliqi. When it came down to it, the pioneering of Daxia Territory did need the support of a chamber of commerce, but didn't Savile Territory need it too?

It wouldn't make sense for him to neglect his own home just to help him; that just didn't add up.

Thinking this, Xia Duo gradually had an idea in his heart. "Alright, I will be there on time tomorrow."

Besides being a Mage, he now also had the status of a Pioneer; perhaps this was the reason Dailike invited him.

"Great!" Hearing Xia Duo agree, Aideliqi immediately revealed a smile. "I'll go back with you tomorrow."

Then Aideliqi talked to Xia Duo about his family situation, which he had rarely mentioned before, such as his father's strictness, his mother's kindness, and the bickering between brothers.

Xia Duo listened while eating, and in his heart, he gained a more intuitive and three-dimensional understanding of Aideliqi's family members and their home situation.

At the same time, he also roughly guessed Dailike's purpose in inviting him.

Soon, Xia Duo finished his dinner, and Aideliqi also took his leave at the right time; Xia Duo then began his evening work session.

At the same time, on the top floor of the Tower of Time, in the Lord's Study.

Sitting behind the desk at this moment was not Lord Aipusi, but Niya. She was currently gradually taking over the affairs of the Territory; many orders appeared to be issued from the Lord, but in reality, it was Niya who was handling them.

Meanwhile, Lord Aipusi and Aiboke were drinking tea and chatting in a corner of the study. They appeared very leisurely, but their gazes turned toward Niya from time to time.

"Is this how you've been slacking off lately?" Aiboke pursed his lips toward Niya's direction and laughed, "Do you know what Sain has been saying recently? He said you should have let Niya take over long ago."

"Heh heh, this old guy. Didn't he blame me before for pushing Niya out so early? Now—hmph, in the Saville Family, I am the most incompetent one."

Although he said he was the most incompetent, a trace of pride shone in Aipusi's eyes. Niya was indeed far better than him, whether in magical talent or governing ability.

The Saville Family has a worthy successor!

"By the way, how do you plan to arrange those people who stayed behind?" Aiboke suddenly mentioned those outsider Mages that Aipusi had recruited. "They have ruined the atmosphere in the Mage Tower recently!"

Regarding this, Lord Aipusi didn't care at all. "Don't worry, once the pioneering plan starts, they'll have plenty to keep them busy!"

What he didn't say was that he also intended to use these outsider Mages as pathfinders to probe the Elf Mages. These people's hearts were not in Savile Territory at all; they only stayed to get higher pay than they would in the core regions of the Empire.

Once Savile Territory could no longer satisfy them, they would leave without a shred of attachment.

Therefore, for these people, Lord Aipusi prepared to work them to death. Let them be comfortable for a few days now; in a few days, they would know why Mages never easily sign a Sacred Contract.

There are too many loopholes to exploit, and they can be exploited with sound reasons, especially when a high-ranking member of the Divine Office is one of your own.

Thinking of those people's expressions, Aipusi couldn't help but show a sympathetic look, but then he laughed out loud.

Aiboke was left feeling somewhat baffled by this laughter. "Aipusi, what are you laughing at?"

"Nothing, just thought of something funny." Aipusi didn't want to show his low-brow humor in front of this old friend and hurriedly changed the subject. "Are there any clues about the black hand behind the Golden Lark Chamber of Commerce?"

This was something Aipusi had personally instructed Aiboke to do after the death of Feierbosi of the Liyadun Chamber of Commerce. Various circumstances indicated that a black hand was secretly spying on Savile Territory.

From destroying the olive grove to killing Feierbosi, and then to transporting grain to Konnifila City, this was no longer probing, but blatant malice.

And according to Archmage Olong, someone had set their sights on the Territory, but there was no more specific news. Currently, the only clue Aipusi possessed was the Golden Lark Chamber of Commerce.

The people who destroyed the olive grove couldn't be found, the person who killed Feierbosi couldn't be found, but the one transporting the grain was the Golden Lark Chamber of Commerce.

"According to the confession of the manager named Hawei, the person who controlled Feierbosi at the time came on a cargo ship of the Golden Lark Chamber of Commerce, but he doesn't know anything about what happened after."

As he spoke, Aiboke took a stack of Parchment from his Dimensional Bag and handed it to Lord Aipusi, then said:

"The transported grain was shipped from Angli Territory. Archmage Angli has been contacting me for some time, asking me to release all the people from the Golden Lark Chamber of Commerce and compensate for the losses, but he hasn't contacted me since the day before yesterday."

Aipusi flipped through the interrogation records on the Parchment nonchalantly; there was nothing of value. And it was simple why Archmage Angli stopped contacting him—

There were several Archmages present at the Savile Territory celebration three days ago, and behind them stood Great Arcanists, or they were even there directly representing Great Arcanists.