Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 401 Differentiation and Cooperation
As Kuraki celebrated the grand occasion of the Duchy, Silvertop City in the North also welcomed their first Baron, the Astrologer Sederlos.

The majority of the population of Silvertop City is composed of people who migrated from the Kuraki territory.

However, under the rule of Sederos, the alien races in the border cities gradually accepted the situation. They were mainly fairies, alchemists, and gods and monsters. Although their numbers were not as large as those of humans, their proportion was increasing.

Furthermore, Cedrus restored communication with the Throne of Wisdom and re-established contact.

In a secluded jungle, in a lawless area bordering the North and the Arcane Empire, Sederlos met a person he knew all too well.

"Mentor Beatrice, it's been a long time!"

The warlock, draped in a star-blue cloak, emerged from the shadows, lifted his hood, and looked at his former disciple.

Since Cedrus's assassination in the Arcane Empire, the two have never met again. Although they had exchanged magical letters, they did not communicate much due to their respective identities and powers.

Beatrice carefully sensed Cedrus's aura and discovered that his source of magical power, full of wisdom and creativity, had disappeared, replaced by a vast and mysterious magical power. Moreover, there was a faint, extraordinary life force within him, surging and turbulent, constantly resisting some kind of terrible curse.

The Throne of Wisdom quickly ascertained the facts of what had happened. It turned out that it wasn't just Sederlos; the Void Cult had targeted several warlocks with less-than-pure bloodlines and geniuses with weak backgrounds, and was carrying out a coordinated purge.

The struggle between the two factions has reached a fever pitch, with the Void God Cult being more insidious and ruthless than the Throne of Wisdom.

Beatrice thought that Cedrus could grow up safely under her protection, but who could have imagined this outcome?

As for how her disciple escaped and how she broke the curse, that may be Kuraki's secret.

She had so much to say, but in the end it all boiled down to one sentence.

"Just stay alive!"

In an era rife with natural disasters and war, even the most powerful heroes cannot control their own destiny; survival is everything.

Sederos paused for a moment, then smiled.

"It is the greatest honor of my life to practice alchemy under your guidance."

Cedrus always remembered those who treated him sincerely. The previous assassination attempt was indeed a carefully planned scheme by the Void Cult, and it was impossible to guard against. Beatrice had no way to prevent it.

But what doesn't kill him makes him stronger, and Cederos is even somewhat relieved to have come to know the true colors of some of the rulers of the Arcane Empire.

"I invited you here for two reasons: first, to reminisce about the past, and second, to strengthen exchanges in alchemy."

I know that the City of Wisdom has a considerable amount of research in alchemy, potions, and magic. Silvertop City is newly established and lacks much in these areas. I hope to make a deal with my mentor.

At this point, Beatrice's attitude instantly became formal as she stared at Cedrus: "Are you negotiating as the Baron of Silvertop City, or as my disciple?"

Sedros smiled and said, "These two identities are not separate. I will always be your disciple. You also know my expertise in alchemy. I heard that the Church of Wisdom and the Church of the Void are both exploring the Cloud Palace of the Void Ruins. If we could get a lot of magic scrolls to help us, would our chances of winning be greater?"
Silvertop City has the ability to mass-produce potions, and the research capabilities of the Arcane Prayer are several times stronger than those of the Archmage. Given a suitable research topic, they can make breakthroughs immediately.

"I just want to protect the North. We have a common enemy: the Cult of the Void!"

Beatrice was somewhat surprised: "Your information channels are quite well-connected; you've managed to find out about such a secret matter."

With the return of the Cursed Tide, the Arcane Empire will certainly try to welcome back the Titans, but the fact that Kuraki could speak so accurately about the Void Ruins shows that his espionage skills are quite remarkable.

However, more than the leak of information, the Throne of Wisdom is worried about the ownership of the Cloud Palace. There can't be only one Level 7 transcendent military camp exiled in the void, and they have no intention of occupying them all. One or two are enough for them to conduct research in the upcoming battles.

The Throne of Wisdom is characterized by magical research, enhancing the characteristics and strength of troop types, and has infinite possibilities for the future. However, the two religions are currently in serious conflict, with the Void Cult even wanting to acquire everything, not even giving them a sip.

After all, they were in the Void Ruins, and the opponent still had a significant advantage. Beatrice and the mages behind her did not have much confidence, and their exploration progress was currently very slow.

If the Void Cult were to seize all the Cloud Palaces and Advanced Cloud Palaces, the Throne of Wisdom's status would plummet in the face of level 7 units with divinity, and it would lose all influence within the Tower of Circles. This would be a fatal consequence.

Cedrus spoke to her heart: the Church of Wisdom, engrossed in its research, was not worried about the rising Silvertop City, but rather about the brutal internal strife.

"Silvertop City's defensive capabilities are indeed strong, but this is mostly due to the heroes' skills. How much help can it provide in other areas of research?"

Your magic scrolls are impressive, and your magical knowledge is extensive, but that alone is not enough.

Beatrice is qualified to say such things. The Church of Wisdom's exploration of magic and alchemy is second to none on the entire continent. Even if Cedros is exceptionally talented, his newly built tower city probably lacks some foundation.

Cedros immediately pulled out five bottles of potions and handed them to the other party.

Beatrice opened the potions, smelled them, and instantly learned their functions.

"Level 1 potions: magic, steel, bloodlust; Level 2 potions: blood burning, speed."

"These are indeed good potions, but they're all too basic. Any potion-making tower in the Arcane Empire can produce them, and even level 2 potions can be crafted in many places."

Cedros nodded, not denying it, but he pointed out Silvertop City's advantage: "Level 1 potions cost 800 gold coins, and level 2 potions cost 2000 gold coins! That's the cost of our research."

With the enhancement of advanced civil engineering techniques, the success rate of potion production at the Potions Tower is extremely high, and the actual average cost is actually lower than that.

Having once lived in the Arcane Empire, Sederlos was naturally very clear about the ins and outs. Although there were many tower cities capable of creating low-level magic, their efficiency was poor, and a success rate of 30% was considered good. The higher the level of magic, the lower the probability.

Silvertop City currently produces level 1 and 2 potions with a near 100% success rate, which is a truly terrifying statistic.

If operating at full capacity, the Potions Tower can provide nearly a hundred potions within a week.

Beatrice was also taken aback: "What? Such a low cost, what improvements did you make?"

Sedros naturally couldn't reveal the details, but continued, "If we have the formula for high-grade potions, we can provide the potions at a low price and mass-produce them."

While directly supplying the prescription cannot complete the research, it can greatly increase the research progress. By using the Mystic Prayer to conduct concentrated research, the potion can be produced on a large scale.

Beatrice pondered for a moment and then said, "Blood Potion, Eagle Eye Potion, I can provide you with these two level 3 potion recipes to see your strength."

Deliver 30 bottles to each of you, and we'll discuss the rest later.

Cedrus patted his chest and promised, "I guarantee there won't be any problems."

The Throne of Wisdom also contains many secret arts, involving magic, alchemical guardians, libraries, and many other aspects.

However, Cedros was in no hurry. He wanted to first demonstrate his strength and let the people behind Beatrice see the special nature of Silvertop City, after which further cooperation would naturally follow.

Of course, the biggest gain was the division of the Arcane Empire.

Fighting is one thing, negotiating is another. Fighting a portion of the people and negotiating with those who have good intentions will stabilize the situation in the north and greatly help the lord's overall strategy.

(End of this chapter)