Chapter 161: The Golden Quill

Malrik made his way toward the lower floor of the estate, with Eliza walking beside him in her usual quiet manner.

He was heading to the Vesperion family treasury. In his last meeting with his father, the Duke, Malrik hadn’t just obtained the title of Baron of Dreadmoor; he had also received five thousand platinum coins and, most importantly, a token that allowed him to enter the treasury once more and choose a single item.

As he walked through the wide corridors of the estate, he noticed something unusual.

The servants’ behavior was different from the norm. Instead of their routine bows or attempts to avoid his gaze, some of them looked terrified the moment they saw him. Some had trembling hands, others showed clear signs of tension on their faces, while the rest stole curious glances at him.

Malrik didn’t concern himself much with what was happening around him, seeing no point in wasting his time trying to understand the servants’ actions. He had far more important things to do.

All he wanted now was to enter the treasury and find a suitable Legacy Art. After that, he would embark on his own short trip.

But as soon as he passed the main gates of the estate and reached the outer courtyard, his footsteps halted.

A familiar face was waiting for him.

A man with a neatly trimmed black beard and blue eyes that carried a somewhat sad, indifferent look stood there.

Beside him stood five other people: four men and one woman.

The woman was holding a glossy publication that looked more like a magazine, reading from it in a low voice that didn’t reach Malrik’s ears, while the four men leaned in around her, following what she was reading with intense interest.

But the moment the six noticed Malrik approaching, they became flustered. The woman quickly hid the magazine behind her back, and then they all lined up before him, standing at attention.

"Good morning, Boss!"

These were the six commanders of his new Legion : Orren, Zane, Jax, Vexia, Rain, and Ronan.

Malrik stopped in front of them, then asked calmly. "Good morning... what are you doing here at this early hour?"

"We are here awaiting your orders, Boss." Ronan spoke, his usual cheerful smile splitting his face. He then gave an exaggerated thumbs-up. "By the way... you were absolutely awesome!"

Jax, the man with the mechanical arm, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the Boss is always amazing. That’s a given."

Malrik raised an eyebrow, not fully understanding the reason for this sudden praise.

"Well... thank you," he said matter-of-factly, then continued. "But I don’t need you right now. You can go back to whatever you were doing. I’m going to the treasury first, and then I have a short trip. We will officially begin work in Dreadmoor tomorrow."

Malrik took a step to bypass them but Orren’s calm, serious voice stopped him.

"We have been relieved of all our previous duties in the Duchy, Young Master. Our sole mission now is to accompany you, protect you, and carry out your orders whenever necessary."

Malrik cast a glance at the rest of the squad. It was clear from their posture that they completely agreed with Orren. In fact, the strange enthusiasm they displayed piqued his curiosity, even if he didn’t understand the cause.

Malrik sighed. He was in no mood to get into an argument with them this morning.

"Fine... do as you please."

He then continued toward the treasury building while the six followed in single file right behind Eliza.

On the way, Vexia, the one with the serpentine eyes, quickened her pace to walk beside him.

"You’re heading to the treasury now right, Boss? Do you have anything specific in mind?" she asked curiously.

Malrik looked at her and gave a slight shrug. "Not exactly."

Vexia’s eyes gleamed with excitement as she said, "Since you’re a mage, why not visit the section dedicated to magical tomes? I’ve heard it houses many rare items, like ancient spellbooks... ooh, or books on black magic and runic arts! I’ve heard the treasury contains treasures that can dramatically enhance magical abilities."

Malrik looked at her with an evaluating gaze. "You seem quite knowledgeable about these matters, Vexia."

Vexia’s smile widened. "Any passionate mage would know this, Boss! If you ever need my help with anything magic-related, just let me know. I was a very gifted student in black magic, in addition to mastering several support spells... oh and I can draw some basic runic inscriptions."

"There she goes again... just ignore her Boss." Zane interrupted from behind with a mocking smirk.

"Who wants to waste their time reading ancient magic books when they can get top-tier weapons and gear capable of devastating their enemies? If you want my advice Boss, focus on combat weapons and materials that increase physical strength and endurance."

Zane stepped closer to Malrik, a twisted smile on his face, and lowered his voice. "As you know, women love strong men, not bookworms."

Vexia turned to him with a look of utter disgust. "Are you stupid, or are you just playing dumb, Zane? The Boss is a necromancer, not a muscle-bound mule like you! What does he need heavy weapons for when his army of the dead can fight on his behalf? So keep your stupid advice to yourself and your whores!"

Malrik listened to their bickering without intervening, simply continuing his walk toward the treasury gates, ignoring the argument unfolding behind him.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the towering black gates. As he expected, Eliza and the six commanders stopped at the entrance.

"We’ll wait for you here Boss!" Vexia said enthusiastically, waving her hand. "But you have to show us what you get when you come out!"

Malrik looked at them offering a faint smile before continuing his way inside.

Inside, the place greeted him with its usual grandeur. The elite guards looked at him in silence, then nodded in a brief, formal salute. No one attempted to stop him, and he continued walking until he reached the inner area of the treasury.

There, he found a familiar face.

He was a tall, broad-shouldered man with a powerful physique and pitch-black hair. He looked to be in his early thirties, and his sharp green eyes were among the most prominent traits of the Vesperion bloodline.

It was Elder Eldric Vesperion, the Keeper of the Treasury.

Eldric appeared busy... or rather, completely relaxed. He was sitting comfortably in a plush chair, engrossed in a glossy magazine that looked remarkably similar to the one Vexia had hidden outside.

As soon as he heard the sound of Malrik’s footsteps, he lifted his eyes from the pages, a broad smile forming on his face before he slowly closed the magazine.

"Look who we have here! The Seventh Banner Bearer and the new Baron of Dreadmoor honors us with his presence in our humble treasury today."

Malrik smiled at the elder’s friendly greeting and said, "Uncle Eldric, it has been a long time since I last saw you."

Eldric chuckled lightly and replied, "Of course. A famous figure like you, constantly making headlines, wouldn’t find the time to visit an old man like me, who spends his days guarding such a gloomy vault."

Malrik raised an eyebrow, looking confused. "Famous? Making headlines? What are you talking about?"

Eldric shook his head with a sly smile. "Haven’t you read ’The Golden Quill’ this morning? You’re making headlines, boy... you and the Second Prince. Here, take a look for yourself."

He reached out and handed the magazine to Malrik.

"The Golden Quill?" Malrik muttered as he recalled some of the information he knew about this magazine.

It wasn’t just an ordinary publication; it was the most famous and influential magazine in the entire Empire. It had a tremendous ability to shape public opinion, publishing everything from trending news and hot rumors to political scandals and the latest fashion trends adopted by the noble families in the Capital.

In a world lacking modern technology, this magazine was the closest thing to social media on Earth. There was hardly a noble in the Empire who didn’t start their day browsing its latest issue.

But what was even more impressive was that this media empire wasn’t as old as one might expect. Rather, it had been established only a few years earlier by the ducal House Goldmere.

The mastermind behind this achievement was Lady Rosaline Goldmere... his fiancée’s older sister.

Malrik glanced at the front cover and froze in shock.

There was a remarkably lifelike image of him alongside one of the Second Prince, both appearing as though they had been captured through the lens of a modern camera.