Chapter 357 Arrival of the Enemies
Later that day...
The main streets of Millfall became busier as the day wore on, with more people arriving in town for the auction, while the usual movement of local workers added to the traffic in some areas.
The normally traffic-free city was now experiencing a traffic jam, with some areas becoming difficult to navigate.
Millfall didn't have many rooms to rent out to visitors. With such an important event taking place in the city, the hotels and inns were soon reaching their maximum capacity while many people in the surrounding area were unloading the luggage of new arrivals.
Amidst the movement of carriages and the unloading of luggage, traffic in some parts of the city was terrible, with several points coming to a standstill.
That was the case at the city's main traffic circle, where a group from Ironcrest was currently stopped at one of the intersections.
"Tsk! I didn't think there would be so much traffic here!" One of the two drivers of the car commented, looking around and seeing many cars, but also many people walking along the streets.
The other said. "This is the most important auction of the year. I've heard that there will be several 3rd-grade items up for auction, including natural items.
Natural items were more valuable than items made by professionals. The reason? Although artificial items might have better characteristics, they were usually easier to find on the continent.
For example, the 3rd-stage herb Vicente found was much more valuable than the pills it could produce. Pills could be found all over the continent, but wild herbs were rare. On the other hand, a single herb could be used in many different ways, generating resources for many different magicians or even for many different purposes.
Given the greater possibilities of natural resources, they were worth more in the eyes of the magicians.
"Is that why the bosses are here?"
"I wonder..."
While the two ignorant coachmen were talking to each other, there were four people in the carriage they were driving: three men and one woman.
They were all Mages, two Low-level Mages and two Mid-level Mages.
"Miss Mercer, what do you think of this auction? Our plans in this city were not to participate in this event, but I believe that some of our targets might be preparing for this event.
If we wait for the auction to end, we may be able to deal with the enemies and still get free items." A blond, round-eyed man commented with a smile.
Looking at this Low-level Mage, the second strongest of the group, a balding man with several tattoos on his arms, felt that this might be a good idea.
"The bosses sent us here to deal with the Mazzanti family, Layla Bourne, and anyone who might be closely connected to them. But given that family's position, they may be at the auction. Wasting that could be a mistake on our part."
Sarah Mercer, a Mid-level Mage, 4th in command of The Faceless Ones faction, heard the comments of two of her group partners and agreed. "We need to investigate the situation on the ground before we take any action, so waiting another two days won't make any difference.
All right, we'll split into two groups during the auction. Cole and Leo, you two should monitor the Mazzanti family and their movements during and after the auction. Tyler and I will go to the auction to watch Cesar Mazzanti. He will most likely attend the event."
"Okay." The three people with her immediately accepted her orders.
She continued. "But first, I want Tyler and Leo to investigate the situation in Millfall today thoroughly and what has happened since our men left here with Jasmine Barber.
In particular, I want an assessment of the overall power of the Mazzanti family, who their allies are, and any problems that might weaken this house in the coming days."
The two Low-level Mages accepted her orders and then left the carriage to begin investigating the situation on the ground.
Meanwhile, she stayed behind with Cole, the bald Mid-level Mage with several tattoos on his arms.
"Miss Mercer, you're being cautious... Do you think Cesar is behind Kaleb and Tyson's deaths?" Cole asked as he looked into the eyes of this beautiful woman with black hair and an unusual yellow Magic Gem.
Before arriving in Millfall this afternoon, they had passed The Vile Altar. In this place, the men who had kidnapped Jasmine had told them that Tyson and Kaleb had gone in search of Cesar and the 3rd-stage herb.
So far, Kaleb, Tyson, and the two Acolytes accompanying them had shown no signs of life, while there was already news of Cesar's return to Millfall.
What did that mean? That those four had died and there was a chance that Cesar was the real culprit!
That wasn't a certainty, and this group had left three people who had traveled with them to investigate the situation in that better place. But these people already suspected Cesar.
This black-haired woman looked out over the bustling area of this city and said. "I think he had something to do with this. In any case, we'd better be careful with this young man. Besides, we don't need to take any chances with him. If he has local enemies, we can use them to weaken him before we move.
Whether by our own hands or those of others, this person must pay for what he has done to us. The Faceless Ones will not accept provocation!"
Cole nodded in agreement, agreeing with Sarah that the Mazzanti family must pay for their audacity.
Plotting against their men and possibly having information about their involvement in the kidnapping of a Sovereign's daughter was reason enough for them to try to eliminate these people in any way possible!
...
As the newcomers from the Faceless Ones faction began to investigate the local situation, other groups of Mages continued to arrive in the city.
Millfall had fewer than 10 resident Mages. But by that afternoon, the number of Mages in the city had exceeded 30.
With so many representatives of important families in the province arriving, the local powers were keeping a close eye on who was entering the city, worried about the competition.
But not everyone was so pessimistic about the day. While Baron Staples received the information about the new arrivals with concern, Shelby had just come out of seclusion and discovered the number of Mages in the city at the moment.
Having reached the end of level 4 in her seclusion, she was pleased with her progress and the rising local tensions.
"So there are a lot of Mages in the city, huh?" She muttered to Molly in her room. "Wouldn't it be a great 'shame' if they all joined the post-auction fight? The city will be in chaos."
This content is taken from free web nov𝒆l.com