Su Cheng: "?"
Both the first and last names were actually quite common. She had encountered more than one person with them at the Cross Star Academy. However, considering the current era, she couldn't help but think of that set of books.
The Secret and Dangerous Spells series she had purchased in the imperial capital's bookstore had no author's name, leaving only the surname Hammerfield.
And she seemed to know another person named Elin.
"...Your Excellency?"
The two magicians looked at her strangely.
Su Cheng knew she had spaced out for a bit too long. "Sorry, I know several people with this surname—"
"Who doesn't?" one magician shook his head. "And it's even more common in this city."
"What is this person's strength?" Su Cheng asked. "Normally, shouldn't a wanted poster state their rank to prevent people without enough strength from being harmed by the criminal?"
"Indeed," another person sighed, "but no one knows his rank. In fact, he had his rank tested here many years ago when he was only seven years old and was certified as an apprentice. But more than ten years have passed... he never came back to be tested. So in our records, he is still tier one. The wanted poster couldn't possibly say he's tier one, right? That would be too ridiculous."
"I get it," Su Cheng's mouth twitched. "Although I'm not a local, I know there are a lot of magicians here. What level is a seven-year-old tier-one mage here? I can only say it's quite rare in my hometown. So, was this person not taken seriously?"
The two exchanged a glance. "It's considered pretty good here."
Judging from their tone, this so-called pretty good was probably just above average, definitely not particularly rare.
"...There are many academies here in Lightforge City, each with a long history and a quite comprehensive system."
Another mage walked over; judging by her accent, she sounded like a local.
Her robe bore the insignia of a Magister. She spoke slowly and methodically, but with her chest puffed out and her head held high, looking quite proud.
"Our earliest enrollment age is five. After receiving one to two years of basic education, many children can successfully pass the tier-one assessment."
"I understand," Su Cheng nodded slowly. "So the murderer only did a year or two of introductory studies here and then dropped out? Otherwise, you should have relevant records, right?"
The Magister shook her head. "I am an academy teacher, not from the Magic Guild. However, based on the investigation results fed back from various schools, Hammerfield has no enrollment records at any public or private magic academies, nor has he completed any magic-related courses in any institution—"
"Even that kind of basic education for children?"
"Yes."
"So," Su Cheng summarized, "normally, if a seven-year-old child passed the apprentice test at the Magic Guild, you would take it seriously, investigate his family background, and invite him to study at an affiliated academy. But there are too many schools here, and too many children who achieve ranks early on. So the guild staff got used to it. After granting him a rank, they assumed the child belonged to some school and stopped paying attention to him?"
The Magister frowned in agreement. "...I guess what you said is the truth. Although it can't be verified anymore, since the person who tested him back then also died in forbidden spell research several years ago."
"No study records, but there must be other information, at least? Is he a local? If so, where did he live? What did his family do? Even if he didn't go to the Magic Guild for testing, since his magic level is so high, maybe his neighbors all knew?"
Just as Su Cheng finished asking, she noticed the Magister's expression change slightly, as if recalling something unpleasant.
"...We couldn't find his neighbors, at least not the ones who lived close by."
The four of them standing there talking attracted quite a bit of attention, and at that moment, another magician walked over.
He also looked like a local. His robe had a tier-five water element insignia, indicating he was an advanced magician.
"Those people, including Hammerfield's parents, are all gone." His gaze was somewhat subtle. "They died in an accident."
"Ah?" Su Cheng couldn't help but press further. "What kind of accident?"
"You are also a magician," the man glanced at her. "Don't you know how many accidents can happen at any time for a mage?"
Su Cheng crossed her arms. "...An accident that could happen at any time would at most blow up a neighbor's fence, not kill a group of people. In most cities, that might not even happen once in decades. I don't think it belongs to the 'could happen at any time' category, right? Besides, since you put it that way, was this accident caused by a certain magician? Who was it?"
The Magister next to him looked at him sharply.
The advanced magician's face became increasingly ugly, seemingly realizing he had misspoken.
"It wasn't anyone," he said stiffly. "It was the deceased's own problem—"
"Alright," Su Cheng turned around. "Then I'll go see the scene for myself. Where is that place? Never mind, you probably don't want to tell me. I'll ask around myself."
The man subconsciously tried to stop her. "I think this has nothing to do with you. Considering you are a grand mage, we were willing to exchange some information with you, but that doesn't mean—"
"I want to do my part in catching the criminal," Su Cheng interrupted him. "So isn't it only right for me to ask more questions? What is there about these things that can't be said? Do many magicians in your esteemed area frequently cause accidents that kill residents?"
"What nonsense are you spouting? Of course not!"
"Oh," Su Cheng immediately replied. "Since there aren't many people like that, if someone did something similar, it should have spread throughout the city and been punished, right? Judging from the consequences, it would most likely be the death penalty."
"You—"
"Enough."
The Magister came over to smooth things over, her expression also carrying a bit of impatience and the arrogance of someone looking at a country bumpkin.
She looked at Su Cheng. "Your Excellency, I completely understand your meaning. Sorting out this information is indeed very important, it's just that this place, Lightforge City, has some different rules..."
"Is that so," Su Cheng gave a light chuckle. "May I ask if your esteemed area is independent of the imperial legal system?"
The Magister was choked up by her words and couldn't speak. "...Forget it, to tell you the truth, there is no point in you asking about this anymore. If you want to know, the instigators are indeed dead."
"Hm?"
The Magister closed her eyes briefly. "There were two young people, both of whom had been top students at the guild's affiliated academy. They were the most outstanding elemental mages of their class. They were a couple, and while passing near Oak Street, they got into an argument and came to blows, burning down more than half the street. All the residents unfortunately perished."
"Yeah," another local magician also twitched his lips. "They both died, are you satisfied? On the day Hammerfield went mad, the two of them were inside the Magic Guild, and they were both killed by him! Those two kids were not even sixteen years old—"
"From the time those two burned down half the street," Su Cheng interrupted him again, "to when Hammerfield destroyed the Magic Guild, how much time passed? Were those two tried for manslaughter, intentional destruction of property, and disturbing public order? What was the verdict?"
The two local mages turned pale with anger, unable to stop themselves from looking at the investigators from the imperial capital beside them, who frowned back in return.
"They didn't do it on purpose," the magister said in a deep voice. "They are both students at my school, and I know they aren't bad—"
"Oh, this charge includes not only direct intent but also indirect intent," Su Cheng immediately countered. "Sixteen is not six. They knew perfectly well the consequences of unleashing magic on a street crowded with people and property. At that age, they are old enough to foresee the harm their actions would cause, yet they did it anyway, showing a reckless disregard for the potential outcomes. That fits the very definition of indirect intent."
The two were left speechless by her argument.
"Furthermore, they either chose a highly lethal spell or deliberately poured a massive amount of mana into it. The building quality here is excellent; a standard fireball probably wouldn't even dent a wall and would only be good for burning haystacks."
Su Cheng couldn't help but turn to the two investigators. "I think you should look into what exactly is going on with those two and why they were never put on trial. Under imperial law, they are old enough to face the death penalty. Moreover, the Magic Guild is clearly shielding them, so were their previous actions ordered by someone else? It's hard to say."
"You! Don't you dare slander us!" the lower-ranked elemental mage was furious. "What good would it do to order them to kill commoners? You're in league with Hammerfield, aren't you? We really should arrest you—"
Su Cheng sneered, fine black scales surfacing on her face. "If we were in league, there wouldn't even be half a tower left."
As she spoke, she raised a hand, and eerie, flickering black flames danced at her fingertips.
The mages all changed their expressions, instinctively backing up several steps, their eyes filled with terror as they looked at her.
"A-apologies, esteemed lord..."
The magister's cheeks were deathly pale as he forced a fawning smile. "How fortunate we are to welcome an ancient..."
"I'm just passing through," Su Cheng looked at the two investigators. "But I mean what I say. Though I'm guessing you have your reservations and can't investigate freely. Human elites are always in bed with each other. Your superiors probably know the truth too, but for the sake of the Magic Guild's reputation, they still have to brand Hammerfield as a purely evil wanted criminal, without mentioning a word about why he did it."
They all offered bitter smiles.
"...My lord," the magister sighed and bowed his head. "You are truly very sharp, but he did indeed destroy the guild building and kill many people."
"Indeed, but I'm curious. If you had put those two murderers on trial, never mind the death penalty, just simply trying them, would Hammerfield have done this? Did you try them?"
None of them spoke.
Su Cheng turned her head to look at the ruins not far away.
The guild tower was embedded with various self-repair and purification arrays. In theory, even if it sustained heavy damage, it could recover in a short time, merely requiring crystal cores to power the process.
But the building remained in its current state, clearly because those arrays had been suppressed.
Those winding black marks wrapped around the tower like vines, exuding an aura of decay and corrosion, causing all the magic arrays to fail to operate normally.
Given enough time, they would likely erode and destroy those arrays entirely, leaving the building completely ruined.
Su Cheng could even feel various chaotic energies clashing inside and outside the tower, devouring, merging, and covering each other, ultimately maintaining this festering state.
It forced this once glorious, majestic, and authoritative building to be exposed to everyone's eyes in the most humiliating, broken, and ugly manner.
"...So how was it handled?" Su Cheng turned back to look at the mages. "Were the families of the deceased compensated?"
The investigators couldn't help but look at the other two as well.
The magister pursed his lips. "No. Because giving compensation would mean admitting liability, and the Magic Guild didn't want geniuses like them to have such a stain on their records—"
"?"
"So the accident was publicly classified as an explosion caused by illegal magical items hoarded in Hammerfield's home."
The magister sighed. "Even if I didn't know you were a dragon, I could sense that you are very strong. If I had told you that from the start, you would only need to take one look at the scene to know it was a lie."
Su Cheng: "............I can think of many ways to fake a scene. With so many days having passed, didn't the people from the Magic Guild do anything about it?"
"Even if it could be done, it would still take time and effort," the magister shook his head. "Anyone who comes here with enough strength to notice the anomaly wouldn't bother investigating seriously. Except for you, of course. You aren't human; in your eyes, all humans are probably about the same. But here, in our eyes—"
"The reputations of two genius mages are more important than the lives of a bunch of commoners."
They fell silent again.
Su Cheng suddenly felt a bit nauseous.
Their attitude was entirely too matter-of-fact, their faces practically screaming, You don't understand because you're a dragon, as if this was just the way humans were supposed to be.
"It's a good thing the people involved are already dead, otherwise I don't even know what I'd want to do. Also, if anyone else finds out a dragon came to this city," she said irritably, "I will come back and kill you all."
The four of them kept quiet out of fear.
Su Cheng turned and walked away.
The commercial district of Lightforge City was still highly prosperous. Just a little ways away from the plaza, one could feel the vibrant vitality, with vendors still busy making money.
She inexplicably felt a sense of dislocation.
At the street corner ahead was a stall selling iced drinks, its table lined with brightly colored syrup jars and several boxes of freshly cut fruit.
The stall owner was operating a hand-cranked shaved ice machine, laying the fine shaved ice over a coconut shell, drizzling it with a vibrant turquoise fruit syrup, and then beginning to pile on various fruits.
Layering them and pouring syrup until a small mountain was formed, they finally inserted two mint leaves for garnish.
Holding the coconut shell base, the stall owner handed the fruit ice drink to the customer.
Su Cheng: "...Hello, I'd like one too, just like that one."
The stall owner looked at her awkwardly. "Sorry, what's left isn't enough to make a large portion. Why don't you see if—"
"You can have mine," the customer from just now suddenly said. "It's my treat."
Su Cheng turned her head and gazed into a pair of deep, clear black eyes that were steeped in a certain melancholy sorrow.
Those eyes were like bright stars hung high in the night sky, gazing down at the earth in solitude, mourning the joys and sorrows, the partings and reunions of the mortal realm.
"...Assuming I have the honor of treating an ancient dragon."
The initially plain-looking customer seemed to have tangible water ripples appear on his face, transforming into a handsome, slender countenance.
He had his hair casually tied in a high ponytail, with ink-black curls cascading down to his lower back. He was tall and lean, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, boasting excellent proportions.
The man wore a somewhat loose, unadorned robe, the open collar revealing collarbones as sharp as a blade.
"Oh," the young man with black hair and dark eyes said coolly. "Now that others know who you are, are you going to go back and kill those four?"
Su Cheng: "..."
Ever since she had transmigrated to this place, she could no longer feel the power of the God of Contracts.
Therefore, she was entirely free to break her word.
Su Cheng: "I knew you were listening this whole time. But why invite me?"
The dark-haired young man gently lowered his gaze. "I like the things you said."
