NOVPUBMarcus watched Michael with envy. Though a powerful tier-one beast himself, Marcus was a creature of brute force, lacking the sacred or scholarly attributes to absorb divine power.
He whispered to Miaomiao, clearly disheartened:
[Only Michael can convert Outer God power into mana. You think I'll ever have something I'm uniquely useful for, sis?]
Understanding his frustration, Miaomiao reached over with a paw and patted his head.
[You'll find your role, Miao. Don't worry too much.]
Marcus bowed his head. His brilliant, cunning sister had become a vital support to Michael. Meanwhile, he felt like little more than muscle, useful only in direct combat—something even a lower-grade beast could do.
And now that the war was over, mages and knights alike would start lining up to extract his magical essence for their research and rituals. He couldn't help but wonder: Would he still be needed?
Unaware of the siblings' exchange, Michael continued to absorb the energy of the Outer God with full concentration.
Had he known what Marcus was thinking, he likely would've been dumbfounded. There were countless scholars and cultists out there willing to sell their souls just to get their hands on Marcus's blood or body—for study, for ritual, or for power.
Having absorbed the last of the divine residue, Michael rose to his feet.
"It's safe now. The circle is fully deactivated. You may all come down."
The mages responded first, practically rushing to the ground. The knights followed with more hesitation. After all, most of them preferred to stay far away from anything remotely magical.
The beasts, bound to their masters, entered the plaza without concern.
What they saw was grotesque: blood-soaked stones, gore-stained earth, and shredded flesh forming a macabre carpet.
"This… this is going to take quite a while to clean up."
One of the knights from the capital muttered as he gazed at the gory mess. Another knight, also from the capital, replied dryly, "I'd say a good month of scrubbing, assuming we can rally enough of the locals to help."
But the mages—particularly those hardened by their time under Crassus rule—had a different perspective. Years of toiling under Michael's practical, no-nonsense governance had made them unfazed by such manual work.
"Hm, I should contact the territory and summon my apprentices," said one.
"Calling apprentices for this? You really have no shame, do you?" another mage teased. "Forget it, we can handle this ourselves."
With that, the masters of various magical schools rolled up their sleeves and got to work. The knights and mages from the capital stood frozen in disbelief, jaws hanging open at the sight.
Only the knights who had accompanied Michael from Crassus territory remained indifferent, as if it were a regular day.
"What's the big deal?" one said casually.
"Exactly. Magic is incredibly useful for this kind of thing," another replied.
A capital mage, his beard trembling, shouted, "They're using magic… for cleaning?! I've never even considered such a thing!" 𝑛𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝑏.𝘤𝑜𝘮
"Same here. They always boasted about how much they'd advanced under Crassus, and I didn't believe it. Maybe I should've gone there too…"
Of course, none of them had the slightest idea of the hardship those left behind in Crassus territory had endured.
One of the oldest mage-masters barked harshly, breaking their thoughts.
"If you're not going to help, stop gawking and get back up on the wall! You're in the way!"
After the impromptu clean-up crew finished the worst of the work, Michael and his party finally entered Rochester Castle.
Thanks to the duke's letter—which had included the names and signatures of every rebel—there was no need to gather further evidence.
One knight, looking around the extravagant interior, couldn't help but mutter, "They always cried poverty and begged for support… Seems they spent every coin on luxury."
In stark contrast to the emaciated and rag-clad commoners outside, the inside of the castle was a parade of opulence.
"I don't remember the exterior looking this grand," another knight commented.
"Of course not. That was intentional. If the facade had been as flashy as this, no noble in the capital would've agreed to support the Northwestern territories."
"And what was the Crown Steward doing this whole time? A third of the military budget must've gone into this decadence."
"I heard he was in league with them. Lord Michael threw him into the dungeon."
"Well done. Even the royal palace doesn't look this extravagant!"
The interior was nothing short of dazzling.
While the outer walls appeared modest and gray, the inside was adorned with gold and silver-threaded tapestries. A grand chandelier sparkled with thousands of crystals, and every visible surface was extravagantly decorated.
Looking up at the ceiling, a mage recognized the mural.
"That's by one of the most famous painters from centuries ago… Even his smallest pieces are worth millions in gold. And that mural? It's enormous. How insanely rich were these people?"
Expensive furniture and priceless ornaments were scattered throughout. Even Michael clicked his tongue in disbelief.
If this is what's left behind… how much did they smuggle out beforehand? There's no way this level of luxury was funded by minor embezzlement. House Rochester must've been involved in large scale smuggling for generations.
The furnishings, the décor—everything was clearly crafted by artisans from the Celest Empire.
The marble floors gleamed like mirrors, and even the walls and baseboards were trimmed in gold.
If the flooring and walls were this lavish, the dishes and ornaments would be beyond imagination. Everything glittered with precious metals and gemstones.
One knight murmured, almost to himself, "…To live like this while your people starved? Even if they hadn't conspired with the Pamir Empire, this alone warrants death."
Everyone nodded grimly.
While none of them could exactly call themselves paragons of virtue, this… this was too much.
Michael, walking at the front, finally spoke.
"They lived this way for generations and never learned moderation. But a lord's prosperity is only real if it lifts up the people beneath him."
The Crassus knights all nodded firmly.
