Mid-September during the Harvest Month (September), the Harvest Celebration was held as scheduled.
This is the grandest celebration in the Starry Principality, second only to the New Year.
Every time around this period, all the noble territories would host celebrations, to celebrate the harvest of the entire year and pray for a fruitful coming year.
From the beginning of the month, caravans and travelers started entering Flash City one after another.
By the day of the Harvest Celebration, Flash City was bustling with people, filled with a lively festive atmosphere everywhere.
In the banquet hall of Shining Castle, adorned with lanterns and streamers, the invited guests were drinking and laughing, their laughter continuously echoing.
In a corner of the hall, a group of young men and women gathered together, eating delicacies while chatting enthusiastically about gossip.
"I heard Count Storm is still unconscious and hasn't woken up, his sons are practically fighting to death over the title."
"That's quite normal, after all, that's a count's title, if it were me, I'd fight desperately for it too."
"It's said that Count Storm's wife even hired a wizard to treat Count Storm, tsk, tsk, didn't expect the legendary wizard to actually exist."
"Hehe, they're just a bunch of pretenders, only mastering tricks akin to those of circus performers, the so-called wizard couldn't cure Count Storm in the end, and was even stabbed to death by Count Storm's second son."
Wizard legends have quite a market in high society.
As the conversation unfolds, many show interested expressions, raising their glasses to join the chatter.
"Speaking of which, there seems to be a wizard in Black Stone City too."
"You mean Sunan, the second son of the former Flash Baron? I heard Black Stone City's current development is all due to his effort behind the scenes."
"Really?"
Back when Kei and Sunan, the two brothers, were expelled from Flash City and virtually exiled to Black Stone City, almost no one was optimistic about these unfortunate siblings.
After all, Black Stone City is located on the border of the Golden Rock Province, with a poor geographical location, plagued by the threat of Black-scaled Lizardmen, with very low development potential.
Holding a lousy hand, the two brothers were never a match for the current Flash Baron.
Once Owen consolidates his territory's power, he would have spare time to deal with them.
In everyone's eyes, the brothers were almost as good as dead.
Yet, subsequent developments took an unexpected turn, exceeding many people's expectations.
Black Stone City not only reopened the Black Stone Mine, acquiring a continuous flow of gold coins, but also eradicated the Black-scaled Lizardmen in one fell swoop.
Now, Black Stone City appears obviously prosperous and has rising potential.
If Black Stone City continues to develop at this pace, it might become one of the top major cities in the Golden Rock Province in a few years.
Many are exploring the reasons behind the changes in Black Stone City.
Upon hearing it might be related to Sunan, many present were skeptical.
After all, Sunan's shy and reserved nature was no secret in noble circles, compared to his talented brother, he was lacking.
Someone like that could hardly be the mastermind behind the transformation of Black Stone City.
"The wizard talk is just nonsense."
A young man snorted disdainfully.
"Sunan is just a loser who can't even practice the breathing technique, what big deeds could come from such a person?"
"Black Stone City just got lucky, can't really make a climate, without Owen's intervention, my father could easily clean them up."
Someone recognized the speaking young man as the son of Zolf, the first to pledge allegiance to Owen, laughed without refuting.
The conversation quickly shifted to other topics.
Despite Black Stone City's recent prominence, as Zolf's son stated, nobody believed Black Stone City could compete with Baron Owen, who controlled nearly all of the Flashing Territory.
Even without deploying Baron Owen's elite cavalry legion, any three lords could easily resolve Black Stone City.
Meanwhile.
In the council hall, Owen and three lords sat facing each other.
"Those two nephews of mine are really surprising, quietly orchestrating such a spectacle, guess I underestimated them before."
Owen gently swirled his wine glass, the crimson wine glinting beautifully under the light.
"Reopening the Black Stone Mine, exterminating Black-scaled Lizardmen, forming a cavalry legion... If they continue to grow unchecked, they might really become strong enough to rival me."
"Master jokes, forming a cavalry legion isn't that easy, even if Black Stone City has enough gold coins, they lack the channels to purchase enough warhorses, forming a cavalry legion is ultimately fantasy."
Said Zolf, a burly man with a tiger-backed bear-waisted physique, in a muffled voice.
His breathing technique focuses on physique enhancement, hence he is particularly burly, standing near two meters tall.
When the previous Flash Baron was still around, Zolf was a famous warrior, and recently after breaking through to become a Peak Knight, his fame became even greater.
"That's right, training cavalry is time-consuming and laborious, even if Black Stone City could muster a cavalry legion in such a short time, its fighting power is very limited, not a threat."
Davin laughed, a glimmer of disdain flashing in his eyes.
If forming a cavalry legion was that easy, he would have done it himself.
Two ignorant younglings, having some money and dreaming big, truly unaware of heaven's height and earth's depth.
Seeing his two colleagues speak up, Norwood spoke too, unwilling to fall behind.
Owen squinted his eyes, sipping some wine.
Unlike Zolf and the three who speculated merely based on rumors, he had solid intelligence proving that Black Stone City had raised a new rider, which seemed to have certain fighting capabilities.
Black Stone City formed a cavalry legion centered around this new rider.
According to reports from spies, losses were minimal in Black Stone City's war against the Black-scaled Lizardmen.
Very likely due to this cavalry legion.
Looking at this, this cavalry legion shouldn't be underestimated.
Given time, they might genuinely develop into an elite army.
This thought caused a thread of anxiety to naturally well up within Owen's heart.
No more delays!
It's time to eradicate the threat at its roots!
Once those brothers are dead, Flashing Territory will be completely his, eliminating worries of any change!
"What are your thoughts on Black Stone City?" Owen asked calmly:
The three cunning-minded lords immediately grasped Owen's intention upon hearing this.
Zolf spoke first: "Whenever the master orders, I'm willing to lead troops to attack Black Stone City."
Davin and Norwood cursed inwardly for hesitating a bit, Zolf unexpectedly flattered swiftly, thick-skinned as a city wall.
Cursing aside, the two weren't slow to voice their willingness to fight.
Witnessing the trio's 'loyalty', Owen smiled with satisfaction, gesturing dismissively: "Let's forget about attacking, it's too blatant, plus although Black Stone City's military strength isn't strong, it'd take considerable manpower to take them down."
The three lords exchanged glances.
Davin hesitantly asked, "Then what is the master's meaning..."
Owen smiled mysteriously and said, "As long as Kei and Sunan are dead, Black Stone City will naturally return to my hands."
The three immediately understood, displaying expressions of sudden realization.
Assassination!
It's almost a universal skill among nobles.
Yet, such matters generally shouldn't involve one's own men, to avoid exposing any weaknesses.
But if not using subordinates, then which channel would Master Owen use to hire manpower?
It's said Kei has already become a Grand Knight.
Assassinating a Grand Knight would be no easy feat!