Maximus sat in his study, going over the day’s reports from his advisors when a messenger knocked in, holding out an envelope.
“My lord,” the young man said, bowing low.
“An invitation from the imperial capital,” he said as he handed the letter
Maximus raised an eyebrow, taking the envelope and breaking the wax seal. He scanned the contents, his eyes widening in surprise.
“An Evening of Entertainment,” he muttered to himself as he read the letter, realizing that it was a banquet.
“It seems the banquet is a little late this year,” he muttered to himself.
“As always, the king will be inviting all the nobles and famous people to celebrate and hold a meeting for those who have meritorious deeds.”
Maximus found the situation intriguing as he considered the possibilities.
It could be an opportunity for him to step out and experience something new, even though he had already been to the imperial capital before in his memories.
Additionally, attending the banquet could potentially benefit his territory, which was still in need of more inflow of people and money as it was not widely known.
Furthermore, he needed to add more concubines to his harem.
However, he was also hesitant to go due to the risks involved. Leaving his wives and their children, Liam and Lily, behind for several weeks was a difficult decision to make.
Moreover, as a weak mage, he knew that danger could be lurking around any corner, and he could be killed without much effort.
He set the invitation down on his desk and stood, walking over to the window and looking out over the city when he heard a soft knock on the door.
“Come in,” he called out, looking up to see his wives, Erica and Hazel, standing in front of him.
“Maximus, we heard about the banquet,” Erica said, stepping forward.
“We want to come with you.”
“I’m afraid I can’t take both of you to the banquet,” Maximus said, his tone gentle yet firm.
“This gathering is particularly risky. I heard that the Imperial Capital is quite tense right now due to the advanced age of his majesty. I don’t want to put you both in danger.”
“I understand,” Hazel nodded in agreement.
“But please be careful, Maximus. We’ll be waiting for your safe return.” Erica said as her face fell slightly.
“Well, I promise. And I’ll make it up to you both when I return,” Maximus gave Erica a reassuring smile.
“Thank you for understanding, Hazel. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
He spent the next few days preparing for the journey to the Imperial Capital, making sure everything was in order before he left.
He also bought magic items for protection in case of emergency.
[Ring of Reflection(Tier 1) – A ring imbued with runes that can reflect magical attacks of tier 1 to 2, back at their source, providing powerful defense against spellcasters. Price 10]
[Amulet of Elemental Resistance (Tier 1) – An amulet that provides resistance to all types of elemental damage, including fire, ice, lightning, and acid. Price 20]
[Boots of Swiftness(Tier 1) – Boots that grant the wearer incredible speed and agility, making it easier to evade attacks or rush into battle. Price 15]
[Arcane Rifle (Tier 1)- A rifle that shoots powerful beams of magical energy, capable of piercing through armor and dealing heavy damage. Price 30]
[Cloak of Healing (Tier 1)- This enchanted cloak can heal the wearer’s wounds and injuries, allowing them to recover quickly during battles. Price 30]
On the day of his departure, he stood outside his castle gates, ready to leave.
Erica and Hazel stood beside him, bidding him farewell.
“Take care of yourselves while I’m away,” Maximus said, looking at his wives.
“We will,” Erica replied, reaching up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Safe travels.” Hazel gave him a hug
“I’ll be back soon.”
…
Maximus reclined in the plush seat of the carriage. He had specifically bought this carriage for this journey.
[The Celestial Chariot (Tier 2): The Celestial Chariot is a magnificent carriage crafted from shining silver and glowing sapphires. It is drawn by four winged horses with shimmering feathers that glisten in the sunlight. The carriage is enchanted to provide a smooth ride even over rough terrain, and it can travel at incredible speeds, making it perfect for long journeys. Additionally, the Celestial Chariot is also capable of flight when imbued with magic crystals, soaring through the skies with ease. It is said that it is the replica of the carriage made for gods themselves providing its passengers with divine majesty while riding to their destination. Price 10,000]
He was on a tight budget and could only afford the basic version of that chariot which cost 500 gold points.
The chariot is enchanted to provide a smooth ride, making it comfortable for long journeys.
It also offers some degree of protection, but not as much as a more expensive chariot would.
Moreover, it doesn’t have any additional features such as flight or the four-winged shimmering horses.
Despite its reduced version, He still bought it as a reliable means of transportation.
While traveling, Maximus had heard rumors about even more extravagant carriages in the Arcanum Continent, which were adorned with intricate magical runes.
However, it’s limited in supply that it hardly gets to this place.
Even though he had access to the rune system study at the system mall, the price was expensive.
Besides, as a tier 1 mage, he lacked sufficient mana to use any rune magic at the moment.
The journey to the Imperial Capital had been long and tiring.
As they traveled through the dense forest, they suddenly heard a loud noise coming from the trees ahead.
The guard captain, Edwin signaled for the carriage to stop, and the guards quickly formed a defensive formation around the vehicle.
Maximus peered out the window and saw a large group of goblins emerging from the forest.
There were over a hundred of them, armed with crude weapons and snarling fiercely.
Maximus was well aware of the gravity of the situation. The odds were against them as the guards were outnumbered, and goblins were notorious for their fierce fighting skills.
As soon as he spotted the enemy, he instinctively reached for his Arcane Rifle. He had only recently been promoted to an official mage, his limited mana supply made him vulnerable against a large number of foes.
Fortunately, the Arcane Rifle was the type of wand that required minimal magic, making it a reliable weapon in such situations.
However, the cost of the rifle’s bullets was exorbitant, requiring him to budget carefully.
He had only purchased five different types of bullets to maximize his combat potential.
[Frost Bullet: This bullet is imbued with icy magic, causing it to freeze whatever it hits. 10pcs Price 1]
[Flame Bullet: This bullet is infused with fire magic, causing it to burst into flames upon impact. 10pcs Price 1]
[Gravity Bullet: This bullet creates a small gravitational field upon impact, causing objects to be pulled towards it. 10pcs Price 2]
𝑜𝑽xt.𝗈𝑚
[Healing Bullet: This bullet has the power to heal wounds and injuries upon impact. 10pcs Price 3]
[Arcane Bullet: This bullet is infused with arcane magic, allowing it to penetrate magical barriers and defenses. 10pcs Price 5]
As the goblins charged towards them, Maximus using Flame Bullet, calmly aimed and fired.
The rifle was loud, and the recoil was strong, but he was able to take down several goblins with each shot.
With each shot, he grew more confident and accurate. His guards followed suit, launching arrows and swinging their swords to fend off the goblin horde.
As the battle wore on, Maximus noticed a pattern in the goblins’ attacks. They were coordinated, but their movements were erratic.
He quickly realized that they were being led by a weird goblin, who was barking orders to the others.
Just as the goblins were about to overwhelm them, Maximus change to arcane bullet and fired a shot that hit the weird goblin in the group.
It fell to the ground with a thud, with the other goblins that seemed to lose their resolve.
They began to retreat into the forest, their howls of frustration echoing through the trees.
As Maximus lowered his gun, a wave of relief washed over him. The captain of the guard, Edwin, walked towards him, visibly impressed.
“Lord, that was incredible,” he exclaimed. “I’ve never seen a weapon like that. Is it a magic weapon?” The captain eyed the firearm with a tinge of envy.
Maximus let out a weak smile. “Yes, it’s a tier 1 magic weapon that was left to me by my father, He said it was made in Arcanum Continent” He secretly thought, ‘Actually I purchased it from the system.’