Adrian spent the next day with a few Earth Elementals assisting him in cutting the lines for the magic array, and he began the meticulous work of engraving the magic array. To speak the truth, he was almost choked with envy when he saw the Earth Elemental family scurrying all over the ground.
The way elemental creatures reproduce is by splitting a small elemental light orb from themselves. After consuming a vast amount of soil from three mountain ranges, most of the Earth Elementals had split once, and the number of their family had almost doubled. Since they split from their parent elementals, they naturally carried the contract with Hill. Hill had no intention of restricting them. The little orbs had just grown their limbs and there wasn't any danger in their territory, so they ran around almost everywhere.
Hill spent a lot of time in meditation every day, learning new spells. He planned to first fully master the basic Earth spells. "Mud into Stone" and "Fossil into Mud" were already etched into his soul; with just a thought, he could change the nature of the soil. Demolishing a house was even easier for him; the Earth Movement Technique came to him as naturally as breathing.
The problem for magicians was never the power of the spells but the stability of them. He certainly didn't want to lose control over the range of his spells. Precision and accuracy were ingrained in his soul as principles. He felt that by learning all Earth spells and using them accurately, he could definitely make his innate spells even more powerful.
Every night, Hill went to meet Adrian and took the chance to exhaust all his magic power. He seized every opportunity to engrave the magic array. The body of an Archmage was always in a cycle of exchanging elemental forces with the environment and would never run low on magic power. That was what Hill envied the most. Although a magician's magic power was stronger than that of a mage of the same level, not to mention his specialized knowledge, the magic consumption was also high. Hill was practically holding his breath while casting spells, and yet the consumption was still too great. Precise control of magic power was probably going to be his lifelong training.
Adrian stayed with Hill in the top storey room. Originally, Hill had prepared two suites on the top floor considering Fran might come as well. With the aid of the Earth Elementals and after working diligently for more than half a year, they finally finished engraving all the magic arrays.
With the Magic Tower at its core, starting from the three mountain ranges, a pentagram magic circle with five magic circuits was carved 30 meters underground across the domain. The outer wall magic arrays were directly connected to the Magic Tower, and the control center of this combined magic array was securely guarded in the Earth Elemental hall.
Hill was thankful that the core of his Magic Tower was of Mage Level, possessing a very strong ability to absorb elemental power. Otherwise, his Elemental Crystals would likely have not survived. Even so, List took away a large part in order to prevent any unforeseen incidents.
Hill's Magic Tower was built very traditionally. The top floor was Hill's own space, with a master bedroom, guest hall, small library, and two guest rooms. The library led to a small storage room. The 8th floor was an indoor botanical garden for growing various magic plants. The Wood Elementals occasionally came up to play, but they still preferred to live outside in close contact with nature, and the Treants would never leave the ground.
The 7th floor was the library. List had already copied and placed all common books in there. Hill aimed to build a comprehensive Great Library, so the whole floor, apart from a few reading rooms, was filled with towering bookshelves. However, the collection of books would need to be slowly accumulated.
The 6th floor was reserved for future use; List had sealed it off entirely, waiting for perhaps one day when an Archmage would open it. The 5th floor was the Alchemy Workshop. For now, List mainly used it to create some elementary alchemical products.
The 4th and 3rd floors were designated for future mages and magic apprentices' living quarters. Sadly, besides Boen occupying one room on the 3rd floor, the others were also all sealed off.
Lina's family, along with a few maids, were living on the 2nd floor; the remainder of the space was the kitchen and a large dining room.
The majority of the ground floor had been made into a storeroom by List, and right at the front of the storeroom was List's exchange center. However, currently only Boen was taking his copied magic books to exchange things with List. Seeing both of them content with the arrangement, Hill couldn't be bothered to intervene.
Elemental Spirits tend to emerge where magical elements converge, and once a spirit is born, this creature will attract the corresponding magical element from the air. In Hill's Magic Tower, there was almost a siphoning effect for Earth magic elements. When Adrian was setting up the core of the Defensive Magic Array on the Earth Elemental floor, he estimated that it would take less than ten years for a vein of Earth Elemental Crystal to start forming at the tower's base. After coming up, Adrian warned Hill that from now on, no one else should go down there.
Hill could only roll his eyes silently, grumbling inwardly; he wasn't foolish, after all. Adrian, being an Archmage-Level Alchemist known for his generosity, had an essence that hardly anyone could miss. An elemental ore that takes hundreds of years to form could not sway Adrian's heart.
Aside from Fran and Adrian, Hill hadn't told even Boen. Hill was not going to use such matters to test someone's character just because he trusted Boen. With so many spells in this world that could defy human rationality, ordinary people and mage apprentices had no capacity to resist. Sometimes, keeping a secret is the way to protect an ordinary person. Boen himself understood this; during the time the Magic Array was being constructed, he was only seen at meal times.
After the Defensive Magic Array was set up, Hill continued his daily routine of meditation, summoning Wood Elementals and Water Elementals. Meanwhile, Adrian strolled around the domain every day, bringing back a pure white Elf Cat one day. This Spirit of Nature had innate advantages and radiated natural vitality. Although it recognized neither of them as its master, it still settled among the Treants and Wood Elemental Spirits. In a single night, the small forest outside the Magic Tower grew significantly taller.
Adrian and Hill visited and fed the little cat daily, and gradually, it allowed them to pet it.
This seemingly unremarkable life of daily cat-stroking practice continued until Fran contacted them again, telling them an explosive piece of news: Third Prince William had a falling out with his two older brothers and, after a big fight with the lustful Old King, was appointed Duke Noran and driven out to establish his own territory. Fran also informed them, "The King's health can probably hold on for about three more years. With Prince William completely out of the picture, the situation in the Royal Capital has changed drastically. As soon as Count Pelast arrived at the Royal Capital, he went straight to Prince Edward's palace. I'll keep an eye on Duke Kral's movements."
Hill asked, "Prince William will go north, right?"
Adrian said, "Of course, the vast lands in the Western Border suitable for founding a duchy are too far away. Besides, the Spencer family is also in the Northern Border."
The Northern Great Wall stretched 3,000 kilometers, and along the extensive border line, six Marquis Sky Knights guarded six Border Cities, whereas the Western Border only had four Earl Grand Knights. Prince William's grandfather, Marquis Spencer, happened to hold one such Border City named Francis City.
Even though the Northern Great Wall was home to fierce Magical Beasts and was constantly fraught with battles, the area was so vast and resource-rich with abundant mines. The Northern Border's lands managed to hold firm because they were actually backed by the Great Nobility from within the country. Also, because of the backstage manipulations by the Great Nobility, these territories, even when adjacent, did not engage in conflict. However, now they had reason to worry.
There was no doubt that Prince William would venture out from Francis City. Being a prince appointed as a duke, the manpower and resources he would bring along were sure to be unimaginably vast. Count Baur outside of Francis, would probably have no choice but to consider himself unlucky.
As long as he didn't come west, Hill was happy to just watch the spectacle.
Actually, Adrian really wanted to go back and enjoy the commotion, but Fran's strict orders meant he could only dutifully help Hill develop his territory. Three months of tedium later, when Adrian had the chance to cuddle the elf cat, Fran suddenly contacted them again.
Both men rushed to the study room in great surprise, and List had already begun to glow, "There's a problem with Prince William. He claims to be a follower of the God of Time and Space, and he has summoned hundreds from the Undead Tribe from another time and space! These members of the Undead Tribe are very strong, although they are only at Mage Level, the elementary stage, their professions are quite diverse, including Mage Knights, Swordsmen, Magicians, and even priests of the God of Time and Space."
Hill was stunned. He felt as if his brain had stopped functioning.
Was this world about to collapse? Hill wondered if he was in the midst of a nightmare.
Fran continued, "Prince William is now a Sky Knight! A Sky Knight under the age of 30, leading hundreds of Professionals! The Royal Capital is stunned, and the King doesn't dare indulge in sensuality anymore. The struggle between Edward and Charles has also paused. When William left, he took everyone with him, and now the only domestic connection left is the Spencer family.
All those who had kicked him when he was down at the Capital are now sending people to investigate. Adrian, go have a look yourself! Don't stir up trouble, don't interact with those people. If anything happens, send information to Hill, don't return to the Royal Capital."
"Hill! Hill!" Adrian gave Hill a tug, "What are you daydreaming about!"
Hill shivered, "Uncle Adrian, are you really going there?"
"I have to see such a big event! It's not every day that messengers of the deities appear, let alone miracles! How could the Undead Tribe possibly show up?"
Hill, knowing he couldn't stop him, could only say, "Uncle Adrian, don't meddle in matters related to the deities lightly. Just observe, and please don't get too curious and interact with the Undead Tribe. Especially stay away from Prince William!"
"Don't worry! Who knows if these Undead come from the God Realm or the Abyss? I won't get close until we know for sure," Adrian promised solemnly.
Hill could only watch apprehensively as Adrian ran off with undisguised excitement.