“So that's the reason. Watson is Sylvan's illegitimate child, and he's kept in Blackmoon Castle.”

The astrologer watched as the two maids left; a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

He had carefully inquired about what the two maids had said.

According to the two maids, Watson was the border count's illegitimate child. It was not a groundless accusation. Previously, more than ten manor owners had besieged Blackmoon Castle, and the border count had dispatched a gold-tier elite to a.s.sist him. The guards in the mansion had the potential to become silver-tier elites, and they had also received guidance from that gold-tier elite.

Furthermore, Blackmoon Castle and the border count were on friendly terms. Watson had earlier stated that he wished to flatter the border count. According to the maids, Blackmoon Town's establishment was due to the border count's contributions.

“That little fellow, Sylvain, I've never heard of him having a wife. Could it be that he secretly married and had children in a place that the old man doesn't know about? But why did he foster his child with someone else? Could it be that he did not want the kingdom to find out?”

“I did not know that Sylvan had a wife. Was he secretly married and had children somewhere that I did not know? But why did he place his child in the care of someone else? Did he not want the kingdom to find out?”

That was a possibility.

He was well aware that the border count's relations.h.i.+p with the monarch had always been strained because of Avril. If His Majesty discovered that his child was so gifted, he would be suspicious and send a.s.sa.s.sins after them.

The astrologer sighed. He did not doubt the maids because it was illogical to say that Watson was the border count's child unless they were not afraid of the border count's revenge. Of course, he did not blindly believe it; he needed to find Sylvan to confirm the details.

“It's been a long time since I've seen Sylvan. It's good to get an opportunity to visit him.” Since Sylvan was his former disciple, he thought that the man would be honest with him.

He needed to pay for a lot of resources to repair Blackmoon Castle. Even if he had a lot of money, it would not be enough to build a town. It would have been wiser to question Sylvan about such details.

A son paid a father's debt, and a disciple paid a master's debt. He and Sylvan had been a family for a long time. Since he had accepted Watson as his disciple, they were even closer.

After he made up his mind, the astrologer smiled and left the corridor to the castle's hall.

Watson was in the hall; he was rewarding the Blackmoon Knights who had been injured in the battle.

“All of you have performed very well in that battle, so I will give each of you a Phoenix Egg and a sun or moon gem as a reward! The Phoenix Egg is not enough for now, so it will be distributed tomorrow. You can choose one of the sun and moon gems.”

“Young Master Watson, what are those two gems?” a guard asked curiously.

“Good question.”

Watson chuckled and extended his right hand. Green vines wriggled out of his right palm. On the vines, there were gold-red or milky-white gemstones that sparkled and emitted a rich fragrance. There were 99 of them.

The moment those s.h.i.+ny fruits appeared, the light in the room was suppressed.

Many of the Blackmoon Knights stared at the gemstone in Watson's hands, exclaiming in amazement. When Watson had fused with the World Tree's shadow, a peak platinum-tier tool, to condense the fruits, many of the Blackmoon riders were recuperating in their mansions, so they did not know about it.

Many of the Blackmoon Knights exclaimed in awe as they peered at the jewels in Watson's hands. Many of them were resting in their mansions when Watson fused with the World Tree's shadow, a peak platinum-tier item, to grow the fruits.

“The sun and moon gemstones are fruits grown from the World Tree. They only grow once every thousand years! Consuming the former will allow you to reach the gold tier and awaken your light-elemental cultivation talent. Consuming the latter will also allow you to reach the gold tier and obtain the ability to cultivate the dark-elemental combat aura.”

'Is he for real?'?

The entire audience erupted as soon as Watson's voice faded. They had no idea there was such a mystical treasure in the world that could instantaneously transform one into a gold-tier warrior. They also did not expect Watson's willingness to give such a valuable gem for everyone to enjoy.

“Young Master Watson, the Blackmoon Knights did not annihilate the enemy in the battle. On the contrary, we were injured and had squandered the majority of the herbs in the castle! It is already a good thing that you did not chastise us. How could we possibly desire such a treasure? We are too embarra.s.sed to accept it.”

With a solemn expression on his face, vice-captain Liszt stood out among the Blackmoon Knights.

As soon as he finished speaking, a member of the Blackmoon Knights nodded and stated, “The vice-captain is right. We can't take such a treasure. Young Master Watson, you should keep those fruits for those who have contributed more to Blackmoon Castle.”

Allen was also present. He swallowed his saliva as he glanced at the two types of gems. He finally turned his head away with incredible difficulty.

He was the type of person who craved recognition and acclaim. However, he had no intention of accepting the reward. He knew that many of his fellow knights had lost their arms and legs during the combat with the astrologer. Watson had dispatched men to bring the medical herbs in the castle, ranging from bronze to gold tiers. That was why they were able to heal so swiftly.

He also noticed that some of their long silver armor was worn, and their silver longswords were damaged. Those weapons and herbs were worth tens of thousands of dollars in gold coins. Watson did not pursue the losses, and he even wanted to praise them, which made Allen feel a little embarra.s.sed.

As the captain of the guards, he had failed to protect his subordinates and did not fulfill his duty as their captain. Watson had spent the most effort in grooming him. He was really a good-for-nothing.

“Do you still remember what I told you before the battle?”

Watson looked around. When everyone's attention was on him, he continued to say, “I said that the Blackmoon Knights' only mission in that battle was to protect the people in the castle from harm. I want to ask, was anyone injured in that battle?”

“No.”

Spa.r.s.e voices came from all around him.

“Speak up.”

“No, Young Master Watson.”

In an instant, the voices from all around him became uniform, like thunder.

“Since no one was injured, it proves that you've all completed the mission perfectly. That means that I should reward you. That is the rule I've set! If it's a rule, then you must obey it. If you continue to refuse, then take your things and scram. Blackmoon Castle doesn't need people who don't follow orders.”

Watson's words were loud and clear. The Blackmoon Knights looked at each other with tears in their eyes, and then they knelt respectfully.

“We accept the reward, Young Master Watson.”

The men vowed to protect Blackmoon Castle with their life after they had grown stronger.

“That's right.”

A smile appeared on Watson's face again. He used the branches of the world tree that spread out from his skin to deliver the gemstones to the Blackmoon cavalrymen. “You can choose for yourselves.”

Watson's face brightened once more. He delivered the gemstones to the Blackmoon Knights via the World Tree branches that sprouted from his flesh. “You can decide for yourself.”

Allen gritted his teeth and reached out to touch the golden sun gemstone first. He changed his mind and reached out to touch the moon gemstone. Liszt, who was beside him, paused for a time before he selected the moon gemstone as well. The other Blackmoon Knights made their selections, one after the other. Almost all of them went with the moon gemstone.

All of the gems were soon distributed. The moon gemstones were chosen by the first 50 Blackmoon Knights, whereas Lucas and the other 15 people who joined afterward had chosen the sun gemstones.

They did not choose the sun gemstones, not because the stones did not look good, but because they were with the Blackmoon Knights. They were closer to the moon, so it was more symbolic for them to take the moon gemstones.

The men who took the sun gemstones looked a little regretful, but soon the grief on their faces was replaced by ecstasy. After they took the gemstone, a violent power surged in their bodies and made them emit the aura of a gold-tier warrior. The wings on their back spread wide and shone brightly.

Whoos.h.!.+

Whoos.h.!.+

The hall continued to reverberate with the sound of combat aura wings flapping. The 50 people had jet-black fighting aura wings on their backs that resembled the dark moon, whereas the other 15 people had the sun's radiance.

Black and white light and shadow intersected. All 65 Blackmoon Knights stood up at the same time and disappeared. They appeared in front of Watson with their backs straight and their faces filled with pride.

Teleportation—that was the symbol of a gold-tier warrior.

Dozens of gold-tier auras mixed and spread out in all directions like waves; it caused the entire castle to shake.

That power was enough to sweep through everything at the border. Previously, they were only known as the Blackmoon Knights, but at that moment, they were truly the Blackmoon Knights. They were both the black that covered the sky and the moon that pierced through the heavy clouds.