Chapter 4: Magus Spells and Yellow Phosphorus (2)

Who knew the false wizard was haughty and arrogant as if his abilities were of great importance. He raised his head, nostrils facing the sky, and paid no heed to those standing before him. 

“Your Highness, what should we do with him?” The guard captain asked tentatively.

The wizard locked in the cell, with a dangerous and vicious glint in his eyes, seemed to say, “What do you think you should do with me?! Let me go, or you’ll end up wallowing in regret!”

Richard smiled coldly. “Fine. We’ll play that game.”

He pulled out a second staff from the rucksack, stained the edge with yellow phosphorus, scratched it on the wall, and threw it out in the next moment.

The burning staff that spun in mid-air passed through the iron fence of the cell and fell close to where the wizard laid in. The cell, covered with flammable straws, burned in the face of fire. Soon, the flames spread out and black smoke rose into the air.

While the false wizard’s eyes grew with fright, Richard turned to the guard captain and said, “What can I do with useless people? Those patients that were wrongly arrested, let them go. As for this prisoner, he’s irritating to look at, so, burn him!”

“Yes, Your Highness! I understand.”

“Good.”

Richard walked toward the exit of the dungeon. Behind him was the terror, stricken false wizard who’s tone changed gradually. 

“Boy, you… you come back…”

“Release me…”

“Let me go…”

“Put me down…”

“Your… Your Highness, I was wrong. I will tell you what you want to know…”

“Your… Your Highness, I know you’re interested in that… which is the skin… the molt of the flaming python…”

Richard suddenly stopped. He turned around and said, “Put out the fire.”

“Huh?” The guard captain blinked. 

The next moment he hurriedly turned around and roared. More than a dozen guards stumbled, each carrying a bucket of water. They quickly ran to the false wizard’s cell and dumped the water out on the straws.

Fortunately, the flame had not grown too big. After more than a dozen buckets of water had been poured out, the fire was completely extinguished. The false wizard bound with the chain had been drenched wet alongside the wet straws.

With a squeak, the cell door opened and Richard stepped foot onto the wet straws. He coldly looked up at the false wizard. Taking the slight hint, the guard captain came forward and untied the rope off his mouth.

The false wizard breathed a sigh of relief. Before he could speak, Richard cut in. “You’ve but a minute to convince me to spare your life. If not, rest assured, your next death will be more painful than the last.”

The false wizard trembled. “I… I…” 

“53 seconds.”

Realizing his life was in the prince’s hands, he hurriedly said, “Your Highness, I’m no wizard. I’m a liar… I…”

Richard hardly cared for his confession. 

“40 seconds,” he said coldly, “Understand this, I have no care if you’re a wizard or not.”

“I… I know you’re interested in wizards and spells!” His voice squeaked in a high pitch. “I saw a python a few days ago! I… I think this information might be of some use to you. And… as for the python’s molt… I sold the rest of it away…”

“Did you see the python breathe flames of fire? Then tell me, exactly how many days ago was this?” Richard inquired, eyes fixed on the false wizard’s nervous gaze.

When Richard saw his eyes deflect to the lower right, a subconscious attempt to dig deep in his memories, Richard knew he was telling the truth. 

Well, mostly. 

“It was three days ago, Your Highness…”

“In the morning or the afternoon?”

“Well… ‘noon…”

“What’s the weather like? Sunny or cloudy?”

“It was a sunny day…”

“Where was the sun located at this time?”

“Um… on the left…”

“What did you see?”

“An ordinary python. Just that… it breathed out fire.”

“What color?”

“Red.”

“Length?”

“More than three meters.”

“How many meters longer?”

“More… half a meter long.”

“Specific location?

“On a hillside a dozen miles outside the city.”

Richard paused, taking in the new information he pried out from the false wizard when the guard captain quietly said, “Your Highness, what do we do next?”

“Have the guards put him down then tie him to a horse. And you’ll organize a team to head out the city. I’ll be going too.”

“…No-now?”

“Now,” Richard said perfunctorily. “If we find the flaming python and end up catching it, then let him go. If not, just cut off his little friend down there one by one and feed it to the dogs!”

“Yes… Your Highness…”

 “Your Highness! Your Highness, you must be prepared to catch that python! After all, it’s a magical creature. It’s highly dangerous!” The false wizard shouted, hastily reminding the royal prince else he’d have his lifeline cut off if they failed.

“Then, I’ll have people bring more bows and arrows…” The guard captain thought for a moment. “…And a big net…”

“No, you can’t use a net!” the false wizard hurriedly said, “The python will belch out flames from all over its body, burning the net down.”

“Then what should we do?”

“I…” The false wizard’s momentum weakened at once.

“Take everything and choose the best of your men,” Richard said decisively, “By the way… go to KGB Shop in the city market. Tell the third supervisor that you’ve come to pick up the goods the second prince ordered.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”