Chapter 413: Direction of the Future
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Hearing this, Benjamin could not help but raise his eyebrows.
…...the General wished to rebuild the Mage Guild?
Then again, a typical country run by mages would, no matter what, have an organization as a representative. The previous organization was the Mages Freemasonry, but now after so many things had happened, there were some from amongst Ferelden’s mages that had vanished.
Under these circ.u.mstances, if Stuart wanted to control the overall situation, indeed, he needed a stable organization of mages to step up and be his backup force— just like when Ferelden was newly established, the same principle as the previous king supporting the Mages Freemasonry in secret.
This extraordinary power of magic had never been directly involved with the government, but within the government, the shadow of magic would never leave.
Only... Benjamin did not think that he was the mage the other party had in mind and hoped for.
Although becoming Ferelden’s Guild Master sounded rather enticing, and his influence would be greatly increased in a short amount of time, thereby becoming a powerful figure and one of the top figures in this great land. But he had never been the kind of person who was interested in this kind of power. At the same time, this position would be a sort of fetter to him.
To agree to this invitation would be to tie himself up with the other party, and forever be bound to Ferelden, helping Stuart clear out nonconformists and consolidate his power. Although Benjamin did not hate this nation, he definitely would not keep staying here.
One day, he would return to the Kingdom of Helius.
"This... This is a serious and great matter, I think I need some time to think about it."
Although he already had an answer in his heart, but Benjamin did not decline on the spot.
The Prime Minister had warned him, and he had just seen from the doc.u.ments— if he were to decline, the General would get rid of him. Because of that, Benjamin could only use delaying tactics and drag out the time.
"You can think about it, but the circ.u.mstances before us are in an urgent state, the time left for us is not much." Stuart said casually, "You are not the only mage in the kingdom. If you cannot give me an answer in two days, I will have to look elsewhere."
Benjamin could even hear a hint of threat from these words.
However, in his opinion— if you could get someone else, then get someone else!
These two men had teamed up to trick him once, it was already good of him not to have his revenge. Now, using some sweet words, he wished to make Benjamin bow before him and be subservient? What delirious optimism.
"I am very grateful for the General’s high hopes, nevertheless, this is not my decision alone. I still have some mage companions, I need to discuss with them before I make my decision." Benjamin replied very tactfully.
Hearing that, Stuart laughed politely, albeit looking a little disappointed.
However, he maintained his expression of composure, saying: "In that case, you think about it properly. Give me an answer in two days, do not disappoint me."
Benjamin smiled: "Of course."
Seeing that, Stuart had nothing else to say, and turned his head, saying: "Prime Minister sir, escort Mage Benjamin out."
Standing on the side, the Prime Minister nodded in acquiescence. After that, he brought Benjamin, under the company of two soldiers, out from the palace’s throne room quietly.
They walked in the corridor of the Palace in a single file. Benjamin thought the Prime Minister would speak and comment on Benjamin’s decision. However, he only kept quiet, wordlessly walking out of the Palace.
"Princess, Your Highness, you cannot run about..."
Suddenly, halfway through, they could hear a maidservant’s anxious call in the distance.
Benjamin was slightly stunned, seeing the familiar little girl running out from the corner of the corridor, her face full of smiles. However, Benjamin was very clear that the Church had long done something to the princess, causing her to be not quite normal. At the moment, her smile looked to be a little creepy.
Nevertheless, there was an unfamiliar little boy with the princess, laughingly running forwards.
Seeing this scene, the Prime Minister’s expression could not help but change slightly.
"Haven’t we said not to let the Princess Her Highness leave the room? What are you doing?" He hurriedly signaled the soldiers, and caught the two running kids, before scolding the maidservant.
"This... I couldn’t do anything, the young master let Her Highness out while I wasn’t looking."
Hearing that, the Prime Minister glanced at the unfamiliar little boy. The little boy was being held by the soldier and looked to be a bit scared; the moment the Prime Minister looked at him, he immediately slipped out and ran, hiding behind the maidservant.
"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it. But big sister princess is locked up in her room every day now, it’s so pitiful. Prime Minister sir, don’t tell grandfather, okay?"
The Prime Minister, however, showed a smile: "It’s alright, just don’t do it again next time." Saying thus, he s.h.i.+fted his reprimanding look onto the trembling maidservant.
"I really couldn’t do anything..." The maidservant explained.
"Enough. I have a guest now, I will deal with this later. You are dismissed."
Just like that, the maidservant brought the two children and left, trembling. The Prime Minister watched their backs, a thoughtful look on his face.
Seeing all this from the side, Benjamin’s expression was somewhat subtle.
"Prime Minister sir." He suddenly spoke, and asked in a casual way, "The little boy looks familiar, whose child is that?"
The Prime Minister turned his head, smiling as he said: "He is General Stuart’s grandchild."
So that’s who he was...
For a moment, the realization dawned on Benjamin.
"General Stuart... Must place great importance on this grandchild." He nodded and said, implying something.
.
"Of course." The Prime Minister replied nonchalantly, "When one grows old, one would always think about leaving something for their next generation. I hope Mage Benjamin can understand such feelings."
Benjamin laughed, saying nothing.
Was it really only for one’s own descendants? Seeing the expression with which Stuart had sat on the throne just now, it looked like his own desires were also a very important factor...
But he did not say anything further, and, following the Prime Minister, left the Palace.
The Prime Minister sent him off in a carriage.
"Mage Benjamin, the carriage will bring you back to the City of Rayleigh, you will not have to wear yourself out."
Finally, the Prime Minister bade him farewell, and watched as Benjamin left.
Maybe it was because there were many listening ears in the Palace that he did not say anything to Benjamin. Benjamin felt resentful about that. However, he had just sat into the carriage when he discovered a letter under the cus.h.i.+on.
The carriage set off. Benjamin looked at the letter, and looked back at the Palace that was getting further and further away, raising his eyebrows.
It looked like... The Prime Minister had left the words he could not say in this letter.
He immediately opened the letter and started reading.
"Mage Benjamin, it is regretful that you plan to decline the General’s invitation. The Mages Guild Master is a good position, but, seeing how ambitious you are sir, you are probably unwilling to be tied up as such. In that case, I sincerely suggest that you leave Ferelden, sir. Changes are about to take place, the General will use the Princess Her Highness to stabilize his rule, and then confront the pressures coming from Icor and Carretas. There might be a war. I believe that all of us do not wish for this to happen."
"No matter what decision you make next, please do not forget that I still look highly upon you, sir Benjamin. Having used you before, sir, I feel much apologetic. One day in the future, if you were to return to the City of Snow, sir, I hope you would spare my life. Because of this, I offer you help here, hoping that you do not hate her in your heart... Or, do not hate me. You can hate the General, it was all his idea."
"You do not have to doubt my intentions, I do not have the ambitions the both of you have. The only thing I want is that, no matter how many times the person on the throne changes, I can keep on being the Prime Minister."
Having finished reading the letter, Benjamin could not help but shake his head.
Such cunning...
He did not even know when the Prime Minister managed to spare some time to write such a letter. Only, faced with a letter like this, even if Benjamin had felt dissatisfaction towards the Prime Minister before, he would be embarra.s.sed to bear that grudge any longer.
Perhaps this was the other party’s way of surviving.
The carriage went forwards in a rumble, and soon left the City of Snow. Under the afterglow of the sunset, he gradually rode towards the City of Rayleigh. Benjamin sat in the car and destroyed the letter, looking at the red sun in the sky, deep in thought.
There might be a war…?
He had no intention to get involved in secular wars. Only, under such troubled times, a question worth thinking deeply about would be how to find his own direction.
Unquestionably, the Church had really been driven out of Ferelden. Perhaps they might be rebuild in the future, but at least for now, this nation did not have any need for overthrowing the Church anymore.
The entire rebel organization was probably going to be disbanded as there was no more purpose, not to mention the General’s idea of rebuilding the Mages Guild.
Benjamin guessed that the mages who had fought alongside him would very soon become the new Mages Guild’s central power and, without them knowing, contribute to the General’s power.
Benjamin could tell them the truth so that they would not be deceived and slave away for Stuart. But, at the same time, doing that would be officially going against the General, and an intense conflict was bound to happen between the two of them again.
…...Did he really want to stay in Ferelden and continue to fight Stuart?
But, if he left, where would he go?
They were wanted men in the Kingdom of Helius, if they went there they would have to keep hiding. And as for Carretas’ foundation, it had actually been controlled by the Church, only that it was not public...
Wait a minute.
At that moment, Benjamin seemed to suddenly thought of something.
He did not wish to fight the General, but he wished to fight the Church.
In the Kingdom of Helius, the Church’s power was too strong, he could not overcome that for now, but in Carretas... At least, the Church was banned on the surface, the Mages had not yet been captured, not like in the Kingdom of Helius where there was no place for them to catch a breath.
More importantly, the Church was marked by the General and the Prime Minister with a vengeance, and had died a little too quickly. Benjamin had also killed only a Bishop, it was not satisfying; he wanted to continue and destroy the Church.
In that case...
There was no more Church in Ferelden for him to destroy, so he would run to another place and continue to give the Church trouble.
Thinking thus, for the moment, Benjamin felt his mind clearing up a lot.
If he did not know what to do, how about continuing to destroy the Church!
At that moment, he turned his head and looked out the window in the direction of Carretas, suddenly revealing a malicious smile.
"How many lives of bad luck has the Church to have encountered such a maniac like you?" The System could not help but appear, sighing in a sympathetic tone.