Chapter 558: The Potion Mage with an Odd Character
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Benjamin left Regina on the same day after meeting the President of the Mage Guild.
Searching for roaming mages in various regions, spreading words about the magic academy - These things can only be done by himself. His men would be looking for death if they were the ones doing it as their relations.h.i.+p with Icor is too stiff.
"h.e.l.lo, Mage Clair, I’m Benjamin. Recently, Carretas is building a magic academy. The environment here in Icor is getting worse, if you and your friends are interested, feel free and go have a look."
"Benjamin... Are you the famous Mage Benjamin in Ferelden and Carretas recently?"
"Just so-so, Sir you don’t have to be surprised..."
The process of persuading these mages was rather smooth and Benjamin’s popularity was very helpful to that effect. At the very least, the other people were respectful towards him and showed great interest in the magic academy about which he had described.
These people who lived in the remote towns in Icor, away from the Mage Guild, had solid magical standards and lived decent lives. It would be impossible for them to just head towards the King, but Benjamin would not expect such unrealistic situations as well.
"I’m not asking all of you to leave Icor. I will be very thankful as long as you help spread the news to any roaming mages that you know of."
These high-level mages may not be willing to leave, but those beginners who had just started off would certainly be interested in the concept of such a magic academy.
Besides, these mages actually had very close connections with the other people for survival purposes, totally different from living in concealment. The news would slowly spread through the mouths of commoners, mercenaries and so on. Once they knew about a place to learn magic, how could they miss it?
With that, although Benjamin could not recruit students in Icor, students would come running to him.
In so doing, the likelihood of the Queen raging and sealing off the border would be at its lowest.
Therefore, in a short span of one week, Benjamin had almost flown across the whole of Icor’s border for a few times. As the country with the largest area among the three countries, if it were not for the information from the President, Benjamin could not imagine how much effort would it take for him to search the whole of the area.
Finally, he arrived at Town of Hank - The Icor town nearest to the City of Snow.
"In the Town of Hank, there lives a top potion mage in the country. His character is odd and he has a shop in the town called ‘Mor’s Magic Store’, think thrice before you visit."
This was what was written in the description in the President’s book.
When he read that part, Benjamin had a weird look.
This place... He recalled being here before.
Back then, he brought more than twenty mages escaping from the Crusader Gateway to Icor, the first city they took shelter in was Town of Hank. As for the Mor’s Magic Store and the old owner, Benjamin had even made a deal with him once.
- He had helped the old man hunt for magic beast materials, and had successfully traded for two books which were ‘Introduction to Magic Potions’ and ‘Introduction to Magic’.
He just didn’t think that the old owner’s name was actually noted on the booklet and said to be one of the best potion mages. Of course, disregarding the other information, Benjamin deeply agreed with that fact that his character is rather odd.
Walking into the Town of Hank, Benjamin took a deep breath outside the store and mentally prepared himself before he walked in.
"Welcome, what can I do for you..."
Benjamin waved his arm and interrupted the clerk. Following his memories, he arrived at the back door. He then knocked lightly.
After a moment, a deep voice came from the inside.
"What is the matter?"
"Senior, I’m here to visit you again."
There was quite a moment of silence before the old man’s impatient voice sounded again: "You should come back another time. I’m very busy now, I have no time to meet some random person."
"But... Don’t you want to know about the move of the Mage Guild?"
Suddenly, the other side of the door fell silent. It was quickly followed by a wave of weak magic, where the door was unlocked and being pushed open slowly.
Benjamin showed a smile on the edge of his mouth.
As expected... This old man still hated the Mage Guild like he did before.
He slowly walked inside.
The inside was an entirely pink room, the old man was sitting on a chair. He looked up and glared at Benjamin with a fierce gaze, while holding a cat with yellow and white striped in his arms, his right hand continuously stroking its back gently.
"Senior, do you remember me?" Not surprised by the predictable situation, Benjamin said.
The old man frowned.
"You... Who are you?"
Benjamin helplessly said: "I’m Benjamin, a mage from the City of Snow. Before this, I have helped you hunt for magic beasts and dark snakes. I even traded the ‘Introduction to Magic Potion’ and ‘Introduction to Magic’ from you, you still remember me, don’t you?
The old man thought for a while before he nodded. Followed by that, he looked at Benjamin and gave a weird look.
"I thought you were dead."
Benjamin wiped off his sweat.
By the looks of it, this old man did not have great news like how the other roaming mages did. He seemed to not have heard of all the great things that Benjamin had done in the other two countries.
Could it be the case because of the faraway distance from here to the other countries?
"Thank you, I’m living very well." Benjamin thought and said, "Not only that, the infiltration of the Church towards Ferelden and Carretas, the governmental changes in Ferelden, the invasion of Carretas, they were all solved by me."
After the old man heard this, he looked at Benjamin coldly then lowered his head and stroked his cat again.
"..."
Benjamin felt like hitting someone.
With his popularity now, other mages would have complimented him and greeted him with all smiles. As for now, the disrespectful att.i.tude felt like a big difference.
- The old man’s att.i.tude was no different from when he first visited him.
"What an innocent and real old man!" The System suddenly appeared and said in that annoying tone.
Benjamin shook his head helplessly, and said to the old man: "Let me get straight to the point, you really hate the Mage Guild don’t you?"
The old man looked up.
"Hate? That bunch of trash, how can they deserve my hate upon them?"
Upon hearing this, Benjamin nodded and showed a "whatever" look.
"Really? How regretful. I have a great suggestion that can even make the whole Mage Guild disband immediately and return to nothing. But since you’re not interested, I shall leave."
While saying this, he turned around and walked towards the door.
"... Wait a minute."
At last, the old man still called upon him.
Benjamin stopped with his back facing the old man and showed a pleased smile.
"You’re interested now, Sir?"
"Make the Mage Guild disband immediately? What nonsense are you talking about? You brat, even if you wanted to lie you didn’t have to make such an obvious one." The old man said impatiently.
Benjamin turned around, gave a lazy look and said: "Who knows? If your standards of magic potions are still good, then we can make the Mage Guild disband immediately. If your standards are just so so... It’s okay, you can just think that I’m forging a lie."
Finis.h.i.+ng that, he walked away again, making the old man so angry that he let his cat down.
"You... Where do you think you’re going, you better explain yourself." He sat up from his chair and frowned as he stared at Benjamin, "How can the Mage Guild disband? What does this have to do with my magic potion standard?"
Upon seeing this, Benjamin finally kept his arrogant look and put out a smile.
"Before this, let me tell you what is actually happening in the Mage Guild."