Chapter : 46

‘Oh, a great reward?’

What kind of reward could a magician offer in a world where magic and mystery existed?

And a magician powerful enough to be called a sage, no less. For a moment, I was tempted.

‘No. Get a grip. This isn’t my domain.’

But then a thought occurred to me, and I shook my head.

“Helping is not an issue, but I question whether the dwarves of Canton will accept my actions with goodwill, Magician Agpiel.”

“Hahaha. Why would such a thing be a problem.”

Then, Agpiel stroked his luscious beard and laughed.

“The Canton Council has granted me full authority. When it comes to treating the epidemic, the Canton Council won't be able to say a word. If they do, I will stake the name of Agpiel, the Sage of the Forest, and strive to protect you.”

“Hmm….”

I didn’t know how much a magician's name was worth, but it was a rather tempting offer. Even more so if the matter was already settled with the Canton Council.

“If it really won’t work, then there’s no helping it. If it’s too much of a burden, you don’t have to do it. I can’t force you, after all.”

At those words, I organized my thoughts and extended my hand. It was a sign of acceptance.

“Not at all, Magician Agpiel. I will gladly help.”

* * *

Once the decision was made, it was time to move immediately. I promptly ordered the soldiers to move and prepared to head for Canton.

“We’ll replenish our remaining supplies in Canton. Dwarf caretaker! The food left here isn't much, but use it for the village,”

“Ooh-! Benevolent Margrave. May we dare to do so.”

“Do you not lack food to eat right now? It looks like you won't be able to live properly for a while, so it's fine.”

In truth, it wasn't much food anyway. If I could build up some goodwill by being generous like this, it would circle back to me as a gain.

“Meee-! My lord is too benevolent! If you give it for free like that, they won't know gratitude! You must extort money from them, mer!”

“……”

“Why do you look at me like that, my lord? Meee~.”

“It’s because that’s such advice, just like you.”

“Mehehehet~!”

Taking my words as a compliment, the goat beastman let out a laugh with a triumphant expression. Agpiel, who was watching from the side, clicked his tongue.

“That goat beastman will not die a natural death, my lord.”

“Still, he’s quite good at taking care of his subordinates, Agpiel.”

“I highly doubt that…. But if you say so, I suppose it must be true.”

Agpiel’s eyes showed he didn’t believe it at all, but he seemed to accept it for what it was.

“By the way, you are quite peculiar.”

“In what way?”

“I mean that you take good care of your subordinates, better than I expected. Nobles with domains like you are terrible in that regard.”

“Are there not times when their respect and gratitude return as great strength, Magician Agpiel?”

At that, Agpiel looked at me as if he found it fascinating.

“You sound like a city noble. But on the other hand, you are very wise. Many nobles, especially young ones, ignore the strength of their subordinates and treat them harshly. They don’t realize that in the end, that very act will be what strangles them. Hahaha.”

The nobles in the world of [Pangea Universalise] tended to be like that.

They looked down on their domain’s people. In particular, the vast majority thought it was better to be harsh, just like Bishop Marco, the goat beastman, had said.

Of course, from my perspective, that kind of thinking was horrifying.

‘What if a rebellion breaks out?’

In reality, peasant rebellions were a staple of this era.

No matter how trained a knight or a soldier was, if they were attacked in their sleep, it was game over. As for me, I wanted no part in such a pointless death.

“Anyway, you must have many questions. You may ask if you wish.”

“About what…?”

“About magic.”

“Ah-! I had forgotten.”

Of all the things to forget. I clicked my tongue and asked Magician Agpiel. What was a magician, and how could one learn magic.

Agpiel cleared his throat for a moment, then answered in a flash.

“It is to face the mysteries of the world, to realize the principles from them, and to handle those mysteries. If nature does not call to me, then I, too, cannot control nature.”

“Hmm….”

Listening to the story, I let out a groan.

Magic in [Pangea Universalise] was truly peculiar to no end; it wasn't the kind of magic with tiers that one would be familiar with in fantasy worlds.

Should I say it was closer to so-called sorcery? But even so, to think he would give an answer like that!

That really… didn't he sound more like a shaman than a magician?

As if sensing my thoughts, Agpiel retorted.

“I am the Great Sage of the Forest. No, calling myself the Great Sage is a bit grandiose. I am one who wields the magic of the forest. Forest magic, in a broad sense, is no different from a shaman's sorcery, so to others, it may look similar.”

“Hmph hmph. That’s not what I was thinking.”

“Oh yes, it was. It’s written all over your face.”

As expected of a magician, he was extremely quick-witted.

“Magic is not the panacea people think it is. Rather, it is severely restricted and can only handle very specific things. Just like this epidemic incident. People mistakenly believe that I, as a magician, will solve it with magic, but in reality, all I can do is wring out my wisdom to solve the problem.”

“Aha?”

I was disappointed by the unexpectedly realistic answer. In the game, an event would pop up announcing a magician's visit, and various problems would be solved with a snap of the fingers…. It seemed a real magician was closer to a scholar.

“Then what on earth does it mean to wield magic? From what I've heard, it doesn't seem like you can do much of anything…?”

It could be a rude remark, so I asked cautiously.

“Hmm…. It’s no big deal.”

Fortunately, Agpiel didn't seem to mind.

“I can make potions that heal various wounds, or bestow the blessing of the forest to grant resistance against fire, or promote the growth of various plants.”

“?????”

No matter how I heard it, it didn't sound like 'no big deal' at all. Did I mishear? I looked at Agpiel, but the old magician was simply nonchalant.

“Ah! I can also control plants! I can freely manipulate things like tree vines and grasses to create walls or move them.”

“Is, is that not a big deal?”

“Of course not. Isn't the magic nobles want something that foresees the future, controls the weather, and brings down thunderbolts and firestorms?”

“Uh…. That is true, but….”

No matter how I looked at it, that sounded incredible…. But I couldn't bring myself to voice that thought out loud.

* * *

An epidemic leaves a trace.

The places swept by an epidemic were always utterly wretched .

Roads were closed, and the air was always acrid from burning corpses.

The black smoke that slowly rose was a wound that could not be washed away.

In that sense, Canton, where my army and I had arrived, showed clear traces of the epidemic.

“It’s devastating.”

“Meee~ Beautiful Canton is ruined, mer.”

“N-No…. What is this!”

At Canton’s disastrous state, Captain Konrad leaped up in shock.

To think that the once-prosperous Canton would become like this.

Since his family's territory was here, the situation hit Captain Konrad even harder.

“Calm down, Captain Konrad. We can start getting this place under control from now on.”

I comforted Captain Konrad and sent a messenger. It was to inform the Canton Council of my arrival.

However, unexpectedly, the messenger could not enter the Canton Council's inner sanctum and returned directly to me.

“?????”

“I-I’m sorry, Your Excellency.”

“What happened?”

“The Canton Council has forbidden entry into the inner castle.”

“What?”

“Meee~~!! How rude!”

A noble, a high noble at that, had arrived, only to be turned away at the door!

This was a grave discourtesy. Grave enough to use as a pretext for war.

Thanks to that, my subordinate officials, led by Bishop Marco, became furious.

“My lord. Let us turn back at once! There is no need to help these people.”

“Meee~! That’s right, mer. This is a grave insult. Meee!”

“Ah, calm down, everyone. There must be a reason.”

If they were acting in defiance of custom, there had to be a reason. I soothed my subordinates and looked at Magician Agpiel.

As he was acting with the full authority of the Canton Council, he was the most ideal person to grasp the situation.

“Hmm, this is strange. I will go and check for myself first. I will apologize on their behalf for the rudeness.”

“Not at all, Magician Agpiel. I’m sure there’s a reason.”

“Haha. The lord is indeed amusing. Well then, I shall be on my way.”

With an apologetic look, Agpiel said so and headed towards the inner castle of the Canton City Council Chamber.

After some time had passed, he returned with a similarly bewildered expression.

“Hmm…. They say that they are all gravely ill, having caught the epidemic.”

“???.”

What in the world was this about?

Why would the council members leading the city of Canton all be sick with the epidemic?

It wasn't as if they had only experienced an epidemic once or twice; as council members, they were well aware of how to avoid them.

And yet they all caught the epidemic?

“Meeeh? What is that all about, mer.”

“Are they under some kind of real curse?”

Everyone asked back, dumbfounded. But the one who was truly dumbfounded was Magician Agpiel.

To think he'd gone to the trouble of bringing me here, only to have me face such a ridiculous situation!

It was tantamount to tarnishing his own honor. But what could be done? The situation had already unfolded.

“Ahem…. I’m not sure myself. They said this situation occurred because the epidemic has spread throughout the council chamber.

They said they've cordoned everything off to prevent anyone from entering.

They have given me full authority over the city for the treatment, and told me to quell the city's epidemic first.”

“Hah….”

It was a situation I couldn't comprehend at all, but since they said so, I decided to accept it.

Surely they wouldn't create trouble with a high noble like me for some absurd reason. The epidemic had probably, truly spread from within.

‘There’s no way they’re actually cursed.’

I just chuckled at the thought that popped into my head for no reason.