Translator: Yang_Wenli
An hour earlier. Joshua was inside a carriage enroute to the Sage Towers. Ciri was accompanying Joshua.
“That old codger Yellow Mage has an extremely irritable temper,” As a native of Norland, Ciri was familiar with the personalities of the Seven Sages. Apart from the Blue Mage and Black Mage who would rarely appear in public, the other five Sages would always appear at the Grand Ceremonies held in the Advanced Magic Academies.
“Ciri, you’re scared?” Joshua flipped through the intelligence of the five remaining Sages provided to him by Gray Mage Lursk. Through them, he was able to easily determine the personalities of Norland’s Sages.
“No, it’s impossible for me to be scared. But, let me tell you this ahead of time, I wouldn’t be able to defeat Yellow Mage Croshere.”
Ciri knew about her own strength very well. This mage lady was extremely gifted in battle and could be described as a monster. She was a through-and-through combat mage.
If given enough time, Ciri would definitely be able to reach the height of the Sages. Of course... it’ll only be in combat abilities and not wisdom.
“You don’t have to worry about that. It’s alright as long as I can defeat win,” said Joshua.
“Oh.”
Hearing those words, Ciri touched the originium crystal on her neck. The necklace was a gift from Joshua.
After accompanying Joshua in his entertainment and cultural endeavors for so long, Ciri had forgotten the fact that he was a Chaos Demon, a being that could be said to be the weakness of mages.
“Besides, we’re not seeking out Yellow Mage right now,” Joshua showed Ciri the intelligence package in his hand.
Written on it were ‘Believer of the God of Scorching Flames, Red Mage’ and ‘Believer of the God of Mind and Illusion, Purple Mage.’
“You plan to interact with all the Sages of Norland?” Ciri immediately realized what Joshua’s plan was.
“About that... you see, the program I have in mind is called ‘Sage Thought Forum.’ If I am to invite only a single Sage as the program’s guest, it’ll be too unpresentable.”
“No, no, no! The only person who would link ‘unpresentable’ with ‘Sage’ is you! The Sages are not peddlers in the Alchemic Marketplace. For some mages, they might not be able to talk with a Sage alone even in their entire life.”
Ciri loudly reminded Joshua who the Sages were. Even in the Capital of Magic, Norland, the cruel social class system still exists.
Graduating from an Advanced Magic Academy was only a beginning. If one wanted to reach Norland’s upper echelon, one needed to at least enter the Sage Towers to study there.
If the ‘wild mage’ dropout Ciri didn’t encounter Joshua, she would not have been able to talk with any Sage her entire life.
“In other words... being able to hear the lecture of the Seven Sages is an extremely important thing for the mages of Norland?”
“You can comprehend it as those fans who constantly shout ‘Without Belle, I’m dead” as having the opportunity to shake Belle’s hand.”
Ciri gave a very appropriate comparison. Accompanying Joshua with his entertainment endeavors, Ciri had practically forgotten about the fact that Norland was the Capital of Magic.
“I have a rough understanding now... In simpler terms, Norland’s Seven Sages are akin to the idols in the field of magic.”
Joshua underestimated the status the Seven Sages had in the young mages of Norland.
“But, I’ve heard that only a couple hundred mages showed up for the open lecture held by Yellow Mage yesterday afternoon.”
“It’s likely because those old men are almost obsolete.”
Ciri once again used a simple term she learned from Joshua to explain the situation facing the Seven Sages.
Unlike the other young mages, Ciri does not hold enormous reverence for the Seven Sages of Norland.
At the very least, this courageous lady dared to roast Gray Mage for his attire and the owl on his shoulder in front of his face.
“So, what you’re saying is that the Sages wanted to ban television because they wanted to regain their authority... right? Well, regardless, we’ll find out once we chat with the first Sage. I doubt that any teacher or someone who pursues fame would refuse the opportunity to talk in a... lecture hall with hundreds of thousands of people.”
.........
Norland’s Law Enforcement Agency. Main Lounge.
Yellow Mage’s sudden appearance stopped the flow of time in the main lounge. Even the breathing of the mages present slowed down.
But soon, the strange silence was shattered by a furious shout.
“You bastard!”
The anger-filled shout came from a young law enforcer. Beneath his feet was what remains of the originium crystal after being struck by lightning.
“Look what you’ve done!”
After a brief moment of shock, the young law enforcer raised his head and found the culprit, Yellow Mage Croshere.
He stood back up and raised his staff. He planned to avenge his ‘Miss Luvita.’
But, his colleagues ran over and grabbed his arms.
“Khaga! Don’t be impulsive! He’s Sage Croshere!” His colleagues loudly informed him the identity of the culprit.
However, that didn’t manage to stop Khaga. He continued to glare at the old man in yellow standing in the center of the main lounge.
“Esteemed teacher Croshere...”
Many law enforcers who could be said to be Yellow Mage Croshere’s disciples walk up to him to attempt to appease his anger.
But, at this moment, Yellow Mage Croshere was exceptionally calm. He waved his hand at the law enforcers holding back Khaga. He was telling them to let Khaga go.
Having regained his freedom, Khaga immediately raised his short staff. To all the law enforcers’ surprise, he unleashed an offensive magic at Yellow Mage Croshere.
But, the light blue arrow only brushed past Yellow Mage’s gown. It didn’t even manage to come in contact with Yellow Mage’s gown. Just like that, it landed on the floor behind Yellow Mage.
“Your hand is shivering.”
Yellow Mage was not angered by Khaga’s behavior. Holding his crutch, he started walking toward the young law enforcer.
“That means you know who I am.”
Even though Yellow Mage Croshere’s tone sounded extremely calm, tiny beads of sweat were emerging on Khaga’s forehead.
But even so, he refused to yield to Yellow Mage Croshere. He straightened his body before the grand Sage.
“I can understand how terrifying the impulse brought upon by anger is. It’s no different from how I’ve destroyed your possession earlier.”
Yellow Mage Croshere waved his finger at the charred remnant of the originium crystal on the ground. The originium crystal remnant flew into his hand.
By merely touching it, Yellow Mage Croshere was able to determine that it was an ordinary originium crystal and not something capable of making a mage lose their mind; not a magic craving crystal.
“But, you are currently on the job as a law enforcer. Norland’s citizens did not pay you all so that you can stay in the Law Enforcement Agency to watch that arcanotech device called ‘television.’”
Yellow Mage’s words immediately caused the other young law enforcers to straighten their bodies. Indeed, they were neglecting their duties earlier.
With nervousness in their hearts, the crowd waited for Yellow Mage’s punishment.
Seeing the nervousness and fear on the faces of those young law enforcers, Yellow Mage choked back the words he wanted to say.
‘They shouldn’t be acting like this...’
The punishment the law enforcers anticipated did not arrive. Only a sigh was heard.
The hunchbacked old man took a glance at the charred remains of the originium crystal in his hand. Then, he tossed the originium crystal to Khaga.
“Find me at Croshere Advanced Magic Academy’s Headmaster Office in three days.” After leaving those words, Yellow Mage Croshere left the Law Enforcement Agency’s main lounge.