“So it’s one success and one failure?”
Joshua exited Purple Mage’s Sage Tower. Before leaving, he turned around and did a courteous Norland-style mage bow toward the Sage Tower.
On the second floor of the Sage Tower. A figure behind a window nodded in response to Joshua’s bow.
In Joshua’s hand was a contract written by Purple Mage. The contract represented that this Sage had become a guest for the Voice of Norland.
“Why do I feel that old woman is only interested in you?”
Ciri turned around and took a glance at the extremely tall Sage Tower. The Sage with the highest mastery of the Mind and Illusion System of magic was a woman. Furthermore, her outward appearance was extremely young.
Nevertheless, all the Sages were people over a hundred years old. Since the founding of Norland, the Sages have only been replaced three times. Because of that, Ciri does not believe Purple Mage’s youthful appearance was real. She was certain that Purple Mage was using some sort of secret illusion magic.
“Cough. Regardless, we’ve managed to obtain the support of a Sage.”
Joshua recalled his interaction with the Purple Mage earlier. As a Chaos Demon, Mind and Illusion System magic wouldn’t be able to affect him.
Because of that, Joshua was certain that Purple Mage’s youthful appearance was no illusion. Perhaps she had used some sort of special method to maintain her youth.
During their interaction, the young Sage showed more interest toward Joshua himself than his invitation.
Fortunately, Ciri bravely blocked the Purple Mage’s various provocative questions for Joshua. Only then was Joshua able to barely settle on an agreement with Purple Mage.
“With this, if we are to add Gray Mage, it’ll be two Sages.”
Joshua handed the contract to Ciri to safekeep. The contract stated not only the desire to become a teacher on the ‘Sage Thought Forum,’ it also contained a clause to withdraw the ban on television.
“Things went very smoothly with Purple Mage. As for the Red Mage...” Joshua’s eyes turned to Ciri’s left hand, “Are your injuries alright?”
“This... is merely a simple burn.”
Ciri waved her hand to express that she was completely fine. But, when the matter was mentioned, this energetic mage lady suddenly started feeling down.
The reason for that was because she was the person who spoiled the talks between Joshua and the Red Mage.
Red Mage did not receive Joshua in a gentle manner like Purple Mage did. Purple Mage not only prepared a table and chairs, she even prepared tea and desserts. Ciri felt like she was no different from a spider who had finished setting up her cobweb waiting for her prey to come.
By comparison, the Red Mage of the Scorching Flames System of magic was much more rough. The moment Joshua entered his Sage Tower, he was immediately met with a vast amount of offensive fire magic.
The mage lady accompanying Joshua stepped forth to shield him. Although this mage lady had exceptional talent in combat, she was no match for the traps set up by a Sage and the back of her left hand ended up being hit by a fireball.
“I’m already used to minor injuries like these,” Ciri hid her left hand behind her back.
“...”
Seeing the mage lady turning her face around, Joshua did not continue to make things difficult for her. He directly got into the carriage parked outside the Sage Tower.
After Ciri got in the carriage, she did not say a single word, a behavior extremely rare for her. She pulled back the curtains and looked to the Red Mage’s Sage Tower in the distance. Unknowingly, her gaze also turned to the back of her left hand.
The minor burn on the back of her hand has been completely healed with healing magic. To Ciri, that injury was merely a ‘chafe.’
But, Joshua reacted in a manner that she did not expect at all... All because of that little injury, the talks between Joshua and Red Mage ended before it even started.
The gray-colored magic power emitting from Joshua’s hand completely eliminated all the offensive magic traps in the Sage Tower. Because of that, Red Mage finally revealed himself before Joshua and Ciri.
Gray Mage had already informed his colleagues that there would be people visiting their Sage Towers before Joshua and Ciri’s arrival.
The traps in Red Mage’s Sage Tower were not there to guard against others. It was purely there as a test for, or perhaps as a means to tease, Joshua and Ciri.
Joshua wouldn’t care about those traps that were incapable of causing any harm to him. Unfortunately, Red Mage went too far with his prank.
‘Seems like the ability of the Chaos Demon’s bodyguard is quite lacking.’
Ciri remembered that the final bits of smile on Joshua’s face completely disappeared after Red Mage said those words.
In replacement, he started confronting Red Mage. It was a confrontation that benefited neither party. In the end, the two of them, as expected, parted on bad terms.
“Don’t think too much about it,” Joshua’s voice interrupted Ciri’s thoughts.
“I’m merely thinking about what to eat for dinner,” replied Ciri.
.........
Norland’s Law Enforcement Agency.
In order to confirm Yellow Mage’s whereabouts today, Joshua dispatched Thousand Faces to shadow him.
The dark elf proved to Joshua her powerful abilities as an assassin.
Even a Sage who stood at the apex of Norland wasn’t able to discover her.
Through the intelligence provided by Thousand Faces, Joshua arrived at Norland’s Law Enforcement Agency.
“Law... Law Enforcement Agency.”
It was only after exiting the horse carriage that Ciri found out they’re going to meet Yellow Mage in the Law Enforcement Agency.
“Yellow Mage used to be the chief of Norland’s Law Enforcement Agency, if we came any later, would we have to go and stop the law enforcers from tearing down the televisions?” Ciri had thought that it would take a long time for the proposals made in the Sage Parliament to be implemented. But, it seemed that Yellow Mage was astonishingly fast to act.
He proposed the banning of television at the Sage Parliament yesterday. In only a single day, he came to the Law Enforcement Agency to personally command the banning of television.
“I actually want the law enforcers to act on dismantling televisions,” Joshua paused before continuing, “Once that happens, I wouldn’t be the one stopping the Sages. Instead, it would be Norland’s citizens.”
“Could the citizens of Norland stop the decision of the Sages?”
Ciri came to Norland with her parents at a very young age. In this city, the decisions made by the Sages were absolute.
Things such as a protest or a rebellion by the mages has never happened before. Because of that, the citizens of Norland started having an impression that the authority of the Sage Parliament surpasses everything.
“The power of the masses is always the greatest. Mn... it seems like I’ve gone off topic slightly.”
Joshua tidied up his clothes. When he stood in confrontation against the Red Mage earlier, the high temperature of the Sage Tower brought upon quite a bit of difficulty for him.
Nevertheless, pure magic power was incapable of causing any harm to him. Furthermore, Joshua learned something through that confrontation.
“Ciri, remember this. We are not begging those Sages to appear on the Voice of Norland. Instead, we are inviting them... If any of them wishes to refuse, it is unnecessary for us to urge them to stay,” Finally, a smile appeared on Joshua’s face after he said those words.
“We must respect the opinions of the elderly. If they insist on being stubborn, it is not something that we can change. Of course, they’ll be the ones to pay the price for their decision.”
“You’re trying to say that our ‘Sage Thought Forum’ doesn’t lack Sages?”
Ciri once again translated Joshua’s long-winded speech into a brief summary.
“Correct.”
After gaining the support of the Purple Sage, Joshua now possesses enough strength to openly oppose Yellow Mage. As either the owner of the Voice of Norland or a Demon Prince... there was no reason for him to lower himself to the Sages anymore. Just giving them simple respect would suffice.