Brainwashed Then Woke Up To Find My Childhood Friend a Hero

24. The Great Sage is a Former Party Member!?

“W-w-w-wait, the Great Sage!?”

One of the guards raises his voice.

As if echoing that voice, the crowd begins to stir.

“Isn’t that the one who advanced the technology of the Magic Empire by 300 years!?”

“During the age of adventurers, he overwhelmed the Four Heavenly Kings one-on-one with his incredibly fast spellcasting ability and diverse magic!?”

“According to some legends, he is said to be the reincarnation of the God of Magic, able to use magic from the moment he was born!?”

I can’t help but question this outrageous backstory—could this really be Kelt? However,

even from a distance, it’s clear. His oddly styled curly hair and slightly smaller round glasses.

Though he seems a bit more mature, it’s unmistakably Kelt, the wizard of the Oath of Adventure. I never imagined he would become the Great Sage, but it’s quite fitting.

Haru has become a hero, so it wouldn’t be surprising for Kelt to have become the Great Sage.

If that’s the case, what has Elcia been up to…?

As I indulge in a moment of sentimentality, one of the guards shouts,

“F-f-fake!”

That’s the man who had been arguing with Wide earlier.

“What business does the real Great Sage have, coming to the Holy Kingdom without a word!?”

At those words, the crowd casts suspicious glances at Kelt.

“It was indeed a sudden visit. However, if you look over here, you might understand.”

As he says this, Kelt twirls his staff slightly. Suddenly, the ground, once trampled by many visitors and sparsely covered with weeds, bursts into bloom with a variety of flowers.

I’m astonished at the scale of magic he can wield in an instant, trembling at the thought that this is the power of the party that defeated the Demon King.

“Flowers…!”

Egu rushes out of the carriage to pick the blooming flowers.

“Wait!”

I think that if Egu’s identity as a demon is revealed, we’ll all be in serious trouble, and I try to bring him back, but in an instant, Kelt, using teleportation magic, scoops up Egu.

“Now, now, let’s keep it a little quiet, shall we?”

He says this while conjuring a bouquet of flowers just like before.

Egu, receiving the bouquet, returns to me with an odd, excited cry of “Woooah!”

“Papa! Flowers!”

His eagerness to hand it to me reaffirms his innocence. While I’m watching Egu, I feel a gaze upon me; Kelt is looking this way, his eyes somehow murky, almost sticky…

As I grapple with this unsettling feeling, all the guards bow their heads toward Kelt.

—

“Great Sage, I apologize for harboring doubts! Regarding this matter, could you possibly forgive me by taking my head instead?”

The man pleads earnestly.

The Great Sage glances at me once more, then speaks.

“That’s alright; the fault lies with me for suddenly doing something like this.”

With a cheerful smile, the Great Sage addresses the guards.

“Well then, everyone! I have arranged for accommodations, so let us head there together!”

Though the events have unfolded abruptly, even the reason why the Great Sage chose to help us remains unclear. While we all think this in our hearts, we return to our designated places, and the Great Sage climbs aboard the lead carriage alongside Wide.

Still, I can’t help but wonder,

“What on earth is happening?”