When A Mage Revolts

"Excuse me, I am Hansen, the leader of "Shadow." I heard that you are one of Mage Vinci’s people, sir, and I have come specifically to Randt City for a visit today. I don’t suppose you have anything important to tell me?"

As Benjamin was musing, the person in charge of the organization had walked into the guest room, speaking as such.

He was a short, plump middle-aged mage; his sat himself down, with his big belly, on the chair, a creepy look in his eyes— perhaps it was because Benjamin already had his preconceived bias, he definitely felt that this fellow’s face was detestable.

However, he was not planning to show that, of course.

"Just call me Grant." Benjamin smiled politely, saying, "I heard... That you have plans to build a school, sir?"

"How is it? Is Mage Vinci interested in this too?"

Benjamin nodded and said, "After Mage Vinci heard about it, he was very happy. You also know that after the Academy of Magic was built, there has been a huge impact on the mage communities in all the countries. And like us, in Ferelden, we should have long established our own mage school. Because of that, as long as you present your potential to us, we can support you from various levels."

For a moment, Mage Hansen had a surprised and gleeful expression.

"Really? Mage Vinci is willing to support us?"

Benjamin nodded, smiling.

"Much thanks!" The other party was obviously somewhat excited, and, while speaking, immediately pulled out the books from under the table and passed them to Benjamin, "Come, take a good look. This is our potential!"

"This is…" Benjamin pretended to be ignorant about it.

"The law of meditation that our latest research has come up with," Mage Hansen said, with a twinkle in his eyes, "Don’t underestimate this book, sir, what is written on it is something that can change the entire mage community— runes!"

"Oh!"

"I don’t have to explain the rest, everything is in the book. You can take it back for Mage Vinci to peruse, or you can try it out yourself. You will naturally understand how much potential we have."

Saying thus, Mage Hansen suddenly waved his hand, and runes flashed through his eyes. With the gathering of wind elements, a soft breeze started to blow, swirling up the two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine on the counter in the corner, and gently placing them on the table in front of them.

It was very obvious that he had mimicked the method Benjamin had researched on, and drawn runes in his spiritual energy to possess the ability to cast magic silently.

He poured out two full glasses of wine, and handed one to Benjamin, a silent laughter on his face.

Benjamin could only go along with it, by putting on an astonished expression.

"You can come up with such an impressive law of meditation, sir!" While speaking, he felt like he was being a drama queen, "Things like runes, I have heard before, but I’ve never thought that they could be taken and used for the purposes of meditation. With such a law of meditation as a trump card, your school will definitely achieve great success, sir!"

Mage Hansen put his glass of wine down: "So, saying that… Are you willing to sponsor us?"

"But, of course." Benjamin sipped a mouthful of wine, and continued to ask slowly, "Have you chosen a location? How has the place been done up? When are you planning to be open for enrolment? With such an amazing law of meditation, you must spread this out properly!"

"You can rest assured, sir, that we have prepared for this earlier on." Mage Hansen slammed his hand on the table, his face full of smiles, before starting to talk nonstop about his grand plan.

Benjamin took this opportunity to learn about the other party’s comprehensive plan.

It was more or less what he had imagined; the "Shadow" mages organization had set down an extremely detailed propaganda plan around the law of meditation. Other than printing out numerous copies of the book on the runic meditation, they had even sent out mages in every country, preparing to put on a good show.

As for the various construction of the academy… They had only bought a huge farm in the village and done some minor renovations. It was totally incomparable to the Academy of Magic.

However, they should also know that the difference between the infrastructures was too big. Because of that, they kept on stressing on the runic law of meditation. This was probably the only trump card they could use to boost up their reputation in a single move.

"I have heard that, the next time the Academy of Magic is opening up for enrolment will be at least two months from now, so we plan to be ahead of them," Mage Hansen said slowly, "Using this one month’s time, we will send out mages, who have learnt the runic law of meditation, and present themselves in the various countries to attract attention. And, when the time is right, we will then throw out the name of the school and replace the Academy of Magic, becoming the focus in everyone’s heart!"

"And by that time, who would still want to go to the Academy of Magic? Of course, they will all come to our school."

As he listened, Benjamin nodded expressionlessly.

"That… Have you considered such a situation?" He could not help but ask, "If, I’m saying if, the people of the Academy of Magic discover your movements prematurely, and think of a way to steal your law of meditation to use as their promotional gimmick, what would you do?"

He thought that, by such an insinuation, the other part would have a guilty expression. What he had not imagined was how the other party was not in the least bit abashed.

"What is there to be afraid of? If they dare do so, then that’s just destroying their own reputation." Mage Hansen said eloquently, "We are the first ones to bring up the runic law of meditation, and all mages under the heaven will know that this is our result. They cannot snatch this away."

Hearing that, Benjamin nodded.

"Yes, yes…"

Having conversed up until now, he felt like there was nothing else he wanted to ask. The things that he should know have been inquired about, and if he were to continue this any longer, he was afraid that he might have to vomit looking at his own acting skills.

After some more polite conversation, Benjamin nodded as he bade farewell, and was sent out by a smiling Mage Hansen. In his hands were stuffed many copies of the book this organization had compiled; he had a sudden urge to burn all of them.

However… Not long after leaving the "Shadow" headquarters, Benjamin disappeared in one of the streets and disguised himself, before sneakily finding his way back.

This time, he chose to make a huge hole underground, and slowly made his way to a place nearby the "Shadow" headquarters. After that, he activated the water elemental sensing technique, and quietly observed everything that happened in the building.

"Peeping tom. He has told you everything, what are you back here for?" The System said distastefully.

"Shh." Benjamin gave a cold laugh, saying in his heart, "Observe their movements carefully, just now… I was not the only one acting."

In the picture he had sensed out, he could see that everyone in the headquarters was in a bustle now.

When Benjamin’s foot had just stepped out of the headquarters, there had been mages running in continuously from the outside, waiting in the great hall of the headquarters. Mage Hansen had put away his smiling face and spoke with a grave expression, occasionally clenching and waving his fists about, as though giving some sort of motivational talk.

Benjamin tried to dig upwards a little more, and finally, managed to hear what he was saying clearly.

"... Mage Vinci and the Academy of Magic have always been close, they might have discovered this already, only that they do not have any evidence, so they sent people over to check us out. Take this chance, after I’ve leaked to them so much fake information, it should be able to buy us some time, we must take action immediately…"