Chapter 475: The First Village
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
On the western region of the grasslands, near the border between Carretas and Icor, was an uneven low mountain range. Benjamin and his team left the grasslands and headed west, and entered this mountain range in a few days.
They had no troubles on the way because the route chosen was a quiet one.
"The first village is up ahead, Village of Angus, it’s a faraway and backward place." The System introduced it, "the village is small, population at about a few hundred people, they rely heavily on hunting and crops for their income. They have little to no communication with the outside world, it is even more secluded than the grasslands."
Benjamin nodded his head.
A place that is too secluded is not good, it was not conducive for the expansion of the circle of influence. But...this place is definitely safe, not a bad place to start from.
Very quickly, as they flew in the sky, they could see the village on the side of the mountain. It was noon and the sun was shining brightly. And in the bright clear day, they floated in mid-air above the village before descending down into the center of the village.
That’s right, they wanted to make an entrance.
People suddenly flying in the sky would definitely be news to the villagers. The ones walking in the street were stunned, some even screamed, causing everyone to peer out and watched Benjamin and his team with open mouths.
Everyone in the village were shocked.
"Is... is that the Master Mage?"
Fortunately, even though the place was secluded, but it was a good sign that the villagers recognized them. Very quickly, an old man appeared on the street, his wrinkled eyes wide open as he stuttered his question.
Benjamin couldn’t help but smile.
That’s right, they did not need to waste time explaining further.
"Yes, we are mages." He walked up to the old man in a friendly manner and asked, "old man, are you the chief of the village?"
The old man looked at Benjamin with fear, not daring to get too close to him, but he nodded his head.
Benjamin replied and said, "there is no need to be afraid, we have no evil intentions in coming here. We only want to see if there was anyone among you that is gifted in magic? Maybe you could become a mage."
When he said this, he made his voice louder on purpose, as so to allow all the people in the village to hear it.
In an instant, everyone in the village were discussing among themselves.
"Become, to become a mage? Is that for real..." the old man shuddered as though it was an unbelievable thought.
It was obvious before when Benjamin was releasing the song and the book event that he had in the major cities, it did not affect this village. The church contained it tightly, not even the song manages to make its way out.
And so, Benjamin nodded his head and at the same time, he pulled out a copy of the "Declaration of the Freedom of Magic".
But what he did not expect was that someone would actually recognize the booklet.
"Wait a minute... isn’t, isn’t that the banned book? If you hide such a book, it’ll be the gallows for sure!" a young man was watching the scene unfolding before him and suddenly screamed.
Every one present was stunned.
The old man looked at the booklet in Benjamin’s hand and took a few horrified steps back.
At that moment, Benjamin felt a sudden pain split his brain. The influence of the "Declaration of the Freedom of Magic" was not able to reach here, but a decree issued by the government had no problems.
This may be problematic...
The villagers around them watched, some even recognized them, and thought that they were bandits, an air of unfriendliness was already wafting off them.
"Don’t, don’t come any closer, we are poor, why are you even here..."
Just as the atmosphere was getting tensed, finally the king took a deep breath and walked out from behind Benjamin.
"My people, heed my words."
He suddenly took out an extravagant looking crown and placed it on his head, walking forward with his chest puffed out. His expression calm and steady, as he exuded an air of a royalty.
The villagers were stunned again.
They did not know what was happening in front of them, but... they suddenly felt as though the guy standing in front of them with a crown on his head looked very familiar.
The king walked over and supported the old man.
Then after a brief moment of hesitation, the old man immediately knelt on the ground.
"Is... is that His Majesty the King?" he asked with a quivering voice.
The king smiled, "so you do remember me."
"How could I forget?" the old man sounded really agitated, "you joined an event nine years ago, I saw you from afar. And your Majesty’s likeness is also printed on the official documents of the nation of Carretas, we see it all the time. Your Majesty... what are you doing here?"
The king brought him up and with a clear voice, he said, "the reason I am here is because Carretas has been taken over by evil people. They are looking for someone that looks like me to put on the throne and control all of Carretas. I am here to plead for your help!"
The entire village was gathered nearby, hearing what the king had to say with a matter-of-fact look on his face.
Is this... for real?"
They were only the villagers of a secluded village, every day they working for their own livelihoods. Power, replacement, conspiracy... these things are not a part of their lives at all.
And because of this, even though he recognized the king but he still refused to believe it.
When he saw this, the king pulled out an insignia from his waist.
"This is the royal seal, the pride and joy of the Hesse family. If you do not recognize this, then you should understand what the picture actually means." His voice became stern, like a general showing off the skull that he got to his patrol guard.
The villagers saw the wolf-shaped insignia and were shocked for a while before they all knelt down.
To the whole of Carretas, and even to Icor, Ferelden, the shape of the royal seal was not just that of a wolf.
It was the shape of the pride of the royals, something that could not be replicated.
"Long live his Majesty."
The villagers no longer doubted. A few hundred voices rang out together, from the village to the heavens.
"Rise, you guys have been lied to by those other rascals." The king kept the insignia, waved his hand and said gently, "and now, the mages behind me are willing to help me restore the country to its original state. The villains have tarnished their good name and said that they were bandits, they slandered the book that they wrote. But you have nothing to worry about because I am the true king."
The villagers stood up and looked at Benjamin and his team again, the violence in their eyes disappearing.
Benjamin took this all in and couldn’t help but nod in wonder.
As the king of a country, the king finally looked a little more dignified.
He had an unexplainable happy feeling.
Of course, the timing was perfect; he had no time to admire anything, instead he chanted the spell. He used the ice breaking spell and conjured snow from the sky.
The snow fell gently, into the hands of the villagers.
"...Look! What is that?"
"Mother, it’s snowing!"
In that moment, awe and wonder could be seen all over the villager’s faces.
Benjamin opened his mouth and said, "this is the power of magic. It might not be strong, and it might not be able to take someone’s life. It is a talent that hides in your blood, the elements of the world call out to it. It takes instructions and does unimaginable things."
Looking at the snow floating in the sky, the villagers raised their heads, yearning already clear in their expressions.
"Quickly, do you all still remember how to sing that song? It is the perfect moment!" Joanna said in a soft voice as she used her elbow and nudged the mage beside her.
"I...I forgot." Tony’s face went red but he still could not remember it.
But, even without the song that was created by the poet, it would not have made much of a difference. The king turned back and exchanged a "job well done" look with Benjamin. Then, Benjamin smiled and looked at the villagers who were chasing after the snow and said,
"Now then, don’t you want to learn this power?"