Offer a Tribute and Become an Archmage - Chapter 198



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Offering Tribute to the Archmage Chapter 198

He Who Will Be King [2]

Episode 198.

After finishing his consultation with Yonterion, Ronobe headed straight to where Ashwald was.

There was no need to go with the privates.

‘There’s no need to advertise that you’re going to see Ashwald.’

If Prince Ivan had just extended his hand and was going to Ashwald, then there’s no way that smart guy wouldn’t know.

There is nothing good about knowing.

“Hey, do you know where Lord Ashwald is?”

“I don’t know.”

The problem is that I don’t know where Ashwald is.

“If I had known this would happen, I would have asked Mick.”

I tried not to watch it because I thought he would force me to become his disciple, but I never thought things would turn out like this.

It was a coincidence.

“You want to meet Ashwald? Then shall we wait? Aren’t we going north?”

“No. You guys go as planned. I’ll go alone for a bit. What’s there? We’ll stop by Boladissen and Hoheneire. We’ll go until we reach Baron Boladissen’s territory. Don’t worry too much.”

“Yes. Then I will proceed as planned.”

“okay.”

The privates will take care of it since Liam and Benny are here. The loot from the Slime Dungeon has already been sold in the capital. You don’t have to worry about money since you bought firewood, charcoal, alcohol, and spices that will sell well in Boladigen or the North. You can buy fur clothes in Boladigen or the County of Hoheneire, so there’s no problem.

The real problem I face is that I need to meet Ashwald, but I can’t even find out where he is.

The moment you ask around, it will surely reach the prince’s ears.

“What should I do with this…”

While he was thinking about it, Peter suddenly grabbed Ronnobe’s sleeve.

“What’s wrong, Peter?”

Peter soon discovered his magic.

He showed off his magic by making tiny letters appear on the ground like leather.

-I know where Ashwald lives.

“You? How would you know?”

-Uncle Mick told me.

It seemed like Mick had given Peter a heads up just in case.

“As expected, he is my disciple!”

Ronobé stroked Peter’s head roughly. How could there be such a pretty boy?

“So where are you?”

Peter pointed.

The side where the sun sets.

It was west.

-The end of the western forest. The beginning of the desert. The wizard’s forest on the border. That’s what it was.

I thought I knew what you meant.

“thanks.”

Ronobé immediately transformed and was about to fly away, but then looked down at Peter and fell into thought for a moment.

Ronobé, who was pondering, opened his mouth and took out a wooden horn carved from a snake cage.

It wasn’t just a simple sculpture.

What the cloud had.

Among them, the most powerful magic was this.

It was a grimoire containing waves of sound.

And then he pulled out another one.

Cloud’s subordinate. An artifact used by the one who used transparency magic.

They were jellyfish boots.

“Peter. If this master is late, you may have to endure adversity with Benny. That won’t happen, but… It’s right for people to always be prepared.”

Ronobé gave Peter the grimoire containing the ‘Wave of Sound’ and the jellyfish boots artifact.

The magic that Peter possesses is the magic that allows him to tear off the earth’s crust and manipulate it freely.

Ronobé felt this way every time he saw Peter using this magic.

‘It feels like a carpet.’

Peter’s magic isn’t quite up to snuff yet, but if he were to lighten his body with jellyfish boots, he might be able to fly around using them.

To begin with, jellyfish boots are slow and have a sloppy feel to them, making them difficult for Ronobe and other characters to use, even though they allow them to fly above the ground.

But I think that Peter, who is so smart, will somehow make good use of it.

‘The waves of sound…’

If Peter’s magic and sound waves were to become one, it would create a powerful destructive force. Whether or not he would be able to use it is unknown… but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to give it a try.

‘I can’t use it anyway.’

Ronobe is unable to draw out the power of the grimoire. It feels more like a disconnection, as if it is not permitted, rather than a problem of talent.

So, it is given.

If not, the sound waves are powerful enough to be used by Ronobe.

‘I wish I had used it with Yuhwa.’

It’s a shame, but things always have an original owner.

Ronobé wished it had been Peter.

Although he only had Peter as his disciple for a short time, he is trustworthy.

Peter’s eyes sparkled as if he also knew how precious the item was.

“Don’t push yourself too hard. I don’t mind if you’re not better than others.”

Peter had no idea how to create letters with magic. Large tears fell from the boy’s eyes.

“If a man cries anywhere, he will wet the bed at night.”

Ronobye snickered and transformed into a crow, flying into the sky. In an instant, Peter and the soldiers shrank to the size of grains of rice.

‘West. It’ll take an hour or two.’

If you catch the wind well, flying is not that difficult.

Even if you don’t keep flapping your wings, just spreading them out gives you an indescribable feeling of gliding far away on the wind.

I like Ronobe.

*

The Wizard’s Forest.

A forest that was given that name at some point.

It was just a forest with nothing in it, but in front of it, a desert appeared, and in the forest that existed as if blocking it, there lived people that most of the people in the kingdom knew.

But just because most people know him doesn’t mean he’s someone everyone can meet.

The Wizard’s Forest is always crowded with people. At the entrance to the forest, there are stone monuments lined up in a row, and there is also a statue commemorating his existence.

These were created by the villagers living nearby over hundreds of years.

Slap.

A crow, flapping its wings, descended into the forest.

The crowds that spread out at the entrance of the forest were crowds, but among those crowds there were also those of noble royal blood.

‘Ethan?’

The first prince of the kingdom.

There was Ethan von Ageha Bright.

“Lord Ashwald! Please allow me to see you! I have something to tell you, Lord Ashwald!!”

He was shouting at the entrance of the forest for some unknown reason, and the crowd around him kept putting their hands together and bowing their heads toward the forest as if praying.

A crow sitting on a tree branch and preening itself.

No, Ronobe watched this strange phenomenon for a while. It was because there were many sounds that could be heard even when standing still.

“Hey, why is the prince standing there like that?”

“This gentleman! Don’t you know that? Lord Ashwald isn’t the kind of person who would meet just anyone! Of course, even if he’s a noble person of the country, you can’t enter this base without his permission!”

“Can’t you just go in?”

“If you don’t have his permission, you’ll be out right away. So you’ll have no choice but to ask for his permission.”

I never knew there would be such mystery.

‘It looks like a barrier or something.’

It was quite an interesting magic.

‘No, it’s magic.’

Ronobe looked down at the prince who was screaming loudly, then spread his wings and flew across the forest.

“If we keep going like this, we’ll naturally end up at the entrance, right? I’ve always wanted to experience a barrier.”

Ronobe flew and flew.

It was a mysterious forest filled with mysterious flora and fauna and strange fireflies flying around.

As I was flying calmly, admiring them and wondering when they would bounce off.

“?”

Suddenly a cabin appeared.

It was a cabin where the presence of people was clearly evident.

And in front of him, there was an old man who was happily basking in the warm sunlight.

“…”

Ronobe, who was sitting on a tree branch without realizing it, was wondering whether he should go out again or not.

‘There was definitely a boundary?’

For some reason, it didn’t work for me.

If not…

“The long-awaited guest has arrived. Mick has left after delivering your answer. He had to turn back quickly because someone had kept the busy child for a long time. There was no time for the priests to share their feelings.”

At the sight of the old man speaking so naturally, Ronobe came down from the tree and transformed into a human.

“This is Ronove de Hopper. I apologize for interrupting without contacting you.”

“There’s no need to be so polite. This isn’t the capital. It’s just… a forest, and I’m not a noble. It’s just a cabin with an old man who has long-standing magic.”

A wizard who has lived for four hundred years.

Eschwald.

The first impression that Ronobe had when he saw him was that he didn’t look like a human. Of course, he looked like a human, but the atmosphere and the presence were different. He was a hunter, and some of him still thought he was a hunter, so Ronobe felt like he didn’t have a human presence, but rather like grass or trees that had become one with the forest.

The presence was that faint.

‘As expected, as expected.’

When I first arrived at the forest, I saw the crowds and thought I had made a wasted trip. I thought I was an unauthorized guest like them. However, contrary to my expectations, Ashwald seemed to be waiting for Ronobe.

“I read your reply carefully.”

Ashwald waved his finger and handed over the letter that was lying on the table.

It was a shrine made of fine sand.

It was a letter that Ronobega gave to Mick.

The luxurious parchment unfolded naturally, but there was nothing written inside.

“It’s the first time I’ve received an answer like this at this age.”

The letter is blank.

It was Ronobe who sent it.

“I get quite a few letters. Of course, they are sent by my disciples. Most of them are about all sorts of vain formalities and gold and silver treasures that I am not even curious about. Most of the ones about magic are about boasting about their own powers and praising my magical theory.”

So it was refreshing.

A young boy.

Now, the boy with the title of Baronet, who was on his way to becoming a baronet, handed me a letter that was blank and had nothing written on it.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about the meaning of the letter.”

Ashwald said happily.

“I gave you the theory of magic. That was my question, and your answer is the blank sheet of paper you see there. You have received a very good answer.”

Most people who read the book Theory of Magic praise him and ask to be his disciples. But Ronobe was different.

Even after reading this, I sent a blank sheet of paper.

“You could say it was simply an expression of rejection, but it seemed to have an ambiguous meaning. I thought it was unlikely since you are still young, but… if the recent rumors are true, then you have already realized the importance of miracles existing as miracles… can I assume that?”

A blank slate for magical theory.

This could be seen as a denial of the theory itself. It was an extremely unpleasant answer from Eschwald’s perspective. However, looking at Ronobe’s actions, it was not an entirely arrogant answer.

“A miracle is a miracle. My master used to say the same thing. I never thought that after four hundred years, I would be reminded of its meaning thanks to a young wizard like you.”

Ashwald pounded his book.

It was magical theory.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve felt embarrassed. It’s not easy to make an old person feel embarrassed.”

At the end of Ashwald’s gaze was a boy standing with an expressionless face.

A wizard who has already figured out the meaning of a miracle.

“Did you write your name on the child of Modert in the magic test? The definition of magic is only yourself. This meaning is also very great. It was a part that showed how magic is yourself and how humans are a product of miracles.”

Ashwald was gilding the boy’s face with diamonds. Of course, Ronobé was sweating profusely.

‘I asked Benny to write a letter for me… why is it blank?’

It was definitely a resonance trap.

Thinking back, I was so distracted at the time that I don’t know if the parchment was changed.

‘Well, did you just let it slide? It must have been okay because you liked it? Well… Well. It was okay.’

It’s amazing how you can create so much meaning out of a blank letter.

Ronobe thought that a wizard who had lived for four hundred years was different. It was truly a dream come true. However, he was embarrassed to praise him any further.

I had to stop him from talking.

“More than that… it’s noisy outside.”

“It happens often.”

“Are these even the prince’s words?”

Outside the forest is the first prince, Ethan.

He called out to him at the top of his lungs, but Ashwald did not respond.

“How many generations of royal blood do you think I have seen? They are no different to me.”

Contrary to the favor shown to Ronobe, he did not see the prince as a prince. He was just an ordinary person who prayed to him. That was how Ashwald saw the prince.

Ronobe swallowed dry saliva and asked.

“Do you know why I came?”

The Wizard’s Forest.

There was no sound in this cabin, but Ashwald spoke as if he had been watching.

I think you probably know.

“I know.”

“Really?”

“There have been countless attempts to kill me over the past four hundred years. It’s not uncommon.”

“!”

I really knew. It also meant that his information power was that great.

“The Marquis of Bane’s business too…”

“He’s an outstanding guy. He’s one of the young people I’m rooting for because of his magic, his obsession with magic, and his ability to improve.”

“Young man…”

Marquis Bane is an old man who looks to be in his sixties even at a young age.

But, he’s young, that’s ridiculous.

‘Eschwald is over four hundred years old.’

That was probably the case.

“Have you ever met Prince Ivan? He just thinks differently than I do.”

“…we might join hands with the empire.”

“That would be so. The prince is someone who believes in accepting the new culture of the empire… He even told me that. That the Bright Kingdom was isolated because of me… He is not wrong.”

I didn’t really have anything to say.

All I did was protect the kingdom, but I think I isolated it and slowed down the development of civilization.

“Did you see the gun that Beatrice is carrying?”

“Yes, I saw it.”

“It may not be the Kingdom’s technological prowess, but it is common technology in the Empire and the Republic. Perhaps that is what they are saying. Even if they go under the Empire, what will last forever is not the Empire or the Kingdom, but only the civilization on this land.”

Ivan considered the advancement of civilization more important than the traditions of the kingdom.

There is no eternal kingdom or empire.

As he said, empires established on the continent have come and gone repeatedly.

An empire is something that becomes stronger by learning from failure, but there is no guarantee that something that has been broken once will not break again.

Ivan planned to eat away at the empire from within and steal their civilization.

“What you’re curious about is… my life.”

“Do you really not have much time left?”

Ashwald turned over his hand on the stone chair handle. In his dry palm he was now holding an hourglass made of sand.

The hourglass was full at the bottom, and the sand that fell was fine. The sand that filled the top was also very small. It seemed to say that Eschwald’s life was running out, just like an hourglass that would soon end.

“Nothing lasts forever in this world. Even the founding king who created the kingdom will eventually die with the passage of time. The wizard who still keeps the promise that was like a curse given by his old friend is no different.”

“A promise that is like a curse…”

Ronobe clenched his fist.

A man who has kept his promises to his friends for over four hundred years.

He is a great wizard. The end of that wizard is to become a stepping stone to becoming the crown prince. I used to think of him as just someone else’s business, but seeing him in person made me feel even more sorry.

“You are sad. How sad, young wizard.”

“Ivan, Marquis Bane, doesn’t the kingdom view you as nothing more than a trophy? Aren’t you angry?”

It’s been a whole four hundred years.

It’s not like I’ve just been living like this.

He protected the kingdom. But in the end, he died as an evil wizard who persecuted the kingdom! It was absurd.

“Bane is my disciple. Since he will die anyway, there is no harm in giving his life to my outstanding disciple. What does it matter how he is evaluated after he dies? After a hundred, five hundred, or a thousand years, his life will be forgotten and become just one of the countless grains of sand.”

Swish.

A grain of sand that fell from Eschwald’s hand.

Those grains of sand, which did not seem so fine, seemed like the messy lives he had witnessed. It seemed as if he could feel the years he had spent just by the flow of sand.

“Don’t you know? You child of tribute, who knows the futility of life.”

also.

Ashwald knew.