Chapter 138

8th Class Mage EP. 48 – Rebuilding and Strengthening the City (2)

Empire Year 509.

A new year dawned.

Ian was nineteen years old this year.

“Oh, come on. Don’t you think that’s a little too exaggerated?”

As the days went by, the rumors of a certain nineteen-year-old spread like wildfire.

And some of these rumors were quite true.

The rumors concerned no other than Ian Page himself, the Great Mage who had destroyed thousands of the bone monsters all by himself, which was a task that even the original mages had found difficult. On top of that, he had appeared riding on the legendary White Dragon.

“I’m telling you. I’m not exaggerating! Y’know my brother-in-law works as a … what was it… a correspondence security officer? Wouldn’t he be aware of all the rumors going around inside out?”

The stories of the Master Mage everyone was talking about wasn’t simply out of the ordinary. He was now a legend, one who had ridden the White Dragon itself.

On top of that, word said he was only nineteen.

Not even hero novels were nonsense like these stories of Ian. Stories would sell well only if they made sense.

And therefore, the people of the Low Dukedom and the Coldwood Empire were divided in their response to the rumors.

Some didn’t believe the stories about Ian.

“Those stories must be exaggerated. I agree he’s a great mage. I’ve been hearing about him for years. But excuse me? He rode a dragon? Dropped tens of thousands of thunder bolts from the sky? You idiot, not even the storybooks my youngest son reads include such nonsense. That stuff isn’t popular anymore.” One side would say.

“Aaagh! I’m telling you, I’m not exaggerating! I heard it from the conversations of the higher classmen! Do you think I would be spreading false rumors? Huh?!”

This was from the ones who believed the rumors. In fact, they had heard tell regarding Ian other than the rumors that were spreading.

It was mostly the citizens of Greenriver who lived in the empire but didn’t live near the capital were the ones who were most likely to believe the stories of Ian.

The debates regarding the stories of Ian continued to spread in gatherings and meetings, including a bar somewhere in Coldwood Kingdom. The bar owner had been listening in on the conversations among his customers and carefully spoke up. He was still quite young, with a bushy moustache.

“There’s a group of merchants called the Foyons. They are close friends with Ian Page. Their coachman, who has been working with them for quite a long time, is one of my regular customers. According to what he told me a few days ago…”

All heads turned to him, and before he knew it, everyone was listening to his words carefully.

“I heard that all the rumors were true.” The pub owner concluded.

“See? Did you hear him? I told you!”

“Oh, come on. I really don’t think…”

Even with the bar owner’s testimony, the crowd in the bar were divided in opinion, but they all realized something.

If the rumors were all true…

“Hold up a second,” someone spoke up. “Let’s say the rumors are all true. If such a monster does live in Greenriver Kingdom. What will happen to us then, huh? Are we supposed to leave the country and seek asylum in Greenriver instead?”

The three nations were already wary of each other.

What would happen to the entire continent?

“Let’s say Greenriver suddenly wants to unite all three nations. That’ll be the end of all of us, wouldn’t it?”

The conversations among the men in the bar slowly turned to the possibilities of war. There was no such thing as long lasting peace. There was proof of this all throughout history.

“Eh, I’m sure all the royalties will take care of such things.” A middle – aged man spoke up. “Remember when we had to send over resources and sacrificed our workmen to them? Don’t you all get it? If a war really were to happen, it would happen between two nations that don’t have a problem with having a war. A war always starts with one nation starting it because they are in good condition, and the other thinks they can defend themselves.” He murmured, as if to teach the other customers in the store. He seemed to be quite aware of political affairs.

“But if there’s a mage strong enough to unite the nations…” he continued, “we’ll make our way to him. Become their servants or whatever- that will keep our lives intact. At least, until the mage dies. Do you understand?”

“It seems that the rumors are true. Especially if people of the high class are fighting to get themselves over there, aren’t they?”

“That’s most likely to be true.”

“Huh…”

The pub wasn’t the only place that was buzzing with conversation. Everywhere around the continent, in every city and region, everyone was talking about Ian, or some rumor concerning Ian. It was almost as if his stories were some new kind of trend.

* * *

“They’re all true? Even the dragon?” Hector Coldwood screamed.

“Well… concluding from the ongoing rumors, sir…”