A Struggle Between Two Wizards

Inside the royal palace audience chamber.

As soon as he returned to the palace, the person he faced before he could even meet his family was none other than Wizard Kreba, one of the only two wizards in the Polia Kingdom. Ah, now that Wizard Oran had appeared, he had to correct that to three.

In any case, he was the same as before. Along with his great height of 2.5 meters, his purple hair flowed down to his waist, and nothing seemed to have changed about his long nose or the three-meter white staff he held in his hand.

“Wizard Kreba, it feels like it has been a long time since I saw you. Have you been well?”

“Yes, I have been well, Your Majesty. I have merely been absorbed in my personal research and work during that time. More importantly, it seems you went somewhere far away?”

“That is how it turned out. More importantly, what brings you here? I heard you have been staying inside the palace for several days already while waiting for me.”

“Yes, I have been waiting for Your Majesty until now. There is something I must tell Your Majesty.”

Seeing him speak with a rather serious expression, Ian wondered what matter he had to speak about so badly that he had waited like this. Kreba immediately told him one fact.

“First of all, the reason I originally came to see Your Majesty was because of the mana stone.”

“The mana stone?”

“Yes. Wizards like us are, in reality, quite sensitive to mana stone transportation. That is why I always had people keep watch, even if I had to send them myself. In the midst of that, I learned that the Polia royal family had directly purchased a mana stone.”

“I suppose you were curious about why I was trying to purchase a mana stone?”

“That is correct. In truth, mana stones are not easy to obtain, and first of all, do they not require an enormous amount of funds? Since you were purchasing such a mana stone, I had no choice but to be extremely curious.”

At those words, Ian thought it was understandable that Kreba had come looking for him. He had probably asked the palace about the purpose of purchasing the mana stone, and after only hearing an answer that increased his curiosity, saying only the king knew, he had personally come to the palace.

“Even so, was there any reason for you to keep staying in the palace? I would have naturally told you later.”

“I thought so as well. But…”

“Did another reason arise?”

“In truth, because of this, I wanted to see Your Majesty even more. Putting aside the mana stone, how did you obtain that child?”

“What child are you talking about?”

“Sara, I mean.”

“Ah, Sara? Could it be that you met her personally?”

“I encountered her purely by chance. The moment I saw that child then, I doubted my own two eyes and thought they had gone wrong. To think the child of talent I had searched so long for was before my eyes? I thought, how could such a fate exist? Does Your Majesty know as well? Is that why you brought that child to the palace? Did you also purchase the mana stone entirely for that child? Your Majesty, please entrust her to me. I will become that child’s true teacher and teach her everything I have. Please allow my magical lineage to continue.”

He truly spoke at length. Ian thought this might be the first time he had seen Wizard Kreba pour out so many words. In the meantime, he felt troubled. The person who would teach Sara had already been decided. He had been planning to educate her through his own wizard, Oran.

“Uh, hm, the thing is.”

“What is the matter? Has her teacher perhaps already been decided? Has she perhaps been entrusted to that fellow Delko?”

Wizard Delko, the remaining wizard of the kingdom. Naturally, it was not him. Ian wondered how he should explain this. To explain, he needed to explain about Wizard Oran. For now, Oran’s existence needed to be kept secret.

“It is not him.”

“If it is not him, then to whom do you intend to entrust that child’s education?”

“I had intended to think about that.”

For now, he said he had intended to think about it. At those words, Wizard Kreba’s expression brightened again. He thought that if it was not this opportunity, he would not be able to find a disciple to inherit the essence of his magic until the moment he died, and soon spoke seriously with a determined heart.

“Your Majesty, please entrust Sara to me so that I may pass on the lineage of a wizard. If I teach that child well for only twenty years, she will certainly be born as a splendid wizard this country can be proud of.”

“Mm…”

“Your Majesty, that child, who possesses talent as a wizard, needs an excellent teacher. I am confident I can teach that child many things.”

Seeing him speak as if pleading like that, Ian could understand how desperate he was. It was truly difficult. There were far too many ways he had helped the kingdom for Ian to firmly say no. In reality, had he not helped before and discovered the secret faction’s hidden facility, allowing them to discover dangerous biological weapons in advance and subjugate them?

‘Come to think of it, Wizard Oran is scheduled to participate in many experiments, isn’t he?’

How much would it help if a wizard joined the research institute? Because of that, he had been planning to have Oran participate often and conduct research. The problem was Sara’s education. Since Oran would have to periodically leave the research institute and teach Sara, the teaching could end up being interrupted repeatedly.

‘Perhaps it would be much better if Wizard Kreba focused on teaching her.’

Thinking that, he felt this would not be bad either. Of course, the reason he could think like this was that Sara could no longer betray him. She had already been affected by his ability. Since that was the situation, as time passed, her trust and familiarity toward him would grow.

‘His ability is certain. So…’

“Mm, Your Majesty, would you not answer quickly?”

Wizard Kreba’s voice somehow carried a sense of urgency. From that sight, Ian quickly understood why he was acting like this. Another wizard had now entered the palace. It seemed Wizard Delko had come here.

‘How coincidental. For him to come to the palace.’

Unlike Wizard Kreba, he was someone who never visited the palace at all. He was a person who had not shown himself until now, and yet he had come here like this. Perhaps he had already known about the mana stone and then came after hearing that Ian had returned to the palace.

‘He does not know about Sara?’

Wizard Kreba wanted to hear an answer quickly because he probably wanted to confirm Sara as his disciple now, while Delko had not yet seen her personally. If Delko learned about Sara? Perhaps they might end up competing with each other to take her as a disciple.

“What is there to be so urgent about? I will think about it slowly. For now, at least wait until Sara, who has lived a difficult life, has properly recovered her body.”

“Your Majesty, since she only needs to receive theoretical lessons for now, she can study magic in parallel while recovering her body.”

“Even if you say that.”

Just as Ian was about to speak, Mardin quietly approached him and formally whispered to him that Wizard Delko had come. At that, Ian nodded as if he had guessed as much and immediately looked at Wizard Kreba as he spoke.

“It seems to be that kind of day today. It appears Wizard Delko has now visited the palace to see me. I understand the two of you have known each other for a long time. Would you like to meet him together?”

“I am… Ah, no. Understood. I will meet him together with you.”

Wizard Kreba had been about to say he was fine, but at the possibility that the discussion might end up turning to Sara, he hurriedly answered that he understood. His expression carried considerable worry and anxiety.

Then, after a short time passed, the doors of the audience chamber opened, and someone appeared. As if showing that he was a wizard, he wore a white robe and carried a staff that seemed to be made of wood. If there was one eye-catching point, it was that he was bald, without a single hair on his head. On top of that, only his eyebrows remained, pure white.

“Wizard Delko greets the king of the Polia Kingdom.”

He was a person with a ringing voice. It was a sight that showed he had a fairly strong personality. At his words, Ian also slightly lowered his head and received the greeting.

“I am Ian di Polia, the current king of the Polia Kingdom. It is an honor for you to visit the palace like this.”

“What is there to call an honor? It is only that an old wizard came because his curiosity was stirred.”

“Could it be because of the mana stone I will purchase this time?”

“That is correct. I was curious as to the reason you were trying to purchase a mana stone. Seeing this, it seems there is also another old man here who could not endure his curiosity, just like me.”

As Wizard Delko said that, his gaze was directed toward Wizard Kreba. The two looked at each other for a moment. But soon, the one who first turned away from the gaze that had met his was Wizard Kreba. Seeing that, Wizard Delko had to feel puzzled.

‘No, why is that man avoiding my eyes first? This is a bit suspicious.’

“Ahem, Your Majesty, I do not think there is any need to tell us about the mana stone purchase. This is a matter unique to the royal family, so is there any reason for wizards like us to know?”

Wizard Kreba spoke as if trying hard to change the subject, saying what good would it do for them to know, but that only made his actions look even more suspicious. It was not something he would normally do, but because his desire to take Sara as his disciple was so great, he had blurted out whatever came to mind.

Wizard Delko found this strange, but soon, since he also had no reason to become deeply involved in royal matters, he spoke in a conciliatory manner.

“I also have no intention of digging deeply if Your Majesty does not wish it. Still, even if several years pass after you use it, would you perhaps give me priority rights for its reuse?”

A mana stone was not something discarded after it was used once. Once it was fully used, although there would be a slightly reduced limit, if mana was filled again, it could be used. For that reason, he said that if, even after several years passed, there was no longer any use for it, he wanted to obtain priority rights.

“As for the reuse of the mana stone, I think we will have no choice but to use it by squeezing it to the very end.”

“Is that so? It is a pity that I will have no chance to use it.”

Wizard Delko spoke as if disappointed and wondered what kind of matter Ian intended to use it for. But since he had already said earlier that he had no intention of intervening, he had no choice but to feel regret and give up. At the same time, he subtly observed Wizard Kreba.

‘Why is that old man acting like that?’

Although it had been nearly twenty years since they last met, he knew that Kreba was absolutely not a man who would speak like that. He thought it seemed like Kreba was hiding something. Of course, that did not mean he thought it was a very serious matter. He thought he would just let it pass.

‘The mana stone is out of reach anyway, so I should return now.’

Just as Wizard Delko was thinking of returning with a resigned heart, Ian suddenly mentioned one fact.

“Are you not curious about where the mana stone will be used?”

“Y-Your Majesty. Regarding that…”

“As I said just now, I have no intention of asking deeply.”

Seeing Wizard Kreba’s flustered appearance and Wizard Delko speaking as if he had no further interest, Ian inwardly thought that he would regret it. In truth, it was difficult to hide the fact about Sara at this point.

If he happened to learn of this fact later, he would be greatly disappointed. Perhaps he might even feel skepticism toward this country.

‘I cannot allow the heart of one of the few wizards we have to leave. And when I think about it, is there any reason there must only be one teacher? Can they not all teach her together?’

“Is that so? From my standpoint, I have no choice but to tell you. Otherwise, you will be greatly disappointed when you learn the truth later.”

“Your Majesty, this matter is…”

“Wizard Kreba. You know what Wizard Delko’s feelings would be if only you knew and he later learned this truth. From my standpoint, I have no choice but to convey the facts.”

In the first place, if Wizard Kreba had not known, Sara’s existence was something Ian had not intended to tell anyone about. He let him know that since Kreba already knew, he could not hide it. At this, Wizard Kreba could not help but sigh. Inwardly, he knew what reaction Wizard Delko would show.

‘The concern of every wizard is that they cannot easily obtain a disciple.’

Becoming a wizard lay in the realm of extreme talent. They were beings who could not be found even in places with hundreds of millions of people, and even if they did exist in reality, there were probably those who ended their lives without ever knowing they had the talent to become a wizard. That was how difficult they were to find and how difficult they were to meet.

‘If I had hidden this and later taken her as my disciple, he would have resented me greatly.’

“Understood…”

“Can I know what on earth this is about? From my perspective, I do not understand.”

“There is a girl named Sara in the palace right now. She has just turned twelve, and before long, she will become thirteen.”

“Is that so? But why are you saying that?”

“What is important is that the girl’s talent is somewhat special. As far as I know, she is said to possess talent as a wizard.”

“A-Are those words truly true? Ah, no, they must be true.”

After asking quickly, he soon recalled Wizard Kreba’s actions and realized that everything was true. At the same time, he understood why Kreba had tried to hide it like that. It was because he had intended to take that girl as his disciple. At that fact, Wizard Delko could not help but become angry.

To think Kreba had tried to hide such a fact from him and take her as his disciple. If he had not known, he thought he might have developed pent-up anger and had his mana circle flow backward. At the same time, he thought this was no time to be standing around.

It was talent as a wizard. Although she would turn thirteen next year, with the help of a mana stone, there was a high possibility she could be sufficiently developed. He immediately made both eyes flash and shouted.

“Your Majesty, please give me the opportunity to raise a disciple! I can raise the greatest wizard.”

“N-No, what are you saying! That child will become my disciple!”

“You tried to deceive me well! Do you really want to go this far!”

“I need a disciple. If I wished to hide her, I could hide her as much as I wanted.”

“You damn robber!”

“What! Why am I a robber!”

‘Were these two not close?’

Seeing them growl at each other, Ian thought things somehow did not seem like they would go smoothly.