Chapter 60 - Sixty ... The Great Sage of the Forest

Chapter 60: Chapter Sixty ... The Great Sage of the Forest

Chapter Sixty ... The Great Sage of the Forest

The System’s messages appeared before Jan.

[You have driven off the shadow of the curse that fell on the village. It was a plague, but if the people believed it a curse, then a curse it becomes. You will become widely known as the worker of miracles who purified a curse.]

[Notice: Renown rises.]

[Notice: Word of this will spread far and wide. The favor of the Papal See’s Poverty faction priests rises sharply. Poverty faction favor: Neutral -> Friendly]

[Notice: The favor of the Emperor of the Skincus Empire falls. Favor: Neutral -> Poor]

[Notice: The King of Hubner and the Ruler of the Stone Lands grow wary of you. They will see you as the standard-bearer of the Papal See. Be careful.]

The dazzling messages kept coming. There were almost too many to read.

’Damn it.’

It would be nice if only the good things went up, but why did the bad effects always seem bigger?

’And why is the Skincus emperor’s favor dropping?’

The emperor and the Papal See might be at odds, but what did that have to do with him? It was utterly unfair.

’At least the emperor is little more than a figurehead. That’s something.’

He was just one great noble among many, which truly was a relief. If not, it would surely have been a headache in more ways than one.

In any case, leaving these minor worries behind, Jan found himself facing another problem.

Curing the village of the plague seemed to have gone very well, but...

"My lord! Gold-rank lord! Please, save us!"

Before he knew it, word had spread, and the guild of human merchant houses active in the canton city had sent someone to him. Along with a letter full of flowery phrases, they offered enormous wealth and asked him to come into the canton city.

The curse had cost the city council its grip on things, so they begged him to lift the curse and cure them.

In a way, it seemed like a simple enough request, the sort he could easily grant.

’The problem is that I’m a lord from another realm.’

And a Gold-rank lord with vast authority over a whole region at that. A great lord like him coming into a free city with its own self-government and acting there was no different from trampling on its right to rule itself.

It would have been different if he were a wandering knight or an ordinary monk.

"This... hm. What should I do, Captain Lampard?"

"Ahem. It’s a little awkward, human lord. Even if you help them, the trouble comes afterward."

Ever since the Canton League had won its independence from the Emperor of the Skincus Empire through war, its self-rule had been the one thing it would never yield. Why else would people say that the dwarves’ longing for freedom was tougher than an ox’s sinew?

Being a dwarf, Captain Lampard knew this well, and so he was pointing out the trouble that would follow.

The other cantons might boil over in outrage, and it might even come to war.

Here, honor and principle sometimes mattered more than practical gain.

"Ah! My lord. Their ’devotion’ is touching, but what can’t be done can’t be done."

Bishop Graham, who had somehow already obtained a pouch from the merchants’ guild, said it while wiping his mouth clean of the whole affair.

Just what you’d expect from a greedy fellow!

But Jan didn’t see it any differently. He was grateful for the money, but what couldn’t be done couldn’t be done, could it?

It was a pity, but Jan was about to call in the envoy and refuse.

And then...

"M-my lord!"

An unexpected guest arrived.

"The Great Sage of the Forest has come to see you."

"Huh?"

"Hwuh?"

Jan could only stare, utterly lost for words.

He really does look like a wizard!

That was Jan’s first thought on seeing the Great Sage of the Forest. The mage who came through the door was an old man wrapped in a long robe that trailed all the way down to his feet.

He was somewhat thin, with a luxuriant white beard, and he held a staff nearly as tall as he was.

He was the very picture of a wizard.

"Oh!"

The old man raised an eyebrow at him.

"Ah, my apologies. Welcome."

Realizing how rude he’d been, Jan hurriedly smiled and welcomed him. The mage grinned and gave a small nod.

"I understand. A pleasure to meet you, Gold-rank lord. I am Agphiel, mage of the Arpen Forest."

Agphiel seemed perfectly at ease, as though he were used to receiving looks full of curiosity and wariness like this one.

"So, what brings you here, Master Agphiel?"

"I was on my way here at the canton council’s request to deal with this plague. Then I saw your banner flying over this village, so I came."

"Oh?"

The Great Sage of the Forest.

In Jan’s past life, the Great Sage of the Forest had been a figure of near legend, a wanderer who appeared wherever calamity struck and somehow set things right. And a man like that had come here?

It seemed the canton council hadn’t been sitting on its hands after all. Who would have thought they could move someone of his stature?

"The canton council has delegated its authority to me. I’ve been granted full powers, for the time being, to bring this crisis under control. That’s why I came to this village."

"Ah! Then you’ve come here to treat the sick?"

"That’s right. When I saw your banner, I was alarmed you might have caught the sickness yourself, so I hurried over."

"Hmm..."

At Agphiel’s words, the corners of Jan’s mouth twitched awkwardly, and he glanced over at Captain Lampard and Bishop Graham.

They seemed rather flustered too.

"Heh heh."

"..."

"Ahem."

How was he supposed to put this?

Should he just say he had already taken care of the curse himself? Wouldn’t that embarrass the mage? He’d finally met a mage this remarkable, and he wanted to get on good terms with him. An awkward silence settled over the room.

Fortunately, it was Agphiel who spoke first.

"What is it? Have you caught the sickness too, my lord?"

"Hm, no. It’s nothing like that."

"Then what? Why is everyone wearing such awkward looks and watching me so carefully?"

He was a mage, all right. He was very quick on the uptake. Jan cleared his throat and carefully began to speak.

"Ahem, about the plague, Master Agphiel."

"Yes?"

"I’m grateful you came all this way, and grateful for your concern for me, but it’s already been dealt with."

Agphiel blinked.

"The village’s plague has already been completely cured."

The old mage stared at him for a long moment, utterly lost for words.