Translator: Kuhaku Chisaac
Jared was stunned by Dennis’ compliment and could not hide his surprise.
To be honest, he had never been told that he was out of the ordinary.
While magicians were rare, he was not a person with an arrogant personality.
Dennis was breathing lightly when he noticed that Jared was lost in thought and went to apologize.
“I’m very sorry.”
“I’ve lost my composure a little.”
“In other words, Mr. Murphy already has the power to be elected as a court magician.”
“However, you can not become a court magician as it is now.”
Jared had also never dreamed that he would soon become a court magician. He doubted himself even when he told his grandparents that he had been nominated.
He couldn’t imagine himself becoming a court magician. Rather, he was relieved to be told that he couldn’t become one.
“Our Magician’s Association and the Weathered Kingdom want to gain more court magicians, with half of the offices being vacant. At the moment, there are three candidates, including you.”
Jared was not surprised that there were two other candidates, but he was curious about what kind of people they were.
Speaking of court magicians, they could be considered to be the elite amongst magicians. The number of people chosen was only twelve and there were only six court magicians at present.
“May I ask what kind of people the other candidates are?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you yet because the other candidates are in the process of confirming their candidacy like Mr. Murphy.”
If they formally become candidates, this occasion would be paraded around with little restraint.
Dennis gently stroked Jared’s chest, making him feel uneasy.
“Actually, there were things I wanted to talk to you about,” Murphy said.
“What is it?”
“You said that there will be three candidates including myself, but is there also a possibility of that number increasing?”
“That possibility exists. Is that not a good thing?”
“It isn’t bad.”
Increasing the number of court magicians would directly lead to the strengthening of the nation’s offensive and defensive capabilities, so it would be good to recruit more court magicians. In fact, the magician church and the royal palace were trying to gain more court magicians as Jared and Dennis spoke.
Yet, Dennis’ expression was somber.
“Only the candidates are meant to know this, but if word gets out that there is a movement to invite excellent magicians from another country to become a member of this kingdom’s government, there will be a problem.”
“May I speak up?”
“Please do.”
“I do not know what the problem is.”
“Normally, there is no problem. It is not uncommon for talented members of other countries to be recruited by another, and there are some countries that are actually trying to invite Mr. Murphy to their own country.”
Jared could not believe that there were different countries vying for his membership, he gave a nod.
Jared guessed that his life was starting to drastically change as a result of his engagement with Olivier.
“The withdrawal itself is not a problem, but the problem is the person being pulled out.”
“Is there a problem with the character of the magician in another country?”
“No, I do not mind if there is a problem with the personality of a candidate as long as they are powerful and have the achievements necessary to become a court magician.”
“The crown of the Weathered Kingdom does not have total control over all aspects of the kingdom. Therefore, there are fights between factions and, currently, there is a dispute over the throne. There are sparks everywhere, and even a trivial thing causes another fight. This time, the person who is trying to become a candidate for court magician is having a feud with the Magician’s Association and the king. This person will probably become a spy or work for other countries.”
“So, what do you want me to do?”
“Even though there are no objections from the Magician’s Association or the crown against recruiting foreign magicians, we do not need an unreliable magician. We want a reliable magician.”
“You’re not talking about me, right?”
“Mr. Murphy is the son of Liz Murphy and an excellent magician. You already have the capability to become a court magician and will soon become a candidate as long as you have the necessary achievements. So, please do not hesitate to stand by us.”
Do not be silly!
Jared wanted to shout on the inside.
His head hurt from the awkward situation in front of him as Dennis continued speaking, gesticulating as he did so.
“Of course, my Magician’s Association supports Murphy and the royal palace will not cause you any harm as well.”
“Well, just because my mother was a court magician is not enough to convince me.”
“The current state of the Weathered Kingdom looks peaceful at first glance, but it is unstable, with the movements of secret organizations and the maneuvering of other countries. It is even more troubling that there are people who would oppose the king at this moment.”
“So, I thought I could trust you as you are engaged to the daughter of Duke Alway, who is also the King’s confidante.”
Oh, it’s because of the engagement. Still, if he could become a court magician, then his engagement with Olivier will still proceed. After his marriage, he would be deeply involved with Duke Alway, which may cause complications. To add to that, Jared heard that his grandfather was very close to Duke Alway and was in the same faction as him.
In order to see how this would end up, it was a matter of time.
“If there was no engagement, would you have contacted another person?”
“No, my decision was not based on your engagement. You were chosen as a candidate long before your engagement with Olivier Alway. You were chosen based on your ability and skill as a candidate.”
“Did you tell the other candidates about this?”
“Considering that you are one of the candidates chosen, I’m happy that you have a reliable personality and a trusted political position. However, I have divulged too much. In any case, to become a court magician, it is essential to have a notable position in the kingdom. To accomplish this, some court magicians have connections in the upper echelons while others have the support of the commoners. We want to be sincere with the candidates.”
Considering the purpose of his visit, Dennis was most likely giving Jared advice related to his position as a candidate and not as a court magician. Jared knew that Dennis was giving him this information as a prepayment from the Magician’s Association to gain his trust.
“Jared Murphy, are you prepared to become a court magician?”
“There is no need for you to question me.”
“That means that your answer is…That’s great.”
“I want to climb to the height that my mother was at. I want to try to see how far I can go as a magician. I can’t easily let go of that chance.”
“That is the response that a court magician would give.”
“That may be so, but I am a member of the Weathered Kingdom. The kingdom will not stand still while I idle around and its enemies will work hard to bring it down.”
“And… And you?”
“I’m going to get involved either way, so I shall take the initiative.”
With a wry smile, Dennis said, “Well, he was told by the creator to become a court magician, and his grandfather, Baron Daum, is the one that Duke Alway trusts the most. If you’re not a court magician or an excellent magician like Murphy, you won’t have any options.”
“The information has been leaked…”
Jared had no choice but to laugh because he’d known of the conditions that the engagement with Olivier Alway would bring.