"However, there is no point for us to talk about such sad things, right." Aldrich suddenly shook his head, and asked, in a normal conversational tone, "Oh yes, mage Benjamin, did you not say that you come from Icor? Is it your hometown?"
Is he starting to dig up information about him?
Benjamin did not know the other party’s intentions, but he also could not reveal any fear.
"Haker Town in the south. It used to be an unnoticeable little town in the mountains, but because of some circumstances during the division of the empire, now... It doesn’t exist anymore."
Saying that, he put on a sad, hurt expression, missing the town that had never existed.
"My apologies for bringing up your tragedy." Aldrich was a bit surprised, and quickly spoke, "However, you have now grown into an excellent mage, I’m sure your late family and friends would have been very proud of you."
Hearing that, Benjamin furrowed his brows.
"No, they have not yet died, they had only moved away."
At this reply, Aldrich choked. An awkwardness came over him and he could not speak.
Seeing that, Benjamin secretly laughed in his heart.
Although it was only a casual act of a ward of words, but, to be able to deflate his opponent in the process, he was still quite eager. Furthermore, his story had gone through several revisions, how could anyone see the holes in the story?
In fact, Benjamin had decided to start attacking back.
"Mage Aldrich, could you tell me about the Mages Freemasonry?" He also use the other party’s casual tone of voice to ask, "I have always lived in Icor before this. Since the empire was divided, I have not been so clear on matters over on this side. How was the Mages Freemasonry set up?"
Aldrich mulled for a moment, and said: "This...This would be a long story."
Benjamin showed a friendly face, saying: "It’s alright, it’s good that it’s long. Aren’t you waiting for His Majesty to be done with the interrogation? I don’t have anything to do, let me keep you company here."
"Then... Since you insist, alright. What do you wish to hear?"
Benjamin immediately asked: "How was the first Mages Freemasonry started?"
Setting aside all the pretense, in actual fact, this matter was something he really wanted to know about.
"The first... Was created by the division of the empire, and could be said to be facilitated by me." Aldrich heaved another sigh, looking into the distance, as though remembering something. "At the time, the Mages Freemasonry’s president had brought a huge group of mages to protect the princess and set up Icor. And when he left, he also brought with them most of the Mage Guild’s treasures. I was also ignorant, i did not know why the president would do such a thing, but as the vice president I had to step out and do something."
"At that time, I had communicated with the eldest Prince His Highness, and His Highness the second Prince, to restructure the Mage Guild. His Highness the Prince was not interested in my sugestion, but the second Prince, which is His Majesty the King of Ferelden, had supported my idea very much, and had even given a lot of help, coming up with this idea of the ‘Freemasonry’, which had sounded really grand and mighty. The Mages Freemasonry had always proclaimed to be free from the conflicts of the secular world, but in reality, you also know which side we would tend towards when division happens."
Listening to this, Benjamin was rather surprised.
The setting up of the Mages Freemasonry was actually facilitated by the king of Ferelden.
Then... When the king had heard that the Mages Freemasonry had betrayed him, Benjamin had a hard time imagining that, although at the time his reaction did not seem big, but what had he actually felt?
"Traitors have now appeared in the Mages Freemasonry that His Majesty had helped set up. His emotions must be rather heavy now." Finally, Benjamin
spoke, having probed out the matter at hand.
"Yes." Aldrich nodded, saying, "I had never imagined that tonight’s assassin would be from within our ranks."
…...He had never imagined?
Nevertheless, facing this wise, worldly man, who was who knew how many years older than he was, Benjamin felt that he could not see any loopholes.
From Aldrich’s appearance until now, his entire behavior had shown him to be innocent, to have been ignorant about tonight’s attack. Seeing this, Benjamin could not help but want to believe him.
Only...
"This might come across as a bit rude, but the Mages Freemasonry’s administration is too slack." Having thought until here, Benjamin spoke in a critical, demanding tone. "An assassination could be planned for three months and yet not one person had discovered any clues before this. Mage Aldrich, you must tighten your management!"
Hearing this, Aldrich nodded, saying: "Yes, I most definitely will."
Speaking thus, he showed an extremely griefed expression, but did not seem to have to explain further.
Benjamin could not help but furrow his brows.
…...and then?
Saying one sentence about how he would improve in the future, is enough to let this page blow over? Should he not explain why that gang of people had undergone preparations for three months and yet him as the president had not known a thing?
However, Aldrich did not intend to explain.
Because of that, the doubts in Benjamin’s heart was once settled again.
There was no question about it, it was not that he did not want to explain, but that he could not. The entire Mages Freemasonry was under his eyes. Had there been anything, how could he have not known? It might even be him that had orchestrated tonight’s events.
That’s right, Aldrich, or rather, the entire Mages Freemasonry, were traitors.
Realizing this bit, Benjamin could only heighten his alertness.
He could not let Aldrich discover his concerns.
Because of that, the following conversations between the two of them became real casual talk. Benjamin kept on a "although I do not wish to join you, I think you guys are great" attitude, showing respect for the Mages Freemasonry, and hid his animosity in his heart.
Just like that, one hour later, the king was done with the interrogation of the criminals, and returned to the meeting hall with a grave look on his face.
Benjamin and Aldrich stopped their chat.
"Your Majesty, what have you discovered?" Aldrich gave a bow, and asked.
The king, however, shook his head.
"His mouth is stubborn, he will probably not speak in such a short time. Let the interrogators drill him, it will be drilled out of him sooner or later." He did not look too happy, and suddenly said, "Mage Aldrich, what is wrong with you people? A great trouble had surfaced in the Mages Freemasonry, but you, surprisingly, did not notice it in the least bit?"
Although his tone was not strong, but the atmosphere of being questioned by a superior was deeply reflected.
Benjamin was also somewhat surprised.
The king... Wanted to publicly admonish this mage?
Unexpectedly, Aldrich also obediently lowered his head, saying: "It’s my incompetence, I did not manage the Mages Freemasonry well, causing all this to happen. Your Majesty, please forgive me."
"Since you know it too, then why had you not managed the mages under your power before this?" The king did not seem to intend to stop, "An assassination plan of three months, right under your eyes, and yet you had discovered nothing. Mage Aldrich, you have let me down..."
The king started to reproach him; there was even the feeling of a never-ending speech, with anger in his tone, much unlike himself previously. Thus, he continued scolding.
As for Aldrich, an old man of sixty seven years old, stood where he was, like a little schoolboy with his head lowered, accepting his scoldings obediently.
Benjamin watched, agape.
To be honest, if Aldrich had really wanted to kill the king, he would not even need a second, right?
But there he stood, receiving all of the king’s wrath without speaking a word.
In that moment, Benjamin suddenly understood— this was probably what this simple word, ‘king’ entailed, representing a much deeper meaning.
Yes, Aldrich could kill the king, but that would not be an advantage to him at all.
Although Benjamin still could not see through Aldrich’s plans, but, in his heart he had slowly realized that what this old mage wanted might be to steal the great power that was contained in the title of ‘the king of Ferelden’. It did not matter if it was for himself, or for another.
And the scene before his eyes now, was the epitome of playing by the rules in a struggle for power.