"... It’s impossible. You can’t be from the mage guild! Who are you guys? How much did that brat hire you for? I can pay you more as long as you get lost!"
‘"What are you saying..."
The squabble was quite notorious that it awoke many in town to gather in front of the old man’s shop. Benjamin too left the inn and blended in with the crowd headed that way.
At the entrance of the shop was the old man with one hand holding on to a scared shop assistant and another carrying a cat, facing off with five to six mages.
The earlier squabble should have come from between these two parties.
Benjamin nodded at the scene.
The people from the mage guild were on schedule, but it seemed that the old man thought these mages were hired by Benjamin to pretend to be people from the mage guild to win the bet.
What a creative imagination.
It was obvious these mages gave up on explaining to the old man. From their perspective, they received orders from the guild master to show these free mages who was boss. An old man who was in the way, speaking gibberish was none of their concerns, he was probably just an elderly with Alzheimer's.
Hence, they bypassed the old man and started chanting. It wasn’t long before fireballs after fireballs were shot toward the old man’s shop.
The old man anxiously conjured a shield to fend off these fireballs. However, since he was a potion mage, his magic ability wasn’t that impressive, not to mention against few mages.
The shield cracked to pieces after withstanding not more than a few seconds. Under the watchful yet despair eyes of the old man, the fireballs went straight for the shop, threatening to burn this long-standing building to the ground.
"Mmm... Best not to go about it too harshly."
With whispers of a mumble, a water screen formed, barricading the front of the shop and taking in all these fireballs.
Benjamin shook his head in the crowd.
He didn't plan to have his shop burnt. According to the bet, the old man had to follow him back to Carretas and that was enough. Overdoing it would result in retaliation.
The appearance of the water screen had many stunned. The spectators were amazed while the few mages that came from the mage guild became alert looked around for the summoner.
Benjamin then walked out of the crowd.
Of course, he had been through a series of disguise to avoid being recognized. The mages saw him and regarded him as an associate with the old man. They didn't think about the wanted list.
Only the old man recognized Benjamin. He did not avert his gaze from him, carrying a complicated feeling.
For a moment, the atmosphere was intense.
"Who are you?" The few mages viciously looked at Benjamin.
"I’m a nobody. I’m just a mage who can’t look away." Benjamin spoke expressionlessly, "I have a trade with this shop. Could you please let things slip?"
Taking care of the current situation would actually be a bit of a problem.
These mages would not have a clue what was going on. To their understanding, they were here to cause havoc in the shop and played no participation in acting. Hence, they would not easily leave. Benjamin could only resort to physical harm in order to chase these people away.
However... It was not as if he could blow this matter out of proportion, or else the Queen or the people from the mage guild may notice something was amiss, then everything would go awry.
Benjamin would have to take things as they go.
"It’s better for you to leave. The shopkeeper has been selling banned magic potion without the permission of the mage guild. We are only following procedures. If you do not leave, then don’t blame us for what’s to come."
The mages sized up Benjamin. Perhaps they were fearful of his earlier display of strength and hence the warning from the leader of the pack.
Benjamin shrugged, "Selling banned magic potion... What evidence do you have?"
"Of course we do."
"Then take it out for everyone to see."
"This is a classified information of the mage guild. We are under no obligation to show it to you. Anyway, the evidence is conclusive and the order confiscation of this property came from above. Please mind your own business now."
Hearing this, Benjamin actually felt assured.
Typical bureaucracy. If they wanted, a lame excuse would be an adequate reason for a property confiscation. Since the guild master of the mage guild did not give them a good reason, it was hard to build around selling contraband without proof.
He took a few steps forward as he thought of this, and blocked right in front of the old man and the shop.
The old man was glaring at him with suspicious eyes as if he was deep in thought, trying to determine if this was an act done by Benjamin to win the bet.
Benjamin turned his head back and looked at the few people from the mage guild calmly.
"What’s minding my own business? The way I see it, the one who’s meddling in others’ affairs are you guys." He intentionally brought up the subject, "Are you really from the mage guild? I think you may be spies from other nation?"
The reaction from the mages was just what Benjamin had hoped for.
"We are the official members of the mage guild." The leader of the pack took out a pitch black diamond shaped emblem from his pocket and waved it in front of them, "This is our emblem. Take a good look, this can’t be forged."
After the emblem was taken out, there was a change in the old man’s eyes.
Benjamin secretly nodded.
Now the old man couldn’t go back on his word. As long as he cast these mages away, the old man didn't have an excuse not to follow him back to Carretas.
"I didn’t think that the mage guild would be this unreasonable." Hence, he immediately reproached the few, "Burning down someone’s shop without concrete evidence. You’re tarnishing the reputation of the mage guild as it is."
"You..."
The mages were obviously angered. Seeing how Benjamin refused to give way, they cut to the chase and started chanted magic they were familiar with. Windstorm, fire pillar... A few mid-level magic combined in the night skies of this little town was enough to startle.
It was a shame that Benjamin did not even bat an eye.
With a soft chant followed, a weak magic oscillation spread and a thin layer of water screen appeared once again, receiving all incoming magic attacks.
A sky of wind and fire dispersed, yet the water screen did not budge an inch.
Those mages’ face darkened as they witnessed this.
"This magic... Is this a water screen? The level of strength on this water screen, this fella..." They started to whisper among themselves. Each of them bore a face of fear.
Benjamin’s lips curled into a smile.
The way he summoned magic was iconic. Therefore, he mustn't let these people see his non-verbal casting technique, or he would be recognized. He modeled the water ball into another magic, where it could be able to scare his enemies while not drawing unnecessary risks to himself.
Did he need to say anymore? Five intermediate-level magic stopped by one low-level magic, alarms must be bleeping for these mages.
Benjamin took the opportunity to speak up.
"You can keep attacking. Consider me defeated if you can hurt me." He turned up the volume of his voice intentionally, "I will not fight back. I want to let the elderly and friends here see how despicable the people from the mage guild have become."
The mages were first dumbfounded, and then they looked at their surroundings where the people started to gather.