However, in the process of waiting, they were pretty hyped up, to say the least.
"… What kind of mage did we end up with?"
"I don’t know. But his ability is through the roof. Are mages from outside the nation at this level? Or is it just this senior?"
"Although I keep calling him senior, I think he’s not that much of one?"
The event that they had encountered today, to these mages, was the most shocking moment of their entire lives. The Church and priests were like an endlessly hanging grey cloud above their heads in their lives in the Kingdom of Havenwright, one which they could never shake off. However, with the emergence of one mage managed off that many priests casually. This really rocked their outlook on the world.
Hence, as Benjamin was interrogating these priests, these mages were waiting outside the cave, having conversations of their own.
Only Elizabeth stood beside silently. Her eyes were empty and her thoughts, unguessable.
"Why do you look funny?" One of the mages noticed her and asked.
Elizabeth returned to her senses and tapped her forehead with her finger. She responded with much distress, "This mage… I think I’ve met him once."
Upon hearing this, the others floored.
"Really?"
Elizabeth nodded, "Do you know about the large water ball back in Havenwright? If I’m not mistaken, this was by him. Previously, he was even living as an aristocrat for a while."
Hearing these words, the mages exchanged glances, not knowing what to comment.
"How disappointing. So he’s not from abroad?" The short mage scratched his head and sighed.
"I did escape from here, to begin with." At this moment, Benjamin had just exited the cave. He butted in as he came out.
The mages all immediately turned their heads to him.
"Senior, you’re done with the interrogation?’
All of them stared at him with reverence.
Benjamin shook his head. Suddenly, he clapped his head and chanted a brief incantation. The water elemental domain was activated and slide over to the mages. They did not have time to react to it and clusters of water vapor flew into their pockets. Each of them dragging a few silver coins and flew out.
"Se-senior, what’s the meaning…"
"Shhh."
Benjamin gestured them to shush and then. with a fling of his arm, the few silver coins flying in midair were smashed into powder by the sudden surge of water vapor.
The mages looked on with glazing eyes. However, they had already witnessed too many unimaginable magic tactics within a day. Hence, they were not that all astonished.
Benjamin nodded.
"Right, now the Church wouldn’t be able to locate your location."
These priests kept their traps quite tight. Moreover, during the interrogations, he had to always keep an eye on them from committing suicide. This did consume much of his effort and in the end, having managed to obtain such a result.
These silver coins were a specially-created magic tool by the Church to trace the carrier’s location by Spiritual Energy. Therefore, there was no traitor to these mages. They merely held onto the Church’s tracking device by accident, and that would explain the earlier ambushing priests.
"Oh, I see…"
These mages had now only come to a realization.
The Church was using this way to keep track of them!
Elizabeth took a deep breath and suddenly spoke, "Benjamin Lithur?"
Benjamin awkwardly rubbed his head. However, he did not deny. Instead, he nodded.
"Elizabeth Wood. I never thought I would see you here." He paced himself, "Your family mentioned you died of terminal illness, yet… You’re here and well. In fact, you became a mage and came together with the last two orphans from the Academy of Silence."
Suddenly mentioned, the tall and short duo looked at one another and mumbled, "What’s up with that? How does he know that we’re from the Academy of Silence? Do we know him…"
However, the rest seemed to be accustomed to their mumbling.
Elizabeth lowered her head and lay silent for a moment before adding, "Not the last two orphans of the Academy of Silence, but the last three."
Benjamin raised his eyebrow.
Was she from the Academy of Silence? That was just… As it turned out, the death by terminal illness must have been the excuse of the Wood household. Taking in a noble from the capital, the Academy of Silence sure had guts.
After giving much thought, Benjamin questioned again, "So… The Academy of Silence is now…"
Elizabeth nodded, "Teachers, elders… All of them died in the encirclement. It’s just the three of us left. We used the underground pathway from hundreds of years ago to escape."
Although her voice did not bear any intonations, it carried a heavy restraint.
"… My condolences."
Elizabeth shook her head and did not say anything more.
The atmosphere was heavy for a while. Seeing this, Benjamin coughed and changed the topic, "Now then... We should first leave this place. Here is the last location before the coins were destroyed. The Church may send more men over."
The other mages quickly nodded in agreement. Benjamin then continued their journey, flying over the mountain.
"I will first bring you overseas. Once we’re out, there wouldn’t be that many priests after you. You can either go to Fereldan or Carretas, or even to the nearby Magic Academy. Anyhow... the outside world would have a lot of things you do not understand. If you wish to continue living as a mage, you need to learn a lot of things."
"Senior, about that… Can we tell others that we’re mages? Will we be captured? Will others look at us indifferently?"
"Just how many nations are there? Which nation would be better to live in?"
"Magic Academy? What’s that…"
The fear slowly faded, and these mages realized that Benjamin was amicable. Therefore, they bombarded Benjamin with questions, overwhelming him.
He could only briefly answer their questions or brushing them off with "You’ll know once you get there." Even then, these mages’ question came one after another. Perhaps the future before their eyes was so bleak that they didn’t stop asking for three nights and three days.
Luckily, after they reached the mountaintop, there was a continued magical beast attack. While Benjamin was attending to these magical beasts, he managed to catch a break.
In the end, after spending a few hours, these mages managed to travel with Benjamin effortlessly across what seemed to be an unknown mountain to them.
Landing on the other side of the mountain, the mages looked like they were on cloud nine.
"I… I have left the Kingdom of Helius… I’m free…"
Within the span of a day, their lives had been through a drastic change.
Benjamin let out a laugh.
"This is the map of Icor, Take this, and you can find the nearest town. However, I need to warn you against staying too long in Icor. You need to head elsewhere if you wish to stop over."
These mages obviously bore no concept about Icor, Fereldan, that sort of names. However, they still took over the map and nodded at Benjamin gratefully.
"Th-Thank you! You’ve saved our lives!"
Benjamin shook his head, "Alright then. I still have matters to attend to, so I’ll be returning to the Kingdom of Helius. You guys better make a move before the men from the gates take notice."
"We understand."
Just as Benjamin turned to fly back to the mountaintop, Elizabeth, who held her tongue, finally called out to Benjamin.
"… Wait."