"Everyone knows that before that female God Mage emerged, the God Mage rank had always been nothing more than a concept. You couldn't just say, 'This person is a God Mage,' and expect others to believe it. Proving that a God Mage was truly a God Mage naturally required a bloody storm."
"Here, we have to mention that God Mage's mentor—Thief Saint Yura, a... chivalrous thief known throughout the continent. If the people of the Holy Continent had to be prepared to be robbed by dragons from the moment they were born, then they also had to be prepared for a visit from the Thief Saint."
The storyteller shifted the topic to Mayuna's teacher. Ruben knew nothing about this teacher; he had only learned of her existence from Mayuna's occasional remarks. Now, hearing the storyteller's explanation, he felt as if he had found the root of Mayuna's little temper.
"Of course, I didn't make up the title Thief Saint. Once someone becomes a Mage Saint, they can give themselves a title. Whether it was straightforwardness or sheer malice, Yura chose that title for herself, making the people she had visited grind their teeth even harder."
"This Mage Saint's experiences could probably be described as miraculous. Many of the people she stole from were ruthless figures. If she had been caught, what awaited her would have been far worse than death. Yet she escaped danger time and time again. That probably had something to do with her talent, but I'm afraid no one except her disciple knew what skills she possessed."
"As a foreigner, she became connected to the Holy Empire because she once sneaked into the previous emperor's study and was caught red-handed. His Majesty Keske XII did not drive her away or hunt her down. Instead, he asked with great interest whether she wanted to join his harem. The Thief Saint naturally refused, but after the two reached certain agreements, she promised that once she became a Mage Saint, she would join the Holy Empire. Yes, our nation somehow gained a Mage Saint for free, along with a God Mage several decades later."
After saying that, the storyteller spread his hands and put on a helpless expression. The crowd erupted in chatter, then laughed. Put that way, it really did seem as though they had gotten them for nothing.
"If someone like that suddenly claimed that her disciple had become a God Mage, how many people in the world would believe it? First, His Majesty Keske XIII ordered our nation's two guardian Mage Saints to conduct a test. Though the results were never made public, the next day His Majesty issued a proclamation announcing the birth of the world's first God Mage and invited guests from the other three nations to celebrate. I'm sure you all understand that this was really just showing off."
"Besides the Blackstone Empire, which was allied with the Holy Empire, the other two empires each sent a Mage Saint to offer congratulations. In truth, they had come to ruin the occasion. Facing their doubts, our God Mage said only one sentence..."
"You can come at me together."
Huba raised a finger and, only after keeping the audience in suspense long enough, finally spoke the words. The listeners were naturally awed by the arrogant female God Mage. In ordinary people's eyes, Mage Saints were already beings capable of destroying heaven and earth. What kind of confidence did it take to face two powerful figures who had attained the rank of Mage Saint decades earlier all alone?
"That's right, just one simple sentence. Lionheart Saint of the Griffon Empire and Clearheart Saint of the Tidal Empire were enraged by the provocation. They immediately prepared to teach that insolent junior a lesson in the name of testing her."
"Of course, a small figure like me doesn't know the details. The Holy Empire was also kind enough to keep the results secret. But there are no walls without cracks in this world, and I was fortunate enough to learn a little. Throughout the entire test, our God Mage did not use even a trace of her own magic power, yet she still left them in a miserable state."
"From then on, the name God Mage resounded across the entire continent. I heard that when the two Mage Saints returned home, their faces were black. After that, both the Griffon and Tidal Empires became much friendlier toward us."
"Tell us more!"
Immersed in the God Mage's prestige, the audience noticed that the storyteller had stopped. Even though one story had ended, they still wanted more. Most of those who came here to listen were not short of money, and soon countless glittering gold coins were tossed onto the high platform.
"You are all truly enthusiastic... Then let's talk about the God Mage's real battle of fame. Does anyone know about last year's magical beast tide?"
Seeing so many gold coins, the storyteller beamed with delight. After thinking for a moment, he decided to tell even the story he had been saving for last.
"Last year? There was one last year?"
The audience looked utterly confused. It was no wonder. The appearance of magical beast tides was irregular. Usually, the observation stations would detect abnormalities in the Forest of Magical Beasts before contacting the imperial capital to make a decision. After a magical beast tide passed, the capital would hold a day of mourning for the fallen warriors. Naturally, there had been no day of mourning last year.
"Of course there was. You may not believe it, but I joined the battle as part of the volunteer force. When I saw that black mass of beasts, my heart collapsed. Rank-three magical beasts like Ground Tigers, rank-four magical beasts like Sky Scorpions, rank-five magical beasts like Mad Lions—creatures rarely seen under normal circumstances—poured out like discounted goods. Believe me, none of you would want to witness such a sight with your own eyes."
Drawing on his own experience, the storyteller painted a hellish scene for the audience. These people, accustomed to peaceful lives, naturally could not imagine what they would do if they were there.
"Just as I finished writing my will and prepared to wait for death, someone suddenly pointed at the sky and cried out. I looked up instinctively and saw only a tiny white figure flying toward the beast horde. Can you guess what happened next?"
"What happened?"
"Meteor Descent—a ninth-rank spell that ordinary people would never see even once in their lives. Red magic circles spread through the sky around that person. A thousand, ten thousand—no one could count how many magic circles there were. To my eyes, the entire sky was covered with them. Then meteors passed through those magic circles and fell. By the time I came to my senses, not a single magical beast was still standing. Quite a few mages, myself included, dropped to our knees. And that God Mage vanished into the sky as though she had merely done something insignificant. Though I never saw her face clearly, being able to glimpse the God Mage in person meant I could die without regrets."
"But what will happen when another magical beast tide comes after the God Mage is gone?"
After hearing such a story, some of the more timid women in the audience began worrying about the days without the God Mage. The men also began using the topic as an excuse to comfort their companions.
Before you continue