Those Who Deceived the World and Stole Their Fame?

Downs thought he had answered quite tactfully. Little did he know, he had managed to offend both sides.

If Lein had heard it, he would probably have cursed with a miserable expression, "Why the hell aren't you spreading your master's name? I need to take in lots of disciples!"

As for Earl of Ramanque, while he was curious about Downs's mysterious and impressive master, he was even more shocked by that master's methods—nonsense! What kind of monster could train someone into a Formal Mage within two weeks?

Downs was valuable, but not that valuable.

His value lay in his potential and in the master behind him. But Downs's own strength was nothing remarkable when placed within the entire kingdom—or even the whole human world.

A Formal Mage had merely stepped into the realm of Extraordinary Persons. In someone's system, they would only be considered "backbone members" from Levels 1 to 5.

Levels 6 to 10 were high-tier. Mages at that stage understood quite a few advanced spells and could truly stand on their own.

Levels 11 to 19 were known as Masters. At that stage, they stood at the pinnacle of their respective professions. Incidentally, the legendary Liches were mages of at least Level 11 who had embraced death...

Anything above Level 20 was Legendary, praised as an existence closest to the gods.

Downs was now a Formal Mage, which made him only Level 3 in Lein's system rating.

Honestly, there were plenty of powerful people who could kill him.

However, news of him had immediately reached the kingdom's upper ranks.

In the royal palace, three hundred kilometers away.

King Cervantes XIII was in the prime of his life. At forty, he was at an excellent age for a king. His gray hair cascaded over his shoulders like a lion's mane, and even his luxurious attire could not conceal his well-developed muscles and balanced physique.

His sharp blue eyes swept over Earl of Ramanque's secret letter like those of a hawk before he handed it to the advisor beside him.

"Ganis, what do you think?"

The advisor was a man with unusual brown skin, a reddish-brown beard, and a pair of long, pointed ears. He possessed the sturdy build of a human, yet those ears set him apart.

A Half-elf with a long lifespan!

After reading the secret letter, Ganis's expression turned somewhat strange. After a moment's thought, he said, "Overall, this is good news."

"I would rather hear the bad news first." The king interlaced his fingers and leaned back in his chair, resting his hands over his abdomen.

"If there is bad news, it is that this mysterious mentor has a considerable chance of being undead."

King Cervantes's temple twitched, as though a cross-shaped vein had emerged there.

"As someone who has lived for two hundred years and personally witnessed the Day of Magic's End, I can say with certainty that not all beings capable of using magic went mad or died back then. A small number of spellcasters who were not acknowledged by the Goddess of Magic escaped the backlash from the collapse of the Magic Net."

"Lich." The king forced out those two icy words through clenched teeth.

Ganis continued, "Your Majesty, do you know why casting magic in the past—and divine spells by clerics now—requires incantations?"

The king shook his head. "I am a pure Warrior!"

"Let me use an analogy. An incantation is a key, and it corresponds only to a fixed lock. When the Goddess of Magic established the Magic Net, it allowed most mages in the world to use magic safely and easily. To use a spell, one only needed to recite the correct incantation and pay the Magic Net the corresponding amount of mana."

"Put it simply."

"It is like Your Majesty wishing to mount a horse. With a single command, your groom brings you the horse, while your servant kneels down to offer you a step so you can climb aboard. Your command is the key."

The king nodded patiently, signaling for his advisor to continue.

"Let us not discuss why the Goddess of Magic fell. The current situation is that, Your Majesty, you have neither servants nor a groom. Even your mount is an untamed wild horse. If you wish to ride it, you must do everything yourself from the very beginning."

"Is mastering magic without the Magic Net truly that difficult?"

"It is at least ten thousand times harder than that!" Ganis sighed. "First, one must possess enough knowledge and grasp the Truth acknowledged by this world—or, in other words, the fundamental laws of magic. Then, with perceptive abilities surpassing nearly everyone else in the world, one must wield powers beyond mortals for one's own use. That is equivalent to redefining the very word magic!"

The king was dumbfounded.

Ganis spread his hands. "That is why countless Wise Men have attempted to revive magic over the past century, only to fail in the end."

At this, the king's gaze sharpened. "Then the odds of the other party being a Lich are quite high?"

"Er... not necessarily. It seems Earl of Ramanque noticed this as well. He mentioned that this young mage called Downs had once eaten grilled fish with his master."

"..."

As everyone knew, Liches did not eat.

Most Liches had been mages in life. For reasons such as extending their lives, they cast their souls into evil. They craved power and knowledge more than they did food; unlike zombies, they had not lost their minds and did not possess an instinctive hunger to eat.

At that, the advisor rose with a smile. "Your Majesty, I should make the trip myself. If the other party is alive, and we can reach some sort of agreement or cooperation with him, it will be a blessing for the entire kingdom."

The king nodded in approval, then emphasized, "Ganis! Bring enough people! Plenty of people!"

King Cervantes's words warmed Ganis's heart. The Half-elf knew the king was concerned for his safety.

Two days later, Downs stared somewhat blankly at Ganis and the attendants around him, each radiating a powerful aura.

The Half-elf before him displayed the most respectful etiquette with impeccable elegance.

"Lord Downs Quijote! His Majesty wishes to appoint you as a Royal Mage, with status and treatment equal to that of a Hereditary Viscount. You may choose any place within His Majesty's directly governed lands or Raman's Territory as your fief."

"This... isn't this a little excessive? I merely helped everyone repel the monsters' attack."

"To be frank, given your strength, it is indeed a generous offer. But as the first Formal Mage to emerge on the continent in a hundred years, it is entirely reasonable. Furthermore, His Majesty Cervantes has sent me as his representative in hopes of visiting your teacher."

Downs's heart suddenly tightened. "My... my master, he... I..."

The Half-elf still showed no sign of anger. He gently guided the young man before him. "Is there some taboo? Or does your teacher refuse visits from outsiders? Perhaps he does not even permit you to speak his name?"

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through Ganis's mind. If the boy before him made an excuse to refuse, he would have to prepare for the possibility of provoking a Lich.

Preparations in every sense of the word.

Just then, Downs, who had held it in for half a year, suddenly said, "No! My master has very high standards. He said, 'Once, a king placed every treasure in his Treasure Trove before him, yet he still refused to accept the king's children as disciples because they lacked the talent.' I can take you there, but please, do not anger my master."

Ganis: "..."

After leaving the Guest Mansion, the burly man beside Ganis leaned closer. "My lord, what do you think?"

"Master Famit, this time, it is hard to say!" The Half-elf sighed. "Either this master is a supreme fraud who deceives the world and steals his fame, or... he truly is the Legendary Great Mage all humanity has dreamed of!"