Chapter 149: “It’s Simple. I’ll Just Teach You Magic.”
Magrito—the man from the Middle East, now Enderland’s First Magician. Him again?
Rhine raised an eyebrow.
Magrito had previously worked with the Eastern Witch to attack him.
Oz continued his story:
“That magician nad Magrito claid to be from the outside world. He visited .
“As a true magician, he imdiately saw through my tricks and realized I was just a fraud, a con artist fooling the world.
“Then, he publicly declared in Erald City that I was a re charlatan with no real magic. He even claid that, as a true magician, he had the right to overthrow and take my place as king.
“Of course, the people in the city didn’t believe him and wanted to drive him out.
“But Magrito wasn’t angry at all. He just said that one day, he would uncover my true origins, gather more evidence, and return to Erald City to fully expose my deception! He even planned to join forces with the witches from either the East or the West to remove from power.”
Rhine now understood what had happened and mused, “So that’s why you banned magicians from entering the city.”
“That’s right.” Oz slumped his shoulders. “Any real magician who interacts with would easily figure out that I’m just a fraud.”
“I know that Magrito. He’s no good,” Rhine said seriously. Then, he reminded Oz:
“Magrito is now the Chief Magician of the Ender Empire. If he wants to, he can use divination combined with Enderland’s intelligence network to trace your past. He’ll find out that you used to be a magician and balloon pilot in the Rose Kingdom’s circus. After all, you were sowhat famous there.”
Oz’s face darkened even more.
“Really?
“I’m worried that it won’t be long before Magrito cos back. Rather than waiting for him to expose as a fraud, I might as well run away now!”
Rhine tried to stop him:
“But if you suddenly disappear, who will govern Erald City? Who will be the new king? The people love you as their kind ruler. Not just anyone can take your place.”
In the original story, after Oz left, the Scarecrow would take over as the new king.
The people of Erald City missed their old ruler but were also happy to have the wise Scarecrow leading them.
However, right now, the Scarecrow and Dorothy hadn’t even arrived in Erald City yet!
Oz lowered his head.
“I don’t know… But I don’t have any other choice.
“If I stay here, Magrito will expose sooner or later!
“When that happens, the people of Erald City will realize I’ve been deceiving them for years. Their anger will all be directed at !”
Looking at Oz—this fraud who had deceived the world yet was deeply loved by the people—Rhine couldn’t help but feel a bit sympathetic.
As for Enderland and its Chief Magician, Magrito—the very man who had once attacked him—Rhine held a deep grudge.
There was no way he would stand by and watch that wicked magician beco the new ruler of this erald-green land, handing over this isolated paradise to the Emperor of Enderland!
Rhine gently patted Oz’s shoulder and said to the anxious old man:
“I have a good idea that will get you out of this predicant, maintain your image in the eyes of the people, and prevent Magrito from exposing you.
“Moreover, from now on, you won’t have to live in fear, worried that one day people will discover that the mighty and fearso Oz is actually a fraud.”
Oz lifted his head and looked at Rhine with a bewildered gaze. “Is there really such a way?”
Rhine nodded.
“Of course.
“But my help isn’t free. You have to do a favor as well.
“I’m hunting down an evil witch nad Maleficent. She’s currently in the Land of Oz and has managed to block any divination attempts against her. I need you to mobilize your subordinates and find her as soon as possible!”
Oz hurriedly agreed, nodding like a pecking chick.
“No problem, no problem! What kind of request is this? How could I refuse you?
“I’ll notify my subordinates imdiately and have them search the entire Land of Oz for that witch.”
In Oz’s mind, even if this Sage of the Rose Kingdom refused to help him deal with Magrito, there was no way he would refuse Rhine’s request.
Just the fact that Rhine wasn’t exposing his identity was already enough to make Oz deeply grateful.
Oz quickly pulled a rope, causing a bell to ring—a signal to summon his trusted subordinates.
Rhine watched as Oz hid behind a screen and used ventriloquism to speak, disguising himself as a burning fireball in the palace hall.
When the subordinate entered, they imdiately felt an intense heat radiating toward them.
All they saw was a blazing fireball in the grand hall, speaking in a commanding voice:
“By the decree of the great Oz, an evil witch nad Maleficent is currently in this land.
“Mobilize the soldiers and find her!”
The subordinate, in awe of Oz’s power and majesty, swiftly relayed the order.
Rhine found the whole scene rather amusing.
So this was how Oz had been maintaining his aura of mystery all these years?
Once the subordinate left, Oz led Rhine back to the small room.
He asked, “Your Excellency, you ntioned that you have a way for to avoid being exposed by Magrito, and I won’t have to keep pretending and fearing discovery anymore?”
Oz couldn’t figure out what kind of solution this could be.
“It’s simple…”
Rhine gave him a friendly smile.
“I’ll just teach you magic.”
Dorothy and Aurora were traveling westward, getting closer and closer to Erald City.
Now, their group had grown much larger than when they first set out.
Several companions who also wished to visit the great magician Oz had joined them:
A Tin Man who longed for a heart so he could marry the girl he loved.
A Scarecrow who wanted to beco smart and gain a brain.
A wooden puppet whose nose grew longer when he lied—he wanted to beco a real boy.
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And a Lion, timid as a mouse, who sought extraordinary courage.
“Why do I feel like one of our new companions doesn’t quite fit in? Like soone’s extra?” Aurora remarked.
She hadn’t read the original story, but sothing felt off.
As she spoke, she glanced back at the wooden puppet arguing with the Tin Man and Scarecrow over whose wish was more important.
—Pinocchio, the puppet given life by their teacher, had now beco a part of their team.
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