Chapter 19: The Ergence of the Magician’s Legend
When Rhine made his request, not only was the King perplexed, but even the twelve witches, well-versed in magic, couldn’t quite understand his intentions.
Was defining a multi-part title for others to recite so sort of magical ritual?
Yet, the idea of a story where simply chanting a na could make wishes co true did have a certain mystical charm.
“Of course, it’s no problem. Lord Rhine, everything will be as you wish,” the King agreed without hesitation.
To him, this was the simplest of requests!
Rhine smiled and thanked the King.
This, too, was one of his own innovations in using prophetic power—a concept inspired by novels.
“Unlike the other magicians of this world, I possess many novel ideas from another world, from another ti. As I fulfill more wishes and accumulate supernatural rewards, those elents from Earth’s entertainnt works can all be replicated one by one.”
Reflecting on this, Rhine couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation.
After his confrontation with the Black Witch, Rhine had co to a sobering realization: compared to the truly powerful magicians of this world, he still had a long way to go.
…
That night, the King’s soldiers stord into the old craftsman’s residence. Acting on orders, they sought to arrest the deceitful craftsman and have him hanged.
However, when they burst through the doors, they found that the old craftsman had already hung himself from a beam.
After learning of the disastrous events at the banquet, the old craftsman had taken his own life out of guilt.
The old craftsman left behind a letter, pleading for the King and Lord Rhine’s rcy. In his letter, he begged them to spare his family, including his wife and his younger brother Oz, who worked in the circus.
…
Weeks passed since the great battle within the royal palace.
The version of the story circulating among the common folk had transford into the following account:
The infamous Black Witch—Maleficent—had been invited to Princess Aurora’s baptism ceremony but suddenly flew into a rage at the banquet. She attacked the King’s guards, causing significant casualties among the soldiers.
Fortunately, the kingdom’s court mage, the wise Sage, and grand magician, Lord Rhine, displayed extraordinary power. He protected the King and Queen and, along with the twelve witches, turned the tide and repelled Maleficent.
Now, it was rumored that the Black Witch Maleficent had fled to another kingdom.
As for the critical fact that "the witch cursed the Princess and even the entire kingdom," it was deliberately omitted.
The sun continued to rise as usual, but no one knew that the shadow of death already lood over the entire kingdom.
In this period, a new, fantastical legend began to spread between taverns and campfires.
“Have you heard the story of the magician who grants wishes? Do you think it’s true?”
“Co on, Jerry, you’re not a three-year-old. How could such fairy tales be real?”
“But I heard soone say that the magician from the story is the sa Lord Rhine who treated thousands of patients in the southern region before becoming the kingdom’s Sage!”
“Having a real person as the inspiration for the story isn’t unusual. Besides, Lord Rhine is now the kingdom’s revered court magician—why would he bother listening to the wishes of commoners like us?”
The versions of the legend varied wildly, but they all revolved around a mysterious boy magician who could grant wishes.
Almost every version also ntioned a peculiar title.
It was said that a starving and desperate child once recited the title and made a wish. Not long after, a brightly colored bird brought her bread and water.
After a few such incidents seed to co true, the legend spread rapidly, becoming a bedti story for many children and even starting to gain traction beyond the kingdom’s borders.
However, most people who made wishes out of curiosity saw no miracles co to pass.
So doubted the legend’s authenticity, while others believed that only particularly sincere wishes had a small chance of being fulfilled.
…
During this ti, Oz was in a poor state.
As the circus’s hot air balloon operator and headline magician, he was constantly consud by fear and unease.
“Oz, are you in so sort of trouble? I have a suggestion—do you want to hear it?”
A colleague at the circus tried to comfort the pale-faced Oz.
“No, no. Just leave alone,” Oz muttered, waving them off.
Only Oz knew that his terror was sothing he couldn’t share with others.
A few days ago, his older brother—the craftsman who had served the royal court for many years—had taken his own life out of guilt for faking the golden plate.
Even worse, according to rumors Oz had picked up, the “fake golden plate” was what had provoked Maleficent’s sudden attack at the Princess’s baptism ceremony!
“It’s all over. It’s all over. It’s because my brother provoked the Black Witch that this disaster happened.”
“What’s even scarier is that my brother seed to get the idea to commit fraud from my careless joke!”
“If His Majesty discovers that this is connected to , I’m as good as dead!”
“No, even if His Majesty doesn’t find out, he might still vent his anger on .”
The more Oz thought about it, the more terrified he beca. He trembled uncontrollably, overwheld with regret and despair.
"Oz, while I don’t know what kind of trouble you’re in, I have a suggestion—you could try making a wish to the magician from the recent legend. They say that only particularly strong and sincere wishes have a chance of coming true. With the state you’re in, maybe it’ll actually work,” the colleague, who had been sent away earlier, reappeared at so point. Poking his head around the doorfra, he offered the suggestion.
“Make a wish to the magician from the legend?”
Oz froze, his eyes flickering with a hint of light.
He had heard about the "wish-granting magician" legend recently as well.
It didn’t cost anything, so why not give it a try?
But the very next mont, Oz dismissed the thought.
What a joke!
The magician in the legend was said to be none other than the kingdom’s sole Sage, the King’s advisor, and the royal court mage—Lord Rhine.
Oz had offended the King, and now he was supposed to seek help from the King’s advisor and court magician? What kind of suicidal thinking was that?
If the great magician really could hear his heartfelt prayers from afar, Oz thought, then it would be a rcy if he didn’t send a bolt of lightning down to strike him dead!
With that, Oz’s glimr of hope extinguished, leaving him in despair. His face darkened, clouded by the shadow of his hopeless situation.
…
As the saying goes, “What you think about by day, you’ll dream of by night.”
That night, Oz couldn’t sleep peacefully at all.
He dread of soldiers breaking down his door, capturing him, and condemning him to death by hanging.
Terrified by the nightmare, the crying Oz, desperate and panicked, decided to give the legend one last shot. He repeated the words from the story:
“Sage Beyond the World, Prophet Who Foresees the Future, Wizard of Miracles and Wishes…
“Please, I just want to live. Help escape this kingdom safely!”
As Dream-Oz chanted the plea, the real Oz muttered the sa words in his sleep.
Far away, on a distant road.
Having packed up and left the palace with little Princess Aurora, Rhine was traveling in a bumpy carriage when he heard the faint sound of a distant plea.
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