Chapter 411: An Appointment Kept
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Because their current situation was delicate, after considering for a long time, Benjamin still decided for everyone to continue laying low. The house they had before in the City of Rayleigh had been desolate for a long time now; there were spider webs on the doorsill.
The Church had been defeated, yes, but the new ones in power... Did not necessarily have no animosity towards them.
They just had to wait until circumstances had become stable before deciding on anything.
Thus, at this small gathering, Benjamin consoled everyone and let them gather more information about what was happening outside, and that was it. As for himself, he returned to the hotel and quietly waited for Mikel’s reply.
—Although his trust towards Mikel was not a hundred percent, but at least they were on friendly terms before; the other party’s words were still a sort of reference.
Very soon, one day later, Mikel’s reply arrived.
"Arrival must be punctual!"
On the entire piece of paper was just this line of words, causing Benjamin to be extremely perplexed. If it wasn’t that he recognized the handwriting, he might have suspected that this letter was written by someone else.
Arrival must be punctual…
Benjamin shook his head helplessly.
He had not obtained any useful information from this letter. He could not perceive Mikel’s attitude, nor could he guess what situation the City of Snow was in now. The Prime Minister’s invitation was on the day after this, he did not have much time for hesitation.
After a long time of deliberation, finally, Benjamin stood up and walked out of the room.
He was ready to visit the City of Snow.
Firstly, it was not necessarily for the appointment, but the City of Snow must be visited at least once. He had heard that the army troops surrounding from the outside had already dispersed; commoners could enter and leave now.
Benjamin needed to go in and see the situation; under a disguise, no one would be able to recognize him.
As for the Prime Minister’s invitation, the location was not the Palace, but was a hidden hotel in the City of Snow. because of that, if it was really a trap, Benjamin could be forewarned of any dangers by using the water elemental sensing technique.
Thus, one day later.
In the City of Snow, after only one attack by the army troops, although there was not much of a fight, but at a glance, the place was a lot messier. Occasionally, there would be pedestrians walking by cautiously; stuck on the walls were newspapers that have not yet been cleared.
That General... What was he planning to do?
After making a round inside the city, because most of the people were hiding in their houses and did not come out much, Benjamin was unable to find out much news. But from this awful atmosphere, he could feel that the City of Snow had still not recovered from the recent changes of events.
Benjamin felt that he had detected the smell of arid suppression.
…...Was this because of the queen that was about to be executed?
After some thoughts, he did not go towards the meeting place, but went to the area outside of Mikel’s house. There were no spies around the place, and the doors had only guards. Therefore, he came to the side of the corner of the wall, and directed his senses inside.
What he saw was Mikel in the bedroom, doing something somewhat embarrassing on the bed with two women.
"..."
Benjamin rubbed his eyes, shaking his head.
This fellow was living in such luxury?
Having written such a letter, Benjamin had thought that he had been detained or was under surveillance. But now, having taken a look, there was not one spy in the surroundings, Mikel could do whatever he wanted to do, in such extravagant comfort!
Hence, he made a round of the walls so that the bedroom was within the range of his spellcasting. After that, he tossed out a Water Ball, directly smashing it on the bed that was rocking nonstop.
For a moment, there came the women’s high pitched screams from within the room.
"Come out quickly, I have something to ask you." He could not care less; flying toward the windows, he shouted into the room.
After that, he waited by the wall. Half a minute later, Mikel, in his disheveled clothes and wearing an expression as though he was traumatized, came over, soaking wet.
"Good heavens... Sir Mage, you... You’ve already arrived, why don’t just knock on the door properly?"
But Benjamin turned his head, looking coldly at the other party: "You and the Prime Minister have lied to me."
As a mage who had ‘saved the nation’, he should impose some of that power now.
For a moment, Mikel put on a look of being unjustly framed.
"Sir mage, you cannot blame me for this, I also did not know about the thing between the Prime Minister and the General. Really, not in the least bit." He hurriedly explained, "Furthermore… Furthermore, the result of that now is good, right? The Church has been driven out by the army, the Bishop has been defeated by you, why are you so angry?"
"The Church has been driven out? Are you sure?"
Mikel was stunned. "What do you mean?"
Benjamin shook his head, muttering: "Are you sure that the General is not one of the Church’s people? The so-called chasing out of the church, is but the Church’s opportunity to lie low because they could not stand the pressure recently?"
Hearing that, Mikel was dumbfounded, then he smiled apologetically: "Sir mage, there are many background issues that even I am not clear about, but I do not think that the General is one of the Church’s people. These few days, other than planning the coronation ceremony, he has been clearing up the residual influence of the Church. I have seen all that with my own eyes, it cannot be fake."
Hearing this response, Benjamin could not help but muse deeply.
Although he did not completely believe in these words, but looking at the scenarios these few days, General Stuart definitely did not seem to be doing anything to help the Church.
Also… That coronation ceremony.
"Does the General wish to be king?"
Mikel’s expression was somewhat dodgy, but still, he nodded his head.
Getting this response, Benjamin could not help but furrow his brows.
He was already so old, even if he became king, how many years would he be on the throne? He also could not understand why Stuart wanted to do this.
"What is the meaning of the letter you sent me? Why does the Prime Minister want to invite me specially to the City of Snow?" After some thought, he asked again.
"The Prime Minister allowed me to reply to that letter." Mikel laughed sheepishly, "Sir mage, please do not be angry, the Prime Minister has no ill-intentions towards you. You will know once you meet him."
Benjamin rubbed his head.
Really...
"Forget it, nothing can be gotten from you." He said helplessly, in the end. "Go back. The fact that I’ve come looking for you, if anyone comes and asks you about it, you can just let them know. At any rate, you would not keep any secrets for me in front of the Prime Minister, right?"
Mikel smiled: "How can it be? What are you saying..."
Benjamin shook his head, turned around and left Mikel’s house.
Truth be told, this time around, he could very obviously sense the other party’s difference in attitude.
There was more and more flattery, was it because he had been publicly commended, and was now some sort of protector of the nation mage? He was afraid not.
Benjamin felt that this had something to do with the attitude of the General and the Prime Minister.
Because of that, he still decided to go meet with the Prime Minister.
He could not make any decisions in such confusion and doubt, he still needed to see that sly old fox.
The meeting place was not far, very soon, Benjamin arrived at his destination. The hotel was in a quieter area; using his senses to sweep the place once, there were no suspicious people around. This meeting was not the banquet he had imagined. In the appointed room was only the Prime Minister, sitting quietly there.
Without hesitating, Benjamin walked in.
Arriving at the room, he knocked on the door. The Prime Minister opened the door for him with a smile.
"The impressive hero mage, we meet again." Closing the door, the Prime Minister rubbed his beard with a smile, and immediately said, "I knew you would definitely make this appointment."
Benjamin’s attitude was not the best: "Cut the nonsense, I just want to know what you guys are up to."
"Like this?" The Prime Minister smiled and nodded his head, saying, "Alright… However, let me make it clear beforehand. I did not lie to you. General Stuart was definitely standing on the side of the Church, and Bishop Victor had always treated him as one of his men. Only, after that, he had quietly chosen another faction."
"He chose which faction?" Benjamin asked immediately.
The Prime Minister replied: "He chose himself."