Book 10: Chapter 5: People You Shouldn't Make Eye Contact With (The Seven Sages)

At the time his master assigned this mission to him, Glenn had raised one question.

"Master, what kind of person Silent Witch is?"

In response to Glenn's question, Louis' monocle slipped off before he adjusted it again with a look of utter dismay.

"Before we start, let me ask you, how many of the Seven Sages do you know?"

"Well, including Master, I had heard about the Star Oracle Witch, the Artillery Magician, and… who else is left?"

It was less than half of the total.

Louis massaged his creased brow with his slender fingers and sighed out exasperatedly.

"I cannot express how lamentable it is that the disciples of the Seven Sages are unable to name all of the Seven Sages. Fine, I guess I should explain more about the Seven Sages to you so that you won't embarrass yourself in front of Duke Rehnberg. Make sure you get it into that empty head of yours."

Glenn responded, "Yes," in reply and straightened up like a well-behaved dog, Louis then raised up one of his slender fingers.

"First up… Mary Harvey, you probably know her as the Star Oracle Witch. She is an expert in astrology and also the most senior among the Seven Sages. If I had to describe, she's a lustful woman who eats up any beautiful boy she catches sight of."

"I am not a pretty boy, so I'm safe, I guess."

Glenn might think his statement was a matter-of-fact manner, while from another perspective, his face was charming enough and quite lovable. If he had been a few years younger, he might have fallen under Mary Harvey's clutches—although Glenn is unaware of it.

Louis raised up another finger.

"Next is Raul Roseburg, the Thorns Witch."

"Her name sounds manly enough to be called a witch."

"He's a man, in fact. It could be said, the name of ‘Thorns Witch' is more like a title name to him."

A renowned magician family had passed down its household title to its successor. And Raul Roseburg was the fifth generation of the Thorns Witch.

"Raul Roseburg had the biggest mana capacity which can be categorized as monstrous in our kingdom, and yet he had wasted his talent, did nothing with magic but only studying plants. If you make eye contact with him, he'll shove his home-grown plants in your face."

"I have an aunt in the neighborhood who does that!"

Ignoring Glenn's pacifist comment, Louis raised up his third finger.

"Third, Ray Allbright the Abyss Shaman. The curses master. If he caught sight of a young woman, he would always ask, ‘are you falling in love with me?'"

"That won't be a problem, I'm not a woman after all."

"Fourth, Bradford Firestone the Artillery Magician. He loves talking explosion and battle maniac geezer who challenge anyone that make contact with his eyes."

"…Master, I wonder why I feel you find it more cumbersome the more you explain it."

"So, did you realize it now?"

Louis didn't seem to take offense and raised up his fifth finger.

"Fifth, Emanuel Darwin the Jewel Magician. He might be a master of auxiliary magic who had contributed greatly towards the development of magic tools, but he's just a typical scoundrel who's good at currying favor with money-hungry nobles."

"Wow! I thought you would explain it in a roundabout way, but it was the most elaborate description."

"Incidentally, he's in the second prince faction and cahoots with Duke Crockford; he also sees me as his enemy. And as my disciple, in case you make eye contact, it's likely he will pick a fight with you."

Among the Seven Sages, the Jewel Magician was the most influential in noble circles and regarded Louis who was in the first prince faction as his most hated enemy.

Since Glenn was unfamiliar with politics, the only thing that he knew was that the Second Prince is the student council president.

Wait? Since Master's in the first prince faction, would that make Prez my enemy?

Glenn's owed him something, so if it's possible, he didn't want to antagonize him.

Anyone who enjoys eating our meat cannot be a bad person! But, wait… Prez knew that I was Barrier Magician's disciple… Is he perhaps thinks me as his enemy?

That would make him sad if he thinks that way. Glenn was close with Student Council President, and he also didn't make fun of him. Moreover, they surprisingly clicked very well.

While Glenn mulling over this matter as he crossed his arms, Louis raised up his sixth finger.

"The sixth person and also the youngest Seven Sage, Monica Everett the Silent Witch."

"I have a friend who's got the same name as her."

"You could find that name everywhere. So it must be a coincidence."

Well, a person named ‘Monica' may be everywhere, Glenn thought as he convinced. Since she's got the same name as his friend, it might be easier for him to remember.

"Miss Silent Witch had elected to the Seven Sage at the same time as I did, so you could consider her as my colleague. And in our current magic world, she was the only person who could use the no-chant spell."

"Now I remember! She was the person who had beaten you into a pulp at the Seven Sages selection—"

Louis gave Glenn a kick on his shin as his smile shine beautifully. How childish.

Louis continued his words in composed to Glenn's bitter expression.

"To describe the Silent Witch, she was extremely shy at strangers, with interpersonal skills at the bottom of the heap. She even had carried a stupid legend who passed the Seven Sage's interview fainted after her nervousness got her to hyperventilate. She was so fragile that if you make eye contact with her, she will faint instantly with her eyes rolled back… Ahem, she's a very delicate person, you see, so you better don't try to look at her face or ask her many questions."

While nodding in understanding, Glenn sorted all the information in his way.

Barrier Magician: Master. So scary when angry.

Star Oracle Witch: Great at divination. Once make eye contact, she will eat you. (Limited to handsome boys)

Thord Witch: She is a he. Once make eye contact, he'll pester you about his plants.

Abyss Shaman: The cursing person. Once make eye contact with him, he will ask you ‘are you falling in love with me?'

Artillery Magician: A person who likes shouting ‘boom, boom,' Once make eye contact with him, he will pressure you to have a duel.

Jewel Magician: Was bad terms with Master. Once make eye contact with him, he will try to pick a fight with you. (Limited to Glenn) 

Silent Witch: A person who had beaten Master into a pulp. Once make eye contact with her, she will collapse with her eyes rolling back.

After sorting all this information, Glenn realized something.

"Master, if all you said were true, then I can't make eye contact with half of these people."

Especially the latter three.

Proud at his disciple realization, Louis raised his chin smugly.

"Now do you understand how capable your master is? With this, you should respect your master more."

"Master, Mrs. Rosalie said that it is not good to raise your own reputation by putting others down."

Hearing his disciple mention his wife's name, Louis kept his smile and kicked his shin twice. Right, twice.

Louis cleared his throat after looking at his grieving disciple, then continued with his words.

"That's all about the Seven Sages. Now, let me hear your opinion."

So, while rubbing his pain on his shin, Glenn spoke out his honest opinion.

"I think all the Seven Sages are eccentric people!"

"Of course, you don't include me in, right, you stupid disciple?"

Looking at his master cupping his right fist, Glenn immediately shook in desperately.

His fist was so tough to even make him wonder if his fist was made of steel. He even felt being tossed off with a wind spell was still better than receiving his fist.

So he hurriedly changed the subject.

"Ummm, t-that's right! Master, who is the strongest among the Seven Sages? Is it you, Master, I assume?"

Hearing his disciple changing the subject with a question, Louis dropped his cupped hand and showed a mixed expression.

"Of course, it is… or so is what I wanted to say, but it depends on the circumstances."

His master who was always confident and got high pride was making an evasive answer.

Louis Miller the Barrier Magician is a combat magician who boasted second place in the number of the dragons he had slain singlehandedly since the founding of the Ridill Kingdom. (As for the number one, it's the retiring Graham Thunders the Thunder Magician)

Even without the favoritism of his students, as far as Glenn knows, there are not many people who can compete with Louis in magic combat.

But Louis placed fingers on his chin and opened his mouth with a difficult look.

"It depends on the circumstances and their current strength and weakness at that time. Among the Seven Sages, there are three combat-oriented magicians: the Artillery Magician, Silent Witch, and myself. If we talk about firepower alone, that Artillery Magician, who got the largest mana capacity among the three and has the ability to enhance his firepower sixfold with his magic formation, was come at the top."

The firepower they're talking about was used to fight the dragons, so it really mattered. And half-assed magic that can't injure the dragon can only make it stop its track for a while.

So, Artillery Magician was a rare magician specializing in offensive magic who can injure a dragon without aiming at its weakness which is on its brow.

"On the other hand, Silent Witch, she specializes in the speed casting and precision of her magic. While I can cast one spell with a shortened chant, she can cast two large-scale spells at the same time. Moreover, along with her extremely accurate aim."

The most common weakness of a magician is the time they chant to cast a spell. Even a few seconds can be a decisive life or death situation. No matter how strong your spell is, it would be useless if you can't use it.

But, for Silent Witch, one second is enough for her to cast a spell. The moment the battle has begun, she can break her opponent's neck instantly.

*shudder* I can't imagine I can come up with victory if I fight her…

After hearing his master's explanation, Glenn pondered. Then thought, how does his master, the Barrier Magician fight?

"Master, can you win against the two if you fight them?"

"Like as I said before, it depends on the circumstances. Artillery Magician has the highest offensive power but is weak at defense. Especially when if he wants to raise his offensive power, it would take him more time to cast. While Silent Witch, despite the lack of experience in battle, no one can beat her in the casting speed, even then, because of her extreme lack of physical, she can't use a fight spell."

I see, so Glenn nodded convincingly.

Louis Miller the Barrier Magician has a high level in both offensive and defensive magic, on top of that, he's able to use them with great dexterity. What's more, with his great physical and bright mind, he can use either his head or fist to fight his opponents.

It can be said that the Artillery Magician specialized in offensive power, the Silent Witch specialized in speed and accuracy, while the Barrier Magician is a balanced type.

"In other words, Master is a jack of all trades but master of none—owowowowo!"

Louis gripped his disciple face with his right hand and his slender fingers were pressured onto his skull before he continued his words.

"The Silent Witch would come up as the best if we fight bound by the rules. And I was lost by it last time, though. If in the battlefield where rules were no longer in effect, I can win against her. I can beat a pushover like her with a little effort."

The magic battle is a duel held in a specialized place within a barrier.

Within this barrier, damage can only be inflicted by magic, and even if you take damage, it won't affect your body, but your mana will be declined by the amount of damage you take.

Since they can practice actual combat safely with that method, the Magician Training Institute Minerva and Magician Troops often held magic combat to train their magicians.

And in the election of the Seven Sages, they also organized magic combat for examination. In which, Louis was suffering a complete defeat which still haunted even until now.

"In summary, you're good at dirty battle… owowowow!!"

＊ ＊ ＊

Remembering the talk and the pain of the iron claw of his master, Glenn stared at the Silent Witch who sat in the carriage before him.

The small girl dressed in a loose robe sat hugging her staff so tightly onto the body. A person who looks at her at glance would surely think that she's a kid pretending to be a magician.

Hmm, I really can't imagine her as a person who had beaten master into a pulp.

After arriving and greeting the people at Duke Rehnberg Household, the servants guided the group into a large room before attending the dinner party.

If possible, Glenn wanted to explore this huge mansion, but since the servants had informed him to stay here, he couldn't possibly wander around without permission. Especially when Glenn was Felix's guard right now.

Scanning through furniture, wallpaper, and the curtain inside the mansion, everything looked so expensive, while its glaring of numerous patterns and ornaments all over the place only left prickling to his eyes instead, and it's his true thought.

Eliane has retreated to her room to change her clothes, leaving the room only four people of Glenn, Felix, the Silent Witch, and a self-professed attendant who called himself Bartholomew.

And for an attendant, he looked so fishy.

Though he professed himself as the Silent Witch's attendant, his attitude was more overbearing than his master, and the name itself implied more be more of an alias. And currently, he was sitting leisurely on the couch with a big yawn on his face.

Glenn's master had chided him to not ask the Silent Witch many questions, but in his boredom, he tried to approach her to chat.

"Lady Silent Witch, I heard you had beaten my master into a pulp a long time ago, is that rumor true?"

The Silent Witch jolted before squeezing her trembling body close to the man in attendant clothes and tugged his sleeve. Maybe she wanted him to speak in her stead.

But, the man only answered with ‘I don't know.' after letting a bored yawn.

"I didn't know what has happened at that time. Well, no matter who the opponents my master is against, she can easily defeat them, isn't that right, master?"

The Silent Witch hurriedly shook her head in response, but the attendant didn't seem to follow her desperate.

In the midst of all this, Felix, who had been silent and reserved until now, opened his mouth.

"That's a good question, Dudley. It's truly a pity I didn't present during the Seven Sages selection two years ago, but from what I read in the report afterward, Lady Everett had cast a large scope spell to force the other candidate at bay, without letting them close by. I heard the spell she cast after combining magic formation of remote spell and low-cost spell without chant had truly impressed the other Seven Sages. And the moment she activated the great and large scale area spell, which followed by a low-cost spell she had cast in no time, I instantly understand, what kind outcome her battle against Barrier Magician would end up."

Is it only his feeling or did Felix speak rapidly right now?

Even Glenn who was studied magic could only understand half of what Felix had said.

"Well, I might have understood some of it, but I feel it's really cool!"

Smiling in response, Felix then continued fluently.

"Speaking of Lady Everett greatness, have you heard about a Low-Cost Magic Formation, which greatly reduces the consumption of mana usage in spell but has very long chants to cast? While at the basic level it would normally require around 30 minutes to chant, at the advanced level it will need up to a few hours, in which case, it makes it not suitable for actual combat. But she had cast such a magic formation without chant. Even for a layman in magic, they would understand the greatness of that stunt. Even her mana capacity was not great, she can cast a big scale magic formation. Which resulted in the defeat of Barrier Magician."

Glenn can't follow Felix's talk at all.

But he honestly thought, ‘he really earnest in his study' and spoke.

"You seem very knowledgeable about the Silent Witch, Prez."

In response to the amazed Glenn, Felix showed his perfect smile without blemish before answering.

"It's only natural for a member of the royal family."

"So it's because of a member of the royal family!"

＊ ＊ ＊

I swear it doesn't have anything being a member of the royal family!!

Sitting on the couch while curling herself, Monica panicked agape.

Ever since the servants had guided the group to this room, the Silent Witch could sense that Felix has been trying to approach her to talk.

Once Felix opened his mouth, his eyes sparkling, with his tongue running more smooth than usual, it was like he had nothing to hide anymore. Though Glenn didn't find it strange.

Felix's passion for the Silent Witch was genuine. At first, she still had some doubt about it, but after looking at his talk now she was certain. He even remembered the battle record two years ago with every detail, it was no longer a passion of admiring person.

Every time Felix talks about the Silent Witch in detail, Glenn would respond with ‘as expected of a royal family!' though only people like Glenn can be convinced with that reason.

"Hoo, though I can't follow all your words, I think royal families are quite impressive."

Correction. it convinced people like Glenn and Nero, yes.

Well… Nero doesn't know what His Highness thinks about the Silent Witch…

In other words, the only person who knew that Felix admires the Silent Which was only Monica.

While Monica continued to listen to Felix talking about the Silent Witch, the realization had only made her stomach hurt even more.