Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1462: Chapter 40: Undercurrents in Basia City

Underneath the seemingly tranquil surface of Basia City, countless hidden currents were surging.

A Great Sage and a Sage may only differ by a single word, but the gulf is as vast as between the Mortal World and the Heavenly Realm.

If it were the past, other families probably wouldn’t know the news so quickly... after all, when Count Stelter truly wants to keep something secret, nobody knows a thing.

For example, the reason why the Desert People have been relentlessly hunting him down for the past five years has sparked endless speculation. Although it was thought that he might have taken some treasure coveted by the Desert People... a Sage-level Magic Tower is still somewhat unbelievable.

Even more unexpected was that Count Stelter was willing to offer such a valuable thing to exchange for his youngest son’s qualification as a mage.

Even the Finch Family was somewhat puzzled... not knowing how valuable those things must be for this Great Sage to agree to accept and teach someone with such ordinary talents as Lind.

When the Stelter Family initially tried to enter the world of magic, they tested to see how far their two magically talented children could go.

Those who do not understand magic will never comprehend that those with true magical talents can resonate with the elements in the air without any instruction and can directly see certain elemental runes during their own meditation.

Though such people are rare, once discovered, no one can prevent their rise by any means.

Does everyone really think they can create Crystalline Energy Technology like Ismael?

No Mage Family would offend such an existence.

However, the Stelter Family’s two children, the boy, at most, could only become a Mid-level Magician.

As for the girl, there might be hope for her to touch upon the edges of becoming a High-level Mage, but that would require enough resources and a qualified teacher... Now even Little Finch is beginning to wonder if the Stelters’ talk about their luck with the Green Rose is true.

How could it be that at such a crucial moment, a Great Sage appeared whom they couldn’t move?

Originally, Count Stelter wanted to find Delgado, for whom he had prepared several methods to drive him back gray and defeated to the Royal Capital... even the Stelter Family dared not keep him unless they were willing to sacrifice Ellie’s honor and innocence.

If that’s the case, then it’s not so bad... Ellie, discovering she’s been sacrificed by her family, might not remain loyal to them.

As for the rest, it doesn’t matter; they don’t care if the Stelter Family has one more or less mage.

The Finch President just couldn’t understand why Count Stelter would rather give those treasures to a golden-haired Sage than sell them to the Alchemist Association for a ticket of admission... although that would indeed offend the Royal Family, still, does he think the King will look favorably upon him as he approaches the Mage Families?

If he wanted to become a traditional noble, wouldn’t sending those things to the Finch Family offer more hope?

Could it be that he doesn’t want to depend on other families?

His ambitions do seem too grand.

After openly revealing themselves to Prince Alexis, the Royal Family will also be disgruntled with him.

Finch doesn’t believe Alexis would keep Stelter’s family secrets, not to mention the prince’s people would not remain silent.

However, the Stelters’ approach did slightly reassure him... at least they weren’t a military family swearing loyalty to the Royal Family.

Of course, knowing now that Belfran is a Great Sage, Finch can only say that Count Stelter made a precise gamble this time.

Speaking of which, if not for the Great Sage’s green eyes... his perfectly flawless skin, alongside golden hair brighter than even the Scaret Royal Family Member’s, would make one doubt his identity.

Yet, the reason why everyone wasn’t surprised that he took an interest in Ellie was also due to those emerald eyes.

It’s just that Ellie’s eyes appear like shallow creeks, bright and lively, while the Great Sage’s eyes, upon Finch’s glance, evoked a sense of deep and calm vitality.

The eldest daughter of the Stelter Family, while her talents were passable, her character and conduct were extremely outstanding. Since a Great Sage unrelated to Danboro wouldn’t care about internal political struggle, it was normal to grant her a short-term opportunity to follow.

While matters of the Heavenly Realm are rarely known to mortals on the ground... like the Finch House, having at least five Great Sages, they knew a bit here and there.

Hence, Finch holds no grudge against the disdain that the Great Sage seemed to show towards their family.

As long as they aren’t from the Scaret people and have no interest in meddling in Danboro’s domestic affairs, what else can he get involved in?

Though these old families have always been vigilant against new ones, when they can’t defend themselves, they won’t trade their lives!

Given a hundred years, the Stelter Family still wouldn’t have the clout to stand before his father.

Finch President sympathizes with Count Stelter... internal conflict within the Royal Family is indeed a huge problem for families with shallow roots.

One careless mistake and a flourishing family could be forced back to their original form.

So it’s quite normal for him to put all his effort into moving towards the Mage Families.

Yet, look at him wanting to enter the playing field without sacrificing his freedom and interests!

Can you blame these families for joining forces to suppress the Stelter Family?

From his previous behavior, who wouldn’t suspect that they would end up becoming the King’s pawns?

The pressure from the Alchemist Association is already immense... Ismael, that bastard, for inexplicable reasons, chose neutrality between the mage and the royal power!

Neutral, my foot!

Which king wanting to dominate completely would allow the country’s mages absolute freedom?

If the power to cultivate mages were to fall into the hands of the Royal Family... Ha~ In the future, other than those who swear loyalty to the king, anyone else wanting to become a mage would have to risk being hunted and captured to do it secretly!

However, Finch suspects Ismael has now understood, otherwise, he wouldn’t start thinking about heading to the Heavenly Realm.

It’s quite normal, as the current king would probably make him realize: a king doesn’t need to be foolish, as long as he’s mediocre to the point of being useless, he can destroy a nation.

So at this point in time, it’s possible to slightly relax control over families like Danboro.

That fellow Count Stelter, although cunning, unfortunately doesn’t understand the mage’s world at all.

Even if he could leverage the Great Sage’s influence to make his son a mage too, could the Great Sage wait in Basia until all his children become high-level?

What can mid-level magicians really accomplish?

To suppress them only makes things a bit more troublesome, not impossible.

But if the Finch Family really intends to wipe out even those who have joined the circle, how could there be so many mage families in Danboro now?

Of course, there’s definitely a need to exclude; once you enter, you are here to take someone else’s meal... But total extermination is absolutely impossible.

The world’s appearance may flourish due to the strength of Crystalline Energy, but in reality, turning from top combat power to focus on research has caused significant dissatisfaction within the mage community.

The mage world isn’t as easy as the Earl imagines.

Moreover, their family isn’t yet powerful enough to partake in such major events.

Besides, Finch somewhat suspects Count Stelter’s dream might shatter before it even begins... Stelter family’s youngest son is known for his naïve innocence.

Yet, to be coaxed by Prince Alexis in shadowy gardens... Even though Count and Countess Stelter adore him, as a noble, he should understand from childhood that shadowy, open places aren’t suitable for secrets, right?

And even a clumsy prince could easily extract such big secrets from him?

The naïve innocence of this person deserves multiple quotation marks!

If Count Stelter doesn’t suppress this son who’s about to ascend, what’s the point of dreaming about the family’s permanence?

Finch, excitedly writing vigorously, plans to use a small space mailbox to deliver the message to his father... Dear father, if Prince Alexis truly dares to pry into the matters of a Great Sage, there’s no need for us to lay traps in the Royal Family!

They will self-destruct into ashes.

Of course, Prince Alexis isn’t foolish, but he can’t afford to do nothing.

Even though the wife with a huge dowry has flown away... he initially wanted to try harder, but those words ”Great Sage” were enough to make him give up completely.

No, if he had known earlier that Ellie wanted to become a disciple under a certain Sage, he should have turned back at sea!

Upon discovering that the Earl wanted to push Ellie under Delgado, Alexis almost wanted to point to this couple’s nose and curse: even if he is pathetic, the Stelter Family can’t insult a prince like this!

Delgado’s female students, is there any reputation to speak of?

Even knowing he wouldn’t dare touch Ellie, but... who would dare marry a student taught by such a teacher?

Later, he realized, this couple each had their own thoughts.

Count Stelter probably doesn’t wish for his daughter to marry into the Royal Family, so he doesn’t care about any reputation.

This reignited Alexis’s interest, as the Earl’s scheme has failed anyway.

However, the words he dug out of Lind’s mouth left Alexis puzzled: the Earl supposedly possesses something that can sway a Great Sage?

And the Royal Family knows nothing about it?

Has the King of Danboro already lost control over the border troops?

The lamp in Alexis’s bedroom remained lit all night, and he lay across his desk writing line after line of worry... No matter how poor the evaluation of his father the King is outside, he at least has formidable control over the court to have married so many queens without losing a single son.

He has no doubt about whether people around him have his father’s spies... that isn’t even a question, there definitely are.