Chapter 66 66 Sanctimonious
“I am not a dark mage. I have been repeatedly stressing this point but not one person seems interested in what I try to tell them.”
Zach was frustrated that even the Sosis family people thought that Zach was a dark mage which was not a good thing. He didn’t want to be misunderstood by the people even though he had yet to do anything that was taboo in this society.
“Of course; we know you are not a dark mage. You are a guest of the Luther family and that’s all we know about you.” There was an understanding smile plastered on Frederick’s face. If Zach wasn’t mistaken, he even noticed a wink from the older mage.
Zach had a severe urge to bury his palm in his face as he looked at the way Frederick was acting in front of him. Of course Zach knew what the old man was implying through his actions, “Your secret is completely safe with us. We won’t tell anyone that you are a powerful dark mage. *Wink*” 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘭.𝘦𝘵
“NO…I am really telling you the truth that I am not a dark mage. That thing about me being a dark mage is only a rumor. I only make use of higher concepts like science and nothing else.” Zach tried again once even though he knew that logic had no place in this isekai. He wanted to try to clear his own image at least once more before giving up on it which was the last resort in all kinds of situations.
“Of course we know. We totally understand. That is definitely a higher concept of magic.” Frederick put a finger on his lips as if telling him that his lips were completely shut. He felt that Zach was only trying to keep it under wraps because he was worried about public opinion regarding his true identity.
Frederick felt that this was perfectly natural because no dark mage would want groves of angry mages hunting them.
*Sigh*
“No you don’t. YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!!” Zach wanted to shout out loud but he didn’t because he knew that he would only receive a bullsh*t reply in response to his logic. No matter what he did, the aborigines were always unwilling to listen to him as if they couldn’t even begin to understand how he wasn’t a dark mage.
The finger on Frederick’s lips irritated Zach in ways that even he couldn’t understand. Zach wanted to rip that smug expression as well as that “understanding” finger off his face as ruthlessly as possible but his hands were bound too.
Despite being a logical being, he had to put up with this bullsh*t because he didn’t want the relations between the Luther family and the Sosis family to deteriorate just yet. He needed to wait until he could take that risk without any repercussions.
While Zach was nurturing and growing such murderous thoughts in his heart, Frederick was very pleased with how he had handled the situation. He thought of himself as an expert and diplomatic politician. The way he understood how Zach didn’t want to be called a dark mage was instant to say the very least. He had immediately complied with Zach’s preference and had denied all such rumors regarding him being a dark mage as soon as Zach implied that he wanted to keep a low profile.
Even though Zach hadn’t said it out loud, Frederick being an expert diplomat grasped the hidden meaning between the lines.
Little did he know that Zach was cursing that very diplomacy and talent in politics at that moment.
Only the fanatics and the psychotic people had the ability to twist truths beyond the normal range without even meaning to. Zach wondered to what category this Sosis family head belonged to but he was sure that Frederick had such an ability.
Zach didn’t want to stay in that place any longer. He was tired of explaining himself and didn’t want to sound like a broken tape recorder.
Zach bowed slightly to Frederick and without even glancing at Raisman, who was openly revealing his bloodlust and murderous intentions, he said, “Thank you for your hospitality today and I apologize once again for intruding your home without prior permission to visit.”
Luna neither bowed her head nor said anything to anyone since in her opinion the only one worthy of her bowing her head was her master Zach.
She didn’t show any reaction when Zach turned around to leave and swiftly followed in the footsteps of Zach before hurrying forward to walk along side him.
One of the servants showed them the way out since the maze like garden that encroached on the Sosis family mansion could make even the household members forget the path that led to the exit.
As soon as the two of them left the vision of the Sosis family father and son, Raisman couldn’t wait any longer and pulled his hand free from the grip of his father with a force that was enough to dislodge the arm of anyone normal from its socket.
There was fury in his eyes. He looked like a demon who escaped his confinement in darkness after hundreds of years only to find the things that were dearest to him had been taken away by someone weaker. And all that fury was directed towards his own father who had stopped him from twisting the neck of that thief.
“WHY DID YOU DO THAT?” shouted Raisman, his complaint evident from the tone of his voice. Before this he had been sure that his father would support him no matter what he wanted but today his father had rejected the most earnest wish he had ever had in his life. Instead he had buttered up some random mage and had even ignored him entirely during the discussion.
“Why did I do what?”
Frederick on the other hand was completely calm as if he hadn’t done anything to earn that ire from his son.
“Why didn’t you let me continue the match? Had you supported me, we would have won with the help of that swordsman and I would not have lost Diana like this. Are you so old now that you have to bow your head and offer up your things to everyone who comes to your door?” Raisman grunted as if in disgust at the thing that used to be his father.
Frederick didn’t mind anything that his son said to him; after all, he knew that this was not the way he usually did things and Raisman knew that as well.
“Raisman, we can’t deal with this one like we did with the ones from the other families especially now that he has joined hands with Luther family. We don’t know anything about him or his backing. No dark mage acts as openly as this person because they are usually shunned by others. But this one has the confidence to march into our home unannounced and challenge my authority which means that he has some kind of support that enables him to do that. It can’t be the Luther family since they are relying on his help as well.”
“It’s only the Luther family…why do we need to be afraid of that fallen family? So what if he has joined hands with the Luther family. No one likes to support a falling ship. We just need to target the Luther family until he leaves them of his own accord.” Raisman retorted as he found a flaw in the logic behind his father’s argument.
Frederick was surprised as he heard Raisman’s logic. He had not expected that Raisman was still capable of that kind of discussion after his earlier eruption.
“The truth is that we can’t touch the Luther family either. It’s not because I particularly feel any threat from that cripple or his forces but because ‘that’ person is protecting the Luther family. To be honest, I can’t determine the level of strength he has. His face was perfectly expressionless and showed only the emotions that he wanted to show. Each and every action felt perfectly calculated as if it was a practiced performance instead. I couldn’t find a single flaw in his demeanor or his words. I felt like I was talking to a seasoned diplomat and or the trained heir of an elite family even though I knew he was only a dark mage from who knows where.”
“It could all be just that and nothing else too. Maybe he is a fraud and totally weak like that cripple and you are just playing into his hands.” Raisman smirked as he felt that he had found a flaw in all those assumptions of his father.
“Then tell me something…” Frederick asked as he folded his hands in front of his chest as if challenging Raisman.
Raisman wasn’t willing to back out either and returned the look Frederick was giving him as if saying, “Bring it on”. He needed to convince his father to attack that hateful bast*rd in any way possible so as to get Diana back.
“Would an S rank mage be willing to follow me without question if I wasn’t the head of the Sosis family?” Frederick raised his eyebrows as he asked the question which made Raisman feel as if his father was taunting him.
“That is out of the question. Even if you are the head of Sosis family, why would someone that strong be willing to follow you? You don’t have anything to offer to such a powerful person.” Raisman answered as if on instinct but felt as if the answer to the question felt to be too easy.