Wizard Of Cosmos

20 - There is A War Coming

‘Sigh. I am finally out.’

Jason felt relieved when he finally stepped out of the village. 

He now had a total of thirty-five silvers and a couple of sapphires the villagers exchanged for meat. The gems weren’t as valuable as they were on Earth, but he could earn at least another fifty silvers from these. 

After breakfast, Logan and Dawn trusted him to sell the things they got from the village and bring back the money. There was a reason for those two to stay behind, and it almost cost him his life. 

“Damn… I should be careful when I am talking with her….”

He almost crossed Amelia for the second time when Logan and Dawn asked him to teach them swordsmanship. Since Amelia was better than him, he looked at her instinctively. Luckily, he didn’t receive much trouble other than a sharp gaze and a terrifying little chat of ten minutes. Finally, she agreed to teach Logan and Dawn instead of him.

Even if he reached the level he was in his past life, he would never be able to match with someone like Amelia. 

“Oh ho ho. The brave young hunter looks a bit scared of the little girl, Amelia.”

“Huh?”

Jason instinctively touched his sword, turning to his side. 

He saw the old man leaning against a tree. 

He had slightly grey hair and a clean face. His off-coloured cloth resembled a villager. Still, Jason knew better. He was a bit distracted and his senses were not what they used to be, yet he couldn’t miss a person who was barely a couple of metres away.

Even now, he couldn’t feel this old man’s rhythm of breathing. This person was way strong compared to his easygoing look and shabby clothes.

“Who are you?”

He frowned, taking a step back.

“What do you want?”

He was sure he wasn't ready to face this man. 

‘Another Grandmaster? What is wrong with this village?’

…

“Easy, young man! I mean no harm. I just wanted to meet the man who did the impossible.”

Jason still took a step back, feeling wary. He felt no hostility, but this was another who was equally strong as Amelia.

“You can call me Old Xanders. Or as the Village head, Elder, or leader. Anything is fine. Since we don’t belong to any kingdom, I don’t have an exact title.”

“You… Are you the village Leader?”

Jason looked at this hidden Grandmaster in surprise. He could only think of one category that could hide their presence to this level; an Assassin. 

“Of course. Is it so hard to believe?”

‘Kind of….’

Even if this man looked like a kind Grandpa, Jason didn’t want to say it out loud.  

“Well… Honestly, young man. I wanted to have a word with you.”

“A word? About what, Mr Xanders?”

“About what you did yesterday, young man. I heard it was you who hunted the swine. And… You look completely unharmed. Care to explain why?”

‘Sigh. I want to reach Forestedge before night.’

Jason sighed in his mind, but he knew he had no choice. 

…

“I see. Interesting. Anyway, this is a little bit too advantageous for you guys, isn’t it?”

Xanders looked completely unaffected by the details of the players.

‘Hm? Why does this sound like this man knows much more than the others? Who exactly is he?’

Others who heard him might look at him like an Alien, but this man had a slightly different reaction. 

“Do you know something about the reason for us to come here, Mr Xanders?”

“Oh… So you also know something is off, right? But sadly, no. I am not powerful enough to know such detail. If I hadn't retired… Ah… It is all in the past now.”

‘Retired? A Grandmaster-level Assassin? Is he from the Assassins league?’

Jason thought about one of the most secretive organisations in Yuriel. An organisation that traded the thin line between light and dark. The Assassins league didn’t work for the good side or the bad. They just worked for the party who hired them.

‘Sigh. I have more things to worry about.’

“Well… What I wanted to truly ask you is not that. What are you planning to do?”

“Me? Or are you asking about the others that came with me?”

“You, young man.”

Jason saw a dangerous glimmer in those eyes for a second, and his instinct screamed for him to run away. 

‘I messed up, didn’t I? But why did Master Merlin say nothing?’

He shouldn’t have pulled that little stunt yesterday.

“Others might think you were lucky, young man. But I saw you fight. Those moves you did were beyond your capabilities. Of course, everyone has secrets. But I am just asking about your goal.”

‘Was he watching me from the start? So… He must be the real reason for Light Shone to survive like this. No wonder….’

Jason knew he had to give a proper answer. 

“I want to be strong.”

“Strong? How strong?”

‘The strongest.”

“Hahaha… That is a good ambition, young man. But can you really do it?”

“I will try my best.”

“Hm… Very well. But that is a big ambition. Tell me… What do you wish to achieve?”

“If I am the strongest, wouldn’t I be able to live a life without worry?”

This was his true feeling. “It may be true, but maybe not. But that is a good answer, young man. Your eyes tell me that you are telling the truth.”

‘Sigh.’

Since morning, Jaso felt he was in a near-death situation. First, it was Amelia, and then Mr Xanders. 

“So… You want to be a Grand Wizard. Something only six people living in the current era achieved.”

“What are you suggesting, Mr Xandars?”

Jason still felt suspicious.

“Young man, you are in the most resourceful place in Alexandria. The Dark Forest has almost all the resources, and Master Merlin can train you.”

‘I partially agree. But… Why do you sound like a conman?’

If he wasn’t reborn, he might have believed those words. 

“Are you saying I can become a Grand Wizard if I stay in Light Shone?”

He had to act as if he didn’t know the truth.

“Hahaha… Not exactly, young man.”

Jason saw a somewhat difficult smile on that old face. 

“What I mean is Light Shone is a great place for you to grow at this stage.”

“I don’t doubt that, Mr Xanders. But it won’t come for free, isn’t it?”

“Well… I won’t ask for much. I mean… What you did yesterday was very good.”

“You want me to hunt? That is not a problem.”

He was planning to do that, anyway. 

“Not only hunting. Expanding the village a bit. Reclaiming the old farmlands and such. Maybe helping to open up a couple of old mines.”

‘Can’t you do all that by yourself?’

Jason wanted to yell at Xanders.

“I… Don’t think I can do all that by myself, Mr Xanders.”

He changed the words to a less hostile sentence. 

“Of course, but you can find some people who can use weapons, can't you?”

“Weapons? Are you exactly looking to expand Light Shone, Mr Xanders?”

“You are a sharp one, aren’t you lad?”

Xanders’s calm eyes became serious. 

“There is a war coming to Alexandria. I don’t think that kid, Boris will tell you this.”

“A war?”

Jason fell into thought. 

War was never a pleasant thing, but it brought many opportunities. 

“Don’t get excited, lad. Do you think all the kingdoms agreed to let in the strangers popping out of nowhere? The kingdom that is going to war with Alexandria, Brodice Kingdom, is one of those that refused to let people like you in.”

“Huh? Shouldn't every country let us in?”

“Yuriel is too big, young man. Even if some countries refused, it is not a problem. Besides, there are benefits that make countries accept you. So there are obvious ones that don’t want strangers over benefits. Did you really think people would feed you for free? They are obviously gaining something in return.”

“I understand. But war will not conclude in days or weeks. It will be years. Light Shone is at the edge, and with you, Ms Amelia, and Master Merlin, Light Shone could stand on its own. You people are so strong.”

He had no idea where this conversation was heading. 

“This war will be far shorter than that. They have Thirteen wizards and many Novice Wizards. Druids, summoners, and enough Grandmasters. Alexandria Barely has seven Wizards.”

“That is not a small country. why didn’t they come here before?”

Jason was puzzled by the development. If the Dark Forest had that many resources, why did no one take it by force, until now?