Samuel asked Magnus the same question again, but Magnus remained silent.
" So, what do you think, Magnus? Will you help me get rid of the traitors? "
Magnus, a seasoned magician, couldn't bring himself to trust Samuel completely. His well-honed senses, developed over decades, hinted that the situation was more complex than it seemed.
Who would trust the crazy words said by someone experiencing strange changes in their body?
How can someone stay calm after discovering their spirit's color has changed?
Magnus isn't dumb. He calmly looked at Samuel as he hesitated, knowing his choice would decide the fate of the magicians in the Imperial Tower.
After the death of former emperor Harold, the magicians of the Tower refused to support Samuel because of his ineffectiveness and indulgence in pleasure and sexual activities.
Honestly, if someone were in Magnus's shoes, they wouldn't want to align themselves with Samuel. Being associated with him feels like a source of shame and self-disapproval. Someone called the Puppet Emperor and the Pig Emperor.
What makes being in a relationship with him great?
Nothing.
Samuel clapped his chubby hands to get Magnus to look at him.
Samuel initially chose to present the facts composedly, calmly articulating his thoughts while idly manipulating the king's piece on the chessboard that rested between them.
"Let's begin by discussing your situation, Magnus. What are your thoughts on the potential repercussions when I am eliminated? Do you believe the Duke would overlook the existence of a potential threat?" Do you think you will have a happy ending? It has come to my attention that a significant number of current Magic Council members are advocating for the removal of your position. "
Samuel didn't hesitate to spit out harsh truths. Magnus's predicament is dire, as the Duke's influence has infiltrated the very walls of the magic tower. Taking a deep breath, Samuel continues to speak.
"Don't blame them. Human nature is greedy and despicable. I, too, have experienced moments in my life where I've engaged in actions that I'm not particularly proud of."
Samuel wore a subtle frown as he fixated his gaze on the chessboard, exchanging the king piece for a pawn.
"The inevitable uprising draws near, where the pawns shall rebel against their king. Thus, I am here today seeking the allegiance of the Magic Tower, aspiring for its unwavering support in endorsing my decisions and aiding me in the endeavor to cleanse this tainted empire of corruption. "
Samuel gazed at Magnus, his earnest eyes conveying the gravity of his request.
"So, let me get this straight: today, Your Majesty visited the Imperial Tower to convince me to support you, and you say you want to improve our empire's situation. Is that right?" "
A brief pause followed before Magnus continued speaking.
"How do you know that I won't leak our conversation to the Grand Duke? How can you be certain that my apparent dislike for the Duke is not just a trick to fool others? "
"You won't do that"
"Why are you so sure about this? "
Samuel responded with absolute confidence.
"Because my ancestor told me.. "
In the novel, the new emperor killed Magnus because he refused to promise his loyalty.
Samuel knows that the Grand Duke is the second person Magnus hates the most.
This is because the Grand Duke is involved in serious crimes like kidnapping people, selling drugs, and selling slaves to the others kingdoms and empires. The Duke's soldiers also killed many magicians in previous hunting competitions.
"Your personality has completely changed? Haha, I can't believe these words came out of your mouth."
Magnus burst into hearty laughter while giving his knee a good slap. He took a deep breath before continuing.
"Let's say I agree with your proposal. What do I gain from this? "
Samuel thought quietly and then responded to Magnus by posing another question.
"Can you unite the Magic Tower in two weeks? "
.
"Well, it's a bit bothersome, but do remember, I've been in charge of this tower for fifty years. Can you believe a young guy like Alexander would really take me down?"
'Yes, this is what will happen in the future, but it does not matter, because I will change the future myself.'
Samuel decided to unify this empire first.
Then he will think about the future later.
Samuel tapped the table gently with his fingers. He was about to say something that would totally shift the direction of the conversation.
"Okay, first I promise that I will help you finish quickly the secret [Magic Engines] project. What do you think? "
The greedy old man froze in place for a few seconds.
He went from smiling to look really surprised and confused in a flash.
"How do you know about my personal project, Your Majesty? I want you to explain to me.... "
'Of course, I know about your secret research, because I am the creator of this world.'
Samuel couldn't express his thoughts.
He just jumped in while the old man was talking and then grinned cunningly.
"My ancestor told me about it too .."
He will blame everything on his ancestor .
Samuel crossed his hands and sat up straight, adding confidently,
"Next, once you assist me in cleaning my empire, I'll share where your beloved daughter is. I know you're still looking for her... So what do you think of my terms? Are they attractive? "
....
The great magician Magnus Pierce ,
A 7-star magician,
One pillar of the griffin empire,
A magician with terrifying and dangerous abilities,
A role model for many commoners and nobles,
He stands in front of Samuel, trembling like a little child when the subject of his missing daughter is mentioned.
" Continue "
Magnus's joyful expression vanished.
In the novel, Magnus's daughter was kidnapped by a very powerful magical swordsman right in front of him.
The unknown magical swordsman defeated Magnus in three moves, kidnapped his 6-year-old daughter, and then vanished without a trace.
For many years, Magnus has been looking all over the continent to find his little girl.
He looked everywhere, but couldn't find his daughter, no matter how hard he tried.
Magnus trained really hard to become powerful because he sees the unknown magic swordsman and the group backing him as his biggest foes. He hopes that one day he'll find a clue to locate his daughter, Elizabeth. However, despite his intense efforts, he has discovered no clues so far.
The elderly man in front of Samuel couldn't reach the level of an 8-star magician because of past trauma he couldn't overcome and forget.
Therefore, Samuel took advantage of this point to control the course of the negotiations.
-Sigh
"It's been 12 years since his daughter was taken," Samuel whispered, sighing softly to himself.
He endured the pain of losing relatives,
Coped with the loss of his wife,
Faced the anguish of his only daughter being kidnapped.
Samuel kind of felt sorry for this old man.
And the end of his life is miserable.
In the novel, when Grand Duke Jeremy takes control of the Empire, he uses the Dragon Empire to help him kill Magnus Pierce.
He also seized all of Magnus' valuable research, including the [Magic Engines] project.
Right after that, the new emperor chose to sell Magnus' research to the Dragon Empire in order to clear his empire's debts and unite it swiftly.
Later on, Mike Robinson, a scientist from the University of Oxford known for his expertise in both magic and science, and associated with the Dragon Empire , refined and fixed the mistakes in Magnus's confidential research on magic engines.
When Mike shared his findings, it led to big changes in transportation.
In just a few years, the Dragon Empire took control of the train and magic engine-powered car industry.
As for Magnus' missing daughter,
After recalling her memories with the main hero's support, Elizabeth Pierce learns the truth about her father's death.
Then, in a quest for revenge for her father, Magnus's death, she slaughters Mackenzie's family in the most terrible ways.
As a result, the Mackenzie Kingdom disappears from the Asura Continent's map in the end.
-Goosebumps
Magnus gripped his thigh tightly, causing Samuel to notice him shaking like a tree swaying in the breeze.
"She...!"
Magnus took his time to gather his thoughts, then he reached out for Samuel's hand, shuddering, and said,
"Is my beloved daughter really alive? "
Samuel nodded at the old man slowly .
"Yeah. "
" Are you sure ? "
"Yeah. "
Samuel saw that Magnus' left eye gleamed white, indicating he had cast a truth-revealing spell to verify Samuel's words.
Sigh
'Doesn't he trust what I'm saying?' '
"Did your ancestors also told you where my daughter is?" "
"Yeah. "
"Is my daughter really alive? "
"For heaven's sake, I'm telling you again, she's still alive. Trust me "
Even though Magnus was sure Samuel was telling the truth because of his magic, doubts still lingered on his face.
"You're ….. You're, You're not lying .... my, my daughter from Laura is alive. "
The old man's eyes filled with tears as he spoke with a shaky voice.
" Thank God, she's alive .... She's alive."
" Is she doing well ?"
"Yeah, very well "
"Thank god ..."
Samuel gazed softly at the old man in front of him.
He felt sorry for the character crying before him. He personally created this character's tragedy and made his life hell.
But now, he can't fix it anymore.
Samuel clapped his hand firmly to quiet Magnus's tears.
It's not nice to see an elderly person crying.
"Stop crying like a girl. I'm starting to feel uncomfortable."
Samuel mumbled these words as he gently scratched his head.
"If you help me find my daughter, I will agree to your Majesty's conditions."
After this, although they were still seated close, their bond transformed entirely compared to earlier.
Magnus pulled a blue piece of paper and a black pen from his magical ring. The pen started writing on its own on the paper. The old man whispered softly as he watched.
"Your Majesty, I agree to sign a mana contract with you today, but I can only commit to it for five years."
"I'm fine with that." Samuel nodded affirmatively.
"Contract Duration: Five years"
"I, Magnus Pearce, promise to serve His Majesty Emperor Samuel Hanover with all my heart. I will do whatever your Majesty asks of me, as long as you fulfill your part of the deal." .
"Samuel Hanover needs to assist me with my special project and provide me with the whereabouts of my missing daughter. "
" I promise to follow Samuel's instructions during the contract time, as long as he doesn't make me do something against my will or morality."
After the pen finished writing,
A blue document inscribed with the terms of the Mana Contract flashed in the air.
"Do you want to change something?"
"No, I am satisfied with it."
Samuel smiled calmly as he reviewed the contract with his eyes to make sure there were no loopholes that could be exploited.
"All right..."
We simply need to send our blood to finalize the contract process and be done with it.
"I know,"
It wasn't unexpected that Samuel understood the steps, as he was the one who set up how to make this Mana contract in this world.
The duo cut their hands and then sent their blood towards the Mana Contract.
"Huh?"
Samuel felt a comforting blue light surround him, almost like it was pulling a piece of his soul away.
Then a blue rune appeared on Samuel's arm, which quickly disappeared.
This invisible rune proves that the magical agreement between the pair is all set.
Anyone who violates or attempts to circumvent the terms of the contract attested by nature itself dies directly by crushing the part of the soul that was absorbed into the mana contract.
Samuel looked into the old man's blue eyes as the man knelt in front of him, smiling warmly.
"Fortunately, it ended as I expected ."
.