Ch.26Chapter 26 – This Situation Is Getting Way Out of Hand? (1)

Hippotos, the mayor of Arkenium—a city created to support the operation of Glesius Academy—was sweating nervously.

This was because he knew very well who the elderly man sitting across from him was.

The old man with abundant white hair and a long beard could have passed for any common elderly person walking down the street.

However, despite his seemingly humble appearance, Hippotos, facing this old man, could physically feel the terrifying invisible pressure emanating from him.

“Mayor Hippotos. Recently, an interesting rumor has reached my ears.”

When the man before Mayor Hippotos, Bergen Staler, mentioned an “interesting rumor,” another drop of cold sweat trickled down the mayor’s face.

He knew exactly what kind of person Bergen Staler was.

The Imperial Chancellor had mentioned an “interesting rumor”?

This meant that either he or someone among his subordinate officials had done something to disturb Bergen’s mood.

Who was Bergen Staler?

He was the one person below the Emperor and above all others—trusted by the absolute ruler of the Celebrio Empire.

A man who had risen to the position of Chancellor with authority over all imperial officials and had never once broken the law.

A figure who could never be removed from his position as Chancellor no matter who filed complaints against him.

He could be considered the Empire’s second-in-command, governing alongside the Emperor.

And now someone had gone against his wishes?

Hippotos didn’t know who this unfortunate person was, but they would be better off committing murder and going to prison than facing punishment from Bergen.

After all, Bergen Staler’s image in the civil service was that of the “Grim Reaper” himself.

“I don’t know who dared to disturb your mood, sir, but if you give me time, I will thoroughly—”

“Ah, no. That’s enough. I didn’t say you should find out who is involved in this interesting rumor.”

When Hippotos realized that Bergen hadn’t visited city hall to find the person responsible, he became even more tense.

If Bergen had simply ordered him to find and bring in the culprit, he would have personally run around to catch them, but being told not to find them only intensified Hippotos’s anxiety.

“Recently, an interesting shop has opened near the downtown area that has caught my attention. I believe it’s called Pathos’s Repair Shop?”

“Yes, that’s correct, Chancellor. The owner claims he can fix anything, and regardless of whether that’s true, he’s causing disruption in the local business community.”

Hippotos assumed that Pathos, the repair shop owner, was the one who had disturbed the Chancellor’s mood.

Otherwise, the Chancellor wouldn’t have referred to his shop as “interesting.”

“Could it be that he’s the one who has disturbed your mood, Chancellor?”

“Ho ho ho. You still don’t understand my intentions in saying such things, it seems.”

Bergen slightly furrowed his brows as he responded to Mayor Hippotos’s question.

Immediately, Hippotos got down from his chair and prostrated himself before Bergen.

“I-I’m sorry, Chancellor! It’s my own inadequacy that led me to misunderstand your words.”

“That’s enough. Stand up.”

Bergen looked at Hippotos as if he had seen something distasteful.

“Do you know what has been happening at that repair shop?”

“I don’t know the details, but I understand that the shop was reported for violating regulations and received a correction order.”

“Violation, you say…”

When Hippotos mentioned a violation, Bergen frowned, expressing his displeasure.

As Bergen showed dissatisfaction with the term “violation,” Hippotos’s ten years of experience as mayor set off warning bells in his mind.

He immediately realized why Bergen had come here.

Bergen’s displeasure at the mention of a violation meant that the actions that had prompted the correction order two days ago were not violations at all.

“I understand what you’re trying to say, Chancellor. I will immediately have someone conduct a detailed investigation.”

However, Hippotos was still somewhat confused by Bergen’s words. Why wouldn’t the repair shop’s activities be considered violations?

Did this Pathos fellow have some kind of secret? This man from the Eastern Continent?

Hippotos racked his brain but couldn’t come up with a definitive answer.

“Heh heh heh. Let me give you a piece of advice—the owner of that repair shop is an ‘ability user.'”

Seeing that Hippotos couldn’t find the answer despite his efforts, Bergen offered a hint.

“A-an ability user, you say?”

“Yes. And a very ‘rare’ one at that. Is that sufficient?”

“Indeed! Thank you very much, Chancellor! I will take immediate action.”

Hippotos finally understood why Bergen had expressed displeasure at the mention of violations.

Ability users, regardless of their origin, were basically treated with the same respect as nobles.

This meant that Pathos, though not a native of the Celebrio Empire, should be treated with the respect accorded to nobility.

Yet the violations applied to him were based on treating him as a ‘commoner.’

Therefore, Pathos had absolutely not committed any violations.

Moreover, Hippotos had never before heard Bergen use the word “rare.”

Bergen was a man who rarely used unnecessary modifiers.

So anyone who knew anything about Bergen could easily notice that he had his eye on Pathos, the repair shop owner.

Having governed the empire as Chancellor for a long time, Bergen was someone who had access to and knew more information than anyone else.

For someone like him to use the word “rare,” there was a possibility that Pathos possessed an ability that was “one of a kind” in this world.

That’s why Hippotos needed to move faster than ever before.

If he delayed and Pathos left the Celebrio Empire for somewhere else?

Then he would have to prepare for his head to literally roll.

‘Please, please let it not be too late!’

Hippotos desperately hoped that Pathos hadn’t suffered any harm.

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

Bergen Staler was lost in thought as he left city hall and returned to his mansion.

‘Well, it’s certainly an interesting ability. The power to fix anything…’

As Chancellor, Bergen knew in detail what kind of person Pathos was.

Presumed to be from the Eastern Continent, a man with the ability to fix anything.

Most shockingly, someone who could casually invoke the name of the “Great Goddess” without receiving divine punishment.

This alone made Pathos an immensely valuable person to Bergen.

The ability to fix anything had never been discovered even once since the first recorded history until now.

From the most chaotic periods to the most peaceful times, this ability had never been discovered.

‘Just how great a trial and chaos is coming to this land?’

As the Chancellor of the Celebrio Empire, Bergen was one of the people who knew the past history in detail.

In historical accounts, eras with many ability users were always accompanied by great disasters and calamities.

‘Three hundred years ago, when 150 ability users appeared in a single year, a maddened ancient dragon appeared and killed one-tenth of the world’s population.’

But even when the maddened ancient dragon appeared, an ability like Pathos’s had never emerged.

‘Five hundred years ago, when the Demon King who conquered the demon realm appeared and ushered in the Dark Age, such an ability never appeared.’

His ability had not appeared even during the Dark Age, considered the worst period in human history.

‘Moreover, this time, in addition to the 100 existing ability users, as many as 200 new ability users have appeared.’

Having at least 300 ability users active in the same era had never occurred in previous history.

‘Three hundred ability users, and an ability user with a power never before discovered or recorded.’

And on top of that.

‘A being who can casually invoke the name of the Great Goddess without receiving divine punishment.’

Bergen’s curiosity about Pathos grew stronger the more he thought about it.

“What? You’re saying I can distribute bread again?”

And the subject of his interest was currently greatly confused by the correction order that had been reversed in just a few days.