Mage Manual

Chapter 135: Chapter 123 Ogre Fernand

Above Shattered Lake, a transport ship was breaking through the waves while intermittent attempts by finger sharks to nibble at the massive vessel produced a series of crisp clinking sounds.

“Hollis is rallying the Eternal Life Wine Club?”

In the only VIP room, a benign-faced ogre was seated in an upholstered chair, chewing on a pipe, exhaling a ring of pale green smoke.

In the light screen in front of the ogre, a tall, handsome, pointy-eared bald goblin was flipping through documents. He was clad in a tailored black suit and glasses, his face filled with worry.

“Yes, mayor, I’m afraid they are looking to impeach and end your term early,” the goblin spoke anxiously, “You were the main person in charge for the ‘424 incident.’ If Hollis rallies the centrists against us and calls for a mayoral vote, it would be hard for us to gain support. Even our supporting councilors will face pressure from their local constituents.”

“Who would’ve thought that after all my contention with Andrey, it would be Hollis, the bastard, who snatched the peaches…”

Snap!

The ogre bit down hard, and the pipe made of white jade ivory was crushed to bits in his teeth! He chewed a few times and swallowed the pipe!

“How can you manage good politics with these insects?” His brow furrowed, the benign face suddenly turning stern, “A vacillating human like Hollis with unremarkable views, dull thinking, and no capability to change the status quo, who is known to be easily manipulated, dares to compete with me!?”

“Mayor, if it really doesn’t work out, we could wait for the next term—”

“There is no next term, no next time! Kibot, we don’t have a second chance, none! Once I step down, there would be no opportunity for a do-over!” The ogre raised three thick fingers, “In the history of Kaimon City, there have been 51 Elf mayors and 42 Human mayors, but I am only one of three non-standard-species mayors!”

The Extreme Master of Blood Moon impartially bestows glory upon all species, but some species, due to their appearances, receive more glory, such as Elves and Humans, termed standard species. Other species like Beastman, ogre, and Goblin are classified as non-standard species.

Over many years of artificial selection, the appearances of non-standard species have become increasingly similar to those of standard species. The most primitive and fierce among them were reworked right at the infant stage and could not even enter orphanages.

“Do you know what I have given up for this?” The ogre tapped his teeth, “I pulled out all my sharp teeth and replaced them with neat white ones; the first thing I do when I wake up is clip my nails because an ogre’s claws can grow a joint-length overnight; I undergo photon rejuvenation weekly to ensure my skin remains free from unsightly wrinkles.”

“Despite all this, if it wasn’t for the citizens’ curiosity, I would never have been elected as mayor! Even though I, Arlandor Fernand, have three Golden degrees, am a Two-winged Golden Mage, and hold many other titles I myself have forgotten, the citizens will not give me a second chance, just like you wouldn’t watch the same clown perform twice.”

“Kibot, do you know why I chose you as my secretary? Because you are a Goblin, and only you can understand my situation, only you have experienced the ridicule I have faced.”

The goblin Kibot in the light screen paused, unsure of what to say, as Fernand raised his artificial eyebrows and asked, “What do you want to say?”

“Mayor, why… why don’t you save the citizens?” Kibot’s voice was tinged with sadness, “You clearly knew it was a Foreign Domain Mage invasion, yet initially, you said it was all rumors, that nothing happened.”

“Then you said it was a series of murders and had the Crime Hunting Hall investigate.”

“Finally, you announced it was a terrorist attack and mobilized all the armed forces in the city.”

“By the time you called up the adventurers from the war zones, it was all too late.”

“If you had disclosed the truth initially…”

“Disclosing the truth initially would only have caused panic among the citizens, leading to mass gatherings and escapes, instead offering the invaders an advantage,” Fernand calmly replied, “What, then, do you think I should have done? Faced with over a hundred well-prepared Foreign Domain Mages, I had the Crime Hunting Hall act immediately.”

“There are also the research institutions and the Church!” Kibot added, “If they were willing to intervene, certainly the invaders wouldn’t have been so rampant!”

“They are unwilling—since the invaders have not harmed their interests, they have no reason or obligation to protect Kaimon City.”

“But you are the mayor. If you pressured them to make a statement in public, the people would surely support you!”

Fernand glanced at Kibot.

“I see now, Hollis just wants me out of office, but you, you want me dead.”

“No, I didn’t mean that…”

“Indeed, as you said, if I pressed publicly, to maintain their hard-earned reputations, the research institutions and the Church would likely act to repel the invaders.”

Fernand sharply said, “But no one can exploit the Blood Saint Clan and the Moon Shadow Clan without a price, no one. When my term ends, what awaits me is a long, inevitable death, and other rulers will certainly use me as a warning.”

Kibot had a downcast expression, “Are we really just going to watch as the citizens are ravaged by the invaders…”

“Do you think I lack compassion? Do you have to flaunt your misplaced compassion like this?” Fernand waved his hand impatiently, “The attack from the Foreign Domain will soon pass, and there are plenty of people to fill the vacant jobs. The destroyed buildings will be quickly rebuilt, creating even more jobs. In a few months, Kaimon City will be back to its former self. And because of this unexpected disaster, the desire to consume among the citizens will increase over the next six months. The majority who died were the elderly and weak who couldn’t escape fast enough… This attack, purely for Kaimon City, is actually more beneficial than harmful!”

In the light screen, Kibot stared at Fernand, “Mayor, you…”

“This isn’t just my opinion, the Racial Security Bureau, Crime Hunting Hall, Development Planning Hall… the entire Civil Servant System is suggesting it,” Fernand said, “As soon as the attack is over, the next six months will be an opportunity for the Government Affairs Hall to boost our achievements.”

“Kibot, City Hall is just a temporary master perched atop the Civil Servant System. If the Civil Servant System desires this, my disaster relief decrees will only be slowly issued. Instead of going against everyone’s wishes, why not go with the flow and save some money?”

Fernand said calmly, “It’s like gardening, unkempt flowers and grass need trimming for the garden to look beautiful. Here in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, we can’t and aren’t allowed to trim. Now that someone is helping us trim, why not be pleased about it?”

“What’s more,” he spread his hands, “the Blood Saint craves corpses, the Moon Shadow loves death… both clans of Blood Moon relish this massacre, it’s a game for the gods. The Government Affairs Hall can’t afford to upset them, you understand, right?”

The goblin muttered, “This is too much…”

“If you want to go further later, don’t care about good and evil, the Government Affairs Hall only cares about order and chaos.” Fernand knocked on the table, “Alright, lesson’s over. After you go back, take one-third from my vault… no, a third, to win over the non-standard race’s councilors. Then take a seventh to Selin, let the Woodpecker wipe out the remnants of Hollice and those of the Eternal Life wine!”

Kibot panicked, “Mayor, how can you—you still have to undergo a memory examination when you leave prison—”

“I will erase this memory myself,” Fernand stated blandly.

“But Hollice isn’t just anyone, he’s a human councilor, the Crime Hunting Hall will definitely investigate thoroughly! This is gambling!”

“If we don’t gamble, we won’t have a chance!” Fernand’s voice was ice-cold, his eyes wide as brass bells, sending a chilling killing intent which made Kibot realize for the first time that the mayor was an ogre, “It wasn’t easy to persuade the other race’s councilors… even the elves have agreed to my plan… the various races of Kaimon City are finally going to unite for the first time…”

“If we’re lucky and we’re the first to find the correct passage to the Void Realm, if we invade the Foreign Domain first, such an achievement will please the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, ensuring my re-election and giving me more time to prepare!”

“Unfortunately, ogres’ luck isn’t too good…” Fernand gritted his teeth, “But no matter what, I can’t end my term early, nor can I leave the mayorship to someone like Hollice who only knows how to flatter! Humans are more arrogant than elves, more short-sighted than goblins, lazier than Beastmen, greedier than ogres… Humans are the most unreliable race, they’re desperate to abandon their own bodies, take on the blood of the Blood Saint Clan, wear the skin of the Moon Shadow Clan, then turn around and exploit their own kind even more! Now, we have to make some minor mistakes!”

Kibot looked incredulous, “Assassinating a councilor is a minor mistake? Then what is a major mistake?”

“Getting caught is a major mistake,” Fernand said coldly.

The scenery outside the window stopped passing by, and the room’s speaker announced, “Mayor Fernand, Transport Ship No. 322 has arrived at Shattered Lake Prison.”

Fernand walked to the window, his fingertip glowing as he touched his temple and pulled out a fine white strand, then threw it into the sea where a inter-digital shark leaped out and swallowed it.

“I’ve already forgotten what I just told you.” He looked at the young secretary in the light screen, “It’s up to you now, Goblin.”

With that, Fernand turned off the light screen and left the room, accompanied by two Blood Frenzy Hunters, stepping into Shattered Lake Prison.

Within the yellow lines, two neatly dressed Prison Guards were waiting.

The hunters, not giving much face to Fernand, handed the documents to the more handsome Prison Guard, “This transport brings only one prisoner, please sign for it.”

The handsome Prison Guard checked the documents and nodded, “Confirmed, Fernand Arlan, Mayor of Kaimon City.”

“Are you the only one to carry the supplies from the ship?”

“Sorry, not sure if there was a problem with the food that came last time, but now half of the prisoners and most of the guards have food poisoning; they’re lined up in the treatment room. Could the hunters and sailors help move the supplies?”

The hunters muttered, “I heard Kaimon City recently discovered a batch of toxic fertilizer… could it be… of course, no problem, but we don’t know where the storeroom is.”

“I’ll lead the way for you.” The handsome Guard looked at his colleague, “You take the Mayor to log into the Sinners’ Catalogue and arrange his quarters.”

“Yes.”

Fernand turned his head and looked at the rather unremarkable guardian beside him. Whether it was the glare of the sun or not, he felt the face looked a bit blurred.

“Mayor Fernand, welcome to Shattered Lake Prison, you will receive a royal treatment here.”