Hearing Lord Rhine's request, not only was the King confused, but even the 12 Witches, who were proficient in magic, were equally perplexed.
Defining a multi-stage title for others to recite—was this some kind of ritual?
However, it seemed that this story of wishes being granted by reciting a name did indeed have a mysterious charm to it.
"Of course, no problem, this is effortless. Lord Rhine, everything as you wish."
The King did not refuse this request.
It was incredibly simple for him!
Lord Rhine smiled and thanked the King.
This was also a use of the power of prophecy that he had invented. The inspiration naturally came from novels.
"Unlike other magicians in this world, I have many novel ideas from another world, another era. As I fulfill more wishes and receive more supernatural rewards, elements from Earth's entertainment works can be replicated one by one."
Thinking of this, Lord Rhine couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation.
After the battle with Black Witch, Lord Rhine deeply realized that compared to the truly powerful magicians in this world, he still had a long way to go.
…
That night, the King's Soldiers stormed into the old craftsman's residence. They were under orders to arrest the fraudulent craftsman and sentence him to hanging!
However, when they broke open the door, they found that the old craftsman had already hanged himself from the rafters.
Upon learning of the tragic situation at the banquet, the old craftsman committed suicide out of fear of punishment!
The old craftsman left a suicide note, pleading for the King and Sage Lord Rhine's mercy, asking them to spare his family, including his wife and his brother Oz, who worked at the circus.
…
In the blink of an eye, several weeks had passed since the great battle in the palace.
The version of this event circulating among the people had become as follows:
The notorious Black Witch Maleficent—was invited to Princess Aurora's baptism ceremony but suddenly became enraged and went mad at the banquet, attacking the King's guards and causing many Soldier casualties.
Fortunately, the court's magic advisor, the Kingdom's Sage, Great Magician Lord Rhine, possessed immense power and protected the King and Queen, keeping them safe and sound. This court magician also led the 12 Witches, turning the tide and repelling Maleficent.
Now, Black Witch Maleficent was suspected of having fled to another country.
As for the crucial fact that "the Witch cursed the little Princess and even the entire Kingdom," it was intentionally concealed.
The sun rose as usual.
No one knew that the shadow of death had already enveloped the entire Kingdom's sky.
During this time, another magical legend began to circulate among taverns and bonfires.
"Have you heard? The story of the Wish Magician? Could it be true?"
"Please, Jerry, you're not a three-year-old child anymore. How could such a fairy tale be true?"
"But I heard someone say that the magician in the story who can grant wishes is Great Magician Lord Rhine, who once treated thousands of patients in the southern region and later became the Kingdom's Sage!"
"It's normal for a story to have a real-life prototype. Besides, as a distinguished court magician now, how could Lord Rhine possibly listen to the wishes of commoners like us?"
The versions of the legend varied widely, but all revolved around a mysterious magician boy who could grant people's wishes.
And almost every circulating version would mention a strange name.
It was said that truly desperate children, when starving and cold, had recited the corresponding name and made a wish, and soon after, a colorful bird brought her bread and water.
After a few instances of fulfillment, this legend spread rapidly, becoming a bedtime story for many children and even showing a tendency to spread beyond the Kingdom.
But most people who made wishes with a "just trying it out" attitude did not witness any miracles.
Some doubted the truth of the legend, while others believed that only particularly sincere wishes had a small chance of being answered.
...
During this time, Oz was not in a good state.
The circus's balloon pilot and star magician was constantly anxious and distracted.
"Oz, have you run into some big trouble? I have a suggestion, do you want to hear it?"
A colleague from the circus comforted Oz, who was looking pale.
"No, no. Let me be alone."
Oz waved his hand, dismissing his colleague.
Only Oz knew that his fear couldn't be shared with outsiders!
A few days ago, his elder brother—the old craftsman who had served the court for many years—committed suicide out of fear of punishment because he had adulterated the gold plate.
Even more terrifying, according to the rumors Oz had heard, the "adulteration of the gold plate" seemed to be the reason Black Witch Maleficent suddenly attacked at the Princess's baptism ceremony!
"It's over, it's over. My brother provoked Black Witch, which led to this disaster."
"What's even more terrifying is that my brother seems to have gotten the idea to commit fraud because of my unintentional teasing!"
"If the King finds out that this matter is related to me, I will surely lose my life!"
"No, even if His Majesty doesn't find out, he might still take his anger out on me."
The more Oz thought about it, the more terrified he became, trembling and on the verge of tears.
"Mr. Oz, although I don't know what big trouble you're in, I have a suggestion—you can try making a wish to the magician from the recent legends. The legend says that only particularly strong wishes might be fulfilled. Given your current state, perhaps making a wish will actually work."
The colleague who had been dismissed earlier, somehow came back again, poking his head out from the doorframe, and suggested.
"Make a wish to the legendary magician?"
Oz was startled, his eyes gleaming slightly.
He had also heard the legend of the "Wish Magician" recently.
It's free anyway, so why not try?
But the next second, Oz dismissed the idea.
What a joke?
The prototype of this legend, it was said, was the Kingdom's only Sage, the King's advisor, the court's Great Magician—Lord Rhine.
He had offended the King, how desperate would he have to be to pray to the King's advisor, the court magician Lord Rhine?
If this Great Magician could really hear my prayers from afar, it would be merciful if he didn't strike me dead with a bolt of lightning!
Oz's heart was dead, his expression gloomy, his face filled with a bleak sorrow.
…
As the saying goes, what you think about during the day, you dream about at night.
That night, Oz didn't sleep soundly at all.
He dreamed that the King's Soldiers came to arrest him, and he would be sentenced to hanging, hanged alive.
In the terrifying nightmare, a crying Oz, with a "desperate times call for desperate measures" attitude, recited the name from the legendary story:
"Sage beyond the world, Prophet who knows the future, Wizard of miracles and wishes…"
"Please, I want to live, to escape this Kingdom safely!"
As Oz in the dream recited these words, Oz in the real world also uttered the same dream-talk.
On the distant road.
Rhine, who had packed his belongings and left the palace with Princess Aurora, was halfway on his journey. He heard the distant prayer from the bumpy carriage.