Miss Witch, please don't leave your fragrance everywhere

“——It’s really wonderful.”

There was applause from afar. Georg, who had just realized that it was inappropriate to hug the eldest daughter, hurriedly put Marta down. Marta showed a somewhat regretful expression. If allowed, she would like to continue to snuggle in Georg's arms for a while.

The ones who applauded were not the villagers from Baron Mephisto's territory. If the villagers had seen what happened just now, they would definitely be careful to take a detour, and after a while, the gossip would spread all over the streets.

"you are……"

"Is this the Barony of Mephisto?"

The man asked with a smile, and Georg protected Marta behind him, because the man in colorful clothes in front of him smiled frivolously, like the kind of man who is good at using words to coax girls' feelings and deceive them.

"I saw on a nearby notice that Baron Mephisto's territory is overrun with rats, and the baron is willing to hire someone to drive the rats out. I shouldn't be too late, right?"

"Are you a rat-catcher?"

Georg was a little skeptical because he didn't see the man carrying any tools and his temperament didn't look like that of a rat catcher.

"No, I'm a magician. Although I'm not a professional rat catcher, I can still use magic to drive away rats."

Georg asked Marta for her opinion, as as a servant he had no right to make the final decision.

Marta has been suffering from a rat infestation recently. She likes Georg's loyal company, but in comparison, she is more worried that her beautiful golden hair will be eaten by rats.

"You've come at the right time. If you can help us get rid of the rats, my father will definitely pay you a satisfactory reward."

"Oh? Miss, you are the Baron's daughter? I am sorry for not greeting you right away. However, it would be even better if I could discuss the remuneration with the Baron in person."

"Hmm...what does this mean?"

"I already know the reward on the notice, and I have also asked people about the rat plague in Barony Mephisto. My magic can help you solve the problem, but it will cost a little more gold coins."

The man's identity was full of doubts. Georg asked the man about his origins in a vague way, but the man remained silent and only said that it was not important. The most urgent task now was to help Baron Mephisto escape from the rat plague.

If the rat plague cannot be resolved, this year's harvest will be greatly reduced. The baron needs to pay food to his loyal lord, and how to survive the winter is also a problem.

After thinking it over, Marta felt that it was worth a try. Many rat catchers had failed because there were too many rats. Perhaps magic could bring a miracle to Baron Mephisto.

338 The Pied Piper

"--impossible."

Georg had not expected the story to unfold this way.

The negotiations broke down after only less than a minute. The baron and the flowery-clothed magician sat down at the negotiating table, and the magician raised objections to the price.

I can drive away the rats in Baron Mephisto's territory, but I would like to charge you a little more. How much is this?

He quoted an astronomical figure.

It's probably like doubting one's own ears, wondering if the other party has reported the level a few digits too high.

The baron showed an unhappy look on his face. He felt that the frivolous man in front of him was a complete charlatan. Out of his aristocratic upbringing, he did not drive the magician away immediately.

"I don't think it's impossible. Selling some of the family property should be enough."

"Do you want me to sell the whole castle?"

"If there is a suitable buyer, it may be possible."

"Marta, don't call someone who is drunk next time."

"Father, Father..."

It seems there is nothing more to talk about. The Baron has already decided to send us away.

"——Bootes, sequence six, fast march."

"Eh?"

"Add to that Charity's Sequence 9 Rose of Gift and Apus's Sequence 6 Levitation. My beautiful lady, you are safe and sound just now thanks to these magics. Am I right?"

The magician confirmed with a smile to Georg, and the baron also stopped.

Georg nodded, and in response to the Baron's questions, he gave a brief account of the danger that Marta had encountered.

"My Lord, he can recognize the magic I use."

"...I didn't know you could use Sequence Six magic."

Georg's expression was slightly awkward. Sequence Six had already reached a level high enough to be certified as a magician. Georg had always kept his magical talent hidden, but it seemed that he had met a true expert today.

Being able to recognize it means that the magician in front of him has at least reached Sequence Six.

The magician still had a smile on his face.

"It's harvest time soon, my Lord. I'm sure you don't want this year's harvest to be so bad that it won't even last through the winter, right?"

The baron stroked his beard and thought for a while.

"Selling the castle is impossible anyway, but I can consider borrowing money from someone I know. But I have one condition. It will take time for me to borrow money. The rat plague has caused considerable damage to my territory. In order to minimize the loss, I hope you can act as soon as possible."

"Great, I'll get started right away."

The magician snapped his fingers.

"If you have any requests, please talk to Georg."

The Baron said this and left with Marta, and Georg bowed slightly to the magician.

"How can I help you?"

"Oh?"

The magician was slightly surprised.

"You are really just a servant."

"Yes."

"It seems that I have ruined your well-hidden good deeds? You are not blaming me wrongly, are you?"

"how come."

Georg did have a headache, but it was also true that he had concealed his magical talent, so he had to think about how to face the lord in the future.

Fortunately, there were only four of them present, so the news would not be leaked.

Why didn't he feel panicked, but instead felt a little relieved? He probably felt that his identity as a magician would give him an extra bargaining chip to be with Miss Marta. Understanding his own subconscious calculations, Georg could only smile bitterly.

The magician stared at Georg again and again.

"I guess you have mastered more than Sequence 6 magic. Judging from the accuracy of your magic control just now, you... may have reached the level of Sequence 4."

"..."

"Your talent is beyond the description of being young and promising. You may even be able to reach the final secret of a magician."

"The final secret of the magician?"

"Yes. When you reach five Sequence Ones, you will have the chance to touch eternity. Don't you think that is a wonderful thing? The flow of time will wash away everything, no matter how old the rocks are. However, Extraordinary people can conquer time."

"I'm sorry, but I don't crave eternity."

"That's a shame, you don't understand how cruel time is."

The magician sighed sincerely, he even wanted to persuade Georg to join the magic secret society (Rosicrucian) he founded. However, since Georg had no interest in it, there was nothing he could do. The magic secret society was originally an organization jointly founded by like-minded magicians, and they would not force anyone to join just because they found someone to be a good candidate.

"Excuse me for asking... Is your request for a large sum of money also related to the final mystery?"

"Indeed. No magician has succeeded so far, and my talent is not at that level, but I think maybe I can use something else... Oops, I've gone a little off topic, let's get back to the point. Do the people in Barony Mephisto stay at home at night?"

"Yes, except during holidays, there is curfew after nine o'clock at night, and only guards are responsible for patrolling."

"Have the guards stay in the castle tonight as well. Everyone stay home and don't come out no matter what happens."

Georg was confused about what the magician was going to do, but he still followed the magician's request and informed everyone in Baron Mephisto's territory one by one. Fortunately, everyone was suffering from rat infestation, and when they heard that a powerful magician was coming to drive out the rats, they expressed their willingness to cooperate without saying a word.

Time soon came to night.

The magician came to the center of the barony and took out a recorder.

Soon after, melodious flute sounds lingered in the Barony of Mephisto. People remembered the magician's instructions and stayed at home doing nothing.

But some of the home's unexpected guests couldn't seem to hold back.

"Georg, look!"

Georg stayed in Marta's room to guard the eldest lady. Along with the light sound of the flute, many mice came out of Marta's room, and they came out one after another as if they were summoned.

"This is……"

Not only in Marta's room, but also in the entire castle and even in the entire territory of Mephisto Baron, the mice were attracted by the sound of the flute, leaving their cozy nests and gathering behind the magician. In less than ten minutes, not a single mouse in Mephisto Baron's territory was left, and all were summoned by the magician's flute.

The magician played his flute and led a large group of rats behind him to leave the barony. The rats gathered in groups and had no intention of resisting. Their minds had been bewitched by the magician.

The magician came to a swamp deep in the forest and stopped playing his flute, but the mice still showed no intention of moving and would allow themselves to be slaughtered by the magician.

"Well, it's an easy deal."

The magician smiled and used magic to ignite the flames. In an instant, the raging fire caused by the methane covered the rats.

339 The Pain of Symbiosis

After one night, there was no more rat infestation in the entire Baron Mephisto territory. Not a single rat could be seen in the Baron's territory, and the villagers were plunged into a sea of ​​jubilation.

Unknown to anyone, a quarrel had broken out again in the Baron's castle.

"Isn't the price different from what we agreed on before, Lord?"

"Those are the rewards you deserve. I can't offer you more."

The Baron paid the magician gold coins, but the amount did not seem to be in line with what they had agreed upon, and was only slightly more than the gold coins that the Baron had originally offered.

“…Didn’t you borrow the money?”

"No, any amount of money is an unreasonable request and I will not agree to it."

The baron was very firm in his attitude, because the magician's request from the beginning was a complete lion's mouth, and he was never prepared to satisfy the magician's greed. But if the magician could eliminate the rat infestation, the baron was still willing to pay the due remuneration, as well as some extra tips such as labor fees.

The magician's index finger tapped a regular rhythm on the wooden table.

"This is giving me a headache. Do I look like someone who is easy to talk to?"

"Father……"

Marta looked at the Baron worriedly. The magician possessed powerful strength, and it was definitely not a wise choice to irritate the magician.

"The Mephisto Barony will regard you as a great benefactor. From now on, when you come to the Mephisto Barony, drinks and accommodation will be free."

"..."

That was not what the magician wanted, and the Baron's meaning was clear, your astronomical price would never be met no matter what, and it would be futile to continue to pester him.

The magician knew very well that the Baron probably really couldn't come up with the extra money.

But the magician never convinces people with reason, otherwise he would not have made such an unreasonable request.

Georg's heart was in his throat, he felt that the magician's strength was above his. If the magician got angry, Mephisto might not be his opponent.

"In that case, okay."

The magician lifted up the bag of gold coins.

"I'll take my share of the payment."

Without waiting for the baron's reply, the magician walked away at a brisk pace.

Marta nervously tugged at the corner of her father's clothes.

"Father, he doesn't look like he's going to give up. What should we do?"

"Even if he wants to steal money, we have nothing to give him. The only thing to worry about is whether he will retaliate. Georg, you protect my daughter and send more guards to patrol at night."

"As ordered."

Georg was worried. Ordinary guards could never be a match for the magician. He hoped that the magician would just say some harsh words. But it was obvious that if he was really such an easy-going person, how could he ask for such an astronomical reward?

Time soon came to night.

Georg was standing outside Marta's house as usual. The moonlight was beautiful tonight, but Georg was not in the mood to appreciate it.