Chapter 344 – The Confusion of Benlajet

The glory of gods, the glory of nations, one’s own glory… Holy Warriors were beings wrapped in these contradictory entanglements. From Oaks, Punk could easily see the shadow of Joni Zordas—a pitiful avenger trapped in a whirlpool of hatred, shrouding himself with glory!

But what did any of this have to do with Punk? To him, Joni’s sworn hatred toward the black dragon Ovakain Acidmaw was nothing but an exploitable opportunity.

Having now incorporated Joni and the Maple Leaf Kingdom into his plans, Punk walked ahead nonchalantly with Oaks. Ben Lajie, who had initially considered meddling, could only sigh and jog to catch up with Punk.

Behind them, the little boy, green-eyed with hunger, had sunk his teeth fiercely into the little girl’s arm, while the pained girl clawed out the boy’s eyes with her nails…

“Glory? What a pitiful kingdom!”

Ben Lajie muttered to himself without restraint.

“You…!”

Oaks, walking ahead, had undoubtedly heard Ben Lajie’s words. Already provoked by Punk at the city gate, Oaks was now infuriated by this renewed insult to his glory.

But when he turned back, he saw the surging fury in Ben Lajie’s pupils.

A somber yet warm flame burned within them. Even through those narrow slits of eyes, the fire might seem faint, but its contained heat still carried the scorching temperature to brand souls… In that moment, Oaks could feel the undeniable anger of the mage before him.

Finally, he chose to turn away without another word:

“Honored guests, the lodging arranged by the Maple Leaf Kingdom is just ahead. I have official duties to attend to and must take my leave.”

——————————————

Warm flames danced within the exquisite brick fireplace, occasional embers scattering with crimson sparks. The pale red glow illuminated the birchwood dining table before the hearth, casting flickering reflections on the pristine ceramic plates.

Two plates sat on the table, both bearing the same delicacy—Cellar Wine Roast Duck.

This roasted duck was the Maple Leaf Kingdom’s most premium and expensive gourmet dish. Each duck was raised from birth on specialized farms with aromatic herbs, paired with century-aged cellar wine during roasting. Rare spices more precious than gold were expertly kneaded into the duck’s flesh by royal chefs, while the crisply roasted skin sealed the flavors and rich duck fat within the meat’s very fibers.

It must be said, even Punk had to admit—the taste of Cellar Wine Roast Duck was truly extraordinary. With each bite, the crispy skin shattered effortlessly, warm tender meat rolled between teeth, and exquisite aromas bloomed gently on the tongue…

Punk ate with considerable satisfaction, having consumed nearly a third of the duck in short order.However, Ben Lajie, who sat opposite Punk, hadn’t touched his cutlery—the delicious roast duck he’d been craving throughout the journey was finally before him, yet he showed no appetite.

He was staring blankly out the window.

There, a little girl in tattered clothes had stiffened, curled up motionless in the biting cold wind—she had died!

Nights in the City of Enchanting Maple Flowers were bitterly cold. Even with a stove generously fed with coal, the indoor temperature barely reached over ten degrees Celsius. In the harsh outdoor winds, it was all too common for ordinary poor folk of the Maple Leaf Kingdom to never wake from their sleep—so common that the beautiful waitress standing beside Punk and Ben Lajie wore an expression of utter indifference.

But Ben Lajie couldn’t be indifferent. Remaining aloof and detached like Punk was impossible for him. At that moment, he gazed at the emaciated, skeletal corpse of the little girl with confusion and helplessness:

“Brother Cyan, it’s almost laughable when I think about it. I, Ben Lajie, have committed more than my share of wicked deeds. In my youth, I nearly crossed into the evil alignment. As I aged, I never did anything good. Before advancing to Master-Level, I can’t even remember how many official mages I’d schemed to death. After reaching Master-Level, I became even more unrestrained—running a black market selling potions to those Red Robes maniacs, forcing female apprentices into my bed, killing disobedient subordinates without hesitation… But now, seeing these children suffer fills me with sorrow and anger…”

Under the flickering firelight, Ben Lajie lost all traces of his usual frivolous, clownish demeanor. Now, more than ever, he resembled a frail old man nearing the end of his days, his plump face etched with wrinkles carved by time.

“Thinking carefully, my father was right when I was young. I’d have been better off joining him hawking apples through the streets instead of fantasizing about becoming some big shot or a mage… I’m over four thousand years old now, carrying hidden injuries from my youth. At best, I’ve only got four or five hundred years left… Reaching Legendary is unrealistic for someone like me… To still be so sentimental at this age, to feel anger over the plight of these ordinary people… I deserve to be laughed at… But I just can’t help it!”

Ben Lajie casually pushed the untouched roast goose to the corner of the table, then summoned a flame that reduced the little girl’s corpse outside the window to ashes.

It wasn’t hard to see that Ben Lajie was deeply sorrowful and confused. The fire elements around him began to radiate an aura of desolation, and the flames in the fireplace grew dim and flickered weakly, no matter how much wood was added.

Clink!

After swallowing his last bite of duck, Punk expressionlessly set down his fork.

“Grief? Confusion? Anger? Pity? These trivial emotions are nothing but obstacles on a spellcaster’s path. To be entangled by such childish things… Ben Lajie, this only proves how mediocre you truly are.”

Punk’s words remained as cold and sharp as ever.

But this time, lost in his own world, Ben Lajie didn’t respond. The dejected fat old man continued staring silently out the window, watching the howling wind sweep away the ashes on the ground along with their last remnants of warmth.

“Forget it!”Punk, who had never cared about Ben Lajie’s reactions in the first place, stood up nonchalantly.

“Your childishness and foolishness have nothing to do with me. After killing that black dragon, whether you plan to save this country or the entire world is irrelevant. However…”

At this point, a hint of coldness crept into Punk’s gaze as he looked at Ben Lajie.

“Do not let your foolish emotions interfere with my plans. That is my bottom line of tolerance!”

Having said this, Punk turned and walked out of the inn without another word. He had no intention of spending the night in the accommodations arranged by Jiaoni. While night had not yet fully fallen, he planned to dig a cave to serve as a temporary dwelling.

(End of Chapter)