Epic Of The Demonic Sage

Benjamin Hugh was someone who was excited about the new role that he found in life due to his meeting with Lord Asher Inanis.

So when Benjamin was assigned to a lovely but quaint area with his sister Lily at the assistance of Lord Asher's servant, Neta, he found himself curious about when Lord Asher would come to find him.

'I hope that he does not change his mind. He does not seem like the type to do that, as when he has made his choice, I do not think that he cares much about what is in his way as long as he gets what he wants.' Benjamin thought.

It was at that point in his life when he witnessed how Lord Asher bravely confronted his father, Baron Hugh, without a hint of any issues or insecurities that he realized this and desired to be like Lord Asher.

'And I do not think that it has merely gotten to do with the fact that his parents are of a higher station than my father's but he had done it because he wished for me to stay by his side.

I have seen other people who are of his rank but without the confidence that he has equipped within himself. I am not sure how he does it, the urge to look at the world and decide that it is alright to take what he wishes to take bravely without backing down. I find it hard to imagine being in his role.'

Suffice to say, Benjamin was someone who received opportunities in life that he didn't feel like he deserved.

It was only by chance that he had been born into the right family, and yet on the contrary there were always a number of internalized feelings that Benjamin kept to himself in order to protect himself from feeling inadequate. 

Among them was actually not hearing comments about the expectations of his family that gave him an ease of mind and along it was getting lost in the allure of books and stories.

'But Lord Asher already took quite a risk when deciding what he wishes to do… and thought of me as someone worth it. How do I prove it when he hasn't yet given me anything to do?'

It was a great contrast to the hubbub of life that was across the room.

Lily paced back and forth as she collected her things, checked herself on a mirror and then made a small strangled sound in her throat.

"AH! I do not wish to leave at all." Lily immediately spun to her feet and glanced at Benjamin. "You have nothing to do all day so at least let me know of how it'd go with Lord Asher if he were to ever find himself visiting. Please give him my kind regards and ensure that everything is well-lit according to what I perceive as standards of cleanliness, Benjamin." 

Lily said as she prepared herself for another day at the Dionysia Brewery.

At the urge of their mother, the Baroness Hugh, it sufficed to say that even without Lord Asher's word, Lily might have ended up in Inanis City due to their mother's insistence.

But yes, compared to Benjamin who had yet to receive a role from Lord Asher in getting an assigned task, the response for Lily was almost instantaneous.

It meant that Lily found herself working daily already, which was a great contrast to Benjamin who was lounging around.

"It seems like he needs more help than I expected," Lily muttered underneath her breath before she left for the day.

"Excuse me?" Benjamin raised a brow and yet could kinda infer what his sister was trying to say. 

'I could have gone and approached Lord Asher myself but I do not want to be a bother.'

Even though the interaction between him and Lord Asher had mostly been brief, he would like to imagine that the relationship between the two of them was perhaps something unavoidable at this point.

And so it was a great thing when Lord Asher finally arrived.

***

"You wish to assign me to Bishop Reynald?" Benjamin blinked.

"Yes, he is from the church of the goddess Etara. And this is actually aligned with the business that I plan on doing with you, Lord Benjamin. Most of the administrative tasks I wish to give you full control over as it is something along your expertise." Lucius said.

Benjamin felt appreciated and grateful, and yet there was something that he suddenly felt the urge to say.

"The Goddess Etara… of Knowledge. I will be meeting someone who is from that church. It is quite an opportunity."

Lucius raised a brow at the uncertain look on Benjamin's face.

'There truly are people who have much with themselves and yet cannot help but be weak and not do anything about it. It's a little frustrating, but it simply means that they are far easier to manipulate in the long run.' Lucius thought.

"What opportunity are you talking about?" Lucius asked.

"It is just… the Grand Repository of the Goddess Etara. It is quite something that most would dream of visiting." Benjamin explained with a sheepish expression on his face.

At the words of the young man, an idea instantly grasped Lucius' mind. 

'What if I were to simply send this young man in my stead and make him be the puppet apostle of the Goddess Etara? Though it's not really the best to involve him at this point and far better to include fewer people and have them mess things up.' Lucius thought.

He weighed the pros and cons of it and came out with an answer that he could find himself working with.

"Lord Benjamin if I were able to find a way to let you visit the Archives of the Goddess Etara, would you allow me the opportunity to have you find certain texts and have them remembered for me?" Lucius asked.

If there was a role beyond administrative work for Benjamin, then it would be this infiltration and knowledge acquisition.

Benjamin blinked at the sudden request that came from Lord Asher.

It was an unexpected role that the young man did not think he would get.

'This is… this is a role that is beyond that of administrative work. We haven't discussed this when he first mentioned that he wished for me to work for him. However, if this is what it takes to become the person that I desire to be, then so be it.'

"I… I can also do that, Lord Asher if you wish for me to do it. You can put your trust in me." Benjamin immediately said. 

If there was anything that a man who was willing to find self worth in himself, then it was to find himself fulfilling the desires of those who he chose to look up to and receiving the validation that came along with it.

"It is not yet a concrete thing, Lord Benjamin. However, I would like you to be prepared just in case that it has come to a situation where I will send you to locations where information needs to be obtained and I need your Gift to help us gain access to such things." Lucius said.

'I have originally intentioned to merely just use him for administrative roles as there is a certain lack of much combat ability as far as Baron Hugh is concerned, but it also means that it is a perfect way of allowing a spy into the midsts of people undetected.' Lucius thought. 'Of course, this is something that I may implement in the future when the time comes.'

The Grand Repository was something that came to mind, but there was another thing that preoccupied Lucius's mind.

'Aarkaves Guild. I haven't had the time to actually make a list of information that is worth for me to look over constantly as they are a group that has hidden well, but if there's anyone who has the time to go research for me, then I think Benjamin will be up to the task.'

"I think I am willing to take it easy, Lord Asher." Someone said.

Lucius blinked and glanced over his shoulder. Luckily, it was simply Kiana who had some snacks prepared for most things.

"Is something the matter, Lord Asher?" Benjamin asked, feeling a little curious about what was happening in his own private world.

"It is nothing. The next days shall be immediately preoccupied, and until then, I wish for you to keep pace with me, Lord Benjamin."

As promised, the next few days would soon come by and while the conversation about visiting the Grand Repository was made prior, it wasn't exactly necessarily brought up in the presence of Bishop Reynald.

Lucius wanted to find the perfect timing to speak to Bishop Reynald about allowing Benjamin to visit the Repository, but so far, the main priority that came was the commercial success of the night light that the Inanis family was going to sell.

'I can already imagine that a great number of people will find themselves enamored with such an idea.' Lucius thought.