Chapter 21: Chapter 22: The Magician of the Land of Oz (2)

Amidst the astonished gasps of the audience, the drifting balloon and Magician Oz disappeared together into the far reaches of the sky.

On a distant hill, a silver-haired boy chuckled.

“Respected Great Magician Oz, your wish to ‘safely escape the kingdom’ has been fulfilled. Don’t forget to leave a good review!”

Earlier, it was Rhine who had granted life to the rope, allowing it to sever itself. As for the soldiers who came to watch the circus, naturally, they were arranged by Rhine behind the scenes.

“To fulfill a client’s wish, I go all out with the act. Where else can you find such a wonderful magician as me?” Rhine said smugly, not at all worried about Oz’s safety.

After all, he knew that according to the original plot of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this journey wouldn’t lead Oz to any danger—instead, he was on his way to becoming an emperor! (Literally.)

Just in case, Rhine had even performed a divination, confirming that this was “an auspicious omen bringing a turning point in destiny.”

Having fulfilled another wish for one of the Children of Destiny, Rhine once again felt a surge of power in his soul.

With a flick of his slender hand, the air around him twisted ever so slightly. After granting Oz’s wish to “escape abroad,” he had gained a sliver of spatial power!

“It seems that if I wish, I can teleport to faraway places.

“Of course, not to places I’ve never been or don’t know about, and there’s a distance limit.

“In the future, even if the Black Witch Maleficent comes knocking, I may not be able to fight her, but at least I can escape with Her Highness Aurora!

“Hmm, there are still 15 years until the curse of ‘being pricked by a spindle and dying’ takes effect. Once Princess Aurora grows up a bit, I can take her beyond the borders of the Rose Kingdom and travel the continent!

“By that time, the Emerald City of the Land of Oz will surely be complete. I can take her to visit…”

Rhine smiled as he looked up at the snow-white clouds and the azure sky, lost in dreams of the future.

The balloon drifted higher and farther, higher and farther, until it rose above the clouds.

“Heavens, the balloon is floating farther and farther away. I have no idea where I’ll end up…”

Oz shivered in the cold and fear of the high altitude.

And so, the balloon drifted for an entire day and night.

The next morning, upon waking up, Oz found that the balloon had flown over a beautiful and strange land.

After several hours, the balloon slowly descended, leaving him unharmed.

Oz discovered he had landed among a group of peculiar people.

Their attire was unlike any group Oz had encountered in the kingdom. The men wore round hats with a small pointed tip in the middle and little bells hanging on the edges that jingled with every step. The women were dressed in white robes that draped over their shoulders, sparkling with tiny stars that shimmered like diamonds under the sunlight. 𝙍𝐚ꞐȮ𝖇ΕṨ

“Wow, did he really come down from the clouds?”

“Yes, I saw it with my own eyes! At first, he was just a tiny dot, so high up in the sky, and then he slowly descended…”

“Sir, you can fly? You must be a great magician!”

“Respected and mighty magician, may we ask why you have graced our land with your presence?”

The peculiar people looked at Oz with admiration and awe, clearly believing that this man who descended from the sky was a powerful magician.

“Magician? I’m just a magician… a stage performer…” Oz thought to himself.

He almost said it aloud but stopped.

This group seemed to hold magicians in high regard and appeared to be rather gullible…

Now hungry and thirsty, Oz thought, “Why not pretend to be a magician and get some food and drink out of them? After all, this place is so remote that no one can verify whether I’m telling the truth or not!”

With a sly smile, Oz put his hands on his hips and drew upon his years of stage performance experience. Without even needing to rehearse, he began spinning a tale for the crowd:

“Indeed, I am a powerful magician—Oz, from the western kingdom.

“At the age of five, I began learning magic under the great magician Rhine. Oh, you may not have heard of him, but he’s the most powerful magician in our country.

“And I am his most prized apprentice, inheriting all of his magic…”

The crowd listened to Oz’s story with wide-eyed amazement, occasionally letting out gasps of wonder.

“Oh heavens, if Master Rhine ever hears the lies I’m making up, he’ll surely kill me. Please bless me, let him never find out about this…” Oz thought nervously to himself.

“Wow! You really are an incredible magician!” the peculiar people exclaimed in excitement.

Before long, the crowd, who worshipped magicians, prepared a grand feast for Oz. They offered him the most delicious food, allowing the famished and thirsty Oz to eat his fill.

“Great magician, have you had enough to eat?”

“Certainly. Thank you for the food and water,” Oz replied, wiping his oily mouth.

At that moment, the men and women’s eyes sparkled as they looked at him earnestly and pleaded:

“Then, Great Magician Oz, please use your powerful magic to help us defeat the evil Eastern Witch and free us all from her enslavement!”

Huh?

What witch?

This country also has witches? The real kind that knows magic?

Seeing the sincerity in their eyes, Oz nearly fainted in shock.

Me, fight the Eastern Witch? Are you kidding?!