Chapter: 794
I instantly froze at the sight before me.
“Welcome, Count. And Countess. The Chairperson and the honorable members of the Magic Council sincerely welcome your visit.”
Over a hundred people, including Duke Kilanas, greeted us.
Thanks to that, a mechanical smile came out automatically. It seemed all the council members had turned out, so it would be proper to express gratitude fitting for this extreme hospitality to maintain good relations with Yuben. Even the magicians who follow Trixie would be upset if the whole council thought it was just a casual gathering.
“Thank you for your hospitality, Your Grace. I appreciate all of you taking the time to welcome us.”
I thanked Duke Kilanas as Chairperson once and then the members in front of me. As I bowed lightly, the atmosphere in the hall quickly brightened up.
The members were pleased to host the husband of the Duke of Magic, and I was glad to receive the warm welcome from the nation’s key leaders. In any case, it was a mutually beneficial beautiful encounter.
That’s how I decided to think about it. To be honest, leaving for the Empire without such meetings would have been best, but what’s done is done, and there’s no point in dwelling.
“By the way, Your Grace, who are the people beside you?”
After the positive greetings, I shifted my gaze to the five individuals standing not behind the Duke but beside him.
They clearly couldn’t just be ordinary members if they were standing alongside the Chairperson. They wouldn’t have taken such care in seating arrangements for the welcoming of guests.
“Oh, the Count might not know; they are the vice-chairpersons of the Magic Council.”
“Excuse me?”
As expected, the five weren’t just regular members, but I never imagined they were vice-chairpersons.
‘Why are there five vice-chairpersons?’
A typical council would have at most two, right? Some countries don’t even have any.
“As you know, our Yuben is a union of five consensus states. Each state selects one vice-chairperson for equitable representation. And by the way, I, as Chairperson, remain stateless for the duration of my term.”
“Oh, I see…”
But I had to nod along to what he continued with.
If it’s a quota system per state, that’s just how it is. In some nations, there are vice-chairpersons, and in others, there aren’t, so it could lead to a struggle.
However, the whole ‘stateless during the chairperson’s term’ bit was quite unusual. What kind of balance strips a perfectly good Duke of his nationality?
‘Is this the burden of a union?’
It’s both terrifying and pitiful. Yuben had to endure these bizarre phenomena as the price for choosing a union rather than a single nation.
Was it because of this? I could almost understand why Duke Kilanas advocated for unity with the King of Yuben. It was a desperate struggle to reclaim lost nationality.
‘May they continue living as stateless forever.’
I felt a pang of guilt for the Duke, but from the Empire’s standpoint, that would be a gain. Even as a strange union system, they’re the third strongest nation on the continent, but if they truly evolved into a single country, wouldn’t the continent shake? Even if they aren’t at the Empire’s level, they’d fiercely compete for second place with Ainter.
That would be troublesome. At least Ainter is nearby for checks and balances, but Yuben, located on the opposite side of the continent, would be difficult to contain.
“It’s truly a beautiful tradition. It means you won’t exclude anyone and are willing to listen to all voices, correct? Even as an outsider, I’m filled with admiration.”
Thus, I delivered a mix of pleasant compliments and subtle checks. On the surface, it sounded like praise, but upon closer reflection, it was a bit more complex.
“Ah, that’s a delightful thing to say. Our ancestors would be pleased to hear that.”
Of course, a veteran like Duke Kilanas surely noticed my intent immediately. It was clear I was implying, ‘You all shine the brightest when you act according to tradition.’
I felt a bit guilty for throwing that shade as a guest, but unfortunately, my nationality will always be with the Empire. Any hint of support for Yuben’s unification at the Magic Council would inevitably reach the Emperor’s ears. I could only imagine the nightmare of sitting down one-on-one afterwards.
Fortunately, it seemed Duke Kilanas understood my stance and let it slide with a smile. Plus, as he mentioned, the union system was a decision not forced but chosen by Yuben’s ancestors. Denying that would be a challenge for Kilanas, the leader of the unification faction.
“Now, keeping guests standing is quite embarrassing for the host. If the Count doesn’t mind, this old man would be honored to guide you and the Countess.”
“Of course, Your Grace. It would be an honor.”
With sincere welcomes and expressions of gratitude exchanged, the previously awkward atmosphere returned to a lively state.
Even with a small commotion, Lin and I are still Trixie’s family and honored guests of the Magic Council.
When visiting a museum or art gallery, having a curator makes a huge difference.
And for us, we weren’t just accompanied by any guide, but an elder and the head of the Magic Council himself. This was like having the author directly explaining his work or a historical figure resurrected to narrate an event.
“This Magic Council was built on the birthplace and grave of Master Ernest. It is to never forget the hero who mediated the struggles of the five countries that bled and cried and presented us with this new system of union.”
“Birthplace and grave… you say?”
“Don’t misunderstand. We sought consent not just from his family but during his lifetime as well,” Duke Kilanas chuckled lightly as he opened a grand, massive door.
“Under this assembly hall lies the grave of Master Ernest. It symbolizes that you should strive solely for the benefit of Yuben and the peace of its people, always under his watch.”
Even as a non-Yubenite, the significance made my heart race.
If the Empire had the grave of the great Amanca beneath its assembly hall? Imagine working every day under the watchful eyes of the Emperor!
Honestly, many of the past members would probably have gone mad from the pressure. What a crazy thing to do.
“And three days from now, once the excitement from the wedding dies down, all members of the Magic Council will gather here in this assembly hall to discuss and debate the papers from Duke of Magic and Duke Tannian. I believe everyone will gather with cheerful hearts.”
“Excuse me?”
While paying respects to the council members who had struggled for centuries, Duke Kilanas dropped a bombshell.
Of course, it was natural for members to discuss and analyze the papers, especially when the wizards were so obsessed with magic. If they weren’t looking into the documents and studies I presented, that would have been the weird part.
But mentioning it right there, above the grave of Ernest, in front of the mere messenger like me, wasn’t just a casual slip of the tongue.
‘Why are they bringing this to me?’
Anxiety crept in. What was the agenda behind casually telling me their schedule?
“If Count Tailglehen was also present, I believe it would become an exceptionally glorious and splendid discussion.”
‘Oh.’
And just like that, my queries were instantly answered. Duke Kilanas had been shockingly straightforward.
Previewing the papers bestowed by the pinnacle of magic, with the Duke of Magic’s husband present makes for a valid scenario for elevating the authority of Yuben’s magical community while also boosting Kilanas’s stance as the current head.
Receiving the wisdom of a respected senior while hosting their family contributes to expanding influence with immense authority backing. Turning down such an advantage would be against the very nature of a noble.
“Though I have an excellent Archmage as my wife, I lack knowledge of magic myself. Wouldn’t my presence just tarnish the council’s honor?”
“Don’t worry about that. No wizard would dare to deny the authority of the Count.”
I could only smile at the confidence in the Duke’s voice.
Suddenly, I was about to experience a limitless discussion among the industry veterans. And here I was, merely a novice without even an academic title.
I hadn’t put in any effort to learn magic, but I certainly found it fascinating.
A technique that never existed in the past, ignoring physical laws, enabling a teleport, which is a remarkable form of movement. It would be a lie if I said it didn’t pique my interest.
But interest and aptitude are two different things. I lived meticulously studying literature pre-incarnation and then as a martial artist post, leaving me without the wisdom to learn magic—even if my wife is Trixie.
‘Even if the instructor is excellent, if the student is dull, it leads to nowhere.’
Like watering a dead tree wouldn’t make it bloom anew.
In fact, I’ve decided that I’ve set this limit due to my own stupidity. I’ve reached the pinnacle of the continent with a sword, so there’s hardly an urgent need for magic.
This determination has ironically solidified ever since a few days ago.
[ If the world can be divided into three colors, can we express a celestial angel through magic by manifesting those three colors? ]
[ The process of restoring temporarily lost moisture in the atmosphere by consecutively using water-type magic and the time needed for casting equally powerful water-type spells. ]
[ When splitting the earth with earth-type magic, what is the impact on the continents and seas by the displaced crust and its recovery potential? ]
‘Ah, crap.’
To be more precise, ever since I received my second father-in-law’s paper, I completely lost all lingering hopes about magic.
Even just reading the titles made my head spin. Even considering my second father-in-law is a namesake in the magic world, if this is the role of a wizard, then I’d prefer to live my life as a swordsman.
I was certain I had resolved that.
“While the world can be categorized into three colors, can we assert that heaven can be defined like this continent?”
“More definitive research on water-type magic is necessary. We must determine whether water-type magic draws moisture from the atmosphere or if it uses moisture from the caster or nearby individuals.”
“When the earth is displaced by earth-type magic? How much of an impact could a single spell have on this vast continent?”
I had no clue why I was sitting here listening to this discussion.
Please, just let me go. If someone asked, I could say I listened to the beautiful debates at the Magic Council. Just let me be.
“Hmm. What does Your Excellency think?”
So please stop looking at me and stop asking me questions.
I’m a swordsman, not a wizard, you crazy folks!
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