TL/Editor: raei
Schedule: 5/week
Illustrations: None
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The Empire's magic lacked foundation.
It wasn't surprising that baseless magic ran rampant, given that the Empire itself was a baseless country.
The roots of magic naturally lay in the ancient Golden Empire.
Archwizard Maronius had presented the basic concepts of magic, which his disciples developed into its present form.
During the Golden Empire's heyday, Imperial wizards held such high status that they even participated in state affairs. There was even an official position called Celestial Wizard.
But the Golden Empire fell...
And the Holy Empire, founded by barbarians from the north, took its place.
In the Holy Empire, wizards were treated as reclusive eccentrics.
They were capable and useful, but strange people who wouldn't be swayed by the nobles' whims!
However, a systematic wizard society like in the Golden Empire era wasn't established.
The Holy Empire was such a barren country that even wizards had nothing among themselves.
At best, magic was taught at the Imperial University in Dranheim.
Even the Imperial University hadn't been around for long.
For most wizards, knowledge was passed down between master and apprentice, with mbers of the sa school holding periodic etings to share their magic.
In other words...
The treatnt of other wizards varied wildly!
'I don't really get this senior-junior business,' Ian thought, tilting his head.
It wasn't that Ian was strange.
Ian had spent his entire life as a wizard under his master, Eredith.
Eredith had only taught him that 'wizards should just be polite to each other', without elaborating on other aspects.
Well... Eredith didn't know much either!
Like Ian, Eredith had never experienced wizard society life.
No, there wasn't anything that could be called a wizard society to begin with!
In this desolate post-apocalyptic... no, Holy Empire land, what wizard community could one expect to find?
It was just about attending periodic fire wizard etings, receiving grants, and completing quests given at the etings.
That's why Ian found it difficult to understand what this woman, Krysus, was saying.
Krysus claid to be Ian's senior by two years...
But so what?
In wizard society, there were no set 'protocols for eting seniors'.
There wasn't even an atmosphere of treating seniors with particular respect.
The wizards Ian had t so far just mutually respected each other and moved on.
"Ah. So you're my senior."
So Ian decided to go along with it perfunctorily.
"That's right! Your master is my master's junior, and I beca a wizard two years before you!"
Krysus glanced at Ian, gauging his reaction.
Ian was dumbfounded.
If she was the senior, why was she checking Ian's reaction?
"... So. I'll graciously forget your rudeness. Because I'm a benevolent senior!"
Ah. So that's what it was about?
"You, you too! Don't breathe a word about what happened here!"
The reason for laying the groundwork about being a senior was to keep Ian's mouth shut.
A lot had happened, but Krysus had indeed shown an unsightly side.
"Yes. I understand."
Ian replied imdiately.
It's not like Ian was a villain. He had no intention of blackmailing Krysus by exploiting her weakness.
"Phew... Good. Let's get moving then."
Krysus tucked her squirrel familiar into her clothes and started walking without hesitation.
As they moved, Ian asked a simple question.
"By the way, why were you watching us?"
"Obviously to see when you'd arrive! These days, there are so many black wizards..."
Krysus suddenly startled herself and looked at Ian.
"You, don't tell you thought I was a black wizard?!"
"... If that wasn't the case. Why else would I have attacked you, senior?"
Krysus shouted, her face reddening.
"I, I just thought you were so weirdo!"
'These wizards, really...' Ian heaved an internal sigh.
How unbiased were wizards that they'd think 'Ah! I've run into so weirdo!' even when suddenly attacked?
Though Ian himself was a wizard, wizards were indeed full of strange people.
"Were you waiting for ?"
"Yes. You're the last one."
"The last one?"
It was an unexpected statent.
Krysus explained.
"You know Professor Inglan was captured, right?"
"Yes. That's why I ca."
Inglan had been captured in Baron Vincents' domain.
Upon learning this, space-ti wizards spread the news far and wide, requesting help from other wizards.
In other words, many wizards besides Ian had received requests for help.
"Everyone who could move has gathered."
"Besides you and , senior?"
"There are three more people."
Ian was slightly surprised.
Did that an five wizards had gathered to rescue Professor Inglan?
With five wizards deployed, and counting the space-ti wizards who had been running around, who knew how many wizards were in motion?
'This professor has a talent for causing trouble,' Ian thought, clicking his tongue.
He should have just stayed at the university handing out C grades to students...
Why did he have to travel for magic research?
"You didn't go in first?"
"We planned to move after gathering people. If they could capture a wizard, they're not ordinary opponents."
Ian understood.
Just like recruiting party mbers to cross a mountain, they were gathering party mbers to confront this Baron Vincents character.
No matter how much respect and awe wizards commanded, they were still just individuals.
aning they'd die if stabbed with a sword.
Usually, they were treated well, but occasionally, when faced with an opponent who'd lost their mind, wizards found it very tricky to deal with.
So for safety, they were going to confront them as a full party of five.
"I'll explain the details after we arrive."
Krysus guided Ian's group to a tavern.
The scent of warm wood and the warmth of a bonfire welcod Ian.
As Krysus had said, three people were gathered at one table.
"Ah! You're here!"
The unfamiliar wizards greeted Ian.
Ian bowed politely to the wizards.
---
---
As Ian's group entered, the small tavern felt cramped (largely due to Jubal's presence).
"Co on, let's wet our whistles before we start!" a blonde wizard said, standing up.
Only after a mug of beer was placed in front of everyone did the wizards begin to talk.
"Let's start with introductions! I'm Herta, and I specialize in air magic!"
Herta was a blonde female wizard.
Her lively tone gave off the scent of an extrovert.
"I'm Anton, a water wizard."
A wizard nad Anton stood up and spoke. He had brown hair and a typical Imperial face.
If there was anything distinctive about him, it was that he was clearly showing how botherso this all was.
"Karl. Earth wizard."
The oldest man spoke.
Unlike Anton, he just seed to be a man of few words.
"You already know , right?"
"Yes, Senior Krysus. Ice wizard."
Krysus smiled with satisfaction.
"You've got a good mory!"
"..."
She'd just said it, wouldn't there be a problem with her mory if she forgot?
Four wizards had finished introducing themselves.
Now it was Ian's turn.
Ian politely greeted the wizards.
"Pleased to et you all. I'm Ian, Eredith's disciple. My specialization is..."
"He's a fire wizard!"
"... dark magic."
"Liar!!!"
Ugh. So noisy.
Ian glared at Krysus, but she didn't pay any attention.
She was too busy being shocked.
What, fire magic wasn't his specialty?
Then what was that spear of fla he showed earlier?!
"You, you're really a dark wizard?!"
"Yes."
Ian lightly flicked his finger.
Ian's shadow writhed like a living creature before stopping.
The other wizards let out small gasps of admiration.
"It's dark magic! You handle a difficult type of magic!"
"An unusual fellow."
"..."
In fact... it seed only Herta had actually expressed admiration.
Anyway.
"Now that the last wizard has arrived, let's talk about the job!"
As Krysus had explained, the wizards had been waiting for Ian.
Herta, being the most extroverted, took the lead in explaining.
"Ian. How much do you know about the situation?"
"I only know that Professor Inglan has been imprisoned."
"Alright. The person who imprisoned Professor Inglan is Baron Vincents' proxy."
"...?"
The wizards had arrived before Ian and completed various investigations.
They had even found out who had captured Inglan.
But the culprit was sowhat unexpected.
"The baron's proxy?"
"Yes."
"Then where's Baron Vincents?"
"He's not here. He's in his own domain."
"???"
Ian's brain short-circuited for a mont.
Baron Vincents isn't in Baron Vincents' domain, but in his own domain...?
What kind of nonsense was that?
Seeing Ian's peculiar expression, Herta belatedly added.
"Ah. Baron Vincents is Count Gremlin."
Ian couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
He understood Herta's explanation.
dieval titles are attached to land, not people.
Baron of Sowhere, Count of Sowhere - these aren't official titles, but nas of land deeds.
In other words, Baron Vincents being Count Gremlin ant...
Count Gremlin was holding two land deeds.
"Holding two titles. How wasteful."
"Indeed."
However, holding many titles wasn't necessarily a good thing.
First, it's difficult to manage.
Titles are typically bound to other titles by oaths of fealty, and holding multiple titles could lead to conflicting oaths.
For example, imagine a noble who owns land in both South Korea and Japan.
If war breaks out, whose side should they take?
And if the King of Japan gives an order, should a Korean noble follow it?
There are many other problems besides these.
How would one manage domains far apart, and how would it look to other vassals to possess many titles?
Knights without titles would surely want to beco the lord of Baron Vincents' domain.
But if their master tightly holds onto a barony, ignoring his vassals...
He'd certainly look like a greedy pig.
"Baron Vincents' domain is a land where the lord's power is weak."
Ian nodded.
He had thought Baron Vincents had gone mad and captured Inglan...
In fact, it was a situation that had little to do with the lord.
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