A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special - Chapter 66

Chapter 66. The Council (2)

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Early the morning of the summit, Jord came to meet Dezir himself. He wore a neat black suit and tapped a sophisticated staff against the ground in his hand.
When Dezir’s party members saw Jord, they could not hide their shock. They had never expected to meet Jord Exalion, the Tower Master and the continent’s only 7-Circle Mage.
“So you’re the party members of our technical advisor.”
Jord shook hands with each of them.
Among them, Romantica could barely contain her joy. After all, Jord was the continent’s only 7-Circle Mage—a figure at the pinnacle of magical scholarship, revered by every mage alive.
“I-it’s an honor! I’m Romantica Eru. I’m a huge fan of yours!”
“Romantica Eru… Are you the lady of House Eru? We supply the Eru Trading Company with a considerable amount of goods.”
“Everything the Magic Tower produces is incredible! Especially that Reactive Magic Lamp you released recently—it’s the best!”
While Jord and Romantica conversed, Fram turned to Dezir.
“It’s a shame you can’t participate in the Yellow Ocean Tournament.”
The Western Kingdom Alliance’s council meeting and the Yellow Ocean Tournament were scheduled at the same time, so Dezir had no choice but to miss the competition.
“I’ll definitely go see the finals. That is, assuming you make it that far.”
“Hey, come on!”
Romantica, who had been talking with Jord, bristled and rushed at Dezir. Everyone who saw her broke into soft laughter.
Once the conversation wound down, Dezir boarded Jord’s carriage and headed for the Royal Palace, where the Western Kingdom Alliance’s council meeting was being held.
Inside the swaying carriage, Jord produced a notebook from his inner pocket as if he’d been waiting for this moment and showed it to Dezir.
The notebook was filled with various applications of the formula Dezir had taught him.
“I tried a simple application of the concept you explained…”
During the carriage ride to the Royal Palace, Jord and Dezir engaged in a deep discussion about magical theory.
They had discussed technical matters a few times before through Communication Magic, but it was never as efficient as doing so face to face. Proposals and feedback flowed in real time.
“And about the Aurora System—the fact that we can block even 6-Circle spells by canceling energy through harmonic interference is good, but…”
Considering that current magical equipment could only defend against 5-Circle spells, remarks that would have been extraordinary passed between them as if it were nothing.
“Making it portable just seems like a waste of money, no matter how I look at it.”
“But it’s a necessary step.”
“Well, money’s plentiful and the interest is there, so we’ll make it, but I’m not sure there’ll be any occasion to block 6-Circle-class magic.”
The carriage stopped. They had arrived at the Royal Palace.
“We’ve arrived rather early.”
Dezir remarked.
More than an hour remained before the council meeting.
“Yes, why don’t we have a brief word with the Saint before the meeting?”
“Did Her Holiness agree to meet?”
Jord nodded.
“Yes, when I brought up the matter of the Holy Nation’s collapse as you suggested, she accepted immediately.”
“I’m always grateful for your assistance.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for. I help you so much because you’re an exceptionally useful asset.”

* * *

With Jord’s assistance, Dezir obtained a chance for a private audience with Priscilla.
Priscilla was waiting for Dezir in the Reception Hall.
She gave an impression of innocent purity, but Dezir knew that appearances were deceiving.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Holiness.”
“I’m quite pleased to meet the renowned Single Ranker from Hebrion Academy.”
After exchanging brief pleasantries, Priscilla immediately moved to the main topic.
“I hear the Shadow World you cleared is somehow connected to the Holy Nation’s collapse.”
Dezir told Priscilla about the Shadow World he had cleared. What environment it was, which people he met. He explained in great detail what quests he received, and exactly how he cleared it.
Throughout Dezir’s account, Priscilla listened with great attention. She seemed particularly impressed by the figure named Wilhelm.
“So he was the one who made the Artemis Holy Nation known as the Shield of God. To achieve such results in an age lacking so much technical sophistication…”
“He was truly an exemplary person.”
Once the explanation of the quest was complete, Dezir told her of the final message he had heard as the Shadow World ended.

-A great possibility that might have been.
The Artemis Holy Nation might have been able to avoid collapse.
A hero risen for the sake of the people might have been able to excise the rotten parts and deliver true judgment where judgment was due.
An Artemis Holy Nation that had not fallen might have continued to this day, serving as a shield—a bulwark against judgment—for all mankind.

“A great possibility, perhaps, that might have been…”
Priscilla’s voice carried a note of bitterness as she continued.
“So the Artemis Holy Nation did possess the military strength to conquer a Grade 1 Shadow World at that time.”
“Indeed. The Artemis Holy Nation crumbled from within.”
Priscilla nodded slowly.
In all the years since, Shadow Worlds connected to the Artemis Holy Nation had barely manifested at all, and when they did, they revealed little that corresponded to the true cause of its fall.
The Shadow World that Dezir’s party had conquered merely overlapped with that era chronologically; it had almost nothing to do with preventing the nation’s collapse.
“I’ve wondered for so long. Why did the Artemis Holy Nation—the country my Religious Order once led—fall? Now, at last, that mystery has been resolved, and I feel… at peace.”
“If I’ve been of service, I’m honored to have done so.”
“You have, Dezir. You’ve cleared the Shadow World most admirably. Hebrion’s future is exceptionally bright.”
Priscilla spoke with warmth.
“I’d like to repay your service in some small way. Dezir, is there anything you wish for?”
“I would ask that you work toward strengthening the bonds of friendship between the Western Kingdom Alliance and the Hebrion Empire.”
The tension between the Western Kingdom Alliance and the Hebrion Empire.
“You understand as well as I do—if not for the common threat of the Shadow World, those two powers would be at war with each other this very moment.”
“That’s precisely why I ask. If the relationship between the Hebrion Empire and the Western Kingdom Alliance remains as it is now, when a Shadow World far worse than anything we’ve seen arrives—and it will—we won’t be able to withstand it, and the continent will fall.”
“That’s an amusing fantasy.”
Priscilla dismissed Dezir’s concern as mere speculation.
But it was not speculation—it was an inescapable truth.
The Shadow Labyrinth.
If history unfolded as it should, less than three years remained until it emerged.
But saying such a thing outright would only brand him a madman. So Dezir pursued another path to persuade Priscilla.
“The Artemis Holy Nation too fell in the end because of its divisions, Your Eminence.”
The moment Dezir spoke of the Artemis Holy Nation, the smile faded from Priscilla’s face.
“The Shadow World that destroyed the Artemis Holy Nation was certainly manageable with the resources of that age. Yet the nation could not prevent it—and fell.
“The age of the Artemis Holy Nation’s fall is not the present. In modern times, through thorough preparation, we conquer Shadow Worlds nearly flawlessly. In fact, the Grade 1 and Grade 2 Shadow Worlds that were surely spawning in ancient times no longer appear at all in this era.”
“We must always prepare for the worst.”
The possibility of the worst case.
Priscilla seemed to turn Dezir’s words over in her mind.
“I understand what you’re saying. But to speak frankly, it’s not the sort of matter where I can act based solely on your words. No nation within the Western Kingdom Alliance will move.”
Priscilla sensed something in the light of Dezir’s gaze fixed upon her. She nodded slowly before she spoke.
“However, I agree with your position—that we must prepare for the worst. Should any signs of disturbance appear in the Shadow World, the Religious Order will explore ways for the Hebrion Empire and the Western Kingdom Alliance to work in concert.”
“That is more than sufficient. My gratitude, Your Eminence.”
The discussion had largely reached its conclusion.
The time for the formal conference was drawing near. It was time to make their way to the hall where talks would be held.
Dezir and Priscilla rose from their seats.

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