Translator: CinderTL
As Coleridge looked at the scholars in the hall, who were all in a state of shock, ripples of emotion stirred within her, though her expression remained as cold and distant as the chill of early spring.
This was the power of the Arcane Order, the power of a Spellcaster.
As a core member of this Wizard organization, Coleridge naturally knew the details of the war between the Gabella Empire and the Church of Light.
The war had erupted according to the planned schedule, or more precisely, within the timeframe desired by its architects. From the news that had spread to the Northwest Bay, it seemed the war had achieved the goals its designers had hoped for.
Having suffered a defeat and lost the formidable War Elephant Legion, the Church of Light was bound to lose face.
However, the witch still harbored regret. She had been absent at such a pivotal historical turning point, unable to contribute her strength, which was truly frustrating.
"Well…" she glanced at Alvey in the distance, "perhaps I can make up for it slightly with the blood of this traitor."
"Calm down, calm down…" Coleridge reminded herself silently, suppressing her restless heart.
The first day of the academic conference was primarily focused on astronomy. Not only did Cable take the stage to deliver a speech, but many astronomers, or rather astrologers, also presented their discoveries and insights.
Although their content was not as groundbreaking as Cable's heliocentric theory and three laws, the audience still listened with great interest.
The content Cable had just presented hadn't completely occupied their minds. Many still had doubts and needed to take time later to verify his claims.
Many of the speakers still linked astronomy to mysticism, as most of those studying astronomy at the time were so-called "astrologers," and even Cable himself had come from that profession.
This was inevitable. The establishment of a scientific system required a gradual process of sifting through the chaff. Even in 20th-century Earth, phenomena like psychic powers and qigong had been studied by countries such as China, the United States, and the Soviet Union. To dismiss such things as superstition without thorough verification was itself pseudoscientific, or another form of superstition. Science is a method, a description of the process of discerning the truth of a subject, not a description of the subject itself.
Time passed quickly. The sun sank in the west, dyeing the sky a weary orange-red. Evening arrived silently, marking the end of the first day of the conference.
The twilight shone through the stained glass, casting a flowing layer of golden fragments over the dispersing crowd.
Paul left with Catherine and Ladia.
Cable, however, couldn't extricate himself. He was surrounded by people holding star charts, all clamoring to ask about the details of elliptical orbits. The faded blue sleeves of his robe were covered in chalk dust as he struggled to answer multiple questions at once.
As for Coleridge, her attention never strayed from her target.
As the twilight deepened, the witch's white hair disappeared into the shadow of her hood, like a wandering spirit trailing Alvey through the college's arched corridors.
When the old scholar stepped out of the college gates, he took out his pocket watch and glanced at it, completely unaware that his pursuer was hiding nearby.
Alvey walked through the streets, soon turning into an alley and stopping in front of a two-story house with a courtyard.
For someone like Alvey, who had risen from the Scholars' Tower and gained renown in another country, Paul naturally hoped to keep him at Weiss Academy and had shown great effort in making him a court official.
Paul had personally funded a sum of money for Alvey to settle down in Alden Town. This house was Alvey's recent purchase, and Marek remained by his side, serving as his butler.
Coleridge hid in the shadows behind a corner, watching as the courtyard gate opened and a young man emerged, welcoming Alvey inside.
She recognized him—it was Marek, Alvey's bodyguard. The fact that both of them had safely crossed half the continent to reach the Northwest Bay was truly a stroke of luck.
The witch circled the house, probing for any abnormalities, but found none. It seemed that since settling in this town, the two had been living quite comfortably.
Just as Coleridge was about to find a way to sneak into the house, the sound of hoofbeats and jingling bells came from the distance.
A carriage emerged from the northern alley, heading in this direction, accompanied by six knights all wearing uniform blue double-breasted jackets.
Coleridge was surprised. Judging by the entourage, could it be that some dignitary was arriving?
She quietly retreated into the shadows. The carriage stopped in front of Alvey's residence, and the door opened. Three people stepped out—one man and two women. The man was none other than the local lord, Paul Grayman, now dressed in casual attire, unlike his formal wear from earlier in the day.
As for the two women, both had golden hair, and their features suggested they were sisters. The third had emerald-green hair. Coleridge seemed to recall seeing them at the conference venue.
Why were they here? Coleridge wondered.
"Welcome, welcome!" The gray-haired old scholar emerged from the house to greet his visitors.
"I'm honored to visit your new home!" Paul greeted him with a smile.
He and Catherine followed Alvey into the house, while the guards who had accompanied Paul split up—four remained outside to stand watch, and the other two followed them inside.
The group took their seats in the dining room, where a table full of exquisite dishes had been prepared by Marek, who had specially ordered them from a nearby restaurant.
"Thank you for inviting me to share in the joy of your new home," Paul raised a glass of wine in a toast to Alvey. "I also wanted to discuss some matters with you."
"Please, speak freely, Marquis," Alvey responded, raising his glass.
Paul took a sip of wine. "It's about Weiss Academy. When I founded this academy, my original intention was to meet the demands of the rapidly developing economy of the Northwest Bay, to continuously produce engineers, mathematicians, researchers, and other talents—what I collectively refer to as... STEM talents."
Alvey nodded. "A very fitting description."
Paul looked at him. "But now I need to cultivate a large number of scholars who study the cultures and social systems of various regions around the world. These subjects could be called the social sciences! This is something Weiss Academy currently cannot fulfill. I need to establish an institution to achieve this goal."
Alvey asked, "What is the reason for this need of yours?"
After some time of interaction, he had come to feel that Marquis Grayman was a man with a strong sense of purpose in everything he did. It was unlikely that he had made this decision on a whim, out of a sudden fascination with foreign cultures.
(End of the Chapter)
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