AN: Sorry for not posting any updates for the past 3 months — I was kinda busy with so much work lately. But now all the work is done, and the schedule will return to normal...
Aura accepted the document with a calm expression. The parchment in her hands wasn't merely a list of names—it was an intricate register, documenting not only the identities of each selected exchange student but also their ancestral hometowns and extensive familial backgrounds, tracing both paternal and maternal lineages in impressive detail.
It was the kind of report that would satisfy even the most meticulous archivist.
Yet the more Aura read, the more confused she became. Her eyes scanned line after line, page after page, but the name she was looking for remained absent.
"Huh? Why isn't Andro's name on here? I saw him near the branch's teaching building before — he's an incredibly talented mage," she asked with confusion.
The man standing beside her gave a small, almost apologetic shrug. "It's true, Andro does show promise—especially among the commoners. But his abilities are limited to that sphere. When compared to the children of nobility—those who have been immersed in mana-rich environments since infancy, raised by elite mages—his talent simply doesn't stand out."
"I see…" Aura murmured, though her tone was sharp with doubt. Her eyes drifted down the list once more. "Then this 'Webster'... he's the son of Graf Konrad?"
"Yes," came the answer with unmistakable pride. "I've long intended to send my son to Kribi's Magic Academy. His potential will only be truly realized in a place of that caliber. This nomination—surely there's no policy that bars nobles from being recommended?"
"No, no — anyone can be recommended, as long as they're qualified. As far as the headquarters of the Magic Association is concerned, the more talented students, the better — background doesn't matter."
Aura waved her hand dismissively. Though she desperately wanted to stop the Kribi Magic Association headquarters from absorbing more talented mage, the "no discrimination by birth in selecting magical prodigies" policy was personally issued by Serie. Even someone as audacious as Aura wouldn't dare to twist that rule.
Still — 'someone even more gifted than Andro?'
Aura narrowed her eyes slightly.
From her perspective, Andro already had the potential to become a First-Class Mage — just like that Kritobi she once encountered when she was chief examiner.
If Graf Konrad's son was even more gifted than Andro, then wouldn't he be on par with the great mage Flamme?
How exciting~~
'Should I just kill him?'
Aura rubbed her fingertips together, and a thin arc of black mana flickered around them. Her gaze swept across the room, but she couldn't find the one Konrad had spoken of — the one supposedly more talented than Andro. He must be hidden away.
To Aura, humans who were too talented were just as dangerous. She absolutely could not allow a second Flamme to emerge — even if it means risking being discovered by Serie, she must eliminate such geniuses from the humans.
She had never considered this possibility before. After all, a human becoming a great mage was a one-in-a-million chance, and she hadn't even encountered a million humans in her life.
While Aura wavered in thought, Konrad suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He looked around but didn't notice anything unusual and assumed it was just his imagination.
He then had someone bring out another document and handed it to Aura.
"Miss Aura, this is the list of newly appointed members of the Magic Association. There are teachers and professors from the Magic Academy, as well as financial officers from the association's branches, and inspectors stationed in the surrounding towns..."
"Why are there so many all at once?" Aura frowned slightly.
"Your predecessor… dismissed quite a number of personnel," Barrett explained, stepping forward to speak on Konrad's behalf. "Running the branch became a real challenge. Thankfully, Graf Konrad's household offered their support and helped us gather replacements. All of them are highly capable—fully qualified to teach and manage magical affairs."
"Graf Konrad is truly generous! All outstanding talents! Incredible… to find so many mage all at once?"
But as she scanned the list and saw their assigned roles, Aura stopped listening to Barrett's words. Her hands began to tremble. Most of the roles required advanced magical proficiency — non-mage couldn't possibly fulfill them. It was terrifying!
Who would've thought that this small city of Hohenburg could actually assemble a full and complete structure of a functioning Magic Association — something Aura had only seen in Kribi when she's still the president. Local branches were usually a watered-down version, due to the scarcity of mages.
At the time, only royal capitals of various kingdoms could afford a full-fledged magic association system — yet now, even Hohenburg had achieved it?
And judging by Barrett's tone, they had recruited according to the highest standards!
This wasn't something any ordinary city could accomplish. Even the capitals of some small kingdoms couldn't compare to Hohenburg.
Could it be that Hohenburg was truly a city of talent? Was it becoming the next Kribi — the next magical capital of humanity that would produce another wave of great mages?
Aura's eyes flickered wildly. She was already thinking about when to wipe Hohenburg off the map.
She had to kill all the humans here before Hohenburg could develop, leaving no one alive.
Otherwise, the demons would never survive if humans birthed a second Kribi.
Aura lifted her head and scanned the crowd at the banquet.
The nobles at the main table noticed Aura's glance. Although there was no hostility in Aura's eyes, they suddenly felt a chill all over their bodies and wrapped their robes tightly.
——Aura looked at them as if they were commodities, as if they were not living people.
What a strange look.
"Where are the people on this list?" Aura's purple eyes widened as she asked calmly, showing no hostility.
"They're right here," Graf Konrad replied.
"Where? Where? I don't see them—"
Aura clearly froze for a moment. Then she looked around, her gaze drifting over the lords and ladies, then sweeping behind them—past the guards stationed along the walls, and farther still. Her vision pierced the walls, not with sight but by sensing the flow of mana. But there were no strong sources. No hidden prodigies. No great magical presence.
Failing to find anything, Aula lowered her head again, lifted the tablecloth, and looked under the table, but the table was empty and she still couldn't find it.
Finally, Aura pointed at the table and asked:
"Are these the mages you mentioned?"
She was pointing at the steaming platters of white meat laid out before them.
"You jest, Lady Aura," Graf Konrad said with a hearty laugh.
He rose and moved beside her, gesturing grandly to the seated nobles. "Allow me to introduce them one by one."
"This is Freiherr Rupert, who controls a third of the land east of Hohenburg. Half the city's grain is grown by his serfs."
"This is Chief Justice Frank — all court trials in Hohenburg must be overseen by him."
"This is Mayor Elvis, who has kept Hohenburg orderly and prosperous."
"This is Lord Charles, who—"
Aura interrupted halfway through the introductions.
"But none of them have any mana."
"Of course not — they're not the ones taking the positions. Their relatives, attendants, and younger kin are."
"I know. What I'm saying is — none of them have any residual mana either, which means the people they regularly interact with also aren't mages."
"Miss Aura, your eyes are as sharp as ever. But having no mana doesn't mean someone can't be employed by the Magic Association, right?"
"Without mana, most of the positions on this list aren't qualified — especially not instructors at the academy."
"Ah, Miss Aura, that's where you're mistaken. Teaching doesn't require actual skill. With our education, we can teach the commoners about courtly interests and royal history — wouldn't that broaden their horizons? We're lowering ourselves to teach them things they'd never access otherwise. Shouldn't those lowborns be grateful, even work themselves to the bone for us?"
"Haha, Graf Konrad, you're so funny~ Poor people can't survive in Criby just by knowing etiquette."
"Exactly, Miss Aura. And honestly, you don't have to worry about commoners going to Kribi anymore. They won't get the chance. Even those with magical talent will serve the nobility for life. From now on, Hohenburg's academy will stop admitting commoners — we'll only recruit from among the nobility."
"Haha, Graf Konrad, you really are humorous~~~ With so few nobles, how can you meet Kribi's demand for magical talent? Magical talent is randomly distributed among humans — it doesn't follow bloodlines—"
"Miss Aura, we're not joking."
At Konrad's solemn tone, Aura's smile vanished.
She furrowed her brow, fell silent for a moment, then asked:
"…You really think a few families alone can meet Kriby's demand for magical talent? You really believe your children are all born mages?"
"Yes!" Conrad said resolutely.
Murderous intent!!
It filled Aura's brain in an instant!!
Her hands began to tremble. She clutched her head, her face contorted in horror.
She had never imagined that there was such a talented family among humans, which could produce mages from generation to generation, and each of them was gifted.
Judging by this, people with the potential to become First-Class Mage, like Graf Konrad's son, are by no means a rarity in this city!!!
Just what kind of place is this Hohenburg, to be able to gather nearly half of humanity's brightest talents?!
If this isn't the greatest enemy of the demons, then what is?
'This place is even more terrifying than ten Flamme put together—aaah!!'
And what was that Schlacht doing?! How could he have failed to foresee that such a terrifying human enemy of the demons would emerge from here?!
If such a prodigious bloodline truly exists, then even at the risk of being killed by Serie, Aura must—right here, right now—wipe Hohenburg off the map!!
Leave no one alive!!!
"Let me see the genius offspring of you all."
Aura narrowed her eyes, bracing both hands against the table, fingers interlocked to cover her face except for her eyes, and spoke softly.
Graf Konrad's eyes lit up immediately. He turned to the guards at his side and ordered them to bring up the children of the nobles attending the ballroom gathering, so the Minister of the Magic Association might see them.
The guards moved swiftly. Soon enough, the message had been passed, and elegantly dressed young men and women surged up from the dance floor, gathering in the noble hall. They stood in neat rows before Aura, several lines deep.
Noticing that Aura looked about the same age as them—or perhaps even younger—these young nobles began whispering among themselves, intrigued and curious.