My head is ringing!
Some of them quickly awoke from the illusion, only to find themselves still in the lecture hall, which had not changed in the slightest. They could only look at each other in shock.
It was terrifying. This, in turn, meant that Frieren had truly completed the mental interference in an instant, with no build-up, no warning, not even the slightest trace of magical fluctuations.
As expected of the sorcerer who created the largest-scale illusion in history.
People always overlook her skill in illusory arts, but no one who knows about the battle of Elf Town would underestimate it.
Not liking to use it doesn't mean she isn't good at it.
After a portion of the audience awoke on their own based on Flamme's formulaic annotations, the rest gradually came to their senses under the influence of the transference magic. Wasn't this equivalent to being hit with two consecutive, overlapping mental interferences? Such divine skill.
First Frieren's large-scale illusion, then Serie's penetration of that illusion to instill knowledge—neither was a simple feat.
Their joint demonstration was also a representation of martial prowess.
The hearts of the Imperial envoys present tightened. They secretly wondered if this would ever end; it was one shock after another.
This job was soul-crushing.
Being dispatched to the Magic City on this mission was nothing short of torture. The stipend wasn't nearly enough to compensate for the terror of two Mages of the Mythical Era flexing their muscles. But on second thought, the other party was teaching without discrimination, even allowing the highly vigilant Empire's side to be included, openly publicizing the magic.
Thinking it over carefully, they hadn't lost anything. Learning the magic was, in fact, a massive gain. At this thought, they even had to thank the three on the lecture stage.
"Next, I will discuss the complex formulas..."
Frieren felt that once everyone had grasped the basics, she could move on to complex theories. Her thinking was as erratic as the rumors said, often defaulting to the assumption that her audience consisted of geniuses who would understand with a single hint.
Whenever the mood struck, she would even use illusory arts for an on-the-spot demonstration, a colorful and pleasing sight.
So difficult.
Fortunately, Flamme, who had collaborated with her many times, understood her master's style. She used the writing board to annotate the parts Frieren had skipped over, making them simple, easy to understand, and clear. After all, she was no longer the person she once was; her level of knowledge was a cut above.
Her days at the headquarters had laid the foundation for her to teach as a master sorcerer.
With her help, those formulas were much easier to understand.
Moreover, Frieren was already simplifying the difficulty, trying her best to be clear, and frequently using demonstrations to show everyone what it should look like. People always learn and improve; the more you teach, the more experience you gain.
What's more, Serie was assisting from the side. Not only did she cooperate with the demonstrations, but she could also offer a few supplementary points, always hitting the nail on the head.
As expected of the progenitor of magic; in terms of teaching ability, there was no comparison. She chose talented students only because she liked the strong, not because she couldn't teach the untalented. In fact, she had seen the most students and understood best how to impart magic.
"The above..."
"Concludes the overview of Paradise-Guiding. Next is the demonstration of Diagold."
Since there had been no breaks, it was now nearing dusk.
However, Frieren was the type to act on inspiration and see things through in one go, never letting a rest interrupt her train of thought. She treated teaching the same way.
The sorcerers didn't mind in the slightest. They sat there calmly, taking notes, welcoming it all. The more, the better.
Such guidance was a rare sight.
The silver-haired girl glanced at the audience and saw that at some point, Barke, Carol, and other high-ranking members of the envoy delegation had also gathered. They were clearly more interested in the second half of the course. In that case, she would leave them with an even deeper impression—
"This demonstration is like the Paradise-Guiding from just now; you will all be affected. Don't worry. Anything I can cast, I can dispel."
Before her words had faded, Frieren snapped her fingers.
The shout and the gesture were non-essential steps, serving only as a warning.
Everyone was shocked to find that their left pinky finger had turned into gold, shimmering brightly with a solid texture. When they tried to channel their mana, it was like a stone sinking into the sea, with no reaction. That's right, it was genuine goldenization.
Even Serie clicked her tongue in amazement. Experiencing it for the first time was quite novel, but what was harder was suppressing her defensive instincts, as a series of preparatory formulas had all been triggered simultaneously.
She almost cast a counter-curse.
Barke was so frightened he stood up, only to be met by the gazes of the trio on the stage, forcing him to meekly sit back down.
The scene was utterly silent, filled only with awe for the power of this miracle.
Since a part of the body could be turned to gold, the whole body would be no problem. In fact, as the magic of the strongest of the Seven Sages of Destruction, it had been studied the most. If Macht were to cast it, it would swiftly spread throughout the entire body, causing the target to lose consciousness.
And another point was very important: even the creator of this magic did not know how to dispel it.
If it weren't for Frieren's esteemed reputation and rock-solid credibility, some people would probably be screaming for help by now.
"Dispel!"
Before the word was even finished, the goldenization vanished without a trace.
With the sense of crisis gone, the crowd curiously touched their left pinky fingers. Everything was normal, and there had been no discomfort throughout the entire process.
What she had truly demonstrated was a level of absolute control, the ability to apply and retract the magic at will. This was unlike the original user, who was full of violence and only knew how to turn everything to gold with a single cast. It seemed powerful but lacked subtlety. The new Diagold was far more threatening. A genius can always make better use of a weapon.
"I see. The Vice President's control surpasses even Macht's."
"Not only has she analyzed the curse, but she has also completely mastered it. Her power is greater than that of the Seven Sages of Destruction."
"Isn't that the new El Dorado?"
"How could such a title be worthy of Frieren the Slayer? The Vice President knows a sea of magic; this is just one more. She only brought it up because it's a typical example."
"Our research into curses has taken another great leap forward, all thanks to the Vice President."
"Although she only acknowledges Flamme as her student, she doesn't hide anything from the rest of us. I am willing to call her 'Teacher'."
"The Association moves forward with this very spirit."
Soon, the murmurs of discussion faded away, replaced by rapt attention to Frieren's explanation. But in the heart of every person, an unforgettable memory had been etched. Logically, curse research was the most cutting-edge of discoveries, priceless in value, yet she had disclosed it publicly.
She had even simplified it into magic for everyone to use, a true contribution to humanity.
It was admirable.
One by one, they settled down and listened with the most earnest attitude. Since the Vice President had shared so much, what was there to worry about? They just needed to focus on learning, nothing else mattered.
Even the Empire's sorcerers listened with all their heart, because this knowledge was of paramount importance.
Should this be called Frieren's deterrence and suppression? If so, she shouldn't have revealed such a bombshell. Should it be said she did it on a whim? That seemed unlikely.
"...I cannot comprehend her methods," Carol murmured.
"Just as I cannot comprehend the formulas of the curse. Perhaps I've been away from the anti-demon battlefront for too long. Have I grown rusty?"
Barke took a deep breath and said in admiration:
"Because Frieren's method is a more sophisticated form of domination by sheer presence. This one lecture both fits the Association's style, preventing anyone from thinking they are playing politics, and has a wide-reaching influence."
"The measures we prepared are now useless. Let's prepare to negotiate cooperation with concessions as our premise."
The course on curse research lasted for a full seven days.
Because after Frieren finished her lecture on the first day, she felt there were a great many details to add; it was too rough, and relying on spontaneous ideas wouldn't work. Fortunately, the experienced Serie helped revise the lesson plan, and with the student feedback collected by Flamme, the materials grew more and more extensive.
So, based on the suggestions of her two capable assistants, she extended the course to add annotations to her own knowledge.
As a result, a whim added four more days to the course, and each lecture lasted an entire day. Her style did not allow for her train of thought to be interrupted, so it was a test of both intellect and stamina.
Tiring, but joyful.
This atmosphere permeated the entire Association headquarters, a constant state of haste.
The Magic City had a rich academic atmosphere. Even outside the academy district, it wasn't hard to find people with a basic understanding of magic. Coupled with Frieren's complete openness, some residents also joined in after hearing the news.
Furthermore, because it lasted long enough, a considerable number of sorcerers, drawn by her reputation, flew in just to hear the final lecture.
An absolutely unmissable event in one's lifetime.
To have two Mages of the Mythical Era teaching on the same stage might not be the last of its kind, but it was almost certainly the first. At least, it had never happened in the known history of humanity.
One would have to ask Serie if it had happened before that, but that wasn't important. What was important was that Frieren's topic was also astounding enough. Who wouldn't want to learn about curses, especially one involving the renowned Diagold? It was guaranteed to be sensational.
Therefore, the moment she decided on the topic, it was destined to become famous, and everyone rushed over without pause.
The number of guests received by the Magic City continued to increase.
During this time, even neighboring countries were alarmed and dispatched court mages to attend, determined to grasp the information firsthand. Although they knew all the materials would be released later, what happened on-site was surely the most crucial.
The final day.
When the bell rang, Frieren announced loudly: "Class dismissed. On this topic, I have nothing more to teach you."
Then, she stretched, turned, and left without another word, giving no one a chance to ask questions. The other elf was naturally just as spontaneous, lazily walking out of the lecture hall as well.
The old and the young had grown weary of dealing with simple questions. This was the end of it.
What needed to be said had been said. The rest was up to comprehension.
It was easy for them to leave, but Flamme, left behind, saw a dense crowd surging toward her. She was sitting on a high stool used for writing on the board and couldn't run in time, forced to face a multitude of hopeful eyes:
"It's so difficult. How much did you understand? I feel like there are still a ton of things I don't get."
"It's a pity I can't keep up with the Vice President and the President's level."
"If no one learns it, wouldn't it be a waste of time? What's the point of teaching then? Alas, was the teaching poor?"
"Did you completely skip over all the basics she taught before? At the very least, everyone now has stronger mental protection."
"In my opinion, the Association's teaching standards are questionable."
"Could it be that not a single person learned it? The gap between us and the Mages of the Mythical Era is too vast..."
Before some of the Imperial sorcerers could steer the conversation towards blame, Flamme's arm turned to gold. Its luster, texture, and magical reaction were impeccable. For a moment, there was dead silence.
Then she pointed from a distance, and the clothes of several sorcerers in Imperial attire turned to gold. That was a real eye-opener.
Her exposure caused the surrounding apprentices to glare at them, vaguely forming an oppressive encirclement. The former immediately shrank their necks and shut their mouths.
"You few bad students clearly weren't paying attention. As the master's teaching assistant, I have reason to punish you by making you copy the basics of magic—but you are not members of the Association."
"Please, do as you wish."
With these words, the Imperial delegation felt even more like they were sitting on pins and needles.
Not far away, Barke clenched his fists in anger. Did you idiots really think this kind of rabble-rousing was clever? Aren't you just incurring the wrath of the entire Association? Everyone here is indebted to the Vice President, and now you stir up trouble? Aren't you biting the hand that feeds you?
Even spreading rumors requires choosing the right occasion. Now look what you've done, you've offended the greatest genius of the current era.
Even the vast and powerful Empire could increasingly foresee that for the next hundred years, the title of humanity's strongest would belong to Frieren's sole direct disciple.
He was about to faint from the stupidity of his teammates.
After speaking, the stool beneath Flamme turned to gold, then reshaped itself into a slide. With a light step, she slid down. Then, the chalk, lesson plans, and notes flew up to guard her flanks, like a flock of kingfishers.
This small display left the audience stunned; people were at a loss for words.
Not only had she demonstrated Diagold, but also a further morphological change, which she seemed to perform with effortless ease.
Didn't we all attend the same seven days of lectures? How are you so skilled? The gap between people is greater than the gap between a person and a dog.
"One more thing."
Suddenly, the red-haired girl stopped and turned around, her gaze sweeping across the crowd as she revealed a youthful, triumphant smile. "Could it be that until now, none of you have felt anything unusual?"
Her words sent a chill down everyone's spine, raising goosebumps. But they looked at each other and saw nothing wrong.
No way. Haven't we already performed anti-illusion checks? Is she bluffing?
Flamme shook her head regretfully and answered:
"To be honest, I've only studied this for these seven days. I received no special tutoring. I listened to the same lectures and took the same notes as you... You should all study hard."
"Since when did you get the mistaken impression that I wasn't using Paradise-Guiding?"
Whoosh!
A gentle breeze wiped away the scene of the lecture hall. In that moment, everyone suddenly found themselves in the open space outside the main hall of the headquarters. It was terrifying. Bypassing their consciousness to control their physical bodies and make everyone appear in the square?
More importantly, the passersby nearby were also dumbfounded. In their minds, the crowd had appeared out of thin air.
So the caster had also concealed the event from any potential onlookers.
What a magical performance!
The sorcerers were immersed in the manifestation of this miracle, unable to extricate themselves for a long time. It was too astounding. This was a power that surpassed the Seven Sages of Destruction. As for those people from the Empire? Not worth mentioning. They didn't even need to be driven away; the group had already left, dwarfed by comparison.
Not far away, Carol was pointing at the provocateurs' noses, giving them a severe scolding.
Her superior, Barke, mused thoughtfully, "Can you tell if Diagold was cast before or after Paradise-Guiding?"
"My apologies, I have no idea."
"It's alright, because I can't tell either. I have lived so many years in vain, to be so easily crushed by a junior. Flamme truly lives up to her reputation."
"Although a shadow warrior shouldn't express opinions on this matter, I must say the Association is now beyond control."
Carol's words made Barke laugh out loud.
"We all know that an Empire that does not fully commit to fighting the demons is diminishing its own authority."
"Powerful sorcerers are bound to have great ambition and spirit. Right now, the organization with the most spirit is not the Empire, but the Association."
After her demonstration, Flamme returned to the inner hall garden.
As a great sorcerer, her accommodations were in a more spacious room in the deeper parts, which required passing through the central courtyard's rest area.
She hadn't walked more than a few steps when she saw the white-haired and golden-haired figures who had returned earlier, standing by the doorframe. Both were looking at the red-haired girl with great interest. Even the worldly-wise elves were full of surprise.
"Master, President, what's with this stance? Are you the guardians before the Demon King's Castle?"
"I originally held no hope that anyone would be able to learn it. I didn't expect you to have already achieved a preliminary grasp. I always overestimate my apprentices, yet you always manage to surprise me."
"You are worthy to fight me!"
Serie, in particular, was rubbing her fists together, full of fighting spirit.
Ever since her fight with Frieren, she had become easily fired up, rediscovering a vibrant, youthful heart.
Flamme quickly waved her hands in refusal: "Calm down, I haven't fully mastered it yet. Although Master has simplified the formulas, it still takes time to learn. I need to study it carefully now. But it might delay the research on barrier arts."
"Don't worry, I'm not in a hurry. Finish your business first."
"It doesn't matter, I can do either."
"The path of magic is interconnected; there's no need for classification, at least not for a genius," Serie said cheerfully:
"Frieren, since you want to do research, my expertise in barrier arts and Flamme's expertise in sealing arts will both be useful. Let's study curses together. It's a good way to kill time, isn't it?"
"Then it's a deal."
The three of them understood what "killing time" meant: letting the Imperial envoy delegation clear their heads a bit.
They believed Barke was a rational person who would make a sensible judgment. Otherwise, if there were any more foolish moves, they were willing to use methods meant for fools.
They had just been bombarded with one bombshell after another; it was good to let their minds rest.
And so, they decided on their schedule for the coming days.
In truth, Serie, Frieren, and Flamme were all the type to become engrossed for days on end once they started researching. Of course, they didn't mind having a long talk, especially about major topics like curses and seals. Why wouldn't they?
Thus, the three of them gradually became more reclusive, returning to a rhythm of life familiar to the members of the Association.
Aside from the great sorcerer apprentices led by Zanne needing to take on more official duties, there were basically no other changes.
Everything was as usual.
The Empire's envoys? No one cared. Just some dogs by the roadside.
In the Magic City, everyone had their own business to attend to. They had long grown tired of receiving these damn outsiders. They could go cool off wherever they pleased.
The Association personnel's indifference towards them stemmed partly from the frustration of their enthusiasm being worn down, and partly because Frieren's unparalleled splendor had given the entire Association absolute confidence. They were certain of victory in this game; at worst, they would just drag things out.
Martial strength is the guarantee of independence.
Even if the Imperial officials made more threats now, it would be useless, because no one believed them.
With the current luxurious lineup of the Magic City's entire high command assembled, even the Demon King himself would have to fall in defeat. To truly fight them, the entire high command of the demon race would have to be brought out, and the Empire was clearly not qualified for that.
Some were happy, some were worried. In their hotel in the Magic City, the envoys were also moving with urgency, the most crucial task being to convey the news to the Empire's high command.
Things were as Barke had predicted. As long as Serie and Frieren were firmly opposed, they would find no openings.
He changed his attitude, instead dissuading some proposals for underhanded tactics.
"Playing tricks now will do a hundred harms and bring no benefit."
The court mage's judgment in his letter was final. At the same time, he added a request for instructions: "I hope Your Majesty will approve my reaching an agreement with the Association to support the Empire's expansion strategy. We need each other, and humanity needs to unite to face the threat of the demons."
"We can also gain prestige in the war against the demons. This is a difficult path, but the Empire cannot always face only easy tasks."
"Rule begins with handling complex problems, and as sorcerers, we must have courage."
"This is my judgment and also my counsel as Your Majesty's magic tutor."
"...I cannot comprehend her methods," Carol murmured.
After sending the letter, Barke was still feeling emotional. He hadn't expected this trip to change so much. In a way, it had even prompted the Magic Association to take a more active leading role in related affairs, awakening the power of this behemoth.
Perhaps before Frieren's clear encouragement to oppose them, the sorcerers themselves didn't realize how much power they had.
A super-organization that was both willing and able, as well as independent, with a secular influence that could rival the church—this was not a situation the Empire wished to see. The high command was well aware of this, but they had to compromise.
It was better to make a decision early than to be indecisive.
Thus, the Imperial envoy delegation gradually fell silent, awaiting a reply from the capital...
Several days later.
The main conference hall of the Continental Magic Association headquarters was reopened. Unlike the last time a full assembly was convened for a decision, this time the number of people was small, only eight.
It was primarily a meeting between Serie, Frieren, and Barke and Carol.
The remaining Zanne, Flamme, and two other Imperial sorcerers were only responsible for taking notes. They just needed to keep their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts and write the minutes; the rest was unimportant, and they were not required to speak.
In reality, only the Empire required such professional and particular political significance; the Association did not.
It was just two masters bringing their apprentices to see the world.
Barke got straight to the point: "To show our sincerity and friendship, we have lifted the wanted status on Sorcerer Lord Minus. The accusations against her were baseless."
"Mm."
Frieren replied flatly. As you should. As the weaker party coming to negotiate, you ought to bring a gift. Consider yourself qualified. As for what that compatriot of hers had done, what great sin she had committed, it was completely irrelevant. Because what was wanted was for the Empire to publicly exonerate a major elven figure.
In theory, the Empire could launch another assassination, but any subsequent underhanded actions would diminish the value of the agreement.
Miliardel, for one, would not agree, and if she didn't agree, then Frieren wouldn't either.
"Furthermore—"
"His Majesty hopes the Association will jointly research Sareytania's technology for controlling demons."
The unexpected topic made both Zanne and Flamme stop recording, wanting to speak but holding back, because their two elders remained as serene as a still well. It was as if they had long expected the other party to play an unconventional card, or perhaps having lived so long, they had seen so much that it was no longer novel.
One sat cross-legged with her feet up, the other slouched lazily. Neither had proper posture and were unconcerned with formalities. Their aura was more like that of gang bosses.
They nodded, signaling him to continue:
"To be honest, the royal city of Sareytania has suddenly sealed itself off and ceased all communication. It is cut off by a thick fog, and all contact has been lost. Currently, only the foreign villages have been spared and are being evacuated by the Empire."
"But the fog shows signs of expanding and will sooner or later engulf the entire kingdom..."
"According to the survivors, it is a side effect of the demon technology, so we wish to study it to remedy the current situation."
Barke threw up his hands with a look of helplessness.
_____
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