Chapter 253: The Continental Magic Association
Emperor Fidel's prompt agreement was within Rhodes's expectations.
This king was a smart man. Although he had made mistakes in the past—mistakenly trusting Grausam, which led to The Light of Ersten being stolen and corrupted—he had learned.
If Rhodes hadn't appeared in time, Shurahat would likely have been able to draw out even more of the Holy Sword's power, making the situation exponentially more troublesome.
Part of the reason Rhodes was deliberately delaying the return of the sword was to punish Fidel.
Consider it a lesson learned.
After all, Norne had left explicit orders back then: The Light of Ersten was never to be used unless the kingdom faced annihilation. Even in ordinary times, no one was allowed to even look upon it.
This was to prevent its location from being known by those with ill intentions, thereby avoiding catastrophic consequences.
Fidel had clearly violated this order. He had brought Grausam directly to the sword, giving the demon the opportunity to touch it.
If not for the fact that Fidel was Norne's descendant, Rhodes would have very much liked to slap him across the face a few times.
"Since that is the case, I thank Your Majesty for your full support," Rhodes nodded slightly, setting the tone for this brief meeting.
"It is only natural. However, there are some things I feel need to be clarified in advance. If a conflict arises between you and the Saint Katiya Magic Academy, the Empire will not intervene."
Rhodes and Serie intended to establish a Magic Association that would encompass all mages on the continent. Inevitably, this would lead to disputes with the most famous institution currently in existence: the Saint Katiya Magic Academy.
For Fidel, neither side was an entity he could afford to offend, so naturally, he chose not to take sides.
Of course, if Rhodes were willing to promise that the Magic Association would participate in the politics of Ersten, that would be a different story.
"Your Majesty seems very keen on having mages participate in politics. May I ask why?"
When compiling the early grimoires, Rhodes had discussed this with Norne. To avoid future wars involving large numbers of mages on a national scale, they had subtly embedded warnings in the texts, advising mages to focus as much as possible on the path of magic itself.
The Saint Katiya Magic Academy was a prime example of this philosophy.
They did not participate in any internal disputes within the human race, and even prohibited students from serving other nations.
They would only act when facing attacks from other races, particularly demons.
"Alas!" Fidel sighed heavily. "To be honest with you, Lord Ade, in recent years, the Southern Unified Empire has already incorporated most of its domestic mages into the sequence of Imperial Court Mages. This means that on the battlefield, they will deploy an army of mages. Ordinary nations simply have no possibility of resisting them."
"Is that so? I understand." Rhodes nodded, his expression unreadable.
In the days that followed, the entire capital of Ersten became a hive of activity.
Emperor Fidel personally supervised the project, designating an area near the royal city for the construction of the Magic Association.
Large numbers of craftsmen and materials began to converge there, and the skeleton of a magnificent building soon appeared on the horizon.
Rhodes and Serie naturally became the core of the entire project.
Serie, in particular, showed exceptional dedication. When Rhodes asked why, she replied that she might be staying in this tower for the next few hundred years, so naturally, it had to be designed to her liking.
During these busy days, the subtle atmosphere between the group continued.
The relationship between Serie and Rhodes became increasingly intimate and natural.
Ela would occasionally witness the close interactions between her two teachers with great amazement.
It was her first time seeing Master Serie display such a rich array of expressions; she almost didn't seem like an elf anymore.
Frieren, on the other hand, would occasionally tilt her head and ask blandly, "Is gnawing on each other's lips the way humans express affection? It feels a bit strange."
As for Flamme, she played the role of the apprentice perfectly.
She would occasionally assist Rhodes with work, continue to study magic under Serie, and contribute her own efforts to the construction of the Association.
Her communication with Rhodes was strictly limited to magic and Association business. Her tone and attitude had returned to their original state, with no actions crossing the line.
She would even drag Ela along to tutor Frieren in magic.
However, whenever she saw the intimacy between Rhodes and Serie, she would lower her head, avoiding the sight as much as possible.
Her long red hair concealed all her emotions, burying her obsession deep within her heart.
Rhodes tried to talk to her several times, but she always deflected him with various excuses.
She was like a taut string, pouring all her energy into the tasks at hand, giving herself no chance to relax or let her thoughts wander.
One day, the main structure of the Association began to take shape.
Emperor Fidel enthusiastically invited Rhodes and Serie to inspect the progress, with Flamme and Ela accompanying them.
Looking at the towering structure reaching for the sky, Fidel couldn't help but sigh with emotion. "Truly something to look forward to! I wonder, have Lady Serie and Lord Ade decided on a name for this future sanctuary of magic?"
Everyone's gaze focused on Rhodes and Serie.
Rhodes glanced at Serie. Seeing the eager expression on her face—and remembering her terrible naming sense—he wanted to interject, but Serie beat him to it.
"It shall be called The Continental Magic Association!"
As expected.
Rhodes subconsciously covered his forehead.
"Uh..." Fidel tried to ask for the reasoning. "Um, Lady Serie, does this name hold any deep meaning?"
He tried hard to ponder the profundity behind the name but came up blank.
"Meaning?" Serie tilted her head in confusion. "None. I just thought that since it is a Magic Association encompassing the entire continent, it should naturally be called the Continental Magic Association. It is very straightforward, is it not?"
Fidel: "..."
Isn't that a bit too simple?
He cast a pleading look at Rhodes, hoping he would say something.
Rhodes turned his head, trying his best to avoid Fidel's gaze. "I think... it is quite good."
"Hmph! After all, I named it!" Serie puffed out her chest with pride. It was clear she was very satisfied with the name.
Even Ela clapped her hands in agreement from the side. "As expected of Master Serie."
Frieren nodded as well. "Indeed."
Seeing that no one had any intention of objecting, Fidel had no choice but to shut his mouth. Anyway, for him, as long as this Magic Association could provide a steady stream of mages for the Kingdom of Ersten, the name didn't matter.
Only in this way could they maintain a certain advantage under the threat of the Southern Unified Empire.
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