Volume 3: The Land of Mist Chapter 8: Assessing the Situation
The history of Blackwater University of Magic can be traced back to the first year of the Platinum Calendar. It is said that its founder was a man named Takma from Ava. In the entire Vic continent, Blackwater University of Magic is one of the oldest schools that teaches magic.
Of course, in the era when the Star Law was established, the concept of "magic school" itself was already quite outdated. Basically, the Star Lighthouses in various places directly took over the local magic teaching. As one of the few remaining schools in the Riel Empire that still maintains operation, Blackwater University of Magic does not rely on any extraordinary foundation or any strong immortals to suppress it.
Simply because they stood on the right side in the "Enlightenment Movement" when the Star Law was established, they received special care from the Star Council.
"The preparatory class of Star Lighthouse" or "the nursing home of Star Senators" is what people privately call this thousand-year-old academy that was once ranked among the top five on the continent.
But Green Gordon, the current president of the University of Offa, doesn't care much about these teasing titles.
Whether it is a preparatory class or a nursing home, at least they can maintain their existence.
Only things that exist are worthy of being ridiculed.
It was as if eight hundred years ago, when other magic academies on the continent united to resist the promotion of the "Law of the Stars", the then president of Blackwater University judged the situation and chose the side that was more in line with the historical trend. He opened the doors of the academy to welcome those star believers whose robes were embroidered with different constellations, and allowed them to move the magic books from the academy's library.
It is said that the headmaster at that time was denounced as a traitor by his peers from other magic academies, who accused him of associating with the "book burners" and being unworthy of being a magic caster.
But so what? Eight hundred years later, the magic academies that chose to resist were left with only a name written in the historical archives. Even the names of the few academies that chose to resist to the end were erased.
Only Blackwater University of Law survived thanks to the support of the Star Council.
"Assess the situation" - this was the principle that successive deans of Blackwater Offa University adhered to.
Therefore, Green now needs to continue to assess the situation and do what he should do.
After notifying his men to bring the girl over, Green sat back in his armchair, turning the floating stone on the table with some boredom.
After more than a month of unrest, the situation in Thorn City has calmed down on the surface, but Green knows that this is just an illusion.
Countless undercurrents are now surging beneath the peaceful surface of this city.
Vincent who seized the Throne of Thorns was a complete idiot. Okay... maybe he was a rare genius in magic, but he was definitely a complete idiot in politics.
After he came to power, he implemented a series of measures, including blocking the Star Lighthouse, which completely pushed the entire Rose Palace regime to the opposite side of the Star Council. Green didn't even have time to mediate, and the Star Council cut off contact with this side. The Stranger Star Lighthouse directly froze all the qualifications for enlightenment and promotion.
And Blackwater University of Law inexplicably lost its greatest supporter in the past eight hundred years.
Thorn City is known as the "City of Silver and Blood". Coups are like a series of bloody embellishments in the history of this city. But no matter who comes to power through a coup, the first thing they have to do is to ensure the normal operation of the Star Lighthouse in order to win the recognition and support of the Star Council.
You can try to bargain with the royal family of the Riel Empire, and even have some conflicts with the Holy Spirit Church over religious issues, but the only thing you must get is the support of the Star Council.
Unless you plan to throw yourself completely into the arms of the Moon Realm.
However, judging from the fact that the other party frequently brings people into the academy to hunt down Moon Realm believers, it seems that they do not intend to do so.
If you neither seek the support of the Star Council nor are you willing to use the Moon Realm believers, what is the point of winning the hearts of the people by actively responding to the blight plague and improving the treatment of miners?
Strength is power. No matter how much illusory popular support one gathers, it will be a mob that will collapse at the slightest touch under the saturation spell coverage of the battle mage legion.
Since ancient times, the people least likely to achieve anything are idealists.
If you want to accomplish something, you must have a solid, reliable and absolute force to support you.
"Dean, are you looking for me?"
There were two gentle knocks on the office door, and a calm female voice sounded outside the door.
Green tapped his fingers on the wooden table and the door of the room opened automatically.
Outside the door, a girl with short hair and a sunbird pendant around her neck was looking at him with a puzzled expression.
"Come in, Liliana."
Green restrained his previous expression, smiled warmly and greeted him.
The other party walked up to him somewhat stiffly, as if he was very confused as to why the dean suddenly called him over.
"I heard that you have made rapid progress in the illusion course recently. Elena said that if you continue to improve at this rate, you can complete the expert-level promotion test of the illusion course this year...Ah, don't be shy, just sit down."
Green said this, pointing to the chair across the table and making a "please sit down" gesture.
“The teacher gave good guidance.”
Liliana said as she sat down carefully, intending to ask the other party what his purpose was in looking for her.
But before she could speak, Green said:
"It's impossible to make such great progress in such a short period of time just relying on Elena's lessons... Tell me, did your father find a tutor for you?"
Green's tone was as relaxed and casual as if he was chatting with his family.
But after hearing this, Liliana, who was originally planning to ask the other party's purpose, remained silent.
She probably guessed the other party's purpose for calling her over.
Seeing that Liliana didn't say anything, Green gently fiddled with the floating stone on the table, then continued with a smile:
"If there really is a powerful illusion magic caster who is helping you with your studies, maybe you can introduce him to me. After all, the academy lacks such talents nowadays. Your father is now..."
"He is not my father."
Liliana corrected in a calm tone.
Despite having the distinguished surname of "Bergman", it was no secret in the upper class circles that Liliana was Vincent's adopted daughter. There were even rumors that she was actually the illegitimate daughter of the former chief of the Mage Hall. Of course, no one who had dealt with Vincent would believe this.
Hearing this, Green raised his hand and said with a little apology:
"What I mean is that the policy your adoptive father has formulated regarding the education of magic casters is relatively... not so in line with the traditions here. As a result, six heads of the Mage Tower have submitted their resignations in the past two months. If there was no real shortage of people, your current instructor would not have been transferred from the Shadow Department to the Illusion Department to serve as the temporary head."
Liliana didn't reply, she knew all this.
In the past two months, most of the teachers with a background in the Star Council in the academy chose to resign and leave. Coupled with the recent intensive hunt for Moon Realm believers, it can be said that the entire Offa University has been in a complete shutdown state in recent times.
Looking at the other party's silent expression, Green smiled and continued:
"Of course, let's put the recruitment issue aside for now. After all, even if we have enough teachers now, there probably won't be many students by the time Xingyue's enrollment season comes..."
Without the support of the Star Lighthouse, the entire Thorn City has not had a single magic affinity person who has passed the magic enlightenment in the past two months. Now, near the blocked Stranger Lighthouse, every few days there are parents holding their children with a faint glow in their eyes, waiting for the lighthouse to open.
For many common families, having a child born with an affinity for magic is the only way for them to change their fate. Therefore, compared to some nobles, they often have a louder voice for the reopening of the Star Lighthouse.
"I came to you this time mainly to find out whether your adoptive father mentioned the specific time for the lighthouse to reopen."
Green spread his hands and asked sincerely.
Maybe it will never be opened...
After hearing this question, Liliana thought to herself.
The person who gave the order to blockade the lighthouse was not her adoptive father Vincent, but William Kane, who was in control of the situation behind him.
Seeing the other party's eager eyes, Liliana, who understood the essence of the lighthouse, carefully answered:
"He has been living in the Rose Palace these past few months, and I haven't seen him many times."
The implication is - I know nothing.
The disappointed expression on Green's face only stayed for a short moment, and he quickly regained his previous smile and said:
"Then you should go back and ask him, even if it's for your own sake. At your current rate of improvement, you should be able to participate in the expert spell rating by the end of the year...if the lighthouse can be reopened by then."
"Then next time I meet him, I will tell him..."
"When is the next time?"
Green interrupted Liliana directly.
"Time isn't that abundant now, is it? If possible, it would be better to discuss this issue with him as soon as possible."
"What about tomorrow?"
Liliana asked tentatively.
"Tomorrow is April Fool's Day. It would be better for a lady of your status not to go out on April Fool's Day. Let's go today. I heard from Elena that you don't have classes today."
…………
No matter how you look at it, the disappearance of a student on the campus of Blackwater Offa University is always difficult to explain.
Looking at Liliana's leaving back, Green thought to himself.
But if she left the campus and disappeared on her own, then it would have nothing to do with him.
It's a pity that such a talented child has to become a victim of adult politics.
Thinking of this, he took out a magic-sealing rune used for communication from the drawer.
"Assess the situation."
Green muttered to himself.
Not long ago, the restorationists within the Rose Palace approached him. They claimed that they had found the old duke's son and hoped that Blackwater University of Offa could provide some help in restoring Thorn City's previous order.
Participating in the intricate court battles of the Rose Palace was not in line with the neutral and detached attitude of Offa University in the past. But the present was different from the past, especially when the light of the Star Law could not shine on the Thorn City.
He has to make plans for the future of the entire college.
Before making up his mind, Green had also made other attempts. In the past half month, he had visited Vincent several times in the palace, hoping to clarify the opening hours of the lighthouse, but the answers he got were all official clichés such as "under study" and "I will give you a reply later".
Green is not a fool. He can see the increasingly strict blockade and more and more seals outside the Star Lighthouse day by day.
In comparison, the promise of the restorationists to immediately restore contact with the Star Council seems much more practical and reliable.
Thinking of this, Green activated the communication ritual in the magic-sealing rune - he wanted to inform the people of the restoration faction who were arranged a few streets away that the girl had already gone out.
The magic power flowed from his fingertips onto the runes according to his will, and the spell engraved on the runes was instantly covered with blue sparks.
Then it went out.
"It's useless. You underestimate the protection a father will give his daughter, especially when she has been in so many dangerous situations before ."
A voice suddenly echoed across from Green.
He looked up and saw a gray-haired man appearing where Liliana had been sitting before.
A second ago, there was no one there.
"Who is it?"
Green's back tensed, he raised his hand, and a fiery red spell took shape instantly.
Then the same went out.
"By the way, I have blocked off the space here. Don't yell. It's useless."
After casually extinguishing his own magic, the man said calmly.
This made Green, who was about to call for help, shut up.
Space blockade? But he remembered that it was impossible to perform space blockade-related spells so quietly, or was the other party just lying to him?
Green looked at the calm man with some suspicion. He stared at him for a while before speaking:
"Have I seen you somewhere before?"
"I have borrowed your school's training range before, and we may have met at that time."
The man replied politely.
Green thought about it carefully. It seemed to be shortly after the riot in the Great Cemetery. At that time, Vincent brought a person who did not want to reveal his identity to rent the underground shooting range for two days, and told that in order to avoid accidents, no one was allowed to get close to it. However, after two days, the entire shooting range was returned intact , as if the person had just slept in the shooting range for two days.
Because he said it very seriously at the time, he still has some impression of it.
"So, you are Vincent's man?"
Green asked carefully.
The other person shook his head.
But before Green could say his next guess, the other party answered directly:
"Vincent is my man."
Green waited for the other party to continue, but the other party fell silent after saying this.
So he couldn't help asking:
"Are you sure?"
Although Vincent has never called himself the King of Blackwater or the Duke of Thorns, he is now undoubtedly the highest authority .
And now the unknown magic caster who appeared before him said that Vincent was his subordinate. On what basis did he do that?
Just because he has grey hair and silver eyes, and looks like the legitimate heir to the Riel royal family?
"The restorationists' plan for a coup tomorrow will not succeed."
The man did not answer Green's question, but said this directly.
When Green Gordon heard the words "tomorrow" and "coup", his heart immediately skipped a beat.
When it comes to a coup, once the intelligence is leaked, there is basically no chance of success.
"I don't know what you're talking about..."
Green said with his expression unchanged.
"A coup? What coup? Is this an April Fool's joke?"
The other party did not say anything after hearing this, but stretched out his hands to open his clenched white fingers one by one, and then took out the unactivated magic-sealing rune from inside.
He held the demon-sealing rune and looked at himself, his expression as if saying: Please don't treat me like a fool.
"I can explain this..."
But the other party raised his hand to stop himself from saying the following words.
"I have always felt that wrong choices made out of ignorance are forgivable until they cause irreparable and serious losses. After all, ignorance is not a sin, and there is still a chance to correct it."
The man said as he looked at the demon-sealing rune.
"Luckily, you chose to help the Restorationists. Firstly, it was out of ignorance. You didn't know what was behind Vincent. Secondly, you didn't choose an action that could cause significant losses."
Then the man said, and before Green could react, he activated the demon-sealing rune.
"Hey! Wait a minute!"
"So I'm willing to give you a chance to start over."
