Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 292: Chapter 95 Melanie’s Last Resort

”All those bloody messes in the Mage Association are caused by those legendaries,” Fran continued. ”I don’t like to mention it because it’s beneath my contempt. They’re all inferior to Carl, still clinging to the noble legacy within the Mage Association, using it to strengthen their families. Many kids with great aptitude end up wasting their potential on this nonsense.”

Adrian was taken aback.

At first, Adrian didn’t grasp what was happening. Slowly it dawned on him—those families were making money by selling special potions, then using it to train the children in their households with Mage Aptitude.

Moreover, they were employing the very method Fran despised the most, completely indifferent to the future of these children. Perhaps in their eyes, as long as one could reach the Legendary stage, there was no cause for dissatisfaction. Children raised in such an environment would only pursue this type of success.

Although they could only attain the Legendary Primary stage, as long as such Legends remained, their families would always hold sway within the Mage Association.

Such familiar dynamics silenced Adrian for a moment, ”So their titles gradually shifted from the Mage Association to the Mage Kingdom?”

”Kids of Great Nobility are indeed different,” Fran exclaimed with a sigh. ”I only realized this recently. Once the Mage Association began to accommodate a few permanent families, it slowly became a kingdom.”

”What about the Mage Association now?”

”It’s just like a nation,” Fran scoffed, ”The founders of the Mage Association might still be alive and kicking! These folks mostly reign supreme in their own domains. But they tend to tie themselves to certain nations, gathering up children with Mage Aptitude from those countries into their own families.

As long as these apprentices are trained genuinely as Mages, those dozen or so Parliament members won’t meddle.

But there will surely be a group of children whose aptitude is neither great enough to become Legendary nor poor enough to be merely Mages. They are sacrificed.

In the end, these individuals become consorts to the members of their own families.

However, Mages are not known for meddling in others’ affairs. They employ incentives, so nobody interferes as long as it doesn’t threaten the lineage of Mages.”

”Like Magicians?” Adrian asked.

”Yes, Magicians stir up trouble because their very foundation was almost destroyed,” Fran explained. ”And the situation for Female Sorceresses is still very tough.”

”Their discontent with His Majesty the King is because the King won’t hand these children over to the Mage Association anymore?” said Adrian, grasping the situation. ”And he cut off three nations all at once.”

”There’s more to it,” Fran said with a smile. ”The members of Parliament used to let these things slide because they felt they had no choice. But now, there are better methods in handing down Mage traditions.”

”You mean Mage Schools?” Adrian was extremely surprised. ”They want to establish them too?”

”Of course,” Fran said disdainfully. ”What else did you think those guys were up to, suddenly opposing Saral? Acting rudely towards a future True God?”

Adrian could only laugh helplessly, so the Mage Association’s attitude towards Saral was this odd. The true power players within the Mage Association rarely paid attention to the lower ranks, so they did whatever they wanted. It was probably these families who were essentially managing the Association.

The might of those stronger individuals was enough to keep these families obedient, but it was only natural for them to trip up King Saral, who had caused this mess.

”Has the Mage Association truly washed their hands of the affairs of the Elves and Dwarves?” Adrian still felt a bit disappointed. ”No matter how powerful, they are still Humans!”

”Those who transcend the Legendary status have promised to take action,” Fran glanced at Adrian. ”When these strong figures intervene, His Majesty the King merely appreciates that they, as Humans, have not forgotten their roots, never expressing gratitude. It’s only right for them to take action for the sake of all Humanity. Isn’t the foundation of a Mage built on the existence of Humans?

What use are the others? In this Saral filled with the Undead Tribe? The Mage Association did offer some conditions for assistance, which His Majesty the King outright rejected. He simply does not trust those who might drag their feet, and Saral is not interested in seeking trouble.”

Adrian understood William’s choice; who would want help from those who might turn traitorous mid-course!

And it’s not that there’s a shortage of people.

”Who knows when the fight will break out?” said Adrian, frowning. ”I need to speed things up. Teacher, let’s proceed with the Magic Array tomorrow!”

Fran nodded: ”Alright. But there’s no need to be too anxious; it won’t start that quickly. Currently, it’s quite chaotic on the Elf side. The Moon Elves might be splitting up. Some are considering moving out of the Forest of the Elves.”

Adrian looked at Fran: ”Hill’s maternal grandmother?”

”She left long ago,” Fran replied with a twitch of his mouth. ”Don’t concern yourself with it—it’s not our business. The leaving Elves are the ones with more of the Moon Elven Bloodline. They can sense their Main God, the despondent Goddess of the Hunt, and would never stay there.

The foreign Elves neither dare lay hands on them nor want to let them go. So it’s been quite a ruckus lately. Once that’s settled, they’ll turn to Saral. As for the other Human nations, there’s still no news. Only Noah has assured to send Legendaries to join the battle.”

”Will the dwarves get involved as well?”

”Dwarves will not let Saral off the hook,” said Fran solemnly. ”Just as the God of Smithing has said, the dwarves themselves are enemies of this world. Therefore, humans, who are more favored by the World’s Will, are the ones they suppress.”

”The World’s Will only allows dwarves to have little good fortune on this continent, but it can’t drive them away. How could such powerful dwarves possibly leave Saral unchecked?”

Adrian nodded, ”I understand, teacher. During this period, I will strive to do everything I can.”

He stood up, ”I’ll go and respond to Hill. Is there anything else you wish to tell him?”

”Tell him to stay out of the matters that follow.”

”Teacher, Hill will not give up on finding out news about that lady,” Adrian said earnestly. ”If it were me, I would be concerned as well.”

”She has already been locked up,” Fran said helplessly. ”But it was that foolish duke who did it. For now, they’ve only detained all related individuals to test their faction alignment. Do you think, being sent back here, she could be of an evil faction? His Majesty the King would not harm anyone without evidence.”

”Indeed, even the potion used for murder is the kind only legendary mages would use,” Adrian remarked sarcastically. ”She merely provided an opportunity, at most neutral with a tilt towards evil. It looks like Olivia is doomed.”

”The one from your family?”

”The Undead Tribe says Olivia is already someone they can kill,” Adrian said with a bitter smile. ”My family asked for my help, but I have already refused.”

”The people she sent, whether they took action or not, were aware of what was happening at that time, and by default, they agreed to it. They might have taken the fall, but they are just dying first. The team led by that Grand Knight, they all turned evil.”

Fran said coldly, ”That little girl, Noah, is purely of a kind alignment. That’s why they met such a tragic end. Although I don’t know how it was accomplished, the girl’s own alignment is certainly not in question. She directly accused Olivia, so no matter whether Olivia knew beforehand, she is now a priest who has brought shame to the Main God, not being completely abandoned is mercy from the God of Time and Space.”

”Although the God of Time and Space does not concern Himself with these mortal affairs, one of His devout followers, openly renouncing faith and insulting the Main God, a priest who hates the Main God! This could even damage the faction of time and space! That’s why those involved turned to evil,they injured the deities. For a neutral good God, this is quite troublesome. His wrath will not be less than that of His Majesty the King!”

”Olivia merely had a shift in faction alignment, she must embark on a quest for redemption. After all, she herself didn’t commit the deeds, she was just foolish. The Temple of Time and Space would not use its own priest as a scapegoat. That’s better than losing her life, and it’s impossible for me to intervene,” Adrian said, shaking his head.

”Matters of the deities are always bothersome,” sighed Fran. ”Seeing His Majesty the King’s demeanor today, it seems he already has a grasp on things. No wonder he demanded a faction alignment test, it looks like all these people, including that duke, are doomed.”

”Right, maybe only that woman will survive,” Adrian laughed. ”The people of the God of Nobility really understand how deities shift faction alignments.”

Fran smiled helplessly, ”You dare say such things only because that deity is asleep. Hurry up and get to work! Hill is waiting for your response!”

Adrian hesitated before finally speaking, ”Hill, when evaluating Edgar’s lineage, mentioned that Perast’s illegitimate children are all about the same age as him. Edgar was born years after Perast stopped having children.

I’ve calculated, and it should have been when Melanie was severely injured.”

”Oh, that’s not unusual at all,” Fran said with a sneer. ”It must have been when she discovered Hill had decent mage aptitude. Realizing her son was like herself, she might have felt a flicker of maternal love. With Melanie’s ruthless nature, it’s quite normal for her to attack Perast in that way.”

”She’s quite aware of Perast! If he really never had a younger son, to suppress Manton, he might have treated Hill a bit better.”

”What’s the use? Such boring schemes never stand a chance against the turning of fate,” Fran remarked.

Seeing the trace of regret on Fran’s face, Adrian quickly went out.

He needed to inform Hill.

And Hill, having received the detailed message, was left with nothing but curses.

A Cardinal of the Noble Church? The Countess, no matter how astute, didn’t have the capability to do this herself, delivering herself to the doorstep.

The Earl must have known early on!

Although Hill didn’t know what attracted the Cardinal to that lady, he must have notified the Earl beforehand.

Nobles are indeed the foundation of the Noble Church. To a Cardinal, the Countess wasn’t so beautiful as to be irresistible, so if he couldn’t have her, he could simply move on to the next one.