“Huh?”
“I agree with Abraham.”
Kilsi said.
“Kilsi too! Wait just a moment. Me, above Abraham? There’s no way I could do that!”
“Is that so? Tres, I don’t think I’m mistaken. You are a straightforward and good person. You are an excellent magician, kind and considerate as a person, and you have a good heart that recognizes what is right and what is wrong and strives to correct it. You are still young, but you will gain experience. I will be active my whole life. I will assist you as much as possible.”
“…Abraham… However, I don’t have the qualifications. Because of my father, no, because my father was disappointed in me, a friend went astray. A promising young person was lost because of it. Someone like me…”
“Your father is your father. Regarding the recent incident of the murder of a Court Mage Candidate, I have also seen the details, and it is not your fault. You do not have to bear your father’s sins. You contribute greatly to this country. I don’t think anyone will object. Even if there is, you can gain their recognition over time.”
“…Abraham.”
The young Court Mage’s flustered state caused not only Abraham but also the King and the Dukes and Marquises to smile. Each of them looked towards the young man’s future with expectations, seeing his still naive demeanor.
“Well, let’s calm down, Tres. And Abraham, don’t be too hasty.”
“My apologies.”
“But it’s not a bad idea. I think so. However, we don’t have enough time to finalize this today. I want to inform the members of the Royal Mage Corps quickly, but if we are considering integration with the Royal Knights, we need to think a little more. Wouldn’t there be opposition within the Knights?”
“No, we investigated beforehand, and there is no opposition to the integration. Well, there was some dissatisfaction with me taking the second position, but it wasn’t dissatisfaction with Tres, so I think it’s within an acceptable range.”
“Hmm. In that case, we can decide it here today. One last confirmation, Abraham. The Royal Knights and the Royal Mage Corps are under my jurisdiction. Once I make a decision here, it cannot be undone. With that in mind, I ask. Are you ready?”
“I am.”
“Then I declare. As of today, the Royal Knights and the Royal Mage Corps are integrated to become the Royal Magic Knights. The Commander will be Court Mage Seventh Seat Tres Brauer. The Vice Commander and Assistant Commander will be former Royal Knight Commander Abraham Sinclair. If anyone has an objection, speak.”
No objections were raised.
“Tres Brauer. I look forward to working with you.”
“If it is the King’s order, I will sacrifice my very life!”
“Abraham Sinclair. Please pass on your loyalty to Tres.”
“Understood. I, Abraham, will cooperate with Lord Tres with all my heart and soul!”
“Your two organizations have become one, but the tasks you must undertake remain the same. Serve the Kingdom, protect the Kingdom. Understand?”
“Yes!”
The King nodded with satisfaction at Tres and Abraham’s replies.
“Now, things have progressed smoothly, but I would like to move on to the most important item on today’s agenda. Dennis, please.”
“Yes. As most of you may already know, the person who defeated Leonard and Lucas and prevented the rebellion from surfacing is the son of the Daum Barony, Jared Murphy.”
“I have heard of him. The Mage Association seems to think highly of him. Isn’t he the son of Liz Murphy?”
Several people reacted to Dominic’s question. There was no one in the room who didn’t know Liz Murphy, the former Court Mage. Jared’s mother, feared by both allies and enemies as the “God of Destruction,” was famous for better or worse.
“Surely he isn’t like that tomboyish troublemaker?”
“No, I believe he is more like his grandfather, Baron Niklas Daum, a good person.”
“Then it’s fine… or is it? If it were Niklas in his youth, I have a feeling he would have been quite a rascal…”
“No, he resembles the current calm Baron Daum. I believe it’s likely thanks to the education from his wife, Marte. I, for one, am glad he didn’t resemble that Liz.”
Nodding in agreement, the King and the older gentlemen present seemed to make an impression on the younger generation.
“Ahem. Ah, so. Not only Jarett, but also other Royal Academy students, the son of the Herring Count Family, Laurentz Herring. The son of Viscount Philip, who had been missing for many years, Luzer Fischer. Jidock Rocco, the next head of the Rocco Count Family. And Pfeil, a fighter belonging to Waalthe. It can be said that this country was protected by these individuals.”
As he listed the contributors other than Jared, attempting to change the subject, a renewed wave of unease spread. This was understandable, as one of the individuals mentioned by the King was a member of the strongest assassination organization on the continent.
“Quiet down. It’s understandable that you are surprised. I was surprised at first as well. Harald, Hugo, you two seemed to know this young boy named Pfeil. Could you please tell us a little about what you know?”
Duke Alway replied, “Understood.” He exchanged a look with Duke Rüdiger and nodded before beginning his explanation.
“It all started when my wife, Hannelore, was targeted…”
Harald explained. Pfeil came to take her life. Jared fought a fierce battle to stop him. And Jared was the one who emerged victorious. However, Pfeil escaped with the help of Consort Cornelia, who had hired Waalthe from behind the scenes. But surprisingly, out of a loser’s pride, he continued to be Jared’s ally. As a result, they exposed Cornelia’s wicked deeds and fought against the members of Waalthe, whom she had summoned to make a final struggle.
Now, Hannelore, who was supposed to have been targeted, had grown quite fond of him and lived with them in their mansion as if she were family. Harald stated that he had met him several times and, despite his complex feelings, could definitively assert that there was no danger from him.
“How unyielding. Or rather, I can only admire Lady Hannelore’s magnanimity and Lady Olivier’s deep trust in her fiancé.”
Surprisingly, the one who exclaimed in admiration was Duke Dominic Kneissl.
Nobles of this country likely have some connection, to a greater or lesser extent, with assassination organizations. Not all of them are directly involved with Waalthe, but as nobles, they sometimes use such organizations as intermediaries when they cannot act openly. This has been the case for nobles in any era.
“If there is no danger, then we shall let it be. We have left it alone until now, so it is too late to consider him dangerous now. Is that acceptable, Your Majesty?”
“I don’t mind either. It’s not about responsibility, but I want you, Harald, to keep as much track of his movements as possible. I’m not asking you to monitor him, but please exercise a minimum of caution for any unforeseen circumstances.”
“Understood.”
“Thank you. Now, let’s continue. First, Jidock Rocco began gathering information at an early stage, infiltrated enemy territory alone to rescue Olivier Alway, and succeeded in rescuing her in cooperation with others. After that, his contribution in deploying his private soldiers to apprehend the rebels was immense.”
Thanks to him, Jared and the others were able to concentrate on the immediate enemies without being distracted by those they had defeated. Moreover, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Olivier was unharmed because Jidock was there.
“He has already been decided as the next head of the family, but we in the Royal Palace are also considering supporting him.”
“I am also considering supporting him.”
Duke Alway, who had originally considered him a potential candidate for his daughter’s fiancé, was surprised and deeply grateful to hear that Jidock, whom his daughter had verbally abused to the point of secluding herself, had actually saved that same daughter. In gratitude for him, a good relationship would be forged with the Rocco Count Family in the future.
“As he does not desire excessive rewards, we will compensate him with prize money. Next is Luzer Fischer. He defeated many former members of the Royal Mage Corps using the rare lightning element magic attribute. He is also skilled in physical combat, and it is said that his simple combat prowess is equal to or even greater than Jared’s.”
Those who were unaware of him expressed their surprise.
Who would have thought that someone with the skill level of a Court Mage would remain unknown? At the same time, they wanted to place such talented individuals in appropriate positions. Fortunately, there were vacant positions for Court Mages. Considering his recent achievements, he would surely become a Court Mage without any problems.
“I, too, have heard many voices within the Mage Association advocating for Luzer Fischer to be appointed as a Court Mage Candidate and then a Court Mage. Some suggest confirming his abilities first, but given Lord Murphy’s endorsement, there is no room for doubt.”
Dennis knew of Luzer’s past where he had served Waalthe under brainwashing, but since the King, who also knew, did not mention it, he decided to remain silent. In either case, he was not punished, and his manipulator was dead. Dredging it up would be pointless.
“In that case, wouldn’t it be appropriate to elevate the Viscountcy to a Countship? In light of this incident, several Countships will be abolished, so it would be a convenient time for adjustments, wouldn’t it?”
Dominic’s suggestion was that since he would eventually become a Court Mage, he should be granted Countship. It was a proposal to grant him Countship in advance to prevent him from being poached by other countries.
“That is one possibility. However, it is not something that can be decided immediately. Of course, prize money will be paid to him. Dennis… I would like you to interview him to see if he intends to become a Court Mage. Can you do that?”
“Understood.”
“Next, the one who is also troublesome to deal with is Laurentz Herring.”
