Chapter 125
(Kyle
Calendar Year 508: Age 15)
The Church's
Secret
Translator : PolterGlast
"Now, as I
mentioned at the beginning, let us talk about the Church. This, too, concerns
the Kingdom's secrets, so listen carefully."
I had already heard
from the Headmaster that both this country and the Church were founded by the
first King Kyle. So, there were hidden secrets even within that?
"Have you never
wondered why Mage aptitude can only be confirmed at a Church? That only the
Church, using catalysts, can confirm Mage aptitude... or rather, is it not
wondrous that they can enable those with aptitude to actually wield
magic?"
Indeed, even if one
prepares catalysts and attempts the rituals by imitating them with suitable
individuals, they won't awaken as a Mage. The fact that Mage aptitude can only
be confirmed at a Church is common knowledge, something generally accepted.
"There is a
reason why those with aptitude must go to a Church to gain the power of a Mage.
A Mage candidate with aptitude, catalysts, the secret art of the ritual, and in
addition to those, one crucial element is missing. You must have seen a jewel
used during the ritual, haven't you?"
I recalled the Mage
aptitude confirmation rituals I had attended numerous times in the past.
Indeed, I remembered a pale blue jewel being present and carefully enshrined.
"Like the Seal of
Authority, without that, the ritual has no effect, and even with aptitude, one
will not awaken as a Mage. During the ritual, that jewel absorbs the magical
power of the core's attribute from the monster's core (catalyst) and acts upon
a compatible individual's blood. As a result, the compatible individual's
[blood] awakens, and they awaken as a Mage."
"Astonishing! So
there was such a hidden truth... No wonder the Church's involvement is indispensable."
"Indeed. But this
is just the entrance to the hidden history. The first King Kyle feared that the
power possessed by the People of the Demon Realm, the Mages, would be lost from
the Kingdom. For that reason, he created the [Orb], similar to the [Seal of
Authority]. Originally, for the People of the Demon Realm, wielding their
clan's magic was natural; in fact, not being able to use it was considered
abnormal. Of course, no rituals were necessary, it is said."
"But the clans
lost their pure blood, and the blood of the People of the Demon Realm became
mixed. Is that what you mean...?"
"Indeed. With the
founding and prosperity of the Kingdom, interbreeding between clans progressed.
At that time, strengthening national power was the top priority, so it couldn't
be helped. Furthermore, as a result of intermingling with the overwhelmingly
large number of people from the human world who flowed in later, the
pure-blooded clans were lost. And 500 years passed cruelly.
Initially, even with
interbreeding between different clans, there were many who inherited and
strongly retained the blood of the People of the Demon Realm. But with the
passage of time, even that blood of the People of the Demon Realm became
diluted. As a result of generations of interbreeding, no one in this country
awakens to magic without the aid of a ritual or the Seal of Authority."
"So, the Church
has been preserving this secret all this time, is that it?"
"Even within the
Church that preserves this secret, there is likely no one who knows the very
beginning of it anymore. They merely conceal the secret of the ritual as a
tradition and pass down its methods through generations. The Church, being a
somewhat closed organization, was perfectly suited for this succession."
"So, it was a wise
decision by the first King Kyle, foreseeing the future?"
"Heh heh heh,
well, yes. Even the first King Kyle had a few miscalculations, though. The
first is the change in the value of catalysts. When the Kingdom was full of
Demon Realms, catalysts were easily obtainable. There were also incomparably
more strong individuals capable of subjugating monsters, and Mages who could
wield magic, compared to now. But the Demon Realms throughout the Kingdom were
burned away, and now only the southern and eastern frontier regions remain.
Because of this, the value of catalysts has skyrocketed, and only a limited few
can obtain them."
"I've heard that
catalysts have become even more expensive in the last 10 years. Does that mean
I bear some of the responsibility for that?"
"Well... that's
not a big deal. For the past few years, someone seems to have been gathering
large quantities of catalysts. It doesn't seem to be through legitimate means;
it seems to be through underground channels, and we haven't been able to catch
them yet."
So, there's someone
else besides me who's unearthing a lot of Mages. Is that what he means? And the
fact that they haven't been traced means they're using clever methods.
"Let's get back
to the topic. The second is the change in the Church itself. The Church itself,
from its very establishment, was a somewhat closed organization. This
organization, with the passage of time, began to change the way it handled
rituals, as a privilege only the Church possessed. Hundreds of years ago, it
was possible to confirm aptitude for all attributes for less than the cost of
one ritual now, including the catalyst. But now, the cost of catalysts and
rituals has become enormous for confirming just one attribute."
Indeed, confirming
Mage aptitude now is impossible unless one is extremely wealthy or has a
sponsor.
"So, the words
left by the first King Kyle, 『Strive to secure the magic possessed by the People of the Demon Realm
through the Church』, is it now difficult
to fulfill this, then?"
"That is the
third miscalculation. Especially among powerful nobles, that saying has become
distorted over time. Fools who think that securing many Mages is a symbol of
noble authority have begun to appear, and that has now become the mainstream.
Mages themselves, accepted with preferential treatment just for the sake of
numbers, forget their true role as both the shield and spear of the Kingdom,
and do not diligently pursue their own self-improvement. Furthermore, higher
nobles have come to believe that magic is a noble privilege, a symbol of the 12
clans' bloodlines. For them, who protect the bloodlines of the People of the
Demon Realm, a trend has emerged to look down upon Mages born from common,
mixed blood. Even though they were once of the same kind... If the top is
corrupt, the bottom also corrupts. That trend spread throughout the nobility.
Within the nobility, commoner Mages were looked down upon, treated as mere
tools to enhance their own authority, as spectacles. In exchange for high
rewards, they were, in a sense, kept alive but rendered useless. In this way,
the value of Mages declined, their original purpose was forgotten, and the
Kingdom's power was lost."
"Is the Mage
Combat Training Course a countermeasure to that?"
"That is also one
of the countermeasures. Well, we'll get to that later... Teaching noble
children about the People of the Demon Realm and the history of Kyle Kingdom in
lectures is also to put a stop to that trend and change their perception of the
Mages' power and the descendants of their own kind. It's not going as smoothly
as I'd hoped, though. Many nobles don't want history to be made public, so we
disguise it as part of the education for noble children, but... that's probably
the limit."
"By the way, if
the Church holds such secrets, then, is it safe? I'm worried that the Orbs have
fallen into common hands, unlike the Seals of Authority."
"Indeed. First,
regarding these Orbs, about 250 were made. This is the same as the established
maximum number of ruling nobles from ancient times."
"So, the reason
why only one Church can confirm Mage aptitude per territory is this?"
Yes, Father Grace had
told me something similar. Before the Teigun church was opened, aptitude could
be confirmed in Est, but now it can only be confirmed at the Teigun church.
"Indeed. It's
safe to say that the limit on the number of ruling nobles was decided
retrospectively. There were actually voices suggesting that you, who achieved
remarkable military success in the recent war, should establish a new family
and become a ruling noble. However, the number of ruling nobles had already
reached its limit. There was no reason to break the rules that had been passed
down through generations. There were also voices suggesting that the territory
should be confiscated from a ruling noble with [No Authority] and given to you,
but moving a capable individual from the front lines would be putting the cart
before the horse. And most importantly... we are currently short on Orbs."
"I was wondering
something. I've heard that Mage aptitude confirmation is possible in some
churches in other countries. Does this also have a connection?"
"Indeed...
Preserving the secrets of the Seal of Authority and the Orbs, and maintaining
the blood of the clans and the People of the Demon Realm in this country, as
well as the Church itself. The Royal Family, as their guardians, has supported
the foundations of Kyle Kingdom for generations. The Church preserved these by
utilizing the Orbs and secretly passing down their procedures through generations.
However, over these
500 years, three Orbs have officially, and seven unofficially, disappeared from
the Kingdom. So, in reality... about 10 territories in this Kingdom already
lack Orbs. The three officially lost ones were inadvertently given away by the
King of that time, along with royalty who married into neighboring countries,
including the entire Church. These are the Churches in other countries where
you heard Mage aptitude could be confirmed. And the seven others were lost when
the Church was attacked by bandits in the past, and their whereabouts are still
unknown. It seems they had taken countermeasures against such incidents since
ancient times, but their precautions were insufficient.
Now, all churches
exercise extreme caution, skillfully disguising it so that no one notices.
Incidentally, the Orb you saw was a visible fake; the real ones are cleverly
disguised so even you wouldn't know."
"So, Mages are
being awakened in other countries using Orbs too?"
"Exactly.
However, in other countries, even if descendants of the People of the Demon
Realm exist, their blood is too diluted. From ancient times, in other
countries, the People of the Demon Realm were called 'inhuman' and abhorred.
Before the founding of Kyle Kingdom, they were persecuted and annihilated,
their bloodlines extinguished, or they lived quietly and poorly among the
populace and disappeared. Even if someone inherits the blood of the People of
the Demon Realm, if the blood is too thin, the seed will not sprout, no matter
how correctly the aptitude confirmation is performed. This is similar to many
commoners in this country. Many commoners in this country inherit some blood of
the People of the Demon Realm, but that blood is too thin for them to awaken as
Mages. Yet, even such commoners from this country, once they go to other
countries, are evaluated as having the strongest remaining blood of the People
of the Demon Realm. This is why this Kingdom possesses such an exceptional
number of Mages."
"I see. Listening
to your story, many parts made perfect sense. Thank you."
"Yes, and to
answer one of your questions. Those commoners who are said to have Mage
aptitude simply happen to have a slightly stronger manifestation of their
ancestors' clan blood. That's all it is. The reason for discrepancies even
among siblings with the same parents and shared blood is simply coincidence. Of
course, it is not divine will. But it is supported by such coincidences! This
country barely manages to maintain Mages even now."
"Thank you. Your
story has solved many mysteries. I am grateful for the Headmaster's kindness. I
wish to live up to the Headmaster's trust. I will answer your questions with
sincerity."
"Ho ho ho, I've
confirmed what I wanted to know. Let's call it a day. You may leave."
"...Thank you for
your extensive guidance. I will keep what I learned today in mind."
I hadn't answered
anything, but he had already confirmed three things.
That I had a hidden
secret, including the 【Hakuraku】 matter.
That I was prepared to
answer if questioned.
That I realized I knew
secrets I shouldn't (and couldn't tell anyone else), and that there was no
turning back.
Having been made to
realize many things, including the matter of the tea party, I left the
Headmaster's room.
※
After his conversation
with Takuhir, the Headmaster remained in his room, calmly resuming his duties.
"This should
suffice for now. An unlikable old fox... a perfect role for me. His careless
probing into the foundations of this country, driven only by curiosity, will
likely cease. If they think you've shown too much interest, those guys will
swiftly eliminate you.
『Grant him knowledge akin to royalty, without him
realizing it, and to secretly protect his actions.』
...His Majesty sure
speaks of impossible demands. What did His Majesty, no, the one capable of
being King, see in Teigun?"
The Headmaster
muttered to himself.
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