Chapter 127
(Kyle
Calendar Year 508: Age 15)
The Second
Summoning
Translator : PolterGlast
The day after I
received Lilia's report and shared it with the Mages, as expected, I was
summoned by the Headmaster. Since I figured the Headmaster knew everything
anyway, I answered the summons without apprehension and went to his office.
"I apologize for
calling you here. Today, I wish to speak about your subordinate Mages. You must
have anticipated this, no?"
"Yes, well, it's
just yesterday, after all."
"Hmm, so, what
are your concerns?"
"I will speak
frankly. I have three concerns. Firstly, as someone defending the front lines,
I fear having my very limbs, my subordinates, severed from me. Secondly, as an
emerging frontier baron, I fear that my subordinates' abilities might lead to unfounded
suspicions of threat, causing me to be undermined. Finally, would the current
Mages of the Kingdom accept being overshadowed by them? I've heard that most
students are nobles who wield bloodline magic, and that Mages of inherently
high status are numerous. It would be unbearable for our Mages to be exposed to
their personal jealousy and slander. For the Solis family, Mages are not
symbols of authority, nor spectacles, nor tools; they are irreplaceable
comrades..."
"I see. Well,
that's certainly understandable. Now, now, this is quite a predicament..."
Saying that, the
Headmaster pulled out a document.
"How about this
measure?" he said, handing me the document.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Royal Command Mage
Corps: Establishment Plan
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Those who complete the
Mage Combat Training Course are granted the right to volunteer for the [Royal
Command Mage] Corps during their enrollment. Those who volunteer and are
accepted as Royal Command Mages will have the following rights guaranteed and
will be assigned the fulfillment of certain duties.
〇 Guarantees for Royal Command Mages:
·
The right of the Lordship is guaranteed, and changes
in allegiance by others are not permitted unless due to the Lord's death,
succession, disinheritance, or similar circumstances.
〇 Rights of Royal Command Mages:
·
Status and treatment equivalent to the Royal Capital
Knights are guaranteed in the name of the King.
·
An annual sum of 30 gold coins shall be paid by the
Kingdom, separate from the stipend from their Lord.
·
In cases of death or requiring medical care during
combat or equivalent training, treatment equivalent to the Royal Capital
Knights, including consolation payments, is guaranteed.
〇 Duties of Royal Command Mages:
·
In times of war, they are obligated to accompany their
Lord or their designated representative to pre-determined battle zones.
·
If unable to participate due to unavoidable
circumstances, a substitute Mage may be provided within the Lord's purview of
responsibility.
·
Exemption from this duty is granted exceptionally
during periods of medical treatment for illness or injury (including pregnancy
and two years postpartum).
·
The term of service for a Royal Command Mage is three
years, and the contract is automatically renewed unless otherwise requested.
·
In peacetime, upon application by the Lord, personnel
changes or withdrawal due to various circumstances are permitted even mid-term.
·
Mid-term withdrawal as defined above is predicated on
the full repayment of all stipends paid up to that point.
〇 Supplementary Provisions:
·
Even if one has not yet completed the Mage Combat
Training Course at present, if they plan to do so in the future, this volunteer
application will be accepted.
·
Volunteer applications as defined above are
conditional on the submission of an enrollment application for the Mage Combat
Training Course for the following year or later.
·
In the above case, guarantees for Royal Command Mages
are recognized, but rights and duties do not arise.
·
When the pre-defined content is revised, existing Royal
Command Mages are guaranteed the right to refuse the revised content, i.e., to
resign their position as a Royal Command Mage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"I see..." I
murmured, deep in thought. Through this system, I would expose my hand, but it
would prevent them from being plundered by higher nobles. The most carefully
considered part was probably in the supplementary provisions. At first glance,
it seemed quite unreasonable, even a bit far-fetched. That was my initial
impression. However, the concern of being used merely as convenient tools on
various battlefields could not be dispelled.
"What do you
think of this plan? I told you before, didn't I? We are on your side. As long
as you demonstrate loyalty to the Kingdom, we will not treat you badly. This is
His Majesty's direct idea. Its main purpose is to guarantee the position of
Mages in this country and to protect you, their Lord."
He really... what did
he mean by 'this is quite a predicament'? This sly old man has already
considered and prepared countermeasures! I shouted in my heart.
Then I pondered the
pros and cons of this proposal.
"In the Royal
Capital, there are those who are plotting to bring you down, including trying
to take away your 『irreplaceable comrades』. This plan will also serve as a means to protect your
comrades."
I fully understood
that. Given that there were no concrete countermeasures at this point, I
considered that aspect alone to be a very welcome development.
"First, despite
my unworthiness, I am grateful for your exceptional consideration. I believe,
in my current situation, I have no right to refuse... For those who volunteer,
I wish to decide after consulting with them personally. If you will allow me to
prioritize the safety of the Mages, I will strive to meet the Headmaster's
expectations. However, there are some Mages among them whom I would be
reluctant to take to the battlefield..."
"Ho ho ho, very
well. Just like your brother, indeed. It's exactly what your brother said before."
"Thank you. And,
would it be possible to add one sentence to this obligation? 【The Lord's priority shall be given regarding
battlefield deployment and command authority over Mages】. By the way, please also allow me to confirm the
pre-determined battle zones. In my case, these would be the Southern Gate
defense battle and the Teigun defense battle. When the Empire invades again,
may I assume that Teigun will also be included as a front-line deployment
location, not just the Southern Gate area?"
Yes, if I didn't have
command authority in combat and freedom to decide deployment, it would
effectively be the same as having them taken away. It would be meaningless if I
couldn't utilize tactics centered on Mages. Furthermore, if this promise were
twisted to use them as convenient pawns on various battlefields, it would be
unbearable. I had no intention of dispatching Mages to any battlefields other
than those where I had a duty to participate.
"Also, this is
not directly related, but in the future, when conducting combat training in the
academy's Mage Combat Training Course, I propose dividing it into two
groups—volunteers and others—and varying the content accordingly. I wish to
avoid the folly of teaching tactics to those who are useless in war..."
"Oh! You not only
accepted it, but you're adding conditions! That's just like him. I've accepted
the additional matters, and the training content as well. Indeed, there's no
need to nurture enemies within our ranks. Just as you think of your territory
and the people living there, we think of and cherish the future of the Kingdom.
I would be grateful if you understood that."
I silently bowed my
head.
This sly old man... if
I had accepted the admission happily, sent a large number of Mages to the
academy, and boasted of their strength, he surely would have acted differently.
He would have taken the Mages away, claiming it was "to protect the
Kingdom's future and safety," as he had just said. Was it perhaps because
I was cautious and largely concealed my hand that he chose a conciliatory
approach? It might be a conspiracy, but this was the most sensitive issue for
me, and I couldn't let my guard down.
"First, regarding
Mages, this should suffice. Since we have agreed to your conditions, I would
appreciate it if you would remove the restrictions you have currently
imposed."
"Understood. I
will inform the Mages. Honestly, having heard the situation from the Mages, I
also have my own thoughts. I think the other Mages, first and foremost, need a
change in mindset."
"Precisely,
that's why we're lifting the restrictions. In fact, the other Wind Mages seem
to be quite shocked. Including the instructors..."
That's probably true.
They suddenly witnessed a completely different level of skill. I feel bad for
the instructors, though.
"By the way,
changing the subject, what about the head of the house in the Knight Training
Course who has hidden his abilities?"
"I am a mediocre
person, contrary to my reputation. And wouldn't it be more convenient for
everyone if I remained that way?"
"Hmm. Well,
that... for now, let's consider that acceptable."
Tch! So he sees right
through me too. As I thought, this person is not to be underestimated. Brother,
you really worked hard for three years... I felt a little depressed thinking
that.
"You probably
still struggle to understand why you were summoned to the academy in the first
place. And that we are imposing unreasonable demands on you. That is
understandable. However, if you had remained in the frontier, your
circumstances would likely have changed drastically within a few years. In a
bad way. You were so utterly defenseless against politics and the schemes of
high-ranking nobles. If you had stayed cooped up in the frontier, too many
things would have remained unseen.
The situation is
serious. There are many fools who are driven by their own desires and cannot
see the future of this country. If you stay here, you will naturally see these
things. If you understand that, you can take action to deal with them. And
precisely because you are here with us, we, too, have plans we can make
regarding you. Including talks like today's.
Simply being cautious
is not enough anymore. That stage has already passed. Well, I hope you will
come to understand these things eventually."
With that, the
Headmaster concluded the conversation.
At this point, I was
still a frog in a well, a carefree and careless fool who knew nothing. When
faced with the turmoil that would erupt later, I would once again feel ashamed
of myself.
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