Chapter 33: Prime Minister Benedict’s Thoughts
Prime Minister Benedict Farrar had been fixated on the report that had just been presented to him for a long time.
It was said that Haru Ayukawa was the key to solving the case. That woman, he thought, couldn’t be found, but she was in the Heartfield and Sloane territories. And she had such abilities. The Prime Minister bit his lip.
He had thought that the incidents of magic depletion occurring in the capital and the Heartfield territory were due to the carelessness of the wizards themselves. But that wasn’t the case.
The captured troublemakers, apprehended by the territorial soldiers, were individuals dissatisfied with Kholdar Kingdom’s policy of prioritizing attack magic and magical power. They were likely the same as those who had caused small rebellions multiple times before.
In this country, nobles who were skilled in attack magic stood at the top. Among nobles of the same status, those who could use stronger attack magic were ranked higher.
If the strength of attack magic was the same, nobles of higher status would be ranked higher. Position was determined by both status and the strength of attack magic.
Therefore, those without magical power, who were commoners, were positioned at the bottom. However, it was not the lower class that expressed dissatisfaction. It was those who were nobles but lacked proficiency in attack magic who were more likely to be dissatisfied.
All previous rebellions had been suppressed, and the captured rebels were imprisoned. This time, too, the plan was to imprison them and be done with it. However, the “magic that steals the opponent’s magical power from a distance” they had created was pricking Benedict’s intellect.
“Could this new magic be usable?”
Combining wind magic and absorption magic, no one had thought of that. If this magic could be made even more powerful, it might neutralize enemy wizards from a distance. This new technique seemed to bring his own glorious honor.
The summoning of the saint had still not been successful, and the king frequently urged for it. It was becoming increasingly difficult for Benedict, as the highest authority, to keep answering, “It will be soon.”
“Summon Brent Baynes.”
Brent, the commander of the mage unit, was summoned by the Prime Minister and was surprised by the information he was given.
“Combining wind magic and absorption magic, and furthermore, strengthening it, is that it?”
“Yes, that’s right. It was done by those weak magic novices. It should be easy for wizards serving in the royal palace. If it succeeds, it will greatly reduce the damage to our army. We can fight the enemy’s wizards after depleting their magical power. Brent, gather wind magic and absorption magic users, master this magic, and research its enlargement.”
While heading to his own room after leaving the Prime Minister’s office, Brent, the commander of the mage unit, thought that there was a major problem with the tactics he had just heard.
The Prime Minister’s plan was certainly efficient and put less burden on the national treasury. However, it disregarded the position of attack magic users who had become heroes in previous wars. On the contrary, wind magic and absorption magic users, who had previously been second or third in line, would now take the spotlight.
The Prime Minister, being a user of summoning magic, is somewhat unfamiliar with the mindset of specialized users of attack magic such as fire and ice magic. Those who excel in war often expand their influence greatly through subsequent rewards, so there is no doubt that this operation will sow the seeds of a new power struggle.
“Such a hassle.”
To see how this operation will affect the future, Brent thought he should consult the visionary wizard. He called for Pauline, but the messenger returned with the reply, “The visionary wizard is on vacation.”
“Pauline on vacation? Come to think of it, she did mention something like that. But that was a long time ago. How long is she taking a vacation for?”
The messenger hurriedly inquired with the administrative staff and came back with an answer. It is customary not to immediately use a messenger bird for matters like this.
“Huh? A hundred days of vacation? She was the one who said there might be a major disaster in this country, so what on earth is she thinking?”
Brent, the commander of the mage unit, stormed into the administrative office, questioning the nervous administrative director who granted the permission. The administrative director handed over a piece of paper.
Without a doubt, his own signature was written on the vacation request form.
“…Was it that time?!”
Brent remembered the moment he signed this. It was when he was urgently summoned by the Prime Minister.
“Tch.”
He hastily tried to send a messenger bird to Pauline, but it seemed that Pauline was out of range for the messenger bird to reach. Brent’s messenger bird was just circling above his head.
No matter how strong his magical power was, there was a limit to the distance he could send a messenger bird. It meant that Pauline was not nearby.
“Even though she had been living in the castle for twenty years, she chooses to take a vacation at a time like this!”
However, since he was the one who granted permission, openly blaming her would only reflect back on his own mistake. Reluctantly, Brent had no choice but to faithfully carry out the Prime Minister’s instructions without foreseeing the outcome of this plan.
“Gather wind magic and absorption magic users.”
Brent’s subordinates, upon hearing the order, were inwardly surprised by the gathering of individuals who rarely had a chance to shine. However, since Brent was in a bad mood, they followed the order without questioning it.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister called for someone from the non-wizard military personnel who was skilled in searching for people and ordered, “Bring Haru Ayukawa from the Sloane territory to the royal castle.”
“She can see and erase magical power that doesn’t appear to be wizard-like. It seems to have some use. It wasn’t a complete waste after all. Good, good. It’s quite a favorable development.”
