Chapter 10: A Mage Only Needs Flashlight, That's the Northern Specialty
Nostradamus, without a surname, without a family, the first genius mage of the Northern Empire to reach the Ultimate rank without any mysterious bloodline or family support, relying solely on his own efforts, step by step, and likely to advance to Legendary rank.
He is proficient in all general spells and space-time sorcery, and has even developed many unique personal spells. Over thirty years ago, he led the Imperial Mage Corps in multiple group teleportations, launching surprise attacks on the Orc army's Shaman legions, achieving three consecutive major victories that sealed the outcome of the battlefield.
Although Nostradamus has gradually retreated from the public eye and now operates behind the scenes, his disciples are numerous and spread across the Empire. From commoners to nobles, from Elves to Dwarves, as long as they are willing to learn, the white-haired old mage is willing to help them embark on the path of magic.
And now, this old mage with such a glorious past is telling the warrior that he wants to establish a mage academy in his territory.
Unless Joshua has gone mad, he would certainly not refuse this proposal.
"Of course I support this."
Answering without hesitation, hearing this good news, Joshua's mood lightened considerably: "Master, your willingness to open an academy in my territory is undoubtedly my honor. However, there is one question..."
As he spoke, the warrior's voice grew deeper. He asked with some confusion: "Why choose my territory to build a new mage academy? Although I am confident that Moldavia is a decent place, the Empire is vast, and there must be better options."
Undoubtedly, building a mage academy is a good thing for anyone. So why did Nostradamus's voice carry hesitation? Joshua naturally wouldn't voice this doubt, but he waited for the old mage's answer.
"...There are many reasons."
After a moment of silence, Nostradamus's voice came through the communication array with slight distortion and a faint echo: "One of them is that, for some unknown reason, the mana concentration in the Northern lands is continuously increasing. According to the Royal Mage Association's speculation, it is likely due to the purification of chaotic energy leaking from the space-time gates. Although the current increase in mana is not significant, it is stable, making it very suitable for training new mages."
This is indeed a reasonable reason. Joshua nodded. For mages, mana concentration, up to a certain threshold, enhances their ability to grasp and adapt to arcane power. However, he had a different view on the reason for the increase in mana concentration.
—It should be a precursor to the Great Magic Tide. The space-time barrier in the Northern lands is relatively thin. Even though I have sealed almost all the space-time gates, it is still more sensitive compared to other parts of the Mycroft Continent. Thus, external mana penetrates the space-time and arrives earlier in the Northern lands.
Joshua thought to himself.
The old mage continued to elaborate on other reasons: "Secondly, it is to stay away from the undercurrents in the Imperial Capital. The Northern lands are far from the central region of the Empire. No matter what conspiracies arise, it will be difficult for them to disturb your territory."
As he spoke, Nostradamus's tone carried a hint of weariness. He let out a bitter laugh and then said slowly: "Joshua, you are also a noble. You should understand that the conservative faction of nobles has always been dissatisfied with the Royal Mage Academy accepting commoner students. They believe that commoners can learn spells, but they absolutely cannot allow these people to defile the sacred ground of noble magic. And I, the dean of commoner origin, am their biggest thorn in the side."
"Although His Majesty the Emperor and the new generation of nobles with military backgrounds, like your father, do not agree with their views, roughly seven out of ten nobles are conservatives. Two Grand Dukes are the most steadfast conservatives. Under their influence, I can no longer properly train students... And this is just the tip of the iceberg of the undercurrents in the Imperial Capital. There are many more unseen conspiracies brewing in the shadows. The Royal Academy is too steeped in political meaning; it is no longer the sacred ground for nurturing a new generation of mages."
Joshua listened to the old man recount the surging undercurrents in the Imperial Capital. Since His Majesty the Emperor no longer pays attention to minor matters outside of war, the conflicts between the two Grand Dukes, the nobles' suppression of commoners' upward mobility, and the competition among the various princes' factions have all become intense.
These are inevitable problems in any country. For the sake of interests, or even simply to strike at opponents, various factions will naturally do their utmost to hinder each other. The old mage was right; the problems faced by the Royal Mage Academy in the capital are merely the tip of the iceberg of the conflicts. As the great era approaches, the internal struggles within the Empire will only intensify.
But the warrior has always been too lazy to bother with such foolish matters that waste life. He scoffs at any conspiracy. He could tell that Nostradamus had more to say, so he continued to wait for the old mage's further explanation.
"I plan to establish a War Mage Academy in the Northern lands, targeting commoner students. They may not need to understand the profound mysteries contained in spells, but they must be masters of spell application. The research topics at the Royal Mage Academy are far too esoteric, delving into the origins of the world—mysteries that newly promoted mages cannot comprehend."
In the old mage's voice, there was both pride in the Royal Mage Academy and a hint of helplessness: "Magic is a tool. The pursuit of truth is one of its functions, but others are equally important. For commoners, combat spells that allow them to rise above their station are the most practical and what the Empire currently needs most."
Research and military industry. Joshua nodded. He could understand this difference. Although the two complement each other, they indeed cannot be placed in the same location.
"War Mage Academy, huh..."
Repeating this term, Joshua narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment.
According to the old mage's account, the Lord of Moldova, Verdani, is also his disciple. It was for this reason that the Countess met Brandon and eventually became his wife. The war spell Verdani used at the fortress also left a deep impression on Joshua—a terrifying power that annihilated all magical beasts within several thousand meters in an instant. Even Joshua, in his current state, could not achieve that. Although he could kill just as many monsters without exhausting himself like Verdani, he was far inferior in terms of instantaneous burst power.
"In the future, dealing with demons will indeed require more war mages." Nodding, Joshua felt this was not an issue. On the other end of the communication array, Nostradamus's explanation was nearing its end.
"Actually, these problems are not the biggest reason... If I establish the mage academy in your territory, you will undoubtedly be targeted and attacked by the conservative faction."
Nostradamus's voice was heavy: "Among the new generation of nobles I know, you are the most powerful, and you are a warrior, with no connection to the magic circle. But to those mad dogs, that is not a reason to hold back. That is why I hesitated."
What is there to hesitate about?
The warrior let out a scornful laugh: "Master, these are not problems. This is Moldavia, my territory. No matter how turbulent the undercurrents in the Imperial Capital may be, they have nothing to do with me or my territory."
"And besides, if anyone is foolish enough to try and test me..."
As he spoke, Joshua shook his head with a smile: "It just so happens that I have finished recuperating recently. Having some people to help me pass the time would be a good thing."
While Joshua and Nostradamus were further discussing the establishment of the mage academy, in the study of the cemetery church in the western part of the city.
The silver-haired girl sat to the side, staring blankly at a blue-haired, black-winged mana projection controlling arcane power, copying numerous complex mana technology data into storage crystals.
Ying gazed at the purple-blue crystalline metal body of Number 3, her eyes sparkling with envy.
Such a beautiful color... The Divine Mechanism girl sighed inwardly. After watching for so long, she could barely resist the urge to reach out and touch this rune core, which could be called a marvel.
Due to the nature of its main body, Number 3 could not move on its own. Usually, other maids helped push its cart for transport. However, the cemetery church was not a place just anyone could go, and Lin was usually handling official business at the Lord's Manor. So today, it was Ying who transported the main body of the Artificial Intelligence. (To be continued.)
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