[Sinseki Era - 21 Years Prior, Deep Winter]
[Northern Nations · Äußerst]
The carriage slowly entered the city district, and the streets became lively with people.
Gut looked to his side. After venting about Frieren, Serie's spirits had obviously improved considerably.
She was no longer sleepy or drowsy, and was even energetically holding up a magic tome to read.
Seeing the timing was right, Gut continuously elbowed the elf with his arm.
"What are you doing?"
Serie raised an eyebrow, looking at her disciple beside her with unfriendly eyes.
However, Gut didn't explain, only reached his hand through the large hole blasted through the carriage wall, pointing toward a building in the city.
"Thanks to" the "luxurious viewing window" the elf had "specially crafted" for her disciple, the street scenery outside was quite clear to see.
Among the generally low red and white buildings in the city, a pure white "H"-shaped tower stood prominently, quite striking in contrast.
"Mm..."
This scene left Serie somewhat stunned.
Because this building was the Continental Magic Association - Äußerst Branch whose blueprints she had personally participated in designing.
But according to the estimated construction period, completion should have been next spring...
"It finished early?"
Perhaps doubting her visual judgment, the elf lowered her eyes and separated a thread of her tremendous magical power to spread over there. In an instant, it covered every corner of the tower.
A few minutes later, the elf opened her eyes and, rarely, gave her disciple direct praise: "Gumi and Lernen did well."
It seemed that for this visible pure white, the two disciples had worked quite hard.
"Yes." Gut was also somewhat moved. "When I glimpsed its outline from outside the city earlier, I found it hard to believe."
"When we left, only a few levels of framework had been built, but now it's already complete."
"Such speed is simply as magical as magic itself."
"Magic assistance was inevitable." After brief joy, Serie also analyzed calmly. "In my magical detection just now, many stone materials throughout the building gave abnormal feedback."
"It seems that during construction, mages cast manipulation magic on the stone materials, so the slight magical power remaining caused the abnormal feedback."
"I see." Based on Serie's explanation, Gut instantly thought of Lernen.
After all, in the current era before Golem Magic was developed, Stone Statue Control Magic was his signature spell.
Relying on this magic, whether creating several stone statues comparable to warriors to participate in construction, or moving large stone blocks through manipulation, could provide considerable assistance to the building process.
"However," this alone probably wouldn't be enough. The construction period was shortened by more than a month."
"Of course." Serie stroked her chin affirmatively. "Lernen's ability is at most icing on the cake."
"The decisive variable isn't with him."
"Then you mean... Gumi?"
"Who knows." The elf shrugged, then stood up and walked toward the front of the carriage.
After lifting the half-curtain that had been lowered, she instructed Hafka who was driving: "Turn right at the next block, stop in front of the second restaurant."
"Okay."
Hafka simply responded, tactfully not asking about the reason for suddenly changing routes.
He just manipulated the reins in his hands, tightening them a few times in the specified direction, and the horse stepped onto the street Serie had indicated.
"Not going to the Branch first?" Unlike Hafka's displayed "restraint," Gut directly asked the elf.
"If we eat out without bringing junior sister Gumi, that girl will definitely complain to you afterward."
"Heh."
Thinking of that glutton disciple whose hair quality was very similar to Flamme's, Serie's lips unconsciously curved up.
However, Serie's decision didn't change because of this, her tone remaining bland:
"Calling her would require her to be there."
"Huh?" Gut made a sound of surprise. "Gumi isn't at the branch?"
"Mm, more precisely, I didn't sense her magical feedback anywhere in the entire city district."
After answering Gut's confusion, the elf pointed at the large hole in the carriage wall.
Seeing the elf's gesture, Gut immediately felt something was wrong, asking somewhat anxiously: "Teacher, you couldn't want me to—"
"Jump down." Serie said matter-of-factly.
"You walk to the Association Branch and call Lernen and the others over."
Gut: ...
"Could we use a more dignified method? Having Hafka stop the carriage wouldn't take long either, right?"
"No." The elf firmly refused, simultaneously extending her finger to point at this rebellious disciple who had "repeatedly mocked her love of sleeping in" and "held up the sleeping her as a human pass."
"You're still holding a grudge?!"
Seeing the magical power gathering at the elf's fingertip, Gut decisively shut his mouth and stopped talking nonsense. Submissively leaping forward, he jumped out of the carriage himself.
Fortunately, Hafka was thoughtful and understanding. Though he didn't violate the teacher's intention by stopping the carriage, within his operational range, he reduced the speed to the minimum.
At this speed, never mind Gut whose physical condition far exceeded ordinary warriors—even if a common person jumped, they probably wouldn't be hurt.
"Pat—" Gut's feet landed steadily on the ground, so stable that his form didn't even sway in the slightest.
After giving driving Hafka a big thumbs up, Gut set off toward the Branch's location.
Meanwhile, at the Continental Magic Association · Äußerst Branch
In the reception room.
"What, we haven't seen each other for such a long time, yet you don't have anything you want to say to me?" In the long-silent reception room, Denken lightly sipped his tea and was first to break the silence.
Looking at Denken sitting across from him, representing the Imperial delegation visiting the association, Lernen sighed helplessly.
"If this were truly a matter between you and me, how could I have nothing to say?"
"But you're here representing the Empire, and you want to 'escort' our teacher to participate in Imperial activities."
"Under such circumstances, how should I speak?"
Denken heard the strong resistance in his old friend's words and couldn't help shaking his head.
"Lernen, whether in meetings or negotiations, the most taboo thing is exposing too much of your true feelings, lest your opponent seize the opportunity."
"You're showing too much regard for our personal relationship. I could completely exploit this aspect to争取更大的成功率 from you."
"Objectively speaking, you're not suited for this job."
"Yes." Lernen sat powerlessly in his chair, responding to Denken's words.
Originally, not understanding social customs and being somewhat introverted, he shouldn't have undertaken the responsibility of representing the association in external communications.
But unfortunately, with his teacher and senior brother traveling far away, and the more outgoing junior sister Gumi taking leave to return home to pay respects to her parents after the branch was completed, only he was left behind.
If it were just this, it would be manageable. For ordinary visitors, Lernen could barely handle the reception.
But who would have thought the visitor would be his old friend Denken, representing the Empire.
Just making eye contact with his old friend in the reception room, Lernen knew this person was absolutely beyond his ability to handle.
"Alright, relax a bit."
Seeing his old friend on the opponent's side had completely "surrendered," Denken instead took the initiative to comfort him.
"You weren't unaware of that earlier sense of being watched. That person will probably arrive soon."
"Honestly, this trip wasn't something I wanted to make."
"It's just that unlike you being unsuited for this job, I'm too suited for it."
"So suited that I don't even have the right to refuse."
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Powerstones?
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