London, England.
The Clock Tower.
This is the highest institution of the magical world, where Magus from across the globe gather. It is one of the [hubs] of the hidden world, constructed by the collective efforts of major magical families.
... Its counterpart hub is the Vatican.
Situated within the cosmopolitan city of London as an academy, it inherently carries an air of openness to Magus worldwide... indeed, it's one of the friendliest organizations in the mystical world for "ordinary people."
Even so, within the Clock Tower, factional conflicts are fierce. Power struggles and battles over funding are commonplace, and the feud between the Aristocratic and Democratic factions permeates every corner of the institution, inevitably affecting every student.
Of course, this isn't anything unusual... where there are people, there are politics, right?
But what's truly worth mentioning here is a very peculiar case:
"Mr. Velvet!"
In the Mineralogy Department of the Clock Tower, within El-Melloi's classroom.
The renowned up-and-coming magus... Kenneth El-Melloi Archibald... was at the podium, reviewing the students' submitted papers.
The magus whose name was called shuddered like a chick caught in a hawk's gaze, but he forcibly suppressed his inner fear, bracing for a scolding from this lord-level magus.
At the same time, he was mentally prepared. If this sharp-eyed magus accused his paper of plagiarism, he'd rat out the so-called [Zhuge Liang]... surely, if that guy was really some ancient prime minister from an eastern land, he wouldn't know a thing about "magical principles." right?
However...
"Genius creativity, Mr. Velvet!"
The anticipated reprimand never came.
Quite the opposite... this lord, notorious for despising commoner Magus and whose discerning gaze was known even in the Department of Policies, showed genuine "kindness" for the first time to a magus so talentless he could barely cast proper spells... no, it was more like an expression of "high praise."
"Though your understanding of [Simulated Personality] seems slightly off, the concept of [an autonomous puppet created by embedding a virtual personality with functional limitations into a magical device] is undoubtedly feasible… Are you free this Sunday? If possible, I'd like to invite you to my workshop… I must say, you've inspired me. I think I might try making some adjustments to my new magical device."
"Also, if you wish to pursue this further, I suggest contacting Magus from the Departments of Creation and Spiritual Evocation. They can provide professional guidance where you're lacking… And more importantly, you could patent this paper. It could become a valuable asset for you and your family."
Kenneth spared no praise for Waver.
Yes, that's right. He was a staunch supporter... even a leader... of the Clock Tower's [Aristocratic Faction], and he despised mediocre Magus, believing their presence was a waste of the already scarce mystical resources.
But what did that have to do with genius?
[Magus] are, after all, a species beyond common logic, and the factions they form can't be judged by ordinary notions of "power." Though entangled in various interests, all factions align on the ultimate goal of [reaching the Truth].
Thus, when a genius Magus emerges... even if their raw talent is unremarkable, with just a spark of brilliance... Kenneth was more than willing to pull them into his faction as an asset.
As for the "commoner" Status, that was easily dealt with… His family had plenty of young women unable to inherit the Magic Crest. Marrying one to him would suffice.
The young Magus sat down, dazed.
For the rest of the class, he barely paid attention… Even when he returned to his rented room in the London suburbs, his mind was still in a fog.
... Until he saw the [Caster] in a red coat leaning calmly against the doorframe, smoking.
"Mr. Kongming... "
In that moment, the Magus named [Waver Velvet] felt a deep resonance with a certain chubby figure from over fifteen hundred years ago.
"My professor praised your paper to the skies and even invited me to his workshop… What do I do now?!"
But Zhuge Liang only continued smoking calmly.
"Watch out for Sima Yi."
"What?"
"I mean, beware of honey traps."
…
Fuyuki City, Japan.
As the sun set in London, it was about to rise here.
"Good child, good child."
"What happens next will be scary, so don't look, okay?"
A sweet, almost singsong voice reached the ears of a little girl.
She was adorned with ribbons in red, blue, and green, and wore a bright red Santa hat, as if celebrating Christmas.
... What? It's summer, far from Christmas?
What does that matter? Wherever Santa Claus appears, it's Christmas!
"A reward for good children... "
The overly youthful Santa "elder" handed a small box wrapped in ribbons to the startled little girl.
On the other side, a Southern European girl with white hair, dressed in a black nun's habit and holding a black cross, approached a grotesque creature that was barely humanoid anymore.
"Declaration... "
"I govern slaughter, I govern life."
"What I wound, I heal."
"None can escape my grasp."
"None can flee my gaze."
"Bring forth ruin. The broken, the withered, I summon them all back."
"…"
"Bestow mercy upon this soul!!!"
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