chapter_0134

135 – A Report Has Come In

135 – A Report Has Come In

“Excuse me, what did you just say?”

Aurora, the head of the Life Magic School, a renowned magical institution famous for its association with healing magic, doubted her ears at the words of her assistant who had come to her office.

“The 1st Knights Order has stated that they will terminate the partnership contract with us.”

“What’s the reason?”

“They said that the Goddess of Victory no longer feels fatigued after training…”

As a school responsible for all medical magic, the Life Magic School utilized various healing spells, including simple fatigue recovery and muscle massage, aside from surgeries.

Thus, alleviating the fatigue caused by strenuous training was also a specialty of Life Magic.

They did not massage the body directly but instead helped recover fatigue by using magic and mana to assist the circulation of mana within the body or to relax the muscles.

Due to the remarkable effects, Yuris, the commander of the Empire’s 1st Knights Order and the Goddess of Victory, often utilized their recovery magic.

Once a week, or even every two days at times, a mage would visit to help recover the fatigue of Yuris and the 1st Knights.

Adding muscle enhancement magic to increase training efficiency was also one of the strengths of Life Magic.

It could be said that the reason the 1st Knights Order could return from numerous missions without exhaustion and continue to fight and train was largely thanks to Life Magic.

Although the Life Magic School was often said to be less efficient than Divine Magic, they could perform treatments that Divine Magic could not.

In fact, they took pride in being closer to people in terms of healing than the order that used Divine Magic.

The symbol of that was the partnership with the 1st Knights Order.

The Empire’s best knights utilizing the services of Life Magic.

What better promotional tool could there be?

Especially when the counterpart was the Goddess of Victory?

To some, she was an object of admiration even more than the Empress of the Empire and the Hero.

Thus, providing services to Yuris was the best marketing source.

Life Magic took advantage of this fact to offer fatigue recovery services to various nobles.

From fatigue recovery to skin beauty treatments, and even simple health recovery services.

This was why Life Magic earned a lot of money, coming in third after Goldmoon and Meister.

Aurora, who had gone to various battlefields to help recover Yuris’s fatigue, had occasionally visited her even after the war ended.

Recently, however, she had found it strange that there had been almost no summons.

“A termination of the contract?”

She couldn’t understand.

“Is it the order? Surely they’re not terminating our contract because the order is treating her with Divine Magic?”

“Th-that doesn’t seem to be the case. There’s no record of her visiting the order. Likewise, they haven’t sent any priests…”

“Then what?”

“……”

“Speak quickly! You didn’t come here without knowing anything!”

As Aurora grew angry, a faint mana began to emanate from her green hair, a characteristic of those who learned Life Magic.

“W-well, we did find evidence that she has been visiting a small shop established by the Illusion School recently.”

“A small shop established by the Illusion School?”

“Yes… It’s a shop run by a mage named Max… Apparently, it’s a place that some famous individuals visit.”

Max.

She had heard the name before.

He was a mage brought to the magic school by the former Blaster Dean, Draken, a few years ago.

– A genius who appears once every hundred years. Keep an eye on him. Let’s see how far he goes.

There were rumors that he had fainted in shock upon going to the Illusion School instead of his own, Blaster.

Was there any mage who wasn’t called a genius among the deans?

Aurora had also been praised as an extraordinary genius, so she didn’t think much of it.

‘No matter how much of a genius, if the stage is shabby, they won’t be able to perform properly.’

She knew such people.

Currently, the head of the Illusion Magic School, Meiko.

A mage who had entered the same class as her at a younger age but had become the head of a school before her.

However, since then, she had continued to engage in useless research to save the school and had not been able to showcase her brilliant talent.

While Aurora brought in income that placed Life Magic among the top three in the Empire, Meiko had only produced basic magic and papers on illusion magic.

Aurora thought Max would end up the same way.

To be honest, she hadn’t even paid attention to the news that he had gone to a school with no future, the Illusion School.

But suddenly, that name came up.

“What does that illusion have to do with terminating our contract?”

“They say that visiting there alleviates psychological burdens and removes bodily waste, making one feel refreshed.”

“Is that really possible with just illusion magic?”

“That’s what I heard. So they said our services are no longer needed…”

Heat rose to her head.

This was absurd.

To have Yuris taken away like this?

To have the Goddess of Victory, who was a symbol of having surpassed the Divine in her own right, taken by some strange illusion mage?

‘This can’t be happening.’

It was unthinkable.

For Life Magic to become the Empire’s best magical school, the existence of Yuris was essential.

“Still, she has requested that the services for the 1st Knights continue…”

“What good is that if Yuris isn’t using it!”

Bang!

Her agitated mana exploded in all directions, shaking the desk and bookshelves.

“H-headmistress…”

“Are you telling me that thanks to an illusion mage, bodily waste is being removed? Don’t make me laugh. Those guys are using magic that’s no different from demons.”

“W-well, the good news is that the budget for illusion magic has been significantly reduced because of that shop.”

At the clueless mage’s words, Aurora glared at him.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. A good idea just came to me.”

Thanks to the existence of income, the budget was cut.

If handled well, this could be a great opportunity to eliminate that arrogant shop.

‘We need to get rid of that annoying competitor targeting our customers.’

Reina, thoroughly satisfied, returned to the Elven Forest.

She was escorted by a guard protecting a carriage laden with an enormous amount of gifts sent to the Elven Forest.

“I’ll come back later. If not, I’ll at least send a letter, so… please come visit once.”

That was what Reina had said to me before leaving.

It seemed that she had truly enjoyed this service.

‘She must know well that reality and illusion are different.’

Even without my warning, she would manage just fine.

Reina left amidst the cheers of many people.

The citizens of the Empire filled the streets, curious about the elf who had revealed herself after a long time.

The day after Reina left.

“Excuse me.”

Three men and women in civil servant uniforms visited our shop.

It was a familiar uniform.

It was the uniform worn by those commonly referred to as “Executors” among civil servants.

Executors were special investigators of the guard responsible for protecting the capital and maintaining public order.

Why were civil servants investigating our shop?

“Are you the mage Max from the Illusion School?”

“Yes, that’s me. What’s the matter?”

“We received a report.”

“A report?”

What report?

“We’ve come because we received information that people are being brainwashed here.”

Wait a minute, what is this about?

“May we search for a moment for investigation?”

This is a shop certified as safe by the saint.

Can you take responsibility for this?

In a wide and luxurious conference room.

The heads of many magical schools under the Empire’s Ministry of Magic were gathered for a meeting.

The heads of the major schools commonly referred to as the Empire’s six major magics were seated at their respective places.

“Blaster,” which pursues destruction and explosion magic regardless of attributes.

“Life Magic,” which is often said to be less effective than Divine Magic but always leads the Empire’s medicine.

“Goldmoon,” a school that pursues various profitable magics, including alchemy using magic.

“Meister,” which primarily researches installation-type magic and magic circles, effectively leading the current development of magical science alongside Goldmoon.

“Darkness,” a school that uses shadows and darkness to protect key figures of the Empire and assassinate enemies of the state, acting as the Empire’s shadow.

Lastly, “Servant,” a summoning magic school that actively engages in various fields using various spirits and summoned creatures.

The heads of the six mainstream schools rested their chins on the round table and looked at each other.

“So, Aurora, why have you gathered us?”

Lee Grant, the head of the Blaster School, began by asking Aurora, the head of Life Magic, as he stroked his characteristic red beard.

The woman called Aurora swept back her green hair, the most prominent characteristic of those who learned Life Magic, and spoke.

“I wanted to talk about the Illusion School.”

“The Illusion School?”

“Why would we care about that obscure school?”

“Have you heard of the Illusion Shop established by those guys?”

Most shook their heads.

Gordon, the head of the Meister School, nodded as if he had a vague idea.

“I know. That mage named Max from that school has asked us for advice many times.”

“Oh, Max? That guy is quite diligent.”

Kelron, the head of the Goldmoon School, chuckled while stroking his golden mustache, as he recruited any mage who could make money, including alchemists.

Aurora, the head of Life Magic, frowned.

“Rumors have started circulating that the shop he created shows strange illusions. Are you aware of this?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“Isn’t it common for the Illusion School to show strange illusions?”

“Right. That’s why they’ve been pointed at and called the magic of demons.”

“It is indeed a pathetic school. It’s almost sad for the mages working there.”

“……the only school treated worse than our Darkness.”

Aurora opened her mouth as if she expected this.

“It shouldn’t be viewed so simply. Recently, there are rumors that Yuris, the commander of the Empire’s 1st Knights Order and the Goddess of Victory, and Hero Nikki have visited that shop.”

“Are you saying that the Goddess of Victory and a Hero went to see an illusion?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Aurora clicked her tongue at the nonchalant reactions of the heads.

“Why do you think the Illusion School’s magic is considered suspicious? Isn’t it because seeing a wrong illusion through illusion magic can lead to false thoughts?”

“Do you think the Goddess of Victory would be fooled by mere illusion magic?”

“……You worry too much.”

The conversation stalled due to their deep trust in the Goddess of Victory.

“Tsk, Aurora, are you not just trying to find fault with the Illusion School because the fatigue recovery contract with the 1st Knights was recently terminated?”

Kelron from Goldmoon laughed heartily.

“Do you really think you’d try to control such a pathetic school for that reason?”

“It could be possible. Don’t get too excited.”

Aurora cleared her throat and spoke.

“There’s a need for investigation. Why is Yuris visiting the Illusion Shop so often? And even the Hero is among those visiting. Doesn’t that seem strange to you?”

Yuris, the Goddess of Victory, and Nikki, the Hero.

These two were the ones who had made the greatest contributions to defeating the Demon King.

Without Yuris, they would not have succeeded in the large-scale battles against the Demon race, the defense of the Vembly Fortress, or the recapture of the Elven Forest.

Without Nikki, they would not have been able to cut off the Demon King’s four heavenly kings and other executives, nor would they have been able to defeat the Demon King.

For such two individuals, the greatest contributors to defeating the Demon King, to be frequenting a shop run by a mage of illusion magic, which is often misunderstood as demonic magic?

It was a coincidence that was almost too coincidental.

“And that friend named Max, who was brought by Professor Draken, the former head of the Blaster School, we don’t even know what his background is or where he’s from, do we?”

“Are you saying you’re insulting our Blaster?”

“That’s not the point. If Max were truly a demon, then the former head, Professor Draken, could have been deceived.”

Aurora continued.

“And we must remember that there have been former heroes who have fallen to become Demon Kings.”

“Ugh.”

“……”

The fact that there were former heroes who had turned into Demon Kings was also a reason that muddled the heads of the deans.

“Even so, investigating a mage’s shop that is operating normally…”

“Right. That friend hasn’t done anything wrong, and moving on mere suspicion…”

“What if we miss the golden opportunity? There’s a need for investigation. Just in case.”

“……”

“While it’s not an incorrect statement.”

“But that friend seemed quite polite.”

“If not, we can apologize politely. We can say there was a misunderstanding.”

The heads sighed at Aurora’s words.

“Isn’t it a reasonable suspicion to consider?”

“If it’s not, can you take responsibility?”

“Of course.”

Aurora exclaimed with a voice full of conviction.

It was something that didn’t make sense logically.

For Yuris, the Goddess of Victory, to feel refreshed merely from illusion magic.

She was surely using some strange trick that she didn’t know about.

‘I must dispel the illusion magic so that Yuris can receive our services again.’

If not, Life Magic might not enjoy the same glory as it does now.

What if not?

That wouldn’t happen, but if it did, they could just apologize and show a bit of sincerity.

Illusion mages were notoriously known for being extremely poor.

“If the head of Life Magic is willing to take responsibility, then it would be worth investigating.”

“Let’s send someone.”

“I agree.”

“…I agree.”

Only Lee Grant, the head of Blaster, hesitated for a moment.

“Even if I oppose, the result has already been decided. Very well. I will dispatch an investigation team.”

“Alright. Let’s conclude today’s temporary meeting.”

And thus, the Executors were dispatched to Max’s shop.