The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 321: Volume 5: Lord’s Path - 10: Essence Spirit Ring

The two men in grey had been standing in a corner of the Grand Hall, engrossed in their own conversation, undisturbed by others and clearly not wishing to be bothered. Even though passersby looked at them with a mix of reverence and envy, the two men didn’t even bother to glance around. The hustle and bustle of the hall seemed to hold no attraction for them. It was only when Knight Sart’s words directed people’s attention their way that the two middle-aged men in grey frowned and raised their eyes to look.

"Mr. Mundell, uh, and Mr. Rebry, everyone is quite curious about the gift Baron Komer gave to Princess Vero. However, none of us know the origin or use of Baron Komer’s Magic Ring. The Baron mentioned it’s an antique with a great history. Could either of you discern the ring’s provenance?"

When he mentioned Mr. Rebry, Sart’s speech hesitated; he was not familiar with Mr. Mundell’s friend. To him, Mr. Rebry seemed like nothing more than a dining fraud, having come to Gutenberg for almost half a year without showing any magic, hiding away and tinkering with who knows what. Yet, Mr. Mundell held him in such high regard, puzzling the other mages serving Duke Zellin and members of the Nirvana Knights. If it weren’t for Mr. Mundell’s esteemed reputation, perhaps the Knights would have already knocked on this inactive magician’s door to test what remarkable skills he truly possessed after half a year of obscurity.

The man in the neat grey robe furrowed his brow, his square face lacking much of a smile, but his gaze beneath his bushy eyebrows could make everyone feel his authority and pressure. His hands clasped inside his sleeves, he looked every bit the devoted cleric rather than a common mage, whereas the man in grey beside him was quite the opposite. With fraying sleeves and a chest marred by a big oily patch, he looked as though he had just run out of the kitchen, pinched face and gaunt cheeks, his eyes half-open as if he were just a beggar asking for food, inconceivable to most as a magician.

The nobles naturally parted way, as almost everyone harbored an inexplicable reverence and fear towards mages in their hearts. The ability to command the elements, turn stone to gold, or bridge vast distances—such powers were unfathomable to commoners. A single individual wielding the power to manipulate the elements, and even communicate with different worlds, was to them merely a part of legendary tales. Yet, for these magicians, it was as routine as household chores. This alone was enough to elicit infinite respect from everyone.

From this, Baron Komer could see the ambition that Duke Zellin harbored. Mages were not resources that just anyone could afford. To satisfy a mage, aside from providing ample wealth and status, you must also cater to their potential whims and needs. Mages are people too—often peculiar individuals with unique quirks, especially those with special abilities. For a lord, women, money, honor, status, and faith may be easy to provide, but the magic materials, tools, and laboratories essential for a mage’s cultivation are not as readily furnished by every ruler, which mages value greatly. Many things cannot just be bought with money, but of course, a robust economic foundation makes it easier. Therefore, to employ a mage, one must first possess an extremely substantial economic base.

The very Duke Zellin in question had, like the kingdom, established his own Mage Corps. According to Palermo, the mages serving Duke Zellin had reached a substantial number of twelve and were still actively being recruited from all around the Continent, with over twenty magicians and a multitude of Magic Apprentices. Komer knew that Archduke Philip of Homer Region only had half the number of mages and magicians compared to Zellin, who besides boasting a sizable Mage Corps, also had an almost archmage, the present Mage Mundell, no wonder the Central Kingdom harbored a sense of wariness. Considering only the number of mages, both houses already possessed more than half of the Royal Court Mage Corps of the Kingdom. Duke Tez’s meaningful words before departure were likely informed by such concerns.

The arrival of the two men instantly made Komer’s heart tighten. In addition to worrying about having his lie punctured, Komer also had to carefully restrain the dark aura about him to prevent a repeat of the incident at Versailles Tavern, where mages of the Church of Light, particularly sensitive to dark magic, were more adept at detecting it than other mages. Komer did not want history to repeat itself.