The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 500: Volume 11: Misty Cage and Smoke Lock, - 12: Portrait

Chapter 500: Volume 11: Misty Cage and Smoke Lock, Chapter 12: Portrait

A few quite ancient paintings were still hanging on the walls on both sides of the Grand Hall, but what Komer was interested in was not these familiar figures to any Mage, but rather a spot in the corner that seemed to have been left empty.

The inscription underneath seemed to have been completely scrubbed off, but whether due to the carelessness of the one who erased it or by intent, Komer’s sharp eyes instantly caught a few blurred letters hidden behind the last crease.

Because of the passage of time, and the corner being too dimly lit, almost no one would notice this spot, and even if someone did see these few blurred letters, they probably would not understand their meaning, but these letters were exceptionally profound in Komer’s memory.

J.F. Kennifer, Kennifer III! The fact that a portrait of Kennifer III had once hung in this hall was astonishing, but it was unclear why it had been removed, nor how long it had been since it was taken down. However, the deliberate scrubbing of the letters suggested it had been a considerable amount of time.

Some darkened verdigris had long since covered the entire nameplate, and if it wasn’t for Komer’s careful examination of each painting, plus the deep impression Kennifer III’s name left in his mind, he wouldn’t have been immediately attracted by these familiar letters and remembered.

How dare the Mage Guild hang a portrait of Kennifer III, considered a Dark Demon Lord?

After all, in the Church of Light, Kennifer III’s reputation is hardly better than that of Hades, the god of darkness—at least Hades is just a god from legend, while Kennifer III was not only a great Dark Mage but also importantly, the emperor of a vast Dark Empire, his name has always been taboo in the Church of Light.

Although the Mage Guild no longer has his portrait, the fact that it once hung there indicates an important issue—that the Dark Church is seemingly not as discriminated against within the Mage Guild as imagined, and perhaps the so-called disfavor is merely superficial. To hang a portrait of the last king of the Dark Empire in the sacred hall of the Mage Guild itself speaks volumes.

Komer’s lone lingering in the corner quickly attracted the attention of some interested parties in the Mage Guild’s hall; when a graceful Knight approached Komer with a smile, Komer knew his act had finally paid off.

"Sir, do you require any assistance?" the knight asked politely, with a pleasant Southern accent that satisfied Komer.

"Certainly, I’m very curious as to why this portrait was removed. To whom did it belong?"

The Knight’s face stiffened slightly. It wasn’t that no one had ever asked about this matter; after all, all other portraits hanging on the walls were of renowned grandmasters in Magic, and although this one was in a corner, a closer look would tell you it was a noticeable gap.

"Oh, sir, that was a portrait of Mr. James Flaman Kennifer, a Dark Mage. As for the reason for its removal, that is a decision made by the Guild, and I am not at liberty to disclose," replied the Knight, now sensing that the person before him might not be as casual as previous visitors or Magic Practitioners who inquired without much thought, and his expression grew serious.

"Oh, a Dark Mage, huh? Since the Bohemia Kingdom doesn’t ban any Magic Sect, why then, did the Mage Guild remove Mr. Kennifer’s portrait? Could it be that the Mage Guild is succumbing to the pressure of the Church of Light?" His tone was gentle, yet his words were sharply confrontational.

"Sir, you misunderstand. The Mage Guild is an independent and neutral organization. It won’t be influenced by the kingdom, nor by any religious Sect. This is but a place for Mages to exchange and learn from each other—I mean, to provide a platform for Magicians. The Mage Guild has no power to forbid anything, nor does it encourage anything. What gets banned or encouraged is for the Kingdom’s Ministry of the Interior to decide. Of course, as an organization, the Mage Guild also has its own ethos. Whose portrait we hang or take down... I don’t think we need anyone’s consent for that. That’s our internal affair," asserted the Knight, his voice gaining a combative edge as if slightly angered by Komer’s aggressive questioning.

"Heh, of course, of course that’s the Mage Guild’s own affair. But as a Holy Land revered by Mages across the Continent, as a place of fairness respected by Magicians of all Sects, if it can’t remain utterly impartial, that will affect the Mage Guild’s fairness and prestige. I only have a suggestion, nothing more," Komer said with a light chuckle.

Komer shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, but the disdainful and contemptuous gleam in his eyes couldn’t help but make the other party feel disparaged.

While Komer and the knight were arguing incessantly, in a room on the second floor of the Mage Guild, two individuals quietly watched a crystal ball that slowly rolled on the table in front of them. The smooth surface of the crystal clearly displayed Komer and the knight engaged in the argument, and a pair of horn-shaped pipes beside the crystal ball transmitted their debate with clarity.

"Xerob, are you saying he’s a candidate for the Dark Lord?" the grey-haired elder, who sat squarely in the center with hands crossed and clasped in front of his chest, reclined slightly on the chair back with a thoughtful expression.

"No, not just a candidate. It’s confirmed that he is the reincarnation of the Dark Lord," Xerob said calmly, yet a hint of dissatisfaction flashed in his eyes, which did not escape the notice of the other.

"Xerob, don’t be too hasty. I understand your feelings. If the Holy Teaching manages to find the true reincarnation of the Dark Lord, it would indeed be a blessing for the Holy Teaching. But after so many years of patience, can’t we wait a few more days? I trust your perception, but without verification by others, we cannot come to a hasty conclusion. However, I don’t seem to feel any Dark Magic force on him. Could it be that this fellow really is that good at hiding?"

If one were to observe closely, one might notice that the attire of the grey-haired elder was slightly different from that of a general Magic Practitioner: his black Mage Robe was girded at the waist with a belt of the same color, and at the knot of the belt, a string of shiny black beads constantly gleamed, denoting his status as a Magic Appraiser of the Mage Guild.

In The whole continent, there were only a handful of Magic Appraisers in the entire Mage Guild, each of whom was an important figure within the Guild.

"Hmph, if the Dark Lord can’t even manage this much, he would’ve probably been exposed by those Thunderhorse Knights of the Church of Light long ago. Right now, those knights from the Church of Light are still lingering in Caucasus, with their sights set directly on the Dark Lord himself. That’s why I am concerned..." Xerob’s words were left unfinished as he was cut off by the other, "If he can’t handle even this bit of trouble, then he’ll hardly be of much use to the revival of the Holy Teaching even if he is the reincarnation of the Dark Lord. In that case, it may be better to end it."

"You!" A terrifying light suddenly flared in his eyes, and clearly, Xerob was provoked by the other’s words. "Sehir, I can’t help but suspect that you’ve been corrupted by the power you hold. And I must remind you of whence your power originates. Understand this, if you forget your obligations as a member of the Dark Alliance, you will soon realize the grave mistake you have made."

"Hehe, Xerob, I don’t need you to remind me of my duties. The candidate proposed by your Great Mysterium Sect has not been confirmed yet, and I am well aware of my own identity, rest assured of that. I think there’s no need for us to hurt our personal relationship over this."

Shaking his head slightly, the grey-haired elder did not show any particular reaction to Xerob’s words.

"Alright, I think we should find a suitable opportunity to make contact with your candidate for the Dark Lord. Perhaps he is the ideal Dark Lord, but it needs to be determined according to the procedure. I wonder what plans this fellow has for coming to the Guild. Could it just be to argue with Tuluk and the others?"

When Lome appeared before the young knight called Tuluk, his mood clearly soared. Serving a noble young lady appeared to be a task more agreeable to the young knight, so much so that he didn’t seem to mind Komer’s behavioral change and eagerly circled around the girl without stopping.

At that moment, Komer had to admit that the differences in gender indeed made some things more convenient for Lome than for himself. Lome quickly obtained more information from the young knight, and if her questioning technique had been a bit better, Komer suspected that the knight would have bared all his family background, hobbies, and conduct without reserve.

The portrait of Kennifer III had been removed some time ago, roughly twenty years earlier. Before that, Kennifer III had always been recognized as the foremost person in Dark Magic and hung in that corner.

Although there wasn’t much description in the inscription and the content was mostly neutral terms, the fact that this painting occupied a place in the Mage Guild’s Hall of Fame clearly signified many things.

However, this portrait indeed brought about many problems. Ever since the Hall of Fame featured this portrait, the Church of Light had been exerting pressure on the Mage Guild. Yet, the Guild, as a neutral organization, innately possessed the tenacity to resist external pressures. Moreover, the Bohemia Kingdom had always followed the principle of religious equality and freedom. Although in practice there were many restrictions on the activities of the Dark Sect within the borders of Bohemia, legally all Sects were considered equal, and activities of the Dark Sect were not forbidden. Therefore, the Mage Guild continued to approach the protests from the Church of Light with a cold and unyielding attitude.