Chapter 651 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

The Blue Tower Lord, Elisha Celsius, holds another significant title. She is the Director of Intelligence in the Magical Federation, a position of formidable influence over all the information circulating around the floating city. Elisha's appointment to the role of Director of Intelligence was influenced more by her personality than her abilities. Most mages are stubborn and self-centered, making them poor choices for surveillance and intelligence work. Elisha, with her outstanding social skills and ability to manage others harmoniously, was the perfect candidate. Though she secretly looked down on everyone, Elisha surprisingly excelled in her duties. Most information both inside and outside the floating city passed through her, and she was adept at gathering and verifying it with her innate intelligence. Among that "information" was news regarding Hughes, who had descended to the Celsius estate. "Lankart Spendry. Just as you suggested, I've been quietly observing Hughes." Elisha had suggested to Hughes that during his time in the lower realms, he reside at the Celsius family estate. It was, after all, her family home and an excellent environment for a competent mage. It was a gesture of goodwill, yet Hughes gave a non-committal answer and somehow ended up teaching children at a school in the frontier. Though puzzled, she understood. Hughes was researching methods to use magic with limited power, and discovering such methods while teaching lower realm children seemed plausible. However, at some point, Elisha received information that Hughes was spreading formalized magic. Despite having left, the Celsius estate was still her family ground. Elisha did not conceal this information, and the intelligence bureau subtly informed the Celsius estate. "Is this okay?" The outcome was a conflict, something foreseeable and preventable. If only Lankart Spendry hadn’t been involved. "So what? While ritual magic might be considered crude, it's suitable for people at a crude level. Nothing wrong with Hughie's judgment." Elisha attempted to prevent the conflict. It wasn't beneficial to stir up trouble with the floating city's descent near at hand. Yet Lankart intervened, and Elisha had no choice but to heed his words. Was it because Lankart seemed ready for battle? That was part of it. "Is it under the Martial God's mandate?" More precisely, those behind Lankart Spendry. The cause was the Martial God Temple. Lankart spoke, arms crossed. "Founder Tyrkanzyaka is a Martial God. Though close to it before, some event caused a complete transformation. Hughie was probably involved." Elisha raised her eyebrows slightly. This information from Lankart was new, and she had not been given any prior details to infer it. Lankart likely withheld this information deliberately. Admittedly, Lankart's words contained a fanatic belief in Hughes and a leap in logic born from it, but they were close to the truth. "The first reason ritual magic is considered crude is that it demands the body as a price, and the second is its weak power given the minimal sacrifice requirement, making it unsuitable for grand magic. It's ironic to break taboos for power yet find it lacking. But if a vampire's regenerative powers can cover the cost—" "The range of magic usable expands significantly." There exists a type of magic known as blood magic, which vampires cast by consuming their vitality. Originating as black magic, it was renamed because offering their own bodies as a sacrifice was trivial for vampires. If humans could universally employ this technique— "The Martial God Temple aims to make black magic into the world's principle?" Elisha calmly stated the Martial God Temple's ultimate aim, its cherished desire. World Principle. A rule constructed by the Martial God Temple to apply globally. The magical families created rules by weaving relics with magic. They set rules in this cold, desolate land, surviving by adapting these rules in various ways. However, despite their strength, relics are mere objects that create phenomena in exchange for magic, limited in power and scope, nor are relics eternal. They can falter due to reaching limits, sustaining damage, or external interference. Numerous magical families vanished due to this inescapable uncertainty. Particularly after the fall of the powerful Fahrenheit estate, many mages felt disillusioned. Was it right to rely on rules established with such imperfect relics? The Celsius family tried to enhance stability with more relics, but other mages turned their sights outward. Instead of relying on imperfect, limited relics, they aimed to use perfect, infinite mysteries as a magical core. To encompass the entire planet instead of merely a city's domain. To integrate the universe's principles instead of using proprietary magic. To bind a Martial God, creating a vast, powerful, eternal rule to encompass the globe. This gathered a group in pursuit of a goal that would entice any mage. The world's most dangerous secret society. Lankart, a noteworthy mage within, nodded confidently. "Hughie must have judged it worthy of consideration." Elisha pondered. As far as she knew, Hughes was a pure outsider from an isolated military nation, never having set foot in the Magical Federation's land. How could he be linked to the Martial God Temple? Moreover— "Wasn't it me who discovered you and brought you to the Martial God Temple? Before that, I’d never heard of anyone named Hughes." Though now distanced, Elisha was once part of the Martial God Temple and found it inexplicable. Lankart spoke nonchalantly. "The only one who did me such a favor was you. Feel proud." "My judgment was accurate in recognizing your talent, but… In hindsight, it might’ve been a mistake." Back when Elisha had just ascended to the floating city, she was part of the intelligence bureau and traveled under the guise of a wandering mage around the world. The military nation was closed off, controlling information through unknown means. It was puzzlingly under-documented relative to its size, but Elisha knew this was the perfect moment to target individuals. Elisha approached military magical officers and identified the most talented among them for recruitment. It was a task no other mage would dare attempt, but Elisha succeeded. In retrospect, this was the decision she regretted most. Lankart spoke up. "Mistake? Knowledge can't be a mistake. It's ignorance that's wrong and lacking. If you made any mistake, it was failing to recognize just one thing." "My personality?" "What's wrong with my personality? Besides, there's something far more critical than such trivial matters." Lankart dismissed his personality as a minor issue, bearing a self-assured expression. "You didn't know Hughie, did you?" "...And what exactly is his identity?" "It's impossible to define Hughie with a mere remark. Approaching it like that won't work." What grand act did he commit to turn such a proud mage into a fervent follower? Elisha couldn't comprehend it with her current understanding. "Seems you're struggling to grasp it. Well, I understand. I didn't recognize it at first, either. But... let me tell you one thing for sure." Lankart, filled with an almost fanatical belief, declared without a hint of doubt. "Mages can't defeat Hughie." Laws are written in the books but don't reside there. If one were to find a physical location for the intangible concept of law, it would be in the hearts of individuals. Thus, disseminating the law is a much greater challenge than crafting it. Changing a single law requires overcoming the hearts of all who know it. In that sense, the rules of the Magic Federation possessed a quality all rulers coveted. Immediate efficacy. As soon as a rule changed, it applied to everyone in the territory. "Huh? What's happening?" "It's warm...? Has summer arrived?" "That's unlikely. Perhaps there's a festival at the estate. Or maybe the Demon Lord in the floating city complained about the cold." The temperature across the Celsius estate rose. The rule of the Celsius estate had always been beyond freezing and boiling points, utilizing this to capture heat and raise temperatures, shielding the land from the bitter cold... until now. The relic was situated at the heart of the Celsius family, inevitably making the Celsius estate the warmest. With the center of power there, it was only natural for the heat to concentrate as well. I slightly altered that effect. Instead of merely trapping warmth, it also gathered the frigid air from across the territory. TGloWlBtWUkwZWhUWHNtSC9RL1BOdm02NXlLUURtemI3ZVlOMjBHTmhZa1hRaldIcnFXM0x5bFErTXhkc2RjMw "It's finally warm. Feels like I can breathe again. When it's cold, you need to burn the fire strong, right?" "Stop right away!" Rankin Celsius raised his staff, preparing his magic. The cold emanating from the staff formed an icicle's shape. With swirling magical energy covering it, Rankin Celsius completed his spell. "Ice Spike!" At its sharp end, enforced freezing was placed, while at the rear, forced vaporization magic. The icicle soared like a fiery arrow, trailing misty smoke behind. Oh, how frightening. I extended my hand towards the thermometer in the relic chamber. Reaching up to where the number 100 was marked, I muttered softly. "Boiling point control, over." With a whoosh, the advancing icicle suddenly lost its momentum. Though propelled by forced vaporization magic to spray steam, with the change in boiling point, the steam propulsion ceased. Watching the icicle stagger and flail like a butterfly, I adjusted the gauge again. "Boiling point control, under." The icicle, having lost its direction, regained propulsion, abruptly shooting towards various targets instead of me, piercing the Celsius territory. Rankin Celsius's expression hardened. He knew the icicle's danger better than anyone. "The icicles are enchanted with freezing magic! Avoid getting hit!" He erected an ice shield around himself. His guards hid behind Rankin's ice wall, but the others weren't as fortunate. "Aaagh!" "Run!" Caught by icicles before they found cover. Thud, thud. Dull impacts resounded. Although the armors absorbed most shocks, the icicles carried a freezing spell. Ice spread from the points of impact. Screaming, people began to freeze... "Freezing point control. Over." In an instant, the ice transformed into water balloons, bursting. Drenched soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment. Amidst the thick mist, I clapped and exclaimed. "That was the Soaking Show! Thank you, everyone!” 'What the...!' Rankin Celsius, floundering in the flowing water from the melted ice wall, was in utter disbelief. 'It's no coincidence. It wasn't luck either. It was all calculated, manipulating the trajectory via freezing and boiling points! How can someone not of the Celsius family wield a relic so adeptly?' When people are suddenly drenched, they typically react in one of two ways: going limp or seething with the discomfort of dampness. Most reactions I observed now were the latter. Understandable, given they were armed, trying to capture me. "This...!" Before I could respond, the forces charged all at once, soaked but rushing towards me, the one controlling freezing and boiling points. Well, no helping it. Some lessons must be learned firsthand. "Stop! Don't approach while wet…!" "Freezing point control." Snap. The advancing troops became encased in ice from their ankles up. Those off-balance collided and fell, creating chaos. Kelvin Celsius downplayed it, but that was undue humility. Mastering freezing and boiling points forms the basic knowledge of this land, and controlling those would allow for almost anything. Which means, the capability doesn't stem from lineage or knowledge. Anyone can wield the power if they use the tool skillfully. "What, what is that…." "Not even being a Celsius... how can he use such magic…." Ice is indeed colder than water. They were angry when doused with water, but the chill of ice dampened their spirits. "This time, it's the Ice Show! Thank you!" "What the...?" Or not? They seemed angry again. It was then. "Such power is beyond the rabble." Swoosh. The ice flowed like ebbing tides, converging at a single point. At the end stood Elsia Celsius, the relic chamber's owner from whom I had pilfered the key.