This year, the Sky Bastion was still shrouded in snow, with white flakes falling from the sky, covering the massive fortress built atop a mountain. This grand structure, the headquarters of the Garland Council, was founded over a century ago by the Sanctuary-level Light Witch Margarita and five large wizard towers.
However, the Garland Council had been experiencing difficulties recently.
First, the relationship between Chairwoman Margarita and Elder Aurora had further deteriorated. Aurora was deeply dissatisfied with Margarita, who had held the position of chairwoman for over a century. Aurora had repeatedly suggested that they hold new elections and reorganize the council to bring in fresh blood.
In fact, Aurora's suggestion was not without merit. The Garland Council currently had about thirty legendary witches or sorceresses, but only three Sanctuary-level figures: Margarita, a Sanctuary Peak Light and Sky Witch; Aurora, a High Sanctuary Ice Witch; and Kalalona, a Mid-Sanctuary Death and Metal Witch.
Additionally, the Ice Queen of Kislev, Tsarina Katarin, maintained a good relationship with the Garland Council, but she was not technically a member.
These three powerful women maintained a delicate balance. Margarita and Aurora were long-time rivals, while Kalalona was more focused on her research and rarely engaged in council politics unless absolutely necessary.
Initially, Margarita and Aurora were evenly matched, each having their own supporters within the council. Over the decades, both had been actively courting young witches and external powers.
But now, the balance was beginning to tip. Elder Veronica was making a strong push towards the Sanctuary level and had been in seclusion for nearly six months. The entire council was waiting to see if she would succeed. If Veronica reached the Sanctuary level, Margarita would gain the upper hand over Aurora.
Aurora felt helpless about this. Theresa and Veronica were fundamentally different; one was a sorceress, and the other a witch. Sorceresses relied on bloodline magic, which depended on refining and enhancing their bloodline, while witches could learn any spell that aligned with their chosen wind of magic. Veronica only needed to follow the path laid out by Teclis, and the extensive library of the White Tower of Hoeth in the Kingdom of Saphery had significantly expanded her magical knowledge, quickly bringing her to the brink of the Sanctuary level.
Theresa, on the other hand, faced a much longer process in refining her Ice magic bloodline. High Elves weren't particularly interested in Ice magic, and after reaching the pinnacle of the Legendary level, Theresa found herself stuck, unable to find a way to break through to the Sanctuary level. She had sought Aurora's help, but there was little Aurora could do other than teach her some of the advanced Ice magic spells and hope Theresa could slowly figure it out and refine her bloodline further.
In simple terms, sorceresses rely on their heritage, while witches rely on wealth. Since receiving financial and political support from Ryan, Veronica's rapid progress had become a threat to Aurora.
The external environment of the Garland Council was also becoming increasingly hostile. Unlike the previous Imperial Royal Archmage, Thyrus Gormann, who was mainly focused on exploring Albion, the new Imperial Royal Archmage, Balthasar Gelt, was far less accommodating. Gelt was focused on cracking down on the misuse of magic within the Empire.
The Garland witches quickly found themselves on Gelt's blacklist. These witches, who pursued luxury and elegance, were not particularly interested in fighting Chaos or Greenskins. Gelt was resolute in his belief that their independence was a challenge to the Empire's existing order. He saw only two options for these witches: either join the Imperial Colleges of Magic under unified management, or be burned at the stake.
(The only exceptions were Veronica and Theresa, as they held the title of court ladies in Ryan's domain, which Gelt acknowledged.)
Emperor Karl Franz did not fully support Gelt's aggressive stance but trusted and relied on him in other matters. The Imperial Court's attitude towards the Garland Council was ambiguous, with covert sanctions already beginning.
The Garland Council would not bow to the Imperial Colleges of Magic. They still maintained strong influence in the northern Empire and Kislev. However, without the tacit approval and support of the Imperial Court, and under Gelt's deliberate pressure, it was clear that the Garland Council would have to change its internal and external strategies.
Today, Theresa was dressed in a white ruffled top and black straight-leg stretch pants, with a purple robe draped over her shoulders and black stiletto-heeled boots on her feet. Her waist-length, jet-black hair shimmered faintly, left loose rather than tied up. At forty years old, it had been thirteen years since she and Ryan had ventured together.
She held a letter from Bretonnia, bearing the Holy Grail seal and Ryan's name.
It had been over a year since Theresa had last seen Ryan. Holding his letter, she felt a mixture of excitement and forced calm as she made her way to Aurora's wizard tower.
It was four in the afternoon, and outside the castle, the snowstorm continued. Aurora's tower, usually bustling with activity, was eerily quiet. As Theresa uttered the secret word and entered, she noticed that only a few Ice Golems were on standby on the first floor. The deep, dark tower was cold and damp, and the chill in the air made Theresa frown. She turned to her apprentice, a young witch named Emma, and asked, "Where is Mother? Where is everyone else?"
"Madam just returned and was furious, Councilor," Emma, dressed in an icy blue robe with black tights and brown shoes, replied nervously. Her brown hair was a mess as she lowered her head in fear. "She ordered everyone to go downstairs and not show themselves in front of her, or she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't lose control."
"Mother..." Theresa knew about the difficulties the Garland Council was facing, so she reassured her apprentice and sent her to rest. Then she took Ryan's letter and climbed the stairs to the top floor, where she knocked on the door.
"Knock, knock... Can I come in?"
"Theresa? Come in," came the mature voice, tinged with weariness. Hearing her daughter's voice, Aurora allowed Theresa to enter. "What is it, my daughter? I'm a bit tired."
"Mother, Ryan has written to us!" Theresa gently pushed open the door.
The room was furnished with luxurious décor. Fine cherry wood furniture filled the space, and the carpet was made of the finest white bear pelts imported from Kislev. The soft yellow light of magic lamps illuminated the solemn environment. Aurora was lounging in a chair made of a whole white wolf pelt. The elegant and beautiful Sanctuary-level witch was dressed in a white lace-trimmed dress, her long, slender legs encased in sheer stockings and her feet in silver high heels. Her night-black hair was pinned up with a silver hairpin, and she wore gold-rimmed glasses. Her exquisitely sculpted features exuded a sacred and noble aura.
"Ryan sent a letter?" Aurora's expression was not pleasant. Seeing Theresa enter, the Sanctuary witch rubbed her temples and gestured for Theresa to sit down. "What did he say?"
"He said he's back in his duchy and asked when I could return, and he also invited you to visit his territory again," Theresa replied as she walked briskly into the room and sat opposite Aurora after a brief hesitation. "Mother, what do you think?"
"Hmph, men are all the same," Aurora didn't even open her eyes as she adjusted her elegant white dress and didn't even glance at Theresa. "If he really wanted to see you and me, he could have come to the Sky Bastion himself to pick you up and invite me. Sending a letter... All those greetings and invitations are just a cover. He must want something, right?"
"Uh..." Theresa nodded, somewhat hesitant. "Ryan mentioned he plans to import more magical ores and asked if we had any left."
"Hmph!" Aurora opened her silver eyes, about to say something but ending with only a sigh. "I never expected that the young man who once trembled before me has now grown to this extent. He's now one of the most powerful men in the Old World. My daughter, even so, do you have no regrets?"
"I've never regretted it," Theresa's face flushed slightly as she replied firmly. "Not at all. This was my choice, Mother. You have no right to interfere with my decisions."
"Heh, yes, my daughter has grown up," Aurora's expression shifted, and the golden chain of her glasses swayed lightly with her movements. "Have you considered that now, we mother and daughter have to rely on Ryan's protection?"
"Rely on Ryan's protection?!" Theresa looked up sharply, her face full of confusion and disbelief. "Why? Mother, what's happened?"
"We're on the verge of being expelled from the council, Theresa," Aurora sighed. "I may have to move to your wizard tower in Bretonnia."
"Expelled from the council? How could Chairwoman Margarita do such a thing?!" Theresa gripped her violet staff tightly, her heels tapping the floor in agitation.
"I'm in a difficult situation right now," Aurora shook her head tiredly. "As everyone knows, Veronica is trying to break through to the Sanctuary level. If she succeeds, I'll be at a significant disadvantage within the council. Veronica is Margarita's direct disciple, and they have a close relationship. If it comes down to decision-making, Veronica will undoubtedly side with Margarita. If that happens, it's only a matter of time before I'm expelled from the council."
"On the other hand, if Veronica succeeds, she could eventually become chairwoman, and in that scenario, Imperial Royal Archmage Gelt might back off from targeting our council. For some reason, Gelt seems to have a
good relationship with Ryan. He's indicated that if either you or Veronica could take over as chairwoman, he might reconsider the sanctions against the Garland Council. In that sense, no one in the council wants Veronica to fail. Otherwise, it could lead to a wizard war, and the northern Empire's nobility won't side with us, nor will anyone want to move to Kislev."
"…It's my fault, Mother. I've spent so much time, but I still haven't found the key to reaching the Sanctuary level," Theresa said dejectedly. Sorceresses needed a long time to refine and strengthen their bloodline, unlike Veronica, who only needed to study to advance.
"So, now we mother and daughter have to rely on Ryan," Aurora said, a hint of frustration in her voice. "But that man isn't the young warrior he once was. He's grown proud and likes to put on airs in front of me! Theresa, did you see his attitude the last time we visited his territory? Did he treat me like his mother-in-law?"
"Ryan is different now, Mother. If he treated you better than Lady Morgiana and the Lady of the Lake, it would have caused a lot of talk," Theresa defended Ryan. "In private, Ryan is very gentle and easygoing, Mother. You're overthinking it."
"I don't need to know about your private matters!" Aurora frowned and took a deep breath. "Enough. These recent meetings have been nothing but blame games, and I'm tired of it. It might be nice to go there for a holiday. I'll prepare for a few days and then join you after the meetings are over. I've heard Ryan is planning to help King Belegar reclaim Eight Peaks Mountain. Let's see what we can gain from that."
"Alright."
...
Time passed quickly, and as preparations for the expedition accelerated, it was already late November.
A few luxurious carriages arrived at the manor in Red Fish Village.
The carriages were adorned with the Holy Grail emblem, golden fleur-de-lis symbols, and Ryan's family crest. Ryan's crest had evolved with his new title as Duke of Mousillon. It now included not only the Holy Grail, a sword piercing through a book, and a red-and-white shield, but also the black fleur-de-lis and yellow shield inherited from Landuin, along with a duke's coronet and ribbons.
As soon as the carriages stopped, a small figure jumped out, dressed in a miniature noble suit, and excitedly ran forward. "Uncle Angron! Uncle Angron! I'm here!"
"Devonshire! Slow down, be careful not to fall!" Sulia leaned out of the carriage, her motherly concern evident. "Don't run so fast!"
"Hehe, good nephew." Angron stood at the village entrance, smiling warmly as he saw his nephew running unsteadily towards him. With a gentle scoop, he lifted little Devonshire with one hand and brought him close. "Coming to play with Uncle? Come, call me Uncle, and I'll take you to see the puppies and big cats, okay?"
"Yes! Uncle Angron, I want to see the puppies and big cats!" Little Devonshire was very excited, waving his little fists. For some reason, the boy was particularly fond of Angron and loved coming to play with him.
"Hehe," Ryan smiled as he got off the carriage, noticing that King Belegar of Eight Peaks Mountain had also arrived with a few Angrund oath-guardians, his wife Cormac, and his son.
Angron had just put little Devonshire down when the boy noticed Belegar and politely greeted him, "Hello, Mr. Belegar, your beard is so beautiful today!"
"Oh, I think my beard is beautiful too," Belegar chuckled, clearly pleased. He stroked his white beard, pretending to be serious. "Now, little Devonshire, look at my white beard. What should you call me?"
"Hmm..." Little Devonshire thought hard, then came up with an answer, "Grandpa Belegar?"
"Aye!" Belegar laughed heartily, lifting the boy into the air. "Say it again?"
"Grandpa Belegar!" Little Devonshire was thrilled that he had gotten the right answer, unaware of the implications.
Ryan: "???"
Angron: "???"
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