novelraw Chapter 56 : The Semester of Upheaval (3)
Chapter 56 : The Semester of Upheaval (3)
Chapter 56: The Semester of Upheaval (3)
“What do you mean by that……?”
Late at night, Ed Etar received a message from the tavern owner in the Underworld, and his expression twisted grimly.
—The Nohill Family and…… the Mihael Family are doing something insane right now!
The man’s voice was urgent.
It was the kind of voice that belonged to someone who had seen something he shouldn’t have—utterly devoid of reason.
—Even the Archmage’s Imperial Guard is in the Underworld! They suddenly started using magic and picking fights with the swordsmen!
“……”
Etar remained silent.
No, rather, his mind froze for a moment—unable to decide how to interpret this situation.
Former, who had also heard the news, rushed to the Headmaster’s office.
On his way, he had already seen the state of things outside the office.
He could tell that Etar’s mood wasn’t merely unsettled—it was mixed with anger.
“Headmaster!”
Former called out loudly the moment he arrived, but Etar didn’t even twitch.
—Lord Etar, why on earth are they suddenly using magic and fighting with the swordsmen in the Underworld……?
“……This can’t be.”
After realizing the full picture, Former couldn’t believe it had escalated to this point.
He had only heard that the Nohill and Mihael Families were showing strange movements—but he hadn’t known exactly what they were doing.
And now, not only were they using magic, they were in open combat with swordsmen?
—Even the Archmage’s Imperial Guard has joined the battle!
The Archmage’s Imperial Guard taking part in such a fight—
They were a unit that operated solely under the command of Archmage Draco Tylant.
They were, in essence, an exclusive force belonging only to the Archmage—untouchable by anyone else.
If even they were involved, this could easily spiral into a full-scale war between mages and swordsmen.
This meant Draco Tylant was recklessly shattering the ancient laws that both mages and swordsmen of the Underworld had upheld since time immemorial.
“Is Impel there too?”
Etar finally opened his mouth.
—……Yes.
“Damn it, hide yourself for now. Something about this feels wrong. Do not, under any circumstances, make contact with them or get involved.”
—Understood.
After ending the call, Etar lowered his head and buried his face in his hands.
“To think he’d even touch the ancient laws……”
“What could Tylant possibly be thinking…… Headmaster?”
“Why disturb the peace of the Underworld? What could he possibly gain from that? Relations between mages and swordsmen are already fragile—what reason could he have to fan those flames!?”
As Etar shouted, a streak of molten fire shot past the window of the Headmaster’s office.
He wanted, more than anything, to descend to the Underworld himself and stop the battle—but the reality that he couldn’t was crushing.
“For the time being, suspend all Sculptor activities. Keep watch over the Underworld, Vice Headmaster.”
It was a dangerous time.
The Sculptor’s current focus was on Artel’s expulsion.
Suspending the Sculptor’s activity meant putting that on hold.
“Understood.”
“Draco Tylant…… just what is it that you want…….”
From the very first day of the new semester, the atmosphere was heavy with gloom.
At that moment, at the top of the main academy—
—I’ve received your report, Archmage. What on earth are you doing?
A voice flowed out from the Sealing Stone.
The owner of that voice was none other than the Grand Swordsman—the leader of the Swordsmen’s Society.
Alarize Petra had created two Sealing Stones before his death.
One was to be guarded by the Archmage, the other by the Grand Swordsman.
He had foreseen that if only one side guarded the stone, the seal could someday be broken—or its power misused.
Thus, two Sealing Stones were placed on either side of the Iron Gate that marked the border between the Magical Society and the Swordsmen’s Society. Since ancient times, the two isolated factions had communicated through the stones to maintain the seal on Sylarid.
As long as even one Sealing Stone remained intact, the seal on Sylarid would not break.
Even in death, Alarize Petra had imbued the stones with his wish—that the two divided powers might one day unite. Only through that harmony could such tragedy be prevented from happening again.
The Sealing Stones also possessed an additional function—they allowed communication, like the Mob’s ability to converse through the ether.
After being informed of the chaos in the Underworld, the Grand Swordsman immediately used the Sealing Stone to question Tylant.
“You’re only hearing about it now? It started hours ago.”
But Tylant responded shamelessly.
—What is this madness? By what right do you break the ancient laws?
“By the right of the Archmage.”
—Is the Underworld a realm only for mages? There are ordinary people and swordsmen there as well.
“So what exactly are you trying to say?”
—Cease this at once. Why are you deploying your Imperial Guard to wage war?
“I’ve always hated swordsmen. Weaker than mages, yet still acting proud.”
—……What?
Tylant deliberately provoked the Grand Swordsman’s temper.
Swordsmen had always been those who valued tradition.
And within that tradition lay discipline—meaning they upheld the laws of the Underworld far more strictly than mages ever did.
Moreover, swordsmen didn’t particularly harbor ill will toward mages.
At least, not until the era when Archis Eimer was in power.
Originally, swordsmen were simply those who honed their bodies. What the Circle meant to mages, the “Rank” meant to the swordsmen’s society.
They were content with nothing more than enduring lonely, grueling training to raise their rank.
But Tylant’s words not only crossed the line—they trampled it entirely.
“Isn’t that right? The Battle of the Full Moon, 450 years ago. Ten swordsmen participated—and all of them died. But the mages? Two entered the fight, and one survived. To mages, you’re nothing but shields.”
—Are you…… done talking……?
“So all that training of your body is just to serve as meat shields for mages? Sorry, but no mage will ever thank you for that. If anything, you only make yourselves look pathetic.”
That wasn’t the opinion of all mages.
No—but now that Tylant had unified the Magical Society as Archmage, perhaps in this age it was the prevailing opinion.
Still, this was the summit.
A place where only the Archmage and the Grand Swordsman stood face to face—no one could object to Tylant’s words here.
Every word that left Tylant’s mouth became the official stance of the entire Magical Society.
—To think you’re an Archmage too, and yet so utterly different. I truly cannot understand.
The Grand Swordsman replied calmly.
At that, Tylant’s brow twitched.
“Archmage? Who are you referring to?”
—I heard the former Archmage was your master. You killed your own master and seized the title of Archmage. That’s why we swordsmen despise mages.
Tylant fell silent for a moment.
—We admit that you mages are smarter than we swordsmen. We fight with our bodies, while you fight with your minds. But for all your intellect, you lack any true bond.
“So that’s why those tightly bonded swordsmen died together so beautifully 450 years ago, huh?”
Tylant shot back with venom.
For an instant, even the Grand Swordsman felt his emotions surge—but he suppressed them and continued speaking.
—You used those brilliant minds of yours in the worst possible way. You’re the proof. Killing your own master to claim the Archmage’s seat? In a society like ours, bound by loyalty, such a thing could never be tolerated.
“That’s exactly why you’ll never surpass mages. Why serve someone weaker than you? The strong should rise and lead society anew. You swordsmen—have no progress.”
—Oh? And you call it progress to distrust your own subordinates and keep them under watch?
“A wise mage prevents mistakes.”
—Aren’t you ashamed to say that out loud? And mistakes? So you admit it, then.
“What are you talking about?”
—You’re afraid, aren’t you? Just like how you killed your master and took his position, you’re afraid someone beneath you will kill you and take yours.
“……”
—That’s what happens when there’s no bond, no loyalty. That’s why swordsmen hate mages. You think only of yourselves, never of others. You lack virtue.
“Hearing such drivel from a swordsman is almost amusing.”
—I’ll take that as a compliment. And this is my final warning…… no, my advice. Cease the battle in the Underworld at once.
The Grand Swordsman had deliberately chosen the word “advice.”
Though “warning” and “advice” might sound similar, their meanings were vastly different.
Among mages, a “warning” implied two equals refusing to bow their pride, each asserting their will against the other.
But “advice” was different.
It was the language of a superior addressing an inferior.
The Grand Swordsman knew that—and used the word on purpose.
“Ad……vice? How dare you!”
In the end, Tylant couldn’t control his fury and shouted.
—I’m a swordsman, so I only know the ways of my own society. But.
He suddenly shifted topics.
—Among swordsmen, we don’t rely on written records. We pass down our history by word of mouth. And every Grand Swordsman before me always said the same thing. ‘When the White Archmage lived, even the swordsmen envied the beauty of the Magical Society.’
It was a deliberate provocation.
Tylant had to be a greater mage than Archis the Archmage.
After all, he had killed his own master and stolen that very title.
Even in the current Magic Academy’s curriculum, students were taught that Archis the Archmage was corrupt and that Draco Tylant was courageous and revolutionary.
A lie repeated long enough becomes truth.
Tylant had brainwashed himself into believing he truly surpassed Archis the Archmage.
But now, hearing such scorn from a swordsman he had always looked down on, rage boiled uncontrollably within him.
“Grand Swordsman!”
—Yes, Archmage. I see now you have no intention of stopping the battle. Fine then. Let’s see this through to the end. I’ll send my own Imperial Guard to the Underworld.
“Go ahead. Let them be trampled mercilessly by mine.”
—Then I’ll have my guards clad in white armor. Unlike you, we like white. And we’ll see what it is you truly desire.
The Grand Swordsman had finally made his move.
He didn’t actually intend to start a war.
It was simply that the fighting in the Underworld showed no signs of stopping—and by dispatching his Imperial Guard, he hoped to prevent the battlefield from expanding any further.
But at that moment, Tylant’s lips curved into a smile.
‘Just as planned.’
“Hey, Grand Swordsman.”
He called out calmly.
—What is it?
“How about a negotiation?”
—Hmph. I suppose even you can’t break the laws entirely. But before negotiating, shouldn’t you deal with the chaos in the Underworld first?
“The negotiation comes first.”
—Fine. Speak, then.
“Let’s divide the Underworld exactly in half, just like the upper world—one half for mages, one for swordsmen. That way, there’ll be no more conflict, and both sides will get what they want. Peaceful, isn’t it? And it doesn’t break any laws.”
—……
The Grand Swordsman fell silent, lost in thought at Tylant’s proposal.