Translator: Cinder Translations
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The audience with the new king had concluded. Some lords returned to their territories, while others remained in the capital, Crystal Glare, for a while.
Inside the palace, King Rodney XVIII summoned those ministers who had a significant influence on the kingdom's policies.
"Gentlemen, a country has emerged that officially recognizes the legal status of wizards. What kind of impact might this have on the world? How should our Aldor respond?"
Chancellor Rupert squinted as he looked at Paul Grayman, who was sitting somewhat awkwardly next to Princess Catherine. The young nobleman from the Northwest appeared a bit tense, likely due to the unfamiliar environment.
Rupert was somewhat surprised to see Grayman here. But on second thought, it made sense; he was the fiancé of Princess Catherine, and it was only appropriate for the king to allow him to attend such a high-level meeting out of respect.
He glanced at Catherine, who was seated beside Paul, and felt a pang of regret. He had watched Catherine grow up; she was such an outstanding woman, yet she was to be married off to someone in the Northwest due to the exclusivity of power.
If only she were a man.
Rupert harbored some resentment towards the new king, Rodney XVIII, for not consulting him and the other old ministers about such a significant matter as marrying off the princess.
Strictly speaking, Rodney XVIII had indeed consulted them, but he had done so along with Catherine, which felt more like a formality out of respect for the ministers.
Rupert, who was quite worldly-wise, could see that the two siblings had already come to a private agreement and that, judging by Catherine's lukewarm attitude, the king had likely persuaded his sister with a mix of pressure and appeal.
Later, Catherine had gathered the old ministers left by the previous king to express her stance sincerely and requested them to serve her cousin wholeheartedly without any other thoughts.
While many were not entirely convinced, at this stage, there was little they could do.
"Your Majesty!" The first to speak was Earl Walsh McKee.
"I believe the kingdom should immediately sever official ties with the Duchy of Eaton. Not to mention that wizards and magic have always been seen as embodiments of evil in the eyes of the public, if we continue to maintain friendly relations with Eaton, we will face tremendous pressure from the Church."
He glanced around at the others. "I believe you all witnessed the ambassador from the Church during the audience. He was absolutely furious."
Many attendees nodded in agreement with Earl McKee's viewpoint.
"I disagree!"
Rupert turned to Walsh McKee and retorted, "If we cut off official ties with Eaton solely based on this, wouldn't Aldor become a vassal of the Church? We are an independent nation."
"Moreover, the Church hasn't even started condemning us yet. If we panic and rush to appease them, it will only make us a laughingstock in the eyes of other countries."
Rupert had a very low opinion of Walsh McKee; it was rumored that he was one of the key instigators behind the princess's engagement.
A schemer like him had somehow made it into this meeting.
But there was nothing to be done, as he was one of the new king's people.
"As far as I know…" Earl Adelar, another of the new king's appointees, interjected, "there seemed to be traces of witchcraft among the rebels during the Giles Rebellion."
He looked at the Minister of Intelligence. "Am I right, Earl Merlin?"
Earl Merlin nodded. "Indeed, there were many phenomena during that period that we could not explain with common sense."
Earl Adelar continued, "From this perspective, it seems that wizards should be regarded as our enemies."
Just as everyone expected him to echo Earl McKee's viewpoint, he added, "However, if we completely push this force to our opposite side, it could greatly disadvantage us."
"What do you mean? Are you suggesting we align our great kingdom with magic?"
"No! I mean, at least until the current crisis is resolved, we should try to minimize the number of enemies we create, especially against mysterious and unpredictable foes."
"According to what was said earlier, the wizards are already aligned with Giles."
"How do you know all wizards have sided with him? Isn't there still a group in Eaton?"
"It's quite possible they are the same batch…"
The room erupted into a cacophony of voices.
King Rodney XVIII felt a headache coming on. He glanced over at his sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law, both of whom sat stiffly, not saying a word.
"What do you think?" he asked Catherine and Paul.
Catherine furrowed her lovely brows slightly. "The Chancellor is right; the independence of the kingdom should take precedence. We must not hastily flatter the Church before our material interests are threatened."
The king turned his gaze to Paul.
"Ahem!" Paul had intended to remain a passive observer, but since the king had asked, he felt compelled to speak up.
"Your Majesty, our attitude towards wizards and magic should be based on how this mysterious power can affect ordinary people in reality."
"The new policies of Eaton provide us with a good sample for observation; perhaps you should send more people to investigate."
"Observe, analyze, and summarize. Regardless of whether this power will become our enemy or ally in the future, we should have a thorough understanding of it beforehand."
"Understanding the essence of magic may be difficult, but its manifestations are observable. We can see the impact it has on ordinary people's lives in the absence of oppression by rulers."
"It is extremely inadvisable to engage in blind fear or blind pursuit of the imagined magic rather than the magic that exists in reality."
"I believe that after gathering sufficient data that covers most aspects, you will reach a more accurate conclusion, which will aid you in making the right choice."
Paul's words enlightened King Rodney XVIII.
Princess Catherine, sitting beside him, looked at Paul in surprise, her gaze softening.
"Are you suggesting," the king said, "that I should treat magic as a normal new phenomenon?"
"Yes, existence is reasonable. Since it has appeared and is no longer just a country folk tale, it is a reflection of the operational laws of our world."
"Well! I have an idea now. Thank you, Paul."
Clap clap clap, Rodney XVIII knocked on the table in front of him.
The arguing crowd immediately fell silent, turning their attention to the king.
(End of the Chapter)
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