Two weeks later. Norland. Inside the Mansion of Bismarck, the Nation of Steel.
“A premier of a movie?”
General Fred was sitting in front of his office desk and reading a letter delivered by his servant.
The letter was wax stamped with the symbol of an Ancient Blackwood Tree. This meant that the letter came from Farucci’s Grand Duchy of Blackwood.
“It’s another one of those Farucci’s boring play...”
General Fred opened the letter and read it. Roughly, the letter stated that he was invited to come to the Farucci’s mansion, Madam Schroder’s mansion, tonight to view... a performance representing the change of an era.
Change of an era. When General Fred saw those words, he snorted with contempt. As the former Admiral of the Nation of Steel’s Navy, he had always looked down upon the people of Farucci, a bunch that survives through performing for others.
To General Fred, Farucci’s stage plays were completely meaningless. He believed that what was truly capable of promoting the change of an era were the gears casted by their Nation of Steel! The heavy duty machines that contained enormous magic power!
Ever since he retired to the city of Norland, General Fred became completely fascinated by those arcanotech devices.
“Where is Kaos right now?”
Even though General Fred was not interested in the people of Farucci’s so-called art, Farucci was not a nation to be looked down upon. Because of that, diplomacy between the two countries was extremely important.
His student, the Nation of Steel’s second prince Kaos, was currently studying in Norland.
Kaos was General Fred’s most prided student. He had succeeded all the virtues and merits that men from the Nation of Steel should have.
General Fred felt that it was necessary to bring Kaos to participate in the movie premiere party this evening.
“His Highness is currently in Norland’s Lursk’s Advanced Magic School,” replied the servant.
“Lursk’s Advanced Magic School? Wasn’t he supposed to be studying in the Sage Tower? Why did he go to an Advanced Magic School?”
In Norland, after graduating from an Advanced Magic School, one was given two choices. One of the choices was to enter the Sage Tower to continue with the magic study. One will also be able to gain personal guidance from Norland’s Council of Seven.
It could be said that all the mage apprentices that were able to enter the Sage Tower were all top geniuses, the pride and show-off of their respective country.
Kaos was General Fred’s proudest student, his show-off. Unfortunately, General Fred was only able to impart to Kaos his knowledge of the battlefield.
“Regarding that...”
Hearing General Fred’s question, the servant immediately started sweating.
Although General Fred was old and came to Norland to retire, he used to be a great general who held the lives of over ten thousand people.
Merely from being looked at by General Fred, the servant felt like he would be dragged out and executed should he not say anything. It was a truly oppressive sensation.
“Milord, all I know is that His Highness is currently searching for a... girl... in Lursk’s Advanced Magic School,” said the servant with a trembling voice.
“A girl?”
General Fred wasn’t angry. After all, his student was of that age.
After all, if one was to spend all day in the Sage Tower facing those emotionless and different to understand books, one will either become a true sage without any desires or be driven completely insane.
Men should brazenly pursue girls they’re interested in while they’re young!
“Who is it? Grand Duke Croya’s youngest daughter? Or it is the Nation of Frost’s Ice Princess? But, if it’s that princess, she’s still quite young right now...”
As General Fred has been in Norland for all these years, he remembered all the important talents dispatched into Norland by the various countries. He also knew of the famous young mages from Norland itself.
The knowledge was suited for him to excavate talents from other nations and bring them back to the Nation of Steel.
Truth was, that was the principal reason why all the other countries established official mansions to serve their diplomatic missions in Norland.
“No... the girl His Highness is seeking for is most likely Belle.”
“Belle?”
General Fred pondered for a very long time. But, he was unable to find any information regarding that name in his memories.
“Milord, you don’t know about Belle? She’s the main actress in ‘Beauty and the Demon.’ She is truly...”
The servant suddenly realized that he had misspoken. This servant was a mail delivery person and a faithful fan of the ‘Beauty and the Demon.’ Because of that, he would start talking nonstop the moment ‘Beauty and the Demon’ was mentioned.
But, the servant suddenly recalled that General Fred was extremely disgusted with those stageplays from Farucci and believed that young people were wasting time by watching those things.
“There’s all these outstanding girls in Norland, yet he’s going after a stage performer?!”
General Fred’s beard trembled up and down. But, the anger the servant was expecting did not arrive. He took out his pen and wrote a response letter and tossed it to the servant.
“Send this to the Grand Duchess of Blackwood! Then, prepare my vehicle! We will be proceeding to Lursk’s Advanced Magic School!”
General Fred stood up from his seat. He extended his hand and picked up his overcoat. Putting it on, he quickly left the room. His swift and decisive attitude does not resemble an old man over a hundred years old at all.
.........
The vehicle General Fred was riding on was not a horse carriage. Instead, it was a vehicle made by an alchemic atelier called ‘Gear and Ironhammer’ that the Nation of Steel invests in. The vehicle was propelled by magic. Once it starts being mass produced in the future, it will definitely replace horse carriages.
After General Fred arrived at the Lursk’s Advanced Magic School, he grabbed Prince Kaos like a criminal and brought him out from the magic school..
“Teacher Fred, you should check out the movie ‘Beauty and the Demon!’ That movie is completely different from Farucci’s stage plays. You will definitely like it... especially the main female actress.”
Prince Kaos was gesticulating with his hands as he spoke on the vehicle. While protesting his illegal arrest, he was also promoting that movie to his teacher.
Two robust knights were seated beside him. Those two knights were the ones that entered the magic school and, without saying anything, grabbed this prince and dragged him out with brute force. Then, they tossed him into the vehicle.
Although Prince Kaos received such a crude treatment, no one felt it to be unsuitable because he was a prince. After all, the person seated across from him was General Fred. As his teacher, even if General Fred was to pick up a wooden sword to beat Kaos right in front of his faster the King, his father would not give any kind words for Kaos.
That was how the Nation of Steel’s education system was like. They believed that if boys didn’t experience pain and suffering, they wouldn’t be able to grow into men. Prince Kaos was only able to come to Norland to study because he had just passed the tempering experience.
“Movie? Instead of wasting time on stories others made up, I’d rather you pick up your sword to chop off a fire dragon’s head! Kaos, this is your first and final warning!”
Unfortunately, Kaos’s movie promotion was completely ineffective. General Fred did not bother to pay any further attention to his student’s explanation.
“Proceed toward Farucci’s Mansion!”
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