"Rorschach Mage is here!" With no other staff or servants present, the director acted as announcer himself, his voice cracking from the strain.

The mages in attendance applauded, but the owls merely tilted their heads—not that they could have made a sound even if they had flapped their wings.

All told, there were over a hundred attendees in the hall, counting both humans and birds.

Kano had already explained the procedure to Rorschach beforehand. The hall floor featured a giant mosaic pattern, and all Rorschach had to do was walk to the tile marked with a hexagram—the center of the room. From there, he was to bow to his surroundings, turn, and repeat the gesture three more times to complete the salutation.

Every human present nodded in return, but the owls only tilted their heads again. The tiered seats rose high above him, and standing beneath their collective gaze made Rorschach uncomfortable.

There were familiar faces watching the ceremony. The three mages from his thesis review were present, as was Count Granor. The count was wearing a woolen wig, and beneath his Mage Robe, a massive, ruffled collar cascaded down, making him look more aristocratic than the actual aristocrats. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

The director then guided Rorschach to stand to one side. Kano walked to the highest step of the dais, directly facing the main entrance, and began his address to the assembly:

"Today is the moment my student, Middle Level Mage Rorschach, receives his medal. As a representative of the Elder Council, I will be presenting him with the ’Moon-Feeding Stork’ medal. I make no apologies for my pride, as this honor was decided by your collective vote—a prize earned by Rorschach Mage through the selfless contribution of his wisdom.

"As one of his teachers, I never felt this student had any particular strengths—aside from the occasional strange idea, and the fact he became a Middle Tier Mage before he was eighteen, forcing even an old man like me to begrudgingly call him a ’genius.’ In whatever capacity I stand here today, I am truly gratified for you."

Kano’s speech drew waves of laughter, and Rorschach felt himself relax in the lightened atmosphere.

But Count Granor did not laugh. He had expected this ceremony to be as solemn and grand as an investiture in the Royal Palace and had spent a great deal of time on his grooming and attire. Yet here the two principals were, acting far too casually.

’Without the refinement of the Nobility, even a Mage is just a boor.’ He had tried to win Rorschach over in the past, but the boy had been completely tactless. The thought only soured the Count’s mood further.

Music had been playing since the moment Rorschach entered. Different melodies had marked his entrance, his salutations, and the prelude to Kano’s speech. When Kano finished, applause and the grandest music yet erupted. Six mages in matching robes entered the hall, holding Magic Staffs taller than they were, their crystals shimmering with light. They escorted the medal, which floated in the air before them.

The medal had a golden base with a colorful pattern painted in enamel. At its center was the head of a stork, holding a crescent moon in its beak amid a field of stars. Its ruby-inlaid eyes seemed to meet Rorschach’s gaze.

Everyone rose to their feet. Kano had already descended from the dais. He took the ribbon and fastened the medal around Rorschach’s neck.

Rorschach dutifully bowed his head. Kano accepted a large Magic Staff from a dignitary, swept its head over Rorschach, and cloaked the recipient in a fleeting shower of light.

"Remember this: glory is as fleeting as this light. May you remain unmoved by either honor or disgrace." Master Kano had sent this message to Rorschach using the Communication Skill.

He had wanted to pat Rorschach on the shoulder, but the director jumped in impatiently to continue the proceedings. "Let us have a word from the recipient of the medal!"

Rorschach ascended to the step where the Great Mage had just stood. He scanned the audience, his gaze lingering on the owls. "I thank the Magic Guild for this affirmation. I thank my teachers and peers at the Tower of Stars for their guidance and assistance..." After running through the rest of his perfunctory thank-yous, Rorschach finally reached the main subject of his prepared speech:

"In his speech just now, Master Kano said that I selflessly contributed my wisdom. But I must correct him. I must confess to all of you that my contributions were anything but selfless. I was only able to continue my research because I received funding from the Magic Guild and the Tower of Stars."

His words drew another round of laughter from the audience. ’He really is Kano’s student,’ Count Granor grumbled to himself. ’Master and apprentice, cut from the same cloth.’

"Some might say that knowledge is priceless, and most Mages believe Magic is far more important than paltry sums of money. But during my time living and studying in Valuva, I have come to feel that the god of commerce has never been more powerful. Every Gold Coin, even a simple piece of paper with a number printed on it, holds a magic of its own.

"So, does the Magic Guild’s money materialize from thin air? There is no magic involved in that process. Rather, it is ’contributed’ by the countless merchant houses affiliated with our Guild.

"Only when I took part in one such project did I realize just how impressive the number and scale of these affiliated merchant houses are, and how much wealth they have amassed to allow the Guild to prosper as it does.

"Upon this realization, a mad thought occurred to me: perhaps one day, it won’t just be Alchemy Products and Scrolls being placed on store shelves. If that day ever comes, I pray that everything we cherish and take pride in will at least fetch a good price."

There was no applause. Rorschach stepped down from the dais, bowed to the audience, and departed from the lofty hall to the sound of music.

"What was that bizarre ending to your speech?" Kano said as he climbed into the Tower of Stars carriage. Rorschach was already inside.

"Because I hated it in there. At the very least, I didn’t like that director or the owls. So I said my piece and got out as fast as I could."

"Every one of those owls is linked to an invited guest. Since they couldn’t attend in person, they are using magic to be present through those sentient creatures."

"Owls are nocturnal. Isn’t it a bit cruel to use them in broad daylight?" Rorschach found a comfortable spot on the soft cushions. The ribbon was silk, but the heavy medal was straining his neck, so he took it off.

"You don’t have to wear it around your neck. It’s worn that way for the ceremony, but afterward, you pin it to your chest," Kano explained. "Having this little trinket will be very beneficial when you want to build your own Magic Tower. At the very least, you’ll be able to get more support from the Guild."

"How so?"

"Right now, you’re only a Tier Five Mage. When you build a Magic Tower and join the Guild, you’ll only be able to register as a member of the lowest tier. With the Moon-Feeding Stork, however, you get an exceptional promotion of one tier." The Thirteen Magic Towers represented the highest echelon within the Guild; for all other Mage Towers, their rank determined their influence, funding, and other privileges. There was even a pecking order among mages based on the status of their alma mater Magic Tower.

The Empire’s Magic Academy was at the very bottom of this pecking order, yet because it had the Empire’s backing, it could still secure exchange spots with the Thirteen Magic Towers.

Rorschach was too naive to have experienced such politics, and no one was about to criticize the background of a Middle Level Mage who had yet to turn eighteen.

"Sigh. Hierarchies are everywhere." Rorschach was exhausted and slumped back in his seat. "And mages have to deal with this medal ceremony nonsense too." Rorschach had always thought the Guild was pragmatic, that its focus was on tangible power, but it turned out to have the same fixation on ceremony as the Church.

"You forget how many mages come from the Nobility. It’s perfectly normal for them to imitate secular customs. By the way, Pascal won’t be able to cover your classes for a while. Remember to go teach the High Master course tomorrow."

"What? What’s wrong with Pascal?" Rorschach shot up from his lounging position. ’There’s no end to the things happening here! When will I ever get to leave for Bayern?!’

"He... broke his leg."

"Can’t a Healing Spell just fix that?" Rorschach asked, suspicious. ’Even if we can’t find a Mage who’s an expert in the Natural System, we could always buy a scroll, right?’

"Your senior brother has been spending extravagantly lately. He’ll have to wait until he’s saved up enough money to buy a Healing Scroll. You could also say I’m using this opportunity to correct his behavior and make him realize the error of his ways." The latter part of his explanation was the truth.

That seemed reasonable. Dating in Valuva meant spending money like water. Rorschach didn’t doubt him any further.