Kano slammed the documents on the table. When Pascal reached for them, the Master shot him a glare.

"Shouldn’t you explain yourself to your master first?" Kano wasn’t truly looking to call him to account; rather, he wanted to coordinate with Pascal and come up with a strategy before the public inquiry began.

This investigation team was coming on strong. Whether through gathering facts or fabricating lies, they had prepared a thick file of damaging material.

Fortunately, Kano wasn’t the type to just bury his head in research. He had used his connections to get an advance warning, plus a "contribution" from an unexpected source—the original head of the investigation team, Gerard de Villefort.

This gave the Great Mage room to maneuver. In the report, Rorschach was portrayed as a spy who had come to the Holy Kingdom to commit sabotage. Some meddlers had analyzed his lesson plans word by word, demanding that Rorschach be held responsible for the "leak of magical knowledge and power."

"We are dismayed to see that the fruits of our pride—the wisdom accumulated by generations of Mages, an achievement born from immense brainpower and wealth—are being unsparingly taught to commoners by this suspicious individual from the Empire.

"Dangerous techniques have flowed into secular society without any controls, and dangerous ideas have spread unchecked from the academy. Although the board member from the Guild foresaw these negative consequences and gave Rorschach Mage a stern warning, he persisted in these activities. Both his attitude and the results have been deplorable."

As for Pascal, his organizing of a night school was exposed, and various past offenses were dug up. The Mage who wrote the report put it this way:

"We are deeply concerned that if the authorities discover that a student of our lead professor is involved in clandestine activities, it will send the wrong signal to the Royal Palace. This could cause grave misunderstandings and may even alarm His Majesty the King. We hope you will clarify the position of the Magic Guild and all Mages of Valois."

When Kano finished reading, Rorschach almost laughed out loud. ’What familiar rhetoric.’ Rorschach was a little surprised. ’Who wrote this stuff? For a Caster, they seem overly concerned with the mental state of Charles XVI.’

"So how am I supposed to explain this for you?" Kano asked Pascal, tapping his fingers on the table.

His senior disciple had the look of a man facing death, his expression screaming, ’It’s come to this. I’m done pretending. I’ll lay my cards on the table.’ But just as he was about to open his mouth and confess, Rorschach cut in.

"I find this document highly targeted," Rorschach said. "It clearly only contains evidence of Pascal organizing a night school, yet it implies he’s engaged in other activities that violate the laws of the Kingdom."

Kano nodded. "Go on."

"It makes you wonder about the position of the Mages who initiated and organized this investigation. Are they perhaps..."

"Enough, enough," Kano interrupted Rorschach’s speech. "What I need to know is your stance. Can you two hold firm during the inquiry? Don’t let those bastards intimidate you."

Pascal and Rorschach both nodded. "You can rest assured, Master."

"Good. I’ll be right behind you. This afternoon, we go to the Magic Guild together."

Kano was just mentally preparing them. He didn’t want to see his students start trembling the moment they were questioned by the panel. After the two left, Kano had to attend another meeting, one far more important than the afternoon’s inquiry.

He cast a series of spells to seal his office, ensuring no one could eavesdrop or break in. He then placed his Mage Badge on his chest and leaned back in his chair.

Kano’s consciousness arrived in the phantasmal landscape that connected the thirteen Great Mages. A new meeting had begun. It would determine the stance Kano would take at the inquiry that afternoon, and... it would determine the future of the Guild.

The other Great Mages had already gathered, and their consciousnesses focused on Kano.

"You’re late, Kano. And you’re the one who proposed today’s topic," said Feuerbach of the Tower of Secret Techniques, who was always rather strict.

"My apologies. Allow me to explain—my tardiness is related to our topic. But before we begin, I would like to ask the Great Mage from the Tower of Secret Techniques: what is the progress on our previous agenda?"

Feuerbach fell silent for a moment before replying, "The Empire’s recent troop movements have lessened again. We are still quietly awaiting the right opportunity."

"Lately, I’ve been wondering if the Guild’s policy toward the Empire has truly been successful. You all staunchly opposed His Majesty the Emperor’s move to establish a Magic Academy, but I see the Royal Magic Academy has been built anyway. Like everyone present, I was initially dismissive of its teaching standards—until I actually took in a Mage from that very academy."

This criticism caused an uproar. Another Master from the Empire said with some anger, "Master Kano, you still haven’t stated your topic."

Kano continued to elaborate, "My topic is built upon this very line of thinking. We’ve clearly recognized the threat on the horizon and are attempting to maintain our status by weakening the Empire.

"But I must remind you all that the circulation of magical knowledge can no longer be stopped. The Guild’s monopoly is already broken. We cannot change the choices of countless Mages, nor can we possibly reclaim all the knowledge that has already spread.

"Furthermore, even if we hadn’t shared the secrets of the Ether, Wise Men have risen among ordinary people to build their own universities. Their accumulation of non-magical knowledge has reached a staggering level. People who cannot use Magic will also gain the Mighty Power to reshape the world."

"So what is your point?"

"The times have changed! Gentlemen, just as we faced the Order Church after the collapse of the Old Empire by breaking our tradition of Mages hiding knowledge from one another to establish the Magic Guild, why can’t we do something similar today? Why can’t we gradually teach this knowledge to more people—to the children of merchants and commoners? As long as they have the Casting Ability, we should teach them, just as the Empire College does."

"Impossible! Kano Mage, you warn us that the Guild can no longer monopolize Magic, yet your solution is to accelerate that very process?"

The objector sounded as if he’d just heard a joke.

"That’s right. If we remain passive, standing in opposition to this trend, I believe the Guild will simply decline as its monopoly collapses. But if we seize the initiative, we have the opportunity to transform a monopoly of bloodline into a more vital legacy." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The Magic Guild was able to become a transnational organization after the fall of the Old Empire because it was built upon the foundation of the Nobility. The Guild often served as a counterweight for the Nobility to balance the power of the Church. The Lords who wished to be independent of divine will needed the Magic Guild to stand in opposition to the Order Church.

Kano had only vaguely foreseen a "more dynamic group" that would surpass families and feudal Lords. They were still weak now, but Rorschach’s activities had made Kano wonder if the Guild should place its bet on them and transform itself into a more powerful organization.

"So is that your reason for supporting the Alchemy Department and its subordinate merchant houses? To turn Casters into artisans and merchants?"

"Then why are you not ashamed when Mages become Nobility? Besides, there are descendants of merchants among us right now, and next to me sits a powerful artisan." Kano’s gaze fell upon the representative from the Tower of Thunderstorm.

That individual responded in agreement, "Although the specific measures require careful consideration, I agree with Kano Mage’s judgment. I believe that having the Magic Guild participate in secular higher education is a worthwhile experiment. We cannot sit by and watch the Church and the great merchants influence so many brilliant minds."

As soon as he said this, the Great Mage from Istani voiced his approval. "As everyone knows, this is what we have always done." Trade flourished in Istani, and its Guild was far ahead of others on the continent.

At this, the Great Mage from the Empire reserved his opinion, while the representative from a Magic Tower on the southern end of the continent agreed with Kano’s guiding philosophy.