Gunmage-Chapter 300: Silver shadows and a kingdom

"Then... where exactly are the royal guards from?"

This was a question that had always lingered in the back of Lugh’s mind. Now was the perfect moment to slip it in, under the guise of another topic entirely.

The three of them exchanged brief, silent looks before shifting their attention back to him.

"Where, you say?"

Sela began.

"They’re just like the Inquisition. Nobody really knows where they come from."

Lugh caught the inconsistency immediately.

He spoke, voice low.

"How can they be like the Inquisition? The Church has magic. The royal family doesn’t. Doesn’t that make the origins of the Royal Guards a topic worth serious investigation?"

Cassius scratched his chin, brow creasing.

"Huh. I’ve never thought about that before."

Mirelle sighed softly, folding her arms.

"You’re being paranoid, Lugh."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Just because they don’t have magic,"

She clarified,

"Doesn’t mean they don’t know magic."

He frowned, unconvinced.

"They don’t possess any magic exclusive to their bloodline,"

She continued,

"Because they were left out from the beginning. But now that they have access and knowledge... doesn’t it make sense they’d use their resources to form their own force?

Outsource it. Hire mercenaries. The possibilities are endless. The fact that they cover their faces makes it even harder to know who’s actually behind the mask."

Lugh gave her a faint, almost sympathetic look. Because he already knew the truth.

And it was far, far darker than it seemed.

For one, every member of the Royal Guards he’d encountered had been an elf.

He didn’t think that was true of every single one, but it was already enough to be deeply unsettling.

There was also another detail—a detail that hadn’t escaped him: they all had silver hair.

Were they grown in a lab?

Or did they, for some reason, all dye it that same shade?

Another possibility—perhaps the most disturbing of all—was that they were related. A secret coalition of elves, ruling from the shadows. Infiltrating a kingdom long thought to be independent.

He let out an audible sigh. This was one of those things he couldn’t speak about—not yet. Not until he uncovered more.

Still, this conversation hadn’t been for nothing.

He had learned more than a few valuable pieces of information from tonight’s exchange. He was still going to participate in the selection. That much hadn’t changed.

At the very least... Selaphiel could have warned him about how dangerous it was. But she didn’t. That left him disgruntled.

He shifted in his seat and turned toward them again.

"So,"

He asked, voice casual,

"Aside from the supposed prestige... is there any real benefit to being an enforcer?"

"Yes. There is,"

Sela answered without hesitation.

"For one, enforcers are just about the only mages who can freely leave the kingdom."

"Others can’t?"

Lugh asked.

"No,"

She replied, tone firm.

"To prevent any possible leaks, most mages are restricted in their international movements—elves included. It’s nothing too serious though.

If there’s a real reason for you to leave, you can apply through a form. Once it’s approved, a retinue of enforcers will serve as your personal protection during the trip."

"Interesting,"

Lugh murmured. That was a critical detail—one that aligned neatly with certain plans he had for the future. freewebnoveℓ.com

He asked,

"Anything else?"

They paused for a moment, thinking. Then Mirelle suddenly lit up.

"Ooh! I heard they’re offered some very advanced spells when they pass the selection."

Cassius added,

"They’re also privy to more secrets than the rest of us."

Lugh’s ears perked at that. His entire body stiffened at the word.

"Secrets?"

They all seemed to notice his reaction. A flicker of wariness passed between them.

Sela replied, slowly,

"Yeah. They’re the most trusted, after all. It makes sense they’d be told more than us."

"Hmm."

Lugh hummed, his tone vague.

But inside, his thoughts were racing.

He’d heard enough.

He had to become an enforcer—at all costs. This was the only solid lead he had. And he wasn’t going to let go of it.

"I’ll be participating in the selection,"

He said plainly.

They responded without missing a beat.

"We know."

He turned to Sela.

"This means you don’t have to, if you don’t want to."

She sighed.

"Politics isn’t as easy as that."

"...I guess so,"

He admitted after a moment. He was apparently a bastard after all.

Then he stood, brushing imaginary dust from his trousers.

"We’ve spent some time here. The conversation’s basically over. Is there anything else on our schedule?"

"Loads of it,"

Sela responded dryly. Then she paused, lips quirking with mischief. She asked,

"Lugh, can you drink?"

He gave her a flat, deadpan look.

"I’m underage."

Her voice dipped.

"No one will find out. Just—"

She was cut off by Cassius.

"Hey, aren’t you forgetting something?"

Lugh and the sisters turned to look at him, puzzled.

The scion of House D’Aramitz gave them a long, exaggerated shake of the head.

"Have you all forgotten why this conversation started in the first place?"

"Nope,"

Mirelle said quickly.

"It was something about you shooting people, right?"

Cassius pursed his lips.

"No. After that. Before we started talking about the Jade Tower."

The others exchanged confused looks, clearly coming up blank.

Seeing that none of them were getting there anytime soon, Cassius leaned forward, almost exasperated.

"You said you already know the principal root of our problems!"

Sela snapped her fingers, finally remembering.

"Oh, right! When we were talking about raising awareness for guns."

"That’s right,"

Cassius said with a nod. He turned to Lugh.

"You said you wouldn’t tell me until we explained the Jade Tower and the selection process to you. Well—we just did. So it’s time to make good on your promise."

Lugh paused, eyes narrowing faintly.

"But you weren’t the one who gave the explanation. Sela did."

"Oohhh. I see how it is."

Cassius rolled his eyes.

Lugh waved him off.

"Don’t worry. I’ll still tell you... because I’m a kind person."

They all stared at him, momentarily speechless.

He ignored them and launched into it directly.

"What House D’Aramitz wants to do... is make the Jade Tower aware that firearms—and other conventional weapons—are just as strong, if not stronger, than magic. And shouldn’t be ignored."

Cassius considered his words carefully before nodding.

Lugh continued, his voice firm.

"How then are you supposed to spread such an idea, when you—"

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