He was startled by the sudden suggestion, but only for a moment.
Jun quickly came to terms with the situation.
Still, isn’t it a bit much to bring this up just two weeks beforehand?
So he thought, but…
She must’ve kept quiet because of the attribute separation.
It was Laness’s way of being considerate. She was making sure Jun could fully focus on absorbing the Sea Serpent’s attribute.
Still, it’s ridiculous all the same.
But what could he do?
Even if Jun had become more cynical after falling into this world—
He wasn’t so ungrateful as to ignore kindness.
A thesis worth presenting at the Mage Assembly, huh.
With that, he immediately began thinking about whether he had anything suitable to present.
It was his first time at an event like this, but sitting right beside him were an eighth-circle archmage and her disciple.
Thanks to that, it didn’t take long to settle on a topic and organize the relevant information.
Normally, Jun would come up with a clever idea, Laness would calmly assess its feasibility, and once she gave her approval, Velles would polish it up.
In that way, they spent productive time inside the flying carriage.
And gradually, the day of the Assembly drew near.
“Whoa…”
“This must be your first time seeing a view like this.”
“It certainly is.”
The Dragon Mountains of the fifth level.
Once known as the place where the Dragon Lord drew his final breath, it looked as though a colossal wall soared endlessly into the sky.
It was a breathtaking sight in itself, and the gentle blue mist surrounding the mountaintop made it all the more mystical.
“The Assembly will be held in that canyon at the center.”
“Incredible. To think they built a structure in a place like that.”
“Fufu. It’s not as pleasant a place as it looks.”
In reality, the canyon at the center was a place where the density of mana was so thick that it was difficult to wield magic recklessly.
And yet, due to that very high mana density, it was an ideal habitat for monsters, which meant a significant sum had to be spent every year to subjugate them.
Even so, because of its symbolism, the location continued to be beloved by traditional mages.
“Well, enough idle chatter. We’ll be arriving soon.”
Soon after, the carriage pierced through the strong winds and entered the mystical blue mist.
And beyond it, a massive mansion came into view.
The carriage landed smoothly on the ground and sped along a well-paved road as if it had never been flying.
“Looks like most people arrived before us. Fufu, well, of course they did. I made sure of that.”
“……?”
Jun tilted his head in confusion at Laness’s muttering, and Velles, standing beside him, offered an explanation.
“She publicly announced your arrival. It piqued the curiosity of a lot of mages.”
“They all gathered… because of me?”
Even though he’d shown remarkable growth, Jun was still just a sixth-circle mage.
On top of that, he wasn’t from a Tower. He was only temporarily affiliated with Laness’s, which was looked down upon by many mages.
“That’s how much Master’s been boasting about you. The others naturally became curious.”
It was a strange society of mages. One where they didn’t properly teach their disciples but felt ashamed if their students’ talents lost out to those of other Towers.
In that kind of environment, an outsider like Jun who had shown dramatic growth in such a short time likely felt like a challenge to them.
And it’s true that mages beyond the sixth circle are rare.
A mage becomes a Tower Master upon reaching the seventh circle. So just below that, how many sixth-circle mages could there really be?
Jun now held a position within the mage society that could no longer be ignored.
Understanding the gist of Velles’s explanation, Jun gave a small nod.
And so, while listening to Velles, they arrived at the mansion’s entrance.
“Welcome, Tower Master Laness.”
As they stepped down from the carriage, a neatly dressed mage came out to greet the three of them.
Despite the rumors, the man was respectful and that respect was clearly directed at Laness.
“Mhmm. Yes. It’s been a while, Azel. Five years, has it?”
“That’s right, Tower Master.”
“I wonder if there’s been any progress in the research you were doing back then.”
“Thanks to your advice back then, I made significant progress…but it’s still not enough.”
“That’s because you lock yourself away in your room and do nothing but research. Things look different when you step outside.”
“Haha…”
The mage gave an awkward laugh, dodging the comment.
It was only a brief exchange, but Jun felt like he now understood what kind of image Laness had within the Association.
Like an old-school elder who scolds younger elders. That kind of vibe?
Although Laness’s Tower was looked down upon in mage society, no one would dare say that openly to Laness, who was publicly known to be a seventh-circle mage.
Naturally, they treated her normally on the surface while gossiping behind her back.
If there’s anyone who gets a different kind of attention, it’s probably me.
As they entered the mansion, Jun could feel eyes on him from all directions.
– So that’s the mage everyone’s been talking about?
– He looks younger than I expected.
– Doesn’t seem like he’s reached enlightenment or anything?
– Still, that alone is impressive. But just last year, wasn’t he only third-circle?
– That rate of growth makes no sense…
There was little positivity in the gazes. Most were filled with suspicion or outright hostility.
Hostility, huh…
From the second-floor terrace, he felt a specific gaze.
It wasn’t simple disdain or disregard.
It was the kind of gaze filled with pure hatred.
You might wonder how someone could sense that but for Jun, who had crossed countless lines between life and death and learned to read his fellow mercenaries’ every move, it was all too familiar.
That mark…
And the insignia on their robes. Jun recognized it immediately.
“Conventional Mages.”
The one who spoke was Velles, standing right beside him.
“They’re the ones on the terrace.”
“They like to call themselves the ‘Orthodox Mage Society’, right?”
“Oh, so you knew about them?”
“Roughly.”
From time to time, when Velles spoke with Jun about mage society, he’d be shocked at just how little Jun actually knew.
So he thought Jun wouldn’t know this either—
The Conventional Mage Society was a group Jun was at least vaguely familiar with.
No, he knew them well enough to go beyond just vague familiarity.
They caused and solved all sorts of trouble in the game too.
They were a complicated group in many ways.
They called themselves orthodox, but the society was really a gathering of mages with all sorts of different agendas.
Even the head of the society, a position more honorary than anything else, had virtually no real authority. And even that rotated every two years.
But that didn’t mean the group existed for no reason.
In modern terms… maybe something like a mage human rights organization?
Whenever an issue arose that could either benefit or harm mage society at large, they were the first to dig it up and respond relentlessly.
That’s also when the head of the society could suddenly rise to prominence. Especially since a strong response could lead to reelection.
And those bastards are hostile toward me, huh.
To an outsider, it might seem unfair.
But they probably don’t give a damn about my growth.
It wasn’t like Jun’s growth would do them any harm.
Almost none, anyway.
But the key word was “almost.”
Because there were aspects of his growth that clearly posed a threat to them.
From their perspective, perhaps even a major one.
“Don’t let it bother you. Even a little talent is enough to attract jealous eyes”
Velles said, trying to comfort him, unaware of the full truth.
But Jun wasn’t hurt in the slightest.
If anything…
Yeah. Taking down trash like that is exactly why I came here.
His passion for the society burned even hotter.
***
In truth, at first, Jun had been reluctant to come to the Mage Assembly at all.
And it made sense.
Ever since falling into this world, Jun had always lived with a wary eye on other mages.
But now, things were different.
Why should I be scared?
Unlike before, he now had real power and influence to match.
How much longer was he supposed to fear people who made a living off stealing others’ hearts?
Once that thought took hold, Jun’s fighting spirit as a mercenary mage began to burn.
And then…
After seeing your presentations, there’s really not much to be impressed by.
That feeling only grew stronger after Laness showed him the various materials presented at the last Assembly.
It was all just the same old, formulaic magical knowledge.
A true mage should pursue new truths and gain insight through that journey….not sit around picking weeds inside the fence they built for themselves.
I’m not trying to dismiss your efforts but I won’t let you ignore mine either.
Besides, thanks to the attention he was getting from Laness and Velles, Jun’s confidence had grown considerably.
And rightfully so. After all, he was being recognized by an eighth-circle mage and that mage’s own disciple.
It would be strange not to feel confident.
I’ll crush them, one step at a time.
And if they still tried to pull some ridiculous, baseless attacks?
Then I’ll show them just how irrational a mercenary can be.
Maybe it was those battle-hardened thoughts, but there was a new strength in his stride.
He felt like he could present his thesis right then and there.
“My heart’s racing for some reason. When does the Assembly begin?”
“Tomorrow, actually. Today’s just the opening celebration banquet.”
“Oh.”
The excitement died down immediately.
***
Contrary to expectations, the banquet passed without much incident.
He half-expected someone to throw down a glove and challenge him to a duel during the event—
Or, failing that, pretend to trip and spill food on him or something like that.
He even entertained those dramatic little fantasies, but in the end, the day passed without a single issue.
Which, in hindsight, made perfect sense.
What lunatic would pull something like that in front of Laness, who was publicly known as a seventh-circle mage?
And not only that, Jun himself was a known sixth-circle mage, so no one was foolish enough to approach him carelessly.
If anything, the total lack of confrontation was almost disorienting.
This isn’t right… This kind of cliché is no fun… Where did all that attention from earlier even go?
As Jun turned his gaze toward Velles, Velles immediately realized what that look was about.
“Th-That was just me being immature back then!”
“Ah… I see.”
Guess he’s the type to suddenly grow up all at once.
And just like that, the heated atmosphere cooled down in an instant, and the next day arrived, much calmer than before.
“You came all this way just to present this kind of paper?”
The mood had completely shifted.
***
After breakfast—
The same mages who had spent the banquet laughing and chatting just yesterday entered the presentation hall now looking visibly tense.
No, not all of them? Only some are wearing that kind of expression.
Presentation time was no short affair. The schedule stretched out over a full week, with more presenters than one could imagine.
Why are they all so nervous?
Some of the more noticeable mages seemed oddly anxious. Far more than expected.
At first, he couldn’t figure out why.
“Then, let us begin with the presentation by Mage Batara of the Mjolnir Tower.”
“May mana’s blessings be upon you. I’m Batara, affiliated with the Conventional Mage Society. It’s an honor to meet seniors and juniors alike.”
Clap clap clap clap clap.
Even while watching the first presenter, that sense of doubt still lingered.
“Ah, hello. I’m Shandersen from the Ventur Tower. Please take care of me.”
……
Things changed from the second presenter onward.
A terrifying silence fell over the hall.
And there was only one difference between the two.
Is it… the lack of an affiliation with the Conventional Mage Society in their introduction?
It was blatant discrimination.
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