Apocalypse Online: Regression of SSS-Class Summoner

Chapter 127: Arcane District

The Commander and Max walked in the hallway—both decided to eat in the Golden Stag first before proceeding on their personal matters.

Along the way, they were having a conversation.

Max joked. "I never expect a military official lecturing a public official in a very wise conversation."

The Commander shook his head. "That’s what I hate from them."

Max was shocked he almost halted his footsteps.

He chuckled. "You never hold back your words, do you?"

The Commander sighed.

"When a tactician meets another tactician and despite being the same ally are aiming for the same position, what do you think will happen?"

Max nodded.

He understood.

"You should rephrase it like this. When pride and greed clash, what do you think will happen?"

Max’s words struck like a bolt of lightning on the Commander’s mind.

It rang in his head for a while.

He halted his steps.

Max smiled.

"When ego forms, they become less of a tactician. They turn into an authoritarian. Their sins will corrupt them.

It’s like a cancer.

The greatest tactician will often use himself to achieve better outcomes...

Even at a cost of himself."

The Commander fell into deep contemplation.

He repeated Max’s words in his mind.

Max was simply not talking about himself—but the human nature.

It was a lesson worth engraving in his mind, even when it seemed to become less noteworthy.

Max continued, "One of the greatest emperors emphasized the importance of conquering the mind.

When you can conquer how your mind works, you conquer yourself.

And when you conquer yourself, you can conquer the world."

The Commander, instead of ruminating, frowned.

He continued walking, deep in thought.

After a while, he asked, "Which Emperor told that?"

Max was silent, not responding.

He had forgotten that the Commander only knew the emperor in the game, not in his real world.

He didn’t reply, and the Commander simply thought that Max was only mentioning the emperor to dramatize his words.

Still, what he said made sense.

He wouldn’t forget Max’s lesson taught to him.

"You’re younger than me, but your knowledge is vaster than me.

I’m assured."

The Commander smiled and Max only smiled in response.

They proceeded to the Golden Stag and parted ways after breakfast.

The Commander proceeded to the military headquarters, while Max decided to visit Archmage Arlen’s grave first.

...

The House Mireth, where Archmage Arlen Mireth came from, was located within the Arcane District.

They were one of the Noble Arcane Families residing in the Dunmarrow Capital Province.

These families have served the Empire for generations by preserving magical Sequences.

In Max’s past life, many players chose to be their retainers just to be given the magical sequences.

They could also be part of the extended household, but they could not participate in succession.

Max could have the opportunity, but he would also lose his main source of income, committing to devote himself to study magic and be a retainer.

Hence, he gave up the opportunity.

Now, he was about to visit a noble arcane family, and not to be their retainer or to obtain their class inheritance.

But to be their guest and visit Archmage Arlen’s grave.

The Arcane District was located in the northeast district of Dunmarrow.

It was the intellectual and magical center of Mirefall Province.

It served as the provincial authority responsible for magical education, research, licensing, and oversight.

Unlike the Military District, which trained soldiers for battlefield service, the Arcane District developed scholars, researchers, artificers, ritualists, and combat mages while ensuring that all magical practices comply with Imperial law.

Nearly one-third of all licensed mages within Mirefall Province receive some portion of their education or certification in this district.

As Max entered the Arcane District, he saw an institute, an academy, and the sensational Rift Observation Tower.

He had once worked a part-time job inside the Rift Observation Tower.

He was among those who kept track of the rift appearance through the map.

The Rift Observation Tower always wanted to anticipate the rift’s appearance, knowing that a demon race was behind every space rift in an attempt to invade the Empire.

Unfortunately, the space rifts were one of the powerful abilities by the demons that took the whole Empire into chaos in the last season of Apocalypse Online.

Max was struck with nostalgia observing the Rift Observation Tower as he proceeded.

Along the way, he encountered a mage apprentice, reading a book while walking in the street.

When Max glanced at him, the latter also glanced at him.

It was inevitable. Max’s appearance down to his horses were a cynosure of all eyes.

Max halted and the mage apprentice halted his pace.

The mage apprentice was shaken.

Max also possessed an insignia, which was no lesser than a lieutenant despite being at C-rank from his aura.

Max didn’t want to scare him, so he asked, "Do you know where House Mireth is?"

The mage apprentice’s mind turned blank.

He did not expect a foreign individual to be visiting his family’s residence.

He stuttered. "I-I... T-That’s my family’s name. M-My home. I know where it is."

Max didn’t mind how nervous he was and simply nodded.

He scrutinized his face and his eyes slightly widened when he found semblance of Archmage Arlen from the kid.

Is he Arlen’s younger brother?

Possibly.

He didn’t notice the semblance at first because of the eyeglasses that the mage apprentice was wearing.

He discarded such thoughts from his head.

With his lightweave threads silently grasping the mage apprentice’s limbs, and borrowing the strength of his horses, the mage apprentice suddenly found himself floating in the air.

His eyes widened.

I don’t sense a mana fluctuation at all.

What is happening?!

He panicked. He suddenly wanted to regain control of his body when he discovered he couldn’t move.

As though something was pinning every joint of his muscles.

Except his eyes filled with horror, he couldn’t move his body at all.

"Calm down," said Max in a soothing tone.

"I’m carrying you with my spell. Aren’t you going home? Lead me to your home. I have business with your family.

This is the quick way to reach there."

The mage apprentice gulped. He didn’t sense a malice intention from him, so he simply used his hand and pointed forward, and Max flicked the reign of his horse.

The horse moved forward, albeit a bit faster pace than before, scaring the mage apprentice to his wits...

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