Chapter 28: Meeting the King!
Translated by XianPiete
After the victory and the clean up of the battlefield, Guy, Madeline and Olivier returned the troops back to their own territories and then returned to the keep for a victory celebration with Count Rouvroy. When they returned Royal Alchemist Diggory who was looking upset rushed them into a small room. He looked at Olivier first and asked, "Your royal highness, is it your ambition to conquer the world with your new found power?"
Olivier thought about it hard and then said, "No, no, I think trying to unite all of the world would just cause too many problems. Each country has its own language, culture and history. Even trying to smash them and put them under one ideology would just result in intense resistance and needless innocent lives lost."
Diggory smiled evilly and then said "With your new found power, you won't need to worry about the innocents, you are like a god now, able to move entire armies with a thought. You can conjure flames to burn your enemies, lightning to kill their armies, water to drown out their resistance. You can use the Earth to swallow them alive!"
Olivier looked horrified and then said, "No, this can not happen. I understand that I have the power to do these things, but I just want to build the best Kingdom for the people."
Guy looked at Madeline and then said, "I understand what you are trying to say Doctor, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Diggory looked at Guy and said the words again just to make sure he remembered them properly, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely... Yes, yes, that's exactly what I mean! The power you have shown at this battle, is enough to make even the most honest and trust worthy leader become a despot. After seeing the results of your demonstration today, I have to caution you. You must not teach this magic to anyone else. The magic known by Wütendes Menschenreich is based on my falsified research data. They believe the gate spell requires expensive reagents and a 'magic circle' drawn in two separate locations in order to move from one place to another. Now that you have shown that the gate needs none of these, can you imagine the horror of nations constantly sending armies to unexpected locations killing innocents by the hundreds of thousands? How will you sleep at night when you can be killed like..." he snapped his fingers, "That, by someone who can bypass any and all defenses."
All of them looked incredibly somber, Madeline was the first to ask, "Royal Alchemist Diggory, what do you suggest?"
"I think that an excuse should be made for why these powers can not be taught, first of all. Second of all, I think we should discover something in the books that keeps us bound from using these powers for tyrannical ambitions like invading a foreign land in order to usurp its people." He said with a weary look on his face. "Today, we killed thousands in the time it takes to organize a troop and march the first leg of the journey." He looked each of them in the eye and said, "Your fathers, may very well come to you with an excuse why you should usurp His Majesty." His eyes fell on Olivier, "Your father may have an excuse why you should kill your friends and keep this power in your own royal family."
Olivier looked at Guy and then Madeline and said, "From this moment on, we are the first council of magic. Our credo will be to protect the innocent. I believe that magic should be taught, but to a select few. We should establish rules, consequences for breaking rules and rewrite the spell books and magic books in a way that will be safe for future generations of magic users. We can limit the ability of future... Wizards? Magic Users? What shall we call ourselves?"
Guy smiled and said, "Mages. We will be called Mage."
Olivier nodded and said, "I like that, Mage it will be." He thought for a moment and then said, "We will need to go meet with my father, he will most likely want to give medals and honor the merits of this battle. Do not show any kind of threatening behavior, it will mean death for the one who does it. We are too powerful, as the Royal Alchemist has mentioned, my father will be very clear about this fact."
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Guy, Madeline, Diggory, Claude and Alicia along with Count Rouvroy, Duke Montfort, Duke Aumont and a few of the other commanders from the battle were summoned to the royal throne room just as Olivier had warned. He brought up several individuals and presented them with the King's medal for bravery, valor and exceptional contribution to the victory. Guy and Madeline couldn't help notice the many archers present in the throne room. Olivier stood next to his highness looking regal himself in his purple robes and his smaller crown. After he presented the medals he officially recognized the royal council of magic with first mage Diggory appointed as its head. He ordered the construction of the tower of magic to built on the grounds of Academy de L'échec in order to train future mages. Guy was appointed as second mage, Madeline was appointed as third mage and Olivier was fourth mage.
After the ceremony, the council of magic was invited to a lunch with His Majesty. The king smiled as they ate, he looked at Guy and asked, "So tell me, Mage Montfort, do you still intend to inherit your father's title of Duke? I have some thoughts on this if you would hear them."
Guy looked worried, he replied, "Your Majesty, I had indeed planned to inherit my father's title and land. I am willing to hear your Majesty's orders of course."
The King nodded and said, "Good, good! I believe that the council of magic is not something that should be treated as a hobby or side job by people who are concerned with other matters. The power you four demonstrated can have horrific consequences if it is left to people who desire the power to rule over normal men, myself included. I want you to drop all thoughts of holding power and instead, choose magic as your focus."
Olivier looked just as stunned as the other three, he asked, "Then you mean to chose my brother as your official heir?"
The King nodded and said, "Olivier, you have proven yourself to be a worthy King of men, I would select you over any of your brothers. However, after hearing the details of your battle from Duke Aumont and Duke Montfort, I believe you have a greater duty to the future of humankind. If Magic is not properly controlled, it could mean the end of all human life. The ancient wizards who left the magic tomes you have been researching died out, and left only a small pocket of humanity. We will be doomed to repeat this if this isn't properly done. I am entrusting you not with a small Kingdom, but the future of the world."
Olivier's eyes teared up and he replied, "Father, I promise you, we will not let you down."