Chapter 12. An Allegory of Sight

Grauzauberer... To ordinary people, this is a mysterious organization that appears to be a franchise of world-class hotels at first glance. But if you look at the "reverse side" of the world, it is a supernatural association that has brought together magicians from all over the world.

When I learned what "Grauzauberer" really is, I couldn't help but smile: it's very similar to "The Continental," a disguised club organization for professional criminals. So essentially, I could become a member of a magical association of mercenaries, killers, and agents.

No matter how much John Wick got covered in shit after the first part, it's still exciting. After all, what man hasn't dreamed of being James Bond!

Yes, for an ordinary person, the opportunity to join such an organization is something fantastic, something not of this world. And although it may seem like I'm romanticizing such a life, that's not the case. After all, I encountered the harsh reality of a magician's life even in childhood and know that the taste of such a life is more cloying and bitter than sweet.

Furthermore, at this very moment, I feel the pressure of this organization on myself like no one else. Just standing in front of the academy director's office, I felt an unknown internal tension. Right now, "Grauzauberer" was more of a guillotine for me than a protective shield from the supernatural. After all, who knows what they will do to me if they find out that I am a carrier of Gluttony?

"How disgusting it is when you're so weak that someone else decides your fate for you."

And why is that? Is it because I wanted to show off in front of Rossweisse? Or because after gaining power and absorbing Nagi Springfield's wisdom, my dignity and pride awakened within me? Probably both. And if you look at it from that perspective, I'm no different from a scion of the Tueze family... It's unpleasant, but that's how it is.

So, gathering my courage, I knocked on the heavy wooden doors.

*Knock-knock*

— Director, this is Ryan Romano.

— Come in.

The answer came immediately from behind the door, as if they were waiting for me and had already seen me. And as soon as I turned the doorknob, I felt the smell of regular coffee.

The director's office was a spacious and richly furnished room located on one of the upper floors of the academy. Everything here indicated the aristocratic origin of Mephisto Pheles: a dozen ancient statues stood apart around the perimeter of the entire room, paintings signed by famous artists hung on the walls, and the Renaissance-style decor amazed with its sophisticated refinement. From the huge window, which took up almost half of one of the wooden panelled walls, there was a view of the well-tended gardens of the academy below. A large table, covered with intricate carvings, was situated in the center of a soft colorful carpet from some hot exotic country.

In the midst of all this "Allegory of Sight: a Collectors Cabinet" a group of people was already waiting for me. The director of the academy of the Grauzauberer association, Mephisto Pheles, was sitting behind his fancy desk. On the other side of the table, opposite the director, sat an old man with a gray beard, whose left eye was covered with a glass monocle with a gold frame, and behind him stood the Valkyrie Rossweisse, who was already familiar to me.

What the hell is Odin doing here?! Now I need not only a devil's advocate, but also an advocate from God...

"Young mage!" Odin greeted me with not very elderly enthusiasm. "Come in, don't be shy. You can even sit next to me."

Why is this god behaving so familiarly? And besides, it seems like this is his office... Not knowing how to react to this, I turned my gaze to the director. Noticing my awkward reaction, Mephisto spoke as if nothing was wrong:

"Ryan Romano, please sit in the available seat. If you want, you can move the chair further away from this old gentleman."

...What the hell is going on here? Looking at the three beings who could kill me with a wave of their hand, I sighed helplessly and sat on the chair. If anything, I didn't move away from Odin... how dare I?!

"You're a brave warrior, Ryan," Rossweisse interjected sharply. "And your magic... it's beautiful! How did you, a human, use magic without invoking circles? Where did you record the spell's information block in that case? But your magic was used so quickly, did you memorize all the formulas?"

"Um, thank you, I guess?"

"Don't be so shy. Your last attack... My Einherjar's blood would have boiled if they had seen it! Besides…" Odin smirked strangely and glanced at Rossweisse. "And you clearly would have won the hearts of the Valkyries."

"Lord Odin, I don't think that's very appropriate..." Rossweisse began to speak, but she was quickly interrupted.

"A Valkyrie whose age equals the time without a boyfriend is teaching me how to communicate with a young man?" With a chuckle, Odin shifted his gaze to his bodyguard.

"I think Lord Odin hasn't spoken with Lady Frigg for a while," Valkyrie put on a smile, trying to hide her boiling anger. Although she didn't bother to hide the aura that began to seep from her body.

Bloody hell, why are you boiling so quickly?! And what is this aura? Even Nagi Springfield rarely encountered such a thing.

"That's not true, I had a wonderful night with her just a day ago," Grinning perversely, Odin closed his eyes as if trying to return to those events...

"Really? And she must have found out what the Valkyrie armor designed by you personally looks like?"

After these words, silence hung in the room. Odin stared at Rossweisse with wide eyes, Rossweisse "sweetly" smiled at her lord, and Mephisto, whom everyone had suddenly forgotten, just shook his head disapprovingly.

"How did you..." Odin was about to continue, but the whole situation finally got to my principal.

"Odin, I agreed to let you meet with a student from my academy, not to publicize personal issues in my office. We have already resolved all our issues, and you should not be here. So please, show me some respect... at least within the walls of this academy."

"Old friend, in that case, you should scold not only me," the old man said, looking at Rossweisse.

Damn, are you a god or a sensitive girl? And why am I sitting here with my combat mood, listening to all this?! I went to war, and ended up in the theater!

"I apologize, Mr. Mephisto," Rossweisse said, slightly bowing her head.

"It's okay, I understand how difficult it can be with this villain sometimes," Mephisto said, turning his gaze to Odin. "Perhaps only with Azazel can you spend more than 24 hours in peace. Honestly, I'm still amazed that you two haven't gotten married."

"I refused him," Odin said, laughing hoarsely. "Although, to be honest, in that moment of his life, various gods were refusing him."

"Okay, okay, it was purely a rhetorical question," Mephisto said, turning his gaze to me. "And so, Ryan Romano, you can relax: I have no complaints or questions for you. I saw your attack in the defensive round as a necessary self-defense."

"Old demon... you know perfectly well that I'm afraid to answer not such questions."

"I'm glad, thank you," I said.

"Moreover," Mephisto said, taking something out. "This is now yours."

It was an impressive pendant on a silver chain. I instantly felt the impressive magical power emanating from the red gemstone in the middle, which looked like a large eye.

"This...?"

"The Blue Light of the Great Flame," Mephisto continued, twirling the artifact on his finger like a simple bauble. "Emmanuel Laz Tueze used it against you. You will not receive official apologies from the academy or from House Tueze. Nevertheless, you were attacked with this artifact. You can consider this pendant a personal apology from House Tueze. Or your war trophy."

"An artifact in which the magic of the 4th Circle is sealed. Such a 'magic wand' is worth tens of millions, and House Tueze just gave it away... How nice it is to be rich, probably."

Without waiting for my answer, the director threw a pendant to me and continued speaking, "Instead of being expelled, Emmanuel will be suspended for a month. It was the decision of the disciplinary committee. I hope you have no complaints about this. And if you do, return the pendant, and he will be expelled."

"I have no complaints."

What are you even talking about, you cunning devil? I don't care what happens to Emmanuel. If he starts causing problems again, I'll crush his pride again. But the 4th Circle magic artifact doesn't grow on trees. I wonder what will happen if Gluttony devours it?

Damn it! I was just bribed! Damn capitalism and lobbying!

My hands itched to use Appraisal, but before I lost control, Mephisto Pheles spoke again, "And now, about personal matters."

What a beautifully played game by the director! Relax me with a trophy and then abruptly throw me out of my comfort zone. All demons are cunning chess players! But I was ready from the beginning... Actually, I still don't know what to do, how to answer, but at least I won't crap my pants over such a question.

"Although I'm very curious how you turned from the most untalented magician in my memory to a talent that has come close to the 4th Circle in two months, I made a promise to a friend to protect you," the director continued, closely monitoring my reaction. "Otherwise, we would have heard a very interesting story today. But since I can't force you to speak, and you are unlikely to start blabbering, we have one last option - we will meet with our mutual friend."

What's going on? Who is this other friend? And why the hell am I feeling so powerless in this situation?!

"I don't have any friends who could influence Director Mephisto," I tried to answer as calmly as possible.

"You can consider this person your guardian angel... Although, to be honest, he's much worse as a guardian, let alone an angel, even Azazel would have done a better job," Mephisto said, rubbing his forehead as if he suddenly had a headache.

Then unexpectedly, Odin laughed.

"Is this old fart related to Ryan?" He looked at me with a much more interested gaze.

Since when did we start calling each other by name?

"Who are you talking about?" I asked, looking at everyone present.

"He has many nicknames, including the Wizard Marshal, Old Man of the Jewels, and Kaleidoscope. But officially, he's the Master of the White Tower, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.

*****

A bit of post-chapter coddling:

Thank you very much for your support >3

However, if you guys collect 150 power stones, I will immediately release the next chapter.