[64] The Organization Decides You Will Serve as Dean of the Branch

Chapter 64: The Organization Decides You Will Serve as Dean of the Branch

The Mage Tower, also known as the Imperial Mage Academy, was established by the Empire's first Archmage, serving as an academic tower coveted by all mages. It was the premier institution where the Empire's most talented mages gathered, and it stood as the most prominent building in the Imperial Capital, surpassing even the royal palace and the headquarters of the Church. It was virtually the symbol of the capital.

The reason for its prominence stemmed from the early days of the Empire's establishment. At that time, humanity was in decline, and just when they had managed to form alliances, they were brutally attacked by a coalition of other races. This led to a massive war between humans and other races, known in Imperial history as the first defensive war fought by the Empire.

During that war, the coalition forces pretended to attack the western fortress, which was not yet considered part of the western border at the time. In reality, they bypassed it and headed straight for the Imperial Capital. Faced with this invasion, the nearly breached capital was defended by over three hundred senior mages led by Roland, the first Archmage, who had just reached the sixth rank. Together, they erected a massive barrier that protected the entire capital, holding off the invasion for three days and nights until reinforcements arrived. This classic defense secured victory in the defense of the nation, leading to a thousand years of peace for the Empire.

Due to this feat, the status of mages in the Empire soared. They quickly became one of the Empire's most important forces, favored by the royal family. Every monarch would undergo a certain period of study at the Mage Tower, although not every monarch possessed magical talent. Nonetheless, this tradition persisted as it broadened their horizons and allowed them to form friendships with many mages.

One of the main reasons for the Mage Tower's prestige was the establishment of the treaty known as "Mages Shall Not Interfere in Politics" during the Empire's founding. This treaty ensured that mages remained a valuable yet non-threatening force for the monarchs and nobles, alleviating concerns of incompetence or power struggles. Therefore, there was every reason to support and empower them.

In contrast, the Church, which has long claimed divine authority over kingship, has been suppressed in recent years. This is mainly because the Empire's primary faith still revolves around the God of Light. Otherwise, a few hundred years ago, a dictator might have directly threatened the then-Pope to declare the independence of kingship. Although the Church still professes divine authority on the surface, it's evident to discerning individuals that the Church has no real power in political affairs, making its situation quite dire.

Of course, while every student of the Imperial Mage Academy can look up and see the towering Mage Tower nearby, only the truly core mages can enter this tower, which gathers the wisdom of human mages for millennia. Those with access to enter are not only the true core of the Imperial Mage Group but also high-ranking mages who have made outstanding contributions.

...

As Durin silently followed the figure leading him around the Mage Tower, unsure of what to say, he glanced around at the familiar surroundings. He then realized that Roy had brought him to a familiar hall—the same one where Durin had presented his "Alchemy Revolution" in the past.

The Great Hall served as a venue for mages of the Mage Tower to share their discoveries and receive recognition. Essentially, any mage who made significant discoveries in magic would report to their superiors and then publicly present their research in this hall.

The origins of this system are lost to history, but it's thanks to this academic transparency that the Empire's mages have continued to excel. Until now, the number of Archmages was on the verge of reaching double digits.

After all, every mage granted access to this tower has the right to access all the accumulated knowledge of human magical studies. Therefore, as long as you have enough talent, you could easily study all the sixth-rank forbidden spells and become an Archmage.

Of course, in reality, most people often couldn't even research one.

It's worth noting that the martial techniques among the knights still follow a hereditary lineage, and ordinary people have no access to the most advanced martial techniques. In contrast, mages have achieved a commonality of knowledge, allowing knowledge to spread almost unconditionally among the talented.

This is also why, to this day, warriors have yet to reach the sixth rank, while the number of Archmages among mages continues to increase year by year.

Following Roy into the Great Hall, Durin quickly noticed that the hall was already packed with people. Many mages, who usually focused solely on their research, had gathered here at this moment.

Moreover, the mages currently seated in the Great Hall were of high status. Just with a casual glance, Durin recognized several familiar Archmages. In addition to them, there were many other mages whom he didn't know personally but could sense their formidable presence.

Observing the esteemed lecturers, mentors, and heads of departments from the Imperial Mage Academy, as well as the professors teaching various subjects, all sitting with utmost seriousness, Durin, experiencing a full hall for the first time, followed Roy to a seat towards the back. Despite Durin's attempt to remain inconspicuous, he still realized that most of the people present had their eyes on him, with many expressing confusion as to why he was there.

Surprised that so many people remembered him after all these years, Durin couldn't help but display a subtle expression of surprise while also instinctively shrinking back a bit. He remembered well how he used to stir up trouble among these old mages in the past. He couldn't afford to cause any trouble now.

Soon, the doors of the Great Hall were opened once again, and the main figure of this meeting, Archmage Hohenheim, the Dean of the Imperial Mage Academy, finally arrived.

In the gaze of the audience, this Archmage, who stood at the pinnacle of the Empire, appeared somewhat worn out, indicating that he had been burning the midnight oil. He quickly addressed the audience, "Well, now that everyone who should be here is present, I won't waste any more of your time."

Time for mages was extremely precious, so whether it was a reminiscence session or an academic presentation, they always aimed for the utmost brevity. The kind of lengthy speeches that high school principals might give lasting an entire afternoon would never happen in the Mage Tower.

Therefore, in the face of the perplexed gazes of the mages, Archmage Hohenheim, slightly catching his breath, boldly announced to the assembly of mages, "From this day forth, the Alchemist's Tower will officially separate from the Mage Tower and become a fully independent institution for mages. Alchemical studies will also be recognized as a legitimate discipline, and, like all other fields of magic, will enroll students through regular channels. Furthermore, Scar, the overseer of the Alchemist's Tower, will assume the formal title of Tower Master and take on the role of Vice Dean of the Imperial Mage Academy!"

"Finally, I am pleased to announce that the former Imperial Mage, now wandering mage, Durin Edward, will reclaim his status as an Imperial Mage and serve as the Dean of the newly established Alchemy Division within the Imperial Mage Academy!"

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