A few days later, the area in front of the Blackrock Lord's mansion was bustling with activity. A constant stream of magnificent carriages and insignia representing various factions almost filled the wide square to the point of being impassable.
From the elegant leaf-patterned envoys of the elves to the magnanimous gold-inlaid masters of the dwarven kingdoms, and the magnificently dressed and cautiously speaking special envoys of the human empires... all sorts of political figures from various races flocked in like a tide.
Linde stood by the study window, expressionless as he looked down at the commotion below.
He knew that the news of the defeat of the God of Fusion had spread like wildfire to every qualified corner of the continent.
These visitors came with nothing but shock, fear, curiosity, and calculation. Some wanted to verify the authenticity of the news, some wanted to test his attitude, and some simply wanted to make an impression on this "godslayer."
"It's really...noisy."
He muttered to himself, a hint of barely perceptible annoyance in his voice. He saw these meaningless social engagements as a complete waste of time.
After personally meeting with representatives of the Dwarven Kingdom (to further confirm cooperation on the Iron Sky) and elders of the Elven race (to exchange views on the stability of the Light Veins), Lind pushed all the remaining requests for audiences onto the capable Astaire.
"Tell them that the lord needs to meditate and digest the gains from the battle with the evil god. You are in charge of all non-urgent matters."
Linde gave Astaire his instructions, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Aster understood immediately; knowing his lord's character, he bowed and accepted the order.
"Yes, sir. I will handle this properly and will not allow any unauthorized persons to disturb you."
Having dealt with those tedious diplomatic affairs, Lind could finally focus his attention on what truly mattered—receiving Alice's mother, Lurie Erna, the headmistress of the Royal Magic Academy of the Kree Empire.
The meeting was arranged in a quiet, small reception room in the lord's mansion, which was equipped with soundproofing and anti-prophecy barriers.
Sunlight streamed through the glass windows, casting dappled shadows on the thick carpeted floor.
When Dean Lurie walked in accompanied by Alice, Lind stood up and took a proper look at his nominal mother-in-law for the first time.
Lurie Erner looked much younger than her actual age; time seemed to have left few marks on her face, only making her blonde hair, which was exactly the same as Alice's, even more mellow, like molten gold.
She wore a deep purple mage's robe, simple in style yet exquisite in material, with intricate silver runes embroidered on the cuffs and collar, symbolizing her supreme status in the realm of magic.
Her face bore a striking resemblance to Alice's, sharing sapphire-like eyes, but those eyes were even more profound than her daughter's, as if they contained the light of countless arcane knowledge and wisdom, sharp yet calm, carrying the imposing aura cultivated from long-term high positions.
However, deep in his eyes at this moment, he could not hide the weariness of his long journey and a lingering worry.
“Mother, this is Lind.”
Alice smiled as she introduced the two, a hint of nervousness in her voice, as she hoped the two most important people in her life could get along well.
"Lord Linde, it's an honor to meet you."
Dean Luli nodded slightly, her voice gentle yet magnetic, carrying the composure characteristic of a scholar, "Thank you for taking care of Alice all these years."
Her gaze swept quickly and carefully over Lind, her scrutinizing eyes seemingly able to penetrate appearances and reach the essence of things. When she met Lind's deep purple eyes, a faint look of surprise flashed in her eyes—she could not sense any specific magical fluctuations from him at all, as if his entire being was one with the surrounding space, yet he exuded a heart-palpitating, abyss-like sense of oppression.
"Dean Lurie, welcome to Blackrock Territory."
Lind returned the greeting with a calm and polite manner, neither overly enthusiastic nor distant, maintaining just the right level of courtesy. "Alice is very good. She has managed this place very well and is an important help to me."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Alice knew they had important matters to discuss, so she excused herself to prepare tea and refreshments, considerately leaving the room and gently closing the door behind her.
With only the two of them left in the room, the atmosphere instantly became more serious.
Dean Luli didn't waste any time with pleasantries and went straight to the point. Her brows furrowed slightly, and her tone was serious:
"Lord Lind, I have come here not only to visit Alice, but more importantly, to discuss the matter of the God of Magic, Theolantis."
She paused, organizing her thoughts:
"Recently, the Royal Magic Academy has detected several abnormal and extremely violent fluctuations in the mainland magic network."
Its origins are profound and obscure, pointing not to any known mage or magical phenomenon, but to a nature that carries an ancient, inhuman, and almost rule-like sense of oppression.
We suspect this is related to Tiolantis's awakening, or some kind of...active intervention.
Linde listened quietly, showing no surprise. He gestured for Dean Lurie to continue.
“What’s even more disturbing,” Dean Luli lowered her voice, “is that in the academy’s secret archives, some forbidden scrolls about the end of the ancient Zedo civilization, which record the ‘Day of Divine Wrath’ and the ‘Magical Riot,’ have shown signs of loosening their seals. There are even reports from guards that they heard whispers… And those scrolls, according to ancient records, are byproducts of the will of Tiolantis infiltrating reality when its power descended and wiped out the Zedo civilization.”
She raised her head and looked intently at Linde:
"Combined with the memory fragments about the Silent Saintess Esmeralda that you brought back earlier... we have reason to believe that Tiolantis is not silent; He has been watching this world all along. And the recent dramatic changes in the continent's primordial power—especially the imbalance and reshaping of light and shadow, as well as the ripples in the laws caused by your battle with the God of Fusion—have likely greatly stimulated Him."
"He may have thought this was an opportunity to...clean up the 'remnants of the past' or to reap the 'unexpected variables'."
Dean Luli's tone was filled with deep worry, "Lord Linde, the power of the Light Vein and the Shadow Abyss has gathered within you. In His eyes, this is probably an unprecedented 'abnormality,' and may even be more dreadful than the Zedu civilization of yesteryear."
Lind tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the seat, making a rhythmic, soft sound.
He spoke slowly, his voice as steady as ever:
“Your judgment is basically consistent with my speculation. Theolantis will not tolerate any existence beyond His control.”
He looked at Dean Luli, his gaze sharp:
"As the authority on magical research on the continent, the Royal Magic Academy should have a far greater understanding of the nature and operation of Tiolantis's power than ordinary people."
I need to know more about His 'rules,' His possible 'weaknesses,' and... exactly how the Zedo civilization angered Him, or rather, how it 'attracted' Him to descend."
Dean Lurie took a deep breath; she knew this would be an exchange involving the world's deepest secrets. She hesitated for a moment, then finally made her decision:
"The Academy does indeed possess some secrets... not recorded in the common history. According to the oldest records, which are even mixed with myths and legends, at the end of the Zedo civilization, they did not simply develop magical technology, but attempted to... 'analyze divinity' and 'reconstruct the laws.' They believed that magic was not a gift from the gods, but a kind of underlying rule that could be fully understood and even 'programmed'."
They built a device called the 'Root Ark' in an attempt to directly connect to and control the magical essence of the world..."
Her voice trembled slightly, as if mentioning that name was a desecration.
"And Tiolantis is not a god in the traditional sense who requires faith. He is more like... the aggregate and ruler of the concept of magic itself. He detests any attempt to 'understand' rather than 'revere' magic, regarding it as the most fundamental challenge to his authority. In his eyes, the actions of the Zedo civilization are no different from thieves trying to copy their master's key."
“As for its weakness…” Dean Luli shook her head, a bitter look on her face, “almost no one knows. Its power originates from the rules themselves, making it nearly omnipotent. Perhaps… only a confrontation originating from the same level of rules offers a glimmer of hope. For example, those two diametrically opposed powers within you, which you forcibly control…”
She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was already clear.
Linde's Light Veins and Shadow Abyss power may be the only known "anomaly" that challenges the rules and authority of the god of magic.
Linde remained silent for a moment, processing this information.
“I understand,” he finally said. “Thank you for providing this information; it’s very valuable.”
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the view of Blackrock Territory.
“Since Theolantis has already taken action, conflict is inevitable. Blackrock Territory and the Royal Magic Academy share the same goal in this matter.”
He turned around and looked at Dean Luli, his eyes flashing with a cold and resolute light.
“We need deeper cooperation. Not just intelligence sharing, but perhaps... it could also include some 'technical' exchanges. For example, the forbidden knowledge sealed by the Zedu civilization might become a powerful tool against the 'gods' under certain conditions.”
Dean Lurie was startled; she understood Lind's implication.
He not only wasn't afraid of that forbidden knowledge, but actually wanted to make use of it!
This is undoubtedly like trying to negotiate with a tiger for its skin—extremely dangerous.
But looking into Lind's unfathomable eyes and feeling the confidence and power emanating from him that could even repel gods, Dean Luli knew that in the face of an existence like Tiorantis, following the rules would only lead to death.
“…I will carefully consider your proposal, Lord Lind,” she replied cautiously. “The academy also needs some…communication.”
"Time waits for no one, Dean."
Lin De spoke calmly, yet with a sense of urgency: “We must be fully prepared before the storm fully arrives.”
This meeting marks the beginning of a deeper strategic collaboration between Blackrock Territory and the Royal Magic Academy of the Kree Empire, two giants in their respective fields, due to a common, god-like threat.
Their target was an ancient god who reigned above all living beings and wielded the power of magic.
A war waged by mortals against the gods, seemingly a futile struggle yet fraught with hidden dangers, has begun.
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