Inside the arena, there was a room where special guests could relax. In that room, the old man Kin was seated alone on the sofa as if he was waiting for someone.
Even though it was hard to notice since he always looked eager, as if the world itself was an interesting game to him, there was a hint of excitement in his smile.
He sipped the tea that was poured in a well-crafted cup in front of him, and right when he placed the cup back on the table, a knock was heard on the door.
"Mister Ongaku, can I come in."
The smile on his face changed into a grin. "Yes, the door is open."
From there entered a man, who looked a bit taller than average. He had a face that looked a bit mature for his age, but by no means, he looked bad. It was the exact face that girls would fall for.
His dress was perfect with nothing that could be pointed out as off, and there were no visible magical traits on him. That meant he was someone from the general population, who was obviously one of the most powerful magicians of the younger generation — Razak.
He came in and stood behind the sofa in front of him. It would be rude if he sat at the same level as the old man without his permission. That was because the man he was standing in front of was the clan head of the Ongaku clan and the principal of Eastern academy, the most influential academy in the whole province.
"Take a seat, boy. I wanted to meet you ever since you showed me that shadow devil."
Razak looked a bit hesitant, but when the old man encouraged him with a smile, he sat down in front of the old man.
"Thank you. I have to say, I was surprised to see that email from you."
The old man's smile disappeared. He looked straight at Razak's with a serious face.
"Then, you probably already know why I called you..."
There was a moment of silence as the atmosphere looked intense, but after a few seconds, the old man continued.
"...I am not sure what Villous is trying to play here, but he should know well that this is my academy. And if he is doing anything under my nose, without letting me know, he should be prepared for my intervention."
"I understand your position here, and so does Villous..."
The old man smiled again. He was hoping that Razak would use words like 'dad' or 'father,' but since he mentioned 'Villous,' it was evident that he wasn't doing all this because of fatherly love. This all made the whole thing even more interesting.
"...but I think there is something that might be of your interest."
The old man hummed. His face was clearly saying that he was making guesses about what that thing could be.
"There are indeed a few things that have caught my attention. But I am not sure if you are talking about the same thing."
"Then let me explain"—Razak leaned a little forward—"Villous is trying to revive the old Cabal. He was planning to invite you soon, but since I got this opportunity to see you in person, I think explaining a few things here will be convenient."
"The Cabal... I see. Although I think he knows what happened back then. What makes it different this time?"
The Cabal was once an organization that was known to exist, but there was no apparent proof of its existence.
It was once considered a national threat and a potential cause of civil war. However, after the formation of the new government with people's representatives, they suddenly disappeared. Now, in the current times, it was just seen as a man-made, baseless rumor.
"I can spoil everything here, as that would make the meeting meaningless. But, as you can see, even after the introduction of the new government, nothing much has changed. The country is not yet ruled by the law of people, and I am sure you understand how weak the country is this way. The nation is walking on a rope; the moment it flinches, it will fall."
"But the civil war at this point is unthinkable. It will make The Cabal look like a terrorist organization. He understands that aspect, doesn't he?"
There was peace, and people were happy with their life. They were enjoying their lives under an administration that was walking on a rope, ignorant of everything that was really going on.
Even if one were to reveal the facts to them, they wouldn't see any problem there. As it went, no one really cared until things start affecting their daily lives directly or indirectly. And the few who cared weren't able to bring their voices out as it was considered the minority opinion.
"Yes, he isn't going for civil war this time. If the government becomes stronger, the pressure would be minimized on its own. There will always be a need for an organization that can keep an eye on it, but there should be some kind of law governing all."
The old man looked at the cup on the table and thought for a while. After a moment, he raised his head and continued.
"Alright, I am curious to know more, so I will consider attending the meeting. I am wondering who else will be there, but more than that,"—The old man looked straight at Razak—"What do you think about all this? Are you really after making this country more democratic? It's hard to believe a lad at your age thinks that way."
"If you want my opinion, I don't really care. The way this national operates doesn't concern me as long as I am not affected. I am only doing this for Villous's sake."
The old man smiled in response. He knew that he wouldn't get an answer if he tried asking more about his intentions, and he was also aware that this wasn't the right time or place to ask that.
"Alright. Good luck with your next match."
"Thank you. I will take my leave now."
Razak stood from his sofa and slowly walked out of the room.