The Mage's Association, as the name suggests, is a secretive organization formed by magus who treat magecraft as a scholarly pursuit, focusing on the study and exploration of the magical arts.
The Mage's Association is comprised of three distinct institutions.
The first is the Atlas Institute, located beneath the Atlas Mountains in Egypt. This place is a sanctuary for alchemists, where countless legendary mystic codes that defy the common laws and magecraft have been born. Even the Dead Apostle Ancestor, Night of Wallachia, was once a renowned alchemist from the Atlas Institute when they were still human.
The second is the Wandering Sea, a massive mountain range drifting in the North Atlantic. It exists on the boundary between the world of man and the other side and focuses primarily on researching the Age of Gods magecraft and more profound mysteries and taboos. The Dead Apostle Ancestor, Nrvnqsr Chaos, also hailed from the Wandering Sea.
The third is the place he headed to, the Clock Tower, the premier magical academy located in the London area.
The Mage's Association was founded out of fear that Mystery would leak to those outside their side, gradually becoming common knowledge. If such Mystery became widely understood, they would lose their power and cease to be Mystery.
Such a situation would extinguish any hope of reaching the Root, the ultimate source of all magic and magecraft, and block the path to accessing it.
Thus, magus who seek the Root, regardless of nationality or school of thought, formed a unique group that encourages cooperation and mutual support (at least, in name). However, discrimination and conflict have never ceased within the association.
The Mage's Association was established to manage and conceal magecraft, with its mission to promote the development of magecraft. To protect themselves from threats, they maintain armed forces. They also hold research facilities and qualifications to further the advancement (or perhaps the decline) of magecraft, and laws to suppress magical crimes.
Unlike the hidden first two institutions, the third part of the Mage's Association, the Clock Tower, is known as the public face of the world of magecraft and is open to all magus.
The Clock Tower's headquarters is located on the outskirts of London and is divided into eleven disciplines. It can be considered the highest educational institution in the world of magecraft. Even in the golden age, it was regarded as the central hub of the world of magecraft, with its influence extending over 80% of the magical forces in Western Europe.
Most magus from Western Europe, except for those involved in hidden mysteries, choose to join the Clock Tower for further education.
At this academy, any magus with talent is welcome to study. The entrance exam is not particularly difficult; it merely tests a person's aptitude for and talent in magecraft. However, this is only easy for families with generations of lineage. For first-generation magus or those from recently established magus families, passing the Clock Tower exam is still quite challenging.
However, if you possess a personal recommendation from a high-ranking member of the Clock Tower, such as a Lord, the situation is different. With such a letter, you can directly enter the institution without any need to take an exam.
The Clock Tower.
Though it is called an academy, it is far from being a safe and stable place. Most magus are self-serving and devoid of moral standards. Some even disdain humanity, viewing themselves as separate from it. Expecting these individuals to follow established rules or adhere to human ethics is nothing short of a fantasy.
At this point in time, the entrance exams for the Clock Tower have long since concluded.
However, due to possessing a recommendation letter from Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, the Lord of the Department of Mineralogy, Roy was granted the privilege of entering the Clock Tower without needing to take the exam. Additionally, he was allowed to bring a companion to study with him.
That said, this privilege didn't mean much to him.
The world of magecraft here is far from pleasant. Nobody would willingly sink into this quagmire.
At least in his eyes, there was no one suitable around him to accompany him to this cursed place.
...
Stepping off the long-haul flight, Roy concluded his over ten-hour journey in the air.
After staying at the Einzbern residence for about three months and obtaining the knowledge he sought, he boarded a flight to London, preparing to visit the Clock Tower.
Setting foot on the land of London, a place brimming with magical energy, Roy checked the time on his watch and then opened an envelope, following the route outlined inside to find his pick-up.
Following the directions, he quickly crossed the airport and arrived at a blue phone booth nearby.
However, there was no sign of the person sent to pick him up, which left him a bit puzzled.
They had arranged in advance for someone to meet him here.
Since it was his first time in London, and given the city's complicated layout, he thought perhaps he might have gotten lost.
So Roy dialed Kayneth's number once again, asking him to arrange a pick-up.
"I found it, this is the number."
Flipping through the contacts on his phone, Roy dialed Kayneth's number.
*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*
After a few simple rings, the call was quickly answered on the other side.
"Hello, this is El-Melloi Archibald. Who are you looking for?"
The voice of a young girl came through, speaking fluent English.
"I'm looking for Professor Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald."
"Professor? Ah, so you're my uncle's student? But knowing this number means you must have a close personal relationship with him. Hold on a moment, I'll pass the phone to him."
The girl's voice responded on the other end.
"Yes, this number... Are you Roy?"
Soon, Kayneth's familiar, sharp voice came through the phone.
"It's me, Professor Kayneth."
"Hmm... You've arrived in London already? That was fast. What? You didn't see that idiot Waver?"
So Waver was supposed to pick him up?
"No, I didn't run into him. I followed the map you gave me and walked around the airport, but I didn't see him. Could you have given me the wrong flight information?"
Was it a mistake with the flight?
"…"
Kayneth glanced at the clock and then at the calendar.
It did seem like there was a mix-up... he had overloaded Waver with tasks, and even the pick-up schedule had gotten confused.
But admitting to such a basic mistake? Impossible.
It was easier to blame Waver for this.
"Forget it, just wait at the airport. I'll send someone to pick you up."
"Thank you. I'll send my current location to you."
After dragging his suitcase for a while, Roy sat down by the phone booth, waiting for his pick-up.
Not long after...
Roy saw a luxurious black limousine pull up to the side of the road, and soon, out stepped a blonde girl? No, rather, a young child. He raised an eyebrow... he knew this person.
Reines.
Waver's adopted younger sister... or more accurately, according to the proper history.
For now, she still had a peculiar relationship with Kayneth as both his adoptive sister and niece.
"Hello, are you Mr. Roy, the one I just spoke with?"
Seeing the smiling Reines walking towards him, Roy stood up, nodded, and handed her Kayneth's letter of recommendation from his pocket, politely saying, "Yes, I am the new disciple Professor Kayneth recently took on in Fuyuki City."
"A disciple? Not just a student?" Reines looked surprised at his words.
For Magus, the distinction between disciple and student was significant.
Anyone who attended Kayneth's lectures could be considered his student. But to be a disciple meant going through a formal teacher-disciple ceremony and receiving Kayneth's approval to carry on his magical legacy in pursuit of the Root.
As far as Reines knew, her uncle had never officially taken on a disciple before. Even Waver Velvet, who was fairly close, was only a student, not an official disciple. Yet this young man had been acknowledged by her highly selective uncle.
This surprised her.
"Very well, allow me to introduce myself. I am Reines El-Melloi Archisorte. You may just call me Reines."
"Alright, Reines?" Roy hesitated slightly as he said it.
It felt awkward to call a six or seven-year-old "Miss," so this felt more natural.
"Huh? Haha, call me whatever you like."
"Please get in the car. I'll be taking you to the Clock Tower now."
Reines pointed to the black limousine behind her and made a polite gesture.
"Thank you."
The car started, heading towards the Clock Tower.
The interior of the black limousine was more spacious and luxurious than Roy had expected... far more so than any car he had ever ridden in.
The interior of the car was spacious and luxurious, exuding an air of extravagance at every turn.
Since Kayneth had returned alive from Fuyuki City, the El-Melloi family had not fallen as it would have in normal developments, and it remained a powerful and prestigious household in the world of magecraft.
Reines poured a cup of tea for Roy, politely offering him a smile, and then asked, "By the way, Mr. Roy, how did you come to know my uncle and become his disciple?"
"After all, my uncle is a genius, and his standards are incredibly high. Since you've caught his eye, you must possess extraordinary talent as well."
"You flatter me. My meeting with Professor Kayneth was just a coincidence." Roy replied with a smile, answering earnestly, "I don't have the exceptional talents that Professor Kayneth does. The fact that I've made it this far is simply due to the favor of the goddess of fate and the help of my companions. There's nothing much worth boasting about."
Hmm, very modest... he doesn't display the arrogance typical of a genius?
Despite being recognized and accepted as Kayneth's disciple, someone whom her discerning uncle held in high regard, Roy claimed he was just an ordinary person with good luck. Naturally, Reines didn't believe this.
If he were truly mediocre, there was no way Kayneth would have taken such an interest in him.
However, through these brief exchanges, Reines began to understand the personality of her uncle's disciple.
He was humble, approachable, and had a pleasant temperament... so normal that he didn't seem like a magus, but more like an ordinary person.
But was this his true nature, or just a facade? Reines was quite curious.
"You're being modest. Pure luck wouldn't have been enough to earn the recognition of Lord El-Melloi."
Reines continued probing, "May I ask where you previously specialized in magecraft? And how many generations has your family been practicing magecraft?"
"Apologies, I hadn't encountered magecraft before this." Roy replied with a wry smile. "Therefore, I don't have the background or inherited magecraft from a long lineage... I'm just a first-generation magus."
Now it was Reines' turn to be surprised.
"A first-generation magus? So you've only just entered the world of magecraft?"
"Yes, I only began my journey in magecraft six months ago."
A first-generation magus... this answer left Reines momentarily stunned.
Magus families accumulate bloodlines and knowledge over generations. Most founders of magus families were ordinary scholars.
They passed their research down through magic crest to their descendants, who would study and build upon it, passing it on in turn. Bloodlines also play a role in magecraft learning; if a father is an exceptional magus, the children born during his prime will be better suited to magecraft. Thus, with each generation, the family becomes stronger. The longer the history, the more advanced and profound their magecraft and lineage. Every magus family has its unique, inherited magecraft, and the magecraft nobility of today exists due to this generational accumulation.
To have earned Kayneth's recognition as a first-generation magus and become his official disciple within such a short time... how terrifying must this young man's talent be?
He was likely no less of a prodigy than Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald himself.
A first-generation magus, a disciple, the El-Melloi family… So that's what this is about.
Reines had a rough idea of what Kayneth intended to do.
"It's fine, Mr. Roy. If my uncle has acknowledged you, then you must possess talents beyond imagination." Reines said with a slight smile, offering her best wishes to Roy.
"I'm sure the path of magecraft you pioneer will, with the continued inheritance and accumulation of your bloodline, go further and further, eventually leading to the Root."
"Reaching the Root, huh…"
There's probably no need for that anymore.
'I'm already within it.'
Roy didn't say much more, merely nodding slightly. He expressed his gratitude to Reines as well. "Thank you for your kind words, Reines. I hope that you, too, will one day reach the Root."
"The same to you." Reines smiled in return.