🐈🐈🐈
IMMEDIATELY after the parliamentary meeting ended, I returned to the Mage Tower as fast as I could sprint.
In the Mage Tower’s small conference room, the survey team members, along with Old Man Euleho, were waiting for me.
When I threw the door open, everyone looked up at me.
After quickly confirming that everyone was present, I bellowed: “Approval granted!”
Withdrawn though I may be, I couldn’t hide my excitement.
Of course, explaining myself in parliament wasn’t as easy as when I’d spoken to the king. They asked a lot of sharp questions. But with the help of Borden and the king, I managed to get approval. Ultimately, it ended up being a total victory.
“Approval for what?” Vellia grinned knowingly.
“Various things. Everything. First of all, the continued investigation of the Kichul Forest and the management and conservation of the magical energy source. They’ve both been approved as government projects.”
“Yes!”
Arshtag and the other survey team members lit up.
“You can make a report to the king on everything you’ve achieved so far, and you’re to receive an official commendation and reward, as well,” I informed them.
“Wow! Archmage Viol, that’s incredible news!”
“All RIGHT!”
“It was Borden’s suggestion, not my own,” I said.
“All hail PM Borden!”
“I’m sure glad the prime minister is our Archmage’s best friend!”
Everyone seemed delighted. And, yes, from now on, this would be an official government project, which would make the planning and operation go much smoother. Incidentally, the main objective going forward would be to preserve the magic stone mass that served as the source of the magical energy exactly as it was, preventing it from being misused or growing too large.
It was also made clear that this would become one of the major duties of the Third Magic Guild, along with the four other missions of magical barrier maintenance, magic development, magical device development, and monster subjugation.
“We’ve also gotten approval to harvest magic stones for use in various magical devices, including devices for the maintenance of our great barrier wall.”
“Well, naturally.”
“There’s a good possibility we can greatly improve our national defense system. There was some debate, but in the end, we got the go-ahead to experiment with the magic stone cache we found to see how we can improve and enhance our magical devices, assuming the initial trials are a success… Of course, making sure that we don’t upset the balance of the existing magical source,” I said.
“Excellent work. Hey, Arshtag. As soon as you bring back those magic stone chunks, I can finish this magical device I’m working on. I’m counting on you.” Old Man Euleho grinned and heaved himself to his feet. “I’m off to my workshop. This is big! Even an old man like me’s all excited. I’ll go tinker with the device while I wait for you to return.”
“Right, if the device succeeds, it’s going to lift the burden on everyone else by an incredible degree. I’m counting on you as well, Old Man Euleho,” I called after him.
Without looking back, Old Man Euleho raised a hand in the air and exited through the door. He may have been old, but he walked with a straight back. I knew I really could rely on him.
✦ ✦ ✦
🐈🐈🐈
THAT same day, when I returned home, my eyes widened when they saw the delectable array of food and desserts laid out on the table.
“Incredible…” I muttered to myself in awe. Seren came trotting into the dining room. Albert and Jean followed close behind with a smile.
“Lord Viol! I just heard from Vellia! Your proposal has just been approved by parliament based on the results of the recent investigation, right?”
“That’s right.”
Smoothly obfuscating the sensitive particulars of the proposal in question… Very good, Seren.
“The survey team members told me they’d never seen you so happy, Lord Viol! I thought… I thought we should celebrate, so I asked Jean and the other staff to put out a spread!” Seren said.
“That’s why there’s so much food?”
“I couldn’t have done it all myself, so I enlisted the others’ help,” Jean said. “Thanks to the extra hands, I made more dishes than I’d been hoping. I do hope it will serve to satisfy you, my lord.”
“We discussed it, and we figured you’d prefer a wider choice of desserts as opposed to more main dishes, Lord Viol. We went for small portions but a larger selection,” Seren said.
“Well, thank you…! This is… This is really something. I’m quite moved.”
When I confessed my honest feelings, Jean, Albert, Rince, and Greer all looked surprised for a second before they smiled happily.
Seren was smiling bigger than anyone else, though, as she led me to the table.
“Come on, let’s eat!”
“Ah, but it would be a waste for just us to eat such wonderful food. Why don’t we all eat together?”
Albert and the others exchanged glances when I said that. But then they nodded, and all took seats. Seren was still beaming away adorably.
“Well then, Lord Viol… congratulations!”
“Congratulations!”
“Thank you…!”
How sweet of Seren to want to celebrate with me. How kind of her to consult with the staff to prepare a special meal filled with desserts just for me. And how kind of the others to come together to prepare such a special spread.
That meal became one of the most special and happy memories of my life.