City ​​of Witches 1007

Chapter 1007 – #242_Magic University Tycoon (2)

#1001

1.
Only now did I understand the excessive hospitality of Count Cagliostro towards Siwoo.

It was no wonder he was pleased when a turkey, ready to be devoured without even plucking its feathers, had waddled to his invitation.

Count Cagliostro, who had been acting so affable, was now showing his true colors as a politician…

It wasn’t entirely unexpected.

Establishing and running a large-scale magic academy in this narrow Gehenna.
Whether it was negative or positive, I had foreseen some sort of uncomfortable tension with the two major academies.

However, it was too fast.

It had only been a day since the founding ceremony and the unveiling of the vision for the magic university.

Even if the founding ceremony had been successful, it was shocking to see such blatant and greedy teeth bared at a seed that hadn’t even sprouted yet.

“That’s quite an interesting proposal.”
“Heehee! Isn’t it?”

I clasped my hands together, trying to appear as relaxed as possible.
I needed more time to think.

Above all, there was one thing I needed to know.

This blatantly obvious offer, unless they saw me as a complete pushover, was a show of force.

Count Cagliostro was not hiding his intention to interfere with the Hessed Academy using their resources and influence.
He was confident about the location of the Emerald Tablet and also knew that it would be difficult for Siwoo to refuse this offer.

That was why he was being so blatant.

To show who was below and who was above.

Of course, Siwoo had strong allies.
Not to mention my honorable Archduke mentor, there were two 23rd-tier witches, and the Geminai and Yesod baronies.

However, this fight was not a war of force but a political battle over the power of the academy.

Count Cagliostro was even expressing confidence that he could handle all of that.

“Can you imagine? How many possibilities could unfold if we stood shoulder to shoulder?”

Count Cagliostro spread his hands wide and spoke in a voice as smooth as velvet.

“The Emerald Tablet can provide far more support than the Baron imagines. A capable faculty, equipment, materials, the academy’s network, and more resources through it. This support will create greater opportunities for the academy’s development. Nevertheless…”

He paused, his eyes twinkling as he observed Siwoo’s reaction.

“I am only asking for a few minor positions and participation in the discussion process, right? I have no intention of greatly influencing the decisions of the Hessed Academy. The goal of the Emerald Tablet is to expand the common intellectual horizon of Gehenna and help everyone move towards a better future. Hohoho!”
“Excuse me for interrupting…”

The rich are always more greedy, and he was exactly like that.

Just as I was about to sigh and refuse,

“Then don’t say it.”
“……”

The Count, who had cut me off with a smile, spoke clearly, still with a smile on his face.

“If it’s something you’re sorry for, you shouldn’t say it. Because the Baron needs to answer this proposal after careful consideration.”

It was amazing.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
I felt like I had found a role model for the charisma project.

Was it necessary to be able to brush off such matters with a smile to survive in this harsh Gehenna?

“Our Emerald Tablet has very, very good ears. We also knew that Baron Siwoo had a falling out with Duke Erelim.
Being disliked by Erelim, the head of the Truth and True Name Society, which has a much more closed and vertical lineage than the Emerald Tablet, means that your ties with the Truth and True Name Society are already severed.”

That was true.

In Gehenna, the two academies had as much power as megacorps in a cyberpunk world.

Their political influence was obvious, and they also had a monopoly on new technologies and priority access to high-grade magical resources.

That was why I had tried to establish at least a friendly relationship with the Emerald Tablet.

Well, judging by how things were going, it was a lost cause.

“Accepting the support of the Emerald Tablet means that we will be your umbrella against the indirect checks of the stubborn Duke Erelim.”

Conversely, it was a declaration that if I refused the offer, the Emerald Tablet would also put pressure on me.

There was only one answer Siwoo could give right now.

“I think I need to think about it a little more.”
“Of course. You can take as much time as you need to think. Our Emerald Tablet is open to everyone, so come back whenever you feel like answering. Hohoho!”

Count Cagliostro, who had shown a slippery, snake-like demeanor without uttering a single direct threat.

“Would you like to take a tour of my estate with Baron Moiety?”

I refused such offers and returned to my mansion for now.

2.
The first place Siwoo went was the Yesod barony.

I had asked her to interpret the lotus flower I had obtained after killing Ea, so I wanted to ask about her progress and seek advice on this situation.

After all, the Yesod barony was as much on Siwoo’s side as the Geminai barony.

By the way, the fundamental reason why I couldn’t recruit her as a dean was the same as the two mothers-in-law.

A witch with an apprentice witch is a witch who is always scheduled to retire.
It went against the founding principle of the academy, which was sustainable education.

As for the lotus flower, I received an answer that it would take about two more weeks, and instead, Baroness Yesod, like it was her own problem, patted Siwoo on the back with a heavy heart.

“Oh my… You must have had a hard time, Siwoo. You didn’t cry, did you?”
“No, it’s only been a few hours since I’ve had a hard time.”
“Don’t say that, come here. You’ll feel a little better.”

Lucy hugged Siwoo’s head tightly and buried it in her chest.
Was this what it meant to be a witch with an apprentice witch?

Even though we were both barons, the degree of kindness that permeated my heart was different.

After a while of healing time, Baroness Yesod calmly pointed out the current situation.

“To be honest, I don’t think I can offer a solution. I have no ties with either the Emerald Tablet or Count Cagliostro.”

In the first place, Lucy Yesod was also a full member of the Truth and True Name Society, and above all, her own magic of self-nature had no connection with alchemy.
Therefore, it was an expected answer.

“What I want to ask is how the Truth and True Name Society will react. In a political context.”

“They’ll be fine for a while. The Society is a group with a clear hierarchy among its members, but that also means that decision-making is slow and gradual.

Since the Hessed Academy has presented the development of the entire Gehenna as its vision, they will only move after securing considerable justification. In the meantime, there will be no cooperation or exchange.”
“I see.”

“But I can say that it won’t be long. The reason why the high-ranking witches of the Society were able to build their current power and authority was thanks to the limited sharing of information. The values that the Hessed Academy is promoting will not look good in their eyes, and the moment they feel a sense of crisis, they will create a justification even if it doesn’t exist.”

Baroness Yesod let out a worried sigh.

“If only I were still active, I could have given you some help…”

It was inevitable that she would step down from her main position when an apprentice witch was born.
It also meant that she would be leaving soon, and above all, raising a child was a lot of work, even for a witch.

“If you were in my situation, what would you have done?”
“Huh?”
“I would like to hear how you would have handled it if you were in my situation.”
“I think I would have charged right in. Oh my, I didn’t mean to say such a vulgar word…”

She was a little embarrassed because it came out as an immediate answer.

“Even if it was the same situation as mine?”

“Siwoo, power is not a real concept. It’s just an abstract collection of beliefs.
The belief that if you please a certain person, they can bestow benefits on you, the belief that if you go against a certain person, they can inflict disadvantages on you. This collection of beliefs is what creates power.

If you don’t want to be completely robbed, you have to make the other party believe that you can also inflict disadvantages on them. Even if it ends up being a disaster.”

Lucy, the Baroness, was showing her true colors for the first time in a while.
But soon, she smiled awkwardly and stroked Siwoo’s hand.

“I got too worked up. But the choice is up to you, Siwoo. There are many good people around you, so ask for their advice.”
“Thank you.”

I had received advice and encouragement.
I think I need to work a little harder.

3.
It was a rather bleak situation, but I couldn’t just sit back and be defeated.

The original plan for maintaining the academy was to form partnerships with smaller academies and bring the heads of those smaller academies to the position of dean or professor, wasn’t it?

If I could recruit smaller academies and align our interests before the checks from the Castle or the Society became effective, I could buy some time to hold out.

More witches would come to the Hessed Academy because of the high-quality faculty, and then more professors would be recruited, creating a positive snowball effect.

Therefore, the banquet held at the Tiferet mansion today was planned before the founding ceremony.
I had sent out invitations in advance to small and medium-sized academies that were small in scale but solid in substance.

Even if it was just when I sent out the invitations, I had presented a vision at the founding ceremony and received a positive response, and even the public opinion that had been created by the scandal at the after-party had been reversed, so I thought it would be quite crowded.

So, I had even hired a chef and prepared a grand banquet, but…

“……”

It was 9 p.m., past the scheduled time of 7 p.m.

The banquet prepared on the large table was getting cold.
The champagne that had been chilling in the ice bucket had also turned lukewarm.

There were zero visitors who had arrived by this time.
It was unlikely that they were all so unlucky that they couldn’t keep the time.
Even if that were the case, it was basic courtesy to send at least a letter.

It clearly showed that none of the invited guests from any of the smaller academies had responded to Baron Shin Siwoo’s invitation.

“……”

It goes without saying who was behind this.

That old lady Cagliostro from the Castle in the upper district must have kindly given me ‘time to think’.

I had finished ordering in the morning, and she had given me the middle finger by express delivery that afternoon.
I could clearly feel the Emerald Tablet’s agility and the influence that supported it.

“This is a bit infuriating.”

It had started for personal reasons, but there was also a good intention.

In the midst of the chaos of the present world and the growing power of Hexennacht.
Wouldn’t it be better if the Gehenna witches, who were still more friendly, could unite and fight together?

Even though they were being petty, I also had the attitude of learning, thinking that I could learn one thing at a time since I would be running the academy anyway.

But seeing them crush the sprouts from the beginning without any consideration for the newbies made me feel twisted inside.

I put the cold steak in my mouth and made a decision.

“Then I’ll go dirty too.”

As expected of a top-class chef in Gehenna.
Even the cold steak was quite delicious.