Chapter 1165: Victoria’s Memories

Victoria began with a vivid, broad-strokes description of how the Violet Kingdom selects its “gifted ones,” giving Gawain a rough mental picture. Nearby, Hetty spoke up after listening: “I’ve heard of this kind of ‘selection,’ and I also heard it wasn’t always practiced. In the more ancient times, the Violet Kingdom was far more closed off than it is now. They had no tradition of choosing gifted apprentices from the Loren continent to train—this only began about six hundred years ago, when an enlightened Archmage Prince established the precedent…”

“Yes, that was six centuries ago,” Victoria nodded. “It was after the founding and stabilization of Ansu. The once highly isolated Violet Kingdom suddenly announced it would open its magical knowledge to the outside world—in their own words, using ‘the mages’ own way.’ Soon after, Violet scholars and ‘guides’ began appearing openly in the northern regions of the continent.

“According to our family records, these masters of profound magical arts caused quite a stir in the north, especially among the extraordinary individuals who pursued arcane secrets and ancient knowledge… As we know, after the fall of the Gondor Empire, human magical civilization was devastated. The mage system, which had been heavily reliant on the Deep Blue Well, collapsed overnight. The surviving spellcasters desperately needed to rebuild a reliable magical framework without the Well’s support. But for traditional mages who advanced through experience, trial and error, and gradual accumulation, constructing such a system was incredibly difficult. So, for a century after Ansu’s founding, human mages groped blindly in the dark, utterly at a loss…”

Indeed—Gawain thought to himself. Though his memories only spanned the first ten years of Ansu’s founding, what he had seen and heard was enough to understand Victoria’s description. In fact, the Cecil family’s old saying, “Knights are stronger than mages,” originated in that era—because back then, knights really were stronger than mages…

After all, aside from a few outliers like Snow Wilde, most mages were barely functional.

Unaware of Gawain’s thoughts, Victoria continued: “It was in that context that the Violet Kingdom’s mages suddenly appeared in the northern continent. Their arrival gave human mages of six centuries ago a glimpse of new possibilities—new magical knowledge, the mysterious and ancient Violet arcane system, self-sustaining magic arrays that operated without the Deep Blue Well… For the human magical system, still broken and patched after a century of struggle, the knowledge brought by the Violet mages was nothing short of a miracle.

“From that time on, the Violet Kingdom began ‘exchanges’ with the Loren continent—what they called ‘mage-style exchanges.’ Obscure, secretive, following ancient rules and traditions, knowledge flowed like a gentle stream, shaping new mage lineages. They selected gifted apprentices from the northern continent—mostly humans, but occasionally elves or dwarves—and brought them back to the island to teach. These apprentices would then return carrying the knowledge they’d been given. Meanwhile, the Kingdom continuously sent out scholars who traveled and studied abroad. Some of these became honored guests in northern mage organizations, while others were recruited by royal and noble houses to serve as ‘foreign advisors’ to the Ansu royal mage association…

“Whether people want to admit it or not, these envoys from the Violet Kingdom and the magical knowledge they brought profoundly changed the landscape of spellcasters in the north. They had a lasting impact on the reconstruction of the magical systems in Ansu and the smaller northern states. Over the next six centuries, this influence gradually spread throughout the human world and to other nations closely connected to human realms.

“This also cemented the influence of the ‘Arcane Society’ among spellcasters. This mysterious mage organization, far removed from the Loren continent and almost never revealing its true face to the Loren nations, gained a status as lofty as the Silver Empire’s Astrologers’ Guild—if not more so. In fact, because of their greater mystery, the Arcane Society’s ‘allure’ among mages surpassed even that of the Astrologers’ Guild. Your Majesty, you know how mages love that kind of enigmatic aura.”

Victoria paused, seemingly gathering her thoughts, then continued: “Even today, traces of the ‘Violet magical system’ remain everywhere in modern Loren magic—traditional communication spells, early versions of anti-gravity magic, old-style self-recharging arrays, and so on. Though most have since been improved by the Rune Research Institute and the Magitech Research Institute, their original forms are closely tied to the Violet Kingdom.”

Listening to Victoria, Gawain instinctively rubbed his chin, piecing together the information into a broad picture. His brow furrowed. “I always thought the Violet Kingdom was isolated, barely connected to the Loren continent. I never imagined they had such a deep influence… This sounds like a long-term, comprehensive infiltration. In theory, the Violet Kingdom could have built a power on Loren strong enough to rival local governments—even if they never intended to, they could easily strangle many local mage organizations.”

“You’re right. In fact, you’re not the only one worried about this. The Ansu royal family, the Typhon Mage Association, and some well-known scholars in history have expressed similar concerns. But here’s the thing: six hundred years have passed, and the Violet Kingdom has truly remained secluded to this day. Aside from small-scale coastal trade and those traveling scholars, they haven’t crossed any lines.”

Gawain raised an eyebrow but said nothing, listening as Victoria went on.

“For six centuries, the northern states have not been blind. Many have watched the Violet mages’ every move, including our family. But those mages seem genuinely here only to travel and spread magic. Aside from academic exchanges and short-term contracts, they don’t meddle in politics, don’t intermarry, don’t accept military contracts, don’t establish any organizations affiliated with the Violet Kingdom, don’t build personal power bases—and as soon as their agreed travel period ends, they leave immediately. Even when a royal house offered eternal titles and vast lands, none stayed.”

“That… is impressive,” Gawain muttered. “Makes you even more curious.”

“Yes, but whether you care or not, that’s just how they operate,” Victoria nodded. “Of course, some speculate they’re masters of disguise and hiding their true aims… But after six hundred years, countless eyes watching, the Violet mages have never slipped up. That alone is almost proof enough.”

“That only shows their goal isn’t to interfere in Loren’s power struggles. But whether their goal is truly limited to scholarly travel—that’s hard to say. This country is too mysterious… mysterious enough to inspire caution,” Gawain said thoughtfully, stroking his chin. Then he suddenly looked up at Victoria. “Can you tell me more about your childhood? How were you chosen? What methods did they use to ‘guide’ the selected gifted ones?”

“The Violet Kingdom’s selection process has always been a mystery. They’ve never revealed specific criteria,” Victoria shook her head. “You know, the City of a Thousand Towers holds an extraordinary place for mages—like a heavenly sanctuary or a sacred temple of the magic goddess. Being chosen by them is a lifelong dream for many mages—it means a guaranteed path to advanced, even legendary, levels.

“Regardless of how mediocre a mage was before, returning from the City of a Thousand Towers means starting at a high level. So many have tried to uncover the Violet Kingdom’s selection standards. Some secret societies have even tried desperately to open channels to send apprentices there. But no one has ever found a pattern. Their selection seems to prioritize magical talent, but there have been cases where ordinary farmers were suddenly ‘guided’ in their fields. They mostly choose young people, but older individuals have also been accepted. There are even rumors they’ve taken goblins and kobolds from the wilds… though those stories aren’t very credible.

“In short, I don’t know why I was chosen. I only remember one day when a mage visited Winterhold. My father received him. The mage showed the Violet Kingdom’s seal and a ‘Library Admission Certificate’ waiting for my signature. My parents talked with the mage for a long time, discussing enrollment details and contractual matters. Finally, they asked for my opinion. After I nodded, I became a provisional apprentice.”

Gawain looked surprised at the holographic image of the Grant Duchess. “You were the northern duke’s heir, and suddenly a foreigner shows up recruiting students. Then you have to leave home for a distant, closed-off place to study… Your parents just agreed? Isn’t that a bit rash?”

“Because this kind of thing happened more than once,” Victoria said calmly. “Over six centuries, five members of the Wilde family have become apprentices at the City of a Thousand Towers. Though the Violet Kingdom’s ‘admissions’ are rare opportunities for the mage community, over centuries and across the northern region, it’s happened many times. We’re familiar with it.

“Also, the Violet Kingdom’s ‘selection’ isn’t compulsory. Compared to traditional mage apprenticeship, the invitation from the City of a Thousand Towers is incredibly gentle and flexible. You can refuse or change your mind at any time—even if you’re already inside the Violet Kingdom, if you want to go home, they’ll send you back immediately. They also have a very detailed… what we’d now call an ‘Enrollment Agreement,’ which specifies standards for food and lodging, health guarantees, travel times, and course content. It’s…”

Victoria thought carefully about how to put it, then shrugged. “Very formal. Extremely formal.”

“Formal… alright. I still think something’s off. There’s a lot of trouble in this,” Gawain sighed. “But go on—what happened after you were ‘accepted’? How did they bring apprentices to the City of a Thousand Towers?”

“There are rumors that the Violet guides use flying ships that traverse dreams and the starry sea to pick up selected apprentices. When all the crew are dreaming, the ship sails itself, crossing an invisible horizon, plunging into a cave bathed in auroras, and arriving at the Archmage Prince’s courtyard by dawn…” Victoria said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Very romantic and ‘magical’ imagery. But unfortunately, the reality is far more mundane.”

“They used ordinary passenger ships to pick us up—ships far less advanced than our current magic-powered warships. The apprentices usually gathered in some small northern town. Once aboard, it took less than half a day to cross the narrow strait between Violet and the Loren continent. The ship’s dining hall served decent meals, which I still remember.

“After crossing the strait, the ship, loaded with apprentices, would dock at a coastal city. The exact port changed every time—I recall arriving at a small town called ‘Prandel,’ a place perpetually shrouded in rain, a rare weather for the north.

“After a brief rest, we met the envoy from the City of a Thousand Towers. I remember she was a kindly old lady, responsible for guiding new apprentices deeper into the Violet Kingdom. I recall her saying it was the ‘true, eternal Violet realm…’

“‘True, eternal Violet realm?’” Gawain immediately caught on to those unusual words, his expression turning serious. “Why did she say that?”

“She never explained. Maybe she did later, but I don’t remember,” Victoria shook her head. “But I do remember the emotion behind her words—a deep, nostalgic tone, as if she wasn’t talking about a thriving kingdom, but one that had been destroyed, a place only to be remembered forever…”

“That’s a crucial clue. I’ll make a note of it,” Gawain nodded. “What happened next? Were you taken to the City of a Thousand Towers? How did you get there?”

“We were led outside the city. There were no roads leading into the kingdom’s heart—only endless dense forest and thick mist. The old lady told us that the roads of Violet don’t extend in the physical world; they connect the cities through a higher dimension. To reach the City of a Thousand Towers, the only way was to find those hidden paths within the mist…”

Heddy, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up: “So, apprentices arriving in the Violet Kingdom first face some kind of trial, and only those who pass can truly reach the City of a Thousand Towers?”

“No, only local mage apprentices have to take that test. We paid extra tuition, so we could enter directly—that was the old lady’s exact words.”

Gawain: “…”

Heddy couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth: “And then?”

“Then she led us through that thick fog—that’s all I remember.”

(End of chapter)