Chapter 299: Santis’s Mission

Kamail’s final words were delivered with great flair, but Gawain didn’t take them too seriously.

No mage could resist the allure of what Kamail described—even the most proud and traditional archmages.

True, some of Kamail’s ancient spells no longer functioned in this era, and many of the old techniques he knew depended on the Deep Blue Well to work. Yet this ancient archmage still possessed countless secrets that contemporary spellcasters would kill to learn: lost magical circles, rune knowledge, classical spells—if even a tenth of these were still usable, it would cause a huge stir among traditionalist mages.

Moreover, Kamail himself was a living relic, an ancient archmage who had survived since the Age of Sparks and transformed into an arcane being. That alone was enough to shake the mage community in the capital.

What Gawain had to consider now wasn’t whether the mages of the capital would be attracted to the Cecile Domain, but whether Kamail should be openly revealed to the traditional mage circles—and to what extent the news would spread among those drawn to him.

He didn’t want to prematurely draw the attention of the traditional mage community to Cecile Domain, a land whose order and values ran counter to theirs from the start. Though Gawain wasn’t afraid of those decayed old men, this was a critical stage in Cecile’s development. Attracting hostility too soon would only disrupt many of his plans.

But he also wouldn’t pass up the chance to recruit talent from the capital. The key was finding a balance between the two.

He shared his thoughts aloud, and Kamail immediately understood Gawain’s concerns. The ancient archmage chuckled deeply, “My lord, you’re right. If those mediocre fools knew that even a craftsman in Cecile Domain could weld with scorching rays, they’d probably lose their minds.”

“So we must control both the spread and the content of the information,” Gawain said, turning to Santis. “You mentioned that the down-and-out mages in the capital have their own small circles. Can you ensure the news only circulates within those circles? At least for a few months, maybe a year?”

Santis nervously fiddled with his button but, after a moment’s thought, nodded confidently. “My lord, I can guarantee that—and honestly, I don’t think it will require much effort. With a little guidance, no one will spread the news far and wide…”

“Oh?”

“Mages won’t let resources fall into others’ hands,” Santis said with a helpless smile, “especially ‘knowledge.’ Just tell them that I was fortunate enough to gain the lord’s favor in Cecile Domain, to glimpse some ancient magic, and receive a bit of guidance from an ancient archmage. Make them realize these resources and opportunities are extremely limited. Then the news will naturally stay within a small circle. If you want it to spread beyond that, it’ll take real effort…”

As he spoke, the young arcanist sighed softly.

He thought of the students at the academy, their eager eyes hungry for knowledge; the textbooks printed and bound for all to read; the sense of accomplishment that came from sharing knowledge.

The longer he stayed in Cecile Domain, the harder it was for him to adapt to life in the capital—even if that life had already become a memory.

“Hm… complete suppression would be a problem too, but with careful guidance, it seems manageable,” Gawain said, unaware of Santis’s inner thoughts as he weighed who should handle the task. “Amber, do we have suitable operatives among the first-phase agents?”

“Witch Gipri is a silver-tongued woman who knows some unorthodox magic—she’s basically an apprentice mage. Then there’s Pierce, quick on his feet. He doesn’t understand magic but is very clever and can pose as a guard to assist during the mission. But sending them alone to the capital is out of the question—they’ve never been there and have no way to enter the mage circles.”

“Of course, they’re just the persuaders. The real guide and leader…” Gawain looked at Santis. “Mr. Santis, would you be willing to return to the capital?”

If they wanted to recruit talent smoothly while controlling the flow of information and screening candidates, a few letters wouldn’t suffice. Santis was the best choice to personally oversee this mission. Of course, the introverted and insecure arcanist might struggle to work alone, so Gawain planned to assign one or two assistants—agents trained extensively in military intelligence and security.

Santis froze for a moment, hesitating.

He didn’t want to leave the academy, nor return to that stifling, oppressive place—but he knew he had to obey his lord’s orders.

“You won’t have to stay in the capital long,” Gawain reassured him. “You’ll just be the guide. After that, the people I send will establish a more permanent base there. Once you’ve successfully connected with the capital’s mage circles, you can come back. You’ll travel by carriage, escorted by soldiers. If you push hard, a round trip can be done in a month. Add in your time in the capital, and you should return just in time for the next wave of immigrants to the domain. The academy will also have a new batch of students by then.”

When Gawain had traveled to the capital himself, he’d deliberately taken it slow—stopping at nearly every village and taking detours—so the journey took almost two months. But Ansu was a narrow country north to south; traveling from the southern border to the capital wasn’t actually that long.

Hearing these arrangements, Santis finally relaxed and nodded firmly. “I won’t disappoint you.”

Gawain nodded slightly. “While you’re away, someone else will cover your classes. I’ll have Jenny select a suitable substitute, and you can coordinate with her. Also, once you arrive in the capital, you can stay at the residence on No. 4 Crown Street. That’s my estate there—safe and secure, away from prying eyes.”

Hearing they’d be staying in a duke’s mansion, Santis couldn’t help but grow nervous again…

At that moment, Amber chimed in, “By the way, since you’re suddenly sending someone back to the capital, shouldn’t you prepare an explanation? The nobles there are pretty sensitive…”

“Why bother?” Gawain said dismissively. “Just openly announce it’s for recruitment. No need to hide or explain. No matter what excuse I come up with, those paranoid nobles will imagine all sorts of schemes. Better to be straightforward—it saves me a lot of trouble. If they want to speculate, that’s their problem. Besides, recruiting talent isn’t something to be ashamed of.”

Amber’s ears twitched. “True enough…”

“As long as I don’t personally return to the capital, neither the king nor the nobles have any right to interfere in Cecile family affairs. The duke’s title still carries weight in that regard,” Gawain said, pulling out a piece of parchment used for noble documents. He quickly wrote and sealed an official letter. “Mr. Santis, take this. You are my official envoy sent to recruit mages in the capital. This is your public identity. As for the ‘secrets’ of Cecile Domain, you’ll have to organize secret meetings yourself. The intelligence agents will guide you on how to handle that. Don’t be nervous or pressured. With this letter, you represent a duke. The ones who should be nervous are the ‘little mages’ you meet.”

Santis took the document with some trepidation, once again pulling off a button as he had before. “Y-yes, my lord!”

“Remember, recruits must have clean backgrounds and no ‘baggage.’ We don’t need mages just for combat power, nor noble mages who are mere figureheads. Those with family ties or school affiliations can be accepted, but you must thoroughly understand their backgrounds. You don’t have to pry—that’s what the intelligence agents are for. Listen carefully to their advice.”

“I understand,” Santis said solemnly, tucking the letter close. Then, hesitating, he voiced a thought that had been weighing on him for some time. “My lord, actually… I hope to bring my family here as well.”

“Your family…” Gawain thought for a moment. “Ah, your parents, right?”

“Actually… I have a younger brother apprenticed elsewhere and a little sister,” Santis lowered his head. “I want to bring them all here.”

Gawain’s face lit up with genuine happiness. “Of course. You’re not the only one wanting to bring family over. More than half of the hundred people who came with you from the capital have already applied to bring their families to Cecile Domain. I’ve approved them all, but haven’t yet organized escort teams. Your trip is a perfect opportunity to handle that.”

Santis and Kamail left satisfied, while Amber studied Gawain’s expression and couldn’t help but say, “You look pretty happy.”

“Am I?”

“You’re smiling way too obviously,” Amber raised an eyebrow. “Why are you so glad that someone wants to bring their family here?”

“Wanting to stay here oneself and wanting to bring one’s family here are two different things,” Gawain patiently explained. “The former can be loyalty, honor, duty, or self-interest. The latter has only one meaning: Cecile Domain has truly become a beloved home to them. They’ve put down roots here.”

“Is that so…” Amber blinked, seeming to understand. “Even though this place borders the Gondor Wastelands and was recently attacked by monsters, they still want to bring their families here… that’s some serious commitment.”

“More like, the fact that we wiped out the monsters outside the walls without a single casualty only strengthened the confidence of those craftsmen and scholars from the capital,” Gawain nodded. “In this era, people’s sense of security depends on whether their lord and his army can protect them. If they can, even the Dark Mountains can be a paradise. If not, even living on the Holy Spirit Plains is no guarantee of safety.”

Seeing Amber’s serious expression as she pondered this, Gawain couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, stop thinking so hard. Keep an eye on things for me—I’m going to ‘meditate’ again.”

“Again? Same as last time?”

“Free Wi-Fi. Why not take advantage?”

“Ugh, you’re saying things no one understands again!”

(End of chapter)