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Chapter 505: The "Useless" Meeting
The Arcanists each had their own agendas, and the "opinions" they voiced invariably leaned toward their personal interests.
Their proposals were no different—if the resources were approved, wouldn't they end up in their hands?
Watching these scheming Arcanists, Matthew found it immensely entertaining.
Morduncan glanced at him, seemingly struck by a thought, and asked without hesitation:
"Is this your first time attending a meeting?"
Matthew looked at the few Arcanists who constantly spoke and nodded while replying:
"That's right. Before this year, I wasn't even an Intermediate Arcanist."
Everyone knew that Arcanists never bothered to lie.
Hearing this, Morduncan stared at Matthew in disbelief, his heart filled with shock.
In just one year, Matthew had not only crossed the threshold from Low to Intermediate Arcanist but had also reached the peak of the Intermediate rank?
Even as the student of an Archmage, that was no easy feat!
Morduncan, clearly having some thoughts, tapped the space between their seats.
A small soundproof barrier immediately enclosed the two of them.
Matthew curiously examined the edge of the barrier. Meeting Morduncan's hesitant gaze, he spoke first:
"I thought this would be a bit more orderly."
"Hmph, every Arcanist just wants a share of the funds for their own experiments."
"This is nothing; in the past, things would even escalate to physical altercations."
Morduncan seemed to recall something and pointed toward the edges of each section in the room.
Defensive barriers ready to activate at any moment.
Well, everyone here was an Arcanist—who didn't know how to wreck a place?
"This chaos won't last much longer. Before the discussion even begins, the council's intentions and plans have already been mostly finalized."
Morduncan's tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction as his sharp eyes lingered on the clownish Arcanists. With some frustration, he asked:
"Why doesn't Archmage Cronorman discipline them?"
Matthew silently analyzed Morduncan's personality and recalled what players had said about him. Outwardly, he casually replied:
"How could he? He's not the only Archmage here."
"For them, as long as their objectives are met, everything else can be set aside temporarily."
Surprised by Matthew's perceptiveness, Morduncan couldn't help but shake his head with a bitter smile:
"How did it come to this?"
Seeing Morduncan's distress, Matthew didn't answer directly. Instead, he posed a seemingly unrelated question:
"How many Arcanists, in general, wish for others to also become Arcanists?"
After a moment of contemplation, Morduncan gestured for him to continue.
Matthew dropped the pretense and stated bluntly:
"If nothing unexpected happens, they'd hope no new Arcanists ever emerge—fewer competitors for resources that way."
"Most mage organizations focus on selecting and nurturing Arcanists within their own faction, just like what's happening here, to better protect their interests..."
"When it comes to governing a nation, they're not experts. They're just waving flags for their personal agendas."
"They don't know what the country needs—they only know what they lack."
Listening to Matthew, Morduncan turned to look at the incessantly vocal Arcanists, slightly opened his mouth, and rubbed his forehead in frustration:
"Hah, I guess I'm one of them too."
"That depends on whether the resources you gain come at the expense of others or through proper means step by step."
"As long as you don't harm others, you can still be considered a decent person."
Matthew, feeling a bit bored, continued the discussion with Morduncan. Seeing the confusion in his eyes, Matthew couldn't help but smile faintly.
The reason he was engaging with Morduncan so much wasn't just to pick up spells but to plant a seed in the mind of this genius.
One day, when this seed sprouted and revealed its true form, the world might be in for a surprise.
Meanwhile, Cronorman, sitting silently, could feel the gazes directed at him from all sides. He let out a faint hum.
It seemed as if he had confined himself within a cage, bound his hands, and was "fighting" these cunning Arcanists.
No matter how much these people yelled and argued, Cronorman pretended not to hear or see them.
Realizing that the ongoing noise wouldn't contribute to the agenda, the Arcanist chairing the meeting raised his voice:
"Alright, everyone's opinions have been gathered. Next, we'll select the most critical proposals for voting."
As soon as he finished speaking, the central platform displayed the prominent suggestions made earlier by the Arcanists.
"Deploy legions to the western hills to annihilate the orcs in one swift move."
"Reinforce the demi-planes by deploying more personnel for suppression."
"Address the situation at Scarlet Fortress and seal the Abyssal Rift."
"Provide aid to the Dwarven Kingdom."
These prominent proposals were prominently displayed for everyone to see.
Matthew and Morduncan simultaneously curled their lips in disdain.
Predictably, the chairperson began summoning votes on these issues one by one.
The proceedings dragged on for two whole hours.
When the final results were announced, Matthew wasn't surprised—if anything, he was a little amused.
The first proposal, deploying legions to the western hills,
was rejected.
The second proposal, stabilizing the demi-planes,
was approved.
The third proposal, rebuilding Scarlet Fortress and the 3rd and 8th legions while sealing the Abyssal Rift,
was conditionally approved.
The council would allocate funds for the fortress reconstruction as per the existing plan.
However, the 3rd and 8th legions were left to fend for themselves.
For Matthew, this wasn't bad news; it meant the 3rd and 8th legions would now have their own funding.
The first three proposals were mildly contentious, but these seasoned schemers had already settled the key issues behind the scenes.
When it came to the Dwarven Kingdom, however, even the self-serving Arcanists couldn't afford to be reckless.
After all, providing real aid meant real expenses—hard currency and tangible resources.
And when push came to shove, the Empire wouldn't be able to avoid deploying its forces to assist.
The Netheril Empire and the Dwarven Kingdom had a longstanding alliance treaty.
Either they didn't help at all, or they'd have to go all in.
Besides, the Dwarven Kingdom had helped the Empire in the past—twice, no less.
This time, with even the stubborn dwarves asking for aid, there was little reason to refuse.
Reluctantly, the council settled on a compromise:
"Select certain lords and territories to liaise with the Dwarven Kingdom and provide selective support. The council will offer compensation (excluding resources)."
Simply put,
the Netheril Empire would provide aid, but there was no guarantee it would arrive!
Finally, Cronorman stood up, sweeping a solemn gaze across the room. Seeing no objections, he slowly spoke:
"Now, which Arcanist lords are willing to offer support?"