(Attendance… plz…)
….
The conversation died down, leaving a comfortable silence between them.
They walked through the labyrinthine corridors of the Clock Tower, passing through layer after layer of bounded fields. Finally, they pushed open a massive, hollow-sounding set of double doors.
The warm, late-January sunlight washed over Rimuru.
If the previous hallways, the domain of the General Fundamentals Department, felt somewhat familiar to him, the scene before him now was completely alien.
The Clock Tower was massive. It comprised over seventy-five separate "Academic Cities" or facility blocks. The main headquarters, centered around the British Museum, occupied nearly half of that space.
Hidden behind the Great Bounded Field of the Museum lay the heart of the Association.
The headquarters of the Department of General Fundamentals (Mystic Lore) stood at the forefront.
It was the faculty with the most students and the broadest curriculum. As a lecturer for this department, Rimuru rarely had a reason to venture deeper than the main building.
The inner sanctums, like the Department of Creation (Valuay) run by the Three Great Aristocratic Families, were like restricted research institutes.
Technically, Rimuru had the right to be here. Clock Tower rules stated that any faculty member or student could enter any classroom or facility, provided they had the courage to walk in.
You could take an afternoon stroll into the Director's office if you had the guts. Most people didn't.
Stepping out of the main building, Rimuru was greeted by a sprawling green lawn under a clear blue sky.
The afternoon classes had just ended. Students were scattering in twos and threes, wandering across the grassy quad that resembled a university campus.
Rimuru stopped. A powerful sense of déjà vu hit him.
He looked toward a large tree standing alone on a small hill in the distance.
If I remember correctly… Isn't that the spot where Rin and Emiya usually take their naps in the anime?
Rimuru stared at the tree, feeling a strange mix of absurdity and nostalgia.
Does this count as a Sacred Site Pilgrimage?
The plaza, awash with the scent of fresh grass, was deceptively large.
It was a sprawling open space, sliced apart by small, modern shopping centers and surrounded by a continuous ring of distinct districts.
To the untrained eye, it looked like a recreational park for students. In reality, it was a massive transportation hub camouflaged by greenery, connecting every "Academic City" within the British Museum's jurisdiction while perfectly bypassing the mundane world.
"The entire British Museum territory is divided into five sectors, controlled by the Three Great Aristocratic Families and the Director," May explained softly, noticing Rimuru's unfamiliarity with the layout. In her eyes, it was only a matter of time before he relearned all of this anyway.
"Although there are cities directly under the Director's command, the place we are heading to right now is the Department of Policies. Lord Barthomeloi is currently serving as the Director's aide, so the meeting is being held on their turf."
She paused, then added, "Though, I suspect you'll have to make a trip to the Director's office personally later on."
"Mhm."
Rimuru wasn't surprised. May had mentioned the Director wanting to see him multiple times since yesterday. He was mentally prepared.
Truthfully, Rimuru was less interested in the politics of the surface and more intrigued by the fifth sector May hadn't mentioned.
The Spirit Tomb Albion.
The massive dungeon complex beneath London.
Even most Professors only understood the surface layer, the "Mining City." But Rimuru knew there was more. It was the rumored home of the Fairies, a gateway to the Inner World.
Does it connect to other dimensions? Rimuru wondered. If I want to master spatial magic, that might be a place I need to visit.
Lost in thought, Rimuru followed May on what turned out to be a very inefficient route.
They practically circled the entire Clock Tower campus. Just as the appointment time loomed dangerously close, May abruptly doubled back, rushing them to a building less than two kilometers from where they had started at the General Fundamentals faculty.
Rimuru stood in front of the destination, breathless.
"So," he deadpanned, "the Department of Policies was right next door, but you decided to take me on a scenic lap around the entire perimeter?"
"Details, details."
Rimuru looked up at the building. It was massive, constructed in a rigid trapezoidal structure that exuded authority.
Dark gold patterns traced the stone, giving the building the aura of a slumbering lion. It was solemn, majestic, and intimidating, perfectly befitting the Barthomeloi family.
"I appreciate you showing me around," Rimuru sighed, "but being late to a meeting of the Lords isn't exactly good for your image, is it?"
"Does it look like I care?"
May rolled her eyes.
If the Archelot family didn't desperately need a heavy hitter to secure their standing among the Twelve Lords, she wouldn't be here playing teacher. She would be touring the country!
Who wants to be a dusty old mage?
That's right. In her heart, May Riddell wasn't a Lord. She was a Super Idol!
"Is it really okay for me to go in with you?"
Rimuru stared at the heavy doors, which were humming with layers of defensive bounded fields. For the first time all day, he felt a spike of genuine nervousness.
In his past life, he had dealt with many people and capitalists without blinking. Back then, Cash was King. But here? Money didn't mean anything.
Standing behind these doors were the apex predators of the magical world.
For a Magus, only two things determined status: the depth of your knowledge, and your proximity to the Root.
Rimuru might not have had any burning desire to reach the Root, but self-preservation was another story. Based on his own calculations, his current combat capabilities, without the Great Sage's autopilot mode, were roughly on par with Kayneth.
Strong? Yes. But in this room? He was a small fish in a tank of sharks.
"Of course it's fine," May replied effortlessly, placing her hand on the magical authentication panel. "Leaving aside the fact that you are the primary subject of this meeting, Lords have the right to bring an assistant."
She paused, her expression shifting.
"However..."
Creak!
Boom!
The massive doors groaned with the weight of centuries, slowly swinging open.
Instantly, a dozen gazes shot past May, locking onto Rimuru like targeting lasers.
….
3 more to go…
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