(Attendance… plz…)
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"Let us begin, Lord Barthomeloi."
The old fox, Trambelio, broke the silence first, feigning wakefulness.
"First item on the agenda: The budget application for the Mage's Association..."
Lorelei Barthomeloi's voice was strong, indifferent, and efficient as she began listing the topics requiring the Lords' collective decision.
At first, Rimuru listened intently, trying to glean information. But as the minutes ticked by, his attention waned. His eyelids grew heavy, and soon he found himself staring blankly at the intricate patterns on the ceiling, zoning out completely.
The meeting proceeded with mechanical efficiency.
It was nothing like the dramatic debates Rimuru had imagined. There were no heated arguments, no verbal fencing matches.
For the vast majority of topics, the Lords simply waited for the proposal to be read, offered a collective shrug of indifference, and then moved to a vote.
"No objection."
"No objection."
"No objection."
It was harmoniously boring. It felt less like a shadowy council of rulers and more like a family deciding what to order for dinner, except everyone just said "whatever is fine."
Until they reached the seventh item.
"An old topic, once again," Lorelei announced, her tone flat. "Regarding the appointment of the Department Head for the Department of Modern Magecraft (Norwich)..."
To her, this was just another formality. Another box to check.
"If I recall correctly, this is the third year in a row, isn't it?"
Rufleus Nuada-Re Eulyphis, the Lord of the Department of Spiritual Evocation (and Kayneth's superior), spoke up. But it wasn't him. It was Jigmarie, the Lord of the Department of Curses, who rubbed the ring on his finger, looking utterly bored.
"Since no one is willing to take over that department, what is the point of bringing it up every year? My opinion remains unchanged: maintain the status quo. Let us second the motion and move on."
Normally, this would be the cue for everyone to nod and skip to the next item.
But this time, a calm, aged voice cut through the routine.
"Speaking of which... I hear the Archelots have made some rather significant moves this year."
Rimuru jolted. The sudden deviation from the script acted like a splash of cold water. He straightened up instantly.
Finally! Is it starting?!
The legendary passive-aggressive sniping!
"Hah?"
May Riddell, who had been mentally checked out and daydreaming like a student in a principal's assembly, suddenly bristled. She bared her small canine teeth, glaring across the table.
"What is that supposed to mean, Eulyphis?"
"I heard that this year, the Archelot family invested half of their total assets into the mundane telecommunications industry and... what was it? Ele... Electronic products?"
Lord Eulyphis clearly had a distaste for the words. He frowned as he spoke them, as if the very syllables left a bad taste in his mouth.
"That seems to align quite well with the Department of Modern Magecraft, doesn't it? Why not consider it?"
"Heh."
Eulyphis's comment injected the first real scent of gunpowder into the stale air of the meeting.
A middle-aged man sitting in the seat of the Gaius family glanced between the two Lords. He let out a light chuckle and shook his head helplessly.
Eulyphis was being genuinely nasty.
The status of the Department of Modern Magecraft was abysmal. It was so low that no Lord wanted to touch it. It was the slum of the Clock Tower.
It wasn't just about the stigma of "Modern Magecraft" being looked down upon by traditionalists. It was about economics.
For years, the budget for Norwich had been cannibalized by the other departments.
The academic city itself was undeveloped and dilapidated, looking more like a crumbling ghetto than a place of learning.
Even its affiliated university facilities were subpar.
Taking over that department meant inheriting a massive debt. You wouldn't get any resources; you'd have to pour your own money into it just to keep the lights on and fund student research.
It was a financial black hole. Asking May to take it was basically asking her to set her money on fire.
Don't assume that Mages have infinite money.
Sure, they aren't short on pocket change. Most Magus families have substantial incomes from patent fees on their spells and mystic codes. But magic is expensive.
Just think about Rin. One spell equals one jewel. One high-grade jewel equals a small fortune.
It's no wonder the Tohsaka family, despite living in a western-style mansion, eventually had a head of house who needed to work part-time jobs just to make ends meet.
May Riddell's Archelot family was the exception. They were "Dog Big Households" (Filthy Rich). Not only did they have their massive coal and industrial fortune from the mundane world, but they also controlled the Department of Botany, the faculty famous for its potions and pharmaceuticals.
Potions were a cash cow.
The other Lords were jealous. They couldn't bring themselves to lower their dignity to make money in the mundane world, but they had been eyeing the Department of Botany with envy for a long time.
Since the Archelots already held such a lucrative position, there was logically no reason for May to touch the mess that was the Department of Modern Magecraft.
Eulyphis wasn't seriously expecting her to trade a gold mine for a garbage dump; he was just trying to annoy her.
But to everyone's shock, May raised an eyebrow and nodded.
"Sure. I'll take it."
"Hm?!"
The room froze.
The Lord of Gaius, who was on decent terms with May, blinked in confusion. Even Lorelei Barthomeloi paused. The magical quill recording the minutes had already flipped the page, but she stopped it with a flick of her finger and forced it to go back.
She looked at May, her voice cool and sharp.
"Are you certain?"
A Lord could manage two departments simultaneously. It wasn't against the rules. But managing two academic cities was a strategic nightmare. It created a massive vulnerability.
Even if no one attacked her right now, May would have to pour immense capital into Norwich to make it functional.
If she failed to revitalize it? When her political enemies eventually attacked, she'd be forced to abandon it, taking a massive hit to her reputation and prestige as a Lord.
If she succeeded? Well, a revived department, no matter how small, was a piece of meat. The Archelots couldn't possibly hold onto both Botany and Modern Magecraft forever.
It was predictable. The moment it became profitable, Eulyphis would be the first to jump out, cite "monopoly laws" or "administrative burden," and force her to give it up. Then, the vultures would circle to see who could claim the prize she had built.
In short: taking over the Department of Modern Magecraft right now was a thankless task with high risk and zero immediate reward.
"How should I put this?"
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