(Attendance… plz…)
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"How should I put this?"
May tilted her chin up, resting her cheek against her hand in a pose of casual arrogance. She smiled lightly.
"The Archelots can afford to support another Academic City. In fact... the car I drove here today? The one you all look down on? Its value alone could probably buy the entire city of Slra."
Slra. The name of the Academic City for Modern Magecraft.
The future domain of Lord El-Melloi II (Waver Velvet).
But right now, it was just a dump. And May's blatant display of nouveau riche flex made the corners of Eulyphis's mouth twitch uncontrollably.
You have money... so what?! Do you think having money makes you special?!
Technically, other Lords might have assets comparable to the Archelots on paper. But they spent their wealth on rare materials, catalysts, and research. They didn't reinvest it into mundane capitalism. They couldn't.
They were chasing the Root. That required endless spending on knowledge and mystery.
But the Archelots?
They relied on Witch's Blood.
Sure, they studied magic. But they didn't have the same desperate, resource-draining need as the others. While other families spent tens of millions on materials to improve their Magic Crest by 1%, a Witch just had to take a nap, let the bloodline do its work, and boom, inheritance complete.
Plus, they made their own potions. They saved money on supplies and sold the excess for profit. Over generations, "saving a little here and there" had snowballed into a financial empire.
"However," May said, straightening up as she saw the speechless expressions around the table.
"I don't see the utility in taking over a department that you all have already hollowed out. So, I have considered an alternative..."
May turned her head, glancing at Rimuru with a mischievous smile, before addressing the table.
"I can guarantee the normal operation of the city and ensure it meets the rating standards for next year. However... as you all know, I am quite busy. My concert tour schedule is demanding. Therefore, I intend to appoint the position of Department Head to... Rimuru."
The moment the name left her lips, the air in the room shifted.
Eulyphis, who had guessed this might happen, paused his tapping on the table. He remained silent, watching.
Instead, the objection came from the Neutral Faction.
"I object," Lord Brishisan stated flatly.
Lorelei Barthomeloi remained silent for a heartbeat before delivering her verdict. "The qualification of a Department Head is not something a mere Lecturer can claim. Perhaps you should consider a different candidate."
"In that case," May replied, her voice light and unbothered, "let us move this agenda item to the end. Specifically, after Item Twelve."
Silence.
For a few seconds, the entire conference room fell deadly quiet.
Eulyphis retracted his withered, skeletal fingers from the table. The gloomy aura surrounding him seemed to darken, thickening like grave soil.
"You planned this... from the very beginning, didn't you?"
His voice was calm, but it carried the scent of decay.
Rufleus Nuada-Re Eulyphis was Kayneth's mentor and, aside from the Three Great Families, the only figure who could stand on equal footing with them.
He looked like a necromancer, white hair cascading down, skin dry and shriveled.
He was draped in rings and ornaments encrusted with heavy jewels, but they didn't look like displays of wealth. They looked like burial goods for a corpse.
"Very well," Eulyphis croaked. "Since you believe a change is in order... show us your hand."
"Item Twelve."
Eulyphis's clouded, ancient eyes turned to Rimuru for the first time.
Rimuru met the gaze without flinching.
"The twelfth item on the agenda," Lord Gaius interjected, trying to diffuse the mounting pressure, "is the deliberation on whether Lord Rimuru can be reinstated to the position of Professor."
"The specific position and arrangements are the Director's prerogative," Gaius explained smoothly. "We are simply required to give our consensus."
"To be precise," Lorelei added sternly, "we are deciding whether to pass the motion. If there are too many objections, the matter will be postponed."
"It would only be a postponement, wouldn't it?" May argued softly. "A Lecturer who holds the rank of Brand? It is only a matter of time before Rimuru becomes a Professor. Why delay the inevitable?"
"Brand... Blue, is it?"
A slightly frivolous voice cut in with a laugh.
"May I ask, Lord Rimuru... is it 'Blue'?"
Crap.
May Riddell froze. Her face darkened as she shot a sharp glare at the speaker.
Lord Meluastea. The Lord of the Department of Archaeology. A middle-aged man with a thin mustache who looked less like a noble mage and more like a shady merchant waiting for a rabbit to fall into his trap.
He was cunning. He knew exactly where to strike.
May knew Rimuru had never accepted the title of "Blue Lecturer" or being part of the "Blue Twins." He had always insisted on calling himself "Black."
For a normal Professor appointment, this wouldn't matter. The Lords could simply approve or deny based on merit. But Rimuru was different.
The title of "Professor" for him wasn't just a job. It was a ticket back into the inner circle of the Twelve Families.
"Professor Rimuru" and "Professor Tempest" were two very different concepts.
This vote was about whether to restore the glory and privileges of the Tempest family, and whether the other Lords would recognize him as one of their own.
If this motion passed, it meant Rimuru would eventually challenge one of the existing families for their seat. The Lords knew this. May knew this.
She had expected opposition. She just hadn't expected them to force Rimuru to declare his allegiance so soon.
The Twelve Families prioritized their collective stability above all else. They fought internally, yes, but they formed a united front against outsiders. The system of the Clock Tower existed to bind these twelve noble lines together.
So, Rimuru's answer mattered.
Titles were bestowed by the Mage's Association. And since the Clock Tower effectively was the Association, representing the other two major branches for all intents and purposes, denying the title here would be a disaster.
It wouldn't be fatal, per se. But it would be the social equivalent of walking into a job interview at Google and telling the CEO that you hate their company culture. It was a guaranteed way to fail the vibe check.
The Twelve Lords might appear equal on paper, but factions were factions. Circles existed within circles, and every circle had a hierarchy.
Faced with Meluastea's trap, Rimuru paused for a fraction of a second.
Then, he smiled.
He wasn't what he was yesterday. He didn't carry the stubborn pride of a mage who refused to be associated with Aozaki Aoko. He didn't care about the rivalry.
….
Sigh all done… so dont be shy to comment and send power stones guys…
And i'm thinking of power stone goals for this week.
How about:
499 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter.
999 Power Stones = 1 More Bonus Chapter
you can join my discord server: https://discord.gg/5Y7uZ2kN2Y
Or in short just click in join via invite link in your discord and enter this code: 5Y7uZ2kN2Y