I and the Witch of Time Who Seeks the Past

Chapter 3 – The Magic Association (3)

More and more people filled the hall.

We sat in our designated seats, watching as the places around us were taken one after another.

There was no sign of Lijedahl and her group. Perhaps they would only appear once the meeting began.

At that moment, a young man sat down in the empty seat to my left.

I didn't pay much attention to him. Instead, I focused on observing the layout of the hall and the important figures seated in the front rows.

Then, I felt a slight tug at the hem of my clothes from the left.

Ah. He's trying to steal my money.

Without a word, I pulled back my hand. Then, with a swift motion, I grabbed his hand without even turning my head.

The young man was startled. But given the tense and solemn atmosphere of the hall, he dared not make a loud noise.

I turned to look at him. His boyish face was full of fear and anger.

"Let go! Let me go!"

He hissed under his breath, but I had no intention of releasing him so easily.

"Steal from me, and still expect me to let you go?"

I twisted his hand outward.

"Ah..!"

He gave a muffled cry of pain, and then anger took over.

"Let... go of me!"

This time, he didn't bother lowering his voice. He raised his right fist, ready to swing, but before he could, I clamped my hand over his mouth and landed a sharp hook to his kidney, forcing him back into his seat.

The whole thing lasted no more than two seconds. I hadn't made much movement or noise.

"Please remain quiet, sir."

I looked at him calmly as I released my hand. The fury in his eyes had vanished, replaced by fear.

"Don't be afraid. Tell me, why did you try to steal from me?"

He hesitated, clutching the spot I had struck, and stammered.

"I... I—I had no choice, sir. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

"What do you mean by 'no choice'?"

"Our mentor is going to drive us out, and he refuses to pay us for our work. We're desperate."

"Why not go find another job?"

"Because the mentor forces us to stay. He makes us work for him until he no longer needs us."

"... What a pitiful student. Don't do this again. When you're cast out, go live an honest life. Stay away from the big cities if you can. A farmer's life may be easier than a worker's."

With that, I slipped him a little money.

"Ah... ah! Thank you, sir. Thank you, thank you!"

"Now sit properly. Nothing happened here today."

After settling the matter, Anna and the others seemed to notice something unusual. Anna asked me.

"Mr. Will? What were you just doing?"

"Nothing. This young man asked me something, and I gave him an answer."

"I see."

Jona then spoke up innocently.

"I wonder what gift Teacher Ken will give me? If it's another doll, that would be so boring."

"Hey, Jona. Whatever Teacher Ken gives, it's from his heart. You shouldn't complain like that."

"Ah! You're right. I need to hurry and apologize to Teacher Ken."

"No need. Just sit quietly, that's enough."

"Ugh, I'm so bored."

Their little exchange was as amusing as ever. Watching them, I couldn't help but smile.

But the meeting was about to begin soon. From that young man's words, I had learned a bit about the inner workings of the Magic Association.

Considering the times, it was clear the Magic Association was in decline. Those so-called mentors were simply squeezing every ounce of value from their apprentices. These students were no different from the common poor outside, only with a bit of magic.

This meeting, then, might not only deal with the surface issues Lijedahl and I had analyzed, but also the deeper problems festering within. Lijedahl herself might even be kept in the Magic Association by President Wolf. Even without revealing her true power, she was already a prodigy.

Once the meeting began, I would have to prepare myself for political maneuvering and for clashes between Mr. Ken's faction and the others.

"Dong..."

A heavy chime echoed from the great lighthouse in the distance, interrupting my thoughts. The hall, already quiet, fell into complete silence. Everyone turned toward the back.

I turned as well. On the path leading to the round table, a group of people—dressed in finery or solemn robes, their eyes filled with pride—walked forward.

At the front was President Wolf. Two others followed; one of them was Mr. Ken. I did not recognize the man in the middle, but his presence was overwhelming.

We all rose and bowed before they arrived, only sitting once they had passed. I noticed that the procession was a mix of young and old, men and women—those at the front appeared younger, while some of the elders walked in the rear.

And at the very end of the line was Lijedahl.

Could it be... the seating is arranged by rank?

I didn't look up again. Once they had all taken their places at the round table, I pulled Anna and Jona down with me, and we sat together with the others.

"Uwah... I'm so nervous..."

Jona whispered to Anna in a voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz. But since I sat right beside them, I still heard it clearly.

"Shh."

I gestured for silence.

"..."

They both nodded slightly, then turned their attention to the round table.

"Let us begin."

The president's commanding voice rang out, marking the start of the meeting.

"Thank you, fellow mages, for attending. I'll skip the unnecessary formalities—this meeting is of the utmost importance. It may determine the future of the British magical community. After this, we may become witnesses of history... or we may become the final chapter in the history of the British Magic Association."

His words were calm, yet the pressure they carried did not diminish in the slightest.

Under such an atmosphere, no one dared to speak. All eyes were fixed on the president, waiting for him to continue.

I noticed that those seated at the round table, the leading figures, all wore grim expressions. Including Lijedahl, there were only thirty people seated there, though the table had space for fifty.

"Then, allow me to announce today's agenda."

A refined, well-dressed middle-aged man in a suit, wearing round spectacles, rose from the table and spoke solemnly.

"To restore the status of mages in the international community, to change our current situation, and to uncover the cause of the recent magical anomalies."

Before his words had even finished, a murmur of uncontrollable discussion swept the hall—but it quickly died down again.

The bespectacled man swept the room with an authoritative gaze and continued.

"Let us proceed in order. Miss Vianna, what is your stance?"

From the round table, a beautifully dressed woman stood. She was striking, haughty, and radiated a restless energy. She addressed the president.

"We must declare war on the Academy of Sciences! They have suppressed our magical progress, captured our members, and forced mages to act according to their rules. We cannot turn a deaf ear any longer—we must reclaim our rights."

Her words seemed to ignite the emotions of the people behind her. They could no longer contain themselves and shouted.

"Mages will not be oppressed! War! To war!"

Their fervor burned high, but aside from her faction, no one else joined in. They stood united on their side of the table, making the scene feel almost eerie.

The president then spoke.

"Miss Vianna, it seems your people are overflowing with passion. You've filled the hall with your zeal for battle."

He smiled calmly at her. I understood—the meaning behind his words was simply: be quiet.

Vianna was no fool. She barked a sharp order.

"Silence!"

Instantly, the hall fell into dead quiet.

It was unsettling—why were they so perfectly in sync?

I looked forward and saw Lijedahl seated beside Mr. Ken.

"I see... Oh heavens, so that's it."

I murmured to myself.

The seating was arranged according to faction loyalty.

No wonder that strange display had gone unchallenged.

I glanced around the hall again. Behind the twenty empty seats at the round table, only a small handful of people were seated. That must have been the neutral faction—but compared to the others, their numbers looked pitifully thin.

"Well then, Miss Vianna. Is that the stance you wished to present?"

"... Hmph. Yes."

"Very well. It will be entered into the record. Now, Mr. Igell, what is your position?"

Mr. Ken rose slowly, still smiling with his usual courtesy.

"We do not treat magic as a tool for ambition or a weapon of war and slaughter. Our stance is this: to revive magic as much as possible, while ensuring our own safety."

"Bang! Bang!"

Two loud thuds shook the table, the echoes ringing through the hall.

The ones responsible were Vianna herself and another man, an elder whose name I did not know. His face was deeply lined with age, but his towering frame gave off an oppressive strength. From the force of his strike against the table, it was clear he possessed no small amount of power.

"IGELL! Do you mean we should just stand by while the Academy of Sciences suppresses us and watch our people die?!"

That cry came from the woman. Immediately, the older man bellowed in a hoarse voice.

"Mr. Igell, if what you say is true, then the Magic Association will perish on a dead end—you're evading the problem!"

The atmosphere coalesced into a pressure cooker. It looked like Mr. Ken was about to be attacked from both sides. Just as the sparks were about to fly, Lijedahl suddenly shouted from her seat.

"Is interrupting someone while they're speaking the style of leadership in our Magic Association? Is that how you two lead?"

Her voice thundered through the hall and cut off the two factions' attack on Mr. Ken.

"You—"

The older man opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the president intervened.

"Mr. Colleman, I think Miss Lijedahl is right."

The tension eased at once.

"Ahem, both of you—please, we haven't reached the debate portion yet. Let Mr. Igell finish."

The moderator, Mr. Henry, resumed control of the meeting.

"Please continue, Mr. Igell."

Mr. Ken kept his courteous smile, as if nothing could ruffle him.

"Very well, Mr. Henry."

He took out a blank sheet of paper and showed it to everyone.

"As I said, we should revive magic wherever we can. But right now we are like this sheet of paper—blank, and sullied by the darkness that surrounds us."

He stopped smiling; his eyes sharpened like an eagle's.

"This problem, I cannot solve alone."

A murmur of shock swept the hall. The faces around the table darkened further—yet Mr. Ken seemed unperturbed.

"But I also know that going to war will not change our situation; it will only cost lives unnecessarily."

I saw Vianna almost erupt, though she controlled herself—she probably thought he was talking nonsense. I knew he would point out the most lethal truth, unless he was deliberately feigning ignorance.

He did not disappoint. He named the crucial point.

"Instead of going to war, we should bring back the mages we've lost over the years."

That struck home.

"Your words are useless!"

Vianna slammed the table and rose to her feet—finally unable to contain herself.

"Miss Vianna, please show respect. Our bonds should not be broken by differing views. Hear him out."

"You're speaking nonsense. The situation is too dire—only war will do!"

"Why do I say to recall our mages? Because—"

"Are you ignoring me?"

"Because we don't have the manpower to fight, and our cohesion is utterly inadequate!"

Ken's voice flared; his gaze became razor-sharp, like a raptor about to strike. He raised his tone only slightly, but it was enough to silence the entire chamber.

"This is the first time I've seen Mr. Ken like this..."

Jona murmured to Anna, frightened; Anna could only soothe her. Even the president showed a flicker of astonishment on his face, then turned and issued a stern warning to Vianna.

"Miss Vianna, consider this your final warning."

Vianna seemed to realize she'd overstepped, and she sat back down.

The scene was chaotic, and it made clear how unstable matters were.

Mr. Ken continued.

"Listen. Bringing back our missing mages may seem pointless at first glance, but in truth, they are far more valuable than we imagine. Each mage studies different arts. Those who left are not necessarily prodigies—some are mediocre—but their abilities still place them beyond ordinary people. If we can regroup them under the Magic Association, then whether for war, scholarship, or improving living conditions, we'd have a solid foundation to build upon. Worse, if these lost mages lose faith in us and instead aid the Academy of Sciences, the damage would be catastrophic."

He finished, but I sensed a deeper political layer—he was also expanding his own pool of influence and shoring up his standing among the lower tiers. He is, unmistakably, a politician: a veteran statesman returned to the arena. No wonder President Wolf had spoken so highly of him.

This meeting was only going to get messier.

Mr. Henry, calm and composed, called the next speaker.

"Mr. Igell's remarks have been recorded. Mr. Colleman, what is your stance?"

"War is inevitable. The longer we delay, the worse it becomes for the Magic Association. I choose war."

The answer was blunt and decisive.

"Very well, then.."

"I choose revival."

"I choose war."