I and the Witch of Time Who Seeks the Past

Chapter 3 – The Magic Magic Association (7)

"There's no need to unite all the mages in the country. Yesterday, I also raised the question—what if the Academy of Sciences attacks us while we're searching?"

That was Miss Vianna speaking.

The air thickened with gunpowder. Everyone's weapon—called their stance—was already loaded and ready to fire.

What surprised me was that her words didn't spark an argument. No one reacted; everyone simply waited for the next fuse to be lit.

I understood now—whichever side launched the first attack would immediately lose the upper hand.

Damn it. I hated standing here. I could feel the different gazes from all directions fixed sharply upon us.

"The Magic Association's numbers may not even be enough to wage a war. The most urgent matter right now is to investigate the cause of the magical fluctuations."

These words came from a Round Table member of the Revivalists. On the outside, she looked like a girl of fifteen—youthful, her body adorned in luxurious garments, with flawless skin, golden hair, and red eyes, like a princess straight out of a royal palace.

But I knew better. Appearances deceived, and for her to dare speak in this situation showed not only courage but also authority.

"Miss Sophia, it seems you have your own view. May I ask why you think this is the right course?"

"I simply found clarity after hearing what Miss Lijedahl said yesterday."

She nodded gracefully, diverting the fire toward Lijedahl.

... Was that deliberate? Or unintentional?

In this atmosphere, I couldn't risk studying her expression too closely, or someone would seize upon it.

"Oh, that's true. Since Miss Lijedahl gave such a stirring speech yesterday, surely she also has some thoughts about today's issue?"

Miss Vianna pressed aggressively, and no one stopped her.

I saw brown ripple into Lijedahl's eyes.

Not everyone was gloating, but this kind of provocation was bound to fall upon her sooner or later. Such barbs had to be faced directly; otherwise, the problem would only pile up, weakening her standing in the eyes of the lower-ranked members of the Magic Association.

But...

I was her assistant, not some bystander who could sit idly by.

"Forgive my boldness, Miss Vianna, but may I ask—what are your great insights on this matter?"

"What? What right do you have to speak to me?"

She tried to crush me with the arrogance of her status, but I bowed politely.

"I truly have no right. My apologies. But I was personally nominated by Mr. Henry, specially entrusted by Miss Lijedahl, and approved by this council to stand at the Table of Truth. If you question me so, then what you are questioning is the council's recognition of an ordinary person like me."

I smiled politely, but let every ounce of the ferocity in my heart show through my eyes.

If any one of the Round Table members—or even one of the high-ranking figures attending below—had chosen to challenge me at that moment, I would have been driven into a corner. But none of them did.

They feared undermining the authority of the council. And I used that as my shield.

Thus, Miss Vianna had no choice but to swallow her pride, forced to acknowledge the council's recognition of me.

I hoped Lijedahl could take this as a lesson—that in situations like this, you don't rush to provide solutions. Instead, you turn the question back upon the challenger.

I quickly glanced at Lijedahl. Surprise flickered in her eyes, but the moment I caught her gaze, her face lit with a smile of sudden realization.

"Heh. You want to know my thoughts? Very well. War."

Miss Vianna answered me irritably, but I no longer needed her response.

"Enough of your interruptions. Miss Lijedahl, what is your opinion?"

She regained her earlier air of superiority, asking with a hint of amusement.

"My opinion? And what exactly would my opinion prove, Miss Vianna?"

"... That you have a method in mind for solving the problem."

"Then my first opinion is this—I oppose war."

Miss Vianna could not hide her mocking smile as she continued.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because my second opinion... is to follow the opinion of the majority."

At those words, Miss Vianna's smile faded. She clearly didn't understand.

"... Could you explain what you mean by 'the opinion of the majority'?"

Lijedahl closed her eyes lightly, as though in meditation. Then she called out to me/

"Will, assist me in explaining to Miss Vianna—no, to all members of the Table of Truth—what it means to follow the opinion of the majority."

I froze for a moment.

The other Round Table members turned their curious eyes toward me. Even Mr. Ken looked on with interest, eager to see what Lijedahl and I would do next.

The majority... that is... Ah! So that's your plan, Lijedahl.

"All right."

I turned to face the "majority" in the audience—the people sitting below the table.

"I am Miss Lijedahl's assistant. At her request, I'm gathering your opinions. Those who support Miss Lijedahl, please stand."

A roar rose from the crowd as they murmured and began to understand the implication of what I'd said.

After a few seconds, people in the back started to stand and shout loudly.

"We support Miss Lijedahl!"

That one shout seemed to spark a blaze that spread toward the fourth and fifth rings. To my surprise, along with the Revivalists, many from the War Party stood as well.

Those in the front, as if infected, rose one after another.

When the room finally settled, everyone had stood except the front four rings of the War Party and some neutrals.

Yes — this was the so-called "opinion of the majority."

Faced with this overwhelming number, the Revivalist Round Table members were stunned, while the War Party's faces went even greyer, as if they wanted to devour Lijedahl and me. Miss Vianna's eyes almost betrayed murderous intent.

Heh. I hadn't expected Lijedahl to be inspired by my tactic of questioning the questioner — she was inspired by my use of the meeting itself as a weapon.

She did far better than I had. I'd been too conservative.

But it wasn't time to celebrate yet.

"Miss Lijedahl, if your position is simply to follow the majority, do the people have a solution?"

Politicians who appeal to the populace fear that tactic most, using the people as a cudgel.

This challenge came from President Wolf.

"We are supposed to provide the solutions," he said sternly. "Although this idea is admirable in terms of public sentiment, the people currently have no concrete method. That sounds like an excuse, Miss Lijedahl."

Lijedahl rose, bowed to him, and said, "Thank you for the reminder, President."

It was a clever move. The president used his prestige to rebuke her, denting her advantage a little and giving the War Party a sliver of face — a balancing of the scales.

My head buzzed; what would happen next was completely unpredictable.

"Perhaps I can offer a plan?"

At that moment, the ornate Miss Sophia addressed the President. She smiled politely, glanced briefly at Lijedahl, then pretended to survey the others.

Was she trying to trap Lijedahl?

"But go ahead," the President said calmly.

"My suggestion is: let those who choose war go fight the Academy of Sciences; let those who choose to find mages go and search for mages."

A few Round Table members snickered at the remark.

"Bang!"

Only one man seemed enraged—Mr. Helles.

"Miss Sophia, war is not a game. If we don't unite all mages, we can't withstand the Academy of Sciences' coordinated assault. Those who go searching for mages may be flanked by the Academy; those who choose war could be ruined for lack of personnel and resources. Surely someone of your talent should see this. You're mocking us!"

His anger remained unsoftened, but Miss Sophia's face did not change; she maintained her unique composure.

"If you understand our combat strength so well, then you should know we have at most three hundred thousand fighters, counting apprentices. The Academy of Sciences can call up five hundred thousand, plus police and state units. Even combined, we cannot match the Academy's firearms. Furthermore, many of our apprentices are being exploited and discarded by their own mentors, some not even completing their basic training. After Miss Lijedahl and her assistant, Mr. Will, spoke, shouldn't you be fully aware of this?"

Her gaze sharpened, and the earlier gentle elegance vanished.

I realized then that she had prepared two traps: the first was to lull the War Party into dropping their guard so she could strike; the second, if someone noticed the trap, was to use her control over intelligence to entrap them — a hunter's trap within a trap. Impeccable.

"We still believe that abandoning the chance to fight and choosing evasion would be a grave mistake."

"Why do you think you even possess the power to wage war?"

I knew there was no reasoning with these diehard warmongers. Since Miss Sophia had just opened an opportunity, it was time to press the counterattack.

I intended to overwhelm them.

“It's you again! You're just an assistant, how dare you be so arrogant?"

Madam Vianna's dissatisfaction with me finally exploded. Perfect. I had no interest in wasting any more time with them.