I and the Witch of Time Who Seeks the Past

Chapter 3 – The Magic Magic Association (8)

"In 1920, every soldier in London's patrol units was issued a rifle. These rifles were effective in both close-quarters and long-range combat—at close range, the bayonet fixed to the barrel could be used for thrusting, while at a distance, the rifle's stable trajectory ensured high accuracy. Its effective range exceeded 400 meters, and each soldier could fire approximately 20 rounds per minute. A bullet striking any part of the body would cause devastating, often fatal, damage."

I swept my gaze across the Round Table. President Wolf and Mr. Ken wore faint smiles, as though listening to a curious tale. Miss Sophia couldn't hide her surprise, while the faces of the War Party turned visibly grim. Yet, some of them began to reflect on my words. Seeing this, I continued.

"Even if one could conjure overwhelming magic, it would be useless. Infantrymen undergo rigorous professional training. They are fully capable of shooting before you can even finish casting a spell. Their formations are tight, their discipline unshakable, and their teamwork seamless. In close combat, we would stand no chance either—the soldiers' training emphasizes hand-to-hand fighting more than anything else."

Even Mr. Helles and Miss Vianna, who had been most hostile toward me, couldn't help but ponder.

"Think carefully. This is London—the very heart of Britain. The soldiers here are on high alert, and police can mobilize in under two minutes. In short, we have no chance of victory."

I said no more, returning to my seat and waiting for the great mages to deliberate.

Closing my eyes, I began recalling my patchy, amateurish military knowledge. At that moment, I felt a gentle tug at the hem of my robe. Opening my eyes, I found Miss Lijedahl's face—surprised, yet brimming with joy.

"You never cease to overturn my impression of you," she whispered, her golden eyes gleaming with unconcealed delight. I returned her look with a smile.

"You're the same. And besides, there's still much you'll have to handle. I can't keep helping forever."

"Mm."

We returned to our normal composure, while the eminent figures around us had mostly finished their thinking.

"... Truly..."

I caught Miss Sophia murmuring under her breath, though her words were inaudible—only her lips offered the faintest clue.

"My assistant has explained enough."

Miss Lijedahl said, her voice now solemn and heavy.

"Tell me, everyone—do you still believe victory against the Academy of Sciences is possible?"

Her opponents fell silent. They knew that to argue further would be nothing but sophistry.

Finally, the situation I had foreseen arrived.

They would question me next.

"I still have a question for you, Mr. Will—why do you know all this?"

As expected, it was Miss Vianna who demanded an answer.

I had already prepared a cover story—plausible, but deliberately controversial.

"I was once a soldier. During the recently concluded multinational war, I was deployed to the European front. In one battle, I was nearly killed by an explosion and lost consciousness. When I awoke, all my comrades were dead—and the war was already over. Later, as new fighting broke out, I slipped back to camp, only to discover I had been listed as deceased. To reappear then would have branded me a deserter. I couldn’t return home, so I began wandering across Europe. Two years into my wandering, Miss Lijedahl saved me. We've traveled together ever since. That is my story. If possible, I’d prefer not to say more. It was not a pleasant experience."

No one responded.

Yes—that was the reality of this era. People either sneered at veterans or silently respected them. These were all highly educated individuals, so perhaps my position would be more tolerable. Not that it mattered to me. All I cared about was whether my lie could cover their suspicions.

As expected, it was the president who broke the silence.

"Though we cannot verify the truth of your account, we respect it. We will record the intelligence you've provided regarding the Academy of Sciences' soldiers and firearms into the meeting archives."

Just as I had predicted—everything was proceeding perfectly. With Miss Lijedahl and me in sync, the direction of this meeting would completely reverse in our favor, bringing us closer to our goal of finding Frisse.

"Well then, everyone!"

Miss Lijedahl pressed on, seizing control of the room, "Answer me this—does anyone still believe war is an option?"

The War Party had no words left.

"Good. Since you all now understand that war is futile, let us return to the true agenda: how to unite the nation's mages."

At last, Miss Lijedahl pulled everything back on track. Without the obstinate War Party hindering, the discussion flowed far more smoothly.

...

After half an hour of discussion, we concluded that the lower-ranked apprentices still maintained some contact with those who had left the Magic Association. Therefore, it was first decided to send people familiar with them to try to persuade them to return, assuring them that the Magic Association would take steps to root out corruption.

As for the stronger or more disciplined mages, the plan was for the powerful mages, along with several at the highest ranks, to release their magic into the sky, creating a large-scale magical disturbance to draw attention. At the same time, they would use mind magic so that those who sensed the fluctuation would also hear the hidden signal carried within the magic. The specifics of this, I cannot say—I don't understand magic, after all.

But this would only bring back a portion of the missing. The rest would require multiple search teams to track them down using the personal information they had submitted when joining the Magic Association. In short, it would not be a simple matter.

Still, for Lijedahl and me, these tasks were not our concern.

...

"President Wolf, can we make a decision now?"

Lijedahl's voice had returned to its usual gentle tone, and she smiled lightly.

"Yes. Truly, it has been an exceptionally long discussion."

President Wolf rose to his feet, and all present followed suit.

Gripping his cane with both hands, he drew in a deep breath.

"After this vigorous and splendid debate, the proposals put forth chiefly by Mr. Igell and Miss Lijedahl have been accepted. Therefore, the meeting hereby resolves..."

President Wolf declared in a solemn voice.

"—To unite the mages of the nation, to eradicate corruption within the Magic Association, and to strive for the revival of magic!"

His cane struck the floor, the sound resounding through the hall.

Thus ended the second meeting of the Magic Association.

"Tomorrow will be the final session. A conclusion must be reached regarding the abnormal magical fluctuations!"

...

As the meeting ended and everyone was preparing to leave, I suddenly felt someone quietly tug at me.

That person... was Miss Sophia.

I was just about to ask her what she wanted when she leaned close to my ear and whispered before I could speak.

"You've truly impressed me. I thought Miss Lijedahl was already someone beyond reach, but I didn't expect there to be someone like you standing behind her."

What... does that mean?

By the time I tried to grab her and press her for her intentions, she had already teleported away.

... Though I never believed she was friendly toward us to begin with, I couldn't help but feel a trace of confusion. What exactly is her goal?

"Will, it's time to go."

Lijedahl was urging me. I knew I couldn't linger any longer.

... I'll tell her later.

Besides... in this meeting, Mr. Ken's behavior left me feeling rather strange.

...

December 25, 1920 – 19:47

After explaining everything to Lijedahl, I arranged to meet with Mr. Ken.

Night had already fallen. I met him by a balcony along the hotel corridor. Below us stretched the bustling, brightly lit streets, and in the distance loomed the magnificent Tower Bridge. London's nightlife was on full display—yet I was not a part of it.

"I'm late."

Mr. Ken approached the balcony. His expression was relaxed, but there was a trace of weariness in his eyes.

"It's fine. It was my fault for not reaching out sooner."

"Hm...?"

He looked a little puzzled.

"You've lowered your guard."

... Me?

"Mr. Ken, what do you mean by that?"

"I can still tell. Before, you were always so cautious with your words. But not now."

"Hah..."

"Well then, why did you ask me here?"

Since he wasn't going to waste time on pleasantries, I got straight to the point.

"In today's meeting, you barely acted at all."

"I had nothing to say. In such a tense atmosphere, the fewer words spoken, the better."

"That's not what I mean."

He tilted his head slightly toward me.

"Then what do you mean?"

"When Miss Lijedahl and I spoke, you quietly observed. When we were put in difficult positions, the deadlock always broke soon after—by some 'coincidence.' And when we finally did break through, you and President Wolf looked at us with... expectation."

I stopped there.

"Oh? And what does that have to do with me?"

"On the surface, you did nothing. But in private... how many moves did you make?"

"..."

"Mr. Ken, there's something else I need to ask."

"Go on."

"At the very beginning of today's meeting, what did the members of the Round Table say among yourselves?"

I still couldn't shake the image of Lijedahl's gray-blue eyes just before the session started.

"..."

Silence again.

I understood then—it was not something I was meant to know.

"All right. I'm sorry, it's not my place—"

"We spoke of division."

He cut me off, his voice calm.

"The division of the Magic Association?"

"Yes. You guessed right."

"Why?"

"Heh. Because the Magic Association was already on the verge of collapse."

Leaning back against the marble railing of the balcony, Mr. Ken spoke quietly.

"The War Party and the Revivalist are fundamentally at odds. I intended to abandon it, let the Magic Association rot away on its own, and retire in peace."

"... Abandon it? So that was your original thought."

"I'm not young anymore. I may not look too old, but I've already passed fifty."

He slowly raised his hand, glanced at the cane within it, and then lowered it gently.

"Power, status, wealth—what do they mean to me now? Compared to all that, I'd rather withdraw from the world."

"But you still came."

"Indeed, I came. But when I once again saw the Magic Association's decay laid bare, I wanted to give up all over again."

He paused, reflecting.

"I pitied Mr. Wolf. He devoted his entire life to magic. That is the only reason I returned—because I respected that. And even now, he still fights for the Magic Association's survival."

As he spoke, Mr. Ken smiled—a smile of resignation.

"But who could have expected that this broken Magic Association would be brought back on track by two outsiders?"

My heart skipped—he meant Lijedahl and me?

"Heh, but let's set that aside. After I voiced my view to Mr. Wolf, the members of the Revivalist also wanted to give up, just as I did. Yet Miss Lijedahl argued with everything she had, exhausting her words to persuade us to stay, promising she had a way to resolve things."

He patted me on the shoulder.

"I thought all hope was lost, but you and Miss Lijedahl gave us a miracle—a resurrection from the dead."

... Lijedahl...

"Mr. Ken, I truly didn't expect the matter to be so complicated behind the scenes."

"She didn't tell you? That surprises me as well. But now I finally understand why, before the meeting began, she insisted that you take the stage."

Mr. Ken left the balcony, walking down the corridor at a leisurely pace, each step slow and steady.

"And Mr. Will, perhaps both you and I have underestimated Miss Lijedahl's resolve toward magic."

I stepped up beside him.

"How so?"

Just then, a breeze brushed past us. Mr. Ken half-raised his left hand, gathering the gentle wind within his palm.

"Because after she persuaded us to remain, President Wolf asked her this.

'Why are you so determined?'

And she replied.

'—I do not wish for magic to lose its greatness, nor its legacy, in this generation.'"

The breeze scattered, gliding away softly.

Mr. Ken folded his hands behind his back and gazed at the nightscape beyond me.

"All of us have our desires. All of us scheme to use magic to satisfy our selfish ambitions, to achieve our goals, to grasp after hollow feelings."

Then he turned his eyes to me, filled with melancholy.

"But she is different. She is..."

A true mage.