Chapter 2990 - 3: Indoors

Chapter 2990: Chapter 3: Indoors

Similar to the architectural style of most buildings in Danghag.

The layout of Solomon Hall was likewise extremely old-fashioned and monotonous.

Rough, blue-gray wall bricks stretched from the floor all the way up to the ceiling. There were no ornate decorations or murals between the tall domes; the entire hall did not even have a single pane of glass. All the light in the room came from the Ancient Gublai Fairy Fire torches set into sconces around the walls, which had been quietly burning here for hundreds of years.

In the entire hall, the only things that could be called decorations were probably the dozen or so thick engaged columns against the four walls. Their form lay somewhere between the Lonic and the Collins orders, except that the capitals were not flower baskets brimming with acanthus, but one Bi’an head after another, blue-faced, sharp-fanged, each with a charter clamped between its teeth. They bowed their heads, eyes bulging and unblinking, staring at every corner of the hall, upholding Danghag’s dignity and solemnity.

Before the doors of the hall opened, the Legends attending today’s hearing had already arrived here one after another and held a few small, closed-door huddles.

Shi Hui did not take part in those private deals.

She had once been the vice chancellor of First University, and now served as chair of the Magic Alliance Conference; from any angle, she was the best choice to preside over this hearing—in fact, Danghag had indeed invited her to act as host of today’s meeting.

At this moment, she was standing beneath one of the engaged columns, head tilted back, locking eyes with the Bi’an head at the top of the column, as if trying to force that thing, which now had only a head left, to shut its eyes.

"—How many have shown up?"

Old Yao ambled up behind the Witch, biting his pipe, and asked casually.

"One hundred and three Big Wizards."

Shi Hui gave a number without even turning her head, paused, then let out a cold laugh. "Heh, looks like everyone is very interested in that Young Wizard from the school... When the Great Wizard Conference holds its annual meeting, the usual attendance is just over a hundred. This time, the registrations alone exceeded three hundred Big Wizards, but the subsequent review screened out quite a few, plus a couple of Legends..."

She tilted her head slightly to the side, her tone carrying a trace of dissatisfaction.

Originally, according to her plan, there were to be only nine seats on the hearing’s presidium—which meant only nine Legends would be invited—but in the course of later maneuvering, those nine seats somehow turned into thirteen.

"Ahem."

Professor Yao coughed, looking a bit embarrassed, because he was one of the four Legends added later.

In selecting the presidium members, Danghag had tried hard to follow the principle of fairness—aside from Lady Shi Hui, whose position was relatively neutral, the other presidium members were divided into two camps according to their interests.

One camp was closely connected to Zheng Qing, such as First University’s vice chancellor, Ruoyu, Professor Emma, the Qingqiu Fox clan’s old ancestor, and Elder Mrs. Jiang of the Zhongshan Jiang Family; the other camp was more distant from Zheng Qing, such as Prince John Hugh Karen of the Karen Family, the renowned master of Transformation Technique and Legendary Druid Anthony Russel, the Legendary Alchemist and famed antiquities researcher Elias Ashmore, as well as the Legendary Wizard Albert, who had once made outstanding contributions to dimensional theory.

However, after the list was finalized, both the Dark Council and the Golden Dawn Society, whose positions within the Alliance were rather delicate, strongly demanded participation in this hearing, so Prince Karen’s faction gained two more members: Six Fingers, the Dark Council Chairman, and Hermes, president of the Golden Dawn Society. Correspondingly, the school side also added two Legends, one being Rat Immortal, and the other Old Yao.

"—On their side today, among those coming to attend the hearing, there are a few who didn’t sign their names on the ’Rules’ that day, so it’s not hard to understand that they’re a bit curious about that kid." Old Yao mumbled, offering a brief analysis.

Shi Hui finally shifted her gaze away from that Bi’an head.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Clearly, she didn’t believe Old Yao had come over just to chat idly.

Professor Yao clicked his pipe.

His eyes flicked quickly toward a spot not far behind them—Elder Ruoyu was chatting leisurely with Anthony Russel, while Prince Karen was reminiscing with Rat Immortal.

"That kid is still very young. He’s not suited to enter the relevant departments."

In a very low voice, he expressed his concern. "A name that originally had a chance to shine brilliantly under the sun, yet has to spend its entire life in the deepest shadows of the Alliance—tell me, isn’t that a rather tragic fate?"

Shi Hui’s brows knitted together; she seemed not quite to understand what Old Yao was getting at.

But almost immediately, she realized what he was worried about.

"You don’t seriously think those Big Wizards in the relevant departments will be willing to hide in the school’s shadow forever, do you?" She shot a meaningful glance at the Legend beside her, whose roots at First University were not so deep, but did not elaborate, instead changing tack: "Compared to positions in the relevant departments, what I’m more concerned about is that spot in Edge Academy... Anyone with a shred of reason should stay away from that troublesome post. In the school or the Alliance, many people are qualified to be dean of Edge; wouldn’t it be better to toss the trouble outside?"

Professor Yao took the pipe from his lips and let out a dry laugh.

"You’ve lingered in the Legendary Realm too long; you’ve probably forgotten just how hard it is for a newly ascended Legend to stabilize his realm." He gently reminded her. "Besides, that kid advanced through a side path—when he’s not wielding Taiyi, he’s just an ordinary registered wizard. If he wants to gain proficient control over the power of Legend, the simplest way is to give him a suitable fruit-position, like Emma..."

Shi Hui frowned.

She shook her head with only a small movement and sighed. "Still too young..."

Not far behind the two of them, Elder Ruoyu’s voice happened to drift over, faint but audible.

"—That day in the First Hall, I asked the chancellor to let me resign from the post of vice chancellor of First University. You know, for what happened in Monte, I bear a great deal of responsibility."

"It wasn’t your fault."

"That’s what the chancellor said as well... He rejected my request and asked me to carry on. To keep this framework in place. Until the new Order is completely stabilized. Heh, he has far too much faith in me."

Most of the conversations around them ran along similar lines.

The heavy, oppressive atmosphere left Shi Hui feeling somewhat agitated and distracted.

Just then, the clamor of the Big Wizards outside the doors rose up.

"—Since almost everyone’s here, let’s get started."

She raised her voice slightly, reminding the other Legends with a hint of impatience. With a sweep of her sleeve, the thick doors of Solomon Hall swung open with a boom, and the Big Wizards’ whispering outside, like the chirping of sparrows at dawn, echoed clearly in every Legend’s ears.

The Witch presiding over the hearing cast a glance toward the doorway and made no effort to conceal her mockery: "Who was it that said our outstanding graduate only got lucky because that bitch Fortuna took a shine to him—"