N-A-A Page 595
Page 595
His gaze, sharp as an icicle behind his glasses, swept across the entire room, finally settling on Lydia:
"Such a monumental undertaking, which concerns the very foundation of the world and touches upon the most fundamental taboos, can only be led by those who possess both millennia of experience and profound knowledge of mystical rituals! My family, the Euphemias, holds the most ancient and profound 'spirit sway' ritual in the Clock Tower."
Our understanding and mastery of this kind of material, which possesses 'spiritual vitality,' is unparalleled among the twelve departments! Therefore, the leadership of the project should rightfully be held by the Department of Spiritual Conjuring!
"Experience and experience are certainly valuable cornerstones, Your Excellency Euryphus."
The voice that responded to him was like a booming bell, resonating with a steady and powerful force, emanating from the monarch of the First Discipline, the entire Basic Discipline, Magdana Tramberio Ellord.
The burly man did not raise his voice, but his words seemed to carry a physical weight, steadily pressing down in the magic-filled space.
"However, the core difficulty and ultimate goal of this plan is by no means merely the perception or reassurance of 'activity' itself."
He raised his thick finger, pointing it at the suspended Albion model, his fingertip seemingly shimmering with countless tiny runes:
"At its core lies in conducting a thorough and subversive 'magic foundation recompilation' on the entire spirit tomb's deep layers, the complex topological structure of the spiritual veins that resembles a living neural network, and the almost fundamental 'conceptual activity' carried by the dragon skeleton itself!"
His voice was resolute:
"This is the purest realm of 'construction'! It is the ultimate skill for analyzing, deconstructing, and reweaving the underlying magical logic of the world! It belongs to the category of absolute authority that the entire Basic Sciences established since the founding of the Clock Tower, an indisputable authority!"
Magdana's gaze was like refined iron in a forge, burning intensely:
"Without the Basic Department's ability to precisely analyze and radically reconstruct the underlying logic of magic, even possessing the most ancient secret rituals is nothing more than building a tower on crumbling sand—destined to be a castle in the air! Therefore, the leadership should belong to the entire Basic Department without reservation!"
The words of the two monarchs collided and surged across the round table like two opposing yet equally powerful magical torrents.
This tit-for-tat situation is a continuation and escalation of the clash between the two sides in the previous stage regarding the issue of "ownership" of the Albion Tomb.
The root cause was not the personal grudges between the two monarchs.
Rather, it is a deeper and more fundamental conflict of camp ideologies.
On one side, Rufreus Euryphus, was one of the most senior and prestigious monarchs in the aristocratic camp present.
Its propositions naturally represent the "aristocratic will" that relies on millennia of heritage, bloodline rituals, and ancient privileges to control core power.
On the other hand, Magdana Trumbelio is the most steadfast and representative standard-bearer of democratic ideals.
What he insists on is attributing power to the ability to universally grasp and reconstruct objective rules, emphasizing "universal power" based on knowledge and technology.
At this moment, the struggle for control of the "Albion Transformation Project" has long transcended a simple dispute over technical routes.
It has evolved into—
Between aristocracy and democracy.
At a crucial juncture that will determine the future power structure of the magic world,
An inevitable head-on collision, one in which neither side will back down!
Just as Rufreus's icy authority and Magdana's imposing power were gathering above the round table like two magical storms about to collide—
"enough."
An aged, hoarse voice, yet imbued with an absolute weight that transcends the sedimentation of time, like an invisible chain of laws, instantly severed the escalating tension of the confrontation.
Inola slowly raised her withered hand, which seemed to contain endless creative power.
She didn't even emphasize her words; the calm, even uttered, words were enough to cause the surging magical energy within the entire ritual space to momentarily stagnate.
"This kind of factional power struggle is unconstructive and lacks any constructive elements,"
Inolei's cloudy yet sharp, hawk-like gaze swept over Rufreus and Magdana, with an almost indifferent scrutiny that looked down on the younger generation's dispute.
"Essentially, it is a meaningless internal waste of resources."
As she finished speaking, the tense atmosphere that had been so palpable, almost freezing in the air, dissipated like strong acid that had been neutralized.
Although it did not completely dissipate, it was clearly suppressed and diluted. The attention of all monarchs was involuntarily drawn to it.
Inole's gaze slowly swept across the entire room, as if examining a group of players who had not yet grasped the essence of the game:
“Whether it’s your aristocracy or not.” Her gaze lingered briefly on Rufreus.
“We still uphold democracy.” He then turned to Magdana.
"Or perhaps those who are absent at this moment, choosing to remain neutral and protect themselves..." Her words carried a hint of barely perceptible mockery.
"Faced with this monumental undertaking of forging the 'last dragon' into a 'conceptual weapon,' those who attempt to monopolize complete dominance by a single faction or discipline..."
She let out a short, hoarse laugh, like the rustling of withered leaves.
"...all of these are serious misjudgments of the current power structure, a kind of childlike delusion."
She leaned forward slightly, and the wisdom and strength she possessed, accumulated over countless years, pressed down like an invisible mountain:
“You are all rulers in charge of a department, possessing the wisdom to see the deepest threads of the magic world. I believe you have already seen this clearly enough.”
"The Albion Reform Project, in terms of its scale, risks, and the breadth of skills required, has long exceeded the limits of a single faction or discipline."
What it needs is not 'dictatorship' but 'cooperation'; not 'monopoly' but 'checks and balances'.
Any attempt to disrupt this delicate balance or seize core power will ultimately lead to the collapse of the plan, and may even... bring about unforeseen disasters.
Chapter 629 Voting (4k)
Just as the echoes of Inole's incisive words were still reverberating in the ritual space, successfully turning the intense confrontation into a somber reflection—
"Oh~"
A voice, uniquely magnetic yet clearly tinged with a playful tone, abruptly shattered the hard-won solemnity, like a stubborn stone thrown into still water.
Aozaki Touko lazily pushed up her Mystic Eyes glasses, her eyes behind the lenses gleaming with undisguised "watching the show" light.
A playful smile curved her lips as she addressed her teacher, Inolei Baruetta Atolohom, in an almost chanting tone:
"As expected of the teacher! These insightful and penetrating views are truly... thought-provoking and admirable!"
This sudden, sarcastic "praise," like a precise icicle, instantly pierced the solemn atmosphere that Inole had forcibly constructed with his supreme authority.
The undercurrents of factional antagonism that had just been suppressed seem to be stirring up again.
Inola's face, etched with the lines of time, darkened visibly.
She didn't even turn her head completely, but with the corner of her eye, still sharp despite her cloudy appearance, she precisely glared at her "cheap disciple" who had a terrible temper and never played by the rules.
The look in his eyes contained an ancient dignity that had been offended, anger at his disciple's inappropriate disruption, and a deep sense of helplessness that said, "Just as I thought."
She didn't lash out in the end, but instead let out a barely audible snort from her nose, carrying a strong sense of disgust, as if to say:
"I knew you'd come and cause trouble."
She then forcibly drew her attention back to the topic at the center of the round table, but the absolute aura of a monarch that had just been formed was ultimately softened by Aozaki Touko's stroke of genius, adding a touch of... absurdly endearing everyday life.
Just as the echo of Inole's disdainful hum had barely faded—
"Alright, alright," Aozaki Touko lazily adjusted her posture, resting her chin on one hand. Her gaze, behind her glasses, swept across the room with the clarity and sharpness of a detached observer. Her voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the air that had just been stirred:
"Don't you all think that the current situation is actually... ridiculously simple?"
This statement is like an invisible disintegration technique, instantly stripping away all the pretense of factional positions, ancient authority, and grand narratives, pointing directly to the cold and naked essence of political calculation.
Yes, the situation is extremely simple.
Every monarch (or their representative) present was fully aware of this.
The seemingly intense and ideologically charged struggle for "dominance" between Rufreus and Magdana was, in essence, nothing more than a tacit test of each other, a reconnaissance of each other's bottom lines and the current balance of power before a formal showdown.
how so?
The answer is as clear as the Albion model suspended in the center of a round table:
At this moment, those who can effectively exercise monarchical authority and whose will is sufficient to represent their respective academic schools of thought—
The true monarchs: Lily Dale Archerlot (Plant family), Inoley Baljereta (Creation family), Rufreus Euryphus (Spiritualist family), Magdana Transpelio (All basic families), and El-Melloi II (Agent of Minerals family).
There are five people in total.
The two authorized acting monarchs are: Olga Marie Animusfia (Astronomy Department Acting) and Hanano Ryori (Law and Politics Department Representative).
Total: Seven seats.
This number, seven, is precisely and unbiasedly positioned above the minimum legal threshold required to initiate the Grand Order Decision Ceremony—greater than half of the twelve monarchs (six seats)!
This is no coincidence.
A fragile equilibrium point formed after multi-party competition.
Therefore, within this unique framework constructed by the number "seven," an unspoken rule has already come into effect:
On the issue of the "Albion Transformation Project," which concerns the very foundation of the world, unless it obtains the unanimous consent of the seven seats present—that is, all the valid participants—the project will fail to meet the 'absolute consensus' requirement for the Grand Council to be initiated!
This is the cold, unshakable political reality hidden beneath the "dominance" argument just now.
Every participant understands that, given the premise that "7 > 6", any attempt to forcefully push forward with unilateral claims will ultimately lead to the complete collapse of the entire plan.
Their arguments weren't really about hoping to gain absolute control, but rather a test: who could secure the biggest slice of the pie within the final framework of "unity," or at least avoid being the one sacrificed?
Aozaki Touko's seemingly casual words completely tore away this veil, exposing the naked rules to everyone.
She didn't even give everyone much time to process this stark reality; with a casual flick of her long, slender finger, she precisely "poked" at the botanical monarch on the other side of the round table, dressed in a magnificent gown.
“So—” she drawled, with a mocking tone that made people grit their teeth and seemed to enjoy watching the drama unfold.
"Let's skip this obvious and boring charade. Let's get straight to the point and start the vote."
A wicked smile curled at the corner of her lips, her gaze fixed on Lydelle Ashburn like that of a raptor locking onto its prey:
"As for the order? Let's start with you, my dear... 'Pink Lady'?" The obviously derogatory nickname was uttered by her in an almost lamenting tone, full of undisguised provocation and deliberate offense.
This sudden roll call was like pouring boiling oil onto a powder keg that was about to be ignited.
All eyes immediately focused on Lydia.
Aozaki Touko's provocative nickname "Pink Lady" was like a stone thrown into a stagnant pond, not igniting Lydia's fury, but rather a chilling silence.
The monarch of the plant family, Lidell, maintained her signature, calculated smile without the slightest change, not even her eyes wavered.
She seemed to completely ignore the insulting address, her gaze calmly sweeping over the Albion model in the center of the round table. Then, her clear and firm voice rang out like a pronouncement:
"Plant family (Acherot), agreed."
There was no explanation, no hesitation. As the initiator of the issue, her stance never wavered.
The first "agreement" landed firmly on one side of the scale, like a cold foundation stone.