Chapter 77

October 2nd.

After receiving information from Sai Farman, an adventurer specializing in information gathering, I was thinking about what to do next.

(Let's start by organizing the information I'm sure about. First, Bennett—our homeroom teacher, Mr. Alick Bennett—definitely tried to expel us from the academy. It's also almost certain that Archie Croft, the tutor of our classmate Quentin Wagman, gave Bennett the instructions...)

This much is almost certain information.

Now, I'll carefully examine the information that Sai investigated for me.

(Croft has been with Senator Wagman for eight years. The trigger for this was the recommendation of Councillor Isherwood... Isherwood and Senator Wagman have a mutually beneficial relationship, but Isherwood is also thinking about bringing Wagman down if the opportunity arises. Furthermore, Isherwood is in an alliance with Senator Ibbetson, the head of the Personnel Committee and Wagman's political rival... This much is clear, but the question is how to use this information...)

I had no intention of reforming the Mage Guild or getting involved in the political struggles between Senator Wagman, Councillor Isherwood, and Senator Ibbetson.

(...All I want is for us to live quietly, but the situation has become so big that it's hard to move. There's no guarantee that the information I have is correct, and the relationship between Wagman, Isherwood, and Ibbetson is too complex to determine what is true. In this situation, any rash action could lead to getting involved in the political struggle. Moreover, it's not as simple as Wagman being the good guy and Isherwood and Ibbetson being the bad guys. It doesn't seem that Wagman is a completely upright person either...)

I couldn't come to a conclusion and consulted with Lidi and Sharon.

"It's a shame, but the information we gathered is too big to use. What should we do?"

In response to my question, Lidi said,

"Since you've come this far, why don't you go ahead and reform the Mage Guild and the academy? You can do it."

I smiled wryly at her seemingly irresponsible words,

"That's easy to say, but the Mage Guild is an organization on par with a country. Reforming such an organization is impossible for just one or two people. Think more realistically."

Lidi was about to say something more, but Sharon started speaking hesitantly, and Lidi fell silent.

"I don't quite understand, but wasn't what you wanted to do to ensure that students receive proper lessons? If the lessons were appropriate for the students' abilities and aptitudes, something like this wouldn't have happened. In a class of forty students, it would be quite difficult to provide education tailored to each student in reality. However, if we improve the quality of teachers, assign assistants to help the teachers, and introduce elective courses, we could significantly improve the situation. Furthermore, if we introduce a grade-skipping system, we could send out excellent talent without wasting time on unnecessary lessons."

Her words reminded me of my original purpose. If the lessons were appropriate, this situation wouldn't have occurred. I thanked Sharon and patted her head, as she seems to enjoy it when I do so.

"You're right. If we had proper lessons, this wouldn't have happened. Thank you, Sharon."

Sharon blushed and looked down, saying, "It's nothing to thank me for..."

Seeing this, Lidi smiled slightly and asked, "So, what are you going to do?"

"I think I'll go directly to Senator Wagman. He is proactive about reforming the academy, and if I can present my case well, we might be able to receive proper lessons."

"But from what you've said, it doesn't seem like Wagman is trustworthy," Lidi said, looking a bit worried.

"Just talking to him won't do. I need to think about it more."

I continued to ponder my options.

(The key is to use Senator Wagman to improve the academy's management. I don't think a senator would listen to the opinion of a mere student, especially one who is only ten years old. So, how should I approach this? I need to make him believe that there is a benefit or a risk for him... Yes, I'll try this approach. At least with this method, even if it fails, it shouldn't cause us much harm.)

I shared my thoughts with Lidi and Sharon.

"So, this is how I plan to approach Senator Wagman. Do you see any flaws or missing points?"

Both Lidi and Sharon shook their heads.

Lidi asked, "But the guy is a big political figure. Are you sure you can handle it? If you can't stand up to him, this whole plan might be meaningless."

"You're right. He's a skilled politician, so I'll probably be nervous. But it's just a discussion, not a matter of life and death. Compared to fighting monsters, there's nothing to fear."

Lidi nodded, but Sharon spoke up, "Um, how will you meet the senator? He's a very important person. Can a student just go and meet him easily?"

Sharon's question hit a blind spot for me.

"You're right. He's a busy politician, meeting dozens of people every day... But I have a connection to him through his son, Quentin Wagman."

"I have important matters to discuss regarding Quentin. If I tell him that I need to talk about Quentin's life at the academy, I should be able to get at least ten minutes of his time."

Senator Wagman married the daughter of a court mage in Sartuus, and they had Quentin. However, his first wife passed away seven years ago, and he remarried five years ago, making Quentin's current mother his stepmother. In this situation, it's not unreasonable to go directly to the senator rather than consulting Quentin's stepmother.

I left home early in the afternoon to request a meeting with Senator Wagman, heading to the headquarters of the Mage Guild. Lidi wanted to come with me, but considering the content of the discussion, it made more sense for me to go alone, so I asked her to stay behind.

The headquarters of the Mage Guild is housed in the former residence of the lord of the castle city. Unlike the uniform and bleak appearance of other buildings, the walls and window frames are decorated, giving it a slightly elegant feel.

Standing in front of the large double doors, I saw two guards with spears. I smiled at them and showed my Mage Guild orb, explaining that I was there to meet someone. They let me in. Without the orb, I would have had to write a meeting application and answer detailed questions about my purpose.

(As a member of the Mage Guild, I can enter relatively freely. It's like how an employee in a branch office can easily enter the headquarters in Tokyo with their employee card... though it's a bit different.)

With this in mind, I stepped through the door.

Inside, the lobby was spacious, with a grand staircase leading to the second floor. At the front was a reception booth where a young woman in her late twenties sat with a gentle expression.

I approached the receptionist, determined to make a good impression.

"My name is Zacharias Rockhart, a first-year student at Tilia Magic Academy."

I spoke with a serious expression, and the receptionist seemed to recognize me, showing a slightly surprised look. She quickly composed herself and asked, "What is your business?"

"I have very important matters to discuss with Councilor Wagman. It's about his classmate, Mr. Wagman, no, Quentin. It's really important..."

I added a bit of dramatic acting and bowed to her.

"The senator is a very busy person. Can you tell me more about it here? I can relay the message to him."

She seemed to think I was requesting a meeting for a trivial matter.

"It's about Quentin's life at the academy. I can only discuss this with his family, especially his blood relatives... If we don't address this, he will be in serious trouble. As a classmate, I'm willing to wait for hours. Please help me get an appointment."

I spoke with a pained expression, and she started to look concerned.

"Serious trouble for the senator's son... Can you at least give me a brief outline?"

I shook my head vigorously.

"I can't. It's a matter of honor. It will be very serious..."

Finally, she relented, wrote a quick note, and handed it to another staff member.

She said, "He's a very busy person. It might take a while, so please wait quietly in the waiting room," pointing to a room in the back. I thanked her and headed to the waiting room.

Inside, there were a few other people, including well-dressed merchants and servants of nobles. When I entered, their attention focused on me, but they quickly lost interest, assuming I was there to meet a family member.

(These are all well-dressed people. It's a good thing I'm in my school uniform, as I don't have any nice clothes for meeting important people.)

I thought this briefly but quickly focused on the task ahead.

(First, I need to capture the senator's interest. The way I present my case initially is crucial...)

I spent the time running through simulations in my head.

The clock struck two in the afternoon, then four, but I wasn't called.

(It's possible I might be called just as I'm about to leave. If that happens, it could be very late. The old city has good security, and the gates don't close, so it doesn't matter what time it is... However, sitting for so long is making my butt sore...)

Another two hours passed, and the clock struck six, but I still hadn't been called. The sun had set, and the light coming through the open wooden windows had weakened.

I was the only one left in the waiting room, and I did some stretching exercises to relieve the stiffness in my back and waist.

Another hour passed, and it was completely dark outside. The waiting room was lit by magical lighting devices, but the room had a unique loneliness, like a hospital waiting room at night.

Just as I was thinking it might not happen today, a young man in his mid-twenties entered the waiting room.

"Are you Rockhart? Senator Wagman will see you. Follow me."

I thanked him and stood up, heading to the senator's room on the third floor.

The guild was still bustling with activity, and the corridors were lit by magical lighting devices. I thought about my time in Japan, when I often worked overtime near deadlines, and how the outside would be pitch black by the time I left, knowing I wouldn't get home before midnight. I wondered if the staff here had similar thoughts.

After about five minutes, we arrived at the senator's room. The staff member who had come to fetch me went in first and soon called me in. I said, "Excuse me," and entered the room.