Natalia snorted softly, unable to stop herself from recalling the many rumors circulating in the trade about a certain behemoth.
The so-called "Council" was actually her current employer, its full name being the Dark Council.
Along with the Holy Church and the Mage's Association, it was known as one of the three great powers of the mysterious world. In fact, the Dark Council surpassed the other two in both scale and strength.
As far as Natalia knew, the organization had risen relatively late, seemingly emerging gradually during the two witch hunts. Its purpose was to protect and conceal those unusual beings with special powers, helping them integrate into human society.
Moreover, the Dark Council had few rules and restrictions. Its entry requirements were broad, and it never questioned the origins or backgrounds of those who joined. It was a relatively loose alliance.
What appealed even more to those unusual beings was that the Council imposed no excessive restrictions on them. It tacitly allowed them to use their own abilities to gain conveniences.
Should humans harm them without cause, it also permitted them to defend themselves and fight back. It even provided "cleaners" to handle the aftermath, helping them change their identities and go into hiding again.
Simply put, so long as they did not cause trouble and obeyed basic social Rules along with a few simple prohibitions, they could receive the Council's aid and protection, living openly beneath the sunlight.
Thus, the Council was not limited to persecuted Witches. Many nonhuman beings left behind on the surface as the Age of Gods declined—such as fae, dragonkind, phantasmal species, Bloodkin, ghosts, and even angels—also chose to join the Dark Council and seek its help.
After all, compared to the Holy Church, which was gripped by religious fanaticism and wanted to fight