Transmission

Koennas City, the imperial palace.

"Your Majesty Auston, you don't look like someone who's just recovered from an illness."

"Haha! That's because seeing you, Ambassador, has lifted my spirits!"

"Hmph! I'm here to discuss the Magic Crystal Quota with Your Majesty."

The king's face fell. "Ambassador, wasn't the quota just adjusted three years ago? If it's adjusted again, I'm afraid food production..."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, no... We'll increase food production this year for sure! The quota... We already transferred quite a large portion of it to the Thorn Empire last time. If it's adjusted again, having one empire dominate the Hells Continent won't be good for your side either... Right. Balance! You said a balanced continent was in your interests!"

"Your Majesty, you've misunderstood me. I'm not trying to reduce the Feymont Empire's quota. Quite the opposite!"

"The opposite? You mean... you want to increase the quota?!" King Auston was sure he'd misheard. For nearly a century, as the Thorn Empire had devoted itself to reclaiming farmland and its food production had steadily climbed, the Feymont Empire's Magic Crystal Quota had been cut again and again. Although his own country had also encouraged the cultivation of new farmland, its population was nowhere near as large as the Thorn Empire's. There was nothing anyone could do about that.

"That's right. I'd intended to increase the quota, but now it may be too late." Natia Vida kept the king in suspense, well aware of the art of negotiation.

"Ambassador, please stop joking. We'll pay any price to increase the quota."

Natia Vida picked up the tea beside her and took a sip before answering slowly. "I'd planned to give a gift through Your Majesty to a friend of mine, as a surprise. But now, perhaps he no longer needs it."

"How could he not need it? He definitely still needs it! Gifts are always welcome! What are you sending him? Jewelry? I could give him the queen's finest jewelry. Or a horse? How about my horse? Or a Magic Staff? My grandfather's Magic Staff?" The king sounded like a peddler hawking his wares.

"Perhaps there's still time. Your Majesty, is today the first day of the winter term at the Empire's Magic Academies?"

"The first day? Is it the first day? Adrien, is it the first day? Does anyone know if it's the first day?" For a moment, everyone in the palace hall was asking the person beside them the same question. Before long, the Court Mage confirmed it to the king: yes, it was the first day.

"That's good..."

"Yes! That's good! Then there's still time!" The king had no idea what the ambassador meant. He only needed to know there was still time. If there was, the quota could be raised, and the Empire could be saved!

"But... I'm afraid it still may be too late. Even the fastest messenger would need ten days to reach Tris Province from the Imperial Capital... If only I'd met Your Majesty sooner..." Natia said regretfully.

"There's still time! There has to be! Adrien, does even the fastest messenger really need ten days? Is the Empire that big?"

Adrien wanted to remind the king that he was making a scene, but this wasn't the time to worry about that.

"Your Majesty, if we use a White-headed Messenger Crow, it could arrive tomorrow. I'm just not sure whether it could carry the ambassador's gift."

"Right! A Message Crow would make it in time! Ambassador, what's the gift?" In his desperation, the king had even addressed Natia Vida as "Ambassador," just like Adrien. It was clearly improper, but no one was about to remind him of that.

"The thing I want to send is very light, but even so, it won't arrive in time tomorrow."

"It has to arrive in time! Find a way to get it there today, no matter what! Does anyone have an idea?"

"Perhaps... we could use two White-headed Messenger Crows?"

"Idiot!" The king swung his scepter at him. The Imperial Guard Knights' captain paid for his lack of sense.

"Your Majesty, there's a way to contact Tesri Magic Academy, but I'm afraid it still won't let us send anything there." The Court Mage had suddenly remembered that the palace had an emergency Communication Array for contacting Magic Academies across the country.

King Auston looked at Natia Vida almost pleadingly. At last, the corners of her mouth lifted into a charming smile. "I knew Your Majesty would find a way. I only need to send my gift as a message."

Tesri Magic Academy.

The Communication Array's alarm had been ringing for five minutes. That interval allowed the arrays in the two locations to warm up as they connected, and gave the Academy time to gather everyone. Once the Communication Array was activated, every student and teacher in the school had to be able to hear the important message from the Imperial Capital.

"Everyone, listen up! An extremely important message will be announced shortly! No matter what happens, don't panic!" The dean was already standing in front of the Communication Array.

Donald stood at the front of the crowd with Victor and the others. His plain clothes made him stand out, and Lucia and Wesley spotted him at once and came over to greet him. When Dean Devis saw Wesley approach, he nodded to him. Wesley ignored him.

"Don't you dare leave! You're not getting away with what happened to the magic crystals. Don't think you can slip away just because something important is happening. I'm watching you!" Judy glared fiercely at Donald. Lucia and Wesley had both heard her and wondered what Donald had done to upset her this time.

Donald felt he was standing in a rather conspicuous spot and was about to retreat to the edge of the crowd when someone behind him grabbed him. "Auntie, he's trying to run!"

It was Carl. He had heard Judy's words and, seeing Donald leave the crowd, grabbed him.

Lucia and Wesley hurried over and pulled the two apart. Seeing them from a distance, Judy also came over.

"Why do you say my magic crystals were stolen?" Donald was getting tired of this aunt-and-nephew pair.

"I suspect your magic crystals were stolen. How can you prove they weren't?" Judy sneered.

"Then I suspect you're a man and Carl's boyfriend. Why don't you prove that to me?"

Wesley burst out laughing, and Lucia couldn't help covering her mouth. This was the first time they'd seen Donald fight back.

Judy's face turned livid. She thrust out both hands and cast a Wood Element spell: Green Vine Entanglement. Before Donald could react, countless vines had wrapped tightly around him. As Judy twisted her hands, the vines grew tighter and tighter, making it hard for Donald to breathe.

"What are you doing?!" Victor only just noticed what was happening.

"Don't worry, I won't kill him. I'm just going to teach this lowborn brat a lesson!"

Just then, the Communication Array's alarm abruptly stopped. A commanding male voice rang out from within the array. Everyone froze, and the square fell silent in an instant.

"To everyone at Tris Magic Academy, I am Auston Fain, your king."

Good heavens, it was the king's voice! No one noticed Lucia's slight frown.

"Today is the first day of the Academy term." Auston was reading from a speech the master of ceremonies had hastily written for him. "I want to commend an outstanding young man!"

Everyone wondered if they'd heard correctly. The Academy was using a vast amount of magic crystals, and thirty-six Court Mages had joined forces to activate the Communication Array—all to commend a young man?! What had he done? Saved the world?

"This young man has made an outstanding contribution to the Empire!" Auston had no idea what the young man had actually done, but if it could raise the Magic Crystal Quota, it was the greatest contribution of all!

"But his status at the Academy does not match his contributions! This situation must be changed immediately!" The master of ceremonies had quoted Natia Vida's exact words for that last part.

His status didn't match his contributions? Everyone was bewildered. Did that mean his status as a student wasn't good enough for his contributions, and he should be made a teacher instead? That was ridiculous! Who was the king talking about?

"By my authority as the king of the Empire, I order Tris Magic Academy to admit Donald Wien as a student immediately! Do not delay! Oh, if Donald has already enrolled, then I offer him my congratulations!" What kind of nonsense was this speech? Auston glared at the master of ceremonies. The man felt unfairly blamed. The ambassador's words had been all over the place to begin with, and he'd already gone to great lengths to turn them into this speech.

The square fell silent. The outstanding young man being commended by the king was still bound tightly in Judy's vines. The moment Judy heard the name Donald Wien, she had been struck dumb.

The lowborn nobody she had sneered at was the outstanding young man the king had gone to such lengths to commend! He had made an outstanding contribution to the Empire. And all this time, she had been calling him a swindler and a thief. She had even planned to teach him a lesson!

Judy stood rigid, her face drained of color. She had even forgotten to withdraw her vines. Beside her, Carl no longer looked carefree. His legs trembled.

"Donald, your friend has a few words for you."

"Donald? Donald?" Natia Vida's voice came through the Communication Array.

"Why is there no sound? Is this array broken?" Natia Vida's question to the king came through word for word.

Seeing this, Dean Devis rushed over. He fiercely knocked Judy's outstretched hands aside, then pulled Donald free from the rapidly fading vines and brought him to the array. His movements were swift and nimble, nothing like his earlier drowsy self.

"Natia Vida?"

"Donald, what took you so long?"

"Something unexpected happened."

"A little gift. I hope you don't dislike it."

"I don't. It came at just the right time. Thank you," Donald said with a wry smile.

"Actually, there's something else I need to ask you."

"What is it?"

"My two daughters are coming from the north. They should be reaching Dorn City soon. I hope you can help keep them in line."

"Your daughters? You want me to keep them in line?"

"You'll understand when you meet them. All right, sorry for the trouble!" Natia Vida finished with a chuckle. The magic fluctuations gradually faded, and the communication ended.

Everyone stared at Donald in front of the Communication Array, mouths agape. No one could make sense of what had just happened.

It was March 1. Donald Wien officially became a student at Tesri Magic Academy that day.

(Two things: First, this book has entered the signing process and will be signed soon, so don't worry that it won't get signed and will be abandoned. Second, I've fallen ill. My tonsils are swollen like ping-pong balls. I'd planned to put out a few extra chapters, but under the circumstances, even keeping the updates regular is difficult. Please understand! I'm still shamelessly asking for recommendation votes and follows!)