"Should geniuses be together with other geniuses, helping each other grow, or should they lead a group of ordinary people and serve as the core to make a greater contribution?"
Inside the towering castle's keep, several people sat around a spacious long table, discussing a recent notice from the Association. A wizard in a bright yellow robe stood by the window and asked the others behind him.
"If this were within our knightly order, the answer would have been settled long ago: let a genius like that lead a group of people and make the best use of their talents," the Knight seated at the head of the table replied.
"But in my opinion, it takes several geniuses gathered together to pool their wisdom and create the finest, most outstanding work." A muscular man had a different view.
Before long, the Knight tapped the table lightly.
"The Association's headquarters has sent its reply. They approved our request, saying they'll reduce the share deducted from our supplies for the next three years and allocate some resources to help local students grow."
"However, they have a condition. They want to transfer Sylutia."
"Why?"
"It's simple. Those bigwigs think this land of ours is too peaceful to help anyone grow. They say staying here too long will ruin her."
"The conflict thirty years ago cost the Association many of its backbone members—Third- and Fourth-Order practitioners. Now they urgently need to replenish their forces and have little patience."
"According to our informants in the center of the continent, the Mage Alliance has undergone sweeping reforms over the past ten years. They've begun opening schools in every city and offering interest-free loans to some poor students. All they have to do is agree to serve the Mage Alliance after graduating."
"Through this approach, they've replenished