Clock Tower, Waver's Current Situation, and What Needed to Be Done

Wherever there were people, there was a martial world. How could the Clock Tower be any different?

The Mage's Association was nominally a self-defense organization formed by those who studied magecraft, regardless of nationality or school. Its mission was to manage and conceal the existence of magecraft while fostering its development.

It maintained armed forces to protect itself from threats such as the Holy Church and other magecraft organizations. It maintained research institutions for the further development of magecraft, and enacted laws to suppress crimes committed through magecraft.

With the beginning of the Common Era, True Ether completely vanished from the world.

However, the disciples of Solomon, the King of Mages, founded an academy with the aim of "passing down Mystery as a field of study."

After that, many supporters and disciples emerged across various regions. These supporters built numerous magecraft cities, but those cities closed one after another during their confrontation with the Holy Church. As a result, all their functions became concentrated in the Clock Tower established in London.

By around the thirteenth century, whenever the Mage's Association was mentioned, it generally referred to the Clock Tower in London—the origin and highest institution of learning.

Kenneth's return did not draw much attention from ordinary students. After all, he had returned less than two months after Waver, at most. Aside from some gossip over Waver taking over his classroom, there was little else to say about their private arrangement.

However, the upper ranks were somewhat shaken. Most people had assumed Kenneth would never return, or had even died, and were preparing to divide up the extra benefits when Kenneth came back.

Kenneth made his return a very high-profile affair, because he wanted everyone to know he was still alive. He knew very well that, during his disappearance, many people must have had their eyes on his interests. He had to crush those thoughts immediately.

Of course, none of that had anything to do with me. I merely needed to use Kenneth's title as a Lord to arrange for Rin and Sakura, then have him introduce me to a few important figures. First, though, I planned to visit Waver.

As soon as Waver learned I had arrived, he hurried out to greet me. Beside him were his good friend, Melvin Vines, and a tiny Laines El-Melloi Archisorte, who looked to be only about five years old.

Since he was not short on money, and because of Kenneth's instructions, Waver had not gone to see Iskandar's homeland, nor had the later incidents occurred. His relationship with Melvin was simply that of friends, with no debt problems involved.

They embraced upon meeting. If any fujoshi passed by, she would surely think the atmosphere between them was full of passionate bromance.

Waver introduced his friend and little girlfriend. The little girlfriend also kept calling him "Big Brother." (The love between Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi began with killing each other.)

Out of polite concern, Waver asked about my current situation. The result was that he dragged me off to listen to him pour out his grievances—how this person had obstructed him, how that person had mocked him, and how everyone looked down on him.

That was only natural. The Clock Tower centered on its twelve Lords, and the great mage families were divided into three major factions according to their political positions: the Aristocrat Faction, the Democrat Faction, and the Neutral Faction.

The Aristocrat Faction advocated following precedent, believing that only those who had been chosen should study and improve magecraft. Led by Barthomeloi, its members included El-Melloi, Yullyphis, Animusphere, Gaius Link, Acherot, and others.

The Democrat Faction advocated opening its doors wide, granting outstanding talents appropriate status, and balancing the society of magecraft study itself. Centered on Trambelio, it included another great noble house, Balueretta, as well as Edelfelt and others. Represented by Mayasthea, it included Brisissan, Gigumale, and others.

Unlike the other two factions, the Neutral Faction did not possess a unified internal will. Several families had merely gathered together because they prioritized research over ideology. It would not be surprising if they descended into infighting at any time.

They were usually collectively referred to by the name of the most powerful Mayasthea faction.

These factions despised and restrained one another, but because they understood that each was indispensable to the Clock Tower, they normally would not utterly crush their opponents.

Ridiculously, Waver could only be considered a commoner by birth, yet he carried the title of Lord El-Melloi II. To the nobles, a commoner mingling among them was a disgrace; to the commoners, he was a traitor. There was no way he could be having an easy time.

I spoke with concern. "At least Kenneth has returned. Things should be easier for you from now on." I also told him that my main purpose in coming was to send a few people here to study and, while I was at it, meet several people.

Before long, Rin and Sakura's enrollment had been arranged. Once a Lord spoke, such matters became trivial.

I said solemnly to Waver, "I intend to entrust the two of them to your care."

Waver hesitated. "Shouldn't there be better choices? I may not be able to teach them well."

I refuted him, "I believe in your abilities. If you truly lacked ability, Kenneth would never have found you to replace him. You need to believe in yourself." You are a man with the Eye of Discernment.

He reluctantly replied, "All right." PUA successful. From then on, the El-Melloi Classroom gained two more legends.

"Come, Rin, Sakura. Call him Teacher." With that, the first task was settled. From then on, during my time with Aoi, I only needed to guard against Fujino. Snicker.

Rin and Sakura seemed to have been arranged to live with Laines. I wondered what kind of stories the three of them would have in the future.

Kenneth had only just returned and was mainly dealing with matters within his own faction. For the time being, he had no plans to return to the classroom, nor did he intend to revoke Waver's title.

Late at night, after confirming with Kenneth the time for an introduction to Animusphere—the following afternoon—I returned to my residence. That was right, I owned a house in London.

Alone on my bed, I thought about the tangled web of relationships within the Clock Tower. It was still too early to make too much contact. I should focus on dealing with Animusphere instead.

I set myself a small goal: become the vice director of Chaldea. Once the negotiations were settled, I would make a trip to Spirit Tomb Albion, then visit a village in the mountains of Wales to see whether I could lure someone out.

How wonderful it would be to bring a tiny Gray home and raise her. With Kenneth alive, Waver's future had already changed. Whether there would still be Lord El-Melloi II Case Files was another question altogether.