September 6, the day after Roland issued his statement.
The upper district of the royal capital, Yther Kingdom.
Inside a small manor steeped in bourgeois refinement.
Magical flowers of every variety bloomed out of season, drawing fluttering butterflies.
Kevin Catona had no interest in admiring the beautiful gardens his ancestors had spent a fortune creating. He hurried past.
His leather shoes thudded against the paving stones. Before long, he crossed the western corridor and entered the courtyard at the front.
Several respectable employees in formal suits waited in the main building's hall.
They were department heads from the company owned by the Catona Family, along with the managers in charge of finance, marketing, and other operations.
After the Kingdom answered the Arcane Committee's call and undertook its arcane reforms, the Catona Family's conglomerate stopped relying primarily on agricultural production from its feudal estates. Even the family's direct descendants had moved off their lands.
The Catona Education Company, which Kevin managed, sold educational materials in the royal capital and provided course production, sales, skills training, and other services.
Everyone looked at Kevin with mild surprise. Their boss, who ordinarily prided himself on being dignified, composed, and unsmiling, now looked unable to contain his excitement. Delight practically spilled from his face.
"I have an important announcement."
Everyone hastily sat in a circle, ready to listen to their boss's instructions.
Kevin got straight to the point. "Starting now, our company will offer instruction in Oracle and Seris!"
"Oracle..."
"Seris!"
Everyone was even more surprised.
Kevin said, "I've already secured the family board's support. My father has agreed to allocate funds for a trial, but I intend to increase our investment further. I'll even cut our existing Orthodox Runes business by half and transfer the relevant personnel and marketing resources..."
The company's financial manager