That made her position a delicate one: she had to step outside the Council's constraints and help Dawnblade build influence in Sunfury Spire, yet she could not casually order Patrick around as his superior. According to Master Oaks's requirements, her role was more to assimilate and influence, not to be a female superior issuing commands.
Why think so much about it? I haven't even met that Arcanist yet, Liadrin thought. She touched the invitation she carried. It was an invitation to the Mages' Association's annual meeting, which only mages of the fifth ring or above were qualified to attend. Hers had been personally issued by Master Oaks, on high-grade arcane paper, with several lines of large, gold-stamped lettering in Ancient Thalassian to convey its solemnity.
Liadrin identified herself as an envoy from the academy, and Yanida replied politely, "Chief Patrick is in the study."
Liadrin dismissed the servants accompanying her and entered the study alone.
"Hello! Chief Pa... Pat... rick." Seeing Patrick suspended in midair, Liadrin was so surprised that her words came out somewhat jumbled.
Making one's body float marked the beginning of a mage's path toward transcendence. Controlling space with spiritual power to lift the body into the air was one manifestation of a mage's successful exploration of the mysteries of space. There was no doubt that Chief Patrick had begun to grasp the secrets of space.
"Hello, Madam Envoy. Please, have a seat." Patrick looked at his visitor. Receiving guests was a basic courtesy that noble gentlemen mastered.
"Chief Patrick, I offer you my respects solely on behalf of the Mages' Association. I am Liadrin, the Mages' Association's envoy for this occasion." Liadrin's tone was a little unusual. She seemed particularly concerned with certain words, giving them extra emphasis.
A mage of exceptional talent, Liadrin thought. *He