Return to the Magical Court

Janna Heartsteel was looking at the report with attention, not missing any detail.

When a request is fulfilled, it was standard practice to note down a report, a feedback of some sort to verify the completion of the request. However, the reports from the clients were not a decisive factor in whether the mission was a success or not. Upon returning to the Magical Court, one of Magus Andrew Anderson's disciples would make enquiries about the mission with various divination spells, to grasp the full picture of the mission.

These disciples were very aloof, and might be even considered crazy, but they were actually vital to sustain the reputation of the Magical Court. Otherwise, there would be many acolytes killing around various clients and telling the Magical Court they successfully completed their mission, even if that was not the case. However, such a thing was impossible for acolytes, and that went for advanced rank acolytes too.

If a suspicion arose, then the report could come in handy and get a clearer picture still.

These diviners helped to get a track of the continent's history and balance of powers, since its goal was primarly to avoid another continent war, which would set back the level of humanity several dozens of centuries back in time in terms of social, warring and overall strength as a nation. Ever since the original magi left this world for dead, leaving only a handful of magus households and the magical courts as legacy, humans were no longer dominating the world. If not for the Dalian Empire, which was efficient in managing their resources and reinvesting it back into their military, the human race might have reached a critical state already.

Beastmen, magical beasts, dragons, elves...All these creatures, some more hostile towards humans than others, posed serious threats to the very existence of mankind in Burion, and every decade, gained terrain on the Dalian Empire. Plus, barbarian might be humans but they were far from being allied to the Empire, as the mission showed.

The report in Janna's hands listed the achievements of Lewis' party.

'Jorg managed to single-handedly defeat the Fire Dagger Tribe's chieftain, and he was a grand knight with enough experience to make the old fox Eric Aurelius wary and unwilling to go in a duel with him...As expected, Jorg Bullwater possesses a lot of potential. It's a pity the meditation technique is only suited for humans, instead of lizardmen. Otherwise, with his experience and strength, he would have broken through the intermediate realm already...', Janna evaluated

In her eyes, Jorg Bullwater was an important piece of the crimson clan, but one with limited potential. She did not believe that Jorg, as hard working as he was, could ever break through the intermediate realm. It was not wrong, since the Magical Court Meditation Technique was built to fit humans, and beastmen were only partial humans. Plus, as talented Jorg was in martial arts and in training his body, he lacked arcane talent, only being a grade 1 acolyte. Still, decades of surviving the Magical Court allowed him to find resources to strengthen himself to the peak of the beginner rank acolyte realm, thus explaining his otherworldly strength and ease at defeating even grand knights.

'Orianna managed to take down a druid and dozens of knight-level barbarians with her innate spells...As expected of a Longlost heir, she lives up to her reputation. Hopefully, the addition of Lewis will be enough to exploit her potential'

Janna held Orianna in high standards. It was not just a matter about her background. Orianna possessed a strong bloodline, and even if she did not practice the magical court meditation technique, she would grow stronger just by aging. Even with low bloodline purity and low talent, she would eventually reach the peak of the beginner rank acolyte realm in decades. The only problem with Orianna was her growth rate. Bloodline type acolytes were known to be slow learners, unfortunately.

But then, Janna paused upon reading Lewis' evaluation.

'Training of imperial soldiers, brewing of an antidote of a poison that infected 600 imperial soldiers and saving their lives, assassination of 2 druids, including an intermediate-rank druid, participation in major battles...'

Janna sighed.

Lewis was a new piece in her chess set. She could not see through the young boy, who had seized the authority in his party in two months' worth of time. Strong, reliable and cunning, he managed to use his strengths to complete missions with strategy, instead of strength alone, making him more valuable than most beginner rank acolytes in the Crimson Clan already. 

In the magical court, beginner rank acolytes were divided in two kinds : the average beginner rank acolytes who barely survived, and only knew none to one spell. They were usually respected because of their unknown abilities in the world of mortals, but they also happened to be terrifyingly weak and prone to dying in some random battlefield.

Elite beginner rank acolytes were different. They usually knew at least two spells, and more importantly, possessed the experience to wield them proficiently. They were highly respected and represented the pillars of any organization, including the seven major factions that Janna looked up to.

And Lewis, from the report, had already reached this realm of strength. Jorg, too, had already reached it, though he only knew one self-healing spell called [Arcane Flow]. As for Orianna, though she was still far from this realm of strength, would undoubtedly reach it in the next couple of years, provided she survived under the leadership of Lewis.

Janna had hoped to create an environment of learning for Lewis and Orianna under the leadership of Jorg Bullwater, a lizardman who was strong but lacked cunning and communication means. However, she had unknowingly created a small elite squad.

Looking at the piles of reports next to the one she was reading, most of them coming from the numerous skirmishes with the Blue Wolf Mercenary Group on the Island of Bones, related to the dwarves' settlement, located in the heart of the molten mountains.

Just when she was pondering about her choices, a man entered her room.

"Greetings, lady Heartsteel", the old man said in a calm, calculating voice.

Despite his elderly and weak demeanour, there was a strange clarity in his eyes.