Chapter 45: Director’s Plan
Something in the director’s expression changed. Something deep behind his eyes.
"At first it was only meant to be one duel. Fight for a chance of leaving... but of course things are never this simple with the Great Houses, are they?"
He paused for a moment, letting out a practised exhale, as though he was trying to calm whatever burned behind his eyes.
"Then I had to kill every person they sent after me. Former teachers, friends, neighbours I’d known for years. There wasn’t anyone they couldn’t get to. No one who would be willing to say no to them. And that’s what I’m going to change, Godric. I am going to give people a chance to say no."
Godric stared at him for several seconds.
The man’s anger was understandable. Sending assassins after him was one thing. But sending assassins made of people he already knew was a decision designed to drown him in guilt, make him suffer and force him to return.
And while his ambition was quite admirable, the goal itself was nothing short of madness.
After a long, almost uncomfortable moment of silence, Godric finally asked: "And how are you planning on doing that?"
"By starting a guild. Building a strong foundation of summoners able to not just defend themselves but compete against the Great Houses is the first step."
Godric’s brow furrowed.
"A guild? There’s plenty of those around, and none stand a chance against any of the Great Houses."
"That’s because they take everyone of talent for themselves. And where do you think that happens?" Magnus looked around his small office as though he could see through walls. "Here. In our academy. But a guild started by its director would have even more insight into talents than scouts of the Great Houses."
"And why would someone of talent choose to join a nameless guild rather than go and be with one of the Great Houses?"
"Because we’ll have a name to compete against them."
’We?’
Godric’s eyes narrowed.
’...I see now.’
He had been trying to figure out what Magnus was playing at since the moment he entered the room.
And now, finally, the pieces began to fall into place.
His family name.
The last piece of a puzzle the director was trying to solve.
Magnus hadn’t simply wanted to remind the academy that House Blackstar still had an heir.
He wanted to use that heir.
Noticing the shift in Godric’s expression, Magnus continued.
"You want to rebuild your House, am I wrong?"
Godric didn’t answer immediately.
But that alone seemed to be enough of an answer.
"To do that," Magnus continued, "you need wealth. Influence. Resources. Most importantly, you need people willing to stand beside you."
He gestured toward the room, as though he could see past the walls of the narrow room.
"A guild can provide all three."
Godric finally looked up.
The man wasn’t wrong. If Godric truly wanted to restore his House to its former glory he needed all three, and then some.
But there was a more important question.
"And what does it provide you?"
As great as the alliance might’ve sounded, Godric still didn’t know what the director of the top academy was getting by putting himself in such a dangerous position.
Magnus’s smile slightly faded.
"A chance to make sure no one else has to go through what I did."
"That’s not an answer."
"It is."
"No." Godric’s voice remained calm, but his eyes sharpened. "It’s the reason you’re doing this. It isn’t what you gain from it."
"Chief of State," the man finally answered.
Godric raised a brow.
It was the highest position in the government. The so-called ’shot-caller’ who, in truth, had to simply follow the will of Great Houses. As symbolic as the position appeared, however, it did have a seat and a vote in the Great Council.
"With House Sinclair standing against me, I have no chance running for office. And as admirable as my current position is, it is far from being able to make a change. Real change."
"So you want power," Godric said almost too casually.
"I wish to make a change. Power is simply a necessary step to do so."
Godric couldn’t disagree.
To make a real change, you needed a real power to follow it through. The kind of power only those sitting in the Great Council had.
"Backed by a guild belonging to a Great House, I’ll have a real chance of becoming the Chief of State. Then, with the two of us sitting in the Great Council, we can make a difference, Godric. Real difference."
Godric leaned back with a thoughtful expression.
"So what’s the plan?"
"Yearly Summoner’s Tournament starts one week from now. You will participate in the first round. Then, after your victory, you will withdraw from the tournament and announce that House Blackstar is starting a guild. With all that out in the public, it will be impossible for the other Houses to intervene without causing commotion, and so they will let it play out to see what happens."
Godric nodded along with the plan.
It wasn’t the worst idea.
While Great Houses had the absolute power to do anything they wanted to, they still needed good public relations for people to actually follow their rule.
Magnus paused for a moment, then, standing up, he asked: "So, what do you think?"
Still sitting, Godric pondered over the plan for a few moments before finally replying.
"I’ll have full authority over the guild, after all, it’ll use my family’s name. We will split any profits from the guild 80-20. 80% to me and 20% to you..." Godric stood up, looking the director right in the eyes. "And most importantly, the restoration of my House takes priority."
Magnus held Godric’s gaze for a moment before extending his arm. "Sounds reasonable. We have a deal."
After shaking the director’s hand and sealing the deal, Godric was quickly out of the small confines of the man’s office.
Walking past the receptionist’s desk, however, a dark shadow settled over Godric’s face.
Just now, the director of the most prestigious academy accepted a deal without any negotiations.
Godric had no idea what the real goal of the man was, but it was clearly not what he tried telling him. And he clearly didn’t mean to keep his end of that bargain.
Still, even a fake alliance can be beneficial if used right.
Letting out a soft exhale, Godric thought with a grim expression: ’Another problem for the near future.’
And speaking of problems...
Up ahead, the narrow corridor full of students suddenly opened up, and a slender figure stepped forward.
Walking straight toward Godric, her silver-white hair cascaded gently across her shoulders, while her purple eyes remained fixated completely on him.
A bright, beautiful smile flashed across Raven’s face as she called from across the corridor: "Godric!~"