Chapter Thirteen: A Strange Combination
After all, the Church of Light was the overwhelmingly dominant religious organization in the northern part of the continent. Although it couldn’t dominate as completely in the south as it did in the north, its power still couldn’t be underestimated. Especially since the Kingdom of Bohemia bordered the member states of the Northern Alliance, the Church of Light could easily exert pressure through diplomatic channels between nations. The Mage Guild could ignore protests from the Church of Light but couldn’t disregard advice from the Kingdom of Bohemia. Even in the south, the Dark Sect could only operate openly in a few select countries. Compared to the Church of Light, their strength was vastly inferior. Moreover, the mysterious nature of the Dark Sect made people in various countries feel tense and fearful toward this religion, which had been out of public sight for too long—this was also the main reason why the Dark Sect couldn’t truly flourish.
Under such circumstances, choosing to set aside King Cynifer III’s portrait might have been a wise decision. Yet the Mage Guild clearly expressed its dissatisfaction and independence by deliberately keeping the portrait in its original place and retaining Cynifer’s full name on the plaque. This at least showed that dark magic remained an integral part of the entire magical world, and the Mage Guild did not exclude it.
Komer and Lome didn’t stay in the Mage Guild for long. To be honest, Komer didn’t have much fondness or interest in it. Instead, the numerous magic equipment shops surrounding it left them in awe—ranging from magic tools and scrolls to potions and raw materials, from toys and weapons to books and armor. There was a wide variety, in different sizes and styles. Some were renowned for their established brands, others for their large scale and comprehensive offerings, some for their professionalism and precision, and still others for their high quality at premium prices. Many materials and items Komer had never seen or only heard of were displayed there for the first time. The only regret for everyone visiting these shops was having too few gold shields in their pockets; otherwise, even if they brought a cart, it would still be impossible to leave without filling it to the brim.
The Magic Competition that caught Komer and his party’s attention was not held at the Mage Guild. It was an official event organized by the Kingdom of Bohemia with the assistance of the Mage Guild, aimed at promoting the advancement of magic on the continent, while also serving to attract renowned magi to the Kingdom of Bohemia. The registration site for the competition was located at the Kingdom’s Magic Academy—Carolinum Palace. Originally a separate residence for the Bohemian royal family, it gradually became one of the main buildings used by the kingdom to promote magic after the completion of Prague Palace. Carolinum Palace became the core building of the magic academy, while Feselrad Castle served as the headquarters for the Kingdom of Bohemia’s court mage corps, housing a large number of magi from various factions and backgrounds, whose strength was unmatched by any other country on the continent. The kingdom provided them with excellent living and experimental conditions, earning the Kingdom of Bohemia its reputation as a magic kingdom.
As Komer and Lome strolled through the beautiful city of Prague, Komer realized that every inch of this city, known as the capital of magic, was imbued with a magical atmosphere. The bronze statue in the small square outside the Mage Guild was one of its founders—the great archmage Krachiva at that time. Statues of renowned magi from different races and factions could be seen everywhere. Fountains in the center of the streets sparkled with colorful lights, accompanied by wonderful music—clearly the result of a combination of water magic and air magic. Outside Prague Palace, the area was lush and green, while Victory Square outside the palace was filled with blooming flowers, exuding a vibrant spring atmosphere.
Such a scene seemed somewhat strange in the northern continent, which was already deep in autumn. However, this was not surprising. Victory Square and Prague Palace remained like this all year round. Thanks to air magic, this area could be transformed into whatever scene the magi desired, though this required a large amount of magic crystals to sustain the magical energy. For the Kingdom of Bohemia, which produced abundant magic crystals, this was a trivial matter. The continuously mined magic crystals not only met the kingdom’s own needs but were also exported in large quantities, generating significant revenue for the kingdom.
As Komer and Lome strolled through the flower-filled, fragrant Victory Square like lovers, a figure quietly passed by Komer. The delicate, subtle fragrance made Komer glance at the slender figure that vanished into the flowers ahead like a gust of wind. Komer was surprised by the figure’s chestnut-colored hair and slightly pointed ears—unexpecting to see an elf in Prague, and one who clearly possessed magical abilities. Judging from her speed, her wind magic was already at a considerable level.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached from behind. Two warriors clad in light leather armor and a man in a mage’s robe chased after them, their anxious eyes scanning the area. The mage-looking young man seemed quite calm, but the two warriors looked furious, especially the one who was clearly a dwarf. His nostrils flared, causing his thick beard to flutter as he growled at his companion, “Look what happened! It’s all your fault! You wanted to come see this stupid magic garden. What’s there to see? You’re not a woman who likes flowers and plants. Now we’re in trouble—we can’t find that guy, and I don’t know how we’re going to eat!”
“Huh? How dare you talk like that! There are so many people visiting this garden—why haven’t we seen him steal anything from anyone else? It had to be you! Is ‘idiot’ written on your head? Since it’s on you, you need to take responsibility. With that silly look of yours, walking into the garden without even knowing where to look—obviously a country bumpkin who’s never seen the world. Now that the item’s lost, you’re blaming me.” The other warrior also became enraged. His means of making a living was gone, and he didn’t know what to do. He had only planned to come to Prague to see what it was like, but now, to get his certification back, he’d have to spend a lot of money and effort.
The dwarf’s face darkened upon hearing his companion describe himself as an unsophisticated country bumpkin, and he grew embarrassed, his arrogance instantly deflating. He had indeed never been to such a beautiful and magnificent city; since entering Prague, he had never felt his eyes were enough to take in everything—endless wonders everywhere. The row upon row of magic equipment shops on Václav Street made him linger, while the grandeur of the Smíchov Opera House left him stunned. The Magic History Museum broadened his horizons greatly. All of this left him dazzled, and he had long forgotten that he still carried items essential for several people to make a living.
“Alright, Javier, let’s stop blaming each other. Things are lost now, so we need to find a way to get them back. This guy seems to be an elf and seems to know some magic. Although there are quite a few elves in Prague, those who can use magic and are involved in such activities are probably rare. It’s likely he’s from elsewhere, trying to take advantage of this magic competition to profit. I reckon he’s not just involved in this one incident; he’ll keep doing this, and more people will suffer. But once the competition is over, he’ll probably leave, so we need to catch him before that.” The young mage walking at the back calmly reassured his two furious companions, and his methodical analysis caught Kommer’s attention.
“Bukharin, it’s easy for you to say. Prague is so big—where are we supposed to find this guy who appears and disappears without a trace? We could still see his shadow just a moment ago, and then he vanished in the blink of an eye. He must be an expert in wind magic. I thought I was about to catch him, but suddenly his speed increased dramatically, letting me miss him. Even if we find him, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to capture him. Prague is too big and crowded; if we’re not careful, he’ll hide, and it will be extremely difficult to find him again.” The young warrior named Javier didn’t calm down despite his companion’s reassurances and continued to complain.
“Javier, it seems like you’re always right. I see that when you stepped into Prague, you were just like Bayezid—your eyes couldn’t keep up. But he was looking at the novelty, while you seem to only have your eyes on women. Look at you, with those greenish eyes and drooling—Javier and I feel ashamed walking with you! If you keep talking nonsense here, I’ll make you pay!” The magician, who had seemed quite calm and refined in Komer’s eyes, suddenly revealed his true nature, probably annoyed by his companion’s nagging, and exploded in anger.
Seeing the young magician’s sudden change in attitude, the young knight dared not complain loudly anymore. He could only lower his head and mutter quietly, though his eyes continued to scan the surroundings.
Komer and Lome were amused by the behavior of this strange group. It was clear these three were a small group who had come to Prague to see the magic competitions. They seemed to be a small mercenary group—the dwarf looked like a warrior, while the young knight resembled an adventurer. As for the quiet but temperamental magician, Komer couldn’t sense any particularly strong magic in him, which surprised him quite a bit.