Chapter Twelve: Portraits
Several quite ancient oil paintings still hung on the walls on either side of the hall. However, what interested Komer were not these well-known figures familiar to mages, but rather a seemingly vacant space in the corner. The inscription below seemed to have been completely worn away, but whether due to negligence or intent, Komer’s sharp eyes immediately noticed a few blurred letters behind the last fold. Due to the great passage of time and the dim light in the corner, almost no one noticed this place. Even if someone saw those blurred letters, they would likely not understand their meaning. Yet these letters left a deep impression on Komer.
J.F. Keniver, Keniver III! A portrait of Keniver III had once hung in this hall. For some reason, it had been removed. Komer didn’t know how long ago it had been taken down, but judging from the deliberately worn letters, it must have been quite some time ago. Faint green patina had already covered the entire plaque. If it weren’t for Komer’s careful inspection of each portrait and the deep impression of Keniver III’s name in his mind, he might not have been immediately drawn to these familiar letters.
The Mage Guild dared to hang a portrait of Keniver III, regarded as the Dark Lord. It should be noted that Keniver III’s reputation in the Light Church was hardly any better than that of the god of the underworld, Hades. At least Hades was just a legendary god, while Keniver III was not only a great dark mage but also, more importantly, the emperor of a vast dark empire. His name had always been a taboo in the Light Church. Although the Mage Guild no longer had his portrait, the fact that it had once been hung pointed to an important issue: the Dark Church seemed not to be as discriminated against in the Mage Guild as once thought. Perhaps the so-called unpopularity was merely superficial. The fact that the portrait of the last ruler of the dark empire could be hung in this sacred hall of the Mage Guild said much.
Komer stayed in the corner for too long, quickly drawing the attention of some observant people in the Mage Guild hall. When a graceful knight approached him with a smile, Komer knew his efforts had finally paid off.
“Sir, do you need any help?” The polite question, along with the pleasant southern accent, satisfied Komer greatly.
“Of course, I’m very curious as to why this portrait was removed. Whose it should belong to?” The knight’s expression stiffened. It wasn’t that no one had asked this question before—after all, the walls on both sides of this hall were adorned with portraits of renowned magic masters. Although this one was in a corner, upon closer inspection, it was clear that there was a noticeable gap there.
“Oh, sir, this is the portrait of the Dark Mage James Flaman Kenifer. As for why it was removed, it was the decision of the Mage Guild, and I cannot disclose that information.” The knight realized that this man might not be as easy to deal with as those previous tourists or mages who had casually asked questions, so his expression became more solemn.
“Oh, a Dark Mage. Since the Kingdom of Bohemia doesn’t discriminate against any magical sect, why would the Mage Guild remove Mr. Kenifer’s portrait? Could it be that the Mage Guild has succumbed to pressure from the Church of Light?” His tone was gentle, but his words were quite sharp.
“Sir, you’ve misunderstood. The Mage Guild is an independent and neutral organization. It is neither influenced by the kingdom nor by any religious sect. It’s simply a place where mages can exchange ideas and learn from each other. Well, to be precise, it provides a platform for mages. The Mage Guild doesn’t have the authority to ban anything or encourage anything. Such decisions are made by the kingdom’s internal affairs departments. Of course, as an organization, the Mage Guild also has its own principles. As for who’s portrait to hang or remove, I think it doesn’t require anyone’s approval. It’s an internal matter of our Mage Guild.” Faced with Komer’s aggressive words, the knight became more confrontational, his tone stiffening, as if slightly provoked by Komer.
“Heh, of course, it’s the Mage Guild’s own business. But as a sacred place revered by mages across the continent and a place that upholds fairness among various magical factions, if it can’t remain impartial, it will affect the Mage Guild’s integrity and reputation. I just have one suggestion—heh, nothing more.” Komer shrugged nonchalantly, but the disdainful glint in his eyes made the other man feel insulted.
While Komer and the knight continued their endless argument, in a room on the second floor of the Mage Guild, two people quietly watched the crystal ball slowly rolling on the table before them. On its smooth surface, it was clear to see Komer and the knight arguing, and a pair of horn-shaped speakers beside the ball clearly transmitted the content of their discussion.
“Xuro, are you saying he is the candidate for the Dark Lord?” The gray-haired old man, sitting in the center with his hands clasped tightly over his chest and leaning slightly back in his chair, appeared deep in thought.
“No, not a candidate—he’s already confirmed to be the reincarnation of the Dark Lord,” Xuro replied calmly, though a hint of dissatisfaction flashed in his eyes, which didn’t go unnoticed by the other man.
“Xuro, don’t be so hasty. I understand your feelings. If the Holy Church could find the true reincarnation of the Dark Lord, it would indeed be a great blessing for them. But we’ve endured for so many years—can’t we wait a few more days? I trust your perception, but without verification from others, we can’t draw a conclusion yet. However, I can’t sense any dark magic around him. Is this guy really hiding so well?” If one observed closely, the old man’s attire was slightly different from that of ordinary mages—a black mage robe with a matching belt at the waist, and at the belt’s knot, a string of dark beads that constantly shone with light. This was the symbol of a magic appraiser in the Mage Guild. There were only a handful of such appraisers across the entire continent, and they were all important figures within the guild.
“Hmph. If the Dark Lord couldn’t even do this, he would have already been exposed by those Ramah knights of the Holy Church. Yet those knights are still in the Caucasus, aiming straight for the Dark Lord himself. That’s why I’m worried…” Before Xuro could finish, he was interrupted: “If he can’t even solve such a simple problem, even if he is the reincarnation of the Dark Lord, he likely won’t be of much use in reviving the Holy Church. It might be better to end things now.”
“You!” A terrifying glint appeared in Xuro’s eyes as he was clearly angered by those words. “Seyhill, I can’t help but suspect that you’ve been corrupted by the power you hold. I must remind you of where your power comes from. Understand this: if you forget your duties as a member of the Dark Alliance, you’ll soon realize the mistakes you’ve made.”
“Hehe, Xuluo, I don’t need you to remind me of my obligations. The candidate for Dark Lord proposed by your Secret Sect hasn’t been confirmed yet. I know my own identity better than anyone—please be assured of that. I don’t think we need to let this affect our personal relationship.” Shaking his head slightly, the gray-haired elder showed no particular reaction to Xuluo’s words. “Well, I think we should find an appropriate time to meet the candidate you have in mind for Dark Lord. Perhaps he truly is the ideal candidate, but this needs to be determined through proper procedures. I wonder what this guy intends by coming to the guild—could it be just to argue with Tuluq and the others?”
When Lomei appeared before the young knight named Tuluq, his enthusiasm soared instantly. Serving a noble lady was clearly something he was more willing to do, and he even paid little attention to Comer’s changed attitude, constantly hovering around the girl attentively.
At this point, Comer had to admit that gender differences indeed made him less advantageous in certain aspects compared to Lomei. Lomei quickly obtained much more of the information she wanted from that young knight. If not for Lomei’s somewhat lacking questioning skills, Comer feared the knight might have revealed everything about his family background, interests, and character.
The portrait of King Canifer III had been removed a long time ago, roughly twenty years prior. Before that, King Canifer III had always been displayed in that corner as the foremost figure in dark magic. Although there wasn’t much description on the inscription, and what was there was mostly neutral wording, the fact that he occupied a place in the guild’s hall of fame said a lot.
However, this portrait did cause quite a few troubles. Ever since it was hung in the hall of fame, the Light Church had continuously pressured the Mage Guild. But as a neutral organization, the Mage Guild naturally had the tendency to resist external pressures. Moreover, the Kingdom of Bohemia had always upheld the principles of religious equality and freedom. Though it imposed many restrictions on the activities of dark sects within its borders, it legally recognized equality among all sects and did not ban their activities. Thus, the Mage Guild also adopted a cold attitude toward the Light Church’s protests.