Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Council’s Decision-Arcane Mage of Azeroth(Aunt Liu)

Silvermoon City, the Silvermoon Council. The masters who held the highest authority in Silvermoon City were gathered together.

“Colleagues, what are your thoughts on Patrick Cabron’s recent journey?” Master Grenville Dawnwalker was the first to speak.

“I’ve heard that the Windrunner girl is accompanying him this time,” said another master, Janreni Dawnstar. Clearly, each of the masters had their own sources of information, and Master Dawnstar was well-informed.

“Young elves are more active and proactive,” sighed Master Ox Dawnblade.

“Judging by Patrick’s previous actions, his approach to arcane study has always been steady and cautious, and his foundation is rather solid. Although he’s made rapid progress in recent years, his understanding of the arcane is unusually precise, even among elves,” said Bridges Morningbreeze, who seemed to know Patrick quite thoroughly, capturing the essence in a single remark.

Bridges Morningbreeze produced a record and presented it to the other masters.

It detailed how Patrick had been working for his family, later leaving Silvermoon City under the pretense of transporting strategic goods, then studying for a time at the tower of the mage Dath’visir. He reached the fifth ring at Dath’visir’s tower, and the tower master was full of praise for Patrick’s attitude toward the arcane.

Later, while passing the Eastern Sanctuary on his way out of Silvermoon City, he happened upon Aurelia, who was commanding an operation there. At the time, the trolls were massing near the Farstrider Lodge but remained inactive, secretly making moves in the Forest of Life. Subsequently, Patrick and Aurelia managed to break the trolls’ plot in the Forest of Life.

After recuperating at the Eastern Sanctuary, they reentered the Forest of Life and destroyed the trolls’ fortress, Sebwasa. Aurelia then oversaw the construction of a new fortress at Sebwasa to monitor troll activity in the Forest of Life and eastern Tor’vasa.

From the record, Patrick was clearly different from most elves—he had his own plans and ambitions. He was not one of those Silvermoon elves who cared only for pleasure; he was diligent, rigorous, realistic, and enterprising, with a unique insight on his path of arcane study.

Recent observations showed that Patrick was quite content studying at the Sun Sanctuary and seemed to have little interest in Silvermoon’s politics. Thanks to his presence, merchants had begun taking an interest in the Sun Sanctuary, which was showing signs of developing into a small elven town.

“I agree with what Master Morningbreeze has said. Although Patrick is a native of Silvermoon, he is not like most elves, who are addicted to pleasure and lost in the afterglow of the Sunwell,” Master Senior Sunwing added at last.

“We have reliable information that His Majesty Anasterian has already ordered Celewol to send an arcanist to the Sunspire Tower. It seems the royal house has begun to observe Patrick in secret or to subtly exert royal influence around him, quietly drawing him in,” Master Grenville Dawnwalker supplemented.

This was a typical tactic of the royal house: exerting subtle influence over elves who might be useful to them, gradually shaping them into loyal royalists through imperceptible means. The council was, of course, well aware of these royal strategies. The royal house needed to maintain a certain degree of political influence within the kingdom and retain some actual power—for example, over the Sunwell. A royal house that had been completely sidelined was destined not to last.

Even in that decadent kingdom of a previous life, the parliament was not entirely independent of royal power, and the queen was far from powerless. Many castles, farms, shopping streets, and even wind power companies were in the queen’s name, giving her indirect control and influence over many aspects of daily life.

The British Parliament consisted of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the monarch. The parliament was divided into the upper and lower houses. Members of the upper house were not elected but came from royal descendants, hereditary peers, law lords, privileged families, life peers, Scottish and Irish nobility, and former prime ministers—a structure somewhat akin to King Anasterian’s private council of advisors.

The lower house, or House of Commons, was an elected body, ostensibly composed through the manipulation of various social classes and interest groups. Despite its name, it had little to do with the common people.

(The reason is simple: when it comes to voting, those in advantageous positions are always family dynasties and financial magnates. Appearing before the public, political advertising, and hiring lobbyists all require money—without it, participation is nearly impossible.)

(That’s why democracy has nothing to do with ballots. The opposite of democracy is not dictatorship—democracy opposes ossified social classes and aristocratic politics.)

“Master Ox, you preside over Silvermoon’s Mage Association, and Patrick Cabron is an arcanist. You are entitled to send a consultant to the Sunspire Tower in the name of the Mage Association. Like the royal house, we too can quietly exert the council’s influence around Patrick,” said Master Senior Sunwing, who rarely addressed his colleagues with such politeness, but this time was especially courteous.

After clearing his throat, Sunwing continued, “Our Sunwing clan is responsible for administration. Sending a consultant in the name of government affairs would be inappropriate. Upon reflection, only you, Master Ox, are suited to send a consultant.”

“I agree,” said Grenville Dawnwalker.

The other masters each voiced their support.

“Agreed.”

“Master Senior, your reasoning is sound. Let the Mage Association send a council representative to the Sun Sanctuary to observe and win over Patrick Cabron, the arcanist. What do you all think?” Master Ox cast a sidelong glance at Sunwing.

“Seconded.”

“Seconded.” All the masters concurred with Master Ox’s plan.

…

Back in his own high tower, Master Ox’s expression was dark.

“That old fox Senior doesn’t want to play the villain himself, so he leaves it to us of the Dawnblade to do the dirty work, making it easier for him to maneuver in secret.” Master Ox was furious—so much so that the arcane parchments on his desk began to twist and warp.

His attendant quietly conjured a gentle, cooling breeze, easing the master’s temper a little. “Why be angry, Master? Isn’t this actually to our benefit? We can select someone from the Dawnblade to send.”

“Even if we don’t send an elf from the Mage Association, and instead dispatch someone from our own Dawnblade clan to the Sunspire Tower to gradually befriend that Cabron boy, it will still be under the Mage Association’s name, not the Silvermoon Council’s. He’ll think we’re there to monitor him and will deliberately keep his distance, giving the Sunwing clan just the opportunity they’re looking for.”