The Meeting

As the floating platform slowly ascended, a thought suddenly surfaced in my mind.

Steam engines are certainly useful, and to some extent, mechanical devices are essential to liberate labor and propel society forward quickly.

But there is magic here.

Could we not research and utilize magic to solve the problem of transportation?

First of all, teleportation magic does not exist, and even if it did, it would be restricted to a select few.

Implementing it on a national scale would be nearly impossible.

However, trains are different.

Take this floating stone platform beneath my feet, for example.

If we could create a train similar to a maglev, we could significantly increase travel speeds.

While highly feasible, the investment required would not be small.

If I can secure the talent before me today, I might be able to get a definitive answer from her.

The ceiling slowly came into view, though this distance clearly had not reached the top of the mage tower.

We were likely about fifteen meters above the ground, roughly the height of a four or five-story building, when the ceiling above suddenly split open.

The stone slab directly overhead divided into two halves and slid to the sides like a pocket door, and the platform we stood on fit perfectly into the resulting opening.

At the same time, a massive living room filled with the scent of books and old paper slowly unfolded before my eyes.

Looking around, the walls showed none of the rustic stone texture of the exterior; instead, they were covered with wooden bookshelves.

I looked up at the ceiling and estimated the height of this floor to be at least fifteen meters.

Wooden bookshelves lined the walls, circling the entire room.

The room itself was perfectly circular.

The floor was covered with a thick carpet made from the fur of some unknown animal, and a magnificent crystal chandelier hung overhead, each crystal casting a gentle light toward the ground.

The space was enormous, roughly three or four hundred square meters in size.

A wooden staircase on wheels stood beside the bookshelves, clearly a specialized mobile ladder used to reach the books on the higher shelves.

There were only four windows in the entire room, each opening onto a balcony that extended outward, furnished with lounge chairs and tea tables.

Directly in front of me, in the center of the room, stood a large tea table.

It was adorned with colorful flowers I couldn't name and a complete set of tea utensils made of an unfamiliar material.

The atmosphere was scholarly.

A faint, elegant, and fresh woody fragrance drifted through the room.

Being in her own home, Ligeia naturally dispensed with formalities, walking directly to the head of the tea table and making a gesture of invitation.

"Your Highness, please come this way."

I nodded, following the host's lead. Since she had invited me, I didn't hesitate to take a seat in the chair opposite her.

Ligeia smiled subtly and raised her slender hand, causing a stream of water to appear out of thin air and fall into the kettle.

With a snap of her fingers, the charcoal in the stove ignited without a flame, yet the entire process emitted no heat.

I subconsciously reached out my hand to test it, only to find that even when my hand touched the stove, there was no sensation of burning.

"Please be at ease, Your Highness. This material is specifically designed to absorb heat. Even if the temperature inside the stove were high enough to melt steel, it would not cause you any harm."

The burning fire did not bring a choking smell of coal smoke, but rather a faint woody scent, seemingly mixed with some spices that refreshed the soul.

"It is truly a surprise to me that Your Highness would personally visit my humble abode."

As she spoke, she took out a serving pitcher and tea cups, flipping over the inverted cups.

Then, with a wave of her hand and without touching the kettle, the water inside rose into the air and poured into the pitcher and cups without a single drop hitting the table.

Next, the pitcher and cups floated in the air, spinning to discard the water used for rinsing.

"A being such as Your Highness must be occupied with a thousand matters every day. I am but a lowly mage living in seclusion on this mountain with no great skills to speak of. Why must Your Highness come in person?"

She took out a tea canister, used a wooden scoop to take out some tea leaves, and placed them into a lidded tea bowl.

She gave it a gentle shake before opening the lid, allowing a rich tea fragrance to diffuse from the bowl.

It harmonized with the scent from the stove, making the atmosphere even more tranquil.

I said nothing, simply watching her quietly as she continued to demonstrate her tea artistry.

Boiling water poured from the kettle again, and I watched the tea leaves in the bowl tumble under the force of the stream.

She poured in short bursts three times before closing the lid, only to immediately discard the first brew.

She then refilled it with hot water, again in three bursts, closed the lid, and picked up the bowl with one hand to pour the brewed tea into the serving pitcher.

"If Your Highness intended to invite me to assist you, I believe this trip may be in vain. I am merely an ordinary scholar who studies flowers, trees, animals, and plants. Such things are enough to bring me joy for a lifetime."

She pushed a tea cup toward me. Although her hand did not touch the cup, it slid steadily across the table and stopped right before my eyes.

"However, since Your Highness is already here, you should at least taste my tea before you leave. After all, as a host, I cannot let a guest leave empty-handed, can I?"

She smiled and raised her own cup, draining it in one gulp before turning the cup upside down on the table.

This wasn't just a polite hint to leave; it was an explicit dismissal.

"You are right. I did indeed come here to invite you to enter my service."

"Enter your service? Hmm, I like that phrasing. I did not realize Your Highness had such a talent for creative vocabulary. But Your Highness... on what grounds do you ask me to leave my seclusion?"

The elegant smile remained on her face, but her intent to refuse was not hidden at all.

"The Kingdom of the Moon is currently plagued by internal strife and external threats. Setting aside the power struggles among the nobility, the Pope is watching like a tiger stalking its prey, and the demon army is preparing for war. Even without those, the two-hundred-year Dragon Calamity is enough to cripple the Kingdom of the Moon once more. Furthermore, the upcoming demon miasma infestation will cause another invasion of demonized beasts, adding even more weight to the kingdom's burdens."

At this, Ligeia's lips curled into a smile, but a trace of pity flickered in her eyes.

"Your Highness... if I may be blunt, if I were you, I would quickly relinquish my power to avoid a tragic end. The Kingdom of the Moon is already terminally ill; no medicine or physician can save it now."

She was right, absolutely right, and the reality was likely even more severe than what she described.

But as the Saintess, how could I stand by and watch at a time like this?

I did not pick up the tea cup. Instead, I looked her straight in the eye and asked seriously.

"If even I give up, will the people have any path to survival?"

"No," Ligeia answered with a smile.

"If even I give up, will there be any hope left for the Kingdom of the Moon?"

Ligeia answered me again, "No."

Hearing this, I smiled as well.

"Then... what reason do I have to give up?"

A spark of interest appeared in Ligeia's eyes as she gazed at me curiously.

"Your Highness, are you truly not afraid of death? Whether it is the Dragon Calamity or the invasion of demonized beasts, one might at least survive. But if you are captured by the demon army, you should know what your fate would be without me even saying it."

I didn't know why, but since transmigrating, I found myself increasingly thinking from the perspective of a Saintess, and my sense of justice was growing stronger.

This subtle influence was likely a force completely opposite to my demonic nature.

If becoming demonized affected the psyche, then as the opposite of demonization, the Saintess and the Witch roles likely possessed opposing buffs.

Therefore, I felt that the fact that I, a former low-level clerk, could now consider the well-being of the entire population of the Kingdom of the Moon was highly likely due to the 'Saintess' title and class influencing my mental state.

However, I didn't think this was a bad thing.

"Of course I am afraid. Is there anyone in this world who does not fear death? Who would not dread being ravaged by the demon army?"

"Oh? Since Your Highness knows this, why do you persist? Leave the Kingdom of the Moon as soon as possible and hand your power over to the Pope. I believe that with the Pope's generosity, he should not make things difficult for you."

She was testing me.

Although I didn't know exactly what she was thinking, these questions were undoubtedly a test of my character.

At the very least, this gave me a sliver of hope. If she hadn't bothered to ask these questions, then this trip truly would have been a waste of time.

But since she was asking questions she didn't technically need to ask, it proved she still had some heart to help me.

But... only if I passed the test?

Interesting.

Truly interesting.

"I wonder, Miss Ligeia, do you wish to hear a lie or the truth?"

Since she was testing me, there was no need for me to hide anything. I would say what was in my heart. Only sincerity can be traded for sincerity.

Ligeia smiled at my words, looking me over with great interest.

"What is the lie? And what is the truth?"

"The lie is... I hope for peace and prosperity in the Kingdom of the Moon. I want everyone in the world to be treated as equals, for the demon army to never appear on this continent again, and for the radiance of the Temple to shine upon every person on this land."

"I see. And the truth?" Ligeia pressed, her eyes turning serious.

"I want to live a safe and free life."

"?"

She continued to look at me, seemingly waiting for more, but after a long pause, she simply stared at me in confusion.

"Is that... all?"

"What else should there be?"

Ligeia looked utterly astonished.

"Miss Ligeia, as you said, if I hand my power to the Pope, I might indeed trade it for a brief moment of peace. However... my existence will always be a thorn in the Pope's side. The Saintesses of the other six nations of the Holy Church would also not allow such a situation to exist. Therefore... once I do that, it is very likely to result in a simultaneous siege from the other six nations."

I raised my hand and took a light sip of the tea. The fragrance filled my lungs, making me feel refreshed.

"So, the moment I hand over my power, there will no longer be a foothold for me among the Eight Nations of the Holy Church. Even His Holiness the Pope would not be able to protect me."

Ligeia's brow furrowed. She remained silent, seemingly contemplating my argument.

I continued speaking.

"Regarding the nobility, I already have an excellent plan that is enough to throw the entire aristocratic circle into absolute chaos in an instant. Of course, please forgive me for not being able to share it for now, but if you agree to enter my service, I will tell you everything without reservation."

"Furthermore, regarding the demon army, the upcoming demon miasma infestation, and the Dragon Calamity you mentioned—the other six nations have already dispatched troops, and the Holy See is prepared to handle all the supplies. Although this will certainly deal a heavy blow to the Kingdom of the Moon, there is a saying—new life can only be born from the ashes of the old. Could this state of ruin not be the beginning of a new rebirth?"

Ligeia's frown deepened, but she said nothing, just watching me.

"As for the Pope's covetous gaze... that is only because I am not yet strong enough. As long as the Kingdom of the Moon can develop according to my ideas, it will surely rise again. By then... even the Pope will find it difficult to covet my vast lands."

"You... are that confident?"

"No. To be honest, I have no chance of winning as of right now."

I shook my head. Although I had originally come to find this mage, Ligeia, to ask about the Dragon Calamity and hopefully recruit her, I had now changed my mind.

The Ligeia before me understood the global situation so well that she was clearly not just a simple scholar. At the very least, she still cared about the people of the world. Perhaps it wasn't some grand concept of 'humanity,' but simply that she didn't want to see tragic scenes.

But regardless, Ligeia was someone who had thoughts about changing the world.

As long as that was true, I had to do my best to recruit her. Even if I couldn't, I must not make an enemy of her.

"Then..."

"Miss Ligeia, if I may be blunt, sometimes thinking too much is a good thing, but thinking too much can also lead to indecisiveness and missed opportunities."

Ligeia was momentarily stunned, seemingly reflecting on my words.

"I have one more sentence to give you, Miss Ligeia."

Ligeia was taken aback again and looked up at me.

"What is it?"

"No matter how small the possibility, as long as I am still working toward it, there is at least a glimmer of hope. But if even I give up... then no hope will ever appear before my eyes again."

I raised my tea cup, drained it, and set it down.

"That is all I have to say. You should give it some thought, Miss Ligeia. Nara, let us go."

I stood up and began to walk away.

Nara had been standing there like a wooden statue the whole time. It seemed she had understood some parts but not others. However, she understood my command to leave. She gave me a surprised look, then glanced back at the silent, head-bowed Ligeia, looking completely bewildered.

"Your Highness... we, we're just leaving?"

"Yes."

I had said everything that needed to be said. Anything more would be a waste of breath.

If she truly wanted to help me, she would figure it out. If she couldn't, then she wasn't the talent I was looking for.

I wanted someone who would help me with all their heart and soul, someone who could make the Kingdom of the Moon stronger—not someone indecisive who didn't know how to make sacrifices and decisions at critical moments.

I reached the floating platform. Although I hadn't seen exactly how Ligeia operated it earlier, I could see now that there was a switch on the platform that could be pressed to control its movement.

For a mage like Ligeia, she likely wouldn't need such a switch for herself; it was probably there for guests.

I raised my hand to press the switch.

Just as my finger was about to touch it, a voice that brought me a surge of joy suddenly rang in my ears.

"Wait!"