The Strongest Gun Magus: I Cast Bullet!-Chapter 94: The Magisters

The headquarters of the Order of Winter were built from white stone and made to shine with silver adornments on the most important building and the entrance gates.

The throne hall of the Magister of the order echoed this design. Only a red carpet that led toward the throne stood out, along with the red clothing of Magister Melchior.

Surrounded by his advisers, Melchior was sitting sprawled on his cushioned throne seat. He looked youthful, but his jaded gaze betrayed his true age. As a Citrinito-stage magus, Melchior could live up to several hundred years. Only his long hair had already turned gray.

Several advisers have gathered around him, discussing the current situation. They spoke about the attack on the mayor’s manor, about how the Day of Freedom was so outrageously insulted by the unknown attackers. Melchior listened with a bored expression until he had had enough.

"Idiots! If the attack wasn’t done by us, then the only answer is the Order of Winter. There’s nobody else in this city with enough power and motivation to try killing the mayor... And enough ineptitude to fail. They have been quiet since their last defeat, and even now, these weaklings don’t dare to attack the Order of Winter directly."

The advisers whispered among each other, nodding. Melchior’s reasoning was solid, and if anyone had doubts, they didn’t dare to bring them up.

"Then we must retaliate, Magister Melchior!"

Melchior nodded lazily to the adviser.

"Definitely! It’s time for me to take a direct part in combat. No more holding back... There will be time for rebuilding collateral damage before the winter. Call the fighters and bring the artifacts out of the treasury. We will deal the snowflakes a blow that will crush them once and for all."

"About that, Magister Melchior," another adviser said, "Two of our mercenaries have gone their own way, it seems. Magi Windblown and Faust were seen in the mayor’s manor, probably leeching off his money, instead of fighting on our side. I suggest sparing a few magi to remind them of their duties... At a time like this, it’s especially important."

But Melchior waved his hand dismissively.

"Mercenaries? We don’t need those for the decisive battle, unless they are used as fodder. If the magi didn’t join the Order of Winter, then they will only fail in the end. Outsiders keep sticking to their false values... They will fight for money, love, even for fighting itself... They don’t realize that the only reason to fight is to become a winner."

The advisers bowed upon hearing Melchior’s words of wisdom. Each of them believed them deeply, and knowing that, Melchior smiled.

"You might even be weaker than your opponent, but removing everything unnecessary will sharpen the edge of your magic and allow you to achieve victory. And victories beget more victories. This is another reason we will defeat the Order of Snow soon. This three-hundred-year war will be over at last!"

Melchior raised his fist in the air, and the advisers repeated the gesture, cheering.

***

A similar scene was happening on the other end of the city.

The Magister of the Order of Snow didn’t have a throne hall. Instead, the massive white-stone room with blue banners on the wall and a massive elevated seat in the far end of it was called "Hall of Listening".

Magister Benedictus was sitting rigidly in his seat, holding a ceremonial Sceptre of Command in his hand. His hair was hidden under a hood, and his face had an unaging quality to it, making it impossible to say how old he looked. This face could have easily belonged to either a teenager or a man in his thirties.

Below the throne, two hundred people were standing in neat rows. The closer to the throne, the higher their rank was, while at the very bottom stood the weakest recent recruits and students. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Only a few days ago, the Order of Winter had broken the sanctity of the Day of Freedom celebration, as well as the common law of Darland. Its brigands attacked Mayor Matiliy and had almost killed him, stopped only by the betrayal of their own traitor. Another crime the Order of Winter committed for the sake of their ambitions, and it will be their last. My brothers, it’s time."

Benedictus stood up, and the order members below went so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. He raised the Sceptre of Command.

"I will lead you into battle myself! Together, we will be as one, crushing the opponents and building new, brighter streets in place of the old ones! The quartermaster will give each of you combat potions and weapons as you need, and you will fight as you must! Death to the Winter!"

"Death to the Winter!" people echoed, pumping their fists in the air and shaking the banners with their shouts.

Benedictus’s face stayed impassive the entire time.

"Death to the Winter!" shouted a woman in the middle rows, sounding more energetic than her neighbors.

The woman wore the same uniform robe as other magi of the Second Rank did inside the headquarters, but modestly covered her head with a shawl. It did little to hide the woman’s beauty.

At this moment, a muffled sound came from the woman’s purse. It was so quiet that nobody could hear it over the cheering, and even the woman herself only sensed its vibrations.

With a weak pulse of magic, Amelia (simply Amelia Berim for all the magi in the Order of Snow) turned her Repeating Bird amulet off.

It was only much later, when Benedictus was done with his speeches and other "snowflakes" were done gossiping with Amelia about the possible attack plan, that the woman had an opportunity to sit somewhere private and soundproof.

She brought out her Repeating Bird amulet and gently tapped it. A spark of light appeared inside.

"Hello-hello-hello... Please, bring this little bird out, hold it tightly in your hands," Amelia hummed, smiling to herself. "Please, let me hear your voice... Just as you asked to hear mine."

"Amelia? Oh, you finally replied! Look, I feel like you should share a little more of your plans with me... Or a LOT more!"