Today marked the final day of the week-long journey, and the ship was finally approaching the border between the Andharta Scarlet Duchy and the Ironclad Kingdom. Both regions were renowned for their magic warriors rather than pure magic, so most of the magicians from these territories often traveled to the Free City of Knowledge, where magicians held the highest authority.
This didn't mean warriors had no place in Magisteria, but the pursuit of knowledge was an area where mages excelled. Their deep understanding of magic allowed them to further research and develop new advancements.
The city's primary focus on magical research and development made it a haven for mages to gather, unlike the Magic Empire, which most mages from other kingdoms avoided unless they were desperate or aligned with the empire's views.
Warriors also had a place in the Free City of Knowledge, as they were known as magic warriors, utilizing magic or mana in a different way than mages. This meant that knowledge wasn't limited to just magic itself, but extended to various topics, including art and combat techniques.
With a multitude of universities within the city, their numbers were comparable to those found in dozens of small kingdoms. Many of these institutions matched or even surpassed the quality of education offered by the top universities of the Andharta Kingdom and the Magic Empire.
Most universities focused on both mages and magic warriors, as advancements in either field contributed to the overall development of magic.
Cassian had learned all of this from a book he borrowed from his sparring partner, Julius. It helped him understand why Julius, a seventh-circle magic warrior, and Katherine, a powerful mage, were headed to the Free City of Knowledge. Magic warriors grew stronger by facing dangerous or powerful opponents, which Julius could easily find in the city.
As for Katherine, while she could conduct research in Magisteria, Cassian believed she could have done the same back in her duchy. After all, her family's power and wealth could provide her with anything she needed for her studies.
The city was still a few hours away, so Cassian and Katherine remained in their cabin, resting. As usual, Katherine was engrossed in one of her novels, her eyes scanning the pages with quiet focus while Cassian, looking at her with a confused expression, asked "My lady, may I ask you something?" and closed the book he was reading.
Katherine, who was engrossed in one of her novels, looked up and nodded, giving him permission. Smiling, Cassian moved toward her legs, gently uncovering them to begin his usual massage. As he started, he asked, "What are you planning to do in Magisteria? Are you going there for research?"
Katherine nodded at his question, her eyes still half-focused on the book, as if his inquiry wasn't unexpected. Cassian, though, couldn't help but press further. As his hands kneaded her calves, he asked, "Why not do that back in the duchy? You can get almost anything you need there, but in Magisteria, it might be harder. Plus, there's always the risk of assassination."
Katherine sighed softly, placing the book on her lap, and gave Cassian a small, knowing smile. "You're right. The duchy can provide almost everything I need, but what it can't offer is the environment I need for my research. Plus, I much prefer the hustle and bustle of Magisteria over the solitude of the Scarlet Castle," she explained with a smile.
"That reason alone is enough for me to leave the castle. And about the assassination attempts, do you have any idea why they've been happening?"
Cassian had some thoughts but preferred not to voice them, so he shook his head. Katherine, still smiling, asked, "Come on, you must have some rough ideas?"
Cassian paused for a moment before nodding. "To be honest, I do have some thoughts, though they might be far-fetched. But before I share them, may I ask—are you on the verge of becoming a truly powerful mage?"
Katherine looked amused as she nodded, "You could say that, but I'm not exactly on the verge. I'm still far from it."
Cassian hesitated for a moment before sharing his theory. "Well, the idea I have is that whoever's behind the assassination attempts is trying to take you out before you reach that level. The reason could be an old grudge or simply the fact that the duchy would gain another powerful ally if you do."
Katherine didn't seem surprised and nodded in agreement. "You're right, but can you guess who might be responsible? I've noticed you've been reading up on the history of the kingdoms, so you should have some insight into our duchy's enemies or anyone who would be at a disadvantage if the duchy became stronger."
Cassian fell silent, deep in thought. He had considered this since the first assassination attempt, pondering over the duchy's enemies and any other parties that might benefit from eliminating a rising power within the duchy.
The conclusion Cassian had reached after long consideration was something he didn't want to say, nor did he want to believe it could be true. But since it was still just a guess, he decided to share it. "The Ven Dyke Duchy has made plenty of enemies over time, most of whom have perished, but their descendants still live today.
I believe the ones who attacked Scarlet Castle were a coalition of those enemies," Cassian began, his voice careful. "But the real issue is how they infiltrated the outer part of Scarlet Castle. Even with reduced security, it's not easy to get inside. And infiltrating noble estates is even harder."
He paused, then added, "For them to pull that off, they must have significant backing. It wasn't just a few remnants of old enemies. Whoever orchestrated it has considerable resources, as they managed to bribe their way into the castle, getting those terrorists inside."
Katherine's expression shifted slightly, impressed by his deduction and with smile confirmed his guess "They did."
"So, we can rule out the smaller and mid-strength enemies," Cassian continued, "since they wouldn't even have the resources to bribe one spy, let alone infiltrate the castle with hundreds. That narrows it down to just a few contenders. I won't name them all, but two stand out. One is obvious—the Empire.
The second might not seem as clear right now, but in time, it will." He paused, glancing at Katherine to gauge her reaction. She looked intrigued, her curiosity piqued. "Go on, tell me your second guess," she prompted.
Cassian smirked, taking a moment before revealing his thoughts. "I believe the second obvious organization that could fear the rise of the Ven Dyke Duchy is none other than the royal family of Andharta Kingdom itself—the very kingdom to which our duchy is pledged in loyalty."