Chapter 996: Suspicion and Governance

Quickly skipping over this topic, Xia Duo operated the communication magic array while asking Niya, "Were you just contacting Archmage Greta? Is she still not responding?"

"Yes, whether it's the communication magic artifact the teacher gave me, the communication magic artifact produced by the Tower of Time, or the communication magic array here, I cannot reach her. I have a very bad premonition!"

Niya's words caused the movements of Xia Duo's hands to stall; the communication spell that was about to be completed immediately fell apart, and the scattered, turbulent Magic Net Strings even affected the subsequent use of the communication magic array.

However, these were just minor details; even if Xia Duo did not intervene to forcibly stabilize it, time would gradually smooth it out, and it could be used again after waiting for a while.

But Niya's words left him feeling very uneasy. From the end of the celebration until now, a full three days had passed, and Archmage Greta still could not be contacted at all. This was not a good sign!

"Have you contacted anyone else?" Xia Duo asked.

Niya had been in Seventon longer than him, and due to her status, she might possess more channels of contact than he did.

But Niya frowned deeply at this, first nodding slightly, but then quickly shaking her head, "I've contacted everyone I could, but no one can clearly say what happened in Seventon, or there was simply no response at all."

After a pause, Niya suddenly asked faintly, "Do you think the teacher really succeeded?"

"Uh—"

Xia Duo had not expected Niya to ask such a question. The Princess's success was beyond doubt; even the new Priest had appeared, so no one would believe it if one said she hadn't succeeded!

It was just that the impact after this success was still very baffling.

"There is no need to doubt this; Princess is certainly successful, it's just that she might be unable to get away due to something right now."

Actually, Xia Duo highly suspected that one could not interfere with the Mortal Plane after Ascension to Godhood, but if that were truly the case, then the trouble would be huge.

Success in Ascension to Godhood might be good for the Princess personally, but for the group of people gathered around her, it might not necessarily be a good thing.

There is a saying on Earth that goes, "A new emperor brings his own court." If the Princess could not exert enough influence after her Ascension to Godhood, perhaps this would not change much for the Seven Towers Collective as a whole.

But those of them who were closer to the Princess, even if they would not be purged by the new power-holders of Giles Tower, would certainly not possess as much Permission Level as they had in the past.

To say nothing else, at the very least, Xia Duo had to worry about whether the agreement he had previously reached with Giles Tower regarding the transfer of the Magic Net Background Communication Patent would continue to be fulfilled.

Even though most of the transfer fee had already been paid, there were still the remaining payments for at least the next ten years, as well as the issue of whether the Mithril Purchase Vouchers could take effect.

And this was just the content involving specific interests on Xia Duo's side; besides this, there were various implicit benefits that went without saying, all of which were obtained by virtue of being a student of Princess Niya.

If Giles Tower underwent a change in power, it was conceivable that while already-signed contracts involving specific interests might continue to be fulfilled, the implicit benefits would 100% be impossible to continue using.

After all, the new power-holders would also have their own close associates and vassals.

However, Xia Duo's understanding of the existence of gods was ultimately too shallow; for now, everything was just speculation. Perhaps the Princess was truly tied up by something, rather than being unable to interfere with the Mortal Plane.

If that were the case, then the turmoil within Giles Tower might be a complete joke, and even the influence from the outside could be easily quelled.

Of course, this possibility was very small; otherwise, the Elf main god might not necessarily allow a human nation to rise among a group of Elf nations.

For a moment, Xia Duo could not think of anything else, only feeling that such a future full of unknowns, while worrying, was also extremely challenging.

After comforting Niya for a while and sending her out, Xia Duo "dialed" the communication magic array of the Arcane Union again:

"I am Level 4 Member Xia Duo, applying for a communication link from the Tower of Time. I need to inquire about matters related to the training of the new Priest!"

Actually, it would be the same without stating his identity, as the Arcane Union could determine that the communication was coming from the Tower of Time, but adding "Level 4 Member" indicated that the communicator was at least an Arcanist, so they would not just find someone to brush him off.

In fact, after Xia Duo reported his identity, news immediately came from the Arcane Union side—

"Lord Xia Duo, I have already relayed your question to my superior—Archmage Bulundesi. He will come over personally to answer your question later, please wait a moment!"

Bulundesi?

Listening to this rather unfamiliar name, Xia Duo searched carefully in his mind before finding the identity information corresponding to this name.

So he was a Councilor of the Arcane Union!

The Arcane Union theoretically encompassed all Spellcasters, whether they were orthodox Mages, Priests of the Gods, or certain special Spellcasters, such as Bards, Sorcerers, and the like.

Great Arcanists were undoubtedly the absolute leaders of the Arcane Union in terms of significance, but the Arcane Union itself was merely a loose organization, and the Great Arcanists all possessed their own private organizations that they could completely control.

It was just like the relationship between Niya, the Tower of Time, and the Arcane Union.

Of course, the Tower of Time was also a member of the Arcane Union, but such organizational membership was only useful at specific times, such as when allocating Mithril shares or collecting patent fees.

After all, the Union was a loose organization and could not be precise enough to manage every individual Spellcaster in its management, so it only managed up to the level of the Mage Tower.

That is to say, the Arcane Union had almost no direct management Permission Level over any individual Spellcaster, but it could indirectly influence them by influencing the Mage Tower where the Spellcaster was located.

And such an organization, even if quite loose, still needed a certain administrative body to handle daily affairs; it couldn't let those dozen or so Great Arcanists ignore their own affairs to specifically manage the Union's business!

Great Arcanists only took responsibility for demonstrating their presence, as well as deliberating and making decisions; specific affairs were mostly handled by a Council.

And this Council was undoubtedly the specific place where the Great Arcanists and certain other powerful Mage Towers demonstrated their will within the Arcane Union.

For example, Archmage Olong, a follower of the Princess, was a Councilor of the Arcane Union.

As for the other Councilors, they were either close figures such as subordinates, students, or followers of the Great Arcanists; or they were spokespersons for certain powerful Mage Towers, usually the Tower Master themselves.

According to Xia Duo's plan, the Tower of Time would also send people to compete for a Councilor seat in the future.

After all, the Arcane Union involved many interests, especially in the field of Magic. Being able to control a Councilor seat, not to mention how many benefits one could reap for oneself, at least could prevent the interests that originally belonged to one's side from being taken away too much by others.