Martina’s smile instantly softened the atmosphere in the conference room, causing everyone to relax their posture and let their expressions ease. Noticing the shift, Martina seemed to feel more at ease as she began to speak again.
“Now then, everyone, to return to our main topic… To prepare for situations that a light-attribute mage cannot handle, we will aim to revive the summoning of the Holy Maiden, as explained earlier. What we currently know is that it involves the use of a magic circle. Until recently, that was all we had, but just a few days ago, we discovered a very important book.”
With those words, Martina turned her gaze to Sophian, who gave a graceful smile and stepped forward.
Sophian then held up the Knight’s Tale, the book Martina had recently finished reading, ensuring everyone could see it. He had brought it from the royal library earlier that day.
“This Knight’s Tale is a work of fiction, not a historical record, and I’d forgotten its existence after reading it once years ago. But when I heard about the Miasma Pools, it suddenly came back to me. The settings in this story—Miasma Pools, the Holy Maiden, and the magic circles—are remarkably similar to what we’re dealing with. After sharing it with Martina, she suggested that it might have been written as a way for historians to preserve information for future generations. I agree with her.”
As Sophian concluded his explanation, Martina picked up the discussion.
“In this novel, there is a partially completed summoning circle. Our first step will be attempting to recreate the magic circle based on this information.”
“Could I read that Knight’s Tale as well?”
The historians in the room couldn’t contain their curiosity, and among them, Laforet stood up abruptly and spoke.
“Of course. We’ll take turns reading it,” Sophian replied with a nod.
“Would it be all right if Laforet goes first?”
As the most senior among the historians, no one objected to this suggestion, and the Knight’s Tale was handed to Laforet. Meanwhile, the other historians seemed to be engaging in a subtle struggle to determine who would be next in line.
“Now, regarding our future activities, I propose dividing into three teams. The first team, consisting of myself, Sophian, and the historians, will focus on reviving the magic circle. The second team, from the administrative department, will coordinate with other sections. The third team, the knights, will monitor and guard the Miasma Pools. Does this sound acceptable?”
No one opposed Martina’s suggestion, and the teams were decided as proposed.
“The knights, please monitor the Miasma Pools for now. The administrative team, I’d like you to liaise between departments and facilitate communication among the teams as well.”
“Understood. Let us know if you need protection,” Lambert responded firmly.
“Got it. Leave it to us,” Roland added in his usual tone, making Martina smile as she nodded.
“Thank you. Now, our team has the most critical role… Let’s start by investigating as many books as we can. Prime Minister mentioned the royal library’s archive earlier—are there significant materials stored there?”
Although trying to appear composed, Martina’s excitement shone through, her voice rising slightly and her cheeks flushed.
“The royal library’s archive contains many books that haven’t been thoroughly examined,” Sophian replied with a wry smile. “You might find hidden gems there.”
“Hidden gems of books… A treasure trove!” Martina exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.
“Not all of them, but many should hold valuable information.”
“Then let’s start there! Our base of operations will be the royal library!”
Martina’s delight was impossible to hide, her cheeks glowing as she envisioned the dusty library. Her enthusiasm left others smiling awkwardly, while Roland and Nadia, more accustomed to her reactions, appeared slightly exasperated.
“One more thing,” Martina said, her expression suddenly serious as she looked up at Sophian.
“What is it?”
“If possible, I’d like to call for information sharing with other countries. I remembered you work in the Foreign Affairs Department… Aren’t you a librarian?”
“My primary role is as a diplomat in the Foreign Affairs Department. Someday I’ll inherit a noble title and become the Foreign Minister, but for now, I have spare time, so I assist as a librarian while staying at the palace. Like you, I enjoy books and libraries.”
“I see…”
Hearing about Sophian’s destined role as Foreign Minister, Martina once again realized how impressive he was. She stared at him in awe for a moment before shaking her head to refocus.
“Then, could you take the lead in coordinating with other countries for information sharing?”
“Of course. Leave it to me. I have connections in the Foreign Affairs Department.”
“Thank you. That’s a great help.”
With that, all the topics for the meeting were concluded. Despite not taking notes, Martina summarized the discussions and decisions with remarkable clarity, leaving the attendees impressed as the first meeting came to an end.
