Grand Magus

"So, where do I begin?" asked Elise in a hopeful tone as if trying to say that the topic was too broad.

"Everything." replied Fraser with a single word.

Realizing that she couldn't get away, Elise started to talk.

"Okay, so let me begin by talking on how a Magi Family starts to appear in the world."

After that sentence, Elise took a single mouthful of water from the glass next to her.

"First and foremost: The most important resource for a noble family to rise is one Magus. It doesn't matter how many apprentices or knights a noble family have. As long as there wasn't one Magus in the family, it will never ascend to a noble family."

The last sentence caused Fraser to glare at her.

"Naturally, most noble families don't have a Magus in their family right now. However, every noble family at some point in their ancestry tree had one. The focus is on at least one. There could be many or even one in every generation, but these numbers are not important for the beginning."

After that short time period where Elise got fl.u.s.tered whenever Fraser glanced at her in a different way, she started to open up while she explained the concept of the noble family.

"So the name of a new noble family would mostly correlate to the actions or the name of the first Magus in the family. Sometimes a Magus even actively creates a new Magus family and then bestows a name upon the newly creates Family. The Reason why a Magus is bound to their actions, spells or attributes is that they are still socially bound to other Magi."

"After all, the other Magi would look down upon someone who chooses a too imposing name. Besides, the Magi would rather have a practical name in order to get to know who they are offending or giving face…."

"How do you know that information? This is rather specific information about Magi." interrupted Fraser.

"Well, my family is the best example for a new Magus Family. The sister of my Grandfather has become a Magus and created a new Magus family. Even if my Grandfather has risen to become a Magus as well, since he depended on his sister, he is viewed as part of the family of his sister."

Fraser didn't expect that Elise's family would be a new family that is on the rise.

"So most noble families are either branches of a Magus Family or offsprings of a Magus Family that once had a living Magus. Although there are a few exceptions, for example, rich merchants or loyal servants, all of them are under the protection of a Magus Family."

Fraser pondered for a while before realizing that something sounded fishy.

"Wait. You said that all rich merchants or loyal servants are all under the protection of a Magus family. But a Magus family that doesn't have a Magus for a long time must have declined to a point where even rich merchants are stronger than them." stated Fraser.

"A declined Magus family is a family with no living Magus. At that point, they still have a couple of books, a few connections to certain Magi organization and few defensive or offensive weapons. These can magical items still can be used as every Magus would groom a few apprentices."

As if irritated from Fraser statement, Elise added:

That last sentence caused a huge wave of suspicion to appear in Fraser's mind.

"In order to confirm a few assumptions that I have right now. So in the Howling Abyss Academy, there are a few influential Magi Family. In other words, the Howling Abyss Academy is a group of Magi gathering and thus forming an organization called the Howling Abyss Academy, right?" stated Fraser as if trying to deduct the information from Elise.

"Yeah, that is true. Although it is not Magi Family. Instead, it is a gathering of Magi. After all, the family members under them have the bonus of being a part of the organization simply because they are part of the Magi family."

"Wouldn't it make more sense to send the family members of the Magus into the other Magi organizations in order to steal their spell models or even knowledge?" asked Fraser the tone as if that would make more sense.

Not realizing that this was the question which weighted upon Fraser's heart the most, Elise lashed out.

"Are you nuts? Every family member capable of becoming an Apprentice is valued. You don't just send them into the other Magi organizations."

Not realizing that he hit a personal sore spot, Fraser continued his thoughts:

"But sending family members into a friendly Magi organization would show trust. Besides a talented apprentice acting as a spy might get a few unique spell models from the Magi organization."

Ignoring the thoughts of Fraser, Elise continued to mumble in an angry mood.

"How does being under a Magi Family work. Do they have to offer part of their resources every year?"

"Yeah, it works like that. The noble families have to offer a certain percentage of their yearly products to the Magi family."

Fraser completely forgot his true reason and started a barrage of question towards Elise in order to please his thirst for knowledge.

Only at the end of the talk Fraser remembered the northern ice wolf family, however since he already had a general understanding of the noble families in general and discerned that the fact that he and his genius big brother didn't visit the same Magi organization was suspicious, he didn't need more information from Elise.

The last question from Fraser towards Elise contained the outposts which fused with the outpost of Magus Sept.

"So there are nine other outposts which fused with our outpost. Including Magus Sept, we have ten Magi in our outpost right now. Since we are facing a tide, most inner circle members of the Magi have to finish certain tasks. But after their task, most have nothing to do and experiment all day long." replied Elise.

"So, is one of the Magi part of the Northern Ice Wolf Family?" asked Fraser in order to get to know more about the family in which he offended a single one.

"Well, none of the Magi are part of a Family. I heard that almost all of the ten Magi are rather new Magi that have just ascended to the rank of Magus. But I heard that there is a genius from the northern ice wolf family." spoke Elise.

When Fraser stood up and gestured for Elise to leave, he could see the face of a shocked Elise.

Before leaving the private completely, Elise turned around and stared at Fraser.

'Mhm…. What was that last expression? A grin? A mocking laugh? A fake smile in order to lessen my shields?'

When Fraser thought about the last face Elise made, he couldn't discern anything except one thing:

It was a good facial expression.