[Vol. 7] Chapter 116: What Kind of Conference Is This?
Over a hundred years ago, the entire eastern world was engulfed in war. The rapidly rising Austre Empire waged battle after battle, expanding its territory by annexing one nation after another. Inevitably, its iron cavalry advanced toward Academy City Sainz, which lay between the empire and its next targets.
However, Sainz was no ordinary city. Its unique status and background made it too important to simply conquer. If Austre Empire dared to seize it by force, it would spark worldwide outrage, turning the already controversial empire into a universal enemy and risking retaliation from a coalition of powerful nations. Given that Sainz was merely a single city, no matter how prestigious it was, waging war against Austre Empire would only result in mutual destruction.
Realizing this, the ruling emperor at the time chose to compromise. He granted Sainz full autonomy, promising that as long as the city remained neutral and did not assist Austre’s enemies, the imperial army would never set foot in Academy City.
At the time, Austre's conquest was unstoppable, and while Sainz held immense global influence and respect, it was ultimately just an academic institution, not a military force. A direct conflict with the empire would have only led to disaster.
After careful deliberation, Sainz's Council decided to accept Austre’s terms. They negotiated a more detailed and comprehensive agreement, which included allowing Austre Empire to hold a limited number of seats on the council as a security measure to maintain stability between both sides.
With the agreement in place, Austre’s armies bypassed Academy City and continued their conquests, eventually forging the vast empire seen today. Meanwhile, Sainz became a relatively independent city within Austre’s borders, a nation within a nation, maintaining its autonomy and academic prestige. It remained a sanctuary for scholars from all over the world.
In most fields, except for Theology and Holy Magic, Sainz far surpassed the Holy Academy of the Holy Empire in terms of research and innovation.
Many saw these two academies as the academic representatives of their respective empires. However, unlike the Holy Academy, Sainz did not consider itself a possession of Austre Empire. And now, with the world's political landscape becoming increasingly tense, the wording of this letter and the invitation it carried…
Interesting… an invitation, huh?
Deep in thought, Violet casually asked,
"Just to be clear, what exactly is the position of honorary professor? And what is this [World Academy Joint Exchange Conference] supposed to be about?"
Hearing the black-haired priestess get straight to the point, Priscilla couldn’t help but look impressed. She didn’t waste any time and answered directly.
"Academy City Sainz is, quite literally, a city that functions as an academy. It is governed by a Council, whose members are primarily composed of highly experienced and widely respected professors," Priscilla explained.
"There are two types of professors in Sainz. The first are the official professors, who are fully affiliated with the academy. They hold actual authority over resources and decision-making, but their actions are also more restricted because they essentially represent Sainz’s stance on any given issue."
"The second type is the honorary professors. This title is awarded to individuals who have made groundbreaking contributions in their respective fields or have unmatched expertise and achievements, all while maintaining an honorable reputation. Unlike official professors, honorary professors aren’t directly tied to Sainz in terms of responsibilities or obligations. It’s more of a recognition than a position."
"Oh! So it’s kinda like those international peace prizes or Awards, right? I get it now!"
Priscilla paused for a moment, then gave a small, helpless nod.
"Awards… Yeah, I guess that’s one way to look at it. From what I can tell, Miss Violet, you don’t seem like the type to join a specific faction. You probably value personal freedom, just like Enrique and Sophie do."
"If that’s what you’re worried about, you can rest easy. Honorary professorships generally come with only benefits and very few obligations. Plus, Sainz itself is a neutral institution that rarely gets involved in international conflicts. Its primary mission is to advance knowledge and promote peace. If that weren’t the case, I wouldn’t have chosen to be a lecturer there myself."
"As for the World Academy Joint Exchange Conference, I’m sure someone like you has already noticed the underlying tensions brewing beneath the so-called peaceful international landscape. This conference is being led by the Austre Empire and the Holy Empire, with backing from the Five Great Powers, and will be an international event involving academies from all over the world."
"Officially, the goal is to enhance academic exchange and promote peace, but in reality…? It’s a stage for power plays, hidden conflicts, and strategic maneuvering between major nations. Each country has its own motives for participating. Whether it’s to test strengths, make political statements, or engage in unseen battles of influence."
"Sainz was chosen as the first host because of its neutral status and strategic location. If this event goes well, it’s expected to become a regular occurrence, hosted by different countries and cities every few years."
"Why does this feel so familiar…? Don’t tell me there’s already some shady group pulling the strings behind the scenes again…."
Muttering to herself with a strange expression, Violet glanced down at the young dragon girl, who was still quietly holding her history book, merely listening without voicing any opinions.
Originally, she had planned to travel north with Xiao Guang after settling this matter, to search for the real body of the young dragon, which lay dormant in the Dragon Worshiper Territory of the Austre Empire. Along the way, she also hoped to see more of the world and find a way to help the little dragon girl grow faster.
After the battle against the God of Subversion, where they managed to seize a portion of the [Origin Power] that had been hoarded through the Church of Truth’s strange methods, Xiao Guang’s body had visibly aged by about two to three years. This provided them with valuable insight on how to advance her growth. However, as useful as it was, it was still just a shortcut. Not a truly reliable way to achieve steady progress.
Besides, strength alone wasn't enough. What Xiao Guang needed was more than just power, perhaps Sainz could offer something more...
"Before I decide whether to accept this invitation, I have one last question."
"Go ahead, Miss Violet."
Staring at the red-haired beauty’s enigmatic smile, the priestess paused in thought before speaking.
"Mutual benefit is the foundation of any cooperation. On a personal level, I might be willing to help others without expecting anything in return. But since this invitation was issued after discussion by the Academy Council, there’s no way it comes with no strings attached. Let me be direct, if Sainz is offering so many benefits, what do they want in return?"
"~"
Hearing this, Priscilla smiled for real for the first time and nodded repeatedly.
"No wonder even the proud members of [Tree] hold you in such high regard, Miss Violet. You’re clearly special, not just in terms of strength. That’s a great question. But all I can say is… having the [Priest] accept the honorary professor title and simply showing up at that highly anticipated conference, that might just be one of the academy’s biggest goals."
For a split second, Violet’s silver-blue eyes flickered.
"So… things have already reached this point?"
"More than you can imagine."
"......"
As if coming to a decision, Violet finally nodded slightly. She reached out and gently patted the golden-haired little dragon girl’s head, a smile spreading across her lips.
"Well then… I definitely can’t miss an event this exciting~"