A magick school for lowfolk? (Patreon)

The thought of them snooping all over a sacred elvish palace made my skin crawl, but what concerned me most was the presence of Edessa. I had unfinished business with the scheming, conniving femme who played a key role in Estmere's death and my long imprisonment. The lowfolk magick school itself ... that could be a potential asset, if I controlled it. My grandfather, Adler the Prudent, had seen fit to encourage the Lowfolk Interbreeding Initiative, so clearly fostering good relationships with the lowfolk should be an Imperial initiative. I could dictate the school's curriculum and boost my own prestige if the students saw me as their main benefactor. After all, I had been planning to teach a coven of lowfolk witches magick before that whole plan fell apart. If someone was founding an actual school, why not let them do the work so I could reap the rewards?

"I'll see what I can do," I told Ash.

"I should certainly hope so!" he retorted hotly. "This is a serious threat to the elves' superior position over lowfolk. I'd also like to request that you call me by my proper name henceforth. When you lifted my geas of banishment, you also gave me back my Vulpitanian name, Dr. Owter Cesawonki. The lowfolk name 'Ash Marten' is so crass. It's beneath someone of my stature."

Ash was an ass, but I held my tongue. No sense getting into an argument since he had clearly come to help. "You're reestablishing yourself in Faerie," I observed. "That means you have a damage report on the current social and political situation."

"I've only recently been back," he admitted, "so my knowledge is very basic, but anyone with eyes can tell that Faerie is in freefall and on the verge of collapse. Whatever your plan is to fix this mess, I hope you do it quickly. The prevailing opinion seems to be that you are an ambitious upstart who murdered his brother, and in that respect you have widespread support among traditionalists. Even the Seelie can hardly find fault with such tactics. However, most elves also believe you released the Plague of Battles just to watch the world burn, and nobody wants a reckless madman in charge. Plus the Gaps have fractured Faerie into innumerable isolated realms, many of which are only accessible by Gate. They've mostly grown accustomed to ruling themselves over these past few centuries and are not likely to swear allegiance to Albric Tor without some heavy persuasion. You may officially be crowned Emperor, but getting anyone to accept your rule will be a challenge. A civil war could potentially start if there was any faction actually capable to wage one. None of these pocket realms, with the possible exception of Vulpitania, possess the strength to oppose you. Currently that's to your advantage, but it won't be for long. Once a real push for reunification begins, then competitors will start popping out of the woodwork."

Hmm. I needed to confront Edessa, and see if I could count this lowfolk magickal school as an asset. I also needed to start strategizing ways to rebuild the Empire. Or did I? That felt more like a long-term goal, while the old queen lurking in a school library seemed more immediate. She was a threat to my imperial authority, so dealing with her would also further my other goal. That settled it. I would take care of Edessa first.

Now then ... should I go straight to Persoc Tor, or should I enlist the aid of Burnside and Rebecca? Burnside would be useful if I needed to strongarm the heartless wench who murdered my brother, and Rebecca might find a magickal school appealing. If I could somehow link Rebecca's coven and the school together, that would make these potential resources all the more valuable.

Can you guess what I did? (i.e. time to wake up and make a few audience suggestions)

"Oh, one last thing," Ash, I mean Dr. Cesawonki added before I departed on my journey. "Might you have any knowledge as to the whereabouts of General Bonsai and his shrub knights?"

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