CHAPTER 200: DISCUSSING WITH EVERYONE

After pondering for a bit, Riku realized that he couldn’t do it alone. He decided to speak to the others the next day.

The next morning, he gathered the leaders of Elowen in the longhouse. Barou, Lord Gregor, Lord Arnold, and Rennan took their seats around the large table. Lila, Lysaria, and Sherry stood quietly by the hearth, listening.

"Thank you all for coming," Riku began. "I want to talk about yesterday."

He looked at Barou. "Your speech was powerful, Chief. It gave the people courage. But I was in the crowd afterwards. I heard them whispering. They are still afraid."

Barou sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I know, lad. I heard them too. They feel like a storm is gathering, and our village is the only tree in an open field."

"Exactly," Riku said. "And that’s because for every threat we’ve faced, I have been the shield. They are safe because of me. But they don’t feel safe, because they know that without me, they are helpless."

He leaned forward, his expression serious. "That has to change. We can’t just protect them. We have to empower them. We need to give them the strength to protect themselves."

A spark of interest lit up in Lord Arnold’s eyes. "What are you proposing, Master Riku?"

"I am proposing we establish an academy," Riku stated. "Here, in Elowen. A place where we can train our people. Not just the young adventurers, but everyone. Farmers, craftsmen, even the children."

Barou slammed a fist on the table, his eyes blazing with excitement. "An academy! Teach our people to fight? I love it! We can form a proper village militia!"

"It’s more than just fighting," Lord Gregor interjected, his voice thoughtful. "To be truly empowered, they need knowledge. Strategy. Logistics. The ability to think like a commander, not just a soldier."

"Precisely," Riku agreed. "Which is why we have a problem. I cannot teach these things. My skills are... unconventional."

Lord Gregor and Lord Arnold exchanged a look. A slow smile spread across the old marquis’s face.

"Perhaps we can be of some assistance," Gregor said. "I served with many fine men in the Royal Army. Most are old now, retired. But I know a man, Captain Torvin. He was the finest strategist in my old regiment before a political squabble saw him forced into an early retirement. He is a hard man, but he knows how to turn farmers into soldiers."

Lord Arnold nodded. "And I have connections at the Royal Academy in Luxia. There are many scholars and academicians who have grown tired of the capital’s politics. I am certain I could persuade a few to relocate here, to teach history, logistics, and perhaps even basic engineering."

Riku felt a surge of relief. The practical side of the academy was falling into place. "That would be incredible. Thank you, both of you."

"But what about magic?" Lila asked from the side of the room. All eyes turned to her, then to Riku. "Your magic is what has saved us all, Riku. Can you teach that?"

The room fell silent. This was the question Riku had been dreading.

He looked at Lila’s hopeful face and shook his head slowly. "I can’t, Lila. I’m sorry."

"What do you mean, you can’t?" Barou asked, confused. "You’re the most powerful mage any of us have ever seen."

"That’s the problem," Riku explained. "My skills... they are not learned. They are a part of me, like breathing. I don’t know how to explain the theory. I just... do it. I would be a terrible teacher."

Lord Gregor nodded in understanding. "He is right. A prodigy rarely makes a good instructor. They cannot explain the steps they themselves never had to take."

Lord Arnold sighed. "And even if you could teach, Master Riku, who among us could possibly learn? True magical talent is as rare as a dragon’s tear. To comprehend the level of magic you wield... it would be like asking a child to understand the stars."

"We could hire mages, of course," Gregor added. "Through our contacts in Luxia, we could find tutors from the Mage’s Guild."

Riku remained silent. He thought of the mages he had encountered in the Korvan Kingdom. He thought of the church acolytes, their power rigid and dogmatic. He thought of the court mages, more concerned with politics than with the true nature of their craft.

Even Seraphina, for all her immense power, was bound by the strict traditions of the Church of Light. Her understanding of magic was powerful, but it was not fundamental.

They are all lacking, he thought, a sense of frustration washing over him. They knew the rituals. They knew the chants. But they didn’t seem to understand the source code. The true, underlying mechanics of how the world’s magic actually worked.

The hope that had filled the room a moment ago deflated slightly. They had a plan for an academy. They had teachers for combat and strategy.

But the most powerful weapon in their arsenal, magic itself, remained a locked door without a key.

Riku looked at the determined faces of his friends. He remembered the System’s words. Become an adventurer. Explore the world. Gather data proactively.

The idea had seemed impossible just a day ago. He couldn’t leave his people.

But now, it was the only logical solution.

He took a deep breath. "Then I will find them."

Everyone looked at him, confused. "Find who, lad?" Barou asked.

"The teachers," Riku said, a new, determined light in his eyes. "The real ones."

He looked around the table. "Lords Gregor and Arnold, you find us the captains and scholars. Barou, you and the dwarves will oversee the construction of the academy building."

He stood up. "While you are doing that, I will go on a journey."

Lila’s face fell. "A journey? Where?"

"Out there," Riku said, gesturing towards the world beyond their valley. "To other parts of the empire. To the places we haven’t seen. The System was right. This world is bigger than we thought. If the best magic users in this kingdom are not good enough, then I will find better ones."

He looked at his friends. "I will go out and see how the world really is. And I will find the right people to bring back. I will find the teachers our people deserve."