Kano signaled for the Mage who had previously cast the spell on Rorschach to also cast the [Truth-telling Skill] on Valon. He then asked the general manager to tell all the Mages present about the scheme he had been a part of.

Valon’s testimony in the hall, exposing the scam orchestrated by the Mining Company and Nekker, caused a massive uproar.

The "Dog Head Gold" discovered at the start had actually been hidden all along in the supplies sent to the Sub-plane...

The Mining Company had never actually extracted any gold from the Sub-plane...

The company’s mission—and general manager Valon’s most important duty—was to inflate the stock price...

"So, the various Sub-plane lords, including this... paralyzed Count Granor, vouched for the reliability of the gold mine to the Nobility and investors. Although they did so in their personal capacity, based on my observations, their status as Advanced Casters and their standing in the Magic Guild were the key factors in winning trust."

"After the company went public, the initial capital it attracted was immense... Now, that’s no longer the case."

"Why hasn’t the stock price fallen?" Many of the Mages couldn’t resist the temptation either and had invested a good deal of money in the stock market to turn a profit. Generally speaking, the Mining Company’s stock price was still just barely outpacing the inflation of Paper Currency.

Valon revealed an "Alchemy Magic" that was truly eye-opening. "It’s simple. Our company still holds a large number of its own shares. We use these as collateral to get loans from the bank, then use the loan money to buy more of our own stock. This drives up the stock price, and we can then use the newly acquired shares to mortgage for even more loans..."

This scheme was Nekker’s brainchild, which Valon was tasked with executing. Ultimately, the general manager was a young man who still had a conscience and the bearing of an old-fashioned nobleman. He might be a philanderer, but whenever he had to orchestrate these schemes, Valon was gripped by a profound terror.

Valon’s position was like a balloon he was forced to keep inflating himself. ’It’s going to pop sooner or later...’ As he gradually realized he was being set up as Mr. Nekker’s scapegoat, Valon began to be tormented by nightmares, right up until Rorschach saved him for the second time.

Now that he had confessed everything, Valon felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

The young man might have been relieved, but for many others, the blood had rushed to their heads. If the Chief Mage hadn’t been present to maintain order, they would have stormed out of the hall to dump their shares immediately.

"Swindler!" "Liar!" Countless curses and spells were hurled at Valon and Granor’s crystal prison. Granor could still hear and see the outside world, and he felt it spinning around him. If not for the crystal supporting him, he likely would have fainted on the spot.

’It’s over...’ He began to resent Kano. ’Why did you have to let me hear and see all this...’

The guards from the Alchemy Department finally got to play the role of "bodyguards," erecting a Blue Light Barrier to block the attacks aimed at Valon as they escorted him from the hall.

The attacks ceased, but the heated discussion raged on.

Kano had to slam his hand on the table to quiet the hall once more.

"Everyone, the facts are now clear. I believe we can reach a verdict in Granor’s trial."

"Guilty!" "Swindler!" The most incensed were the Mages who had invested money in the stock. Soon after, the Mages who had been present from the start and had sided with Kano also began to voice their condemnation. Seeing that the situation was lost, those of the "Noble Faction" started their own performance, blending into the crowd and shouting "Guilty!" at the very man to whom they had previously sworn fealty.

"Then I hereby declare: Great Mage Granor, for embezzling the Magic Guild’s assets, severely damaging the Magic Guild’s reputation, living a corrupt and degenerate life, abandoning his principles as an Elder of the Aurora Elder Council, conspiring with the upper echelons of the Valois Kingdom, and gravely harming the image of the Magic Guild and all Mages..."

Kano rattled off a long list of charges, finally stripping Granor of all his positions in the Guild, revoking all honors he had received, and forbidding the Guild, its subordinate merchant associations, and the Tower of Stars from ever cooperating with Grand Master Granor again.

This was tantamount to an excommunication from the Magic Guild. In theory, Granor could now go crawl off to his Sub-plane and play Lord in peace.

With the trial concluded, Kano immediately moved to the next item on the agenda. "Everyone, the events of today will surely have a profound impact on the entire Kingdom, and perhaps the continent. It was my failure, my shame, to have been so negligent during my tenure as chief that Casters were drawn into such a scam. Since the Magic Guild’s credibility has been betrayed by certain individuals for selfish gain, we have no choice but to salvage what we can."

"Soon, Charles XVI will convene the ’Noble Conference.’ As per our traditional agreement with the Kingdom, I will attend on behalf of all of you here. But I, Lionel Kano, declare this now: I will not only represent the will of you Mages, but I will also fight for the interests rightfully owed to all the merchant associations under the Magic Guild..."

He enunciated his final words heavily, his eyes sweeping over the crowd. "Who agrees, and who objects?"

It took a moment for everyone to process such a declaration. Then, someone began to clap—it was Rorschach and Pascal—and in an instant, thunderous applause swept through the hall.

Any dissenting voices were no longer important.

「After the temporary lockdown of the Magic Guild Building was lifted, the news began to spread, some of it quickly, some slowly.」

It was now evening. The closing bell of the stock exchange rang—CLANG, CLANG, CLANG. The people leaving for the day had no idea what tomorrow’s morning headlines would be. They didn’t know they had just heard the death knell of the Mining Company—and of their own fortunes.

The crystal prison holding Granor dissolved, but the man simply collapsed to the floor as if all the strength had been drained from his body. His son, François, who hadn’t been qualified to attend the meeting, had rushed to his side the moment he could.

It was impossible to tell if the young man understood what had happened. Without a word, he helped up the father he had once worshipped, brushing past Rorschach in silence as he left the Guild Building.

Rorschach watched them go with a hint of regret. ’At least, in my memories of the Sub-plane, François was an earnest and upright young man. He never did anything wrong.’

The father and son staggered into their carriage.

"Father, you..."

"As a Mage, I have lost. I lost completely to Master Kano. From now on, our family is nothing more than the rulers of a Count’s Domain in the Shaleanna Region. The only one left for us to serve is His Majesty the King."

In Casting, in status, in maneuvering within the Guild—he had been utterly defeated by Kano in every respect. Granor slumped in his seat, as if his spine had been ripped out.

François’s expression remained steady. "Father, our stronghold in the Sub-plane is nearly complete. We can move there with our recruited subjects and start over..."

"I’m sorry. You were always more talented than I..." A new idea occurred to Granor. "If all else fails, you can go to the Empire, to Istani, and study Magic. Son, you are better than I am. You will definitely become a Great Mage!"

François was about to say more when he froze, suddenly realizing there was another man in the carriage with them.

Count Granor noticed the visitor as well. Or rather, the visitor had just allowed them to notice him.

"Stop the carriage!" Granor shouted to the driver. Then he commanded his son, "François, get out."

"Father..." François tensed.

"It’s fine. I know... this guest. I just remembered I have other business to attend to. Go hire another carriage and head home... Take care of your sister and your mother."

Suddenly, François found himself under some form of control, his body moving against his will as he stepped out of the carriage. By the time he regained control of his limbs, the carriage had vanished, leaving him standing bewildered in the street.

"We know each other? Lord Earl, I’m afraid you only know me as the chief of the Tower of Thunderstorm." The visitor tipped his hat. "Allow me to reintroduce myself. From the Mason Brotherhood, Master of the Valois Inner Ring, Christian. It’s a pleasure, Master Granor."

The space within the carriage was sealed, driving onward into the Abyss.