Building a Modern Nation in a Fantasy World

The battle between Adam and Amon raged on for another 15 minutes, each moment filled with unrelenting intensity. Finally, Adam emerged victorious, his longsword held steady as Amon yielded. Both knights, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, sank to the ground to rest.

"Wow, that was incredible," Arthur murmured, not realizing he had spoken aloud.

Klein glanced at him and smiled. "Indeed, Your Majesty. It was a remarkable display of skill and strength. Would you like to speak with them?"

Arthur shook his head. "No, let them rest. They are all tired from the fight. For now, let's move on to the mage training grounds. I'm curious to see how mages fight."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," Klein replied with a nod.

Arthur felt a surge of excitement as they began walking toward the mage training area. The duel he had just witnessed left him eager to see how magic was wielded in combat. Having only seen simple magic spells after his transmigration and seen depictions of magical battles only in manga and anime, the prospect of watching real mages in action stirred his anticipation.

After a short walk, Arthur's eyes lit up as he caught sight of the mage training grounds. Mages were spread across the area, each channeling their abilities by chanting the magic spell. Vibrant spells of fire, ice, and lightning shot toward dummies set up in the shooting range, leaving trails of energy in their wake.

"This is the shooting range where mages practice their accuracy and hone their elemental attributes," Klein explained, gesturing toward the training mages.

Arthur watched in awe as one mage launched a precise fireball that scorched a distant target, while another created a chilling gust that froze a nearby dummy solid. The range was alive with energy, the air crackling with the residue of spells.

As Arthur and Klein approached the mage training grounds, the reaction from the mages mirrored that of the knights—surprise mixed with thinly veiled displeasure. However, the mages' discontent was more palpable. Arthur was well aware that it is because despite his royal bloodline, couldn't perform even the simplest magic. However, Arthur chose to ignore the subtle glares and whispers, letting the mages continue their training uninterrupted.

After a few moments, a woman stepped forward from the group and approached Arthur. She carried herself with grace, her long, curly brown hair cascading over her shoulders in a manner both elegant and practical, with strands neatly pinned to avoid interfering with her work. She wore a tailored mage's robe in deep emerald with gold accents, signifying her rank as a senior instructor, and a staff strapped to her back completed her professional appearance.

Odette stopped a respectful distance from Arthur and bowed slightly. "Greetings, Your Majesty. My name is Odette, one of the training instructors for the mages of Eldoria. It is an honor to meet you."

Arthur returned her bow with a polite nod. "The honor is mine, Odette. Meeting an esteemed instructor of Eldoria's mages is a privilege."

"Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty," Odette replied with a slight smile. "But compared to the instructors in Solarny, I still have much to learn."

Arthur chuckled softly. "If you say so, but I'm sure you are more than capable."

Arthur than added, "Can you share your insights on the uniqueness of magic and how mana is measured? I'd like to hear it from someone as experienced as you."

Odette's expression brightened, and she nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty. As you know, most people are born with affinity to one of the basic elements: Air, Fire, Earth, or Water. Some rare individuals can wield more than one element, but the majority only master a single one. From that foundation, one can develop specialized magic. For example, someone with water affinity may, through deep understanding and training, develop ice magic or even more advanced variations. However, this progression is incredibly difficult and requires intense dedication.

"On the other hand," she continued, "there are those born with unique magic—abilities that fall outside the basic elements, such as lightning, gravity, or frost. These are extraordinarily rare and often mark individuals of significant potential."

Odette paused briefly before adding, "As for measuring mana capacity and rank of a mage, we use a specialized artifact capable of assessing both a person's current mana reserves and their potential. It's remarkably accurate, almost 99%. However, even if someone's potential is ranked as high as S, if they don't train and refine their abilities, they'll remain stuck at their current level.

"Each rank—D through S—is divided into three sub-levels: D-, D, and D+, and so on. For instance, I'm currently at A-, though my potential was measured at A+. With enough dedication, I aim to reach it. Furthermore, in combat, factors such as skill and unique magic play significant roles. Even at A-, my unique magic frost and my experience, it could give me a chance against an A+ or even an S- opponent."

Arthur listened intently, nodding as she spoke. He then turned to Klein and asked, "What about you? What kind of magic do you use?"

Klein straightened slightly before answering. "Since I'm an aura knight, my magic capabilities are limited. My magic element is Water, but I can't use it offensively. The most I can do is summon a liter or two of water daily—hardly useful in combat."

Arthur furrowed his brow in curiosity. "Why is that? Is it because you're an aura knight?"

Klein nodded. "Exactly, Your Majesty. I thought you might already know, but since you've asked, let me explain. When a child is born, they can either develop as a mage or a knight, but never both. This is due to the way aura knights function. Upon becoming an aura knight, what we call an 'aura star' forms around the heart. This star essentially consumes most of the person's mana, repurposing it to enhance physical attributes like strength, speed, and resilience.

"That said, having more mana at birth does allow a person to acquire aura stars faster than someone with less mana. But regardless of their starting mana pool, an aura knight's magic will always be limited to basic or non-combative applications."

Arthur nodded slowly, his understanding growing.

Odette interjected, "However, this rule doesn't apply to the heroes who will appear a year before the gates emerge."

Arthur blinked, startled. "Heroes? Gates? What do you mean by that?"