Chapter 579 579 Customary Gifts
"Shall we head to the event? It's fashionable for us to be there early to receive guests. As city leaders yourselves, I'm sure you understand the value that the common people put on the chance to meet their leadership." The Coven Leader suggested.
Wolfe shook his head in dismay. "Things are a bit different where we live. You see, the city isn't separated into levels, so we mingle among everyone all the time. The only ones that don't see us are the ones that don't share a common schedule with us, or any similar interests. We all use the same training grounds, and I most commonly eat in the diner in the central spire of the city.
So, anyone who wants to see me can find me with ease, and it's only common courtesy that keeps them from constantly coming to ask questions."
Priya gave him an amused look, raising an eyebrow as if daring him to stand by that statement.
Wolfe shrugged. "Well, it mostly keeps them from asking too many questions, but that doesn't really apply to anyone under fifteen or Bunnies, or the Second Rank and up Witches."
The Coven Leader turned to Priya for an explanation.
"That makes up about a third of the population. Everywhere he goes, he's talking to someone. Even when he's sitting somewhere to meditate, he's usually still talking to someone, or they're studying what he's doing. This is the closest to him being alone that most people are likely to see." Priya explained.
"What a strange system. How do you ever get anything done?" The Coven Leader asked.
Wolfe straightened and adjusted his clothes, like they weren't a magical projection, then spoke in a very dignified tone.
"I make an executive decision, then delegate the implementation to my subordinates and the relevant specialists."
Priya rolled her eyes. "What he means is that he just makes something up and the rest of us have to figure out how to make it actually happen."
Wolfe nodded. "Exactly, an executive decision."
The Coven Leader chuckled and shook her head. "I can only wish that I could get away with that. If I could just give vague directions and expect them to be followed and end in a productive result, my life would be so much easier." noVe(lb/In
Priya stuck her tongue out at Wolfe. "See, you don't appreciate us enough. Even the Coven Leader agrees that we make your life too easy."
The staff in the Coven Leader's house looked positively scandalized to see the two incredibly powerful magic users taunting each other like children, ignoring the level of dignity that they were used to seeing leaders require.
"I'll be sure to help out a bit more where I can. Maybe I'll automate more functions around the place." Wolfe joked.
The Coven Leader was visibly confused by that answer, so Wolfe decided to explain.
"It's possible to set arrays to automatically cast a specific spell when activated, I'm sure there are at least a few of them inscribed around the city here as well. So, I decided to make some that would allow the residents who can't activate certain arrays to use them indirectly or in a group, depending on what the shortfall is. It's a bit of a pain, but once it's finished, it's just a matter of them adding mana and focusing on the target. It has proven very useful for construction automation."
The Coven Leader sighed. "That's an unfair advantage. We have tried for years to accomplish the same thing, and none of the Demonic Familiars that we tried with could manage to cast such a complex array."
Wolfe placed a consoling pat on her shoulder. "That's understandable. At Rank One, there are plenty of things that you simply can't do. But as the witches and their Familiars get more powerful, it shouldn't be a problem to upgrade some of the city facilities. We can likely talk about that later, though.
First, can I see that walking staff you carry? I would like to give you a gift."
The Coven Leader looked confused at the question, but handed over the ceremonial staff she was holding. It wasn't actually a walking stick, it was a symbol of office, but there were others like it, and she was curious as to what Wolfe had in mind.
Wolfe saw that the staff was just ornamental, there weren't even witch charms on it, so he added most of the usual staff spells on it. [Wind Flight], [Levitation], [Wind Blades], [3 layer Elemental Armour] and [Mirage]. That would let her use it as a proper staff, and she could glide along the same as she had yesterday, under the effects of his magic.
He was about to hand it back when Priya held out her hand for the Staff, and added the [Horrific Visage], [Vine Control] and [Garden Charm] witch spells to the now very magical item. Cast as a Rank Three spell, the Vine Control spell would grow vines hundreds of metres long instantly if the user had enough mana, so it could almost be considered a ranged attack.
It was better to create them right at the target to bind them, but there was no set situation where you would need a crowd control ability, so it was best to give the Coven Leader all the advantages she could get.
"There you go, Coven Leader. A gift from Forest Grove to you. I think that you will find this is quite suitable to take with you everywhere." Priya informed her.
The Coven Leader reverently took the staff from her, and shuddered as she felt the power of the magical item in her hands.
"What sort of attack magic did you put on this? It feels vaguely deadly, but that's not its primary purpose." She asked.
Wolfe looked over the staff to see which spell was giving the aura of danger that they could all sense.
"That would be the [Wind Blades] inscription. It's only a Rank Two attack spell, but in close contact it's still enough to feel the effects. The staff standing in the other room likely can't feel it at all." He explained.
The maids nodded in agreement. They couldn't feel anything from the staff, they could only tell that it was a magical item.
"Thank you, I will treasure this gift you have given me." The Coven Leader told them quietly, then smiled and slightly lifted off the ground, using [Levitate].
