Chapter 361: Who Do You Think You Are?
Serie took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in her heart, but her eyes involuntarily glanced toward the large door on the side, which was the direction leading to the upper areas of the Association.
Hess noticed Serie's momentary shift in gaze, but he obviously couldn't guess what she was thinking. Instead, he raised his voice slightly, as if to ensure everyone in the banquet hall could hear him.
"Lady Serie, I mean no offense. It is just that such a significant magic, one that concerns the future of all magicians and even the entire human race, should rightfully be presided over by someone of even greater prestige. I wonder—could Lord Kurtz make an appearance today to bring out the runes of immortality magic and provide an explanation?"
He pointed the spearhead directly at the true master of the Magic Association, Kurtz.
The banquet hall fell into a complete silence.
Everyone's eyes were focused on Serie, waiting for her response.
The magicians from the south were so nervous that their palms were sweating. They both longed to see the legendary God Slayer and feared the unpredictable consequences they might face.
After all, the man's reputation in the south was truly unpleasant. He had killed far too many magicians.
The southern magicians present had not participated in the plan against Kurtz back then, as they were focused on their research elsewhere, so naturally, they had never met him.
Meanwhile, the Association's members displayed a variety of expressions. Some core members expressed indignation, feeling that Hess's request for an audience with Kurtz was simply too arrogant.
Even for veterans of the Association like them, the times they could see Kurtz were few and far between, let alone receiving his personal guidance.
Who do you think you are? You want to consult with Lord Kurtz face-to-face!?
A few others looked on with anticipation, wanting to see how Lady Serie would respond.
The southern representatives looked uneasy, and a few had even quietly retreated a few steps, preparing to flee.
"Ha-Ha..HA-HA-HA" Serie was angered to the point of laughter by Hess's words. That laughter rang out clearly in the silent environment, making Hess's heart skip a beat.
"You want to see Kurtz? You want to consult with him face-to-face?" Serie tilted her head slightly.
"Hmph." Although there was a smile on her face, there was no mirth in her eyes. "Who do you think you are? Are you even worthy?"
These words were blunt, directly tearing away the final layer of politeness.
Hess's face instantly flushed red, as did the southern magicians behind him, but none dared to lash out.
After all, Hess was one of the South's recognized leaders. Serie's words were undoubtedly a public slap to the face of the entire southern magic community.
"Lady Serie! You—"
Hess's voice rose in shame and annoyance, his anger momentarily overriding his fear. The gemstone on his staff began to glow slightly, clearly showing that his emotional agitation was drawing out his mana.
"I what?" Serie took a step forward, her aura instantly overwhelming Hess. "This is the Magic Association. Who Kurtz meets and doesn't is not for likes of you to decide! Do you think that by uniting a dozen or so trash, you're qualified to spout nonsense here?"
If it weren't for the fact that they were acting under the banner of the entire southern magician organization, Serie wouldn't have bothered wasting words on them, let alone hosting them.
The main reason she was doing this was that the previous killings had been too severe. Some of those southern magicians had joined the Imperial Court Magician Corps and were completely wiped out by a single God Strike from her and Kurtz.
Another portion had been arrogant enough to plot against her and Kurtz in the Imperial Capital, and they were dealt with as well.
Only these magicians led by Hess remained.
Precisely because the killings were so ruthless, she and Kurtz were infamously feared among all southern magicians.
One could tell just from the fact that when Kurtz announced the immortality magic runes, only a handful of southern magicians dared to come. That was the extent of the fear the entire South felt for her and Kurtz.
That was why Serie was willing to host this group, to send a signal and appease those southern magicians.
But now it seemed that there was no need for that.
Serie was fuming from inside. This Hess was not only greedy and arrogant but also a fool, trying to blackmail and disgrace her husband, which crossed her bottom line.
She was seriously starting to consider how to handle the aftermath after killing him.
Flamme also quietly shifted her steps, faintly standing behind Hess and blocking his path of retreat. The polite smile on her face had long since vanished, replaced by a cold expression. With just a single look from her master, Serie, she would strike without hesitation.
Seeing this, Hess's followers couldn't help but retreat two more steps, standing right near the entrance. They even began to quietly mobilize the mana in their bodies, ready to run the moment things went wrong.
After all, everyone was just huddling together for warmth, tentatively seeing if they could obtain the immortality runes, even if it was through an assessment.
Who could have imagined Hess would be so bold as to demand them directly? He was more or less tired of living.
At the center of the gaze, the pressure on Hess skyrocketed, and cold sweat poured down his forehead. He hadn't expected Serie to be so direct. He was only tentatively proposing a condition. If she didn't agree, then so be it. How did it escalate to the point of a physical confrontation?
Feeling that his retreat had been completely cut off by Flamme, Hess was on the verge of breaking. His brain worked at high speed, trying to diffuse the atmosphere.
Just then—
Tap, tap, tap!
A series of footsteps came from the direction of the large door on the side of the banquet hall that led to the upper areas.
Everyone noticed the footsteps, and their gazes were involuntarily cast toward it.
Next, the door slid open automatically, and a figure wearing a simple mage robe walked in with a composed stride.
It was Kurtz.
Although Kurtz rarely appeared before the world after becoming famous, portraits of him had circulated, and Hess, as well as those southern magicians, had naturally seen them long ago.
Black hair and black eyes, an exceptionally young face, and no obvious aura around him—he looked just like an ordinary person.
But wherever his gaze landed, all emotions vanished, and an instinctive awe was born.
He didn't look at Hess, nor did he look at those southern magicians. His gaze first fell upon Serie.
The elf miss, who had been exuding an imposing aura, saw her killing intent quietly soften the moment Kurtz's gaze touched her.
She tilted her head slightly to look at Kurtz. The anger in her eyes hadn't faded, but there was more of a reproachful look, as if saying, "What took you so long?"
Kurtz walked to Serie's side and, with an extremely natural movement, reached out and gently put his arm around her waist.
This action was not ostentatious, yet it carried an unquestionable sense of intimacy, sending a clear message to everyone around.
"Angry?" Kurtz spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
Serie huffed and didn't speak, but her body leaned slightly toward him as an answer.
Kurtz then raised his eyes, his gaze finally falling on Hess, who was standing frozen in place.
His gaze was very calm, just a simple look, but it made Hess feel a mountain of pressure, as if his entire being was being seen through.
"You wanted to see me?"
Hess's Adam's apple bobbed. He felt his mouth and tongue go dry.
Facing Serie, he could barely maintain a surface-level calm, but facing Kurtz directly. The legend who had lived for a thousand years and personally ended the Age of Gods—the pressure stemming from the difference in life level and absolute strength made it almost impossible for him to breathe.
The mana accumulation he was so proud of was like a drop of water compared to an ocean in front of the other man. They were incomparable.
"Yes, Lord Kurtz." Hess forced himself to be steady and bowed slightly, his voice unconsciously taking on a hint of respect, making him seem like a completely different person from before. "This junior... has some questions regarding the immortality runes and would like to boldly ask for guidance."
He lowered his posture significantly, even calling himself a junior, to diffuse the atmosphere and make up for his previous brashness.
Kurtz didn't care about his change in attitude and simply asked, "What questions?"
Hess's spirits lifted, thinking the opportunity had come, and he hurriedly said, "The runes you announced are incredibly profound, but everyone has studied them diligently and yet remains unable to understand them. I wonder if there are any specific research conditions, or if a certain special medium is required to glimpse the true meaning within? Miss Flamme is so young, could it be—"
He still couldn't help but faintly lead the topic back to Flamme.
Although Hess's guess was only one step away from the truth, the expression on Kurtz's face didn't change at all. "There are no conditions, and no special medium."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Hess and the southern magicians behind him who were all ears.
"Those runes themselves are everything. If you can't understand them, it's simply because you are too weak and unqualified."
What Kurtz said was naturally the truth. As long as you were strong enough, even if only a demigod, you could bypass authority and forcibly study these magic runes.
But the prerequisite was that you had to become a demigod first.
Hess's face turned pale, and he pressed on unwillingly, "Then... Miss Flamme, she..."
"She is the student of Serie and me since she was but a child," Kurtz interrupted him. "What she has learned and used is all obtained through her own hard study and has nothing to do with immortality magic. If you are unskilled yourself and haven't managed to research magic for preserving youth, do not make wild speculations here."
These words made Hess's face turn red and white in turns, leaving him embarrassed beyond words. The southern magicians behind him also lowered their heads, not daring to meet Kurtz's gaze.
Kurtz stopped looking at him and turned to face the entire banquet hall. "The Magic Association announced the runes in the hope that everyone would explore the path of magic together, but the prerequisite for exploration is to follow the Association's rules."
His gaze lingered on Hess for a moment. Although there was no killing intent, it made him feel a bone-chilling cold.
"Mage Hess, you may return to the south. The Association does not welcome you. If other magicians wish to continue the exchange, Flamme will coordinate the specific details with you. As for everything else, it will be handled entirely by my wife, Serie. Her decision is my decision, and it will not be questioned."
This was the first time Kurtz had announced his relationship with Serie to outsiders, naturally drawing everyone's attention.
Most people quickly accepted this fact.
After all, these two had been together for over a thousand years. If anyone said there wasn't some special relationship between them, no one would believe it. It was just that the relationship was now confirmed.
Leaning against Kurtz's side, Serie felt the warmth from his body and the support in his words, and the anger in her heart finally mostly subsided. She raised her eyes and gave the dejected Hess a cold glance, saying nothing more.
In the future, she would hang a sign at the Magic Association that said "No entry for Hess or dogs."
On the other side, after Kurtz finished speaking, he ignored Hess's group and looked down to whisper to Serie. "I'll leave this to Flamme. Shall we go back?"
Serie nodded. Kurtz then took her arm, turned, and walked toward the door they had come through.
Flamme understood, took a step forward, and began to guide and appease the rest of the southern delegation, as if the conflict had just never happened.
Hess stood there, watching the backs of Kurtz and Serie as they left together. He opened his mouth but couldn't say anything.
Too terrifying.
The aura around Kurtz was too terrifying.
It was an aura that ordinary people couldn't detect. After all, from beginning to end, he hadn't used any mana to intimidate. Only a magician like him could barely glimpse a bit of it.
Hess knew that not only had he failed to achieve any of his goals this time, but he had also lost face in front of Kurtz and Serie. His reputation in the magic world would likely take a huge hit from now on.
But it was better than being beaten up by Serie in front of everyone.
At this moment, his heart was filled with regret and fear. Perhaps those immortality runes really weren't something he could covet.
....
After returning to their private space on the top floor, Serie was led by Kurtz. Her previous coldness had long vanished, but her lips were still slightly pouted.
"He should consider himself lucky you came in time," she huffed. "otherwise his head would be kissing the floor right now. Hmph, that guy doesn't know death when he sees it."
Kurtz gave a light laugh, stopped his steps, and turned to face her. He cupped her face with both hands, gently stroking her smooth cheeks. "My Serie can certainly do that, it's just that getting angry over someone like him isn't worth it."
Serie brushed away his touch. "Then why didn't you come out sooner?"
"I got a bit too absorbed in my research. I'll be more mindful from now. Besides, I wanted them to see who the only mistress here is. Anyone who isn't respectful to you isn't qualified to ask me about anything."
Serie's heart warmed at Kurtz's word. She reached out to wrap her arms around Kurtz's neck, stood on her tiptoes, gave him a quick kiss on the lips, and then hugged him.
"Next time there's a person as annoying as him, just kick them out directly," Serie said muffledly.
"Alright, whatever you say." Kurtz hugged her, his chin resting on the top of her head. "But you look really beautiful in this outfit today."
Serie's ears turned slightly red, but she said, "Well, you were the one who picked the clothes and did my hair."
"Mhm, my taste is naturally good." Kurtz was not at all humble, holding her as they walked toward the living room. "Let's go. Flamme will handle the rest."
[End of Chapter]