Creating Anime In A Fantasy World

The Mage Tower, also known as the Imperial Mage Academy, was an academic institution founded by the empire’s first Arch Mage. It was the ultimate dream of all mages, a prestigious place where the most talented magic users of the empire gathered. It stood as the most prominent structure in the imperial capital, even dwarfing the royal palace and the headquarters of the Church of the Holy Light.

In many ways, it had become a symbol of the capital itself.

The tower’s rise to prominence was rooted in a historical event.

In the early days of the empire, humans were at their weakest, having only just formed a fragile coalition for survival.

However, their newfound unity was immediately threatened by a massive invasion from an allied force of non-human races, culminating in a large-scale war between humans and non-humans.

According to imperial records, this was the empire’s first defensive war for survival.

In that war, the non-human coalition feigned an attack on the western fortress—then not officially part of the empire’s western border—while secretly circling south to directly assault the imperial capital.

Facing the overwhelming invasion, the capital was on the verge of falling. However, the city was saved by three hundred senior mages, led by the newly ascended Sixth-Tier mage, Roland, the first Arch Mage.

Together, they cast a massive barrier that shielded the entire capital, holding off the enemy forces for three days and nights until reinforcements arrived.

This miraculous defense turned the tide of the war and secured a peace that would last for a thousand years.

This event forever cemented the status of mages in the empire. From that point forward, mages became the most important and revered group in the empire, earning the deep favor of the royal family.

In fact, every emperor would spend a portion of their youth studying in the Mage Tower, though not every monarch had the talent for magic.

Those who did not still benefited from the experience, forming friendships with mages and broadening their perspectives, ensuring that the tradition persisted through the generations.

The key to the Mage Tower’s rise in influence was a treaty established at the empire’s founding: “Mages shall not meddle in politics.”

This treaty made mages the most useful, yet least threatening, group to the royal family and the nobility.

They could wield great power without the risk of overshadowing the rulers, making them indispensable allies.

Meanwhile, the Church of the Holy Light, which had long advocated for the divine right of kings, found itself increasingly marginalized.

Despite outwardly maintaining the rhetoric of divine right, the Church had lost any real influence over imperial governance.

Were it not for the empire’s continued faith in the God of Light, the situation could have been even worse for them.

Of course, while every student of the Imperial Mage Academy could gaze up at the towering structure from a distance, only the most accomplished mages were permitted to enter the Mage Tower and access the accumulated wisdom of human magic research spanning a thousand years.

Those who earned such a privilege were often regarded as the core of the empire’s magical community—mages of significant contribution or achievement.

…

Following the figure ahead in silence, Edward couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic as he was led through the familiar corridors of the Mage Tower.

Eventually, Roy, the senior mage who had brought him here, stopped at the entrance to a grand hall—the same one where Edward had once presented his “Alchemy Revolution.”

The Grand Lecture Hall was where mages shared their discoveries and received recognition.

It was a venue for showcasing breakthroughs in magical research, and every significant academic development had to be formally reported and publicly presented here.

The origins of this tradition were lost to history, but it was this practice of academic openness that had propelled the empire’s mages to greater heights with each passing generation. The empire now boasted nearly a dozen Arch Mages, a number that continued to grow.

Every mage who entered the tower had the right to access the entire corpus of human magical knowledge, from foundational spells to Tier Six forbidden magic.

With enough talent and diligence, a mage could study every known forbidden spell and reach the level of an Arch Mage with relative ease.

Though, in reality, most mages failed to achieve even one such breakthrough.

Compared to knights, who maintained an unbroken chain of martial arts passed down through generations, mages had achieved a remarkable level of knowledge-sharing.

This openness had allowed them to thrive, while the knights had yet to produce a single Tier Six expert.

As Edward and Roy entered the lecture hall, Edward was struck by how full the room was.

Many of the academy’s senior mages, including instructors, department heads, and renowned scholars, had gathered.

Edward even recognized a few faces among the crowd—mages with considerable power and prestige.

He could also sense the presence of several unfamiliar but equally formidable individuals.

Despite his best efforts to blend into the background, Edward could feel the weight of countless eyes on him, many of them filled with curiosity and confusion.

Clearly, some of them were wondering why he was there, even after all these years.

Edward sighed inwardly, remembering the chaos he had caused during his earlier years at the academy.

Now was not the time to stir up more trouble.

Soon, the doors to the hall opened once again, and the head of the Imperial Mage Academy, Arch Mage Hohenheim, entered the room.

This man, who stood at the pinnacle of the empire’s magical community, looked visibly fatigued as if he hadn’t slept in days.

Without preamble, he addressed the gathered mages.

“Since everyone is here, I’ll get straight to the point and not waste anyone’s time,” Hohenheim said, his voice tired but firm.

Mages highly valued efficiency, so both meetings and academic presentations were typically conducted with the utmost brevity.

Long-winded speeches, like the kind one might expect from a school principal, were unheard of in the Mage Tower.

As puzzled murmurs filled the room, Hohenheim took a deep breath and made a series of stunning announcements.

“Starting today, the Alchemy Tower will officially separate from the Mage Tower and become a recognized institution of its own. Alchemy will be formally acknowledged as a legitimate branch of magic, and it will have its own academic program. Alchemy Tower’s current head, Ska, will be granted the title of Tower Master and will assume the role of Deputy Head of the Imperial Mage Academy.”

Pausing for a moment to let the news sink in, Hohenheim delivered the final blow.

“Lastly, I am pleased to announce that former imperial mage, now independent mage, Edward Durin, will have his status as an imperial mage reinstated. Moreover, he will assume the position of Head of the newly established Alchemy Branch at the Imperial Mage Academy!”