A thousand years ago, the entire continent was engulfed in the chaos of endless wars. It was an era defined by turmoil, where countless countries scattered across the land each pointed their swords at one another.
The desires of a few powerful individuals led to a cruel period in which many lives were lost fleetingly on the battlefield. It was also a time of barbarism, with common people crushed under military boots, groaning in despair from a seemingly unending war.
Eventually, people grew weary.
They grew tired of the repeated, meaningless wars and became disillusioned with the countless lives wasted in purposeless battles. They were sick of everything that epitomized that era.
So, they prayed fervently.
They wished for no more meaningless bloodshed and longed for a peaceful era where tomorrow would resemble yesterday. With these hopes and aspirations deeply held in their hearts, they prayed earnestly to the goddess.
As if answering their collective prayers, a man appeared.
No one knew where he came from or what he was doing before. However, as soon as he appeared, he subdued everything that stood in his way, thanks to his formidable military might and unique, overwhelming charisma.
It was said that he could exert the force of 10,000 troops with his single body. Within just ten years, he succeeded in uniting one-third of the continent and ending the rampant wars.
This man was Devhart, the great ancestor of the imperial family, who would reign as the masters of the empire for a thousand years.
Devhart had four followers who aided him significantly in the empire-building process. He granted them and their descendants the right to have an audience with him at any time, wishing that their glory would continue for generations.
Their names were Estel, Tournigen, Decaraznan, and Crusell. This marked the beginning of the imperial family, now the master of the continent, and the four glorious ducal families that supported them.
Yet, there was a question that often rose up when listening to the story.
In fairy tales for children, there were mages who conjured fire or ice to captivate the listener’s imagination. However, in the founding myth of an empire, such fantastical elements were conspicuously absent. The reason was simple: a thousand years ago, the level of magic was quite rudimentary. Unlike today, where magic could produce all sorts of bizarre phenomena, back then, it could only replicate natural phenomena in a smaller scale.
Despite its limitations, the power of magic could have influenced the battlefield. However, the warriors of the time, who fought on the front lines and cut down enemies, despised magicians. They viewed magicians, who used magic from a safe distance, as cowardly compared to themselves, who risked their lives in close combat.
Among them, my proud ancestor, the first Duke of Estel, was particularly disdainful of mages. He reportedly considered the flames emitted by mages as less significant than cigarette lights.
At that time, Archmage Castana, who served under Devhart, resented Estel’s open disdain for mages. Their animosity eventually led to a duel. Unsurprisingly, Estel, who had reached the level of Master, defeated Archmage Castana decisively.
Their enmity did not end there.
After the wars ended and Devhart granted fiefs to his followers, he assigned Castana’s territory right next to Estel’s.
Surprisingly, neither Estel nor Castana objected to Devhart’s decision. Perhaps Devhart, who forcibly made these sworn enemies neighbors, and Estel and Castana, who obediently accepted the decision, had a deeper understanding of mutual enmity.
The enmity between Estel and Castana did not improve. On the contrary, it worsened over time. Both houses not only hated each other but also passed their hatred down to their descendants. Thus, a thousand years of mutual loathing became tradition.
Over the centuries, this blind hatred amplified, becoming ingrained in their identities. Today, even after a millennium, the relationship between the two families remained as hostile as ever.
A thousand years ago, having neighbors who expressed blind hatred at the sight of them did not cause problems for the Duchy of Estel.
In the early days of the Empire, the Duke of Estel was one of the wealthiest families in the realm.
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Ah this is quite a realistic take on the development of magic. Unlike martial arts and weapon styles, I’d imagine mystical arts naturally take more years of study to fully develop
Yes, it is.