Chapter 500: Volume 11: Misty Cage and Smoke Lock, - 12: Portrait
A few quite ancient paintings were still hanging on the walls on both sides of the Grand Hall, but what Komer was interested in was not these familiar figures to any Mage, but rather a spot in the corner that seemed to have been left empty.
The inscription underneath seemed to have been completely scrubbed off, but whether due to the carelessness of the one who erased it or by intent, Komer’s sharp eyes instantly caught a few blurred letters hidden behind the last crease.
Because of the passage of time, and the corner being too dimly lit, almost no one would notice this spot, and even if someone did see these few blurred letters, they probably would not understand their meaning, but these letters were exceptionally profound in Komer’s memory.
J.F. Kennifer, Kennifer III! The fact that a portrait of Kennifer III had once hung in this hall was astonishing, but it was unclear why it had been removed, nor how long it had been since it was taken down. However, the deliberate scrubbing of the letters suggested it had been a considerable amount of time.
Some darkened verdigris had long since covered the entire nameplate, and if it wasn’t for Komer’s careful examination of each painting, plus the deep impression Kennifer III’s name left in his mind, he wouldn’t have been immediately attracted by these familiar letters and remembered.
How dare the Mage Guild hang a portrait of Kennifer III, considered a Dark Demon Lord?
After all, in the Church of Light, Kennifer III’s reputation is hardly better than that of Hades, the god of darkness—at least Hades is just a god from legend, while Kennifer III was not only a great Dark Mage but also importantly, the emperor of a vast Dark Empire, his name has always been taboo in the Church of Light.
Although the Mage Guild no longer has his portrait, the fact that it once hung there indicates an important issue—that the Dark Church is seemingly not as discriminated against within the Mage Guild as imagined, and perhaps the so-called disfavor is merely superficial. To hang a portrait of the last king of the Dark Empire in the sacred hall of the Mage Guild itself speaks volumes.