A mage? A spell engineer!

Chapter 489 Unspeakable

The three are now gathered at the top of the Arcane Tower, plotting their scheme.

The three archmages were indeed doing something clandestine, especially something they couldn't tell the other mages—plotting how to monitor their spellcasting. Of course, each task still required as many spellcasters as possible to complete, but it was broken down into different projects.

The other world hasn't fully entered the era of big data yet. Unlike Rorschach's previous life, where buying a pressure cooker and fertilizer online at the same time would get him summoned for questioning, their "big plan" can still be kept secret for now.

The three high priests need to identify the existing difficulties, propose preliminary solutions, and then organize manpower to tackle them based on their importance, urgency, and the degree of difficulty of the projects.

"The idea proposed by the Tower of Stars is to expand the transmutation dust extractors—is that what they're called? Expand their array size to create a stable weak zone in the transmutation dust flow."

"However, according to Master Kano's feedback, even the weakest areas can only be traversed by archmages, so it is obviously impossible to normalize the observation of the Tree of Truth." Just thinking about hanging a dignified highest-ranking spellcaster in the sky like a human satellite is exciting.

"Therefore, the Tower of Thunderstorm proposed the Astral Base plan, constructing a starship capable of stable navigation, using the [Blue Light Barrier] and other protective magic to resist the impact of transmutation dust and micro-stars, stationing personnel on it, and constructing rituals inside the starship to observe the Primal Layer and the 'Tree'."

"Currently, this plan is supported by the Forest Tower and the Tower of Light."

Feuerbach showed Rorschach and Elizabeth the copied design drafts for their consideration, while also explaining his own ideas: "But Master Cano and I both believe that we can try to find or artificially construct a sub-plane, a miniature space, located between the material plane and the astral plane, and then use it as a springboard to reach the Primordial Plane."

After speaking, the chief stared at Luo Xia. The mage being stared at completely understood the old senior's implication: wasn't this still about the border region?

Forget about it, no way!

Luo Xia said seriously, "Master, I think both plans are good, but isn't the second plan too uncertain and difficult?"

"The Tower of Time also believes that Option Two is feasible."

"Option 1 is relatively less difficult. It is an engineering project that can be realized with existing alchemy technology and is worth trying. Building a starship that can withstand the environment of the transmutation dust layer is not only important for the observation of the Primordial Layer and the Tree of Truth, but also for future interplanetary travel."

"Our vision should be holistic and forward-looking. We must see the project's role in promoting and leading various technologies, take it as the core objective, encourage technological creation and application innovation, and promote the coordinated development of supporting magic technologies."

In his desperation, Rorschach resorted to all the platitudes he'd learned in his past life, trying to persuade Feuerbach to temporarily postpone the submission of the borderlands. The chief of the Arcane Tower remained silent for a long while before nodding: "I will truthfully reflect Archmage Rorschach's opinion, so could you please repeat it?" He took out paper and pen, temporarily enchanting the quill with an automatic shorthand spell.

You did this on purpose, didn't you?! Rorschach could only pause for a moment: "Let me drink some water to moisten my throat first."

Rorschach's repetitive statement wasn't entirely wrong. If we don't consider the existence of the boundary area in Option Two, it would be difficult to find a suitable target as a "stepping stone" to cross to the Primordial Layer. In comparison, jointly designing and building a starship is more realistic and controllable.

The original design of the starship had already taken shape in the chief draft of the Thunderstorm Tower, and as its name suggests, it still resembled an ordinary ship. In the designer's imagination, laminar flow was likened to the ocean, and the ship would naturally sail on the sea surface, drifting semi-permanently on the metamorphic dust laminar flow.

In this way, under normal circumstances, the main defensive shield only needs to be deployed at the bottom of the ship.

"I think the design should also take other factors into account. For example, when breaking through the transmutation dust layer, the hull should still pass through the sublayer. Ideally, it should be a structure that is as axially symmetrical as possible to facilitate the even deployment of the shields in all directions."

"Furthermore, the prerequisite for breaking through laminar flow is to create a weak area, and based on my experience, the weak area is the center of the vortex. So, after the starship takes off, it may not drift with the current, but be confined by the vortex to a fixed area relative to the ground."

Luo Xia briefly suggested a few points to improve the transit station plan, which increased the chances of the plan being selected.

Feuerbach was still somewhat unwilling and reminded him, "Master Cano's experience suggests that even when traversing the weakest point of the laminar flow, his spaceship still disintegrated. He relied entirely on his own magic to break through in the middle and later stages. Now, the starship is much larger and requires even higher shields."

Rorschach countered, "Strengthening the shield is necessary, but we can try a different approach—make the weak points in the transmutation dust flow thinner. The transmutation dust collector can also be expanded further."

How big?

"A hundred times, a thousand times! Production in the Special Zone is now inseparable from alchemy technology, and therefore from magic, which is entirely extracted through harvesters. In addition, vehicles and other powered alchemy vehicles essentially still consume transmutation dust. If both are rolled out across the entire Empire and the world, the demand for transmutation dust will be astronomical."

"Therefore, we need to build more collectors to provide a continuous supply of magic."

Providing energy to vehicles is just the simplest and most direct application. After all, with a stable source of magic, various magic circles and alchemical items can be activated, allowing magic to spread. Using it on "gas cars" and motorcycles driven by hot and cold engines is just the beginning.

Feuerbach knew this too, and he frowned: "You really want to promote it? If collectors are spread all over the continent, people will eventually use these magic sources for more things, and it might get out of control."

"Therefore, we need a magic observation plan! We need to be able to trace and monitor the entire spellcasting process! Not just high-level magic with sparse casting traces, but full-chain control." Rorschach's vision of the future came to a close at this moment:

"The Magic Guild, or perhaps in the future, a spellcaster organization under another name, will provide magic to the world, transforming everyone's lives and the reality they live in, while simultaneously controlling every aspect of the spellcasting process, from the grandest to the most minute."

"The former's foundation is a wide array of collectors that continuously supply magic, while the latter relies on the observation of the Tree of Law and the Tree of Truth."

"When all production depends on magic, and all entertainment, medical care, food and other activities cannot do without the help of magic, then everyone, including all spellcasters, from birth to death, clothing, food, shelter and transportation, as well as everything that needs magic to satisfy and involves magic, will be included in this system."

Rorschach placed one hand below and the other above, their fingertips touching, as if enveloping all living beings in the prime material plane.

"This future may be much more distant than Option Two." Feuerbach pinched the quill pen of the automatic shorthand, interrupting Rorschach's wild ideas as they were written down.

Elizabeth frowned: "Perhaps I'm being overly sentimental, or perhaps I'm overthinking, but I have a feeling that this kind of future is somewhat frightening."

"Perhaps. Whether it brings happiness to everyone or inflicts terror and suffering depends on us and the magic guilds in the future. Moreover, it seems that transmutation dust is not infinite. One day the old system will be broken, driven by both social and objective realities."

Feuerbach simply tore off the last part of the paper containing the record and burned it to ashes. Rorschach's final design could not be written down; it was best that he relay it to the Senate.

He said in a deep voice, "Today's conversation must not be revealed to anyone. Luo Xia, and you should also refrain from saying such things in the future."

Rorschach raised his hand in surrender: "Alright, alright, from now on I'll just do it and not talk about it. By the way, I'm discussing with my mentor the establishment of magic suppliers in the south and north of the continent, respectively, to organize the operation and maintenance of the collectors. He's registered in Valuva. Do you want to invest in the Empire? This could be a big deal in the future."

(End of this chapter)