Mage? Magic Engineer!

Rorschach had instructed the Special Zone to sideline the commissioners sent to inspect the farmlands, delaying them for as long as possible. He was waiting for the perfect moment.

If the Kingdom smoothly accepted the electoral district reform, the Royal Family would receive a luxury Air Car and a series of other "gifts." If not, those who foolishly stood in the way would face the products of an entirely different production line.

However, he had one last concern. Merely relying on these mass-produced armaments and a powerful industrial system was not enough. In this world, at least, other factors were at play. Rorschach began writing letters to Master Kano and Master Kuo Bo, and once again paid a visit to Feuerbach.

"How does one become a Great Mage? You..." Feuerbach scrutinized the young man. His rate of progress was incomprehensible, and his talent for Casting was simply absurd—he had mastered a Tree of Law and could perform all his Magic silently, with no need for materials or ritual assistance.

But until today, Rorschach’s file and his registered Level in the Guild had stagnated. He was still a "Middle Level Mage." The young man seemed to have deliberately distanced himself from the Magic Guild after arriving in the Bayern Kingdom. Among Casters, a twenty-year-old Middle Level Caster was indeed exceptionally gifted, but not unheard of. On paper, at least, Rorschach and his classmate Richard were at the same level.

"Why the sudden interest?"

"In the past, I felt that the Levels the Magic Guild set for Mages were just a way of deceiving themselves," Rorschach said, speaking his mind frankly. "Real strength shouldn’t be divided by simple ranks. The only truly transformative leaps happen two or three times across the major stages. Any further subdivision is purely for sociological purposes."

Feuerbach nodded. "That’s right. The ’Honorific Title’ of Tier Three is merely a means to encourage exchange and knowledge sharing among Mages. In the past, when the Church was powerful, the isolation and secrecy among Mages caused our community to suffer greatly. In fact, the effect has been quite good, hasn’t it? Your ’Spell Cloud’ also emulates this Level system."

Rorschach nodded. "But the Levels in the Spell Cloud can concretely raise one’s Casting limits..."

"But you’re actually encouraging Users to break those limits," the Master pointed out, hitting the nail on the head. "Due to the Tower Spirit’s processing capacity, you created rules limiting a Caster’s Ring Tier and usage frequency. But you also relaxed those rules for things like creating Magic Arrays or multi-person Casting. Even when Valentine and others found loopholes to bypass the limits, you didn’t improve the mechanism or strictly enforce it."

"That’s my philosophy. A Caster’s most precious asset is creativity. Cultivation shouldn’t be turned into a game of earning Points and climbing a rigid hierarchy."

"So you never went back to the Guild to have your Casting ability re-tested and certified."

"Because until recently, I never needed recognition from the Guild or any other organization. Nor did I need to conform to someone else’s standards to determine my own worth."

Rorschach looked up at the ceiling. This was the top floor of the Tower of Secret Techniques. Due to permanent Magic, the number of floors inside the tower far exceeded what the building’s exterior suggested. But no matter how many floors there truly were, this was undeniably the very top. "To put it bluntly: I’m the one who creates value and sets the price, not the one being priced."

’Some so-called Great Mages are still just people who are priced by others. The realm they reach at their peak, the recognition they gain, it’s all just a label to try and raise their price before selling themselves to someone. And then... he died, with nothing left but the title ’Count Granor.’

"So what about now? Are you planning to put yourself up for sale? Decided to raise your item Level before listing yourself?" Feuerbach couldn’t help but mock the young man. He had to admit Rorschach wasn’t just boasting, but he also hadn’t forgotten the losses and trouble he’d caused the Tower of Secret Techniques.

If Rorschach’s approach to the Royal Family back in June had been to give them a slap and then a sweet, his approach to the Tower of Secret Techniques was to tear down half the building and then offer a bit of compensation.

"No. It’s simply my personal judgment that the current situation requires me to become a Great Mage."

"You mean the Special Zone needs a Great Mage to preside over it..." The Master’s expression turned serious. "What are you planning now?"

’Why "now"? Have I already done something?’ Rorschach thought, his expression one of pure innocence. "The Empire’s electoral district reform has already begun. The Special Zone becoming a free electoral district is in the best interests of its people. Accepting this reform will also benefit the future of the Bayern Region. Naturally, many people will be unhappy about this. I just hope those who are unhappy will keep their thoughts to themselves."

"Based on my observations of Master Kano and of you, the influence and deterrent power of a Great Mage might be enough to achieve this goal. If I can be promoted, and if you and the Tower of Secret Techniques you represent will support me, then what we envision can certainly become a reality."

"...*Your* idea. I’ve said from the very beginning that I despise the Emperor and the Empire."

Rorschach continued to gaze at the ceiling. "And what comes after there are no more Kings and Emperors? Some systems must be destroyed, while others should be preserved until the next great upheaval. The so-called Empire shouldn’t be bound to the Emperor. Compared to a continent of feuding States, adhering to the Empire’s great unification is the only way to bring the people prosperity, stability, and peace after the imperial system ends. Otherwise, even without hereditary rulers, the continent will remain plagued by constant warfare."

If Rorschach felt any sense of belonging to the "homeland" of this world, it was only for its inclusivity and unity compared to the other nations of the Otherworld. He wasn’t some war-criminal player who would disrupt the Empire’s process of integrating the States just for his own "fun." He wouldn’t just stand by and watch the little schemes of the Bayern Royal Family—which had sprouted because of his arrival—take root and grow.

Feuerbach couldn’t comprehend this Otherworld Soul’s obsession with "great unification," but he still approved of Rorschach’s thinking. At the very least, the young man had proven that he was a person of principle who acted on his beliefs, rather than someone who served only to acquire money, authority, and power.

"Let’s set your ideas aside for now. Getting the Tower of Secret Techniques’ support is simple: you just have to actually be promoted. Now, let’s bring our discussion back to Magic itself... Every promotion to a major new stage comes with a distinct sensation. Can you feel it?"

This was precisely what troubled Rorschach. "From Basic Level to Middle Level, yes... but I haven’t had that feeling since." ’Or rather, I powered up by unleashing my potential when I faced the Divine Remains in the Sub-plane. After that, my panel went through a long upgrade process.’

Later, the panel upgraded again, but Rorschach didn’t feel like his power had undergone a qualitative change.

Feuerbach shook his head. "Then you most likely haven’t been promoted." But then he recalled Rorschach’s outrageous performance and took out a Secret Magic Mark, just like the one Master Kano had used to test Rorschach’s level back then. "This shouldn’t be your first time being tested. Go on."

’This Secret Seal points to the Divine Spirit Thoth, which is why I’ve kept my distance from it. But with Feuerbach here today, and the mood being what it was, I might as well give it a try...’ Rorschach mobilized his Magic Power and infused it into the emblem.

As they both watched, the circuitry on the Secret Seal bloomed with a rich purple light that pulsed steadily. Then, the hue of the purple began to shift, turning into an ambiguous purplish-red.

However, it was still a far cry from crimson. Rorschach mustered all his strength, drawing all the ambient Magic Power into his body before concentrating it. The purplish-red halo even spread to dye every corner of the office.

As the "Domain" centered on Rorschach expanded, the Magic Lamps on the upper floors of the Tower of Secret Techniques began to flicker and die out. Even the permanent spatial expansion spells showed signs of disturbance.

Rorschach himself felt nothing, but Feuerbach, who was connected to the Tower of Secret Techniques, could feel it. All the Magic Power in the tower was slipping from the Red Dragon Tower Spirit’s control, being crudely absorbed into the young man’s body, then condensed and violently forced into the emblem. The Gargoyles in the office fell to the floor one after another, their limbs and wings shattering to pieces and exposing their stony fractures.

He was now a super-powered Magic Power pump.