Mage? Magic Engineer!

Rorschach and his Dwarf buddies were getting along famously. Perhaps it was the camaraderie between a chemical engineer and a materials scientist.

After selling another batch of the latest explosive-style fermentation tanks, Rorschach was in high spirits. He drank quite a bit, something he hadn’t done in a while, only to find he was just slightly tipsy. That feat alone was enough to completely win over all the Dwarves.

’Whoever wants to drink that dirt-flavored root water with the Elves can go right ahead!’

Once he was drunk, Luger started spouting crude remarks, which eventually circled back to the Elves. "Well now, Uncle Rorschach, you’d better be prepared. I’m afraid those lanky old bastards are going to try something crooked."

"Crooked ideas?" It seemed the Dwarves dealt with the Elves more often. And though their familiarity was steeped in prejudice, it didn’t stop Rorschach from asking for more details.

Luger’s large nose was flushed red. "What other crooked ideas could there be? They don’t have anything else, but they do have a Princess, don’t they? They brought her here for the sole purpose of giving her to you, Uncle Rorschach."

Rorschach wasn’t drunk. "I know Hill. She’s not that kind of person. Besides, aren’t the Elves supposed to be proud and arrogant? Why would they resort to such tactics?"

"Hah! That pride and arrogance is just a tag to drive up the price. It’s like when we want to sell our products for a good price, we always brag about rare materials, complex craftsmanship, and what have you." This diplomatic specialist really had no filter. "Besides the Princess, I hear the Gray Elves have a Saintess now, too. Wanna make a bet with me? If you just say the word, Uncle Rorschach, they’ll have that Saintess visiting Bayern in a heartbeat."

"Mr. Luger, let’s not talk about this anymore." Rorschach cut the conversation short.

After finalizing the cooperation with the Dwarves, there was really no need to continue negotiating with the Elves. His mind made up, Rorschach returned from the banquet, washed off the stench of alcohol, and, as if nothing was out of the ordinary, met with the Elf Elders once again.

This time, all the Elders wore awkward, anxious expressions. Hill was nowhere to be seen.

"The Princess was not feeling well and has already left," an Elder stammered evasively.

Her presence or absence wouldn’t have changed Rorschach’s mind. He went over it one last time, but the Elders stuck to their same old script. Finally, a Gray Elf stepped forward. "Lord Rorschach, my people have a Saintess, Silsa. She is both delicate and heroic, and has long admired you. As long as you give your consent, the Saintess can come to Bayern for a visit..."

’Should I be praising Luger’s intelligence network? Or have the Dwarves just completely figured out their old rivals?’ Rorschach took a deep breath and exhaled. "Get out."

...

"I can still drink..." Andre said, heaving.

"The hell you can. You’re not touching alcohol ever again." Rorschach prepared to cast a Healing Spell on Andre to stabilize him.

"Principal Caroline, my mission is complete... Ro... Ro."

"What did you say?" Rorschach was stunned, but unfortunately, the Magic had already been cast. A blue light sank into Andre’s forehead, jolting him sober.

The boy’s face changed instantly as he shook his head. "I said, today’s work is finally done."

"Go, go, go! You get out too. Go confirm those bean sprouts are off my territory, then come back."

"Yes, sir! Mission completion guaranteed!" The double "agent" Andre immediately saluted and vanished into the night like a wisp of smoke.

Now Rorschach was alone. He took a walk to the lakeside. It was a barrier lake formed from one of Kempson’s abandoned mining pits. Now, the lake’s surface was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the star-dusted sky until it filled the world both above and below the horizon.

"You’re here. Is this also within your sensory range?" Only Hill’s voice was heard; she herself did not appear.

"If I couldn’t even detect this, how could I protect the Special Zone?"

"It’s a huge piece of land, with many incredible industries. The me from a few years ago would never have imagined that the Little Mage who was once a caravan Guard could achieve so much." In the pause between her words, Hill sighed silently, and Rorschach could picture it. After her sigh, she continued, "I’m sorry. The Elders made an outrageous request earlier. I didn’t agree to it, so I ran off on my own."

"Did you think I would agree?"

"...Probably not." She hesitated. "If you had agreed, then I..."

"’Then I’ what?" All the pent-up anger he’d been holding back finally erupted from Rorschach. "You’re just a Half-Elf. You’re not a god, you’re not as noble or as important as you and the Elders imagine, and you don’t need to feel like you’re qualified to bear the fate of your entire race." ’Some bullshit about being a god’s descendant. I might as well be a descendant of a Dragon then.’

"I never..." A sob had entered Hill’s voice. Rorschach found it hard to imagine her expression, because the Hill he remembered always had a cool, indifferent poker face.

But as Rorschach had just said, it wasn’t important. He turned a deaf ear to the sound of her sobbing and spoke to the surface of the lake as if talking to himself. "I’m not a god, either. The Magic Guild, Bayern... I don’t have the final say in everything."

"...The Elders investigated. From what we understand, you single-handedly created the current Special Zone. Can’t you be the one to make the decisions?"

"That’s different. If you Long Ears were actually willing to dig a little deeper, you would’ve figured out what the Special Zone and the Guild are lacking, then thought about what you can provide, and *then* come to me to talk. That’s the only basis on which I might agree." Rorschach grew more and more agitated as he spoke. "If you’d done even a little bit of research, you’d immediately know that this place, that place, the Guild, and the factories are all short on people! We’re short-staffed everywhere! As long as you can provide a somewhat organized workforce—even if they’re just digging ditches and repairing roads—we would be grateful for the Elves’ help. We’re not going to be moved by empty gestures.

"What value do you have that’s worth thousands, tens of thousands of laborers? Of course, if you were a Middle Level Caster, then it might actually be possible. But that’s still not enough. We need people. We could use a hundred thousand, we could use a million, even ten million. The problem right now is that there’s too little qualified, usable labor. Can you provide that?"

There was no response, only ripples slowly gliding across the lake’s surface.

’To put it bluntly, they’re a bunch of unproductive freeloaders who’ve been playing the same game for far too long. They’re like a group of brats. While everyone else has moved on to playing video games, one of the Long Ears is still playing with marbles and thinks he can trade his prettiest marble for someone else’s console.’

After a long pause, Hill finally spoke. "Laborers... That might be difficult. The Empire uses any Gray Elves who wander into its territory as slave labor, so they’re very sensitive about these things now."

"That’s a problem for you to face, not mine, and not something the Magic Guild needs to consider. We only guarantee that all workers are equal in personhood and that no one will become a slave. Of course, even if I say that, it’s not like you’ll actually change or think of other solutions." ’He couldn’t even be bothered to point out the obvious. The Elves aren’t just the Gray Elves. When their kin were suffering, what were those self-proclaimed High Elves doing?’

Accepting reality and confirming that Rorschach’s attitude would not change, Hill finally asked, "Then what should we do?"

"You don’t have to treat the Starship project as your only lifeline. You’d be better off wholeheartedly seeking the protection of Deryats. They have reawakened, and Their power is constantly growing." Rorschach offered a suggestion after all. ’Truthfully, he’d always had his doubts. Could they really escape the Mother Goddess just by fleeing to the Star Realm? Many people, including numerous members of the Aurora Elder Council, thought so, but he always had his reservations.’

"What if... what if They are one of the incarnations of the Earth Mother Goddess..."

"..." Rorschach raised his hand. A faint blue glow appeared in his palm—the form of power first bestowed upon him by Deryats. Now, thanks to Rorschach’s efforts, the barriers developed from Their sigil and with Their power had spread across the entire world. They were embedded in countless Collectors and even in the starships that patrolled the Star Realm, playing a vital role.

To this day, there was only one thing left to say: "Who knows?"