Mage? Magic Engineer!

’Going hungry is never just about not having enough food...’ Rorschach didn’t have the heart to shatter their simple vision. Technicians who buried themselves in the fields or delved into research in factories often had the fantasy that solving the production side of things would solve the problem of demand.

On the other hand, the workers in the factories harbored no such illusions. They couldn’t always afford the very things they produced with their own hands, and this "trauma" was a constant reminder of the truth.

Of course, reality could also be nudged along, bit by bit, by ideals. Even if the beautiful vision was unattainable for the moment, it was still a step forward.

So, facing this group of earnest people, Rorschach was all smiles.

"It will happen," he said. "Right now, the output of artificial fertilizer and the new methods of agricultural production aren’t mature enough yet. Even if we were to promote them, we would start by expanding from Kempson to Bayern. When the results are plain for all to see, other places will naturally be willing to adopt them."

"Yes, we at the Tower of Forest will certainly help with that process." Ella agreed with Rorschach, then she proposed one last idea.

"We’ve received the best hospitality these past few days. As a way of saying thanks, we could work some overtime to experiment with a project. We can try to restore the soil quality here, harmonize the affected environment, and restore the ecosystem as much as possible. It will also help with future planting.

"If you’re willing to cooperate, we can start right away."

"Of course. Please, tell me the details. If the experiment is effective, I can gift you each a fermentation tank."

"It’s a deal."

...

That day, the residents and farmers of Kempson suddenly received a flood prevention notice: there would be large-scale rainfall in the coming days.

Everyone was baffled. The showers that marked the transition between summer and autumn had already passed. According to experience, the crisp, clear autumn season was next. Even if it did rain, it wouldn’t be much.

But all of Kempson was mobilized to clear ditches, inspect drainage facilities, and check the waterproofing on granaries and factory buildings.

"What rain? My back’s about to break from all this useless work!" many farmers grumbled. They had all been organized to clean the ditches. This was supposed to be their time to rest, to enjoy the fruits of the harvest before sowing the winter wheat. But now they were being dragged out to work again. Even with a small subsidy, they couldn’t help but complain.

Chom, wearing the red armband of a "squad leader," didn’t stop his work. He dug his shovel into the earth as he urged his team members on. "It’s not like you’re not getting paid. Let’s hurry up and finish this last bit. Once this section is done, our squad’s job is over."

The grumbling team member decided to stretch before getting back to work, straightening his back while leaning on his shovel. As he stood up, his gaze fell upon the distant horizon.

Just a moment ago, the sky had been clear and filled with fluffy white clouds. Now, dense, dark clouds had appeared out of nowhere. They were thick and heavy, a clear sign that a heavy downpour was imminent.

In an instant, a damp wind howled across the fields. The cold air hit the sweat on his skin, and the sudden drop in temperature made him shiver.

"It’s going to rain!"

"It’s raining!"

"It’s pouring!"

As if in a single moment, the people’s cries changed twice as they sprinted for the buildings. A massive, unannounced downpour enveloped Kempson.

The architect of the downpour was, of course, Rorschach. He looked down from above the clouds, watching the cloud banks sweep over and cover the entire area within his sight. The members of the Tower of Forest team were also floating nearby, though they were in a hot air balloon. Their leader held an Alchemy Map.

Before the rain began, sampling points to measure the rainwater had been placed in the fields, their data reflected on the map. Ella watched as, with Rorschach at the center, the cultivated areas of Kempson lit up one circle after another, indicating they were being covered by rain.

The idea Ella and the Powerful Mage had proposed was simple: since the water was eutrophic and the soil too acidic, they would use an artificial rainfall to wash it all clean.

Originally, they had wanted Rorschach to cooperate with them to perform two large-scale rituals. The first would create the massive rainfall, and the second would be [Natural Tuning], which could restore balance to the damaged environment.

After all, the area to be affected was huge. Logically, a group casting should have been necessary.

Unexpectedly, after hearing their idea, Rorschach said the first ritual could be skipped.

And so, with the team as his witness, he began casting.

When Rorschach began, the ambient Magic Power around him started to obey the Great Mage’s command. The others first felt Magic Power surging toward the Caster, then roaring back out at them.

But by then, it was no longer pure Magic Power. It was pulsating, and with each pulse, the sky grew more humid. The Magic Power was consumed, coalescing into tiny droplets and a bone-chilling cold.

Rorschach then created wind to push the rain clouds outward, causing them to spread.

The team members thought the magic would cover a few hectares at most, but Rorschach kept casting with no intention of stopping. The thick rain clouds actually covered all the land visible to the eye. The markers on the map lit up one after another; this young man clearly intended to cover all of Kempson’s fields with a single casting.

By this point, the consumption of Magic Power had reached an astonishing level. Those near Rorschach were completely unable to use their own magic. The Protections against the cold and wind could no longer be maintained, and the Alchemy Map began to flicker erratically.

Of course, Rorschach used a special technique to spread the rain clouds. The area he was actually controlling wasn’t as large as the newly cultivated lands. Instead, he had constructed a circulating airflow within a region about three thousand meters in diameter, which continuously produced and pushed out rain clouds, allowing the rain to cover every plot of land.

’Right, there shouldn’t be any wind now.’ Rorschach noticed the hot air balloon swaying and wobbling. His weather-altering magic came from an Ancient Sage, but it needed a few modifications... Considering the safety of the personnel and facilities on the ground, he should avoid unleashing fierce winds.

Rorschach raised his hand, and as if by decree, all the wind beneath the clouds vanished. The hot air balloon stabilized.

Wind and rain were normally inseparable, but under Rorschach’s deliberate control, the rain continued while the wind stopped. The people on the ground witnessed the beaded raindrops change from a slanted drift to a vertical downpour, washing over the soil.

Rorschach also wanted to know his own limits, so this time he cast as openly as possible. The windless zone continued to expand until, finally, all large-scale air currents over the newly cultivated lands had ceased.

’This is a pretty heavy burden...’ Rorschach’s face paled slightly. He changed his strategy for directing the Magic Power and had the mages from the Tower of Forest begin the second ritual.

"...I wonder if even Master Humboldt could do this." An apprentice was still lost in the shock of Rorschach’s casting. His first impression of Rorschach had been of a "water delivery boy," but later, the young Mage had proven to be very relaxed and easygoing.

This was a senior, not much older than himself, who had changed the entire climate of Kempson with a single spell in a single casting.

Ella gave the dazed apprentice a light chop to the head. "Stop daydreaming. Hurry up and begin the second ritual to support Master Rorschach."

The two lead mages and the apprentice all participated in the [Natural Tuning]. They formed a circle, and as the ritual began, a pure energy was converted and surged forth, splitting into small balls of light.

While presiding over the ritual, Ella communicated with Rorschach using the [Communication Skill]. "Because we’re in the air, the mediating energy for the tuning will be formed into Seeds of Illusion. After landing, they will rapidly grow complex root systems to prevent soil erosion from the rain. At the current rate of rainfall, you’ll need to maintain it for another quarter of an hour."

Ella was worried Rorschach wouldn’t be able to last that long. Fortunately, his reply was a single, reliable, and brief word: "Okay."

The Seeds of Illusion dispersed, the Energy Bodies behaving like spores scattering in the air. Upon touching the ground, they would immediately take root, stabilizing the soil being washed away by the rain. At the same time, life energy would be released, specifically stimulating the microorganisms in the soil to concentrate the excess salts.

After the explosive growth of roots and microorganisms exhausted the energy, the roots would rapidly decompose and disappear. The concentrated and precipitated sulfates would then be immediately washed away by the rain, leaving behind soil with its ecological balance restored.

The environment naturally has a self-purifying function. [Natural Tuning] was more like accelerating this process with the help of decomposers.

The spore-like release of the tuning energy and the use of rootlets to secure the soil were two minor modifications the lead mages had made to the magic based on the actual situation.

After confirming it was effective, Rorschach drew a Seed of Illusion to himself. The shimmering green ball of light melted in his palm. Rorschach experienced the so-called tuning energy. ’As expected, it’s from a familiar source... I’ve confirmed the principle, too. It can be analyzed.’

In the Boundary Land, on the Tree of Law linked to Rorschach, the branch related to the Deryats Technique was activated, and at the same time, a new node appeared.

The members of the Tower of Forest were astonished to discover that, at some point, every single drop of rain had become imbued with the effect of [Natural Tuning]. They had originally planned to fly the hot air balloon around to sow the Seeds of Illusion everywhere, but now it seemed completely unnecessary.