Mage? Magic Engineer!

As the Valois Republic deployed Giant Mechanic Breakers to the front lines, the demand for Magic Power Sources became even greater. Thus, even without industries like Air Cars, the need to build Transmuting Dust extraction and refinery plants was extremely urgent.

Therefore, Rorschach’s idea was the first to be implemented in Valois. A joint venture funded by the state, the Valois Magic Guild, and private enterprises was about to register the first Magic Energy Company in Valuva.

However, the Tower of Stars insisted that for the Alchemy Department to license the technology for the Transmutation Dust Collector, they required the personal permission of Master Rorschach himself. This wasn’t just the position of the Tower of Stars; the entire Guild and the other Magic Towers demanded the same.

Respecting the Great Mage was just a pretext. The core issue was that Rorschach, as the original inventor, also possessed the technology to manufacture Transmutation Dust Collectors. If the Alchemy Department wanted the new company to achieve a monopoly within Valois, they first had to negotiate terms with Rorschach, who could potentially disrupt that monopoly.

Although the National Salvation Committee was far from pleased, they still nodded and agreed to let Kano and the other Mages negotiate with Rorschach.

"I don’t know the first thing about the ins and outs of business, so I’m counting on you for the negotiations," Rorschach told Valon before they left.

"You’re too modest... But I understand. Don’t worry, you can leave a small matter like this to me!"

As they spoke, a Guild staff member led them onto the Teleportation Array.

In fact, the last time Caroline went to Valuva, she and Kano had set up a point-to-point Teleportation Gate, so neither side had to worry about the Magic Power consumption for teleportation. But Rorschach insisted on using the Guild’s Teleportation Array, while the other clerks involved in the negotiation used the Teleportation Gate opened by Caroline.

’What’s the point of my promotion if I don’t use the privileges that come with it?’

About to return to Valuva, Valon, this descendant of fallen nobility, couldn’t help but puff out his chest. He had fled from Valois in disgrace, but now the patron he clung to was far stronger and more powerful than the former Minister of Finance. This was, in a way, his triumphant return! ’I wonder if those ladies and young misses still remember me...’

Seeing the man practically reeking of a sycophant, the left corner of his mouth twitching upwards uncontrollably, Rorschach couldn’t help but remind him, "There’s something I haven’t told you. Mr. Nekker is dead."

"Huh?" The news struck Valon without warning, like a bolt from the blue.

"Although he had already stepped down along with the rest of the Conservative Faction’s cabinet, he continued trying to exert influence by having his wife host salons. Then, certain documents were made public. They revealed he’d had dealings with the Restorationists, the Conservatives, and even the Mountain Faction. He was also implicated in numerous shady financial matters, especially from his first term as Minister of Finance and his time with the Mining Company."

Rorschach glanced at Valon. A fine sheen of sweat had appeared on the young man’s forehead. "And then?"

"Every faction used him as ammunition to attack their political enemies. Mr. Nekker himself was imprisoned, and his trial was endlessly delayed. Recently, he was suicided... oh, no, he was found to have taken his own life in prison." Seeing that was enough, Rorschach concluded, "The turmoil in Valuva has never stopped; in fact, it’s only getting worse. Once you’re there, don’t act on your own. Don’t leave the protection of the Guild or the Magic Tower. Otherwise..."

"I just remembered I have some urgent work I haven’t handed over yet. Is it possible for me not to go?" Valon thought for a moment. "Or perhaps you could cast a Disguise Skill on me or something..."

Just then, the staff member finished calibrating the Teleportation Array. WHOOSH! Rorschach and Valon were sent to the arrhythmic heart of the Republic.

As soon as they arrived at the Guild headquarters in Valuva, a carriage that had been waiting for them departed immediately. This carriage bore no emblem from the Tower of Stars; instead, it had three large, concentric circles painted in red on all four sides.

This was the symbol of a "Special Envoy." To centralize power and achieve the most efficient allocation of material resources, the National Salvation Committee dispatched special envoys to various regions. These envoys held nearly limitless authority, representing the will of the Committee in the provinces and at the front lines.

Of course, it was still a carriage from the Tower of Stars. Rorschach looked out the window and saw pedestrians scrambling to get out of its way. They covered their faces or turned their heads and quickened their pace, as if it were a hearse delivering death.

But Rorschach also noticed a change in the people’s clothing. In the beginning, pedestrians’ attire had been lively and colorful. Later, during the downturn, many people’s clothes were tattered and worn. Now, their clothes were neat again, but the styles and colors were much simpler. The Committee promoted these plain styles, with colors dominated by near-natural off-whites, pale yellows, and grayish blues.

The streets were mostly filled with women and the elderly. The few young men who passed by often bore injuries from battle.

While Rorschach still had the presence of mind to observe the pedestrians, the terrified Valon had simply shrunk into a corner of the carriage, hiding his face with a newspaper.

...

An Apprentice entered the office of the chief of the Tower of Stars: "Master Kano, the delegation from Bayern has arrived. Master Rorschach is in the carriage and is expected to be here shortly." The location for the negotiations and signing was a Meeting Room in the research building.

Valon’s appearance caused a slight stir of surprise among the Mages who recognized him. It seemed he would be representing Rorschach in today’s negotiations, while Rorschach himself sat off to one side, remaining silent.

Rorschach’s side had three main demands: first, to restrict the future Valois Company’s area of operations; second, to allow investment from other nations after the war; and third, for Rorschach’s Mage Tower to participate in setting the technical standards.

The first point was what the Mages of Valois had expected, though it would require a mutual guarantee that neither side would overstep their bounds. The National Salvation Committee would certainly never accept the second point, but no one knew what the post-war world would look like anyway. The third point, however, was met with confusion. A Mage from the Alchemy Department frowned. "Why the rush to set standards now?"

He subconsciously believed that Rorschach wanted to use participation in standard-setting as a pretext to probe the Alchemy Department’s improvements to the Collector technology.

Rorschach finally spoke up to explain himself. "Of course it’s important. Dulled Transmuting Dust also has specifications. What should its transport form be? Should it be used directly as extracted, compressed into higher-density crystal blocks, or released into an Alchemy Potion to become a liquid charging agent?

"Also... what is the standard energy density of the product? Have the specifications for mature models of the Collector been determined? Can the safety information for Transmuting Dust be thoroughly measured...

"Most importantly, establishing a unified continental standard now will prevent a future schism between the north and south of the continent." Processed Transmuting Dust itself was a pure substance containing Magic Power, so not setting a standard wasn’t a huge issue in itself. The key was that the supporting systems involved needed to be compatible between north and south. Rorschach didn’t want to see some legacy issue cause the magical industries of both sides to go their own separate ways.

This was about nipping a problem in the bud. He wanted to prevent a disastrous mess like the incompatible power grid frequencies between Japan’s Kantou and Kansai regions. Starting now by unifying the standards for the most basic energy industry would be setting a good precedent.

"Are you saying that Bayern is also planning to establish a magic energy supplier..."

Rorschach corrected the person across the table. "It would be more accurate to say a supplier for the entire Empire. Basif has established a subsidiary, ’Basif Energy.’" The industrial structure of the Special Zone had been slightly adjusted: coal smelting was spun off from the Steel Factory and placed under Basif’s umbrella. Whether for burning or for making other products, this conglomerate now handled it all.

And for this newly established energy company, not even the Bayern Royal Family or the other Bayern Nobility had the opportunity to purchase shares. It was founded solely with capital injections from three parties: the Tower of Secret Techniques, the Empire, and the Special Zone.

The old hands in the Alchemy Department grew tense. "The Empire is also going to get a large-scale supply of Magic Power?"

Rorschach smiled. "You must be wondering what it will be used for, aren’t you?"

Of course they wanted to know! But before the other Mages could speak, Kano interjected, "This old man is tired. Let’s take a short break. Rorschach, come with me. There’s someone I want you to meet."