From noble mtl dot com.
magic tower (3)
“Is it still far?”
“That, that… … .”
I casually rested my chin on it and said.
The teacup on the table had been left cold for a long time. Also, the wizards who were busy discussing something still looked busy.
Nodding their heads from time to time, it seemed that they were discussing the possibility of realizing it.
Well, I just did it.
The knowledge I gave them was a future technology developed over the past 20 years.
‘It may have been about 10 years since the technology to use magic stones in magic circles came out.’
anyway. It was said that adding a magic circle to them now was nothing short of innovation.
It was for this reason that I deliberately informed them of future technologies.
‘It’s like advancing development by at least 20 years.’
Reinforcing power by adding a magic circle was a great technology at the time, but as a result, it was an unfortunate technology that was not widely commercialized.
It was because the artifact called ‘magic imprint’, which could scatter the target’s mana, was already widely known.
But what if it was already 20 years earlier than the starting point?
What if that wasn’t enough, so what if he could hold and control the dwarves’ weapons and magic imprint information in Esteban’s hands?
I don’t know, but there will be no way to pierce that armor. And the knights of Esteban armed with this will have a level of strength that no other country can match.
‘That would be the most ideal future.’
The corners of my lips went up.
Of course, in order to do that, there would be things that had to be prioritized above all else.
Yes, such as blocking information from ‘them’ through this inspection.
I glanced at my watch and stood up. Then, Wilford, who had discovered this, quickly approached.
“It’s getting late, I hope you continue the temple soon.”
“I’m sorry. I will guide you right away.”
“Previously.”
“yes?”
I looked around, and then spoke in a low-pitched voice.
“The research director is nowhere to be seen.”
“hmm? Are you talking about Prince Cromwell? I sent you a message earlier… … Oh, you just arrived.”
The one who opened the door to the laboratory just in time was Cromwell, the research director.
Cromwell approached with a slightly flushed face.
“Sorry for being late, Your Highness. We are late to deliver new instructions to the mages.”
“Right.”
“hahahaha, it would be nice to have someone who is well versed in research guide you along.”
Deputy Chief Wilford smiled shyly and scratched his head. Then he gestured toward the next lab.
“Sorry for the delay. I will show you the next research paper.”
The next place I was guided to was a training ground surrounded by thick walls.
If the place right now was a workshop for crafting artifacts, this could be said to be a place where you can actually test the performance of various magic or artifacts.
Cromwell approached me there holding several rolls of paper.
“This paper is what we call a scroll.”
“scroll?”
“Yes, consumables that give objects magical properties. It is one of the technologies that appear to be nearing the commercialization stage.”
“Hoo.”
Rarely did an exclamation come out. This is because it was a technology that had not been seen before returning.
For the first time since entering the Magic Tower, I felt my interest sway.
“It has reached the commercialization stage.”
“That’s right. And this scroll has the effect of temporarily enchanting the swords of knights.”
“Right.”
A piece of paper with a colorful geometric pattern landed on the dagger prepared for the experiment.
Then, as if the pattern drawn on the paper came alive, it reconciled into a halo of light and slowly began to be absorbed towards the dagger.
Finally, all the halo was absorbed, and what was left was a dagger that shimmered with a faint light.
Cromwell picked up the dagger and handed it to me.
“Your Highness is said to be skilled in swordsmanship. Would you like to simply check its efficacy?”
It seemed like you should try it yourself and feel the effect.
“… … Well, yes.”
I shrugged and accepted the dagger.
After that, he turned the dagger around and checked its appearance.
However, except for the fact that the light was shimmering, the external aspect was not much different from the specifications of a normal dagger.
If so, what about performance?
Hard!
“… … !”
In an instant, the eyes of the deputy chief and the head of the research center became the size of a lantern.
I instantly closed the palm that was holding the dagger, and gripped the blade tightly.
However, it was not the blood that had come out.
Chaeng-Grang-!
“Me, Your Highness?!”
The broken blade made a loud noise and fell helplessly to the ground.
It would have been shocking to know that the blade, not the palm, was damaged, but that was not the case now.
“Wow, are you okay? hand… … !”
“Don’t make a fuss.”
After brushing off the metal pieces, I examined my palms.
… … Even though the aura was not applied to the palm that held the blade, there was not a single small scratch. My eyebrows twitched in dissatisfaction.
‘There is no difference.’
After all, it seems that the contents have not changed much as much as the external appearance has not changed much.
Well, it wasn’t that I didn’t expect that to happen. I said calmly, looking at the iron on the heel of my shoe.
“Did you say it reached the commercialization stage?”
“yes. That’s right.”
“Sorry, but it doesn’t look particularly useful to me.”
Magic is equivalent exchange.
Even if the price of the transfer that takes place at the fingertips is not limited to material things, there will be no change in the fact that it draws on the power of ‘mana’ by default.
So, this technique was useless. The medium to amplify and maintain mana was nothing more than paper with little mana, and the practicality of magic that was put in as reinforcement was even more absent.
If magic stones were used to reinforce this, the balance calculation would not be right.
To put it simply, it is nothing more than a show-style study that does not even follow the basics.
‘There must be a reason I haven’t heard of.’
… … It must be difficult to expect substantial results from magic originally created for practical purposes.
At that moment, my gaze landed on the documents listed next to the stack of scrolls.
And when I checked the name of the research mage in charge written there, I almost laughed at the absurdity.
“If my information is not incorrect, this name seems to belong to the apprentice you are fostering, Wilford.”
“… … That’s right.”
“How much funding was invested in this research?”
It was a question that pierced the essence.
Wilford’s eyebrows, which had been consistent with this, twitched finely for the first time.
However, the agitation was fleeting, and soon returned to the original clean atmosphere as if nothing had happened.
“hahahaha… … Please do not misunderstand. If you say that you are a disciple of the butap master, the support you receive is no different from any other wizard. There are no special perks.”
“… … .”
“When we say that we are close to commercialization, it means that it is still under development.
“… … Right.”
I shook my head, swallowing the laughter I was about to squeeze out.
Anyway, the important thing now was to deal with the operatives who had infiltrated the Mage Tower, not those scrolls.
I said to Cromwell, the research director who was watching the conversation.
“I hope you will soon show the most confident results.”
“Yes, Your Highness the First Prince. Please follow me.”
The last place they guided was the laboratory in the deepest part of the Mage Tower, which was protected with strict security.
Among them, it was a place where access was not allowed except for those related to research.
And the research materials there were things I was familiar with as well.
“This is the artificial magic stone that the Kingdom Mage Tower is proud of.”
Unlike normal magic crystals that are born in nature, it is a small piece of jewel that glows softly in blue.
Cromwell proudly and proudly explained the objects contained in the square glass cabinet.
The eager gestures and manner of speaking seemed exaggerated, but in reality, the objects contained there were worth that much.
“The magician crystallized the condensed mana in the air.”
“Yes that’s right. You know, too.”
Cromwell shook his head proudly at my question.
At this, the silver magic circle embroidered robe flew like a wave.
“The researchers at the Kingdom’s Magic Tower aim to develop this technology and mass-produce concentrated magic crystals.”
“Hoo.”
“Of course, making concentrated magic crystals is not an easy task. However, if we improve the condensation magic circle, we expect to be able to succeed in mass production with fewer manpower.”
“Right.”
Even as I muttered that, I captured the shape of the magic stone in detail.
It was a new feeling, but it is a truly amazing skill.
From the idea of mass-producing magic stones in advance when it is not in a wartime situation, and using it instead of insufficient magic power in battle.
If the Guardian Attribute Artifacts we saw earlier represent the direction of development, then this magic stone can be said to be the essence of Esteban’s unique sorcery.
So I said it honestly.
“Awesome.”
“Hmmm… … It would have been impossible without the knowledge of the Master of the Magic Tower, who is in charge of the research, and the support of the royal family.”
Cromwell, head of the research institute, bowed his head at the compliment that was never stingy.
It seemed that he was really happy with the praise.
However, my gaze at the magic stone was gradually cooling down. The emotion that finally formed on his lips was ridicule.
“okay?”
The artificial magic crystal was a technology that had been developed over a long period of time.
Naturally, research from the past continued even before the regression, and in fact, research progressed day by day.
It was to the extent that the Mage Tower was proud that it had finally reached a stage where commercialization was possible.
But there was an unexpected problem. That is, it was the fact that Esteban wasn’t the only one who was advancing research on artificial magic stones.
… … No, to be precise, the content of the research was stolen.
‘The Federation Empire, by their hands.’
Continuing my thoughts, my eyebrows were raised crookedly.
Taking advantage of the abundance of research manpower, they commercialized artificial magic stone technology one step faster than Esteban.
Because of this, Esteban’s kingdom magic tower quickly became a dog chasing chickens.
Even the magic stone technology was much more advanced than Esteban’s, so the things he had painstakingly researched were neutralized under the Commonwealth Empire.
And this was not only the artificial magic crystal technology, but also other studies.
‘I just thought I was out of luck at the time.’
Of course, the research subject overlapped with the Federation Empire, and I thought they completed it first.
If it’s natural, it’s a natural idea. You wouldn’t have thought that an operative who steals technology would have infiltrated the Mage Tower, which was protected with strict security.
And that’s because no one thought that a person high enough to neutralize internal security would be an operative.
‘Well, it won’t be like that now.’
Yeah, that will never happen again.
… … No, it will not stop there either.
One step forward.
Esteban’s technology will advance to the point where no other country can catch up.
In addition, the technology of artificial magic stones will also achieve great achievements comparable to those created by the Commonwealth Empire before the return.
Under my direction and no one else’s, like that.
At that moment, my eyes reflected in the glass cabinet shone.
“Come to think of it, did someone ask if you didn’t tell me about the technology?”
“yes?”
Wilford stupidly asked back at the sudden story.
However, the moment something was taken out of my arms, the eyes narrowed.
… … It was the documents of the operatives retrieved from the upper ranks.
“Good. Just in time, I too had a question for you.”
I fully understood the situation inside the magic tower.
Then it was time to get down to business in earnest.