Before Klein could respond, Alice, who had remained behind, stepped forward, her expression filled with suspicion.
"Arthur, what was that? I know it was black powder, but how do you even know how to make it—let alone how to use it like that?" Her voice was sharp, laced with both curiosity and unease.
She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. "I’ve seen parts of the process while you were making it a few days ago, but it was too precise to be accidental. You knew exactly what black powder was before you ever produced it. You knew how to make it, what ingredients you needed, and their exact proportion to make the black powder… You even sent a search team specifically to find sulfur. That’s not something a person who just changed could suddenly understand."
Taking a step closer, she continued, her voice firm. "Arthur, I know you’ve changed. And I’ve accepted that. But this? There was never any concept of black powder in this world, let alone in this kingdom. No one could have taught you this. So tell me… how do you know all of this?"
Arthur glanced around, noting that only Klein, Alice, and Aaron had remained behind. Their expressions were tense, their eyes fixed on him—not dismissing Alice’s question but rather waiting for the same answer themselves.
He had expected this moment to come.
When he first introduced tax reforms and economic theories, people had found his ideas surprising, but they could be explained away. A genius, they called him. Someone who simply saw what others overlooked. Even when he introduced the Linotype typesetting, it was an impressive innovation, but still something that could be chalked up to extraordinary intelligence.
But black powder was different.
This wasn’t just a clever tool or a refined policy—it was a substance that required alchemy and science far beyond what anyone in this world understood. It wasn’t something a lone genius could simply think up on a whim. It required centuries of accidental discoveries, painstaking trial and error, and scientific principles that had never even been considered in this world.
Arthur had known from the start that this moment would come.
That was why, long before this demonstration, when he began the nitre bed project, he had already started preparing his answer.
Arthur composed himself. Then, with a calm yet deliberate tone, he said, "Before I answer that, Alice, let me ask you something first."
Alice frowned slightly but nodded.
"Why do some people have more mana than others? Why are some destined to become S-rank mages while others are born as non-rankers? Why do some wield rare elements like lightning or magma while most can only command the six basic elements—water, earth, fire, air, light, and dark? And take yourself, for example—why can you control two elements when most can only wield one? And lastly…" Arthur’s expression darkened slightly. "Why can’t I use mana like everyone else? Why is it that every single person in this world has a mana core… except me?"
The shift in conversation overwhelmed and confused Alice, but she still answered, "Well… no one really knows. Many have studied this, but no one has found a definitive answer. However, the most accepted belief is that unlike animals, humans are blessed by the gods. That’s why we can use magic and are more intelligent."
Arthur nodded as if expecting that answer. "Alright then, explain this—why am I unable to use magic or become an aura knight simply because I lack a mana core? If mana is a divine blessing, does that mean I was forsaken by the gods? If so, why? And if blessings come through bloodlines, why is it that despite sharing the same lineage as you and Aaron, you two are hailed as geniuses while I was cast aside as talentless?"
Alice and the others hesitated. They had no answer.
Arthur let the silence linger for a moment before he spoke again. "It’s not that I wasn’t blessed. It’s that I was blessed differently."
Alice, Aaron, and Klein exchanged glances, their confusion deepening.
Finally, Aaron asked, "What do you mean by ’blessed differently’?"
Arthur exhaled, crossing his arms. "To put it simply—I was blessed with knowledge instead of mana."
Their expressions twisted in disbelief, but Arthur continued before they could interrupt.
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"I didn’t realize it at first. But about six months ago, I had a dream—a vivid, overwhelming dream of a world completely unlike ours. A world without mana, without aura knights, without magic of any kind. And yet, despite their lack of power, the people of that world didn’t fall to beasts or disaster."
His voice grew firmer, carrying the weight of certainty.
"They survived using their brain. Since they had no magic to protect them, they created rules, developed weapons, and advanced their knowledge to rise above nature itself. Their world was far more advanced than ours—far beyond what we can even imagine."
Arthur looked at each of them, gauging their reactions.
"I only dreamt of that world once… but in that single night, I lived an entire lifetime there. And unlike normal dreams that fade upon waking, I remembered everything—every detail, every invention, every theory."
He clenched his fists. "At first, I thought it was just a dream. But when I started testing some of the knowledge from that world, I realized—it works. It all works."
Arthur took a step forward, his voice unwavering.
"That’s when I understood—just because I have no mana core doesn’t mean I am powerless. I have the knowledge of that world’s advancements. And with that knowledge… I can still become strong. I can still protect those who need me."
He exhaled sharply, then smirked.
"So from that day forward, I turned over a new leaf. I stopped wishing for magic. I stopped wishing for power I would never have. Instead, I embraced the power I was given—the power of knowledge."
Silence followed, thick with tension and unspoken thoughts.
Alice, Aaron, and Klein stared at him, struggling to process his words. It was an impossible claim, yet everything Arthur had accomplished—the tax reforms, the Linotype printing press, and now black powder—all pointed out that his claim could possibly be the truth.
However, Moe had no way of knowing why Arthur lacked a mana core or why he couldn’t use magic. There was also no indication in his memories whether the previous Arthur had wielded anti-magic or not. All he knew for certain was that he had transmigrated into this body—and that he could use anti-magic.
The talk of blessings and prophetic dreams was a carefully crafted lie—one mixed with fragments of the truth from the world he had lived in before he was transmigrated here.
Arthur had considered many ways to explain his knowledge, each with its own risks. He had thought of claiming he had discovered an ancient relic, a forgotten manuscript containing lost knowledge from a bygone era. He had even considered spinning a tale about a divine revelation, a gift from the gods themselves.
But none of those explanations felt solid enough. Some were too far-fetched, others too easy to disprove.
He had also considered saying nothing at all—letting the mystery linger. But Arthur knew that silence would only deepen their suspicions in the long run. The more invention and knowledge he introduced, the more impossible it would seem for him to have discovered it all on his own. Eventually, someone would start asking the right questions. And if he didn’t have a believable answer, things could take a dangerous turn.
That’s why he had prepared this answer in advance. A lie wrapped in enough truth to be convincing. A way to justify his knowledge without revealing the impossible reality of his existence.
Arthur looked at Alice, Aaron, and Klein, watching as they processed his words. Their disbelief was evident, but so was the struggle to refute him. Because, no matter how strange his explanation sounded… everything he had done so far backed it up.
Finally, Alice exhaled sharply. "So… you’re saying the gods blessed you with knowledge instead of mana?"
Arthur gave a small smirk. "That’s one way to put it."
Aaron crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "And this ’other world’ you dreamed of… their knowledge is what allowed you to create all of this? The tax reforms, the printing press, this—" he gestured toward the scorched earth where the black powder had detonated.
Arthur nodded. "Exactly. Their world had no magic, so they advanced through science and engineering instead. They studied, they experimented, they built. Without power, they found other ways to become powerful."
Klein, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "And you’re saying we can do the same?"
Arthur nodded.
A heavy silence followed. Then, after a moment, Arthur exhaled and waved a hand dismissively.
"That’s enough questioning for now. I’ve told you what you need to know. What matters is that this knowledge can make us stronger—our kingdom stronger. So, instead of standing around doubting it, let’s use it. Also keep it confidential. I don’t want others to know about this."
He turned toward the training grounds, where the last traces of smoke still lingered in the air.
"Train harder. Trust in me. And trust in the future we’re going to build."
With that, he dismissed both of them—except Klein.
Klein turned to Arthur, his expression serious. "I didn’t ask this question because others are present but what about your anti-magic? Is that part of your blessing… or is it something else entirely?"