Chapter 367: Chapter 364: Oh Crap, I’ve Become the Clone
’Huh? Oh, yes, yes...’ Rorschach quickly schooled his features into a resolute expression in response to the Chief Mage’s grand theory. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."
"Heh. The Guild is as disorganized and slow as ever, still thinking it’s above everything. And agents like you... so reckless, showing up with outdated intelligence."
’Alright, alright, that’s enough of a lecture.’ Rorschach broke free from the tentacles and brushed off his clothes. "Thank you for the lesson, Chief Mage."
"Get lost. Tell your... Aurora Elder Council. Tell those pedants in their high towers: the times have changed!"
’He’s just letting me go?’ Rorschach gave the man a bow, glanced at the dumbfounded Richard, and quickly left the Airship wreckage, disappearing into the fire and smoke.
"Teacher, you’re just letting him go?" Richard found the situation so bizarre he felt numb from the successive shocks.
"Destroying him or keeping him would be meaningless." Soron’s powerful aura instantly dissipated. Decaying spots began to appear on his skin. He lifted his loose robe and used a tentacle to extract a shard of steel embedded in his body.
The Chief Mage explained to his student and the mage with the handlebar moustache, "I observed him closely while we spoke. He’s not a living person at all, but a Stand-In created from remains."
The fact that he wasn’t a living person explained why he was unafraid of Soron’s Necromancy.
"The existence of our secret weapon has been exposed, but that was to be expected."
You can keep the creation of the first atomic bomb a secret, but once it detonates and the mushroom cloud rises, the world will be shaken. Something that powerful simply cannot be hidden.
The Forbidden Magic Device was the same. The Chief Mage was confident about this. "In principle, as long as the device is running, it cannot be countered. It not only nullifies Divine Arts and Magic, but it can also create a temporary Magic Power vacuum. That alone is enough to be fatal."
"So, in the future, we must prepare for a battle of offense and defense to prevent others from destroying the device. But I don’t think we need to worry too much. The Magic Guild will probably shatter into pieces soon enough."
In truth, there was another concern Soron hadn’t voiced: although the Stand-In’s Soul was weak, its Magic Power was abundant. When the blue light flared, Soron vaguely sensed that, much like the power of Order and Light, it could suppress his Magic.
’This Stand-In probably belongs to a Great Mage! If its original body senses the Stand-In’s destruction and just rips space apart to teleport here, I won’t be able to win in my injured state.’
’Who could it be? Feuerbach is a madman, but not this... eccentric. He’s the kind of psycho who wears a perpetual scowl. Kou Bo? Yes, it must be that childish old fool! The style is exactly the same, and the Magic he used seemed to be from the Natural System...’
Having completed this circuit of logic and sent his intelligence plummeting, Great Mage Soron felt much more at ease. He directed a portion of the Negative Energy gathered by the Well of Remains to heal his wounds and channeled the rest into the "well’s building materials."
The remains swelled up. Soron directed them toward the middle section of the Airship, where they exploded one after another, completely obliterating the device’s wreckage until its structure was unrecognizable.
"Recover the valuable materials from inside. We’ll install the other devices on trains later," the Chief Mage ordered, patting the shoulder of the mage with the handlebar moustache. "Good work. I will report to His Majesty and make sure to emphasize your contribution."
The mage with the handlebar moustache was thrilled. "It is all thanks to your guidance, Lord Soron!"
"You shouldn’t say that. We all serve the Empire. It is His Majesty the Emperor who has guided you."
After speaking, he led his student away from the Airship.
As they walked, Soron spoke to Richard with the rare air of an elder. "You saw what happened just now. With your personality and abilities, you are not suited to inherit my true knowledge."
"To be honest, I would rather not see my good friend’s grandson walk the same path as me."
"Just focus on diligently studying the Magic I have taught you. It will be enough to protect yourself, and our country, on the battlefield."
He looked at the majestic, towering walls of Andorrella and said lightly, "Return to camp and rest. I have other matters to attend to."
"Yes, Teacher."
...
Joseph Rorschach’s journey grew more and more difficult. He had no more flesh and blood to replenish himself, and the microorganisms in his body were gradually entering a dormant state.
’I have to contact my original body.’ Rorschach began to consider how to re-establish the connection. In the original version of the Magic, a Stand-In that had its connection severed had two options: return to the original body’s side so the Soul could leave the Stand-In and return, or rebuild the bridge of the twin Magic Arrays. In any case, it had to go back.
But this body probably couldn’t make the journey back. Its motor skills were far inferior to the Earth Stand-In, and he no longer had enough Transmuting Dust and carbohydrates to create another supply.
’To prevent any accidents, I need to contact my original body first and transfer these valuable memories. Then I can worry about reuniting my Soul.’
Rorschach began his attempt. He sketched a circuit on the ground and stood in the middle of one Magic Array. In the center of the other array, there was neither a Stand-In nor an original body, but a "Benzene Ring" Rune.
Next, he found a ladle of water, released the remains of dead microorganisms from his fingertip to mix in, and poured it over the Magic Array.
The crude, rustic Magic Array charged and activated. The target on the other side pointed to a totem, and the totem, in turn, began to resonate with the original body...
"Hmm?" "Original Xia," who was negotiating a construction schedule with a foreman, sensed something and stopped what he was doing.
The leather-clad Dwarf, Jansen, watched as expressions of confusion, surprise, and consternation flashed across the young Mage’s face, one after another. Finally, he suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "Damn it, I’ve become the Stand-In!"
Joseph Rorschach had used an improved version of the original Magic to reconnect with his original body from a distance. Therefore, he was now the Caster, and the original body, passively receiving the connection, was naturally placed in the position of the Stand-In.
’Hey, we’re all the same guy here! No harm, no foul.’ After transferring the memories, Joseph Rorschach decisively cut the connection, ending the role reversal.
As the sun began to set, Joseph used a scrapped spear as a walking stick, struggling back toward the Empire’s border. He slowly climbed a small, verdant hill.
The Stand-In cleared an open space and used [Stone Shaping Skill] to create a stone monument for "Joseph Mueller," setting it in place.
Then, Joseph caught an unknown bird and lay down in front of the monument, holding it.
A viscous liquid shimmering with crystalline light gradually flowed from his fingertips, enveloping the struggling little creature. The bird’s eyes gained a spark of intelligence, and Joseph finally found his rest.
The bird took flight. With a flap of its wings, Joseph’s body burst into flames. When it had burned until no microorganisms remained alive, the bird flapped its wings again. Earth and stone shifted, forming a small burial mound.
Finally, it brought over a grass seed. Spurred on by a blue light, a small flower instantly grew and fell before the grave.
These three spells were the current limit of the Stand-In. It had chosen a bird as its new vessel because of its low energy consumption and high mobility.
"Flying Bird Xia" put almost all of its intelligence into hibernation and spread its wings. Like a homing pigeon, it flew toward Bayern, relying on instinct and a faint conviction.
The small stone monument under the tree was inscribed: "Joseph Mueller, Empire Army, Private Second Class of the Marlin Fifth Corps. Fell in the Battle of Andorrella, aged 22."
This was all Rorschach could do for the soldier after having made use of him.
