Chapter 463: Chapter 460: Future Possibilities
At first, Rorschach didn’t understand the Master’s point. It was only after they talked that he began to grasp it.
Magic was supposed to be mysterious, profound, and inscrutable. The principles and mechanisms behind it were worthy of a Caster’s lifelong intellectual devotion—it was even considered an art form. Regardless of whether this philosophy was correct, it was the very foundation of pride for the Tower of Secret Techniques and the entire Mage community.
But the system Rorschach had presented was far too straightforward. Even with its "Descriptor" and "Feature Symbol" frameworks, in the Great Mage’s eyes, it was as simple as speaking. The most complex step had already been handled by the uploader and the Tower Spirit. Anyone who cast the Magic afterward was merely a "User."
This meant the cost of learning Magic would be drastically lowered. More importantly, the so-called "veil of mystery" hadn’t vanished—it had been stuffed by Rorschach into a concise, clear system, hidden from the view of most people.
There were advantages, of course, like lowering the barrier to entry and the difficulty of Casting. On the other hand, Mages who only learned the new system would lose the opportunity to see the true essence and mechanics of Magic, as well as the motivation to study it deeply.
"While I can’t know the full extent of your concerns, I think I understand your perspective on the new system. To me, original Magic isn’t all that mysterious. The foundation of the new system is based on original Magic, and its effectiveness only proves that original Magic isn’t chaotic. It has laws and can be re-edited."
"On the other hand, I admit the new system has its downsides beyond just being more convenient. It can be tampered with and involves the Tower Spirit. This means that compared to the uncertainty and infinite possibilities of original Magic, it is more rigid, more mechanical."
"Even so, most people just want to use Magic faster and more effectively. They don’t care about the underlying principles and mechanisms. Before, they had no choice; they had to start from the most basic concepts and learn bit by bit. The Spell Cloud can help them with that."
"Then there’s the small group of people with exceptional talent and a bottomless well of energy for exploration, ready to pour everything they have into Magic. Even if they start by leaning on the ’Spell Cloud’ as a crutch, they will eventually reach the new system’s limits. They will push into the unknown and the impossible, and at that point, they will naturally return to original Magic—perhaps even becoming the improvers and maintainers of the Spell Cloud itself."
"We’re just the first generation." Right now, it was Rorschach himself, Caroline, and Feuerbach involved. In the future, there would surely be more Casters. And, of course, there was the "Ancient Sage." The knowledge he had gifted, integrated with Rorschach’s own memories within the Tower Spirit, had given the Spell Cloud its unique and powerful processing capabilities.
Feuerbach nodded slowly, provisionally accepting Rorschach’s explanation. His "grilling" wasn’t over yet, however. "One more thing... that ’Tree of Law’ of yours has a will, doesn’t it? So why do you keep calling it a ’Tower Spirit’?"
From the start, the Master had taken issue with the oversized "preserved egg spirit," as he thought of it. Rorschach had just vaguely stated that it was the Guardian of this place. But Feuerbach had clearly seen the light within its body linked to the Tree of Law, and he knew it could understand their conversation. Furthermore, when Rorschach had been structuring the new system with him, it seemed more like Rorschach was communicating directly with the Tree of Law.
The widely experienced Great Mage quickly became convinced that the Tree of Law possessed a will of its own.
This was the greatest hidden danger, a massive warning sign. For someone like him, who knew nothing of this Tower Spirit, having a thinking entity oversee the Casting of countless Mages was an incredibly dangerous prospect.
"But it really is a Tower Spirit," Rorschach said with a shrug, spreading his hands. He explained that he had merely found a manager for the Tree of Law to help them handle the various systems. "It was created using the [Enlightenment Skill] and an Artificial Soul."
"...Have you considered the possibility of it acquiring Divinity?" Feuerbach cautioned. "If, in the future, it can access every spell cast by every Caster, witness and interfere with Casting all over the world... if it can influence every Mage who uses the new system... then what’s the difference between it and a Divine Spirit?"
’He... has a point.’ Rorschach had considered the Tower Spirit’s growth, but he was a performance-oriented person, focused only on whether he could cram more users into the Spell Cloud and launch more features.
"The system is still in its infancy, limited to Mid-Low Tier Magic. It’s a far cry from the ’Tree of Truth’ that envelops the Original Layer. But one day, it and your so-called ’Tower Spirit’ will reach a critical point or undergo a qualitative change. At that time, it’s not impossible that a genuine Magic God could be born from it."
"Either you strip it of its consciousness, rendering it completely rigid and mechanical—turning it into an omnipotent machine rather than a thinking being. Only then can the Users of the Spell Cloud be assured that everything is under control. Or, you transfer all of its authority and burdens onto yourself. Perhaps that would be a miracle... a path for you to ascend to godhood."
"That’s a long way off," Rorschach said. He had seen the real deal, and compared to that, his Tree of Law wasn’t even a single branch.
Rorschach’s unconcerned attitude made Feuerbach breathe a sigh of relief. "Good. That is indeed a distant future. But no matter what, you are the creator and owner of all this. The future is yours to decide, Rorschach."
His gaze was scrutinizing. "Fortunately, so far you haven’t acted like a ’monopolist.’ You’re willing to work to lower the barrier for Casting Magic, and you were willing to bring me here to participate in building the system."
"But what about the future? I can’t be certain what choices you’ll make, and the Spell Cloud is still in its infancy. So please allow the Tower of Secret Techniques to continue its observation."
Feuerbach had revealed in previous discussions with Rorschach that what he hated most was a god monopolizing a concept and turning it into their personal domain of authority. If a Magic God like the Divine Spirits of old were to be born, it would be the greatest disaster imaginable for a Mage like Feuerbach. Fortunately, the Spell Cloud remained an optional alternative to original Magic, and Rorschach had so far maintained an open stance, sharing this miracle freely.
The Master wouldn’t deny who owned everything in the Boundary Land (he still hadn’t figured out why this space felt so familiar to him). He acknowledged Rorschach’s absolute authority here. Since Rorschach was willing to open it up to more people, which would also foster the tree’s growth, it wasn’t entirely unacceptable.
However, Rorschach still needed to build more trust. As long as he maintained an open posture, that trust would grow. But if he abused his authority to crudely interfere with others, that trust would be shattered.
’At least while Mages still have a choice, let us see your true colors, see your true intentions...’ Feuerbach thought to himself.
In the end, the Tower of Secret Techniques and Rorschach reached a compromise. The Special Zone not only provided the funds to save the banks but also acquired shares in the three major financial institutions. Though the Kingdom was none too pleased, there was nothing they could do about it.
What Rorschach truly cared about was that his Mage Tower had taken in a large number of Casters. The destinies of these Apprentices had been permanently altered; they had effectively broken away from the old systems—both that of the Tower of Secret Techniques and that of original Magic.
Feuerbach rejected the idea of adding Spell Cloud courses to the main campus curriculum. However, he did promise to organize a group of professors to participate in its research and promote its continued iteration and upgrades.
In early July, Caroline returned to the lectern after a long absence. The students in this class had all once struggled within the Tower of Secret Techniques.
After introducing herself, she took out a piece of paper and began to read from it. "Before we begin class, I have an announcement. The following new ways to earn points for promotion have been added: placing in the first-ever Magic Apprentice Spell Chain Design Competition, optimizing the Descriptors for existing Magic and having the changes approved by the Tower Spirit, and substitute teaching at Kempson Elementary and Middle School..."
Comments