Chapter 466: Chapter 463: Saint
’This isn’t just some run-of-the-mill lewd content anymore. I have to crack down hard!’
Rorschach had explicitly forbidden students from visiting commercial establishments of ill repute. But now, they were watching live streams—full-sensory blockbusters, no less. This thing was even sought after by the wealthy, who would spend a fortune on the device itself and then pay for expensive Alchemy Potions, as they had no Magic Power to operate the "Magic Cup."
In the words of these veteran users, they weren’t just playing with a cup; they were playing with "majik"!
’Majik my ass!’ Rorschach fumed in the middle of the night. The device’s popularity stemmed from two things. First, people found it novel; who would have thought of such a gimmick? Second, beyond the primal pleasure, this bizarre form of "live streaming" also satisfied people’s voyeuristic tendencies. It was a dual assault of low-brow taste, both physical and spiritual—no, it was downright vulgar.
’Most importantly, does this mean the Tree of Law’s entire nighttime load is being used for *this*?’
Due to the timing, most apprentices used up their Magic quota during the day, so the Tree of Law’s burden wasn’t usually heavy at night. Furthermore, Rorschach had been busy the past few days, always heading to the Boundary Land in the dead of night to check on its operational status. In short, he had missed several days of the "grand performance" until today, when he finished work early and witnessed the spectacle.
The next day, a dark-eyed Rorschach told Andre about the matter. Andre was also greatly shocked. "You found out..."
"Hm?"
"I mean, to think the Spell Cloud is being used for such sordid business. It’s truly heartbreaking!" Andre tried his best to look deeply distressed.
’Something’s not right with you...’ Rorschach didn’t press the boy, simply ordering him to make sure the ring that was undermining public order and decency was apprehended.
Apprentice Jin, already nicknamed the "Joy Merchant," was the first to be caught, and he was caught red-handed.
"What are you doing? I’m here for class!"
"Class? Who comes to class to make a cash-for-goods exchange?" Rorschach restrained him, his face dark. "The jig is up!"
Rorschach saw various models in his Storage Bag. There were discreet versions disguised as wooden or tin goblets; you had to open the lid to see the secrets within. There were also flamboyant luxury editions, with exteriors made of gold, inlaid with various jewels, and decorated with enamel paint. The contents, of course, were obscene.
"What’s this?" Andre pulled out something new. A stampede of a thousand fucks galloped through Rorschach’s mind—this time, it wasn’t a cup, but an "Excalibur."
Jin explained, trembling, "Our products have been getting a great response recently, so by popular demand, we released a ladies’ model..."
Very good. And very powerful.
The first guy they arrested was just in charge of sales. He pointed them toward two more people: Matisse, a regular university student who pitched "Delayed Magic Talismans" to commercial establishments, and an apprentice who acted as a "Bodyguard."
Finally, the core members surfaced: the apprentice with a talent for alchemy who made the cups, and the developer of the Spell Chain, the Mage Valentine.
Valentine... Upon hearing the name, Rorschach lost count of how many times this whole mess had made him sick to his stomach.
In Andre’s dorm room, Rorschach lay in wait.
Andre said, "I just posed as a customer, pretending a cup was broken and needed repairs. The creator and developer should be here soon to see what’s wrong." He took out a broken cup. Rorschach instinctively reached for it, but then remembered something and quickly pulled his hand back, saying seriously, "I’ll apprehend him myself. The ringleader’s Magic proficiency is likely quite high."
Andre looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated. Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Light twisted around the spectral image of a [Mage’s Hand] as an Ethereal Membrane precipitated from it, immediately followed by another flash of brilliance.
This was Rorschach’s "Spell Chain": a maximized [Mage’s Hand] to forcefully restrain the target, followed by the Ethereal Membrane to section off and compress the space around them, with the final layer being a [Space Anchor] to prohibit teleportation. Anyone caught in it would find it nearly impossible to escape.
However, before the door was opened, a voice came from outside. "Is that you, Rorschach Mage? We’re here. Please open the door."
A young man with a peaceful expression walked in with a smile, followed by a nervous-looking girl. She carried a Spellcasting Materials Bag and some small tools. She wore rings on every finger—more than ten in total—and was likely the creator who specialized in alchemy.
The smiling young man was Valentine. He stood with his chest out and head held high, his expression composed. His Mage Robe was spotless, making him look like a Priest about to give a sermon, and his smile had a captivating charm.
Valentine spoke softly, "To be honest, I anticipated this day from the very beginning... Our team would either be awarded medals or... put in shackles."
Valentine’s demeanor smoothed away the agitated state Rorschach had been in since that night. He, too, recovered his usual composure. "So, why did you know I was here? Did someone tip you off? Was it a secret signal from your three partners, or was it someone else?"
"It’s simple... Jenya’s creations would never break that quickly, especially not a custom-made prestige edition. Not unless Mr. Andre injected an excessive amount of Magic Power in a moment of excitement, or... it was deliberate." Confidence—his confidence in their product was what tipped him off that something was fishy.
According to the ringleader’s own account, his original intention for this research was to benefit all of humankind.
"Those who have lost their sight may never see the world again in their lifetime. Those who have lost their sense of taste cannot savor the deliciousness of Sausage and beer. Those who have lost their hearing can no longer be moved by a beautiful song... That’s why I wanted to develop a system that would allow people to share their senses, to experience all the beauty in the world without ever leaving their homes..."
"Hold on. There seems to be a bit of a discrepancy between what you’re saying and what you’re doing."
"No, what we’re doing now is precisely part of the plan. Apprentice Jin came to me and complained about his frustrations. It immediately occurred to me that the pursuit of pleasure is a right everyone should have, and moreover, this method is clean and hygienic for the apprentices. They were willing to contribute money and provide valuable feedback. Although the ’Magic Cup’ is expensive right now, it allows us to recoup our R&D costs so we can later provide a cheaper product for those who truly need it."
The idea was first proposed by the regular person on the team. He was a long-time patron of the pleasure quarters, and when the Mage presented such a staggering creation, he immediately thought... this thing could be used in the business of making people feel good.
’...You kids are something else.’ Rorschach was rendered speechless.
Now, Valentine turned the tables. "So, Mr. Rorschach, I would like to ask:
"Which prohibition have I, my team, or our customers violated? Which law of the Kingdom?"
Valentine was convinced of his own righteousness. "You are free to arrest us, but the complete set of design blueprints, Scrolls, and Spell Chain Scrolls have already been entrusted to trustworthy customers. As per our agreement, if the current project is shut down by forces beyond our control, they will release this technology to the public on our behalf."
At that moment, Valentine looked like a veritable Saint walking the earth, radiating the light of humanity.
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