Business Trip—Go or Not?

Snow had dealt with too many engineering problems. As for theoretical models, if experimental verification proved them right and they solved practical problems, he believed them. Alchemists, especially the old hands who cobbled together Magic Devices, suffered rather badly from the "I figure" and "good enough" mentality.

But to convince Archmage Kano and the other Mages, logical arguments were still needed. Rorschach's next task was to organize the data, draw experimental conclusions, then propose mathematical models that could be generalized into universal conclusions.

The dormitory was lit by Light Spells through many nights, all because Rorschach tirelessly contributed his bricks and mortar to the thermodynamics of this world.

Kano studied the newly revised and expanded paper for a long while. "Mage Rorschach, you really have surprised me." He stroked his smooth, rounded chin.

"For the next research direction, you could consider the conversion between heat, electricity, kinetic energy, and aether. Our research group happens to have a great deal of data and records."

"Understood."

"I'll serve as your initial reviewer and submit it to the Mage Guild for you." Rorschach was a low-rank Mage, and his paper required a mid-rank or high-rank Mage to endorse and submit it as an "initial reviewer," much like a corresponding author.

"Mage Rorschach, you proved that heat is energy rather than matter. Then what do you think aether really is?"

Magic power? The Empire and dwarves generally called it "magic power" or "magic energy," while the Holy Kingdom and elves called it "aether" and "Mana" respectively. There seemed to be a faint opposition between the energy theory and the matter theory.

"This student does not yet understand enough to make rash conclusions." Perhaps it had a dual nature of matter and energy? This was magic, after all. Rorschach could not help thinking. Don't make me squeeze out an equation for mass-energy conversion. I never understood relativity anyway.

"Snow agreed to build us a new motive machine. You did well. Set this matter aside for now and go on a business trip for me. There'll be extra pay this month."

"A business trip? Where to?"

"A Sub-plane." Kano turned around, removed the Arcane Lock from the cabinet behind him, took out a document pouch, and handed it to Rorschach. "This is the first stable Sub-plane we have discovered where humans can survive long-term."

The Main Plane's atmosphere and starry sky were separated by thick Transmutation Dust, something even Archmages rarely broke through. However, rare entrances to Sub-planes could be found through magical rituals or in certain ancient ruins.

Yet those planes were often filled with extreme elements. The Water Element Plane, for example, was an endless ocean. It had an atmosphere as well, but the boundary between gas and liquid was indistinct. Then there was the Air Element Plane, with its never-ending storms; water constantly vaporized and condensed within the air masses, while lightning flashed between them.

The discovery of a Sub-plane with solid land and breathable air was unheard of. Such secret realms existed only in fantasies passed down through poems from ancient times.

Kano quietly voiced a guess. "It might be an abandoned Divine Kingdom."

Quite a few people had made that guess. Since the Silent Age, Mages and priests alike had been unable to stop wondering: Where had the vanished gods gone? What state were They in? If They had died, what would They have left behind?

After high-rank Mages had repeatedly confirmed it and made several round trips, the Mage Guild and the Tower of Stars planned to organize a team of roughly one hundred people. They would be sent in batches to designated locations within that plane to attempt the establishment of a semi-permanent outpost.

"You really want me to go? I came here to study abroad." Rorschach was an Imperial citizen. Shouldn't something this good be slipped in quietly, without attracting attention?

"Even if we wanted to hide it, we couldn't. Through the Mage Guild, there are naturally people in the Empire who know about the Sub-plane. This large-scale expedition is also a semi-public operation following the initial survey." Kano tapped the tabletop. "As for why I'm asking you, Paulina is swamped, Pascal is beyond saving, and I can only turn to you."

The exploration had found the Sub-plane to be a desolate land containing nothing but sand and stone, roughly the size of a major region of the Holy Kingdom. Its edges were sealed by Transmutation Dust and could not be perceived. Although the land itself held no life, the plane's aether concentration was extremely high.

"The Archmage in charge of the initial exploration has a massive family behind him. He hopes to claim a plot of land in the Sub-plane and turn it into a family fief recognized by the Holy Kingdom. There are plenty of old fellows with the same idea, and that gave His Majesty the King an excuse to intervene." Kano snorted.

Rorschach found it somewhat strange. "Then why doesn't the discoverer claim ownership of the entire plane?"

"The exploration was completed jointly by the Mage Guild's Archmages. I went there once myself. It is nothing but barren land. Compared with the land itself, the noble title gained by turning it into a fief holds greater significance. Besides, even if you gave it all to him, he couldn't swallow it! What use is a stretch of wasteland one-thirteenth the size of a kingdom? To develop it, he would need more Mages and ordinary people involved in construction. He would need mundane forces to step in.

His Majesty the King's Minister of Finance and Captain of the Guard negotiated with the Mage Guild, hoping the Guild would recognize the Sub-plane as territory of the kingdom and then grant the discoverer and several Archmages titles as lords within the plane. At the same time, they demanded ten thousand mu in the central region as royal land, roughly one-fifteenth of the plane's total size."

"Would the Mage Guild agree to that?"

"Rorschach, what is the Mage Guild?" Kano shook his head. "It is not a tightly united organization. It is merely an association Mages join for their shared interests.

Compared with handing it to the Mage Guild for all Mages to own, receiving an enfeoffment recognized by the kingdom is clearly more beneficial to the discoverer. Like many Archmages here, he was originally born into the kingdom's nobility. And Archmages born to merchant families need titles and fiefs even more to enter the nobility, so they were easily bought over by that discoverer and His Majesty the King.

When these people sit in the Archaic Arcane Senate, they represent the Holy Kingdom branch of the Mage Guild. But when it comes time to divide the spoils, they represent themselves and their families' interests. What Guild is there to speak of?" Kano spread his hands.

"Weren't you born a noble, Teacher?"

"Your teacher, Kano, has no interest in this wasteland or these people. Hmm, by the way, don't you find anything strange about this?"

Rorschach thought for a moment. "His Majesty the King has already reached in. There's no reason for the Church not to get involved."

"Exactly. That is the strange part. The Church has not made any statement, and His Majesty the King does not want the Church to come take another share."

"There won't be any danger, will there?"

"I wouldn't send my own student into a fire pit! The plane was discovered a year ago. We old fellows have gone back and forth more times than I can count, and we have confirmed it is nothing but wasteland. Aside from Mages, this expedition will mainly send in ordinary construction workers to build the outpost. As one of the accompanying Mages, you need to watch for any unexpected developments.

I've said so much that my mouth is dry. So, are you going or not?"

With things already said to this point, Rorschach had no reason to refuse. He took a deep breath. "I'll go. Remember to pay the travel allowance."

"Excellent. Four days from now, I'll take you to the plane's teleportation entrance."