Far-Reaching Ambitions

Xu Yi's meeting with Great Mage Camilla lasted far longer than he had expected.

Great Mage Camilla raised question after question about the Magic Array inside the Magic Fan. Hoping to earn his favor, Xu Yi answered every one in detail.

But many of Camilla's questions had little to do with the array itself. The Wind Spiral Array was only a low-level wind array. No matter how many changes Xu Yi had made, he could hardly leave a great mage like Camilla unable to understand it.

Most of Camilla's questions arose because he did not understand the Magic Fan's overall design.

And questions about its design involved a great deal of mechanical engineering.

That knowledge had virtually never appeared on the Sains Continent, which made it difficult for Xu Yi to explain. At times, he had to start with the most basic concepts.

Yet after Xu Yi finished explaining, Great Mage Camilla surprised him with lavish praise.

"I thought this Magic Fan was something you'd thrown together. I never imagined it contained so much knowledge. Even setting aside the things you've told me that I still don't quite understand, this magic array alone shows me how gifted you are at magic." Camilla paused. Expectation entered his gaze as he looked at Xu Yi. "Xu Yi, I think you have real promise. How would you like to work under me and assist with my magical research?"

Xu Yi froze.

Assist Great Mage Camilla with his research? By the traditions of the Sains Continent, that was practically an offer to take Xu Yi as his apprentice!

Any other mage would have been overjoyed and accepted without hesitation.

Camilla was a Three-Star Great Mage, one of the finest on the entire Sains Continent. Becoming his apprentice was a dream for countless young mages!

If the other mages in the magic tower found out, they would be beside themselves with envy!

But after a moment's thought, Xu Yi did not accept. He merely said he needed time to consider it.

Great Mage Camilla was clearly surprised and disappointed, but he did not press Xu Yi for an answer. He waved him away.

Become Great Mage Camilla's apprentice?

Two months ago, or even one month ago, Xu Yi would have accepted without hesitation. Now, though, he found the offer held little appeal.

Why did it suddenly stop appealing to me? Xu Yi wondered with a frown.

After a jumble of thoughts circled through his mind, a familiar object came to him: the Magic Fan.

That was it. The Magic Fan!

It combined magic with the mechanical engineering of Earth. Xu Yi had poured almost all his energy into it lately, and working on it often gave him the illusion that he was back at his research institute on Earth.

He had thought little of it then. Looking back, he realized it was the mechanical engineer in him making itself felt.

That was right. He had loved machinery since childhood, and in his old world he had devoted himself entirely to mechanical engineering.

Coming to this world of magic had left him unable to pursue his passion or use his talents, forcing him to study magic instead. But deep down, he had never changed.

The Magic Fan had let him rediscover the joy of working on machinery. How could he give that up?

That's right! I'm going to develop mechanical engineering in this world of magic! I'll bring magic and machinery together completely! Not just fans, but air conditioners and refrigerators! Even ships and airplanes! I'll build an entire industrial system on this continent! I'll establish a magical industrial empire here!

At that thought, Xu Yi's mind cleared. Energy surged through him.

After drifting through three years in this world, he had finally found his purpose again.

The goal was immense, perhaps even hopelessly distant. But having a goal gave him the drive to pursue it!

As for difficulties? They were there to be overcome.

Xu Yi returned to the research room with a spring in his step. Envious, jealous, and questioning looks greeted him.

His colleagues could not understand why Great Mage Camilla had summoned someone who had been at the Magic Tower for less than two months. They rarely even saw Camilla, let alone received a personal summons.

Xu Yi had never cared much about their strange looks. Now that he had a goal, they mattered even less. Still smiling, he went back to his place.

He did not intend to become Great Mage Camilla's apprentice, but neither did he intend to leave the magic tower immediately.

If he wanted to accomplish anything involving magic in Bunta City, maintaining a good relationship with Great Mage Camilla was essential. Xu Yi was not foolish enough to sever that connection himself.

About three kilometers beyond the western outskirts of Bunta City stood a small estate covering less than ten thousand square meters.

Though the estate was not large, everyone in Bunta City knew it. It was home to the city's only magic academy, the Baron Rector Magic Academy.

As Bunta City's only magic academy, the Baron Rector Magic Academy drew nearly every child with a talent for magic from the city and its surroundings.

For children who dreamed of becoming powerful mages, their studies there mattered so much that they sometimes forgot to eat or sleep.

As usual, the students studied basic magical theory each day as well as knowledge related to magic arrays.

But when it came time to study magic arrays today, the teacher in charge of that subject for second-year Class Four surprised the students by bringing out a strange-looking metal contraption.

"That's a Magic Fan!" some sharp-eyed students recognized it at once.

Magic Fans had been selling briskly in Bunta City over the past few days. They were not especially expensive, cost very little to run, and kept people cool. Nearly everyone welcomed them.

Many students at the Baron Rector Magic Academy came from well-off families, and quite a few of those families had bought Magic Fans as soon as they became available. Naturally, the students recognized one easily.

But recognizing the Magic Fan was one thing. Why had their teacher brought it to class?

"Students, today's lesson is about studying this Magic Fan. More precisely, we'll study the magic array inside it," the teacher explained.

"Tch. It's just something commoners use. What's there worth studying? Teacher, did you bring the wrong thing?"

The speaker was a slightly plump boy of about sixteen or seventeen.

His name was Olin Zetaman, the second son of Viscount Zetaman of Bunta City. He came from the wealthiest family in second-year Class Four. Rumor had it that every room in his home had a Large Frost Array, so naturally he looked down on the Magic Fan.

At Olin's words, the teacher's expression darkened. "Olin, you may look down on the Magic Fan, but as a mage, you must not look down on the magic array inside it. I can tell you with certainty that this array is extraordinarily ingenious, far beyond what an ordinary mage could design. I would even venture to say that the mage who designed it may well have the abilities of a great mage!"

"What?"

"No way. A great mage?"

"Exactly! Why would a great mage make something like this?"

"Isn't Lord Camilla the only great mage in Bunta City? Hasn't he always disliked mixing magic with commerce?"

"Maybe he changed his mind?"

After their chatter died down, the students understood what their teacher meant.

Whether or not a great mage had designed it, the array clearly displayed a far higher level of magic than they had imagined.

It was only natural, then, for their teacher to have them study it carefully.

Once the teacher dismantled the Magic Fan and exposed the Magic Array in its base for the students to examine, they were even more astonished.

As second-year students at the Baron Rector Magic Academy, they were no longer novices who knew nothing about magic. Naturally, they could recognize the astonishing level of magical skill embodied in the Magic Array.

Many could tell that it was probably a variation of the Wind Spiral Array, but not one of them thought they understood it completely.

Many students could not even work out how the Magic Array sustained itself and operated, much less understand how it could make the Magic Fan run.

After all, second-year Class Four had several magical prodigies. It had even been called the most gifted class since the Baron Rector Magic Academy was founded!

The more the proud boys and girls studied the Magic Array, the more they felt its intricacies were boundless. Naturally, they admired the mage who had designed it immensely.

What they did not know was that the mage they admired was not far away at that very moment.

In the student administration office of the Baron Rector Magic Academy, Director Hiller frowned as he studied the unexpected visitor. Only after a while did the emblem on the visitor's black mage robe convince him that the young man really was under Great Mage Camilla's command.

"Young man, what brings you here? Or did Great Mage Camilla send you?"

"No, this has nothing to do with Great Mage Camilla. It's a personal matter." Xu Yi smiled and shook his head.

"A personal matter? What is it?"

"Nothing too troublesome. I'm here to hire some students to work for me."

Hiller's face darkened. "This is a magic academy, not a mercenary academy. You've come to the wrong place!"

Xu Yi remained unruffled, still smiling. "Director Hiller, what if I told you this job would not only pay the students, but also help them improve their magic?"

Hiller was taken aback. "Are you joking? How could there be such a good job?"

"One that I can offer." Xu Yi smiled warmly. "If you don't mind, I can explain..."