"Can I come to check in?" asked Edward as he sent Susan a message.
"Why, all of the sudden?"
"You talked about your new project, and you seem excited. So, I wanted to see what it was."
Susan did not immediately reply, "Alright."
Edward smiled and waited a while. Then, he received permission to teleport to her laboratory.
"Your majesty," saluted the other researchers before continuing with their work. Edward did not mind as he established the spirit of the Empire. And based on his words, the spirit of pursuing knowledge is above everything–maybe even the Imperial Power.
As such, when visiting any laboratory, people only need the minimum salutation. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, like an official visit from the government or other official events.
"Come, let me show what I'm working on," said Susan, who was waiting for him. She led him to a lab testing site, a small stadium surrounded by magical shields.
"Your lab is a little small," commented Edward. As a member of the royal family, she has access to unimaginable resources. So, the current size of her laboratory was subpar by his standard.
"I wanted to fund this research myself before presenting it and get funding," said Susan.
"Well, as long as you're happy," nodded Edward. "So, what are you working on?" He tried to contain his excitement to not put too much pressure on her.
Susan was a talented Arcanist and should have been one of the most successful Tower Masters in the Empire. After all, she was trained by Edward from an early age.
Unfortunately, as the Empire grew, she could not bear the pressure of being a Princess and Edward Bone's cousin; people expected too much of her and her future achievements.
So, she chose to become a Magical Painter, removing herself from any jobs related to research and so on. But, even with such a chance, people expected too much from her.
Edward was a little disappointed by her choice, but he never showed it. He supported her to the best of his ability, suppressing the public's voice to the limit of his power.
However, it appeared she now had rekindled her desire for research.
"My research is this," said Susan with a smile as she gave him a card.
"Yu-Gi-Oh Card?" Edward asked before sensing odds with the card. "Could it be?"
"Yes," replied Susan before waving the card. "I summon the Dark Magician."
The card shone with brilliant light before a creature appeared inside the protected testing area. Edward looked at the creature he saw many times in the anime, which looked exactly like the one from his childhood.
"Is this an application of Painting Magic?"
"Yes. Through painting, I can make these characters come back to life."
"Does it have any ability?"
"Yes and no. The cards I created can use some basic spells. However, remember how the three God Cards had their own will when you first created the game?"
When Edward first created the Egyptian Gods using Spiritual Magic, the three had their own Will, were overbearing, and would not allow just anyone to wield them.
"Is it the same situation?"
"Yes, and it's not just the three. Many powerful paintings have shown this phenomenon," explained Susan.
"What's the direction you're going? What is your expectation?"
"I want to first create the abilities of these cards. Then, I wish they would become real creatures. However, that is far-fetched for now."
Edward did not offer his comment yet, "Do you have a plan for the next step?"
"Yes," she replied with twinkling eyes. Edward had never seen her so excited. When she was young, she loved reading the comic Yu-Gi-Oh and dueling in general. In Hogwarts, she was the duel champion for seven years consecutively.
Edward even believed she did not skip grades like many others because of her passion for the game.
'I'm glad she can find something she truly loves and is passionate about,' thought Edward as he listened to her explanation.
"At first, I had no direction on how to copy the cards' ability until I saw Rill Boistmortier's Painting Magic." The former Magic Captain from Black Clover had a magic that allowed his painting to come to life and display a variety of magic.
"I will use it as a basis to create the cards and their powers," explained Susan. "However, that's only the first stage. For the second stage, I plan to use the Spirit World you brought back."
Edward also brought back a Spirit World he acquired from the Eastern Continent of the Black Clover Universe.
"Do you want to create spirits based on these cards?" asked Edward.
"Yes. According to your conjecture, the Spirit World will create spirits based on the myths, legends, and stories of the world connected to it. And these cards have been in the Empire before its inception and are part of our culture.
"With the right aid, it should be possible to accelerate the creation of these spirits."
"That's a good method, but you also know there is any concrete proof that my conjecture is correct. So, how do you plan to use it to accelerate the birth of these spirits?"
Susan did not answer him but smiled instead.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just remember when we were young, and you were tutoring me. You never answered my questions and instead asked me thousands more questions."
Edward paused before placing his head on her head and sighing, "I never met for things to turn like this."
"It's not your fault; I just couldn't handle everything."
Edward shook his head, "I never should have tried to model you into me. You are your own person and should have your own path."
Edward knows his flaws. When he sees someone with magical talent, he tries to gear them in the direction of magic research. He wants as many people to walk the same path as him.
However, sometimes, he fails to take into account the person's wishes and desires. Susan was a victim of this, and his two apprentices–Flynn and Emily–almost suffered the same fate. Luckily, he learned from his mistake and did not prevent them from becoming Archeologists.
Susan hugged him, "It's all in the past now. Let's not talk about such a thing."
She changed the subject.
"To answer your question, my plan is to study Faith, the preliminary research on creating Heroic Spirits, and the Ancestral Spirit Magic from different ethnicities to find a method."
"Faith, or the power of belief, is the right way for this research," nodded Edward.
"So, what do you think?"
"It's great research. Once you succeed, you will be a pioneer in Summoning Magic."
"You think so too?" said Susan with a smile. "Do you have any recommendations?"
"I thought you wouldn't want my output?"
"How many Arcanists would sell their entire fortune to get your opinions and suggestions on their research? I am not stupid enough to pass off such an opportunity."
"I'm glad you finally acknowledge my greatness," replied Edward with a smug look, and Susan just rolled her eyes; she knew of her cousin's narcissism."
"Stop playing around," she chimed.
"Alright. I have a few things from my previous voyage that can help you."
Edward waved his hand to create a screen to show her something.