Chapter 70: The Story of Seven Mages Fighting for a Cup
At the pinnacle of the Mage Tower, often referred to as the Dean's office, Durin received a summons from Hohenheim after departing the Grand Lecture Hall.
Surveying the cluttered room adorned with myriad ancient alchemical tomes and adorned with intricate arrays, Durin couldn't help but betray a subtle expression. Addressing the elderly man seated before him, he inquired, "Is there something else you require of me, Your Excellency, the Dean?"
In response to Durin's deferential words, Hohenheim, after rubbing the acupoint between his eyes, spoke slowly, "Enough with the pretense. I know how truly pleased you are. So, how does it feel to have the entire Mage Tower acknowledge you?"
"Well... it feels quite gratifying," Durin replied.
Though Durin had shed much of his former obstinacy, he still felt a sense of elation in garnering recognition for the limitless potential of alchemy among the mages.
Hohenheim, the Dean, merely tapped the dust-covered, exceedingly rare alchemical books before continuing, "Before you demonstrated the value of alchemical magic with that tool, I always believed that the mage's path lay in continual exploration of higher tiers of magic, striving for greater personal power. But after a lifetime of searching without finding any clues about the Seventh Tier, I should have realized. Perhaps... we've been on the wrong path all along."
"It's not necessarily so," Durin replied thoughtfully. "Truth can only be confirmed through proof. Before the emergence of Seventh Tier mages, nobody knew if the Seventh Tier even existed."
Sensing Durin's attempt to console himself, the old mage muttered with a slight sigh, "Perhaps, but for now, you have demonstrated your correctness. So, I will wholeheartedly support it, as the original archmage Roland once said, 'What is the greatest gift that magic offers humanity? It is the power to instill belief in truth.' The path of magical exploration lacks absolute correctness, but by choosing to believe in the truths that should be believed, the path can continue to extend indefinitely."
Durin was taken aback to hear such words from the old man who had once stubbornly driven him out of the Mage Tower. Meanwhile, Hohenheim continued, "Also, what is the principle behind your magic recording device and imaging crystal? I've been studying them for days and can only grasp the basics. The other old folks will surely come looking for you to obtain this technology as soon as they hear about it."
"Well, you see, the technology behind the magic recording device and imaging crystal isn't something that can be easily understood just by observation..."
It was akin to a modern person trying to understand the internal structure of a movie projector by simply watching films; without sufficient background knowledge and the correct design schematics, it would be challenging.
Realizing that "understanding the principle behind my invention" was the true purpose of the inquiry, Durin sighed and said slowly, "I have design schematics for both of these items. Any mage with a certain level of proficiency in alchemy can understand them."
"Oh, that's good news."
"Is it really?"
To Hohenheim's surprise, Durin replied slowly, "Inventing to make the world a better place is not inherently wrong, but it also requires satisfying the inventor's personal desires, right? It's not wrong for the Mage Tower to honor mages who invent new spells, especially since many spells, even if made public, are beyond the grasp of most. But what if someone invents an alchemical creation that any mage can use?"
Perplexed by Durin's lengthy explanation, Hohenheim wore a puzzled expression.
Durin continued, "Patents! By ensuring that every technology invented by a mage can bring them substantial profits in a short period, thereby incentivizing their creativity, I hope the Mage Tower can establish a reasonable patent system on behalf of the mage community!"
With that, Durin briefly explained the concept of a patent system to Hohenheim, making some adjustments along the way to fit the characteristics of this magical world.
After listening to Durin's well-prepared words, Hohenheim pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, "That's a very good idea. It should greatly encourage mages to explore new knowledge and unknown territories. I'll convene a meeting later to discuss the establishment of a patent system, so do you intend to include your invention directly under patent protection?"
"Ah, indeed, every beginning is challenging. Once this technology succeeds, other mages will likely reveal their own hidden treasures. But even then, Dean, I wouldn't divulge information about this technology to you."
"Hmm, I never expected you to be so miserly..."
"Haha, Dean, I still vividly remember how you personally expelled me from the Mage Tower."
As they were about to part ways, Hohenheim, stroking his beard, suddenly said, "Oh, there's one more thing. A month from now, the current Emperor will celebrate his birthday, and tradition dictates that the Mage Tower presents a gift. This time, it's your turn to decide the gift. It can be anything, but it mustn't tarnish the Mage Tower's reputation."
"Why me?"
"Because I still hold your graduation certificate! If you aim to become an official Imperial Mage and the Dean of the Alchemy Division, then you'd better put in some effort for me!"
"..."
Caught off guard by the leverage the other party still had, Durin, with a vein throbbing on his forehead, reluctantly agreed, "Fine, I'll handle it. But only a month? Seems rather short, doesn't it?"
"I can't change that. If need be, just send over one of those movies you've produced. Your industry is already thriving in the South, so losing one won't be a big deal."
"A movie as a birthday gift?"
Hearing Hohenheim's suggestion, Durin couldn't help but ponder. However, considering the content of the two movies he was currently filming—"KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World," featuring a wanted character like the Headless Knight, and "Goblin Slayer," filled with unspeakable scenes—neither seemed suitable as a birthday gift. Moreover, attempting to produce a movie within a month... seemed quite impossible.
In the end, with a resigned sigh, Durin could only mutter, "Well, I'll think about it more when I get back."
....
Exiting the top-level office of the Mage Tower, Durin, who had originally intended to leave via the teleportation array, suddenly noticed a faint glow emanating from it. Shortly after, his old acquaintance, Scar, the Tower Master of the Alchemy Tower, emerged from within.
"Oh, isn't this Scar? What's up? Are you looking for the Dean?" Durin greeted as usual.
Upon Durin's greeting, the Tower Master of the Alchemy Tower, who had always been quiet, seemed momentarily stunned. He then directly took out an old notebook from his hand and handed it to Durin.
"What's this?"
"Research notes."
"??!!"
Seemingly aware of Durin's confusion, Scar simply said, "These are the research notes passed down from generation to generation by the Tower Masters of the Alchemy Tower. Since they mostly contain obscure theories studied by destitute alchemists, only Tower Masters with sufficient discernment can inherit them. I wanted to give them to you a few years ago, but because of what happened..."
It's apparent that Scar still feels guilty about what happened several years ago. Without offering much explanation, Durin silently accepted the notebook from Scar and hastily flipped through the last few pages of the records.
"Alchemy arrays? Magical formulas? These..."
Although he had suspected it earlier, Durin couldn't help but feel amazed when he saw the contents recorded in the notebook. After all, as a mage, Durin had only been studying alchemical magic for a few years. While he had a high aptitude for elemental magic, alchemical magic didn't require talents like elemental sensing; it relied more on accumulation, experimentation, and calculation.
So, despite his high talent, without the accumulation of predecessors, breakthroughs in alchemical technology across eras were impossible. It was akin to Earth where, without Kepler summarizing planetary motion laws, Newton wouldn't have been able to deduce universal gravitation.
Now, looking at the precious experimental records, technological innovations, and the few alchemical techniques marked in red, indicating their potential realization, Durin suddenly realized that what he needed most had appeared.
"Has anyone else seen this?"
In response to Durin's question, Scar simply said, "Originally, it wasn't supposed to be shown to anyone outside the Alchemy Tower, but my brother, disregarding the rules, gave this notebook to Dean Hohenheim in an attempt to prove the value of alchemical magic. However, it's evident that he failed. 'Mere theory has no value; only by producing results can anything change.' Those were Dean Hohenheim's words at the time."
Listening to Scar's words, Durin, who now had a general understanding of the situation, carefully closed the notebook as if afraid that a slight pull might tear it apart. He then tucked it into his pocket and said, "I understand. Actually, I came to find you for something as well. Let's discuss it in your laboratory."
"Huh?"
Surprised that Durin also had something to discuss, Scar hesitated for a moment but ultimately turned and led Durin towards the Alchemy Tower. As they walked, he couldn't help but reminisce about the last time they had walked this path together, exchanging ideas and discussions, which had been years ago...
.....
At the top of the Alchemy Tower, with the teleportation array softly aglow, Durin and Scar entered the laboratory, its disarray a testament to its long disuse.
"You seem to have had a rough time lately," Durin remarked, taking note of Scar's bitter smile as he cleared a spot for Durin to sit. "There's not much I can do about it. Ever since you were expelled from the Mage Tower, most mages actually blame me for what happened. As a result, funding for the Alchemy Tower has been dwindling. If you had returned any later, you might not have found me."
"Why's that?"
"Because my debts could have landed me as a sword slave."
"..."
Realizing they had both faced challenges, Durin sighed before saying, "How much do you owe? Regardless, as the Dean of the Alchemy Division now, this matter needs to be resolved."
Upon hearing Durin's resolve, Scar, taken aback by his sudden generosity, listed the amount owed. After all, the debt was too much for him to handle alone.
"Alright, I'll find someone to help you with this later. Now, let's discuss my issue."
Durin then explained to Scar what he had discussed with Hohenheim at the top of the Mage Tower.
Scar quickly responded, "So, because Dean Hohenheim wants you to present a birthday gift to the Emperor on behalf of the Mage Tower in a month, and you're unsure what to give, you need my help?"
Seeing Scar grasp the situation, Durin couldn't help but admire him as a good assistant. "Exactly. The Dean suggested presenting one of my movies as a birthday gift. But truthfully, I can't produce a movie within a month that would be suitable for everyone at the palace. So, I'm considering discussing with you whether we should come up with something else. After all, the recipient is the Emperor, and the expectations will be high."
"Well, I have some ideas, but it'll take time... By the way, you mentioned it's impossible to make a movie within a month? Does that mean you already have plans for your next film?"
Clearly, Scar had watched Durin's movies and was excited about the next one.
Durin smiled. "I have some ideas. I'll bring you the script once it's ready."
"Um, even if you don't show it to me, that's fine..."
Seeing Scar still hesitating, Durin chuckled. "Why hesitate? I plan to use this new movie to attract new students to our Alchemy Division. As the Tower Master of the Alchemy Tower, how can you not be involved?"
Seeing Scar still not reacting, Durin could only explain helplessly, "In simple terms, it's a promotional film for our Alchemy Division. I've already come up with the story, but to make it more realistic and appealing to the new students of our magical sciences, I'll need your help with some modifications."
"Can I ask what the story is about?"
Finally, unable to resist Durin's teasing, Scar instinctively asked.
To this, Durin simply smiled and said, "The specific details are a bit complicated to explain, but to put it in terms you can understand, it's a story about seven mages summoning historical heroes to compete for a cup that can grant any wish."
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