Upon seeing the tattered notebook, Hety finally realized the origin of it all. "These notes… they were left by that wild mage?"
"Yes, a mage who was ostracized by mainstream sorcery circles, destined to linger at Tier 2 all his life. Yet his talent far surpassed anything anyone could imagine. Unfortunately, his era gave him no room to fully demonstrate it."
Gawain gazed at the notebook in his hand, sighing. "I've studied some of his notes over the past days, and in my eyes, this notebook's worth is at least equivalent to half a duchy."
Hety was stunned. "Half a duchy?!"
But Gawain wasn't exaggerating in the least. From a technological standpoint, the legacy of this unknown wild mage would reveal increasing value as time went on.
Although his research was primitive and barely out of its infancy, Gawain understood that, for many groundbreaking concepts, the initial stages held the most invaluable insights.
Gawain placed the notebook on the table and looked up at Hety. "His daughter, a girl named Annie, likely suffered from Shadow Element Assimilation Syndrome, one of the rarest and most lethal magical afflictions. As a mage, you're probably familiar with this condition."
"Elemental Assimilation… that's a rare affliction seen only in the Violet Kingdom. It's incurable…" Hety nodded slightly. "I suspected as much when I first read those journal entries."
In this world brimming with magical energies, there were things vastly different from Gawain's homeland—some good, some bad. Elemental Assimilation Syndrome was one of the most dreadful phenomena.
Triggered by prolonged exposure to magic-rich environments, this illness was common in areas with dense magical energies and active elemental fields. During the days of the Gondor Empire, it often occurred near the Deep Blue Well in the capital. Even at the Empire's peak, it was considered nearly incurable.
In the current era, it had become a "specialty" of the northern Violet Kingdom.
If supernatural powers were nature's gift to humanity, Elemental Assimilation was the malice hidden within that gift.
Elemental Assimilation appeared only in newborns, a mutation caused by mana radiation while the child was still in the womb. Initially, children with this condition could grow up normally. But over time, they began showing signs of assimilation by a specific element.
During this process, their flesh and blood were slowly transformed, becoming half-elemental. As their biological tissue turned to elemental matter, the afflicted would face increasing rejection by the Material Realm. Save for a select few with extraordinary talents, elemental beings could not exist long in the Material Realm—an immutable law of nature in this world.
The syndrome would progress irreversibly, accelerating as it worsened. Once more than half of the person's tissues were elementalized, they would be "exiled" by the Material Realm and forcibly drawn into the corresponding elemental plane. There, they would perish in the tear between the Material and Elemental realms, a painful process akin to being torn apart.
The wild mage's daughter, Annie, had suffered from this condition, specifically the rarest form—Shadow Element Assimilation.
While scholars and mages had studied many elemental planes for years, the enigmatic Shadow Realm remained elusive.
"There's no cure for Elemental Assimilation, only methods to delay its progression. The most effective method is to bind the patient's body with magical force, like shackling an elemental creature to the Material Realm." Hety, though only a low-tier mage, had a thorough understanding of this theoretical knowledge. "However, binding a person is even harder because the assimilation deepens over time, requiring constant mana infusion…"
"A Tier-2 mage who was shunned by the Mages' Guild would have neither the skill nor the wealth to afford such expensive treatment," Gawain noted. "So he invented his own way to create an unprecedentedly efficient self-charging array, breaking the law that such arrays could only operate in closed loops, turning it into a device to 'charge' his daughter."
"He had no choice," Gawain continued, "since all major mana nodes were controlled, and scattered secondary nodes in the forest couldn't supply enough energy. But his unique talent allowed him to overcome this limitation."
"Then that sudden mana surge destroyed his array…" Hety suddenly recalled. "Does that mean this Mana Network array has a major flaw? Won't it fail under another surge?"
"No, the surge didn't destroy the array's structure. It had excellent safety measures in place," Gawain shook his head. "I witnessed the array firsthand, and it remained intact to the end. According to the wild mage's diary, the final failure wasn't due to the array—it was the 'Shadow Transformation' ritual he attempted. Mana binding can only delay assimilation, not cure it. Annie had reached a critical stage by then, so he risked performing a ritual beyond his control. The mana surge pushed the network beyond his capabilities."
"If that's the case… then I'm less worried." Hety nodded slowly, looking thoughtfully at the notebook left behind by the wild mage. "It's truly hard to imagine that an outcast could create something like this. This large array, assembled from basic units, is unlike any array I've seen before. It discards all complex structures, pushing… simplicity to the extreme."
"Let's call it 'universality,'" Gawain smiled. "Now, for the task of setting up this experimental Mana Network at the blacksmith workshop…"
He hesitated, glancing between Hety and Rebecca.
Installing a magic array was technical work, and Hety was the obvious choice. However, she was already overseeing much of the camp's development. Although she handled it well, there was still the upcoming construction of the magic laboratory. Gawain didn't want to burden her further.
Rebecca could take on the task. Although she could only cast Fireball, setting up a magic array was different from casting. Especially with this self-charging array, all she needed to do was follow the blueprint, relying on theoretical knowledge and calculation skills. But then again… every time he looked at Rebecca, he couldn't help but wonder if she was up to the task.
As if sensing his hesitation, Rebecca sprang up before Hety could speak. "Ancestor! Ancestor! Let me do it! I can handle it!"
"Are you sure?" Gawain eyed her seriously. "This project is more critical than you can imagine. It's a foundation, the groundwork for many of my future plans… Can you handle it?"
Rebecca stopped bouncing and thought carefully, then asked timidly, "Um… will you punish me if I mess up?"
Gawain sighed. "Hety, I think you'd better—"
Before he could finish, Rebecca puffed up her chest and boldly declared, "But I still want to try!"
Gawain looked at her, amused. "Oh?"
"This array… it looks so interesting! I feel like there's so much to learn here… I might be able to…" Rebecca trailed off, stammering as she tried to find the words. Finally, she pushed through, "Even if I can only cast Fireball, my theory is strong! And my calculation skills are excellent! Besides, Aunt Hety's been so busy, and all I've done is scout some land and help with burning brush. I feel like…"
Watching Rebecca's earnest expression, Gawain couldn't help but smile and looked at Hety. "What do you think, Hety?"
"Rebecca's theoretical knowledge and calculation skills are indeed excellent. In fact, leaving aside her spell-casting ability, her talent surpasses mine…" Hety sighed, glancing at Rebecca with a touch of exasperation. "Though it'd be nice if she were a bit more composed."
"I am composed!" Rebecca protested, puffing up her chest and staring intently at the array on the table. Gawain couldn't help but feel intrigued.
He asked, "Are you really interested in this array?"
"Absolutely!" Rebecca scratched her head. "I've always thought, wouldn't it be great if complex magic could be simplified? If casting spells were easier, maybe I could cast something other than Fireball… This array gives me so many ideas!"
Gawain stared at her, causing the girl to feel slightly uneasy.
But after a few seconds, he laughed. "Very well, then. I'm giving this to you."
Rebecca beamed. "Really?!"
"Yes, really…" Gawain pulled out a rough diagram of the blacksmith workshop from beneath the stack of papers. "Build the experimental Mana Network to cover the entire courtyard, and set up the first batch of furnaces. You'll find all the materials you need in the mountain treasury—there's plenty of enchanted metals, and Sir Philip brought quartz sand from Tanzan Town. Although this array is large, it's a foundational array. The materials should be more than enough.
"We'll call this experimental Mana Network… Mana Network One."
Elated with her new responsibility, Rebecca left cheerfully. Hety returned to directing the newly arrived peasants in setting up tents, leaving only Gawain and Amber in the tent.
"You look pleased," the half-elf observed, eyeing him with a smirk. "Not even when you got those official documents from the old king were you this happy. Is it just that fun messing with your great-great-great… granddaughter?"
Gawain shot her a glare. "..."
Could this woman ever learn to speak nicely?