Chapter 405 – Possible Departure.

“Ah, Mr. Wayland, always diving into new challenges, I see. What seems to be the issue troubling your brilliant mind today?”

The cat’s voice echoed through the room, its tone a mixture of amusement and curiosity. Roland hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. The cat professor and he had a business relationship, so there needed to be an equal exchange of information or other tasks. Usually, he took some old research to help him study the inner workings of the runes, but his current question was a bit more specific, something that could cost more than he could give back.

“I’m currently working on a project involving the creation of a prosthetic limb that can interface with something that I like to call a mana phantom. It’s a challenging task, and I thought you might have some insights or resources that could aid me in this endeavor.”

Roland went ahead and just asked the question. In this world, prosthetic limbs already existed, but not much research had been done on them. It was a costly undertaking, and most mages and craftsmen gravitated towards endeavors that would earn them more money or give them more levels. Creating a fully functional limb might have given them a unique class or title, but it also might not. Wasting years of research to get nothing in return was not something many people would risk.

“A mana phantom you say? Interesting choice of research, Mr. Wayland. Artificial Limbs, mana phantoms… fascinating! Such endeavors delve into the realm of both runesmithing and rune magic. A bridge between the physical and the magical, wouldn’t you agree?”

Roland nodded, feeling a sense of relief that the cat professor seemed intrigued rather than dismissive.

“Indeed, Professor Arion. It’s a delicate balance, and I believe there’s much to be discovered in this intersection of disciplines.”

“Well, you’ve certainly piqued my curiosity. But, I’m not truly informed about this ‘mana phantom’ you’ll have to explain, perhaps you could send me a research paper that I could examine, and I’ll get back to you?”

“Uh…Are you that busy? How about I just give you the gist of it here first? It won’t take long…”

While the two mostly just exchanged magical letters, usually whenever he brought up some runic research, the cat professor took his time for a longer chat. It did seem like there weren’t many people interested in runic themes, so whenever Roland brought up new ideas, he listened to them with interest.

“If I was only busy then it would be fine, they already reduced my funding and that girl hasn’t shown herself for a while, how am I supposed to make do without an assistant? Everything and everyone is working against me!”

“Your assistant… you mean Lucille, did something happen to her?”

“Happen? No, she should be fine… just some noble tomfoolery as always, think her family has been pushing for marriage or something, I say she should just decide to be a mage and just work in the academy full time, bah.”

Roland could sense a hint of annoyance in Arion’s tone. It seemed like the cat professor was going through a challenging time. Runic magic wasn’t highly regarded among mages who preferred more direct and practical approaches to their craft. Many mages saw runes as unnecessary tools, believing that creating spells directly was more potent. The only widespread use of runes was in mage towers and other magical artifacts.

“I see…”

The connection between Lucille and his brother Robert wasn’t common knowledge. Lucille, a mage with a promising career as an assistant to an academy professor, was likely a desirable prospect for any noble house. Roland wasn’t certain about the current status of the romantic relationship between his brother and Lucille. If his memory served him right, she was in her mid-twenties, an age where many young women were often already married. The intricacies of their personal lives remained uncertain to Roland.

‘I guess she was given time to finish the magic academy but she probably graduated a while ago…’

The prospects for Robert, being a third son from a lower noble house, might not be seen as overly promising in the eyes of other nobles. The common assumption might be that he would serve as a knight commander on a noble estate rather than having the potential to marry a count’s daughter. The rigid social structure often determined the expectations and opportunities for individuals within the noble hierarchy. Even if he became a war hero like his father, it would probably be too late. Perhaps if the girl became a full-time mage academy professor instead, then their relationship could actually prosper.

“Well, I suppose that’s the nature of things. Now, back to the matter at hand, the mana phantom.”

“Yes, yes, do enlighten me, Mr. Wayland.”

Roland proceeded to explain the concept of the mana phantom, describing it as a residual magical imprint left behind by the interaction of mana with a person’s body. He tried explaining that it probably possessed storage capacities and how it was also probably aided in the activation of holy spells through that storage feature. As he engrossed himself in the explanation he could tell that his college was quite intrigued as he allowed him to finish without asking any questions.

“Fascinating, truly fascinating! The potential applications of such a concept are vast. And you wish to create a prosthetic limb that can respond to this mana phantom? A tool that can be seamlessly integrated with even an amateur’s understanding of mana?”
“That’s the general idea.”

“I must say, Mr. Wayland, your ambition knows no bounds. It’s a commendable endeavor, bridging the gap between the magical and the physical. I’m intrigued by the challenge you’ve set for yourself!”

“Thank you, Professor Arion but I’m stuck at an impasse. I think my knowledge of mana is still limited, so I was wondering if you could aid me in this endeavor?”

Roland glanced into the crystal ball to see Arion pondering for a moment, his feline eyes narrowing in thought.

“I suppose you wish to borrow some research material involving mana research?”

“Yes, I need something more specific…”

“I’m afraid that I have lent you all that I can spare…”

“Is that so?”

“Don’t get me wrong, there might be something in the inner library that you could use alas… this is restricted knowledge, only members of the Academy have access. Even I can’t simply waltz in and grab whatever I desire! Even if I could, this is lengthy research, if we keep to our old exchange it would take years for any progress!”

The professor’s perspective made sense to Roland, and he acknowledged the challenges of seeking information without direct access to the location in question. Recognizing the limitations of a proxy, he realized that relying solely on the cat professor for this specific inquiry might not yield the desired results. The complexities of studying the mana phantom required firsthand exploration and detailed examination, which he couldn’t accomplish through mere book exchanges.

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“Is there no other way…”

Roland mumbled under his breath as he was lost in thought and it was something the cat quickly picked up on.

“Oh, there is a way.”

“There is?”

“Well, yes? You need research material and I’m in dire need of a new assistant!”