The AI Archmage - Chapter 46

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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AI Archmage Episode 46

 

Dute is a craftsman.

 

Among them, he could be called an elite, a genius craftsman.

 

Building a 3-Star Workshop in his early thirties was never something that could be done easily.

 

In other words, he was an exceptionally skilled craftsman.

 

If there was one thing such outstanding craftsmen had in common.

 

It was that they thoroughly acknowledged skill when they saw it.

 

Whatever grudges existed before, whatever rudeness had been committed, an outstanding craftsman deserved treatment befitting their abilities.

 

By that same logic.

 

“Now, this is what you call ‘technique.'”

 

“Oh, this is ‘technique’! Amazing, truly amazing!”

 

Dute, who just moments ago had been planning to beat Sion like a dog, now barked like one at his words.

 

But he couldn’t help it.

 

What Sion had just casually solved was a project that had been undertaken by craftsmen equal to or even superior to himself.

 

A problem that several outstanding craftsmen couldn’t solve even when they put their heads together, Sion had solved effortlessly upon first sight.

 

The meaning was simple.

 

‘He’s a monster…!’

 

Not in a negative sense at all.

 

The being before his eyes was truly a craftsman with talent on a dimension that someone like him couldn’t even dare to fathom.

 

And the moment he reached that conclusion, Sion Rostery the ‘mage’ disappeared from Dute’s mind.

 

In his place, a genius craftsman was born.

 

And thinking this way, all of Sion’s attitudes up until now were newly reassembled in his mind.

 

Disregard for himself?

 

No, confidence as a craftsman!

 

His mention of Altair?

 

Ah, with that level of talent, of course he might feel frustrated.

 

I was wrong to get angry!

 

Dute was truly a craftsman with unwavering consistency in many ways.

 

“This Virtual Crafting Table is certainly a wonderful invention, but it’s unstable. Moreover, if you run simulations on paths that deviate from predictions, the magic tool itself will overheat beyond necessity and explode.”

 

“…That’s correct.”

 

“You must have experienced this several times already. That’s why you haven’t commercialized it and are keeping the prototype stored in the workshop like this.”

 

“That too… Yes, you’re right.”

 

Dute nodded blankly as if entranced.

 

What Sion was saying now wasn’t particularly extraordinary.

 

If someone had heard Dute’s explanation about this Virtual Crafting Table, they could have deduced it without much difficulty.

 

But right now, Sion had understood the design and intent of the Virtual Crafting Table he was seeing for the first time without even disassembling it.

 

This was… different.

 

“H-how is something like this even possible?”

 

Facing the genius craftsman before his eyes, he didn’t even think to speak casually as he had when they first met.

 

With this level of talent, it would actually be awkward for him to receive formal speech from Sion.

 

He was curious.

 

How did he grasp all this design without even disassembling it?

 

Moreover, from the manufacturing intent to the improvement plan…

 

Could all of that really come out in less than 5 minutes?

 

“Well, because I can see it.”

 

“…You can see everything? Just by touching it, the purpose and… design are drawn in your mind?”

 

“Yes.”

 

At Sion’s answer, Dute froze with his mouth agape.

 

Tyren’s words came to mind.

 

– The Elder is paying attention.

 

At first, he thought it was simply because he was his daughter’s teacher.

 

But what if that wasn’t it?

 

What if the Elder had already recognized Sion Rostery’s genius and was greatly anticipating him?

 

‘Dute, you stupid fool!’

 

The moment his thoughts reached that point, Dute couldn’t help but blame himself.

 

No, wasn’t that the obvious conclusion?

 

He should have considered this possibility when he first heard those words.

 

But the reason he couldn’t was simple.

 

Sion looked too young.

 

So without realizing it, he had regarded Sion as a ‘young, immature mage’ and dismissed him.

 

But that wasn’t the case.

 

Thinking about everything now, Sion had thoroughly and intentionally provoked him.

 

In other words.

 

‘I wasn’t testing this boy. This boy was testing me.’

 

Yes, that was the conclusion he reached.

 

Dute let out a hollow laugh, straightened his posture, and spoke to Sion with a respectful attitude.

 

“I will guide you to the Elder, teacher of the Blue Tower.”

 

“Let’s do that.”

 

Sion accepted it naturally, as if he had expected Dute’s attitude, and stood up.

 

* * *

 

Following Dute’s guidance, Sion headed to the Alliance Headquarters.

 

Since the headquarters wasn’t far from Dute’s workshop, there was no need to take a carriage.

 

It was a distance that posed no problem to walk.

 

Thanks to that, Sion was able to take in the appearance of Ate in detail.

 

‘Twenty years have passed…’

 

Not much has changed.

 

To put it positively, it wasn’t much different from the memories Sion had drawn, so he felt affection for it.

 

But to put it negatively…

 

‘What on earth did these guys do while I was gone?’

 

It was far too boring.

 

This wasn’t the future Altair had imagined long ago.

 

The vision of the city he had designed while picturing 20 years later was never this predictable.

 

“Mr. Dute.”

 

“Yes, Lord Sion. Please speak.”

 

“About Ate. It doesn’t seem much different from the level it was at when Altair existed in that previous era. Why is that?”

 

A 3-Star Workshop Master would know the circumstances to some extent.

 

And as Sion expected, Dute showed a bitter smile as if troubled, then continued speaking.

 

“That’s… an extension of what I mentioned earlier.”

 

“That’s right. I don’t intend to disparage the current Ate, but the Ate from 20 years ago that I confirmed in the records and now…”

 

“Yes, they wouldn’t be much different.”

 

Dute nodded his head.

 

“And the answer I can give you isn’t much different from before either.”

 

“You mean…”

 

“Lord Altair was excessively outstanding. Look, see for yourself.”

 

Dute pointed to the surroundings.

 

Ate was a thoroughly planned city.

 

A city created without the slightest error under Altair’s meticulous design and preparation.

 

“During his lifetime, Lord Altair sought to create a perfect ‘foundation.’ Premised on the city’s development, he constructed buildings, created plazas, and conceived parks.”

 

“Yes, he did.”

 

“The problem is that those long-term plans existed only in Lord Altair’s mind.”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

At that moment, Sion froze completely.

 

‘It existed only in my mind?’

 

That couldn’t be.

 

He already knew he was suffering from an incurable disease.

 

Though he hadn’t spoken of it since his disciples would worry, he had no intention of leaving without leaving anything behind.

 

Accordingly, he had prepared ‘legacies’ to leave for his disciples in advance.

 

He had also arranged for those legacies to be distributed to his disciples when he disappeared from this world in whatever form.

 

Ate’s future design was also one of those legacies.

 

But.

 

‘Not a single one of my disciples received it?’

 

He couldn’t help but be flustered.

 

But then again, if that were the case, this mess made some sense.

 

Though it only made sense, that didn’t mean it was okay for the city to have no changes whatsoever.

 

“No, even so, you could have made improvements. You can’t keep it in this form for a thousand or ten thousand years.”

 

“That’s… true, but.”

 

Dute let out a bitter smile.

 

“Unfortunately, it seems the legacy of Master Altair that the Alliance Leader remembers was this city itself.”

 

“….”

 

“Moreover, from a practical standpoint, rashly redesigning the city wouldn’t have been a good choice. Mr. Sion, everything in Ate was ‘directly’ designed by that Master Altair. The same goes for all the magic tools operating within the city.”

 

“That means….”

 

“Yes, until now, no one has existed who created inventions surpassing those magic tools to a degree that would warrant redesigning the city.”

 

At those words, Sion closed his mouth.

 

He had been disappointed.

 

The fact that for 20 years, there had been no talent who clearly surpassed his inventions.

 

But at the same time, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.

 

He knew objectively that his talent was at a level that far exceeded ordinary geniuses.

 

At least in magic tool invention and creation, there was no one who could follow in his footsteps.

 

After all, the designs of all currently established magic tools had originated from him.

 

‘…That was quite a shameless thought.’

 

He had vaguely hoped that future craftsmen would surpass him, and when that expectation was denied, he had selfishly felt disappointed.

 

Truly, it could only be described as vain greed and petulance.

 

“Altair’s disciples were still possessors of exceptional talent. Even the Alliance Leader I’m going to meet right now….”

 

“Yes, they are tremendous people.”

 

Dute did not deny those words.

 

But at his next words, Sion’s eyes wavered for a moment.

 

“If not for the ‘unfortunate incident’ that occurred among the disciples that day, surely what Mr. Sion expected might have been realized.”

 

“…Unfortunate incident?”

 

Sion frowned.

 

An unfortunate incident had befallen his disciples.

 

“Wait, that means….”

 

“We’ve arrived.”

 

Before Sion could finish speaking, Dute stopped.

 

Before he knew it, Sion had arrived in front of the Alliance Headquarters.

 

“…Ah.”

 

As expected, this place was also exactly as he remembered.

 

No, especially this headquarters building had not changed even slightly from his memory.

 

As if time had stopped during the period when Altair was present.

 

“My role ends here.”

 

“Thank you for your hard work.”

 

“Not at all, it was something I naturally had to do. Rather, I’m sorry for being somewhat rude at first.”

 

Dute spoke with an awkward smile.

 

“Later, after you finish your schedule, if you have the opportunity, I would be grateful if you could visit our workshop once. I’d like to express my gratitude for the advice you gave.”

 

“I’ll consider it.”

 

“Ah, and about that story regarding the disciples from earlier… there are some sensitive aspects for me to speak about directly.”

 

“….”

 

“But if it’s Mr. Sion… the Alliance Leader might explain it directly. The Alliance Leader is a direct party involved, after all.”

 

“I understand.”

 

Sion nodded and expressed his gratitude.

 

Dute responded to his words by lifting his fedora hat, then turned his gaze toward Eira.

 

“And miss.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“I hope your issue with the Alliance Leader gets resolved well. Though it’s not a matter that I, as a third party, can arbitrarily interfere with.”

 

At Dute’s words, Eira’s shoulders trembled slightly.

 

“…Well, of course, I think things will work out somehow since you have a good teacher by your side.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Eira’s gaze turned toward Sion.

 

Sion simply shrugged his shoulders with a nonchalant expression.

 

But there was no difficulty or worry in that expression.

 

Eira unconsciously relaxed the strength in her clenched fists.

 

“…I’ll try to work something out.”

 

“Yes, I wish you good fortune.”

 

Dute bowed politely and moved away from the two of them.

 

And after some time passed.

 

“…Phew.”

 

Eira, who was beside him, quietly took a deep breath with an expressionless face.

 

“Now we really have to go.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Though for different reasons than Eira, Sion likewise concealed his unease and began walking.

 

‘Casen.’

 

Now it was time to reunite with his disciple.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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