Mage? Magic Engineer!-Chapter 35 - 32: Seven Ten-Thousandths

"A welcoming gift? Why pike? Hmm, it’s been kept fresh. Impressive Casting Techniques."

Rorschach placed a package of pike on the table, and Kano casually opened the paper bag to inspect it. Rorschach then explained what had happened on his way to Starlight Torch Tower.

Kano nodded. "If you’re going to act in the future, you need to be more discreet. There are always religious fanatics and charlatans looking to make trouble for us. Those monkeys can’t do anything to us, but they always manage to waste our precious time."

After he finished speaking, he pushed a plate of mashed beans with meat sauce toward Rorschach. "You haven’t eaten, have you? Have a taste."

"Thank you, but I already ate."

"What a shame. I was hoping you’d help me finish it... Eating too many beans makes me... impolite, these days."

"Is it not to your liking, sir? I’ll just..." the waiter asked nervously. Kano waved him off. "None of that. I don’t want to give the chef a hard time; he works hard enough as it is. Please inform our head chef that it was absolutely delicious, but to please not prepare beans for me in the future, unless they’re in a soup. Also, the rest of you are dismissed. Go on, take a break."

The waiter nodded, and the other servers dispersed, keeping their distance from Rorschach and Kano’s table.

"How is Caroline in the Imperial Capital? Is she doing well?"

Rorschach nodded. "Teacher Caroline is an excellent educator. She teaches our ’Space, Time, and Astrology’ course."

Kano finished his scone and started on the other food—the reverse of most people, who have dessert after their meal. "Sigh... That girl just doesn’t want to stay in the Holy Kingdom."

Rorschach recalled their conversation before he left, remembering a specific detail. "Teacher Caroline mentioned that she prefers the Royal Academy to the Thirteen Magic Towers."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Teacher Caroline said the reason is that students like me are able to study Magic at the Academy."

"Ah, so you’re from the countryside," Kano concluded before Rorschach had even finished. He began to eat the fish, first carving the richest, most tender piece from the belly of the whole roasted fish.

Rorschach nodded.

"She’s always been like that. So, young Rorschach, what do you think of this restaurant?"

"It’s better than the one at Moonlight Lake... the restaurant next to our academy."

"What kind of answer is that! When it comes to food, of course we’re better than the Empire! What I’m getting at is, why would such a fine restaurant not be open for brunch?"

Kano Mage gestured with his silver fork, a piece of fish belly still on its tines. "Because *I’m* eating here. And I don’t like to dine with too many people.

"So, unless the person at the door is His Majesty the King or a Cardinal, the waiter will simply tell those Senior Lawyers, Great Nobles, and the like—right in front of them and their female companions—’I’m sorry, sir, but we’re closed.’"

Rorschach quietly watched Mr. Kano’s performance. When he was done speaking, he popped the piece of fish into his mouth, a bit of juice trickling from the corner of his lips.

Kano dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin and continued, "So, here’s a question for you, Rorschach Mage. You must understand that a position like this is like the very tip of a spire. How many people do you think can stand on that ’tip’?"

"Seven ten-thousandths. That includes the Priests and Bishops in the Monasteries, and it includes people like us. Because we can manipulate Ether—oh, right, you call it Magic Power—we get to enjoy this kind of treatment, this fine food and wine, and the vast resources consumed by magical research."

As if assuming Rorschach wouldn’t know, Kano continued speaking as he ate. "Second question, young Rorschach: how many people among all of humanity can manipulate Ether the way we do?

"Three out of a thousand! That’s the result of a secret study conducted by the Magic Guild across the entire continent. Oh, and that result is also a secret—a secret that can be shared with bastards like you and me.

"Maybe the luckier ones will become other Professionals, using their Endogenous Ether to strengthen themselves into more powerful Warriors, more agile Rangers, or Holy Knights who can receive divine grace... But most people will go their entire lives without ever knowing what Magic even is!"

"So you mean the Empire’s Magic Academy wants a higher ratio of Mages to the general population."

"The more, the better! If every person with Endogenous Ether knew how to cast spells, would we be meeting here over fine food? Would His Majesty the King be so courteous to row after row of countless Mages?

"The Empire just wants Casters to be plentiful and cheap, and that wish is the reason why you, a farmer’s son, are able to study Magic!"

Kano, realizing he’d been impolite, quickly added, "My apologies, Rorschach Mage. I’m not criticizing your background. I’m simply trying to illustrate a point. If Mages are cultivated by the Thirteen Magic Towers in the same way as Poets and Philosophers—while also possessing marvelous, mystical powers, mind you—then they get to frequent magnificent palaces and enjoy endless wealth and glory.

"But if Mages are mass-produced like army officers or craftsmen, then when the powers that be order them to the battlefield or the workshop, they won’t be able to refuse!"

Rorschach smiled. "And then, the workshops and armies possessing magical power will defeat a nation of poets."

"Yes, yes, you’re a clever one. Then again, are there any stupid Mages? So, tell me: do you like that outcome?"

"I hope for an outcome where anyone, even if they aren’t born to the Nobility or into a magnate’s family, can choose to become a Poet, a Philosopher, or a Mage, as long as they have the talent and the ideas. Er... no, not an outcome. That should be called a new beginning."

"I’m almost starting to doubt you’re one of those stuffy Empire People, Rorschach Mage. You’re a true romantic!"

"Our world has Divine Spirits and Magic. There’s nothing wrong with being a little romantic." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"You’re right. Good heavens, you’re the most interesting Empireist I’ve ever met!" Kano finally started in on the mashed beans he’d been reluctant to touch. "How did we get onto this topic anyway? Let’s talk about practical matters—specifically, your arrangements at the Tower of Stars."

Master Kano picked up a bottle of sparkling wine and handed it to Rorschach. "Show me how you chilled that fish."

Rorschach took the bottle and held it, cooling it down to the perfect temperature, recalling the feel of an ice-cold soda from his past life.

Kano poured a glass for Rorschach and himself. A fine mist of condensation immediately bloomed on the crystal goblets, proof that the [Touch of Frost] had been applied to perfection.

"Ahhh, exquisite! Absolutely perfect!" Kano praised after tasting the chilled sparkling wine.

"Caroline was vague about your Casting Ability. She just kept going on and on about how good your theory was, which honestly had me worried. This perfectly chilled sparkling wine proves, at the very least, that your command of Ether is exquisite."

"I improved a great deal on the journey, thanks in no small part to Teacher Caroline’s encouragement."

"Alright, alright, she can’t hear you, so stop kissing up to her from afar.

"I hear you’re a bit strapped for cash. So how about this: in addition to attending your classes for research and acclimation, would you be willing to substitute teach a class for me? I’ll give you the authority and salary of a teaching assistant—hmm, five His Majesty the Kings a month. It will mean more work for you, though."

The Mages’ habit of referring to Gold Coins as "His Majesty the King" was a jab at the Holy Kingdom’s ruler, a mockery made especially sardonic when discussing specific quantities.

"That’s a reasonable arrangement. Thank you for your consideration." ’Is it time for a toast?’ Rorschach prepared to grasp the stem of his goblet.

"If you really want to thank me, help me out with these beans. Go on."