Mage? Magic Engineer!-Chapter 76 - 73: Otherworld 1Torr=1Pa

Through [Stone Shaping Skill] and [Deryats Forest], Rorschach had mastered two important concepts: "Activation" and "Mapping." Even without studying the Illusionist School of Magic, he had managed to cobble together [Rorschach’s Fog Shadow Skill] on his own with the help of his panel:

First, condense water vapor in the air, then activate the Water Element, using the tiny droplets to alter the path of light, achieving a blurring, pixelated effect.

If his proficiency with "Activation (Blue)" and "Mapping (Blue)" were to improve, he might truly be able to project illusions, just like a mirage.

’Once I master this skill, I’ll rename it [Mirror Flower Water Moon].’ As Rorschach thought this, he adjusted a pair of non-existent glasses. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Mr. Floran?" Rorschach noticed him instinctively trying to stick his head out to look outside and used [Mage’s Hand] to snap the window shut.

"Thank you, Rorschach Mage! You’ve been a huge help!" Floran’s nerves finally settled, and only then did he notice that the carriage cushions were exceptionally smooth and soft.

"You live near the Big Market, right? If so, we’re heading the same way."

"Ah, yes, yes."

Rorschach feigned curiosity. "How much did you actually lose? For the house to send three thugs after you."

"Not much. Not much... I had some old debts I hadn’t paid off."

"Which house was it?" Rorschach acted very interested, as if this young Mage had some spare cash and was looking for a thrill.

"Ah... it’s that... that place..." The club had only recently moved to this area, so Floran wasn’t familiar with the neighborhood and couldn’t name a specific place.

"Is it the one at 26 Muxi Street? The one with a courtyard."

"Ah, right, right, yes, that’s the one." Floran gave a cramped smile, his mind racing to think of details a casino might have that would add credibility to his story without being easily exposed as a lie.

Rorschach nodded. ’I just came from 26 Muxi Street myself. There’s no way they could have converted an embassy into a gambling den in under an hour.’

When he had summoned the fog earlier, he had also activated his [Magic Detection]. Rorschach saw a faint Spiritual Light glowing from the waists of the three pursuers, all in the same position and of the same intensity. The leader of the three even had a vest that gave off a Spiritual Light reaction. This indicated they were wearing standard-issue Magic Tools. Though low-grade, they were clearly not something casino thugs could afford.

They were most likely cops, and high-ranking plainclothes officers at that.

Having come to this conclusion, Rorschach changed his mind. His original plan upon running into Floran was to go to the market together to find something to eat. But now, he was clearly trouble. Dropping him off at the head of the bridge on Du Peng Street would be enough; it wasn’t far from "Valuva’s Belly" anyway.

"Mr. Floran, since you’re already in debt, you shouldn’t keep making the same mistake. If you really can’t help yourself from going back, you should at least bring a companion to watch your back, shouldn’t you?"

Rorschach’s words warmed the aquatics manager’s heart. He had never met such a warm-hearted Mage before—from helping catch a thief at the Big Market to saving him just now, and even offering him sincere advice. Floran recalled the words of "Rock" Maxim: members of the club should prioritize virtue and seek equality and progress.

’Rorschach Mage is a gentleman who treats people as equals and possesses great virtue!’ But he quickly tasted the underlying meaning of "bring a companion." ’Could it be that Rorschach Mage wants me to take him to the casino?’

But Floran had neither the interest nor the funds to frequent such a place. To maintain his cover, he could only tell Rorschach, "That’s excellent advice, sir, but unfortunately, I did have companions, and they all ran off on their own when things got rough. I will never again go to a place of desire that violates virtue. I swear it! Please be my witness, Rorschach Mage!"

"Ran off on their own? How can you call them companions! Didn’t they just abandon you, Mr. Floran?"

Seeing Rorschach’s indignant expression, Floran couldn’t help but defend his companions. "Don’t say that, you’ve misunderstood. If it weren’t for Thor, I would’ve been caught long ago. Don’t be fooled by his constant yawning; he’s incredibly sharp when it counts..."

"Thor? Yawning? Is he a young man who always looks tired?" An image of a lazy fellow he often saw surfaced in Rorschach’s mind.

Ah! Floran finally realized his foolish words had revealed his companion’s identity.

’Right, the danger of the chase must have muddled my head. How could I not have considered that Thor might also use Magic, and that Rorschach Mage would likely know him? Is Thor his real name? What will Rorschach Mage’s attitude be? Is Thor going to be exposed because of me? No, if they’re Mages, they aren’t necessarily loyal to the King, unless... is Rorschach Mage a member of the Nobility?’

Countless thoughts bubbled up, leaving Floran alarmed and uncertain.

"We’re at the Du Peng Avenue Entrance. Please exit through the left door. You’ll definitely know the way from here." As a dazed Floran prepared to get out, Rorschach added a concerned reminder, "Mr. Floran, you should really quit while you’re ahead. Continuing down this path will only harm yourself and others. There are no casinos on Muxi Street."

’No casinos... so there are no casinos!’ Floran forced a stiff, bleak smile and offered his thanks, his mind a tangled mess as he walked the rest of the way from the bridge to his residence.

’I didn’t expect the aquatics manager to be participating in the movement along with merchants, lawyers, and apprentices.’ Rorschach didn’t want to get too involved right now. He just hoped this "unskilled operative" of a manager would lie low for a while and not implicate his senior brother, or even himself.

...

After returning the Alchemy Department’s masterpiece, it was late at night by the time he got back to the Tower of Stars. There were still students studying hard in the first-floor archives. The library and dining hall on the first floor of the Tower of Stars were both open-plan, and before Rorschach even entered the dining hall, he spotted someone yawning at a piece of bread.

Meals served after normal hours had to be paid for. For the hefty price of one livre, Rorschach bought a late-night meal—a rock-like loaf of bread with a sour, red soup. As long as the soup was hot, it was fine. Rorschach carried the soup and held the bread in his mouth as he sat down across from his senior brother.

Putting down the bread, Rorschach asked his senior brother with a grin, "Studying while you eat, senior brother? You’re working so hard."

"It’s almost finals. I’m hoping to pass my classes this time so I can take the Mage assessment next year."

Rorschach nodded. "No wonder I actually saw you in the archives tonight, for once."

"Ah, yes, yes... ah, no, no! Weren’t you at the reception?"

"I was. Stood around all night and didn’t even get to eat my fill." Rorschach waved the bread in his hand, the clear teeth marks proving its hardness.

"You should tear it up and soak it in the soup. It’ll be better."

"Good idea." Rorschach did as he was told, reminded of a past-life experience breaking apart bread for soup during a trip to the Ancient Capital. "I think I saw you outside tonight, senior brother."

"You didn’t. I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Maybe I was mistaken. But I did run into a friend, someone I met on my first day in Valuva. He’s an aquatics manager at the Big Market. And among this friend’s friends is a guy named Thor. The more I heard, the more he reminded me of someone. And get this—he can actually use Magic!"

Floran hadn’t actually let it slip that Thor could use Magic, but Rorschach, working on thirty percent certainty and seventy percent suspicion, decided to run a bluff.

"What are you trying to say?" Pascal’s expression finally changed. He subconsciously glanced around. Thankfully, no one was paying attention to him and his junior brother. But there was still the omnipresent Tower Spirit. Whether Pascal wanted to admit it or not, he had to stop his junior brother from continuing.

"I mean, you’ve passed the Magic History exam before, right, senior brother? I have a task I need help with..."

The afternoon of the day after the reception, Kano received a Magic History exam paper, complete with an answer key.

"This is good. The assessment includes conventional questions, but also has some rather innovative ones. How did you prepare it so quickly?"

Rorschach rubbed his eyes. "I had help from an assistant."

Kano didn’t pay any mind to who the assistant was. He placed the sample exam into a Secret Technique Box protected by an Anti-prophecy Technique. "What I mean is, you could have submitted this after the holidays."

"I don’t know why, but I always seem to run into trouble whenever I go out." Rorschach said this with a helpless look, unsure if he was raising a death flag or pulling one down. "Just in case, if I can’t make it back to the Tower of Stars on time, at least with this exam paper, everyone’s test won’t be delayed."