Mage? Magic Engineer!-Chapter 91 - 88: Do Clones Reveal True Nature?

"So, all the clues point to one place." Humboldt’s long fingers tapped the charcoal circle on the map. "With the giant tree as our destination, if we travel in a straight line with the help of Magic, it will take... about four days at the fastest."

"We could wait for reinforcements before setting out."

"No, I’m afraid we won’t be getting any powerful reinforcements this time," Peterson said, pouring cold water on the idea.

"Last year, the farms under the Magic Guild and the Empire Council both reported that pests and diseases affecting the land and crops throughout the Empire were extremely severe, leading to widespread production losses. Most of the Mages from the Tower of Forest have thrown themselves into related research.

"They need to complete the disease investigation, sample collection, and create a prevention plan before the spring planting starts in February. The Tower of Forest can’t spare anyone; all the big names are out in the fields across the country right now."

After speaking, he looked at Rorschach. "And what about the Tower of Stars...?"

’So the Tower of Forest is basically an agricultural academy?’ Rorschach’s opinion of these Mages improved immensely, but he could only shrug in response to Peterson’s request.

"Unfortunately, it’s still the holiday season in the Holy Kingdom. There’s almost no one at the Tower of Stars. It’ll be at least a few more days... oh, and it’s exam week."

’Do we really have no choice but to wait?’

"We’ll know tomorrow if we’re getting reinforcements. If we do, we move out tomorrow," Humboldt Great Mage declared, his decision final.

That night, Rorschach had Cavendish copy a star chart of the sky above the Black Forest. Back in his room, Rorschach used a Divine Art to sketch the giant tree as best he could. He also traced a copy of the Core Area of the forest map, marking it with the circle Melson had drawn.

After finishing a letter describing the evening’s events, he unrolled his own Communication Scroll and placed all the materials inside.

He infused it with Magic Power. The Scroll activated, and Rorschach watched as the Magic Aura consumed the papers.

The next morning, after a headcount, everyone gathered under the Guardian Oak.

The golden-banded... ahem, the oak staff returned to its original size in the Great Mage’s hand. He used the head of the staff to trace two Magic Arrays on the ground.

"Are you leaving?" The woman rushed out of the house, the man following behind her. "Can you take me with you? Take me into the forest to find my son... Take me... Albert must be with the Tree God! Take me to him!"

"If all goes as planned, we will be meeting this so-called ’Tree God.’ If we find your child, we will naturally bring him back. However, we cannot take you. On the journey ahead, you would only be a burden."

The Magic Power in the environment suddenly began to flow. One of the two drawn Magic Arrays transformed into a vortex, sucking in magic and glowing with a blue-green light. Something broke through the soil covered by the Magic Circuit... and a small, grayish-white old man emerged.

’A Land God? Or Earth Traveler Sun?’ was Rorschach’s immediate thought.

He, or perhaps it, was made entirely of white ceramic clay extracted from the earth, sculpted into the form of a stooped, long-bearded old man. It was still a bit stiff, stumbling a few steps before pulling an exceptionally ancient oak... walking stick from the ground.

"Master Kou Bo." Everyone from the Tower of Forest, including Humboldt, bowed respectfully to the old man.

’A doppelganger? A Mechanical Body?’ Rorschach bowed to the old man as well, while simultaneously eyeing his joints to see if they were ball-and-socket.

"Ho ho, you must be young Rorschach, yes?" Master Kou Bo’s doppelganger trembled... then instantly appeared in front of Rorschach, extending a hand that lacked human warmth.

"Becoming a Middle Level Mage at such a young age, the younger generation is truly formidable. But for now, at least, don’t look down on this old man’s doppelganger. This body is just a little bit stronger than you, you know."

’Isn’t this old kid laying it on a bit thick?’ Rorschach thought, but he still shook the offered hand.

As for the remaining Magic Array, Humboldt pointed his Wooden Staff at it, infusing it with a golden-green light. As the array gradually activated, a tall, Shaman-like figure burst from the earth. His face was that of Master Humboldt, but his aura was completely different.

He was draped in a great fur cloak with a wolf’s head, revealing solid muscles underneath. The staff in his hand looked more like it was made of bone. His eyes, in particular, held an indescribable ferocity, reminding one of the giant white wolf from the previous night under the moonlight.

’Well, I never expected Master Humboldt to be so ripped under his Magic Robe. Is that from working out, or is it a result of being an Earth Cultivator every day?’

"My doppelganger will stay here to protect the couple. Having Master Kou Bo travel with us also makes things much safer. We’ve made all possible preparations. Let’s move out."

The grayish-white Shaman doppelganger walked haltingly to the door of the Hunter’s Cottage. "You. Go. Or stay. I am here. Beast Tide. No fear."

Rorschach looked at Humboldt Mage’s slightly stiff, muscular doppelganger, then at the agile old man at the front of the group who was currently pinching an Apprentice’s cheek, and fell into thought.

...

They set out.

Leaving the last human settlement was the true first step of their forest exploration. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

The temperature difference between night and morning had created a white fog. Tiny, fine water droplets hit their faces, a damp chill that made one shiver, carrying the scent of grass, moss, and earth.

The fog constantly refracted the sunlight, scattering more light between the trees, so the distance was no longer a black void but a vast expanse of white.

Humboldt Great Mage took the lead as usual. With a Great Mage specializing in the Natural System present, even a primordial, undeveloped great forest couldn’t pose much of an obstacle. With a wave of his hand, the trees and shrubs immediately "took the hint," thoughtfully twisting and moving aside to create a path. They only returned to their original positions after Rorschach and Old Sir Kuo Bo, at the tail end of the group, had passed. (With an extra Mage, Peterson had been assigned to the Apprentice group.)

Some of the trees with especially thick trunks and clearly advanced ages would let out creaking and groaning sounds from their main trunks as they twisted, just like a person with a bad back trying to stretch.

The ponies and donkeys everyone rode also trotted quickly. Their pace was considerably faster than the previous leg of the journey from Peima to the Hunter Village. Rorschach guessed this was also thanks to a Magic from the Tower of Forest Mages.

’They aren’t misnamed,’ Rorschach thought. ’In the forest, this is their home turf.’

Cavendish wasn’t watching the path, engrossed in his textbook and letting his donkey carry him wherever it pleased. It was worth noting that there was no horse or donkey carrying the old sir’s doppelganger, but he was as nimble as the wind, keeping up with Rorschach effortlessly without ever falling behind.

"Young man, for someone so young, is there a girl you have your eye on?"

’Seriously? Why does your nosiness have a sense of familiarity that transcends worlds, space-time, past and present, domestic and foreign, and even Otherworlds?’

"Alas, but you became a Fourth Level Mage so quickly, you must be a bookworm with no time for romance."

Rorschach could only offer a polite smile. The old man was half right—the original owner of this body was exactly like that. As for himself, any free time he had before college was spent gaming with his buddies.

The old sir tortured Rorschach... by making awkward small talk with him all morning, until the pony beneath Rorschach snorted.

"This little lady-friend says she’s tired. Let’s rest." ’Lady-friend? Old man, what kind of weird boomer talk is that? It’s a horse!’

As soon as Kou Bo spoke, the group immediately halted. They prepared to start a fire and cook, while the Apprentices went to see if there were any suitable herbs in the surrounding undergrowth that could be mixed into the fodder for the horses and donkeys.

"A pity this body of mine can’t eat." He knocked on his own stomach with his clay knuckles, producing a dull thud. "More for you lot, I suppose."

He did a comical little dance, then bent over and placed both hands on the ground.

"We’re a few months late, but at least it hasn’t snowed yet." As he spoke, the old man stood up and started digging around in the humus at the base of some tree roots. He actually found some mushrooms that Rorschach couldn’t name. He skillfully pulled them up by the roots, broke one that hadn’t opened its cap yet, gave it a little shake, and then patted the soil back into place.

The crazy part was, if there was only a bit of mycelium left (which is normal for fungi in winter), he would cast a spell to make a few more mushrooms sprout before picking them. He never left empty-handed.

In no time, Kou Bo had a large handful of assorted mushrooms.

Rorschach noticed that Kou Bo was also holding a black, lumpy fungus that looked like a lump of dung—it had to be a truffle. Indeed, this was the Black Forest, with its many pine trees, and it was the right season for gathering. But to be able to find them was... because the old man was using a wallhack!

Although Rorschach didn’t know the specifics of the magic [Inquire into Nature], he was certain the old man was using an aimbot. None of the mushrooms in the area had escaped his grasp.