In other words, if the target of the Ninth Ring Enlightenment Skill wasn’t a Mechanical Body like a puppet or a Gargoyle, but a unit similar to a differential engine, its autonomy would reach a whole new level. It would be capable of automation, commanding other computational units. This would eliminate the need for manual debugging and allow for massive, instantaneous parallel computations.

But Rorschach was no layman; he was actually more interested in the Necromancy version of the spell.

The following schematics recorded the original version of the "Iron Canister." This was a container for a "Soul" or, in other words, an "intelligence." With circuit designs both inside and out, it handled the input and output of commands. In biological terms, it was both the "skull" and the "spinal cord."

For Rorschach, then, if he wanted to create a Tower Spirit, the more pragmatic approach would be to build a relatively weak "intelligent core." Then, he could use the precious encapsulation technology that this gentleman had thrown money at and strengthen the weak core by piling on more non-magical computational units.

This approach offered better scalability. Furthermore, it would neither require learning a Ninth Ring spell nor involve the risk of capturing a dragon or other highly intelligent creature to harvest its brain.

If he were to use the traditional method to create a Tower Spirit on par with the one in the Tower of Stars, Rorschach would have to target humans, Elves, or Dwarves in this day and age. He’d even have to administer an intelligence test before committing the crime to ensure the "raw materials" met the standard.

The Thirteen Magic Towers were all supposed to have their own Tower Spirits, and the level of a Tower Spirit’s intelligence reflected the historical depth of its Mage Tower. For instance, even the highest-spec towers of the Empire’s Town Mages lacked Tower Spirits, and the method for creating them couldn’t be found in the Empire’s Royal Magic Academy.

We live in more civilized times now, so it seems everyone has tacitly forgotten how to create such a thing. The old-timers are guarding the technology jealously. Rorschach closed the notebook and the schematics, sighing deeply. "This just goes to show that the Thirteen Magic Towers have never been benevolent institutions, not since ancient times."

’Judging from this box, protected by alchemy technology, the "inventor" and his team were clearly not short on cash. They had also already mastered some alchemy technology. Why would the Mages and Guilds of Istani tolerate ordinary people like them dabbling in magical knowledge? Was it really all about the money?’

In reality, however, this gentleman’s grand ambitions were never realized. The machine, as tall as a small building, showed no signs of ever having been operated. As for whether the Mages of the Tower of Storms had a change of heart, or the patron with deep pockets went bankrupt, Rorschach had no way of knowing.

The young man searched through the memories of the ancient Wise Man; it seemed the old master had no interest in this sort of thing. The old man’s magical power was unparalleled, and he handled all magic-related matters himself. Getting an AI to serve him or guard his home was completely useless for a Wise Man who wandered the world and whose hobby was raising children.

If he wanted to manufacture the Differential Engine and the universal computational units from the schematics, his best bet was to find watchmakers. In this era, they were the most skilled craftsmen Rorschach could find, possessing the highest level of machining technology and precision.

’My Mage Tower must have a Tower Spirit. Next, I need to draft the blueprints and find a construction crew. To use this great inventor’s technology, I’ll also need to find a trustworthy watchmaker...’ Rorschach made up his mind.

The machine named the "Truth Machine," designed to automatically solve all mathematical problems, had never actually operated in reality. But to Rorschach, it had, in fact, already run successfully in the Shadow Land, even managing to simulate a squad from the Burning Lion Knight Order.

Of course, that was the result of being empowered by the Lord of Order’s power. A seal was attached to the machine, and the Knight Squad was more like a physical manifestation of that seal.

’A very interesting application, worth emulating...’ Rorschach was eager to start planning his future lair.

However, first things first: he needed to secure funding and select a site.

Rorschach’s stomach growled, and he was startled to realize it was already past noon. He stored only the special box and its contents into his ring, then straightened up everything else.

Only after sealing everything from the first seal on his bedroom to the entire house did Rorschach leave with peace of mind. Given that he had coated the entire room with blood yesterday, if anyone were to stumble upon the "crime scene," he would definitely be mistaken for some kind of Evil Mage.

’A future Magic Tower will also need an area that can gather Magic Power. It could be used to wash over a person’s entire body, letting them experience in advance the level of control a High Tier Caster has over Magic Power. A slight excess of Magic Power input can even stimulate a Caster’s Spirit... Man, the benefits are endless. Maybe I could develop a "Magic Power Bath" service just for Mages?’

Lost in these wild thoughts, Rorschach walked all the way to a factory near the city district, where he ran into Andre, who was preparing to leave.

"Are you going to see the Transmutation Dust Extractor?"

"Mm..." ’Actually, I’m going to ask Mr. Hasse for money...’ Rorschach didn’t answer, asking instead, "Where are you headed?"

"I have to report to Mage Bart’s Town Mage Tower tomorrow, so I need to head back today." Andre was a meticulous and punctual person, a trait neither his teacher nor his boss shared.

"Perfect. I’ll go with you." Finding a qualified watchmaker in a small city like Lansite was a long shot. The highest-spending consumer group here was just the working class, who couldn’t afford any finely crafted timepieces. A city like Bart’s, or Munich, where wealthy merchants and nobility congregated, would be a much better bet.

Besides, he needed the local Lord’s permission to clear a plot of land and build his tower.

If Rorschach wanted to run off to the deep mountains and old forests, building his Mage Tower as far away from the non-magical folk as possible, he wouldn’t need to inform the Lord. But he had no desire to be an isolated recluse. He needed a large plot of land that was some distance from the city, but not too far. And he planned to build more than just a tower.

To minimize resistance, he needed to find his good buddy and have him use some pillow talk. He’d get Bart to mention the matter to his wife, then have the Princess speak to the King or her brother about it.

And so, the carriage Andre had rented gained an extra passenger.

Even on his holiday, the Mage Apprentice was busy running around in circles. The carriage ride was a rare moment of rest. He took out a food basket his mother had pressed into his hands and said shyly, "Sorry, Teacher Rorschach, my mother insisted on packing me some food for the road... It might have a smell, I hope you don’t mind."

"Not at all, not at all. I’ll teach you a spell called [Air Filter Bubble]..." Rorschach realized he hadn’t taught his student any magic in a long time. He was about to take out a pen and paper to give a lesson on the spot.

Andre had already taken two bright red fruits from the basket, followed by a pie that was still warm, sizzling and oozing with grease.

"It’s a whole pie!" Andre became even more embarrassed. "Does my mother think I’m a farmer heading to the fields? I don’t do any manual labor, how could I possibly eat all this? Besides, I’ve already had lunch..."

The pie’s flaky crust was baked just right, golden-brown and crispy. With the jolting of the carriage, the savory aroma of the meat filling burst from the cracks in the crust.

GROWL—

Suddenly, the sound of a stomach rumbling filled the carriage.

...Andre was quite certain that sound hadn’t come from him.

"Oh, dear. I forgot I haven’t eaten yet!" It wasn’t that Rorschach was so absorbed in his work that he forgot to eat; rather, his internal clock and bodily senses were still in a state of slight confusion.

Looking immensely relieved, Andre quickly handed the food basket to Rorschach. "Please, Teacher, help yourself. Try my mother’s cooking."

"Thank you, you really shouldn’t have..." Rorschach said politely, but his hands immediately accepted the basket. It was fully stocked with fruit, vegetables, a main course, and sausage. Some of it was wrapped in newspaper, and Rorschach spotted bolded words on the page: "Valois... declares state of emergency... King Charles XVI..."