Chapter 25: Success!

"Master! Wake up, something has happened!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Master! Master..."

Bruno had just fallen asleep when the commotion outside woke him up.

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he looked irritably at Lister, who was standing at the doorway of his room.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?!"

"Uh…"

"It's two in the morning!" Bruno grumbled as he pulled on his boots and threw on his noble robe. "Just tell me fire or earthquake?"

"It's neither… Should I let you sleep a little longer, then?" Lister asked hesitantly.

"Having a brain would be nice, too bad you don't have one!" Bruno flicked Lister's forehead in frustration.

"Master, stop flicking me! If you keep doing that, I might really turn stupid… It's Master Arnel! He said he has successfully drawn the Floating Array!" Lister covered his head, looking aggrieved.

"What?! Why didn't you say that earlier?" Bruno was stunned and immediately shouted, "Take me there, now!"

Bruno had assumed that the Floating Array was still in its early research stages, with only minor progress at best. He hadn't expected a breakthrough this soon.

Arnel, the mage Bruno had specifically hired (or rather, tricked) into working for him, also lived in the lord's castle, so it was just a few steps away.

Before entering, Bruno adjusted his collar, trying to suppress his excitement. After all, he was the Lord of Idar—he had to stay composed...

After a moment, he pushed open the door. "Arnel, I heard you managed to complete the Floating Arr—

The moment he stepped inside, his carefully maintained composure shattered.

The room was in complete chaos. Furniture like desks, chairs, and wardrobes, as well as smaller objects like parchment, quill pens, and even a half-eaten loaf of white bread, were all floating mid-air at varying heights.

Bruno was utterly stunned.

Seeing Bruno enter, Arnel was visibly excited. His face flushed red, and he suddenly performed a deep bow—a disciple's salute.

"Master…"

"…"

Bruno froze.

Who… who was he calling Master? Was he talking to me?

"You… are calling me Master?" Bruno finally asked.

"Yes." Arnel nodded firmly.

Before Bruno could respond, Arnel spoke with great enthusiasm:

"The concept of 'Mana Flow'! It turns out to be real! Just this discovery alone is enough for you to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Grand Mages and old scholars of the Mage Towers! This is… this is…"

"You mean this is a milestone in the history of magic?" Bruno finished his sentence for him.

"Exactly!"

"Actually…" Bruno paused for a moment and then said humbly, "This is just a small bit of my wisdom. I simply couldn't stand seeing you mages stagnate, clinging to old knowledge instead of advancing. So I casually pointed you in the right direction..."

"…"

"So… how exactly did you manage to draw the Floating Array?" Bruno asked casually.

"I followed the logic of Mana Flow," Arnel explained.

"As per your theory, if we want the Floating Array to continuously produce the effect of the Levitation Spell, then we must recreate the exact Mana Flow needed for the spell. This Mana Flow would then be stored within the Fixed Magic Array, which acts as the substitute for a mage's staff."

"However, unlike a staff, the Fixed Magic Array is fragile. If the Mana Flow is too strong, it will collapse instantly. So the key was controlling the intensity and size of the Mana Flow to maintain the balance of the array."

"When we chant spells, we gradually increase Mana Flow until it reaches an optimal point for casting. Similarly, in the Floating Array, there must be a specific moment where the Mana Flow is most stable for the Fixed Magic Array to store."

"But just storing the Mana Flow isn't enough—we need a way to release it! The question was… what could 'guide' this Mana Flow out of the Fixed Magic Array?" Arnel deliberately paused for effect, looking as if he was waiting for praise.

"Just say it already, I still want to get back to sleep!" Bruno rolled his eyes.

"You see, mana exists in the air. But why do conflicting types of mana remain stable in the environment without reacting violently? I believe it's because, one, mana in the air is too sparse to form a significant Mana Flow, and two, different types of mana neutralize each other naturally—like how fire magic and water magic cancel each other out."

Arnel then smirked proudly. "So! I created a mana-consuming array similar to the one in the Magic Imprint! But instead of using an arbitrary dissipation mechanism, I used the Mana Flow required for the Weight Magic Spell to create an opposing force! That way, the Fixed Magic Array is forced to release the stored Mana Flow for Levitation!"

"Wait a second… Aren't you only supposed to know Fireball and Levitation? When did you learn the Weight Spell? Also… that name is terrible. Do mages have no creativity when it comes to naming things?"

"I learned the Weight Spell while you were away from Idar for a few days!" Arnel said smugly. "And… what is 'creativity'?"

"Not important." Bruno brushed past the question.

"So does this mean… you can finally help the serfs build the Hanging Garden?"

As soon as Bruno said this, Arnel's face scrunched up in dismay. "But I just invented the Floating Array… do I really have to…?"

"Of course you do. However…" Bruno suddenly changed his tone. "If you manage to recruit some other mages to work in Idar as laborers, one of them might be able to replace you."

Hearing this, Arnel's eyes lit up instantly.

After all, back in his master Glenn Galvin's mage tower, there were plenty of apprentices who were treated worse than him. Maybe he could trick a few of them into coming to Idar in his place…

"The Floating Array may be functional, but we can't use it recklessly just yet. You need to test how long it lasts and check for any flaws. See if it can be optimized further to prevent any accidents."

"Understood."

Bruno yawned. "Alright, if there's nothing else, I'm heading back to bed. Keep up the good work…"

"…"