Mage? Magic Engineer!-Chapter 55 - 52: Magic Control

A Caster could certainly build a house faster than a construction crew. However, Casters tired as well and needed a long rest after finishing a single building.

These individuals from the Nobility and wealthy families—these Ether-wielders—were certainly more delicate. To the construction workers, a good meal was a hot grain porridge with bacon and all the bread they could eat, and a good rest was simply lying down in a tent. But in the eyes of most Mages and Apprentices born in Valuva, both the food and the resting conditions were crude. In such an environment, even the regeneration of their internal Magic Power slowed down.

Rorschach and François worked well together, building houses that were level and sturdy. But their task from the team leader today was to complete three single-story homes before the evening bell. Without proper rest for François, both the speed and quality of his Earth Wall Technique castings would suffer.

"I’m sorry, team leader, but the task you’ve assigned us is beyond my capabilities. Mage Rorschach has performed excellently, but I can’t guarantee the quality of my own work going forward." François was a decisive person, and having assessed his situation, he took the initiative to find Nemo.

’The method we’ve been using is just too slow.’ Rorschach scanned his surroundings and saw that the other groups, both in the Artificial Team and the magic division, were faring even worse than he and François. They wouldn’t be able to meet the quota.

François’s Casting Skill in the Transformation System was superb; the walls from his Earth Wall Technique were perfectly level and smooth. In contrast, the walls created by the other magic construction teams would likely need workers to patch and level them, making the process even slower.

"Team Leader Nemo, I have an idea." Gazing out at the orange-red earth, crisscrossed with gullies and showing distinct layers of soil, Rorschach was reminded of the plateaus from his past life, and the architectural methods of the people who lived there.

"Dig caves? We’re not Dwarves..." When Nemo first heard Rorschach’s suggestion to build cave dwellings, he was against it. But the more he considered it, the more feasible it seemed. "Actually, that might just work. Mage Rorschach, come with me. Let’s discuss it with the construction workers."

"Hmm... it would certainly be faster..." Rorschach drew a quick sketch for the foreman, who grasped the idea immediately. "The soil here is quite cohesive. I say we try carving out a test cave on the steep northern slope."

François studied the sketch, stroking his chin. "Using Burrowing Claw to dig would be less taxing than constantly casting Earth Wall Technique, but... won’t the caves be a bit unsightly?"

"Master Mage, isn’t this just a temporary outpost?" the foreman replied. "If you’re worried it’ll look ugly, we can just finish the entrance nicely. The exterior wall would only need a facade. That saves even more materials, wouldn’t you say?"

François’s eyes lit up when he heard the foreman’s explanation. He was the son of the future Lord, and pioneering this land was his family’s great enterprise. Their own estate here certainly couldn’t be built this way, but resolving the housing issue for the commoners with cave dwellings would be a massive saving of labor and resources.

With this in mind, François threw his support behind the cave dwelling plan. "Let’s not hesitate. How about we build a prototype to test it?"

To be a reputable construction crew in Valuva, one had to master the art of building arches. It was an essential technique for any large-scale construction on the continent. The vast, spanning domes of a Church, the classical archways of a palace, and the numerous stone bridges across the Seine River were all supported by arched structures.

The stonemason on the crew was therefore perfectly at home with the task of creating the arched supports for the caves. He gripped a charcoal stick in his large, rough hand, sketching on a slate of gray stone. He calculated the required curvature based on the planned width of the cave, drew up a simple diagram, and then marked out the location on the site itself.

They split into two groups for the test. François used Burrowing Claw to help the workers excavate the earth. At first, he was cautious, having them brick up the walls after digging out each new section. But once he confirmed the soil was not prone to collapse, he relaxed and pushed forward with the excavation.

Yina and Rorschach formed the other group. Before they even began, Yina stated bluntly, "You probably won’t need to lift a finger."

Huh? Rorschach watched in confusion as Yina placed her hand against the earthen cliff face. "Stone Shaping Skill."

As the Casting began, the soil around Yina’s palm seemed to liquefy. It rippled and shifted; some of it was pushed away to form the outline of the cave, while another portion was compressed to create a dense inner wall. The remaining excess earth was squeezed and shaped into a table, chairs, and a bed.

Rorschach stepped inside and ran his hand over the walls, table, and chairs. Everything was smooth and level. The furniture’s material was as dense as stone. Though it lacked any ornate carvings, it was worlds better than the makeshift furniture cobbled together from crates back in the tents.

Thanks to the viscous Ether in the environment and the unhurried pace of the Casting, Rorschach could faintly perceive the process of Yina manipulating the Magic Power, as if he could almost follow its path. Because of this, he gained a deeper appreciation for just how exquisite the technique of the Middle Level Mage before him truly was.

The difference between a Middle Level Mage and the Artificial Team was instantly clear, even with a Second Level Mage like François assisting the latter. ’She may be arrogant, but she has the right to be.’ "Impressive," Rorschach couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

Yina smiled. "Mage Rorschach, if you could achieve this level of control, you could probably apply for an associate professorship at the Tower of Stars." She then added, "I turned down a teaching position at a Magic Tower myself, back in the day."

Once the feasibility and stability were confirmed, the construction plan was officially changed to carving caves into the cliffs. As Rorschach watched the bustling, energetic work site, he suddenly shuddered, a vision flashing before his eyes:

The red plateau, crisscrossed with gullies, its cliffs lined with row after row of cave dwellings. The scene was so rustic it wouldn’t have felt out of place to see an old, hardy frontiersman, a towel tied around his head and a sheepskin vest draped over his shoulders. All that was missing was a high, piercing folk song echoing across the Sub-plane...

"Making the furniture, too, is too draining. Let’s just focus on excavating the dwellings," Yina said after assessing her condition and adjusting her method. Consequently, the creation of new caves now produced excess soil, which fell to Rorschach to move using his Qilin Arm version of Mage’s Hand.

’This magic is a Divine Art for moving bricks.’

Just as he was thinking this, Rorschach suddenly sensed something and called up his panel:

"Magic Concentration (Purple 900/900)"

’Experience maxed out?’ Then, on the panel, the words of the entry began to swirl, and a new name and color emerged:

"Magic Control (Orange)" The experience bar transformed into star slots, with one of three now lit.

A closer look at the panel’s description revealed: "Magic Control": In the absence of other interfering wills, allows you to impress your own will upon the Magic Power in the environment, just as you would command your own Endogenous Magic Power.

The description sounded impressive, but it wasn’t exactly clear. Then, Rorschach felt the difference firsthand. It was as if he had "expanded." He could now clearly perceive the Ether within a radius of about ten paces around him. And if he willed it, it felt like his Mage’s Hand could swell to the size of a "Giant’s hand."

No, it wasn’t just a simple expansion. With a thought, the condensed mass of Ether was no longer hand-shaped. It morphed into a dump bucket, better suited for carrying soil. Yet, he could still maneuver it as naturally as an arm; its agility was no different than when it was in the shape of a "hand."

When he returned to Yina’s side and watched her Casting again, Rorschach’s perception of the process was even clearer. He couldn’t see it directly, but it was as if he had gained a new sense, giving him a flash of insight into Yina’s work.

[Stone Shaping Skill (Gray)] "Magic Control (Orange)" "Enchantment" "?" "?"

An incomplete, un-activated Magic entry appeared on the panel.