Celestial Spell: Model Garden (5)
Deep within Whitestone National Park, District 35 of the megacity Vulcan, where the Vylun Research Institute was located.
After leaving the chaotic press conference, Lennok headed somewhere immediately. He easily shook off the pursuing reporters and passed through the research building’s security system.
Bang!!
The central laboratory of the research building, so quiet that the noise outside couldn’t be heard at all.
“Case 16 exit. Substitute particle plug-in complete.”
“Good. The trajectory guidance program imprint is finished too. Please proceed with the scan immediately.”
“Confirmed. Shall we begin checking screen compatibility as well?”
“Excellent. As long as you didn’t forget rebound canceling.”
Dozens of researchers busily moved about, immersed in their work.
“Ah, Professor Vylun...!!”
Professor Raphael belatedly noticed Lennok and turned his head.
“It seems I interrupted.”
“No, that’s not it...”
Only then did Raphael realize Lennok had been watching them and spoke awkwardly.
“It’s been a while since I’ve worked while looking at faces. I didn’t even notice you arrived. My apologies.”
“What do you mean by not looking at faces while working...?”
“As long as we remember the name tags on our lab coats, there’s no issue distinguishing each other.”
Leaving Lennok tilting his head in confusion, Raphael explained.
“If you remember voices and names, there’s no need to raise your gaze to check faces.”
“......”
Was that really something that should come out of the mouth of a project leader who had just been collaborating with the researchers?
But the other researchers didn’t even react to Raphael’s words.
Rather, as if accustomed to such behavior, they quietly focused on their tasks.
Not missing Lennok’s subtle reaction, Raphael cleared his throat and changed the subject.
“Ahem, more importantly, take a look at this. It’s fortunate you came at just the right time.”
Quickly grabbing a stack of papers from a nearby shelf, Raphael opened the table of contents and handed it to Lennok.
“We’ve succeeded in identifying the regularity of mana particles used in common magic!!”
“Is that so?”
“Yes! A great achievement made possible by clearly setting research priorities and concentrating our capabilities.”
Raphael nodded proudly.
“Developing new common magic is impossible without you. So we focused on systematizing the common magic framework academically using existing mana theory.”
Forgetting the earlier awkwardness, Raphael enthusiastically explained their research.
He was someone who didn’t just have the nature of a researcher, but derived joy in life from research itself.
At times excessive to the point of distancing himself from humanity, but not inherently malicious.
“In the case of common magic, just before activation, mana particles transform, becoming compatible with any attribute of magic.”
Raphael said proudly.
“We call this Substitute Particles.”
“Substitute particles.”
Lennok responded lightly as Raphael flipped rapidly through the papers.
“The current research theme is observing the properties of these substitute particles and finding their patterns. The goal is to use common magic and extract the transformed particles—”
“Sorry, but this doesn’t seem like the time for that discussion.”
A white-haired man with a blunt expression interrupted from behind Lennok.
“Hayward.”
“Long time no see, Director.”
A researcher who had studied common magic and witnessed everything when Lennok overturned the institute.
After Raphael was recruited, he had taken charge of finance and administration rather than research.
Setting down his coffee cup, Hayward rubbed his temples tiredly.
“You caused that chaos outside, and here you are calmly listening to research reports.”
“Haha.”
“Hayward, what do you mean? Chaos outside?”
Raphael asked in confusion.
“Our director just turned all common magic learning devices into trash.”
“......What?”
“He said he’d free us from hardware constraints by building a virtual space to assist incantations.”
Hayward pressed his temples irritably.
“Something about a mobile app too. Care to explain briefly?”
It seemed Hayward had heard everything and came to find Lennok.
He likely came now to organize the situation for the institute’s core personnel.
Lennok nodded and raised his hand.
“I exaggerated a bit considering the media, but it’s not that grand a concept.”
“What?!”
Crackle!!
Suddenly, all the monitors in the lab went dark, and a soap-bubble-like sphere appeared.
As the researchers fumbled with the screens in confusion, Lennok spoke casually.
“Keeping hardware like learning devices in the development process of common magic was inconvenient in many ways.”
“Well, that’s...”
“But releasing a new device with vastly improved performance would require too much budget and time.”
Tapping the bubble-like sphere on the monitor, Lennok continued.
“So I transferred the computational process that the device handled entirely into cyberspace.”
“I don’t understand that at all.”
Hayward frowned.
“How can something only possible through a device be replaced by cyberspace?”
“Because the Spell Assistant Server I built in cyberspace mimics the laws of reality.”
Flash!!
Mana surged inside the bubble on the screen.
A small magic circle formed from mana light, completing itself and illuminating the screen brightly.
Recognizing it as [Light Emission], a common magic created by Evan Vylun, the researchers stiffened.
“If specific mana movements are input into this server, it can perfectly simulate and calculate the operation of common magic.”
“...”
“The user downloads the computed mana flow and overlays it onto their innate mana to cast the spell.”
Lennok lightly brushed his hands.
“In other words, it’s a virtual server that handles incantations on behalf of the user.”
“This is...”
A frozen silence fell among the researchers.
Though the explanation was simple, everyone understood the absurd implications.
The value of the Spell Assistant Server wasn’t just about computing common magic.
What Lennok had effectively said was that he had succeeded in collapsing the boundary between reality and cyberspace.
“This isn’t technology meant merely to replace a learning device.”
Hayward said stiffly.
“This is something that should be formalized and published. Why release it like this?”
“It’s not that big of a deal. All I did was have it programmed so the theory works in cyberspace...”
The Spell Assistant Server was a concept created by substituting the Model Garden of celestial spells into cyberspace.
Since Model Garden was an old-world spell capable of influencing reality through catalysts, it was natural that phenomena inside the server connected to reality.
All Lennok did was ask Davi to code the spell into a program.
Of course, it had been encrypted to prevent the original celestial spell from being exposed.
But since he had essentially commercialized an existing spell, it wasn’t appropriate to present it as a paper under Evan Vylun.
“After creating the technology and finishing the coding, writing a paper felt like too much trouble.”
Unable to explain the details, Lennok shamelessly continued.
“So I just picked a day and made a simple announcement.”
The researchers looked at him as if he were something incomprehensible.
“So this is how a genius thinks...”
Hayward sighed and shook his head.
“Fine. But you’ll handle the patent yourself. You’re not going to let another institute steal this, are you?”
“I’ll take care of that.”
“Freeing ourselves from the necessity of learning devices... that’s quite interesting.”
Unlike Hayward, Raphael showed strong interest in the server.
“The infinite potential of common magic being shackled by poor hardware performance was something I found regrettable.”
“Is that so?”
“Director, you’re not actually believing that, are you? Look at what the professor did to collect substitute particles.”
Hayward scratched his head and pointed irritably.
“He bought up learning devices and kept using them once before discarding them.”
“...”
Broken learning devices lay scattered, screens shattered.
Hundreds of dusty tablets were piled in a corner.
“Ahem! That’s a bit harsh, Director Hayward.”
Raphael hurriedly defended himself.
“To collect substitute particles, we had to push the devices to their limits. We never intended to damage them, but due to output constraints—”
“See? When pressured, he suddenly becomes eloquent.”
Hayward grumbled.
“Why not talk like that normally?”
“Whose side are you on, Director Hayward?”
“Obviously the director’s side.”
Perhaps because they had gone through chaos together when Lennok overturned the institute, the two bickered casually.
Watching them, Lennok raised his hand with a smile.
“I plan to entrust media responses to Director Hayward. Any questions now?”
“I understand the concept of building a virtual space in cyberspace to handle calculations and incantations.”
Raphael asked immediately.
“But who handles the capacity, maintenance, and cost of the server? Without proper coordination, research will suffer.”
“Good question.”
Lennok nodded.
“I’d like to introduce a new researcher because of this.”
“A new researcher?”
Whoosh!!
Suddenly, the lights went out, and darkness filled the lab.
Then the central monitor lit up, revealing a figure.
[Nice to meet you.]
“A... mask?”
Beyond faint noise, something wearing a blue fox mask looked at them through the screen.
“A former deep web hacker who helped build the server in cyberspace. We got along well, so after testing, they joined the institute.”
Lennok smiled from behind.
“They’ll act as the project leader for the Spell Assistant Server.”
[I’ve heard the situation from Professor Evan Vylun.]
The masked figure spoke in a clear voice.
[You are all talented, but you’ll need my help with programming.]
“Indeed... we lacked that kind of expert.”
“So a newly recruited hacker.”
“I thought we’d finally get a junior, but it’s remote work?”
The researchers accepted the newcomer fairly calmly.
[From now on, you will follow my instructions—... hehe.]
“?”
[Ah, excuse me. You will assist in managing the server and supporting computations.]
Though trying to sound composed, excitement leaked through.
After clearing their throat, the masked figure continued.
[I am very strict, so you must follow my instructions without objection—kik.]
The figure suddenly lowered its head again mid-sentence.
Raphael stared blankly, while Hayward asked suspiciously.
“Director, are you sure we can work with that?”
“Of course, there’s no need to worry.”
Lennok pressed down on Davi with one hand and smiled.
“I’ll make sure they don’t go off track.”
***
While learning celestial spells from Clarisse, managing institute work as Evan Vylun, teaching Obaekro to mercenaries, and observing Felix’s training—
As he handled the backlog before heading to Kundara, an incident suddenly occurred.
“We received contact from the First Gate?”
[The agent we dispatched has made direct contact.]
Inside Olivera’s private lab.
A hidden space created by adjusting her domain as an 8th-level mage.
Having summoned Clarisse and Lennok, Olivera answered.
[Frankly, I can guess what it means that they contacted us at this timing...]
Was it imagination, or was there a faint sneer in her voice?
Just as Lennok noticed the subtle discomfort and was about to speak, Olivera’s Mystic Eye flashed beyond the veil.
[Enough. If they wish it, it’s faster to hear it directly.]
As she raised her hand, a screen opened in the air and began playing a video.
Bzzzt...!!
As the static cleared, bright lights appeared.
Pale, flickering lights that seemed capable of blinding one’s eyes.
[What, still not fully awake from anesthesia?]
Above the light, a man in green surgical robes looked down.
Smack!!
With a light mutter, he struck the camera, causing it to shift.
[Ah, there we go. Now it’s focused.]
The man nodded in satisfaction.
[Open your eyes wide and look here. I know you’re connected to the optic nerve.]
“......”
He spoke to the camera, yet seemed to be addressing someone outside the frame as well.
Sensing the strangeness, Lennok narrowed his eyes.
[Nice to meet you. First time seeing each other like this, right?]
The man looked down and spoke indifferently.
[I am the Spell Union’s Master of Integration, Avesta Chapman.]