Chapter 200: The Rune Research Institute

Before Gawain lay a set of blueprints for a new kind of processing machine he had envisioned.

A few months ago, he would have dismissed such a design as wishful thinking—an impractical fantasy given the backward state of society, a reckless attempt to push development too far, too fast. But recent experiences had taught him an important lesson: he needed to rethink his assumptions, to shed the baggage of his past life’s knowledge, lest he make flawed judgments based on outdated experience.

The machine was a processing lathe equipped with various magical devices. Its cutting head was a next-generation, heat-beam-emitting plate capable of sustaining intense thermal rays. It moved via a complex repulsion mechanism that could be precisely controlled and rapidly started or stopped. At its core was a magical automaton control unit, though Gawain hadn’t yet figured out how to integrate a simple rune trigger into such a sophisticated magical puppet system.

This was a pure “paper machine”—impossible to build with current technology. Yet Gawain was confident the concept was sound. He had sketched it out while reviewing his recent months’ work and discoveries, ideas flowing uncontrollably as he organized his thoughts.

Footsteps echoed down the corridor. Gawain looked up just as the door was flung open and Rebecca burst in, breathless and excited. “Ancestor, I heard from Betty you wanted to see me?”

Behind her, Jenny, with her long white hair, entered cautiously. The rune master’s face bore a hint of exasperation—clearly, the near-constant mishaps that followed Rebecca around made her uneasy. She glanced at the beaming young viscountess, then bowed her head respectfully to Gawain. “My lord, do you have instructions for us?”

Before Gawain could answer, Rebecca’s eyes caught the blueprints on the table. She squealed with delight, “Look, Jenny! Our ancestor has drawn new plans!”

“Lord Gawain, have you designed a new machine or weapon?” Even Jenny, usually composed and respectful, couldn’t hide her curiosity as she leaned in to examine the concept device. The exploded diagrams of its components were clear enough for her to guess its purpose. “Is this… some kind of cutting apparatus for plates? No, not just cutting—it seems capable of shaping or carving? Using a scorching heat beam as a stylus?”

Jenny’s gaze was filled with eager curiosity. She held a peculiar reverence for Gawain—not just because of his status and heroic reputation, but because he always thought in ways beyond ordinary minds. He proposed bold yet feasible plans, and only when those plans came to fruition did others realize the depth of his foresight.

This was true in governance and equally so in magic. Though rune logic wasn’t Gawain’s invention, he had found the right way to apply it. The idea of universal plates and mass production was something even Jenny, a master rune crafter, hadn’t considered.

But this time, Jenny felt Gawain’s design was… far ahead of its time.

“My lord, forgive my frankness, but many of the structures in this machine… are currently impossible to realize. For one, we don’t have a single technician capable of working with magical automaton cores—that’s advanced technology from the Northern Violet Kingdom…”

“I know,” Gawain interrupted, aware the two young women were already misunderstanding. “This machine isn’t meant for your immediate use.” He let them study the blueprints a moment longer before breaking the silence. “I’m assigning you a special, long-term mission.”

“A special, long-term mission?” Rebecca’s eyes widened, then lit up with excitement—she always seemed to be in high spirits. “Ancestor, are you making us project leaders again?”

“This time, it’s more than just a project,” Gawain smiled. “I’m establishing a new department.”

“A new department?” Jenny asked cautiously. “Like… the Mechanical Research Institute?”

“Something like that,” Gawain nodded. “I’m setting up a dedicated institute to study rune logic and use it to simplify, optimize, and popularize various magical arrays. This institute will be part of the soon-to-be-formed ‘Magical Energy Technology Department.’ I’m calling it the ‘Rune Research Institute.’ Jenny, you will be its head—though for now, it’s just a framework. We’re short on talent, so you don’t have any subordinates or assistants yet. When you’ll have staff depends on when the first batch of students trained with your rune logic textbooks graduate.”

“Me, in charge?” Jenny pointed at herself in surprise, then quickly shook her head and gestured toward Rebecca. “I think Viscountess Rebecca is more suitable! I… I only understand rune calculations, but she’s mastered rune computation, knows formal wizardry, and understands the principles and practical technologies of magical energy devices. No matter how you look at it, she’s stronger than me…”

“I know that,” Gawain said with a smile, cutting her off. He was well aware of the truth in Jenny’s words—not out of modesty, but because Rebecca was a prodigy in her field, the only person in the territory who could seamlessly switch between magical and mechanical thinking. “That’s why she has a different role: I’m putting Rebecca in charge of the Magical Energy Technology Department. That department won’t just handle rune logic; it will cover all areas of magical energy technology.”

Rebecca blinked, then suddenly looked at Jenny with a calculating expression. “Jenny! That means I have a higher position than you!”

Jenny gave her a strange look. “You… you already have a higher status than me…”

Gawain gave his granddaughter a peculiar look. “Did you forget you’re still a viscountess?”

Rebecca froze, then after two seconds exclaimed, “…I really did forget. No, not forgot—I just never paid attention!”

Gawain sighed deeply, thinking maybe her head had been caught in a door as a child—at least a city gate door. He quickly pushed the thought aside and continued, “Of course, the new organizational structure is only one part. We’re short on talent, so even if these departments are established, you’ll still be working closely together on research. Also, I have a research project for you.”

The two girls immediately fell silent, listening intently.

“I want you to start from the basics and catalog all conventional, array-compatible magic. In short, gather and archive all traditional magical arrays currently in use. Then, use rune logic to simplify and optimize them, designing corresponding rune plate schemes. Each array, once standardized, will be stored in the archive. For those that can’t be optimized or whose principles remain unclear—those ‘black box’ magics—you’ll create a separate record detailing why they can’t be analyzed or improved, for future study.”

Jenny and Rebecca’s eyes widened—Jenny in awe of the plan’s scale, Rebecca already running simulations of its potential and future developments.

After a few seconds, Rebecca couldn’t help but babble excitedly, “Ancestor, you want to create a universal archive so researchers can access it anytime, and factories can order custom arrays on demand? Oh, and the basic arrays could be shared with schools as teaching materials for kids just learning mathematical logic and runes—I heard Mr. Santis has already started such courses! And with this, maybe we can even trace the evolution of spells from level one to nine, or perhaps reverse-engineer those ‘black box’ magics!”

So this seemingly scatterbrained little granddaughter really wasn’t from another world? How many skill points in “inspiration” and “forward thinking” had she invested to reach this level of insight?

Gawain shot Rebecca a nearly shocked glance, then quickly cleared his throat to hide his surprise. “Yes, these are all practical applications. Rebecca, Jenny, remember: building a foundation and framework is the greatest part of any endeavor. Though you’ll start by organizing level one and two arrays, even apprentice-level ones, if used properly, these will generate enough power to push the entire territory forward.”

He added, “This is a long and demanding task. Don’t expect to finish it overnight. Take your time, and don’t neglect your research on the new generation of magical energy repulsion arrays or the compilation of teaching materials. One or two people can only do so much. Only by nurturing more talent can you complete this mission faster.”

“Yes, we understand.” Jenny bowed her head. She didn’t question what would happen when they eventually tackled higher-level arrays beyond their current reach. On one hand, she knew the sheer number of spells was staggering—just organizing those below level three would be a monumental task. On the other, she understood the essence of rune logic: a computational art based on pure mathematical logic. In this realm, personal casting ability was merely an aid. Even a viscountess who could only cast a fireball could calculate optimization schemes for mid- or high-level arrays!

“Then this important mission is entrusted to you,” Gawain leaned back in his chair, his eyes shining with expectation and approval as he looked at the two young women before him. “I look forward to your results.”

(End of chapter)