Even Edward hadn't expected such an "enthusiastic" welcome from the students. Even the nearby instructor-level mages had expressions that seemed to say, "Lazy director, why is the update so slow?"
In response to this "enthusiasm," Edward smiled and said, "Don't worry. It's in progress, I swear. How could such a conscientious director like me possibly delay updates? At most, next time it won't be a free release like this one. I'll charge a small ticket fee."
As soon as he finished speaking, many mages present cursed aloud, though it was clear that despite their complaints, they would inevitably show up to watch the sequel when it premiered. In other words, they would scrape together whatever they could just to see it.
At this moment, the new students finally began to realize the significance of this lecture. Even so, they couldn't believe that merely Edward's teaching could attract so many powerful mages.
After all, gatherings of this magnitude only occurred during the Imperial Mage Academy's opening ceremony or the annual end-of-year conference.
In this situation, even the most clueless of the new students couldn't help but feel a hint of anticipation. They quickly quieted down.
Once the hall was completely silent, Edward slowly began, "Alright. I understand that among those present today, besides the official freshmen who joined the Alchemy Branch, there are also many outsiders who are here out of curiosity. I don't intend to withhold information. For this first lesson, I will treat everyone equally and explain two things: What is Alchemy? And, What is Alchemy in my mind?"
Edward's demeanor, resembling that of a formal lecturer, didn't draw much reaction from the senior mages present. However, some High Mages appeared dissatisfied. After all, no matter how one looked at it, standing before so many Grand Mages and delivering a lecture with such an attitude seemed presumptuous for someone so young.
Edward paid no attention to their discontent. He calmly continued, "At its core, any kind of magical research begins with a tedious and dull learning process. Since my time is limited, I won't waste it on those dry fundamentals. Instead, I'll get straight to the point and show you what Alchemy can truly accomplish, as envisioned by the many pioneers of our Alchemy Tower."
Yes, given his limited time, Edward had no intention of teaching the basics. In truth, Ska, who had spent far more time researching Alchemy, was better suited for that role. Edward's task was clear: to inspire, to present the possibilities from another world that existed in his mind.
As he spoke, Edward began to cast a water-element spell. Due to its versatility, water-element magic was the most favored by lecturers, as it required less explanation during demonstrations. Lecturers without water affinity typically relied on teaching assistants with the necessary aptitude, which was one reason water-affinity students were in high demand.
Edward swiftly formed a complex elemental model. As the audience marveled at the sheer strength of his mental power, many were suddenly reminded that the young man on stage was the fastest in the Imperial Mage Academy's history to attain the rank of Grand Mage.
Yes, because of Edward's stubborn focus on alchemy in recent years, most had forgotten this title of his—until now.
Realizing this, the High Mages who had been displeased moments ago flushed with embarrassment. After all, the threshold they had been unable to cross for years had already been surpassed by this remarkably young mage long ago.
The room erupted in murmurs. However, the quiet coughing of a certain alchemy branch head seated in the back quickly silenced them.
"Alright," Edward continued, "I understand that many of you are here for Alchemy. So, let me give you a brief introduction. The predecessor of Alchemy, as most of you know, includes studies of magic circles, rune technology, and inherited inscription techniques from other races. It is a field that integrates various unorthodox magical disciplines."
"Before the emergence of Alchemy, although some mages occasionally dabbled in related studies, no one ever systematized or consolidated them. Naturally, few were willing to delve deeply into such an unsystematic field. That was until the first master of the Alchemy Tower, then the headmaster of the Imperial Mage Academy, abandoned orthodox magical research after failing to break through the seventh rank. He decided to integrate all these unorthodox magical disciplines and established the first generation of Alchemy."
"The first generation of Alchemy, despite being called 'Alchemy,' was primarily focused on Magitechs. At that time, the primary goal was the miniaturization of magic, creating various small-scale magic circles and self-powered spells. This effort led to the widespread use of basic magic arrays and the development of models that eventually enabled the creation of a foundational array for fifth-level Teleportation Grand Magic, resulting in the first large-scale magic array."
"With the widespread adoption of teleportation arrays, distances between cities were effectively shortened, accelerating the Empire's development and modernization. This groundbreaking achievement briefly propelled Alchemy into the spotlight. However, the research soon stalled because it faced inherent limitations. While deconstructing small-scale arrays was relatively simple, the deconstruction of large-scale arrays required immense resources and manpower. More critically, many large-scale spells, even if successfully deconstructed, lacked practical applications for widespread use."
"As a result, after the teleportation array, researchers failed to produce any further innovative breakthroughs. Over the course of centuries, Alchemy gradually declined into a neglected and marginalized field. So, was it the researchers' fault? Is alchemy research truly meaningless?"
"I don't believe so. In my view, the issue lay in their misguided approach. They focused too heavily on deconstructing destructive large-scale magic. This was understandable, as most grand spells are designed with large-scale destructive power in mind. Functional spells like teleportation are exceptions rather than the norm."
"However, destructive grand magic is only valuable during wartime. Given the Empire's already substantial military potential—with close to double-digit Arch Mages and hundreds of Grand Mages—the lack of need for additional destructive capacity rendered large-scale destructive magic arrays impractical. Their flaws—slow charging times and limited tactical use—became glaringly apparent, precluding any possibility of industrializing Magitechs."
"Ultimately, the purpose of alchemy research is to lay a foundation, providing all mages with additional tools to explore the ultimate mysteries of magic. In simple terms, alchemy research is foundational research. Should it focus solely on foundational work? Yes and no. Solely foundational research is useless. Foundational research must serve practical needs—it should be applied!"
"Why have so many predecessors in Alchemy failed to find a new path? Why has Alchemy continued to decline? The answer is simple—they ignored the significance of the word: Alchemy."
"So, what is alchemy? In essence, alchemy involves studying the existing world, transforming known materials, and ultimately obtaining the desired outcome. This is the true purpose of applied alchemy research!"
"Why was the teleportation array so successful? Because it benefited people. Even though only a select few could use it, it was a successful application of research. By contrast, nearly all other Magitechs existed only as theoretical studies without practical results. What they lacked was alchemy—the application of Magitechs!"
"Is alchemy difficult? Compared to the complex deconstruction formulas and resource-intensive efforts of arcane studies, alchemy can barely even be considered a true school of magic. Perhaps that's why it has been overlooked for so long. But that doesn't mean it's unimportant."
"Take, for example, the Magic Video Recorder—one of my inventions, developed by combining miniature magic array technology and rune technology. How did I create it? The inspiration came from something that already existed—the imaging crystal. These crystals, abundant in the Dwarven Kingdom, are a popular commodity among nobles because they can replay recorded images. Our Empire has a substantial demand for them as well."
"In other words, I simply reverse-engineered the imaging crystal's ability to convert magical energy into images and sound, then used that as a foundation to create the Magic Video Recorder. Eventually, this led to the invention of cinema. The entire process involved no particularly advanced technology—it was purely a matter of perspective."
"While previous Magitech alchemists failed to popularize Magitechs, my Magic Video Recorder, derived from simple foundational research in alchemy, required minimal time to develop. Yet, once it was applied to create cinema, it spread throughout the Empire at an unprecedented speed—a feat no previous arcane alchemist had achieved."
"So, were they less intelligent than I am? Am I the smartest person in the world? Of course not. The real difference is that their thinking was constrained. They failed to realize that the true fertile ground for the widespread application of Alchemy wasn't other mages, nor the Imperial Court, nor the Imperial Army. It was the common people, the millions of ordinary individuals in this world!"
"In my vision, Alchemy is not a type of magic usable only by mages, nor is it a luxury reserved for nobles and royalty. Instead, it is a set of technologies accessible to all ordinary people, providing services that even the most common individuals can enjoy."
"So, what is the process to achieve all of this?"
"In my words, it is a revolution! A technological revolution! And while we, the mages possessing knowledge beyond the reach of ordinary people, will undoubtedly be the initiators of this revolution, the beneficiaries will be the countless ordinary citizens of this nation and this world!"
"Take cinema, for example. I believe that one day, cinema will become a part of everyday life. Every ordinary person will be able to relax after work by simply turning on a perfected Magitech at home and watching a movie for entertainment. Of course, this is a narrow vision—by then, entertainment itself will have undergone earth-shattering changes, and what I mention here may seem trivial in comparison."
"Or consider another example. Even if you and I were ordinary people without the ability to use magic in such an era, we would still be able to communicate with like-minded friends thousands of miles away using mature Magitech. We could see the marvelous scenery of the Northern Peaks from the comfort of our homes, easily learn about new stories from around the world, watch the latest films produced by Edward Film Studio, and even enjoy movies created by other studios."
"In that era, despite the physical distances between individuals, everyone would feel connected as if part of a single whole. The technological revolution would unleash unprecedented momentum, driving rapid and continuous progress. Most importantly, in that future, if you so wished, you could spend your entire day at home, yet remain richly entertained and engaged, without resorting to endless meditation simply to kill time out of boredom!"
As Edward spoke, he almost lost himself in his own fantasies. Of course, he was well aware that such an era was still a long way off, but the sense of purpose derived from having a tangible goal filled him with a deep satisfaction.
Looking back, when he first crossed over into this world, he was just an ordinary person who despised the backwardness of this era. Even though the original owner of this body was a highly talented mage, for him, that talent felt distant and incomprehensible. Given the choice, he would have preferred to return to his original world, chatting with his silly friends online and keeping up with whatever ridiculous chapter his favorite authors had written that day.
But now, as he gradually realized his goals step by step, he found a new purpose in this world. He began to understand that although this world was backward, it held a potential that his previous world could never match. Even he could not fathom the terrifying speed at which the world might develop once the Magitech industry truly emerged.
Therefore, whether it was to fulfill the original owner's unachieved dreams or to realize his own small desires and aspirations, Edward would never stop moving forward.
Because only by continuing forward can the road extend further. As long as he didn't stop, there would always be a new world ahead. So, don't stop... keep going.
"Ahem, anyway, that's all I have to say. What are your thoughts?"
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind paying $5 each month to read till the latest chapter, please go to my Patreon[1].
Latest Post In Patreon: Chapter 188: Steins;Gate Premieres! (Part 6)[2]
Link to the chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/130705860?collection=162522[3]
https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/130705860?collection=162522
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/130705860?collection=162522
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed