Chapter 144 - Magic… Capacitor (2/2)
“That’s right. The magic-storage capability is just a small problem as you can solve it by using two crystals. The greatest problem is still the energy dissipation as the magic stored inside wouldn’t be completely dissipated after a short while. This is a fatal problem for crystals whose function is to ‘store’ magic. As such, these crystals had much lesser value. Even though it can store a huge amount of magic, it is difficult to put it to good use,” Gawain explained while opening a cabinet under the table. He took out a hexagon metallic plate and put it on the table. “If you change a manner of thinking, these crystals that cannot store energy can actually be of good use…”
Amber looked curiously at the metallic plate taken out by Gawain and recognized that Rebecca had delivered this thing over recently. It seemed to be a product of the machining factory. This metallic plate was only slightly larger than the palm, and it had a hexagon shape. Using the latest ‘press-molding technique’, the mold in the machine could press out the ‘industrial good’ instantly. On the surface of the metallic plate, one could see uniform grooves and also the magic-guided materials embedded in the grooves.
This was a piece of ‘interchangeable base plate’ that was carved with a magic circle. Amber felt that she had seen the rune arrangement somewhere.
After recollecting for a long time, she finally spoke, “Oh. Ohh. I know now. This is the thing that Rebecca and Jenni drew out previously!”
“Honeycomb Magic Web Unit. This is a fundamental unit and can operate by itself too. I carved it on an interchangeable base plate that could be shifted around. It is now a ‘component’ that can be used together with other things.” As Gawain spoke, he turned the base plate around and revealed the empty slots on the back of the base plate. “The slots are to connect with other things.”
“So this metallic plate is constantly gathering magic?” Amber looked at this entirely new item that was different from traditional magical tools. “Then what are you planning to use with the magic? It is such a small magic web unit and must have a limited capacity to gather magic, right?”
“It is indeed limited. Just based on the output of this magic web unit, it will be very difficult to even activate a Grade 1 spell. Therefore, we need to charge the energy into these crystals first.” Gawain pointed at the inferior magic storage crystals and said, “After completing a charging cycle, it will guide the magic out from the crystal. As the charging of energy is a constant process, the dissipation problem of the crystals would be negated. Look, inside this system, it will serve as a temporary storage tool, to store small amounts of magic generated by the magic web unit. If the crystals are arranged in an array and a sufficiently long charging cycle is supplemented, it is entirely possible for this fundamental unit to be able to release enough magic to activate high-grade spells.”
Amber eyes were wide open halfway through the explanation. After listening to the end, she looked at Gawain with strange eyes and said, “You… Do you really have the background of a knight?”
“Eh… Do you need to have such a huge reaction?”
“You are a knight. Where do all these magic theories come from?!” Amber opened her eyes wide and immediately looked at the magic-circle base plate and crystals with disbelief. These things weren’t assembled together yet, and it was still lacking a lot of crucial runs and control magic circles, but it was obviously not far from being completed. “This thing… Is it considered a magic device? But it still seems like a component…”
“That’s right. It is still a component. But a rather important component. With it, I will be able to complete the most important part of my plan. Without any supply from fixed magic webs, how are we going to solve the problem about portable energy sources.” Gawain smiled and said, “I plan to give it the name of ‘magic electric capacitor’. What do you think of the name?”
“Magic electric capacitor?” Amber blinked her eyes and asked, “How is this thing electric? Are you preparing to use it to release electric arrows?”
“Eh… Alright, I didn’t think of that.” Gawain thought carefully and changed the name. “I have decided to name it ‘magic capacitor’.”
Amber: “…Is it supposed to go like this?!”
Looking at Amber’s dumbstruck expression, Gawain felt a great satisfaction. He lowered his head with a good mood, and looked for the drafts he had yet to complete the calculations for, and prepared to continue calculating the honeycomb magic-web unit’s power output and efficiency. Soon after he started his work, there was a loud clamor from outside.
“I will go and take a look at what happened!”
After leaving behind this statement, Amber slipped out and vanished from Gawain’s vision. Whenever Gawain was writing something, she would definitely feel drowsy and couldn’t help but find a reason to slip out.
She had only ran out for a short moment and energetically scuttled back, shouting, “Gawain! Gawain! Sir Byron is back!”
“He’s back?” Gawain immediately put down his brush and said, “Hurry up and invite him inside!”
Sir Byron entered the tent. Consecutive days of exploration in the ancient fortress made him look rather tired. He had a travel-worn expression, but the knight’s face was obviously filled with excitement. He entered and gave a knight’s bow to Gawain before speaking with an emotional tone, “My lord! We have discovered a hidden area in the ancient fortress. It might be the secret testing ground of the Gondor Empire back then! There aren’t just plenty of completed equipment, installations, and supplies, but… but there are also some recognizable manuscripts and documents!”