Chapter 198 - Height of the Technique (2/2)

“This technique, we need to package it.” Gawain took a breath and went on, “This was an attempt to convert Druid magic into ‘magic circles’, and due to the origins of Druid magic, ancient theurgy symbols naturally existed in the magic circles. This happened naturally. Do you understand?”

“Of course. I am merely a low-ranked Druid. How would I know the technique to steal divine power?” Pittman stroked his beard with his eyes narrowed. “I’d merely copied the ancient Druid theurgy circles from books, then connected the Magic Web recklessly. As for the so-called inversion runes… given the brains of the majority of the spellcasters and clergymen of this era, they would only pay attention to whether the item was usable or not. Who would care about the theories and functions?!”

Gawain detected deep disdain and even a hint of resentment towards conventional spellcasters from Pittman’s tone. He knew that there was definitely a story there, but he only gave the other person a long deep look and didn’t pursue further.

He nodded. “These deluding statements are just to be on the safe side. So long as we do well in keeping the technique confidential, we do not have to worry about the dangers that would occur after it has been leaked. There are only the three of us present here today. Before I believe that the time is right, we will be the only ones aware of this secret, and at the most, the core technicians added in in the future. Understand?”

Pittman nodded lightly, while Amber suddenly stared at Gawain with a terrified look. “You can’t be thinking of killing me to silence me, right?”

Gawain casually knocked on this half-elf’s head. “Are there any normal operations in your brain?”

“Damn, silencing a person still isn’t considered normal?”

Gawain helplessly darted a look at Pittman. “To be honest, how did you and your old mate educate this lass back then?”

“Sigh, we didn’t expect her to grow up into this,” Pittman sighed dejectedly. “Her adoptive father and I worked conscientiously the whole time to earn money and raise the kid. We taught her stealth, poisoning, grave digging, exhumation, swindling and bluffing, pilfering, and even got the best shadow mentor for her. We were so serious in our education. How did she go astray…?”

Gawain: “…”

Damn it, how could she not go crooked with this education? That Amber only had some faults of pilfering till now was already considered having a naturally good soul, huh?!

“…I’ve got to properly rectify your values.” Gawain resignedly waved a hand at Amber and turned back to look at Pittman. “Sort out the new flow of production and technical requirements of the various equipment into a detailed file. I will arrange for the industrial department to start designing the corresponding equipment and workshop. It is just nice that it’s winter right now. If we complete it within these few months, it can be used just in time when spring comes. In addition, I remember you recruited a batch of apothecary apprentices. Can they be put in important positions?”

According to Gawain’s directive to “increase talents”, Pittman recruited a group of apothecary apprentices in the territory to impart the way of nature —— those plots in stories where a child randomly taken from a poor family possessed unusual talent and became a nature-defying genius with some nurturing did not happen. Not a single one of the dozen had Druid aptitude; only two or three possessed the weak ability to sense magical power but found it strenuous to even be a Mage apprentice. Fortunately, there weren’t only spells in Druid knowledge; knowledge about all sorts of potions, animal domestication, and plant cultivation could be picked up by laymen. Thus, these apprentices were considered to have grown swiftly under Pittman’s lead. At present, they were doctors and apothecaries of the territory, and when needed, they would also help Pittman concoct those catalytic potions required for agriculture.

“Saying they can be put in important positions would be flattering those young fellows, but they’re considered hard working. Their fundamental alchemy skills are alright.” Pittman touched his beard. “You have arrangements?”

“Using the reaction vessels to prepare magical medicine is a technical job. Laymen who haven’t been trained won’t be able to handle them. After the pharmaceutical synthesis factory has been completed, on top of workers doing the chores, we also need technical personnel who know the ropes in there. Select a few reliable and steady apprentices. We’ll let them manage the factory.”

Pittman was a little surprised. “I thought you would have wanted me to manage the factory.”

“What you ought to be managing is the research and development system that’s at an even higher level, and not a concrete factory.” Gawain darted a look at Pittman. “There won’t only be one pharmaceutical factory in the territory in the future, and the Druids’ ancient theurgies… aren’t only used to concoct medicines either.”

“It seems you’re thinking very far ahead.” Pittman nodded. “I understand. I will pick a few suitable apprentices to train and get them to go to the steelworks and mechanical research station to familiarize themselves with ‘factory production’.”

Gawain let out a breath. “Then… apart from completing these tasks, I think you ought to consider the next research project .”

Pittman blinked. “Next step of research?”

“That is to study ‘why’.” Gawain looked at those theurgy runes and elemental runes on the alchemy platform, as well as the “inversion circle” serving as the conversion interface. “Why can the inversion circle convert primary magical power into so-called ‘divine power’? Why must secondary energy that has been converted be used to drive theurgy circles? What exactly is the difference between magical power and divine power?”

Gawain eased his tone, but his expression was especially solemn. “Conventional spellcasters rarely pay attention to spell theories at a deeper level, and you’ve also mocked this point earlier, so we absolutely cannot be like them. Especially with the inversion circle technique —— it is a technique that was excavated, a property of the ancient Gondor Empire. It isn’t some god bestowed item that cannot be analyzed, but something that ancient Master Mages who were also humans studied and came up with. And very luckily, we happened to have the chance to study it. We definitely cannot let go of this opportunity.”

Pittman faltered for a while before he suddenly broke into a smile. “Whenever I believe that I’ve thought far enough, I’d always find that you’re already standing somewhere even further, waiting for me to catch up…”

Before Gawain could respond, Amber had already voiced what he was about to say for him. “This is the wisdom of the elderly.”