Chapter 209
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 209
Chapter Title: Conference (4)
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<Why Is Modern Magic So Unstable?>
It was a title that slapped the cheeks of the vast majority of mages studying modern magic.
Naturally, the eyes of those affiliated with the society rolled back in their heads.
"Is that bastard seriously spouting such nonsense in front of us?"
"A mere mercenary mage, of all things!"
"This is exactly why we shouldn't accept uneducated outsiders from beyond the Tower!"
Jun had already anticipated reactions like these.
And even by his own reckoning, this kind of large-scale provocation offered no real benefits.
Lanes and Belles had even voiced their concerns to him about it.
-There's no time. Not for the mages right now.
At first, neither of them understood what Jun meant.
What reason could there possibly be to turn every mage into an enemy?
Simple defiance?
Shock therapy to change the mages' perceptions?
Jun didn't answer.
He simply said...
-The Imperial Family is on the move.
Its meaning still eluded them, but Lanes accepted Jun's view.
After all, three members of the imperial family had descended into Blackout—an unprecedented event in itself.
'But the reaction is fierce, as expected.'
At this rate, he might not even make it off the stage alive, let alone present his prepared paper.
In the end, Lanes spoke first.
"Quiet."
Her single word brought a chilling silence to the noisy hall.
Not that everyone obeyed, of course.
"Lady Lanes! Even so, isn't that going too far?"
One mage shot to his feet, glaring at Lanes and shouting.
He was a middle-aged mage named Hegar—the same one who had relentlessly bombarded Jun with questions about fire suppression spells.
"Do you seriously think it's acceptable for a wandering mage to present such drivel at the Magic Society conference?"
"I'm well aware the title is arrogant. I've even read the paper myself."
"And yet you allowed it?!"
"Yes. So shut up and listen."
"You... you...!"
A barrage of curses nearly spilled out, but given her position, he bit his lip hard instead.
There were other 7th-circle mages present besides Lanes.
They all held positions equivalent to the Tower Lord, but that didn't mean they could shout her down.
'Damn it!'
In the end, Hegar grumbled as he sank back into his seat.
'Looks like things have calmed a bit, thanks to her.'
Jun gave Lanes a slight bow of thanks before continuing his presentation.
"Well, the atmosphere has heated up. That's to be expected with a title like this. You seniors must feel insulted. I won't ask you to understand. Even as a scholar researching the discipline of magic, I couldn't help but worry about presenting such an impudent paper before you all."
No. He hadn't worried in the slightest.
In fact, he had been counting down the moments to this.
"The reason I decided to present this paper here, as an outsider mage, is that modern mages' formulas look so precarious in my eyes."
"What makes you think that?!"
Someone bellowed like a drill sergeant.
The middle-aged mage, Hegar.
"That's what I'm about to explain. Now, take a look at this."
With Lanes' assistance, he activated the prepared artifact, and a vivid hologram materialized above it.
"This is the on-site data graph from the Empire's annual Magic Conference. As you can see, these are records from 30 years ago. The number of papers presented at the conference and the corresponding investment plans that followed. It was a dazzling era of progress."
A few mages nodded unconsciously, reminiscing about the past—only to grimace as they realized they were agreeing with Jun.
"New techniques were announced overnight, and crowds showered praise on the mages who developed them."
Yet again, they found themselves drawn into Jun's words, lost in memories.
It had been a golden age for mages, never to return.
"And now, look at this."
The hologram graph had plummeted vertically.
"These are the indicators for the subsequent 30 years. New attempts have dwindled, and research funded by the Imperial Family or private investors has sharply declined. What do you think caused this?"
Hegar, who had just been reminiscing like the other veterans, raised his hand to answer.
"It's obvious. Magic has grown deeper and more refined over time. Back then, there was no solid foundation, and accidents happened frequently."
Perhaps buoyed by sweet memories of the past, his tone was lighter than before. But the hostility remained.
As if to say, what do you know?
"Yes, that's correct. In my view, modern magic prioritizes stability above all. I don't think that's wrong. No matter how important progress is, can it outweigh human lives?"
Jun paused briefly before continuing.
"But don't you think something's off? Wandering the layers and fields of Blackout, we encounter ancient technologies. Their sophistication surpasses ours at a glance. Records of them are commonplace—no need to hunt them down. How do you explain that?"
"That's..."
Caught off-guard by the sudden mention of "ancient," Hegar faltered, and Lanes stepped in.
"Because ancient technology was unstable too. Modern humanity still hasn't fully grasped why those races perished. So we avoid blindly imitating it."
"R-right! Exactly!"
Hegar belatedly shouted his agreement, but it was another trap laid by Jun and Lanes.
Realizing too late, Hegar wore the expression of a man who'd been played.
Regardless.
Jun smiled and spoke again.
"Yes, that's right. No cause has been found yet. But that doesn't explain why magic's progress has slowed."
Arrogant words, yet the assembled mages struggled to respond.
The graph before them hammered home the stagnation of magic's development.
They wanted to tear into him, but Lanes' presence held them back.
"What is magic? It's the act of twisting phenomena and performing miracles. A split-second mistake can lead to irreversible disaster. Vigilance is a mindset every mage must have."
Naturally, Jun slipped himself into their fold as one of "our" mages.
He scanned the room.
"But that's not all. Let me ask again: What is a mage? As I said, we twist phenomena and enact miracles. So we must observe, question, and interpret all phenomena. But what about modern magic? Hiding like cowards from danger, ignoring fundamental solutions to immediate problems, and sticking to familiar paths?"
"Then tell us, boy. What do you call these 'immediate problems'? It sounds like you're saying modern magic has fundamental flaws."
Lanes' question followed seamlessly.
Jun answered without hesitation.
"Yes. There is a fundamental problem. And most of you seniors are ignoring it."
"So what is it?!"
Hegar nearly screamed, on the verge of hysteria. Jun replied calmly.
"Fear. Even if a new path lies ahead, you cling to the familiar one. The well-trodden path of centuries. I'm not saying it's wrong. But it's not necessarily right."
"What?"
"It's just the path many mages have walked. New paths may have emerged over time. Have you ever truly questioned if the path before you is the correct one?"
"Th-that's an insult to our predecessors..."
"Do you really think they'd feel insulted? That discovering a path beyond their own would demean them? That the pioneers who birthed countless mages would think so?"
"No..."
Hegar trailed off, at a loss again.
He glanced around nervously.
When was the last time he'd been cornered like this in argument?
Calling it an argument was generous, even.
Jun hadn't proposed any solutions—just poked at their flaws.
Yet no rebuttal came to mind. Subconsciously, and as the graph plainly showed, they all knew modern magic's growth had stalled.
'That punk...'
Driven to the edge, Hegar lashed out.
"If so, what solution have you brought to act so brazenly?!"
And that was the moment Jun had been waiting for.
"Yes. I have the solution. It's not complete or polished yet. But I succeeded."
"Wh-what?!"
"How long must we endure this fool's ravings?!"
His attitude wasn't just impudent—it was outrageously arrogant. Mages erupted in fury again.
Without his ties to the imperial family—or even Lanes' presence—he might have been beaten senseless, legs broken, and tossed into a ravine long ago.
Yet Jun maintained his relaxed smile, addressing the room.
"Does anyone wish to prove me wrong?"
No, more precisely.
It was aimed at one person.
Hegar.