Chapter 339: Chapter 336: Terrifying If You Think About It?

Fortunately, Master Humboldt had mentioned a detail: "When transferring a Soul into a vessel, one must also consider the issue of affinity. For Casters, plant-based stand-ins accept a Soul more readily than earthen ones. As a Caster proficient in the Natural System, you cannot use this Magic to transfer your Soul into a Mechanical Body unless you create it yourself."

No matter how powerful a Caster was, they couldn’t compare to the Primordial One, who could broadcast Its Soul across the entire domain of existence. A Caster’s simple transfer, by contrast, came with numerous restrictions.

However, the fact that affinity affected the transfer inspired Rorschach. In his previous life, a common purification technique involved passing a mixed gas through an adsorbent. The separation was achieved by leveraging the varying adsorption capacities of each substance.

’Then I can’t use a Stand-In constructed by the original Magic. For my own Soul, the strongest affinity would undoubtedly be with this body...’

The young man’s internal monologue suddenly stuttered to a halt. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

’The Soul of "Rorschach" is in the body of "Rorschach," that’s not wrong. But I’m a Transmigrator—a case of Soul Transmigration, to be specific.’

’When I transmigrated, I inherited the original owner’s Casting Ability. Our names were even written differently but pronounced the same. This can’t be explained by coincidence. Is this also because of affinity? In that case, who is the "Caster" behind it all?’

The name of a being he had heard frequently of late flashed through Rorschach’s mind, but he quickly shook his head, muttering to himself, "Forget it. What can I do about it now? An entity that can pull people across worlds... what could someone like me do against It?"

’I should just focus on the task at hand and increase my strength.’

’A vessel suitable for an "Artificial Soul" but not for a "human Soul"... what would that be like?’

Rorschach’s first thought was the technology he had picked up from Istani. He needed to create a Universal Computing Core to serve as the vessel for the Artificial Soul.

That way, he wouldn’t need the Ninth Ring Mechanical Body Enlightenment Skill to obtain a powerful Tower Spirit. Moreover, by imitating the structure of the "Truth Machine," it would also be expandable.

...

"Rorschach, what’s with the mud and wooden figures outside? Don’t let Amelia see them, they’ll scare her..." Bart had been startled by the abstract Stand-Ins beneath his tower when he returned. These human-sized things, woven from mud and tree roots, had barely discernible facial features, and their hollow eyes and mouths terrified every passerby without prejudice.

"Sorry, I was looking over some letters and forgot about them."

Bart had completed the task Rorschach entrusted to him. "Otto has agreed to attend. As it happens, with his older brother back, our Second Prince needs something new to occupy his time... You should make sure your manager can get to Wertz in three days..."

Next, Rorschach asked the Town Mage to hire all the city’s skilled watchmakers. Their task was to individually craft the components of the computing core, after which the best among them would handle the final assembly.

Rorschach brought out copies of the blueprints, which filled a small case:

"See? Even just the blueprints amount to this much. So, the more people you can find, the better. I suspect we’ll also need some highly skilled blacksmiths."

Bart had no idea what the blueprints represented. He only saw countless small, complex parts with their dimensions marked, and assembly diagrams that were beyond his comprehension. "What the heck is this stuff? Rorschach, before you came, I was busy with all sorts of trivial matters for the residents of Wertz. Now that you’re here, I feel like I’m even busier."

"This is to prepare for the Tower Spirit." The carrot Rorschach dangled successfully motivated Bart, who even refused the money for labor and materials that Rorschach offered:

"First of all, we’re friends. Second, I still remember you mentioning something about a ’Pioneer Plan,’ right? We agreed it would be used in my tower first. Your Mage Tower isn’t even built yet, so you’d have nowhere to put the Tower Spirit even if you made one."

All the components of the Universal Computing Core required a manufacturing process virtually identical to that of watch parts. In fact, the earliest examples of fine machinery were all crafted by the hands of watchmakers.

That afternoon, Rorschach’s friend gathered all the master craftsmen he could find. The Mage Tower lacked the capacity to host them, so they moved to Bart’s manor on the mountainside. Amelia was not there at the time.

"This is the best watchmaker in the city, Mr. Boles." Bart introduced the project leader to Rorschach—a short, elderly man in a black vest. His bald head shone, a magnifying glass was perched over his right eye, and he gave Rorschach an elegant nod.

It was said that he had designed and built a swan of pure silver. Not only was it graceful and lifelike, with every feather shaped by hand, but with the turn of a wind-up key, it could even raise its head and flap its wings.

Another of his works was a sixteen-tone music box with a small figurine. When wound, it not only played music, but the figurine would actually write. That piece was now in the collection of the Empire’s Emperor.

Behind him stood a variety of his fellow craftsmen. And since the one summoning them was the Town Mage, the King’s son-in-law, and the young master of the Balderom Chamber of Commerce, this trifecta of influence made the request impossible to refuse.

"An exquisite machine! It rivals the finest chronometers of Valois..." For the sake of confidentiality, only Mr. Boles, as the final assembler, was qualified to see the complete blueprints. He would distribute the schematics for the individual parts to the others.

He asked his two young employers, "Gentlemen, it was wise to gather all the watchmakers. A single person would likely spend several years completing this. So, how soon do you two need the finished product?"

"I want three full sets of all the parts, completed within five days." Rorschach didn’t want to wait; he was unwilling to endure any more torturous nights.

"Impossible!" Boles exclaimed, while his colleagues who had just received the schematics also shook their heads again and again.

"We will pay well. During this period, please focus solely on our order. I’m sure your other customers will understand." Bart took out a jingling bag of Gold Coins. When the murmurs didn’t subside, he took out a second bag, and then a third...

It looked like a lot, but because Rorschach had hired watchmakers and not Alchemy Masters, this amount of money was nothing extraordinary.

The whispering did indeed die down, but Boles had the integrity of a true craftsman. "Even if we focus solely on your order, fine clocks and automata require polishing and calibration. As works of art, they need months, or even years, of effort..."

"I don’t need a work of art," Rorschach said, waving his hand dismissively. "Besides, any tolerance issues can be fine-tuned... with Magic." In Kano’s laboratory at the Tower of Stars, the circuits on the Magic Array Metal Discs were adjusted with Shaping Spells. Rorschach couldn’t manufacture the parts himself, but with a craftsman’s guidance, making minor adjustments to them was certainly possible.

"...Very well, we will do our absolute best. We only hope that you two Mages can show us leniency. If we are truly unable to finish, please... do not punish us..."

’This old man looks so pitiful. Are we the bad guys here?’ Bart was annoyed by the craftsman’s attitude. He waved his hand impatiently. "We’ll sign a proper contract. You’ll get cash on completion and a bonus if you finish early. If you don’t finish, we’ll dock your pay or even refuse payment altogether. The only thing you stand to lose is five days of your time. Deal?"

"As you wish, my lord..."

Rorschach now had a few more days of torment from the soul impurities to look forward to, but it also gave him more time to research and practice the Magic for separating his Soul.

That night, Bart’s bathtub once again became one of the areas with the highest concentration of Magic Power in the world. Rorschach was sitting upright inside it, his eyes closed in deep thought. In addition to the Demon Gathering Array, a new Magic Array lit up.

Rorschach’s consciousness began to float upward, seemingly detaching from his physical body, which was plagued by a headache, and bathing in the warm tide of Magic Power.