Chapter 147: The Cheers of Cloudspire Tower
As expected, another ten minutes passed...
Again, it was the same machine-like precision in calculation, again a brand-new spell model was presented. At this point, Hogarth felt numb. As he transmitted two more spell models, his mind went blank. He simply took up the draft paper, activated the alchemical array, and moved like an alchemical automaton.
It wasn’t until the eighth spell model had been transmitted that Hogarth suddenly realized—there was another person in the lab!
"Don’t look around!" Star Sage Joey, hiding in a blind spot of the crystal ball’s view, shot Hogarth a threatening look as soon as he noticed him glancing over.
"Oh..." Hogarth, whose mind had been blank moments ago, snapped back to reality at the sight of Star Sage Joey.
"Next time, transmit this spell model..." Star Sage Joey furtively produced a sheet of draft paper, slipping it to Hogarth with great secrecy.
"Alright." Hogarth nodded, his eyes scanning the draft paper—then he jolted, looking at Star Sage Joey with utter disbelief written all over his face: "Th-this... Could it be...?"
"Stop babbling! Just transmit it when I tell you to!"
"Alright..." Hogarth nodded helplessly. When he glanced at the crystal ball again, his eyes held a trace of sympathy...
Archmage Leon Merlin, oh Archmage Leon Merlin, this was Lord Joey's idea—it has nothing to do with me...
Hopefully, you can finish calculating this spell model before next year.
The entire Vanrison's Formula, when broken down, consists of over three hundred spell models. After more than a decade of effort, the research team has solved about a hundred. If they can finish the remaining two hundred or so, Vanrison's Formula will be nearly complete.
Star Sage Joey was assigned the fewest spell models—just over twenty—but their difficulty is downright terrifying. Even the other two Title Archmages, after seeing Joey’s workload, turned pale and withdrew, shaking their heads…
As for Hogarth, he’s not even worth mentioning…
Every spell model assigned to Star Sage Joey is like an unreadable tome for Hogarth. Just understanding them would take who knows how much time and effort.
Now, the spell model Joey produced was precisely one of those twenty-something models!
A spell model enough to make even Title Archmages turn pale…
Hogarth figured Archmage Leon Merlin would probably need several months for this one…
Soon, Leon finished calculating the two spell models in his hand. As he sent the results back, Hogarth also transmitted Joey’s draft paper.
Then Hogarth saw that the young Archmage inside the crystal ball frowned the moment he received the draft paper.
As expected…
Seeing this, Hogarth actually let out a huge sigh of relief, then wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Honestly, this young Archmage’s performance was just too astonishing, too terrifying. What took Hogarth months, he completed in less than an hour. For a while, Hogarth thought he was hallucinating—how could anyone be this much of a monster?
Thankfully, no matter how monstrous this young Archmage was, he was still, in the end, a normal human.
If he hadn’t frowned at this spell model, Hogarth would’ve really started to wonder if he was stuck in a nightmare he’d never wake from.
At that moment, Hogarth’s only thought was: Finally, something stumped him…
Sorry, Mage Hogarth, I might need some time." Leon said, after looking over the spell model on the draft paper, knowing this one wouldn’t be so simple—it had to be one of Vanrison's Formula’s core models.
No problem, no problem…' Hogarth smiled, then asked with concern, 'Would you like Sage’s Spire to prepare a research room for you? It looks like your magical tools here aren’t quite complete.'
Magical tools?' Leon paused, then shook his head, spreading the draft paper on the alchemy table and beginning his meticulous calculations.
Lord Joey, isn’t this spell model a bit too difficult?' Hogarth, pretending to look for something, moved to a blind spot in the crystal ball’s view before nervously asking.
You’ll see.
By the way, Lord Joey, here are the eight spell models Archmage Leon Merlin just finished. Let me report them to you—this one is…' Hogarth, seeing Joey in a good mood, hurried to present the eight models Leon had completed, hoping to salvage his poor standing in Joey’s eyes.
But Joey brusquely interrupted after just two models: “Damn it, shut up!”
Huh?' Hogarth jumped, thinking he’d made a mistake and angered the moody Title Archmage again.
Shut up! That kid already sent you the results!
Damn!
Hogarth nearly burst into tears, stumbling over to the crystal ball, just in time to see Leon activate the alchemical array and transmit the newly calculated spell model.
A-Archmage Leon Merlin, d-do you need to rest?' Hogarth, clutching several sheets of draft paper, tried to smile, but his lips twitched so much the smile looked more like a grimace than anything else.
By now, Hogarth was no longer worried about whether Leon would tire himself out; he was more concerned about whether his own heart could take it…
Leon rubbed his brow tiredly. Calculating so many spell models in a row, especially a core model of Vanrison's Formula, was exhausting—there was no way he could claim otherwise. But Leon didn’t want to rest yet. He was about to enter the Bone Plane, which might take two or three days. So, while he still had time, he wanted to push the Cloudspire Tower research a bit further…
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So, after thinking it over, Leon shook his head. "No need."
Ha… ha… Archmage Leon Merlin, you really…' Hogarth forced a few stiff laughs, wanting to flatter him but not knowing what to say.
Joey, watching him, glared impatiently. "Give him this!"
Oh…' Hogarth took another draft paper from Joey. Sure enough, it was another core model of Vanrison's Formula.
By now, Hogarth was completely numb. He just rolled his eyes and sent the draft paper over.
Sure enough, another half hour passed…
The third draft paper, the fourth draft paper, the fifth draft paper…
One draft paper after another was sent through the crystal ball to the Gilded Rose, then back to Cloudspire Tower. More and more people filled Hogarth’s lab. At first, only the Mercury Tower’s master came, then two Title Archmages joined. By evening, even the two who’d missed the meeting showed up…
No, no, not just them…
For a moment, all of Cloudspire Tower was abuzz. Everyone knew a young Archmage was calculating the core models of Vanrison’s Formula—and had finished nearly ten in just a few hours. The news was like a bomb dropped into the crowd, instantly igniting excitement throughout the tower.
Dozens of mages flooded into Hogarth’s room just to see how monstrous this young Archmage really was. More Grand Mages crowded the doorway, blocked by higher-ranked figures inside. Unable to see the crystal ball, they could only listen to the mages’ chatter from the hall…
The once-empty lab was suddenly packed. To keep Leon from noticing in Seaview City, Star Sage Joey even used an eighth-level spell to conjure an illusion that fooled the crystal ball.
Time ticked by unnoticed until it was deep into the night. But nobody cared about the hour—everyone stared at the crystal ball, afraid to miss a single moment.
Ten draft papers, eleven draft papers, twelve draft papers…
When Leon sent the last draft paper to Cloudspire Tower, dawn broke over the eastern sky—and the whole tower erupted into deafening cheers. Every mage spread the news; every Grand Mage applauded. The Vanrison’s Formula, which had troubled Star Sage Joey for over a decade, was finally solved today!
What’s going on?' Only when the cheers reached him did Leon show a trace of confusion.
Heh…' Hogarth stood before the crystal ball, too dazed to do anything but grin foolishly.
Move aside…' Star Sage Joey walked over, shoved the useless Hogarth aside, and stood smiling before the crystal ball. In front of everyone’s stunned eyes, he bowed deeply to Leon: 'Thank you, Merlin.'
Th-this…' Leon jumped in surprise. This was Star Sage Joey, the master of Cloudspire Tower, one of the kingdom’s strongest Title Archmages. 'Lord Joey, y-y-you… How could I possibly deserve this?'
No, no, listen to me…' Joey shook his head, still smiling. 'That bow just now was on behalf of the countless mages of Northend, to thank you for everything you’ve done today. It will help them avoid countless detours in the magical world. The next bow is for myself—to thank you for fulfilling a decades-old wish…
With that, Star Sage Joey bowed deeply again…
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