"Ahem, alright, that's the end of my presentation. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."
As Edward's voice faded, the entire hall fell silent. Everyone present was clearly contemplating the concepts he had just proposed.
Although Edward's speech was rather vague, delivered with a 'That's all I have to say, fill in the gaps yourselves' attitude, the mages present—who were among the top scholars of this world—quickly grasped his vision and became deeply engrossed in the future he had described.
In fact, everyone familiar with the history of Alchemy, especially those who had attended history lectures at the Imperial Mage Academy, knew something about it. Yet Edward was the first to pinpoint the reasons for its failure so profoundly.
Almost all the mages who had even a cursory understanding of Alchemy realized the significance of Edward's words. At the same time, they became aware that, if what Edward said was true, magic—the once unique domain of mages—might lose its exalted status.
But would magic losing its privileged status truly be a bad thing? If there came a day when everyone in the world could enjoy the benefits of magic, if there came a day when magical research was no longer the exclusive pursuit of mages, how rapidly would Magitech advance?
Though Edward's presentation was merely a depiction of an imagined future, precisely because it was a glimpse of a possible—and even tangible—future, every mage present understood the immense value of Alchemy and became deeply fascinated by it. Of course, it wasn't because of Edward's final remark about how they could comfortably stay at home all day without worry.
Hearing the discussions among the mages, Edward considered revealing his plan to test the television technology within the Mage Tower first but decided against it.
Yes, after hearing from Ska that the Beastkin Kingdom possibly possessed some magical mineral resource—Magic Stone—that could substitute for human mage labor, Edward had already placed the television project on the agenda. However, given that the primary researcher for the project was Ska, who was on the verge of overwork, Edward refrained from stealing the spotlight and decided to wait until Ska had privately discussed the matter with the administrator before making it public.
As for why Edward himself wasn't participating in the research? Well, researching Magitech was nowhere near as interesting as filmmaking. He was busy planning what the first program for the television's debut should be. With so much to think about, he didn't have the time or inclination to get involved in invention and research. This was precisely why Ska was so full of resentment—Edward's reasoning was flimsy. The technology for television wasn't even ready, yet he was already thinking about what to broadcast on it. It was like worrying about how to justify yourself after farting in public before even deciding whether to fart.
In short, though Edward didn't explain the specific knowledge of Magitech due to time constraints, he did use the remaining time to describe some of his ideas—for instance, a magical camera to record images, a magical recorder to capture sound, and a magical drawing board that could directly sketch pictures onto enchanted pages. While these inventions seemed simpler than the era-defining magical video recorder, they were still essential foundational technologies.
To make his vision more convincing, Edward even explained things like smartphones, computers, game consoles, and the internet in terms the mages could understand. After all, he didn't need to be responsible for mere bragging—no one could guarantee that such things would ever be invented. In fact, if someone did manage to create them, that would be even better, as Edward had long grown tired of this dull world.
Moreover, basic applications weren't the key; practical applications were. Even if these things were created, without someone like Edward—who had transcended eras—it was unlikely anyone would grasp their full potential.
Hearing Edward's description, the mages were stunned. While they debated the feasibility of his vision, they were also utterly captivated by the prospect of a world beyond their wildest imaginations.
Though Edward had merely depicted a future world as a fantasy, because he had personally experienced such an era, even his casual words carried a peculiar sense of authenticity and persuasiveness, drawing the logical and rational mages into this dreamlike vision.
It wasn't until Edward, seeing that time was up, stepped off the stage and handed the floor over to Ska that the crowd gradually returned to their senses. Though they wished to continue hearing Edward's transcendent perspective, they could only listen to Ska's lecture on the basics of Alchemy due to time constraints.
In truth, aside from a few genuine scholars, most mages found it difficult to expand their knowledge into new fields. As a result, even some renowned senior mages couldn't grasp Ska's foundational concepts and felt as though they were back in their youth, nearly dozing off in class.
In contrast, the first-year students, who were still in the early stages of learning about magic, eagerly absorbed Ska's knowledge, taking notes with an almost obsessive diligence. This was the advantage of youth—with less rigid knowledge, they had greater potential for growth.
Under these circumstances, many mages began to leave as the lecture grew more tedious. After all, they had come specifically for Edward. Since he was no longer speaking, they saw no reason to stay.
Watching the departing crowd from the back row, administrator Hohenheim observed coldly, silently noting those who remained until the end.
This wasn't an intentional selection process but rather the instinct of a leader. After Edward's lecture, he had come to understand the true significance of Alchemy, Magitech, and the potential miracle it represented. Perhaps those who left simply thought it was the rambling of a young man, but only those who grasped its feasibility understood the immense possibilities hidden within that 'future' fantasy.
"Ah, this is bad… I must be getting old. Sitting through a lecture almost put me to sleep..."
Hohenheim's murmurs were overheard by Picole and Dillon, who were seated beside him. Though they heard him clearly, they dared not voice any complaints, instead pretending not to notice and diligently recording Ska's key points.
<+>
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