Chapter 201: The Herald of Magical Runology
"This..." The arrogant and overbearing Hawke Green was cut off mid-sentence. His previously smooth and confident speech faltered into stammering, his eyes darting uncontrollably with guilt.
"What did you do?!"
In that instant, Martin was absolutely certain: Hawke had done something that made him believe he could use magic to control the Muggle world, to ride roughshod over it!
And Hawke must have received positive feedback from his victims to be this confident.
Martin was already fearful because of his classmates violating the Statute of Secrecy. Now, that fear swelled until it swallowed him whole. His vision went black, blurring the crowd before him; his ears roared, drowning out their words.
He felt it was over.
Hawke was right; he, Martin, was a smart man with a keen eye.
Because of this, he understood exactly what a foolish thing Hawke had done.
If controlling the Muggle world with magic was so easy, even if the truly noble and powerful wizards disdained it, wouldn't the ambitious schemers of the wizarding world have done it already?
Clearly, it was because those schemers couldn't do it!
Those schemers might be nothing compared to powerful wizards like Dumbledore, but compared to them—to these Magi-Metal Wizards—they were titans!
If even those schemers couldn't do it, what made Hawke think he could control the Muggle world with the few scraps of magic he'd learned in a few months?
Some people, when faced with a crisis, freeze up, their minds going blank.
Others, when faced with a crisis, find their brains spinning at high speed, forcing themselves to unlock potential and achieve the impossible.
Martin belonged to the latter group.
Normally, he wouldn't read too deeply into Hawke's words and demeanor, only noting that Hawke had tried to use magic on Muggles.
But now, recalling Hawke's expression—that certainty, that seriousness, that irrefutability when talking about controlling the Muggle world, as if announcing a verified truth...
A verified truth...
"You idiot! What on earth have you done?!"
Martin's voice cracked, bordering on a sob.
Beauxbatons Gardens.
Madame Maxime walked with Fleur, and Ryan strolled beside them.
He had to look up; Madame Maxime was exceptionally tall, physically towering over him. Among everyone he knew, only Hagrid's stature was comparable.
Hagrid is a half-giant, isn't he... Ryan's face showed no stray emotion. He conversed with her purely as a trustworthy friend he hadn't known for long but respected deeply.
Whatever Madame Maxime's heritage, it didn't damage her image; if anything, it elevated it.
To become the Headmistress of Beauxbatons required wisdom, ability, and political acumen. If Madame Maxime truly possessed giant blood, it only meant she was even more disciplined, more resilient, more outstanding, and more beyond the world's expectations than anyone realized.
She was a good friend, a good ally.
Perhaps because she is also of mixed heritage, she appreciates Fleur, who is part-Veela... Ryan mused, then asked, "It's been almost half a year. How is the progress of the Magi-Metal Wizards?"
"In terms of general level, their knowledge of Herbology, Potions, History of Magic, and Care of Magical Creatures is approaching that of a second-year student. However, knowledge requiring spellcasting ability is difficult for them to master.
"Their spellcasting is still limited to the spells originally inscribed in their wands. A desire has emerged among them to learn the techniques for inscribing spells themselves," Maxime said. She was also holding a Magi-Alloy wand, though what looked like an iron rod in an ordinary person's hand appeared delicate and small in hers.
"They want to learn alchemy?"
Alchemy did require magic, but not necessarily the wizard's own magic. Once mana storage devices were introduced, Magi-Metal Wizards could fully transition into alchemists.
Just like Muggle scientists conducting experiments—the massive energy required or produced didn't come from the scientists' bodies but from external power sources.
So Ryan asked Maxime to confirm if they truly wanted to learn alchemy. He very much hoped more people would learn it and fill the positions that required it...
The industrialization of magic is imperative!
We can't do it without skilled technicians!
Powerful master alchemists wouldn't be tied down to small, repetitive tasks. That was where Magi-Metal Wizards transitioning into alchemists could shine and contribute to the magical world.
"It would be a lie to say they have no interest in alchemy. But their greater interest lies in the method of inscribing spells. They want to learn that specific part, hoping to modify their own wands."
Maxime's words made several terms pop into Ryan's head.
Like: Magical Runology.
Like: Wand (Gun) Modification.
Ryan had to sigh. The original wizarding world seemed monotonous, rigid, and stagnant purely because the population was too small and homogeneous.
Now, with the introduction of fresh blood, entirely new fields of research were being opened up, and new ideas were being born.
Calling it a "new field" wasn't quite accurate; it was more of a specialized sub-field. Magical Runology was a branch split off from Alchemy, part of the greater discipline.
Subdividing major research fields like this lowered the barrier to entry, allowing for the mass training of specialized personnel. It also allowed mid-level talents in different sub-fields to gather, complement each other, and form indispensable research teams within the larger field.
What he saw and heard expanded his thoughts endlessly. He excused himself to Maxime, copied his current memories and ideas into a vial for later refinement, and then returned to the conversation.
"Apologies, Madame Maxime. I just had some new ideas."
"No matter. Returning to the previous topic, what do you think of the Magi-Metal Wizards' idea?"
Maxime was curious about Ryan's sudden inspiration. For him to interrupt a conversation to preserve a memory meant the idea must be sensational.
But their relationship wasn't close enough for her to peek at his memories, so she pretended not to notice and didn't ask.
She just glanced at Fleur, her thoughts unknown.
"I think it's a good thing. We have to admit that while we have categorized disciplines like Herbology, Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration, these broad categories work for young students. But for wizards truly dedicated to researching a specific area of magic, these divisions are too broad."
"Too broad? How so?" Maxime didn't understand what Ryan meant.
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