After a night of heated debate and deliberation, the members of the Council of Ten finally reached a consensus.
They decided to formally petition Emperor Antonio, requesting that the Arcane Society take the lead in the imitation and research of Aldor firearms.
The given reason was high-sounding: "The principle of firearms is in line with ancient alchemy, and only the Spellcaster can handle the risks involved." This could both silence the military and the powerful and keep the technology firmly in their own hands.
At the same time, Sebastian's concept of "socialization of magic" was also incorporated into the core strategy. The group not only recognized this direction, but also further systematized it, proposing a new theory about the evolution of human civilization, namely a three-stage model of magic's intervention in human society.
Dorti concluded as follows:
"We divide human society into three stages based on the degree of magic penetration."
"In the first phase, the low-magic society, magic existed only in the hands of a very few secret inheritors and was almost irrelevant to the lives of the masses. Mortals relied on human, animal, and simple machinery to maintain production, and while they either feared or worshipped the Spellcaster, they were generally isolated from it. This was the norm for the past thousand years, and it was also the era in which we were forced to lie dormant."
"In the second phase, the Middle Magic society—magic is no longer regarded as a fantasy or taboo, but as a legally recognized force openly acknowledged by mainstream society. There are official spellcaster organizations or legitimate guilds, nobles and wealthy merchants employ magic advisors, and the military has officially incorporated magic units. Ordinary people know that magic truly exists and can even buy simple magical artifacts in the market. However, magic is still not truly 'widespread'. It is expensive, scarce, and highly dependent on individual talent. The vast majority of people will never experience the actual process of casting spells in their lifetime. Workshops still rely on water and animal power, farmland depends on the weather, and caravans rely on horse-drawn carriages and sailing ships. Magic only works at special times, and these are all luxuries or emergency measures, not daily necessities."
"In the third stage, the high-magic society—magic becomes as essential as air, as written language, as law, serving as the infrastructure of civilization. Children are introduced to basic runic logic in schools, craftsmen work according to magical blueprints, and cities are powered by a unified magical network. Awakened talents are still a minority, but the entire society's mindset, organizational methods, and technological pathways are all built upon magical cognition. At that time, a society without magic will be instantly paralyzed."
Dorti's gaze swept over everyone as he said, "If we follow the above definition, Gabella is in the process of transitioning from a low-magic society to a mid-magic society. Our task is to promote this process and pave the way for the future high-magic era."
Although Enoch still frowned, he no longer objected. Even the most conservative Helga admitted, "If this can truly be achieved, mages will no longer be dispensable tools, but rather an integral part of civilization itself."
The monks also reached a consensus: mortal technology should not be suppressed, but rather "guided".
"Blocking it will only provoke a backlash," Dorti concluded. "It's like managing water – building dams to block floods will eventually lead to their collapse; it's better to divert the river and let it flow in our direction."
So they devised a strategy: openly, the Arcane Society would demonstrate an openness to mortal skills; mortal artisans could improve their tools, and mortal scholars could study the principles of nature. They needed to project an image of openness and generosity, making the Spellcaster appear not as a conservative monopolist, but as a leader of civilizational progress.
But behind the scenes, all breakthroughs and applications of key technologies must be controlled by the Arcane Society. In short, mortals can innovate, but not subvert; they can develop, but not surpass. The level of technology can rise, but the dam must be built by the mages.
Sebastian said calmly, "Let them feel that they are making progress. As long as the source is in our hands, no matter how high the waves are, they can't overflow this river."
Everyone nodded in agreement, finding this far more intelligent than simply prohibiting it; it earned them the reputation of being enlightened while preserving their power.
Mariana listened, a chill running through her, but she did not object.
Why would she object?
Two societies, two paths—let the future judge which is right.
The next morning, Dorti entered the palace.
Antonio was reading battle reports from the front when he heard that Dorti had arrived. He smiled and said, " Dorti, you've come at the right time. What are your thoughts on the Aldor firearms that MacDonald mentioned?"
Dorti bowed slightly, his tone calm: "Your Majesty, I have come here today regarding the Aldor firearms. The Arcane Society wishes to undertake the task of replicating and researching them. We have already conducted a preliminary examination of the captured firearms, and we hope Your Majesty will approve and allocate the necessary resources."
Upon hearing this, Antonio stood up, walked over, and patted Dorti on the shoulder forcefully: "Good! You guys truly deserve to be called the people who can share my burdens. In the end, it is you fellow Spellcasters who can be relied upon."
His tone was full of approval: "Some stubborn old guys are still arguing that Aldor firearms are just toys and that fighting still requires lances and swords. I think Fire Dragon Legion is enough to slap them in the face!"
"You guys saw it first. As expected of the Arcane Society, you have vision and a sense of responsibility."
Dorti bowed his head and replied, "For the prosperity of the Gabella Empire, the Arcane Society will do everything in its power."
He didn't mention Arcane Society's true intentions, such as controlling the progress of Technology, adulterating formulas, and turning firearms into appendages of magic.
He knew that these words might anger Antonio, after all, he was now the ruler of a country, not just the leader of the Arcane Society.
Taking advantage of the emperor's good mood, Dorti put forward a second proposal.
"Your Majesty," he said earnestly, "in this war against the Papacy, the Fire Dragon Legion has shone brightly, and the Arcane Society has finally been able to stand openly in the spotlight. This is Your Majesty's victory, and even more so, the victory of the Empire."
Antonio nodded, looking satisfied: "Not bad. Those old nobles used to think that mages were sinister and untrustworthy, but now that they've seen the true power on the battlefield, they've all shut their mouths."
"But…" Dorti sighed slightly, "Keeping quiet doesn't mean being convinced. Many ancient families still harbor resentment in private, feeling that Spellcaster has stolen their thunder and shaken their foundations."
"Therefore, I suggest that the state should take the lead in building a royal magic academy, which would select young children with magical talent from the major noble families. The tuition would be covered by the national treasury, and the teachers would be dispatched by the Arcane Society. The curriculum would teach both arcane principles and imperial laws and military strategies."
"In this way, future mages will no longer be outcasts outside the aristocratic class, but rather imperial elites born into noble families and loyal to the royal family. When nobles see that their own children can also become spellcasters, they will naturally no longer regard magic as an external threat—but rather as a new glory for their families."