In fact, if you think about it carefully, you can understand that this is a very simple truth. Well...... To put it simply, now our Elemental Machine in Pelican Town, according to your design, a piece of magic that size can provide our town with night lighting for up to a year. By next year, the only thing we need is to buy another mana crystal. ”

"So think about it from another angle, if our town is like now, and we need a light mage to light every elemental lamp every night, and it lasts for a year, rain or shine, without any rest, how much will it cost?"

Tesla was dumbfounded, and even Napa next to him was now silent.

Arrow smiled and said, "If someone entrusts our guild to light the lamps for a year, then I am afraid that there will be no one or two thousand gold coins at all." And this price may need to rise in the second year, and it is simply impossible to buy a magic crystal. ”

"Then here, the contradiction between the elemental machine and the mage appears."

"Before the advent of the Elemental Machine, mana, it was something that was only available to a select few who were chosen by God. For most ordinary people like me, the magician is a very noble, mysterious being. Because they are noble and mysterious, and because these magicians can use some powers that are completely impossible for us ordinary people to use, we respect them and even worship them. On the economic side, we will also work hard to meet the expectations of these magicians. ”

"Just like the elemental lamps I just said, if the night in our town is too dark and we want light, then we can only pray to those magicians to give us light in addition to making more fires. The magicians will be paid by us, and they will also have a high social status. ”

"But in other words, if we had the Elemental Machine, then we wouldn't have to hire these magicians at all, and we wouldn't have to give them money. These magicians will be cut off from a portion of their income. And what they can do can be done by ordinary people like us through the use of elemental machines, then the status of magicians in our minds will gradually decrease. In the end, we will look at a magician as if we were an ordinary person, with neither respect nor contempt. ”

"So, if the elemental machines really succeed in expanding, so that every one of us ordinary people can gain the power of magicians by operating these machines, or even surpass those magicians...... This means that the end of those magicians has arrived. ”

At this, Arrow paused slightly. He gave Napa and Tesla a moment to think carefully, and only after the two of them finally turned their minds did he smile faintly and said, "Now, do you two understand why the Royal Society is so desperate to stop the development of the elemental machine?" ”

After listening to the whole process, Napa's ears involuntarily drooped. The cat shook its head helplessly and said, "Money, benefits, power, social status...... You humans really can't deviate from these things no matter what you do. Even magicians are not exempt from vulgarity. ”

Arrow laughed and said, "What do you mean by being vulgar? It seems to me that this is just too normal. If you have a lot of power but you can't bring a lot of benefits to yourself, then that power is wasted. During the war years, the income of magicians doubled. In peacetime, the income of a magician will definitely not be low. This is all very normal. ”

Napa snorted, looked away at Arrow, and continued, "Well, even if you're right, they're too anxious, aren't they?" The elemental machine doesn't seem to be stable, saying that this kind of thing can compete with the now-mature magic system? It's a bit too exaggerated. ”

Arrow pinched his chin and thought for a moment, and said, "No, I think there aren't many smart people in the Royal Society. As soon as the development of something threatens its position, then it is immediately nipped in the bud. ”

Napa shook her head, "I still can't believe it. If, as you say, the development of elemental machines is likely to replace the mage, then this will be an epoch-making reform! It will also make the country's national strength increase rapidly! After all, this means that a mature elemental machine can turn every ordinary person into a magician. Why do you think the leader would refuse such a thing that is good for the country? ”

Arrow laughed at this, waving his hand as if he had heard something very funny. After a long time, the president finally stopped laughing, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said, "Napa, you really underestimate us humans. How can vested interests sacrifice a small part of their own interests for the sake of the big picture? ”

"In this world, those who already have power, status, wealth are most afraid not of the stagnation of social progress, but of great social changes. Because this change is very likely to wipe out the advantage they have now held in an instant! ”

"Therefore, once encountering this phenomenon that may lead to change, even if it is really something that is of great benefit to the country, the people, and society, the vested interests will do their best to use all the resources in their hands to suppress it."

"As long as you can ensure that these benefits in your hands will not be divided, even if it is a small benefit, as small as the power to let yourself eat more meat and drink more water than others every month, then it doesn't matter if everyone can only use stones and sticks and wear animal skin clothes to hunt monsters in the jungle as in ancient times. So, if I'm not mistaken...... The last explosion of the Elemental Machine and the injury was the result of the suppression. ”

Hearing the current Tesla, he suddenly became agitated: "President Arrow! You mean, our guild's elemental machine explosion was deliberately created by those people from the Wizards' Guild? They didn't even hesitate to kill a person for this?! ”

Arrow hurriedly shook his head and said, "No, no, no, you understand a little more than I said. I don't know exactly what happened to the explosion of the elemental machine, but one thing I am sure of is that after a few months of this explosion, there is still no intention of cooling down, but it is spreading more and more widely in the scope of public opinion, and the description of the elemental machine is becoming more and more terrifying. Undoubtedly, this is what the Royal Society would like to see most of all. So, there is no doubt that the publicity that is bad for your guild comes from the Royal Society, and there should be no problem with that. ”

Tesla, who seemed to be a little ready to fight back just now, heard this, and immediately sat back in his chair like a deflated ball again.

After the installer sat back down, Napa suddenly asked, "So what?" Why are you so bold? ”

Arrow was slightly stunned: "Bold? What audacity? ”

Napa ignored this guy's pretending to be stupid, and continued to hum: "Since you know that this matter is strongly opposed by the upper class, and it is also very likely to lead to the transformation of the society of the Blue Bay Empire. What's more, it has been clearly classified as a thorn in the side, and has been banned by the Royal Society of Magicians through the enactment of laws. In this case, you would even support this guy to continue to develop the Elemental Machine? This really doesn't look like your style. ”

All the while, Iero said these words with a smile on his face. Although the topics discussed just now were realistic, he acted as if he had nothing to do with himself at all, and was just talking about some interesting gossip news.

But now, Arrow, who was directly pierced by Napa, gradually solidified the smile on his face.

He no longer faced this demonic beast, but with a slightly stubborn smile, he silently looked at the ledger in his hand, as if he was thinking about his own thoughts.

After thinking for a long time, he finally exhaled slowly and turned to Tesla next to him: "So, do you have the confidence to make a better elemental lamp?" ”

Tesla was slightly stunned, as if he couldn't quite understand what the chairman meant, and said with some hesitation: "Production...... I'll work on that. But? Is this really okay, President Arrow? I used to think that it was our guild's elemental machine that killed a nobleman that we were at this point, but now it sounds like this problem is much more serious than the death of a nobleman! Do you really ...... Do you want to continue to support us? ”

Arrow took a long breath, as if he had made a very stubborn decision, and said slowly, "As long as you can persevere, then I will support your guild within the scope of my ability." Now the only question is, can you, can you do it? If you can, then show me, and I'll help you with the rest. If not, then all the support I just mentioned will be nullified. ”

Facing Arrow's serious eyes now, he also looked at the meaningful smile on the corner of the president's mouth now. After a long time, Tesla couldn't help but clench his fists lightly and nodded: "I...... I see. I was able to do it. ”

"Good."

Arrow reached out and patted the guy on the shoulder—

"Now, go to bed, and when you wake up tomorrow, you'll be ready to work on my research. I need to see your findings in those last three days. Also, you'd better help me fix the instability of the elemental machine at the same time! Go ahead! ”