Chapter 197: Fate/Zero: Heroic Spirit Compendium (Part 3)
At the peak of the Mage Tower.
The Arch Mages sat in a circle, leafing through the Fate/Zero Heroic Spirit Compendium that Edward had provided them. One by one, their expressions twisted into complicated frowns.
It wasn't just the fantastical flair of the stories inside that caught their attention—the movie itself had already demonstrated a captivating power none of them could deny.
But more than that, it was the entries at the end of the Steins;Gate: Character Anthology, listing strange and wondrous Magitechs, that truly rattled them.
In those bizarre blueprints, the Arch Mages saw something that could not be ignored:
A future.
A future where Magitech Alchemy—this new hybrid of arcane logic and imaginative creation—could emerge as a powerful, revolutionary branch of magic.
No matter how they looked at it, Magitech Alchemy was bound to rise.
A field brimming with potential, too big, too promising to dismiss any longer.
So, as they sat across from Edward, and watched him offer a knowing smile as though he'd predicted all this… the Arch Mages could only sigh. There was an almost ironic resignation in the air.
For so long, they had seen Edward as a fool. A dreamer playing with meaningless illusions.
Now, that very dreamer had forged a path they themselves could not deny.
The contradiction of it all—the absurdity—was almost too much to put into words.
Administrator Hohenheim finally broke his long silence.
"Given all this… my proposal may be more necessary than ever."
Edward blinked.
"Proposal? What proposal?"
Clearly unaware of the discussions that had taken place behind the scenes, Edward looked genuinely confused.
Hohenheim shot him a sidelong glance, then said in his usual calm, weighty tone:
"I've proposed the founding of a new branch within the Imperial Mage Academy. A sub-institute dedicated to training non-mage individuals—those with intellect and potential, but lacking natural affinity for magic."
"Furthermore, I've suggested that Magitech Alchemy be added to the core curriculum of all branches. Every student, no matter their specialty, should study the fundamentals of Magitech Alchemy as part of their general education."
"...What?"
Edward actually gasped.
Even he had not expected a proposal of this magnitude.
He knew what it meant.
This wasn't just a policy change—this was a fundamental shift in the thousand-year legacy of the Empire's magical institutions.
It was a break with the dogma laid down by the Tower's founders.
If Edward had merely slapped those ancestors across the face with his innovations, then Hohenheim was now digging up their graves.
No one could've imagined it.
Hohenheim—the man known for his conservative stance, the bastion of old-school orthodoxy—was the one pushing for reform.
Perhaps sensing Edward's shock, Hohenheim continued in that same, composed tone:
"What you've achieved has proven that Magitech Alchemy is the future. You've shown us a vision no one before dared to imagine."
"I believe that future is worth pursuing. And if that means sacrificing a few ancient principles? So be it."
Edward swallowed hard.
"Do... the other Arch Mages agree with this?"
The room went silent.
None of the other Arch Mages spoke. But they didn't have to.
Their silence was as good as a vote of confidence. This was a proposal backed by the highest echelon of the Mage Tower.
It was almost surreal.
A thousand-year-old institution, unchanged for generations, now ready to reshape itself—all because of a single movie.
Edward was struck by the absurdity of it all… and the unmistakable feeling of triumph.
This—this was the future he had always dreamed of.
To influence the world through film.
To transform society through Magitech Alchemy.
And now, that transformation was actually happening.
He couldn't help but feel a surge of exhilaration rising from deep within.
Yet just as he was beginning to savor the victory, Hohenheim gave him a sobering reminder.
"But don't get too comfortable just yet."
"While the Arch Mages here support this reform, any change to the Tower's structure must be passed in a formal assembly."
"That means it still has to be brought before every member of the Mage Tower, in open debate, and passed by vote in the Grand Lecture Hall."
"Until then, nothing is final."
"Moreover, if we're going to begin accepting non-magic users into the Academy, we must define clear selection criteria,"
"How do we ensure fairness in admissions? And how do we integrate Magitech Alchemy into the general curriculum for every branch?"
"All of these must be considered. Especially the latter—if the Grand Lecture Hall passes the proposal, your Alchemy Tower will need to submit a full report immediately."
Hohenheim's words rang with finality.
Edward, however, simply smiled.
"Don't worry. I'll leave all those boring details to Ska."
"I've got a new film to start shooting."
"A new film?"
In that instant, every Arch Mage in the room perked up—like cats hearing the rustling of a treat bag.
Their eyes locked onto Edward with burning intensity, as if they might devour him with curiosity alone.
Edward immediately turned on his heel.
"Ahem—if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way!"
And with that, he vanished.
. . . . . . . . . . .
As Edward stepped out from the Mage Tower into the fresh, sunlit air, a spontaneous thought surfaced from deep within:
'The world is finally beginning to change.'
And more importantly—it was changing in the direction he had dreamed of.
. . . . . . . . . . .
At the Edward Tavern, T=the crowd had thinned.
Most patrons had already finished reading the Fate/Zero: Heroic Spirit Compendium and loudly boasted about their insights before heading home.
Emperor Hubbard, Princess Amy, and their knights had lingered, hoping to speak with Edward about what came next.
But when he never showed, they left as well—though not before the Emperor left a message with Winry and Zat:
"Pass this along to Edward when he returns."
Now, with the tavern finally quieting down, the staff found themselves able to catch their breath.
That's when a small, delicate figure slipped in through the front door.
At the sight of the towering, armor-clad Headless Horseman behind the bar, she jumped in fright—then, a few moments later, composed herself with an embarrassed laugh.
"Oh, Juno, you're back. Was the movie good?"
Juno's eyes widened. Clearly, she hadn't expected anyone to notice she'd snuck out.
And worse—someone had noticed.
"I saw you at the theater," said Viz with a teasing smile.
"That old man sitting next to you—was he your relative?"
"Ah… That was my grandpa…"
"Really? Why didn't you invite him here for a drink?"
"He only came for the afternoon. He's taking a carriage back to the countryside."
"I see."
No one in the tavern seemed especially suspicious of her.
Then again, no one ever was suspicious of Juno.
After all, she was a fluffy little Beastkin girl who couldn't lie convincingly to save her life.
To most of them, she didn't seem remotely threatening.
And even if she is hiding something… well, the people in this tavern were no pushovers.
If something went down, they could handle it.
As idle chatter filled the room, with patrons reminiscing about the day's movie, a sudden glow lit up the center of the tavern floor.
A magic circle flared.
In a shimmer of runes and light, Edward appeared.
"Yo. Everyone's here, huh?"
For a brief moment, there was silence.
Then, as if nothing had happened, the tavern returned to life.
No one even remembered they were supposed to be mad at him for all the delays.
Winry walked up to him quickly and said:
"Lord Durin, someone left a message for you. A friend of General Wilhelm."
"A friend?"
"Yeah, an old man with white hair—but he's huge. Didn't match his age at all."
Edward's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I see. I know who that is. What did he say?"
Winry repeated the message word for word:
"He said—'Some problems need to be solved. You can't keep limiting your movies to the Southern Territories.'"
Edward's eyes gleamed.
At last.
The moment he had been waiting for had come.
The dream he had long pursued—to bring cinema to every corner of the Empire, is finally about to begin.
<+>
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