'If you apply a variable-state mana filter to the primary array, you're just wasting energy on heat conversion. It's a broken design. You have to stabilise the input before it hits the matrix, not try to clean it up after.'
I kept my mouth shut, of course, and sipped my overly sweet, synthesised-berry smoothie. It was a rule I'd made for myself: never, ever give unsolicited engineering advice to magic-users. Especially when they're your friends. It just makes things awkward.
"But why is it flawed?" Corinne Vane pressed, her brow furrowed. She tapped her data slate, bringing up a shimmering rune sequence. "Professor Valerius said the variable-state filter is the most efficient way to handle chaotic mana influx at Yellow rank. It's theoretically sound."
