Chapter 203: Submission
Translator: Kris_Liu Editor: Vermillion
"The original purpose of me doing this research was very simple. As a beginner in arcana, I was seeking a method to better remember the atomic ma.s.s of each existing element, so I started playing with cards. I wrote down the features of the elements on the cards and put them in order.
"Surprisingly, during my practice, I found a periodic cycle of repet.i.tion of these elements, and the periodic cycle also exists in Valence, discussed in the latest issue of Element. My a.s.sumption is that the cycle is created by the ma.s.s of the atom, following the order from small to large, and I wondered whether the nature of an element is decided by the ma.s.s of its atom, as well as whether we can find more hiding elements following this order. In order to verify my a.s.sumption, I did a series of experiments."
This was the introduction part of Lucien’s research. After verifying that elements in this world could also be arranged following a periodic table, Lucien was almost certain that these elements similarly also consisted of protons and electrons. However, he did not have solid evidence to prove it. Therefore, Lucien decided to stick to atomic ma.s.s so far, or people would find it very suspicious when a young sorcerer was exploring something beyond his arcana level.
Following the introduction part, Lucian explained his methodology and theoretical framework for the arrangement, taking elements’ physical and chemical properties, the nature of their compounds, as well as the nature of their alchemical products into consideration, and then he put forward a table listing sixty-five elements in order and summarized.
"In this periodic table, each vertical line of elements have similar characters."
...
"I left some table cells blank, as there is no proper elements to fill in. Here, I suggest two possible reasons: one is that the ma.s.s of some atoms are wrongly weighed, or they are new elements that have not been discovered by us yet."
...
"As for the new elements that have not been discovered, here my bold hypotheses is that they are aluminum-like element and silicon-like element, and they can be possibly found in…"
...
"Further researches need to be done for verification of my theories and a.s.sumptions."
Lucien put down his quill and read the paper several times. Then, after giving the parchment a slight blow, Lucien put it in his storage pouch.
Lucien did not expect that the mistakenly weighed elements could be identified and corrected soon by other sorcerers, as most of them were contributed by quite complicated reasons, such as those isotopes that could not be separated properly. Although Lucien had figured out these elements’ true atom ma.s.s, he did not talk about it in this paper.
When he left the lab, it was totally dark outside as they were already in winter. Pocketing his hands in the jacket, Lucien walked back to his villa slowly, thinking of the next step of his plan.
At this time, someone behind him called his name, "Mr. Evans, are you ready for next week’s teaching?"
It was Beate, who also just left the lab tower, and his tone was still not friendly.
"I’m sorry, Mr. Beate." Lucien sent him back a calm smile, "I’m not going back next Monday, and I already asked for the day off with the headmaster, as I need to renew my arcana badge on that day… You know, to put some more credits and points on it. Since Mr. Fernando cited my paper, I’ve got quite a few points now from other people citing me. Oh… sorry, I forgot that you never experienced something like this."
Beate took a deep breath as his face turned purple, and then he said sarcastically, "You’d better wish your good luck’s always gonna be there then, Evans."
He was p.i.s.sed off by Lucien’s show-off. After saying that, Beate left by the side way in the garden.
Looking at Beate from behind, Lucien slightly shook his head. Compared with the undead thing, in Lucien’s eyes, Beate was nothing important.
When Lucien came back to his place, his six students were still busy with doing their exercises. The lights in his place were all on, and in front of the apprentices, there were piles of paper.
"Mr. Evans… Ah… Good evening." The apprentices’ eyes were red and their faces blushed as they were thinking so hard.
Lucien nodded, smiling, "How’s everything going?"
"The questions are super difficult!" Heidi hurriedly answered, looking quite emotional.
The other apprentices all agreed.
"Those questions all require some skills in thinking." Lucien grinned, "Do it smart, not do it hard. All right… Let’s call it a day. Take the rest as the homework for this week and give it back to me next Sat.u.r.day."
Hearing that they were okay to leave, the apprentices were all quite happy and excited. While some showed their excitement right away, some tried to hide it.
Pretending that he did not see the students’ reaction, Lucien asked the housemaid to walk the young kids out.
When they pa.s.sed through the gate of the villa, the apprentices looked back. The villa in the darkness was like a hiding monster, waiting for its prey.
Heidi s.h.i.+vered slightly and looked at the test paper in her hand, "It’s almost too much for me… I’m feeling a bit regretful now for seeking Mr. Evans’ tutoring."
"Mr. Evans’ method works well, though." Surprisingly, it was Sprint who made this comment, "We’re not real sorcerers yet. We should work hard like this. And Mr. Evans is a great teacher."
Katrina and Annick nodded beside him.
Heidi whined, "I know… I know… But I just want to have a real weekend! Mr. Evans is such a demon. I like him, I respect him, but I also hate him."
No one opposed this comment from Heidi.
...
On Monday morning, at nine, a coach slowly stopped in front of the headquarter of the Congress of Magic.
Wearing white s.h.i.+rt, dark brown vest, and long black jacket, Lucien put on his black top hat and stepped on the stairs calmly. As soon as he got off the coach, the undead creature totally disappeared.
When Lucien walked past the gate, Prospell greeted him in a dull tone, "Welcome… You’d receive my warmest welcome if you made a female tower Djinni."
Lucien did not respond, as Prospell said the same to every single sorcerer who pa.s.sed this gate.
He went straight to zone four, to the Sorcerer Administrative Department.
Seeing Lucien, Cindy was a bit surprised. As she winked her beautiful brown eyes, she said to Lucien half joking and half complaining, "I wonder who’s this gentleman… Ah, this is Mr. Evans, who was absent for a whole month!"
As Lucien was still in Allyn, Cindy felt that, as friends, they should see each other more frequently.
"Wow… This is our famous Mr. Evans, whose paper was cited by Mr. Fernando!" Dona also welcomed Lucien in a bit joking manner, "We’re so lucky that you still remember us!"
Lucien smiled nicely and also felt a bit sorry, "I’ve been overwhelmed in this past month, mostly developing papers. Please, don’t make fun of me, ladies. By the way, is Lazar here today?"
Seeing that Lucien was still this easygoing as usual, Cindy and Dona cheered up, and they hurriedly shared with Lucien what happened in the past month in the congress.
Lazar was in Rentato now, preparing an upcoming conference of the Will of Elements in next month. The grand arcanist, Mr. Brook, who proved that light was actually a kind of electromagnetic wave, recently won his third Silver Moon Medal, jointly awarded by Brianna Royal Magic Academy, Moonsong League and Tower, which was the highest award in the school of Electromagnetics, Light-darkness and Astrology.
Besides Holm Crown prize in the school of Element and Alchemy, Immortal Throne Award in Necromancy, Silver Moon Medal in the school of Electromagnetics, Light-darkness and Astrology, there was also Sorcerer Laurel, established by Calais Magic Academy and Family of Sorcerer in traditional Transformation, Illusion and Summoning, Ice & Snow Medal set up by the far northland and the Cabin of Palmeira, and Arcana Staff founded by Tower to recognize one’s achievement in Field Force, Astrology and Mathematics.
These awards all appeared following Holm Crown prize, and the congress only played a role of supervision there.
After chatting a bit with Cindy and Dona, Lucien got to know some latest news of the congress. Then he visited Eric’s office.
There was an imperceptible smile on Eric’s face, "Evans, you must be here to renew your badge."
Lucien nodded and smiled, "Yes, please, Mr. Eric, but before that, I also have something else to do. First, I want to submit my arcana paper, and second, I’d like to take the a.s.sessment of basic arcana."
Eric was not surprised that Lucien had already come up with his second paper. In his eyes, the young man would definitely work even harder after his first paper was cited by the grand arcanist.
However, he was very surprised to know that it was an arcana paper, and Lucien was already prepared to take the test, "Really? Are you sure? As a beginner in arcana…?"
"Three months," Lucien said confidently. "I feel I’m quite talented with arcana. And after all, Mr. Brook pa.s.sed his test when he was only eleven."
"At that time, Mr. Brook had already studied arcana for two years, not three months!"
"I have solid foundation of magic theory, and I’ve got cognitive competence as an adult." Lucien smiled, "And I know how to study."
Eric’s light gray eyes stared at Lucien seriously. Seeing that Lucien was this confident, he finally nodded, "All right, then. We’ll see if you can pa.s.s the test."
Before they headed for the test room, Eric sent Lucien’s arcana paper to the board using the iron cage again in his office.
...
The same s.p.a.cious room, the same bells ringing.
"Necromancy… To Mr. Pesor and Ms. Tina-Timos…
"Element… To Mr. Gaston and Mr. Overee.
...
Then, in a room where there were lots of bottles of purified elements, an Earth Elemental picked up Lucien’s paper and quickly scanned it, "The Periodic Relation between the Nature of Elements and Prediction of New Elements… Hum… again, periodic relation…" murmured it. "No arcana level… Let me not bother Mr. Gaston then… Probably Mr. Larry’s available right now."
...
When Larry got the several papers for that day, after a quick glance at the papers, the man with rough yellow beard did not read them immediately but put them aside casually.
"Mathew, pick them up in three days."
The brown owl named Mathew nodded and then flew away.