588 Special Issue (2/2)
Lucien intentionally twisted her meaning and made fun of her. ”Tonight? You seem to be avoiding something, don't you?”
”Really? Do I look like an escapist to you?”
...
On the second day, after he saw Natasha off, Lucien returned to the Atom Institution in delight. There are many experiments he needed to confirm.
”Lucien, looking good!” Lazar was holding a journal, with a 'I-totally-get-it' look on his face.
”'Arcana' has been issued in advance?” Lucien recognized the cover, but the Highest Council only asked the journal to publish the news that he had been promoted to a grand arcanist on the cover and did not ask it to publish so many days in advance.
Heidi was still upset about the additional mission yesterday. She said gloomily, ”Master, this is a special issue of 'Arcana'. The discovery of neutrons proved the new alchemy. To celebrate the paradigm-shifting theoretical system, they have published the special issue that contains the papers over the past year including the predictions in the new alchemy and part of the experiments.”
”…There are also questions about the imperfect parts of the new alchemy.” Said Annick after a brief silence.
Sprint, on the other hand, was a bit angry. ”Master said that the new alchemy was just a framework, and that there were many unresolved problems. So, why did they collect all the problems on the special issue instead of publishing them next month? I feel that they are questioning your new alchemy, master.”
”What's wrong about that? Every theory is perfected and fortified by suspicion. I would be uneasy if there isn't any suspicion. Besides, there are indeed many problems that the new alchemy haven't been resolved yet. For example, it cannot describe the atomic structures with multiple electrons, and it cannot predict the intensity and width of the spectral lines.” Lucien understood the limitations of the new alchemy perfectly and replied without being disturbed at all.
Katrina nodded. ”The problems you mentioned are all in the journal.”
Lucien took over the journal, only to discover that the silver lines on the black over were constructed into several lines of words. On the top was 'Arcana', and below it was 'This issue is published in July of 824 to celebrate the establishment of the new alchemy and to congratulate Lucien Evans on becoming a grand arcanist.”
On the next page, it was the comment that Douglas wrote. ”The new alchemy has undoubtedly achieved a glorious triumph. It has changed our age and will forever be remembered by the arcanists. I suggest an additional reward of 15,000 arcana credits and 500,000 arcana points.”
After him, it was the opinion of the two reviewers, Raventi and Prado, at the beginning. ”Now, we can give all of our compliments in our previous review to Mr. Lucien Evans.”
In the end, Drummond, the general editor of Arcana, wrote on behalf of the journal, ”Recently, the new alchemy has swept across the Congress like an unstoppable flood. Every new phenomenon and every experiment result matches its 'prophecy' perfectly.”
”it is now the highest law in the field of alchemy and elements and a key to open the gate of the Creator. Alchemy is no longer an illusion without theoretical guidance.”
”Through the new alchemy and the general theory of relativity, I have envisioned the arrival of a golden age. It is not only an age when we can really create gold but also an age when arcana and magic thrive and talents emerge.”
”500,000 arcana points… That's not bad.” Lucien said satisfactorily. Arcana credits were useless for him now, but arcana points could be traded for legendary spells and legendary rituals (one million arcana points for one legendary spell'. That was an advantage that Thale did not have.
The first half of the journal was made of the published papers, such as Jurisian's discovery and explanation on the splitting of spectral lines under strong magnetic field, and the second half included questions about the new alchemy that nobody paid attention to before, such as Fernando's question about the distribution of external electrons, Hathaway's question about the energy level and orbits, and Klaus' question that the system could only explain the single-electron structure… Almost all the leaders of elements and alchemy, after expressing their support and appreciation of the new alchemy, cautiously raised their doubts.
Looking at the myriad of questions, Lucien smiled at Sprint who was rather angry at the beginning. ”Does anger help you at all? What you should do is to come up with your own ideas to resolve the questions. I hope you begin your real study on Arcana by answering those questions. It doesn't matter if you make mistakes, but it will be terrible if you don't have the guts to join the discussion. Your minds are more active and less restrained. It's possible that you can fix the problems with ideas that never occurred to us before.”
”Understood, mater!” Hearing their teacher's encouragement, Sprint replied first, his disobedient eyes full of fighting will.
Annick, Heidi and the other students also became excited. Joining the discussion and argument of the grand arcanists, legendary sorcerers and senior-rank sorcerers about the new alchemy was exhilarating enough when they just thought about it.
...
At night, Lucien arrived at the district of nobles in Rentato. Looking at John's villa that was ablaze with lights, he took a deep breath and walked to the gate.