Chapter 232: Why
Translator: _Leo_ Editor: Vermillion
Raventi stood behind the lab equipment, being stared at by many arcanists. He wasted no time and went straight to the point, “In the tales told by the intelligent beings like the elves, the dragons, and the human beings, the start of the world is similar: lightnings, thunders, volcano eruptions, and floods. We all hate the Church but there are similar descriptions in their Holy Bible. Some arcanists from the Will of Elements were enlightened by the argument about the possibility of artificially synthesized living substances, and they wondered if we could simulate such environment. Why don’t we try and see if anything will happen within that environment?”
Although Raventi was speaking slowly in a deep tone, the people in the room all knew that he was excited.
Felipe nodded slightly and it seemed he was thinking about something. “High-temperature and lightning… Will methane and carbamide appear naturally under such environment? Applying the artificial synthetization method that was validated under strict experimental environment to the natural environment? It’ll definitely overthrow the Life Force Theory further and the Church will be hit harder. However, who came up with this? Was it Professor or just the important members of Will of Elements? Also, according to what Mr. Raventi just said, it seems the experiment already succeeded.”
While he thought about it, he turned to Lucien. Felipe noticed that Lucien was listening to the speech with a serious expression on his face, so it seemedthe man was not familiar with the content of the experiment. “It’s probably someone else. If Lucien had such a decisive result, he’d submit it before I knew it.”
Other arcanists all had similar thoughts as it was their main point through the discussion. Also, Raventi actually mentioned where the experiment came from, so they started discussing and whispering.
“Why will there be life ingredients?”
“Well, I think it’s the methane. It can be found wherever there is a volcano eruption. However, it’s said that the methane is produced by the rotten plants underground and they appeared due to the volcano activity.”
“So, it’s not about the plants or other living beings anymore, it’s now produced by the natural and original environment?”
The arcanists could not stop discussing. Walter and Nicolay were waiting for orders just like other servants outside the door. They tried their best to calm down so the senior-rank arcanists would not notice their anger.
“Those evil sorcerers that defile God want to walk even further in the God’s field! It’s all Felipe’s fault! This blasphemer! We must purify him!”
The two hid their divine aura and power using some special divine items, they looked just like normal human beings. They sneaked into the mansion half a day earlier with the help of the old sorcerer Vern and they were waiting in the chilling wind of the Spring by the door with the other servants.
They could only take the hot water and towels into the room when the apprentices ordered them to.
They heard the experiment introduction from Raventi before they could find the chance. They almost lost control and sacrificed themselves for God.
“Quiet, please, everyone!” Raventi’s loud voice stopped the arcanists from whispering.
Raventi glanced around and continued, “Based on the analysis done with the gas around the volcano eruption and the analysis of elements in the life ingredients, we’ll send the pure water, hydrogen, methane, and ammonia into the experiment device.”
“The methane can be artificially synthesized by burning the carbon and combining the obtained gas with hydrogen, also, a catalyzer will be needed… The ratio of the gases was selected by comparing the results from multiple controlled experiments.”
Tina-Timos, Felipe, and the other arcanists watched Raventi starting the alchemy circle, preparing to artificially synthesize the ammonia and methane, but they had no idea what substance Raventi was trying to create.
The experiment on artificially synthesized methane alone could be used as an evidence to overthrow the Life Force Theory, but Raventi’s acted like he was just preparing some normal substance in a magic lab.
The place was silent and the arcanists were confused. Raventi calmly synthesized the gas step by step.
“Methane can now be prepared with nonliving substances, it’s no longer the production of rotten bodies and gems…” Many necromancers sighed in their minds after seeing Raventi calmly combine the prepared gas with the hydrogen using a certain ratio and send them into the glass bottle on the top left corner of the experiment device. It had been only one week and their old ideas were simply overthrown.
Raventi used his own magic circle to make sure that there was no other gas in the container before sending the product in, he also asked Pesor and Felipe to double check that the procedure was correct, so the result of the experiment was trustworthy.
Raventi’s serious attitude made the arcanists even more curious about the result. He then injected the pure water he obtained from burning the hydrogen with oxygen to the glass bottle on the bottom left corner.
“Alright, the experimental environment and the materials are prepared, you can find everything in the natural environment. Let’s start the formal experiment now.”
“This is a simulation of lightning.” Raventi activated the magic circle and electric pulses appeared in the bottle on the top left corner. “This is a simulation of the high temperature from the volcano eruption and the flood,” Raventi explained as he activated the alchemy circle around the glass bottle in the bottom right corner.
He then opened the tap on the pipe and connected the whole experiment device. The pure water in the glass bottle on the bottom right corner evaporated and entered the glass bottle in the top left corner, contacting the mixed gases. Also, after the product was affected by the constant lightning for a while, the naturally condensed water returned to the glass bottle that was full of pure water by going through the pipe and the other experiment equipment on the bottom.
Raventi stepped away from the platform and activated the defensive magic circle around after he saw that the loop was stabilized. “This will take about one week and I’ll activate the magic circle now. Also, arcanists, please set up your unique magic imprints around the circle so no one can interrupt the experiment during this period.
“One week? What are you going to do with it?” The arcanists simply did not understand the purpose of the experiment.
“Why does it take so long? Don’t tell me a child will be born at the end.” Timothy was joking, he looked urbane with the gold-wired glasses.
Necromancers knew that it was a joke and they were not concerned. Refining the human body parts was extremely complicated, the soul was a problem, and it would be hard for the complicated life ingredients to be created. The experiment looked simple and they could not believe that the product would be high quality.
Raventi slightly raised his head, and there was a serious expression on his face. “Yes, it’ll take about one week and we can use the time to discuss if the alchemical ingredients can help plants grow. There are enough rooms for you in the four upper levels of this main building. Also, you can use the other buildings behind this one if you need to. Futhermore, please make sure that this experiment is running individually and objectively.”
Pesor, Rogerio, and several other confused necromancers messaged the Lord of the Undead, then agreed to Raventi’s request. They also wanted to know what the primitive environment simulation experiment could prove.
Arcelion and Iristine were sitting beside Lucien. They were interested in nature and the primitive environment, however, they barely knew anything about the magic experiment, and they had no idea what the primitive environment simulation experiment was about. Their curiosity forced them to put down the hatred and they looked at Lucien. “Mr. Evans, we know that the senior-rank arcanists of Will of Elements designed the experiment, but what are they trying to prove?”
“According to Mr. Raventi’s words, the experiment is trying to prove that simple life ingredients will appear in the natural environment and the Life Force Theory will be overthrown further.”
Out of habit, Iristine was rubbing her pink lips with the right index finger as she thought. The druid agreed that there was a huge difference between a living organism and a nonliving one, however, the arguments from the sorcerers had slowly changed her opinion in the last several days. “Under the natural environment, huh? It sounds good.”
“The primitive nature? Without the help of God?” Arcelion was a bit confused. He was thinking in a druid’s way.
Nicolay and Walter were waiting outside the door nervously, and they had two plans in mind. The first plan was to strike Felipe in surprise when they were allowed to enter the room and they were able to walk by him. If the old sorcerer Vern could not help them get the chance, they would have to use the second plan, which was waiting for the sorcerers to finish the discussion and ambush Felipe when he left the room.
They did not expect the conference to last for a whole week. The longer they stayed there, the easier they would be detected by the others.
They still had hope, as if Felipe was provided with a room in another building, he would still have to leave the hall and they would have the chance to attack him after that.
Vern was sitting in the front of the hall. He rubbed his white beard with a serious expression on his face. If the chance did not come by itself, he would have to create one, but it seemed there was nothing he could for the day.
Raventi waited for the arcanists to finish the discussion and said, “Our research cooperation with the druids went well this time. The three alchemical ingredients submitted by Lucien Evans were all validated. Those ingredients can help the plants grow and it’s an important discovery for all the countries that are controlled by human beings.”
“The experiment has entered an observation period without the effect from the druids’ divine spells and it’ll take four to five months for it to be completed, so we’ll start discussing the other possible alchemical ingredients that might help the plants grow first. Also, we need to find the simplified reactions to those ingredients so we can mass produce them. Now, let’s ask Evans to share how he got the results with us.”
Everyone was clapping, most of the arcanists knew that if Lucien did not artificially synthesize the carbamide, Felipe would never try to overthrow the Life Force Theory. Although the decisive result was lacking, it was still a respectable move.
Some of the necromances glared at Lucien with hatred in their eyes as the man walked to the platform. They were having trouble meditating due to the interruption of their meditation worlds, but none of them had the intention to kill Lucien. It was Felipe who overthrew the Life Force Theory, so they would go after him first before going after anyone else.
Lucien cleared his throat and started explaining the procedure of the experiment in a gentle tone. Most of the controlled experiments were validated by elves like Iristine and sorcerers like Theodore. There was no problem with the experiment design, and although some of the data was changed by them, Lucien changed it back after reasoning it out.
Everyone clapped again as Lucien finished the speech and they thought he would return to his seat. However, Lucien used a hand gesture to ask the arcanists to quiet down.
Lucien’s expression turned serious as the arcanists stared at him, looking confused.
“I think you have already noticed one thing through the experiments you did and the paper I submitted. The elements that can help the plants grow are all inside the alchemical ingredients that are soluble in water, that’s how they absorbed by the plants.”
“That’s obvious, isn’t it? Plants need water and sunlight to grow, so only the substances that are soluble in water can be absorbed. I think most of the arcanists will notice this point after failing the experiments several times. Mr. Evans, you’ve just discovered it slightly ahead of us,” an arcanist spoke in a disappointed tone. He was good at both soul and element magic, so he was impacted by the matter of the Life Force Theory.
A mysterious smile appeared on Lucien’s handsome face. “I have some questions for you, if it’s that obvious. Why can the substances only be absorbed when they’re dissolved in the water? What can’t the particles that are floating in the water have the same effect? Plants do need water and sunlight, but there is no evidence proving that water is just a transportation tool. Why is an alchemical substance so different before and after being dissolved in water? For the last point, I think the arcanists here all noticed similar situations in some other experiments, but why?”
The questions made the arcanists’ heads dizzy, they recalled the experiments they did, and they realized that what Lucien just mentioned was actually there. For example, the conductivity of salt changed dramatically after it was dissolved in the water. However, such situations were so simple that people thought they were just common sense.
Lucien stepped down the platform after asking all those questions. He left the rest of the time for the arcanists to discuss.
“Evans, again? I remember you asked a series of questions after the periodic table was validated, just like president Douglas.” A sentimental smile appeared on Larry’s round face. “You’re good at finding the important problems and it’s surprising, there are so many things I can learn from you.”
Timothy pushed his gold-wired glasses and started joking before Lucien could say anything, “Evans, I think I have several decent nicknames that fit you well, such as, ‘Evans the Whybringer’ or just ‘Question Asker’, what do you think?”
“I’m not impressed. Also, my name is in the first one, so it’s not a good nickname.” Lucien shook his head and walked past them, heading to the seat in the center.
Timothy chuckled, “Evans, what is a good nickname for you then?”
“One Hundred Thousand Whys…” Lucien sat down with a blank expression on his face.
…
In the space of the demiplane, the Lord of Storm smiled.
“So many questions,” he turned around and said, glaring at the president of the Congress of Magic, Douglas.
Douglas noticed that the Lord of Storm was looking at him and thus he shifted his sight away from the experiment device. Douglas was trying to simulate the experiment in his meditation space and find the possible results, but he did not pay too much attention to the things that happened after, and he looked at Lord of Storm in confusion.
“One Hundred Thousand Whys,” Lord of Storm spoke in a low voice.
Douglas had no idea what the Lord of Storm was talking about. “What?”
…
The arcanists had another thing to discuss thanks to Lucien’s questions. There were people giving speeches at the platform from time to time, and they also completed several experiments using the other alchemy platforms. Some were giving hypothesis but they were proved wrong quickly. Time flew.
Lucien and Felipe were assigned rooms on the upper levels of the main building. Their servants were selected from the apprentices, so Nicolay and Walter had no way to sneak in. Vern almost tried to finish the job by himself but he was assigned to other buildings.
Nicolay and Walter had several chances to enter the hall but Felipe and Lucien were carefully sitting in the center of the hall, among many other arcanists. The water they drank was prepared by themselves so it was impossible to kill them by poison or surprise attack, and thus Nicolay and Walter were very disappointed about the situation. However, they were not detected by any senior-rank arcanists and they thought the divine items were extremely effective.
The week was ending but they had no chance to touch Lucien or Felipe. The old sorcerer Vern was getting nervous. The elemental sorcerer would not be able to assist Nicolay and Walter after Felipe returned to Heidler City.
