Translator: Kris_Liu Editor: Vermillion
“Good afternoon, Miss Rachel.” Lucien smiled and greeted. Although he knew that the black-haired and blue-eyed lady was very likely to be Ms. Isabella, Lucien still asked politely, “And may I know who’s this?”
Lucien first met Rachel over the pollution control meeting held by Affairs Committee. Rachel’s brown eyes were still the same, gentle and kind, “It’s really nice to see you, Mr. Evans. This is my teacher, Ms. Isabella.”
“Good afternoon, Ms. Isabella.” Lucien first greeted, “Congratulations for winning the Laurel. And also, congratulations on the upgrading.”
Lucien saw the arcana badge Isabella was wearing had seven silver stars on it, and Rachel’s badge also had five stars.
Isabella, wearing the long, black dress, smiled, “I was about to visit you, Evans. Without your paper on brainwave, probably Rachel and I would have missed the Laurel. Your paper was a very important support to our theory.”
Whether what Isabella said was polite or sincere, hearing Isabella’s words, Lucien was quite cheerful, “My article was just a complement. Your research deserved the Laurel. My project application has been approved by the committee, so I’m here today to check the lab out.”
“A new project?” The smile on Isabella’s face was very elegant and polite, “I also have a new project studying how electromagnetic waves and electric currents can stimulate the different parts of the human brain, and I’m here for the same reason, too. I was about to invite you to join us, but now it seems that it’s not very likely to happen.”
Lucien knew that Isabella was capable of working on this project by herself. She was being polite to Lucien because he was a promising young arcanist, and his teacher was the Lord of Storm.
As the project had been approved, Lucien said honestly, “My project… Atom Institution specializes in studying the properties of atoms, and why the periodic law exists among the elements.”
“Atom Institution…” Isabella silently repeated the two words, feeling quite confused.
Rachel blinked. Although she could not speak it out, Rachel wondered in her mind how such an ambiguous and vague project managed to pass the review.
Lucien explained confidently, “This is a new attempt. No one knows what will happen when arcana steps into the new field. In this brand new field, no one knows for sure which direction we should take. The committee has decided to give me a relatively long period of time and some funds so I will not be afraid of encountering the failures when I’m working on it.”
“A relatively long period of time… Some funds…” Isabella felt something unusual with the project.
Lucien grinned, “I have three years to show the committee the value of the project.”
“Three years?!” Rachel was very surprised, as Ms. Isabella’s current research was only a one-year program. Also, while the fund they would get was closely related to the outcome of their project, it seemed that Lucien’s project was rather limitless and Lucien would be able to do whatever he wanted in the following three years!
Even Isabella, a profound senior-rank mage, slightly frowned, “Then how Affairs Committee makes sure that the money and time won’t be wasted?”
She did not say it directly that it totally did not make any sense that the committee had approved such an application.
“The form of institution is only for the arcanists who have made the special contribution to a certain field, and his or her research capability is required to be reviewed as well. What is more important is that the arcanist has to have the endorsement from an authoritative arcanist in the corresponding field,” said Lucien very confidently. When he was saying so, he did not feel shy or embarrassed at all, “If the project fails, the cost will be the tuition we pay for exploring the new field. After all, we’re just crossing the river by feeling for the stones.”
Considering who was behind Lucien, both Isabella and Rachel thought to themselves that Lucien was not only good at studying arcana but also at getting funds from the Congress.
Comparing Lucien’s research project to what she had, Isabella’s smile on her face was now only for the sake of being polite. So she smoothly changed the topic, “It’s definitely a good attempt. Speaking of the attempt, I have read your paper in Drummond’s place about how you solved the problem that bothered the several grand arcanists. Honestly speaking, it did not come to me either that pure math would be the best way to combine the two formulas together. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Ms. Isabella. However, I’m still being bothered by the meaning of the formula,” said Lucien. This was Lucien’s white lie.
The conversation did not last long. Soon, Lucien and Isabella bid their goodbye to each other and headed in opposite directions.
“Is she Ms. Isabella? I really wish that I could be like her one day…” said Katrina full of admiration. Recently, when she was working in Sorcerer Administrative Department, the name, Isabella, was always being mentioned by the sorcerers and lingering beside her ears. Isabella was like her role model as a female sorcerer.
“Then work hard.” Lucien smiled, “No pain, no gain.”
…
In the early morning on July 30th.
“… Happy birthday, Natasha.”
Putting down the quill, Lucien glued up the letter to Natasha. As usual, the letter was about the things that happened to Lucien in his daily life, but what was special this time was the piano piece that Lucien recomposed based on the birthday song.
Lucien put the letter in his pocket and then went to the dining hall to enjoy his breakfast.
Sprint, Katrina, Annick, Chely, and Heidi, as well as Lazar, had been waiting for Lucien in the dining hall. Except for Chely who was still studying in the magic school, the rest of them had left their jobs for the research project.
“Lucien! The latest issue of Arcana was launched earlier than usual again!”
When Lucien was about to sit down, a young man with messy hair rushed in. In his hand was the black-covered journal, Arcana.
“Lucien! The five grand arcanists have developed their essays based on the formula put forward by you! Your paper is the leading piece for this month’s issue. It’s amazing!”
The messy-haired young man was Rock, the teacher in Douglas Magic School, and also Lucien and Lazar’s friend.
After the application of setting up Atom Institution had been approved, Lucien wrote to his friends one by one hoping that they could be his assistant. Because Lucien was not expecting to hire too many people, he only sent out the next invitation after the previous one was rejected. Among his friends, Rock and Jerome accepted the offer immediately, as the following three years would be the key stage for them to strive for becoming a middle-rank.
Lazar was quite happy for being able to work with his friends. However, he also told Lucien that he would like to work with some beautiful females.
As for the arcanist around level five, Lucien was still looking for the right person. It was not easy because most arcanists of this level in the field of Element were already working for their own teachers, working on their own projects, or adventuring outside of Allyn. K, Larry, Timothy, and Ulysses had all politely rejected Lucien’s offer. However, Lucien was not in a hurry. Fortunately, the compulsory mission for Lucien from the Congress would not arrive until next year. So, he could first take care of this project on his own.
Rock’s exaggerated manner of speaking triggered off Lazar and the apprentices’ curiosity. They hurriedly asked, “What’s the paper about?”
How came that all the papers from the grand arcanists were about Lucien’s essay?!
“It’s about black-body radiation! Lucien has figured out the formula that once baffled the two grand arcanists!” said Rock very excitedly. He never expected this two years before, when he first met Lucien.
“Really?!” The apprentices surrounded Rock like a flock of chirping little birds. Trying to find the familiar name on the journal.
Lazar could not get a step closer to Rock because of the excited apprentices. He turned around and said to Lucien, “Why don’t you tell me directly what this essay is about?”
In the apprentices’ admiring look, Lucien explained to Rock and Lazar briefly about the formula.
When listening to Lucien, Rock and Lazar frowned, “Why couldn’t the formula be explained? What is behind your formula?”
They had quickly taken a glance at the papers from the five grand arcanists. Although they knew that they were very unlikely to be able to solve the problem, they still had the hope that somehow an inspirational flash could come to them.
However, the miracle did not happen. Maybe just like the several grand arcanists said, they had to overthrow the foundation of the current arcana system to find the real answer.
“If I knew, it would be on the paper already.” Lucien lied again purposefully.
When Lucien finished his breakfast and was about to leave, Lazar asked Lucien curiously, “You’ve been working with Mr. Fernando for this long, have you got any new research topics? Relax, I won’t steal the ideas from you. I’m just being curious.”
“I do have a new perspective…” Lucien said casually, but slightly sighed in his mind, “Molecular movement theory in thermodynamic system…”
…
In the headquarter office of Arcana, after listening to the report about the launching of this month’s Arcana, Drummond got lost in his thoughts. He had never seen something like this, where all the seven grand arcanists were focusing on the same topic.
Somehow, he felt a bit anxious. He wondered what was behind the formula.
