Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Douglas’s demiplane was very different from Thanatos’s The Resting Place, Fernando’s Thunder Hell, and Hathaway’s Element Paradise. When Lucien first stepped in the demiplane with Norman, a member from the Affair Committee who was here to guide Lucien, he did not even realize that they had arrived in a demiplane. Douglas’s demiplane looked just like an extension of the real material world. Everything in here functioned following the same rules. Although they all looked plain and normal, fascinating secrets were hiding behind.
Although the demiplanes all looked different because the legendary sorcerers had different understandings of the world and different preferences, they all represent unique features. Yet in Douglas’s demiplane, there were lush black forests, and mirror-like lakes, connecting to tall green mountains at the other end of the sky. The magic tower was surrounded by a green lawn that was like a fuzzy carpet. This place had no difference from the real material world.
“My teacher’s dream is to understand the world. So his demiplane resembles the real world the most.” Norman smiled and explained.
Lucien nodded slightly and looked around. “No wonder Mr. President chose to name this place Linsorde.”
In the language of the ancient Sylvanas Magic Empire, Linsorde meant the truth of the world. Therefore, Douglas’s demiplane was also called the Land of Truth, and the World in Mirror.
Entering through the magic gate guarded by two mythril golems, Norman led Lucien into a small living room. Two guests, one male and one female, were already sitting there.
The living room was decorated with scarlet carpets, scattered armchairs, tea tables, and several rows of bookshelves. The arrangement was rather casual and cozy. This place looked like Douglas’s private meeting room for seeing his friends and the juniors.
“Mr. Douglas, His Excellency the Lord of Storm, and His Excellency the Prophet are still doing the last test. Let’s wait here for a moment.” Norman explained, and then he introduced the two guests to Lucien. “They are Mr. Douglas’s students as well. They happened to be in town right now and are thus here to witness the historic moment: If the planet created by Mr. Douglas can revolve around this world, and be observed by the astrology towers on the ground, it will be a powerful proof for his celestial bodies motion system. There’d be no more queries or suspicions.”
Norman was, obviously, so excited that he almost forgot to continue the introduction. Thankfully he realized in time and, pointing to the middle-aged man with grizzled hair, hurriedly said to Lucien, “This is Artil, the student who has followed Mr. Douglas for the longest time. He specializes in Astrology, Force Field, Transformation, and Light-darkness.”
Artil had a thin face and protruding cheekbones. His eyes were narrow, and so were his lips. The badges he wore showed that he was a level-eight arcanist and ninth circle archmage, but was not a member of any board or committee, nor of the Highest Council.
He nodded and said in a plain but slightly biting tone, “I’m not the student who has followed Mr. Douglas for the longest time. There is one who’s elder than me and has been the student of Mr. Douglas for even longer.”
Hearing that, Norman and the female were quite embarrassed, having no idea how to respond. Lucien realized who Artil was talking about: He was referring to the Emperor of Control, the Poem of the Goddess — Mr. Brook. It was said that now Brook and Douglas had become strangers because of their divergence over the particle or wave nature of light.
Norman and the female arcanist were still relatively young, and they never experienced this with their own eyes. To them, the past between Brook and Douglas were written legends and, without experiencing it by themselves, it is difficult to hold extreme disgust and hate towards Brook. Artil, however, had been following Douglas for a long time and probably had also been classmates with Brook for a long time. In his eyes, Brook’s behavior was a filthy betrayal. No wonder Artil was showing no respect to Brook at all.
Seeing that Lucien did not try to dig further into the topic, Norman hurriedly turned to introduce the young lady to Lucien. “This is Luciana, also a student of Mr. Douglas. She specializes in Element, Astrology, Force Field, Summoning, and Transformation. Also, she has an in-depth study in math. She should share many topics with you, Evans.”
“I’ve just finished reading Nature, and I’m very interested in the new geometry systems put forward by you and Mr. Levski. I’m planning on further developing them.” said the young lady with red, flame-like hair. It seemed that she was not even twenty-five, but her badges showed that she was a level-seven arcanist and an eighth circle sorcerer, as well as a member of the Arcana Review Board.
Before Lucien could reply, Artil smiled and said, “Luciana, why waste your time on math? It’s useless for practical arcana and magic. Time is precious to everyone. Although we live quite long, we need to spend hundreds of years to get an inch closer to the truth of the world. So, we can’t afford wasting time at all. If our teacher’s experiment on artificial planets works, it’s going to be a huge breakthrough in both Astrology and Force Field. You’ll be overwhelmed by the new research projects.”
The new geometry systems were nothing important to him, obviously.
Norman, standing beside, nodded imperceptibly. He seemed to agree with Artil, but he could not speak it out right in front of Luciana like Artil, especially when Lucien was present.
“It’s my habit. It’s what I like to do to relax,” refuted Luciana coldly. She loved studying the beauty of math, but, in fact, she also had not seen the practical value of the two new geometry systems for arcana and magic.
“… So, this is Mr. Lucien Evans… I believe I don’t have to say much here. Mr. Evans is the most well-known genius arcanist, and has a special talent in Element, Thermodynamics, and Math.” Norman quickly changed the topic.
Artil pointed at the couch and said, “take a sit, Evans. Before our teachers come back, we can have a talk. Although I don’t know much about elements, I do know that what you recently found – electron – is the cause of lightning. Interesting, I thought the school of electromagnetics was based on the wave theory.”
When Artil was not expressing his contempt, he was okay.
“In fact, the school of Electromagnetics always believes that electric current is the external expression of the motion of electric charge. Before, the only problem was that it was never connected to microscopic particles,” said Lucien justifiably as he took a sip of the lemon black tea brought by the servants.
“Anyways, particles form the essence and foundation of the world!” Artil said in a frenetic way, “as long as the experiment works and artificial planets are created, Brook will never be able to attack our teacher’s theory anymore! There must be other reasons why we haven’t found any planet yet! In this case, our teacher’s experiment on light speed will strongly prove that the medium Ether does not exist, and without medium, the wave theory of light will collapse like a tall building that has lost its foundation!
“Light and spiritual power come in the form of particles! They must be particles!”
Norman frowned and interrupted Artil. “Mr. Douglas’s experiment has not succeeded yet. Even if it does, it will only be a powerful proof, not a complete proof. Maybe there will be other explanations of this experiment based on theories containing Ether. So far, we cannot use the particle theory of light to explain the diffraction of light and the spot discovered in Brook’s experiment. We can’t get too optimistic.”
“Okay, Norman, I get it. You’re in fact an advocate of wave theory, right?!” Artil flew into a rage. “Why isn’t it the other way around? Why don’t you say that the diffraction of light is only a powerful proof, not a complete proof, and there may be other explanations based on the particle theory? ”
Offended by Artil, Norman became a bit irritated. “Open your eyes, Artil. In the past decades, all the theories trying to explain the particle theory have been proved wrong. How many arcanists in the Congress are still supporting particle theory? If you want to overthrow wave theory, you first explain the diffraction of light! Your eyes have been blinded by jealousy!”
“Jealousy?!” Artil pointed to himself angrily and unbelievably. “I’m jealous of Brook, that jerk?! I’m merely believing in my own judgment!”
Luciana also joined the argument. “Unfortunately, Norman, sorry to let you down, but I’m also one of the few arcanists who still support particle theory. You don’t possess truth simply because you’ve got more people on your side!”
“It’s true that sometimes the truth may be held in the minority’s hands, but particle theory cannot even explain the experiment phenomena! How could you make the arcanists believe in it!” Norman unconsciously revealed his true inclination.
“You betrayed us!” Artil’s narrow eyes widened because of anger.
“I’m simply adhering to the truth!” Norman refuted tersely.
The three students of Douglas were involved in a fierce quarrel because of the wave theory and particle theory, and Lucien was left aside by them, forgotten.
Lucien wiped off the few beads of cold sweat on his forehead, worried that they might start fighting at any time. Obviously, any debate over the wave theory and particle theory in the Congress could be very dangerous…
“Norman, are you still working on the first driving force? Such arrogance! Even our teacher cannot solve the problem! Who do you think you are!?” Shouted Artil.
“It’s none of your business. Mr. Douglas also put much emphasis on it, as it has something to do with the ultimate destination of his theoretical system. Artil, I know you’ve been working on it secretly as well! Look at yourself first!” Norman yelled.
Their argument became more and more intense, and suddenly, the three of them turned and looked at Lucien simultaneously.
“Evans, what do you think? Is it the wave theory or particle theory?”
“Evans, I was told that you are the one who proposed the experiment on artificial planets to help Mr. Douglas prove that Ether does not exist?”
“I believe every arcanist specializing in Element should be a firm supporter of the particle theory.”
Lucien was suddenly forced into the argument. When he was still weighing his words, Douglas, Fernando, and the Prophet from Tower walked down the stairs.
