NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 157
157. The Gray High Mage (2)
***
The two mages glanced outside the carriage as it approached the Academy from the mage tower.
“It’s quite an impressive discovery regarding the battery… but it’s strange that someone unrelated to the mage tower or academic community made such a breakthrough, don’t you think?”
“The method of trapping lightning in a box without magic.”
“Sounds like an exaggeration, doesn’t it?”
Oster likely thought so too. It was hard to believe one person could achieve so much.
“That seems highly probable.”
“We’ll see when we get there.”
Indeed, it wasn’t easy to trust such bold claims. Could a machine really contain the power of lightning? Maybe if it involved magical crystals…
“He’s supposedly the imperial princess’s lover.”
“That part might be true. I suspect that’s why the rumors have been blown out of proportion.”
It wasn’t easy to believe someone had made a world-changing discovery without proper verification. We should see it for ourselves.
***
I looked at the man who had just entered my lab. I had received a letter saying he would come. This was Kanatus, the Gray High Mage.
He was difficult to age.
His black hair and lack of wrinkles contrasted with his old-man eyes. He definitely had a skeptical face. If I compared him to something…
In hospital terms, he looked like those old internal medicine professors who always asked “Do you have evidence for this?” or “Are you sure about your diagnosis?”
The high mage hadn’t even greeted me yet, and I realized I was judging him too harshly by appearance alone. I bowed slightly to greet him.
Kanatus took a seat.
“Professor Asterix, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Are you unwell anywhere?”
“No.”
He had said he would come, but I still didn’t know why exactly. If he wasn’t here because he was sick, then why? I looked at the mage, whose expression remained unchanged.
“Please sit down.”
“Yes.”
Was he the silent type? I waited for Kanatus to speak. He pulled something from his robe pocket, then placed it on the table.
His robe flew up and hung itself neatly. Of course, mages are mages after all. Impressive.
“I read about you in the newspaper.”
“Ah, what did it say?”
The high mage’s face showed suspicion. Another person come to question my achievements, it seemed.
“They called you the greatest genius of our time. Recently, you diagnosed a skeletonized corpse and cleared the viscount family’s name.”
Well, that was somewhat exaggerated. The body was only half-rotten, not completely skeletonized.
“And?”
“Isn’t the mage tower both the starting point and endpoint of all knowledge? I heard you’re conducting research beyond medicine, so I came to hear your esteemed opinions.”
Based on his facial expressions, he probably wanted to verify if my claims were true. I nodded.
“Why is the mage tower considered the endpoint of knowledge?”
“Well, to reach the level where we must ask nature’s principles for concessions, we must study their original rules. Many mages dedicate decades to academic studies.”
“I see.”
The high mage seemed pleased with his own explanation. Perhaps he was simpler than expected, like many geniuses and scholars I’ve met before – in both this life and my previous one.
“Ask your questions.”
“To cut to the chase… I’m curious about how you managed to trap lightning’s power inside a machine without magic. Can you explain the principle?”
“Nope. Trade secret.”
“Huh?”
His reaction was worth seeing. Though technically, it wasn’t really a trade secret anymore since I’d already published papers about it.
“Sorry.”
“Could you at least give a brief explanation?”
I pretended to think for a moment.
Of course, Kanatus was one of the few people in the empire who could understand and replicate my battery technology just from hearing about it. But I didn’t need to obsess over protecting every single invention.
“There are more than enough discoveries anyway.”
“To put it simply… it uses the force generated when metal corrodes. Currently, we use salt water, but other metals and liquids can work too. That requires further experimentation.”
“Complicated if you think about it, but simple in essence. You’re using the rusting process?”
“Yes.”
Chemically speaking, it’s called oxidation. Though I doubt the high mage knows that term.
“Anyway, would using this help better control lightning magic?”
“Try it yourself. I don’t know.”
I took out Volta’s battery from under my desk and placed it on the table. The high mage watched as I poured electrolyte solution into the transparent glass container.
“This is the infamous device, I assume?”
I brought the copper wires connected to the battery close together, creating a spark. The high mage couldn’t hide his amazement.
Honestly, it’s nothing special. You can create similar effects by rubbing balloons against cat fur. Though Volta’s battery does look pretty cool.
The high mage scratched his head.
“So… I heard you’ve also thought about practical applications for this device. Though details have been kept quiet.”
“There are some.”
“Could you share them?”
“Simple. As I mentioned earlier, we utilize electron movement from metal corrosion. We force these electrons to move along copper wires. That’s what telegraph wires are.”
“I understand that part.”
“Now, these wires can be extended almost indefinitely. They don’t have to be a fixed length. This can be used for information transmission.”
“Is that so?”
“You know how we said this invention was inspired by nerves and muscles? Nerves transmit signals within the body, and stimulating frog muscles or nerves with electricity makes them move forcibly. Same principle.”
“Like how nerves in the human body transmit information… wires can do the same?”
Though I’ve explained this many times, it still sounds new to listeners. I nodded, and the high mage pondered for a while.
As if realizing it made sense.
“To be honest, I came today intending to refute Professor Asterix’s research.”
“Yes.”
That was obvious.
“But upon closer examination, your arguments seem quite reasonable. When there’s concrete results, refuting them would be meaningless, wouldn’t it?”
Surprisingly accurate.
***
Our conversation continued for quite a while. Kanatus listened far more attentively than I expected.
“Professor… us geniuses who are ahead of our time, don’t we find it difficult to make others understand what we’re saying?”
If it were me, I wouldn’t have said something like that aloud. But I understood what he was trying to say, so I nodded.
“Uh… yes.”
“In that sense, what you’re saying is quite fascinating. It must have been tough persuading the academic community.”
No, actually… Regardless of difficulty, any scientific theory without logical structure and evidence isn’t truly scientific.
Even if explained well, it’s still just prophecy.
“Persuading others is more important. What good is knowing something alone? Without evidence, it’s not science.”
The high mage laughed heartily at this.
“That’s very true.”
Predictable reaction. After all, the high mage didn’t really have any specific agenda other than checking if I was a fraud.
Just needed to say something intelligent, and that was enough.
“Professor, how about working at the mage tower? I’ve heard you’re skilled in alchemy, and this device is impressive too.”
I was used to recruitment offers, but this was unexpected. Why would I work at the mage tower when I can’t use magic?
I shook my head.
“Ah, that’s quite difficult.”
“Fair enough.”
Kanatus seemed to accept my answer, then started thinking deeply with a serious expression.
“May I make a suggestion?”
“What is it?”
“Well… I’m sure you’ve heard about the new royal company I’m involved with. Laying communication lines is challenging for chemical companies, so we need collaborators.”
The high mage slowly nodded.
“So you’re asking for help laying copper lines?”
“That’s the gist of it.”
“Interesting proposal, but I need to consider it. Also, I need to think about how useful this device really is.”
***
There are people like that sometimes.
The high mage tapped his palm with his fingers as if calculating something.
This went on for quite a while.
“Hmm… Before agreeing, I can’t provide technical assistance. After all, this is something we worked hard to develop…”
Kanatus smiled again.
“You only say what’s right, professor. Important things aren’t cheap… I’ll send an advance payment before leaving the academy.”
He didn’t specify the amount. Seems like he’s the type to keep important information to himself.