The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 367 The Demon King Let You Experience It First

The following morning, Ilana arrived at the laboratory on the fortieth floor of the Great Sage's Tower with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

To make a good impression on her mentor, Colin, she arrived early and, after some hesitation, even put on some light makeup in the restroom.

She believed that Prince Colin was not a superficial person and that he was not interested in her appearance, but everyone has a love of beauty, and she was no exception.

and--

The teaching assistant who found her also hinted at the same thing.

The mage in his thirties seemed even more concerned about Prince Colin's affairs than he was, eager to make a good first impression on the prince.

Ilana took a deep breath, pushed open the heavy oak door, and was surprised to find that about a dozen people had already arrived on the other side.

Like her, they were all dressed in the simple robes of trainees, curiously observing the place that would determine their fate for the next few years.

A muscular boy who looked more mature than his peers was the first to notice her and smiled in a friendly manner.

“Hello, you must be Ilana? I’m Jamie from Quartz City. My father is a carpenter there. If any tables or chairs are broken, you can give them to me. My hands are much more dexterous than a golem’s.”

Standing next to him, a girl with short braids nodded and said with a smile, "My name is Ram, welcome! By the way, my family has been clockmakers for three generations, so you can give me your pocket watch if it's not keeping accurate time!"

She was not tall, had a sweet smile, and rosy cheeks, like a small apple hanging on a tree in the neighbor's orchard.

In the Kingdom of Rhodes, most commoners do not have surnames, and many people share the same given name. Therefore, when introducing themselves, many people will mention their own or their father's occupation to make a better first impression on strangers.

However, this custom did not exist in the Empire itself. Ilana nodded slightly, a little reserved, and introduced herself to the classmate who greeted her.

“Hello, my name is Ilana Octavia, from Pierce Province… Please take care of me.”

As she got to know them, she discovered that everyone there was similar to Jamie and Ram.

Like themselves, they were hardly magical geniuses in the traditional sense, but they had a solid practical foundation in their respective fields of expertise.

and--

They possess a vitality that others lack.

She couldn't quite describe the feeling, but she felt that they were quite different from many of the people she had met after joining Xuebang.

I don't know how His Highness Colin managed to discover them.

“Miss Octavia…” a slightly younger boy spoke hesitantly, perhaps sensing something from the complicated surname, his voice carrying a hint of reverence, “…Are you a noble from the Empire?”

The moment those words were spoken, the previously lively atmosphere instantly quieted down, and everyone's eyes were fixed on her, with a sense of distance and restraint.

Ilana immediately understood their concerns and couldn't help but laugh. She said modestly, "I'm not a nobleman. My family are just merchants who do small business in the provinces of the Empire. You can just call me Ilana according to the customs of the Kingdom of Rhodes."

She paused, then said in a joking tone.

"If I were truly a nobleman, how could my parents have made me come to this school to 'suffer'?"

and--

There's no need to come here as a prospective student.

Only those who are admitted through the proper examination are required to undergo further education at the Tower of the Great Sage; a letter of recommendation can save them at least three years.

However, on the other hand, if she had saved those three years, she probably wouldn't have met the mentor who opened a window to her world.

Her candid self-deprecation instantly eased the tense atmosphere.

Jamie laughed heartily, then let out a sigh of relief, feigning ease: "That's good! We thought we'd have to bow to you every time we spoke to you!"

Ilana smiled gently.

"This joke is not funny."

"Ha ha!"

Everyone smiled knowingly, breaking down the initial awkwardness.

If you ignore height, there's really no difference between the Imperials and the Rhodesians. They all speak the same language; it's just that some live closer to the Holy City and some live farther away.

"Speaking of which, what scores did you all get on your last assignment?" Ram asked curiously. "I heard that His Highness Colin selected us based on our scores on the last assignment... I got eighty-three points."

“I’m a little taller than you, eighty-eight,” Jamie scratched his head. “I thought my answer about why the sky is green was perfect, but I don’t know where I lost twelve points.”

Everyone chimed in with their scores, and Ilana noticed that everyone here had scored above 80.

"Ilana, and you?" The young man who had asked her earlier if she was a noblewoman suddenly spoke up, looking at her with curiosity in his eyes. "Your score must be pretty high."

“I…” Ilana scratched her cheek a little embarrassedly and said softly, “I got ninety-nine points.”

Ninety-nine!?

"By Saint Sith!"

A suppressed gasp rang out, and almost everyone looked at her with the eyes of someone looking at a monster—eyes filled with genuine envy and admiration.

"Oh my god, Ilana, what did you write?" Jamie couldn't help but ask, his face full of eagerness. "Can we see it?"

Ram glanced at him in surprise, and Jamie immediately realized his abruptness and quickly shut his mouth.

At Xuebang, inquiring about someone else's unpublished "academic secrets" is taboo and considered impolite.

Perhaps this small assignment doesn't qualify as an academic secret, but this is the prevailing atmosphere in the entire Tower of Great Sages, and they have all been influenced by it to some extent.

However, Ilana didn't care; she was just a little embarrassed, feeling that her answer didn't deserve such a high score.

"Of course you can, although I think... my answer isn't really of much value."

She paused for a moment, then continued.

"I told that prince that the sky is not green, water is not the same as ice, and steel is steel, which is different from molten iron. To be honest, I was already prepared to fail, but I didn't expect that prince would actually accept my answer... I was quite surprised."

Silence fell over the laboratory once again.

Those eyes that looked at them as if they were looking at a monster gradually turned into shock and disbelief.

Challenging their mentors, questioning the questions themselves… this was a path they had never imagined. And what's even more unbelievable is that His Highness Colin actually approved of this path?!

"No wonder you got 99 points..." Ram exclaimed sincerely, then continued in a low voice, "Actually, that's what I was thinking too, but I hesitated for a moment and didn't dare to write it exactly according to that idea... After all, that's His Highness the Prince, what if he gets angry?"

“Yes, offending a prince of the empire is no joke…” Jamie scratched his head and said in a low voice, “Credits are a small matter, I’m mainly afraid that His Highness will blame me.”

“…I think His Highness isn’t the kind of person who holds grudges. Even if he sees an answer he doesn’t agree with, he’ll probably just laugh it off.” Ilana smiled reservedly and spoke her opinion softly.

After all, according to her observation, everyone got that credit.

Although she dared not claim to know the prince well, this homework assignment did indeed give her a new perspective on him.

The prince did not choose the person who was "best at answering questions," but rather the person who "knew how to think" and was "realistic."

Although he never explained in depth what "science" actually was, she suddenly felt less unfamiliar with this novel term.

Just as everyone was whispering and discussing, a steady and clear sound of footsteps came from outside the laboratory.

"The advisor is here!" someone whispered, and all the lively discussion came to an abrupt halt.

The apprentices immediately sprang into action, quickly standing respectfully before their respective oak tables, backs straight, holding their breath as they awaited their mentor's arrival.

As steady footsteps stopped outside the door, the oak door to the laboratory was slowly pushed open.

Luo Yan walked in and saw the dozen or so apprentices already standing in neat rows. He was surprised, but a smile flashed in his eyes.

"Oh? It seems everyone's here, earlier than I expected."

He spoke gently, his gaze sweeping over each young and nervous face, and continued with a smile.

"Welcome to my lab. It's still quite basic, since I only just found this treasure... all thanks to Professor Hector's help."

"Greetings, Master!" the apprentices responded in unison, their voices loud and respectful, their eyes filled with curiosity and surprise.

They felt that this prince was not quite the same as they had imagined.

They originally thought he would be more authoritative in private, but they didn't expect him to be even more approachable in everyday life than in the classroom.

“No need to be so formal, relax,” Luo Yan said with a smile, waving his hand as he walked to the center of the laboratory. “Professor Hector told me that becoming an apprentice in the Academy usually means going into dangerous labyrinths to collect magical materials for your mentor or dealing with experimental subjects that risk magical backlash. But not here, so you can all relax.”

Professor Hector never said it, but that didn't stop him from attributing the statement to the only professor he knew.

Anyway, this is the fact.

Looking around the spacious but somewhat empty laboratory, he continued in a joking tone, "Now, your most urgent task is to help me tidy up this laboratory that I just 'picked up.' If you want to do a good job, you must first have the right tools. Our first step is to familiarize ourselves with our 'tools.'"

After he finished speaking, he began to assign tasks to his apprentices.

“Jamie,” he said, looking at the carpenter’s son, “you’re a carpenter by trade, aren’t you? These workbenches are made of fine oak, but some of the mortise and tenon joints are a bit loose. Go and check them out, see which ones need to be reinforced.”

Jamie immediately straightened his back, looking as spirited as a soldier.

"Yes, mentor! Leave it to me!"

“Lamu,” Luo Yan turned to the clockmaker’s daughter, “you have a skillful hand. These brass instruments look very precise, but they haven’t been used for a long time, so the scales may be inaccurate. The calibration work is entrusted to you. This job requires patience and meticulousness, and I believe you can do it well.”

Ram's cheeks were flushed as she nodded earnestly.

"I understand, mentor!"

"very good."

Luo Yan also assigned tasks such as copying materials and tidying up utensils to the other apprentices. Finally, his gaze fell upon Ilana.

Ilana felt a little nervous being watched by that prince.

Those eyes seemed to possess a special power, capable of piercing through all pretense and masks. This made her feel a strange sense of shame, as if she were standing naked before him.

Fortunately, this feeling didn't last long; the prince seemed to have only glanced at her a couple of times out of curiosity.

"Ilana." "Yes, mentor." Ilana responded immediately, stepping forward.

Luo Yan pointed to a corner at the deepest part of the laboratory, filled with clutter. There were metal parts half a person's height, scattered parchment, and some unrecognizable semi-finished products, all covered with a thin layer of dust.

“Your mission is a little different,” Luo Yan said with a smile. “See those things? They were left behind by the previous owner of this laboratory. Some are parts of the puppets, and some are discarded drafts. Most people treat them as trash, but I think there might be some interesting discoveries. My favorite thing to do is treasure hunting.”

The apprentices around him looked in the direction he was pointing, and their faces showed some confusion.

If there really is treasure inside, how could it possibly end up in their hands?

The magicians at Xuebang are all incredibly shrewd!
Luo Yan looked at Ilana and continued speaking.

"I need you to take inventory of them, categorize them, and register them with numbers. If possible, I'd like you to write down their purpose in the notes. It doesn't have to be accurate, just record your guesses... Can you do that?"

As soon as the task was mentioned, the other students cast slightly sympathetic glances at Ilana.

This sounds like nothing more than a tedious, boring, and technically unskilled job of cleaning a warehouse.

However, Ilana showed no disappointment; instead, her eyes brightened, and she answered in a clear voice.

"Yes, mentor! I guarantee I will complete the mission!"

Although others might see this as a job that involves cleaning up trash and requires no skill, she doesn't think so.

In particular, the fact that His Highness Colin asked her to record the uses of these recyclables in a booklet precisely demonstrates that the prince values ​​her judgment and opinions.

This will be a valuable experience!

Luo Yan didn't say anything more, but gave her an encouraging look before walking to his desk and sitting down.

Although this task may seem tedious, it is actually a comprehensive training of observation, inductive and analytical skills.

He had consulted Taff on this matter. Although the kid was only mediocre at management, he did have some insights into scientific research.

She was, after all, the captain of the research ship, even if she was the only cannon fodder on the entire starship.

In addition-

Luo Yan was also incredibly excited, hoping that the flower bud he had chosen would uncover an unexpected treasure from these unclaimed scraps.

The laboratory immediately sprang into action.

As Luo Yan perused the book he had borrowed from the library, "The Isomorphism Conjecture of Star Power and Magic Conduction," he sipped a cup of the black tea Sarah had just brewed, immersing himself in the ocean of knowledge.

A milky white mist appeared beside him, and only he could see the abstract head nodding approvingly, praising it.

"Not bad, these are really diligent little guys... Speaking of which, Lord Demon King, I've noticed that you can find so many useful tools wherever you go. Do you have some kind of secret?"

"Without him, only hands are familiar."

Luo Yan smiled faintly, and while thinking to himself, he turned another page of the book in his hand.

This is the book that Corgi recommended to him, written by Professor Arist Thorne.

It is said that this gentleman is a renowned scholar of the Source Magic School, with profound insights into Source Magic and the study of the Void Realm.

If the core of the Source School is that all magical phenomena originate from a fundamental cosmic energy that transcends elements, light, and darkness, then this professor, based on this doctrine, has conducted in-depth research into the nature of Source energy and even created his own breathing technique.

However, this exploration has mainly remained at the philosophical level, with little discussion at the mathematical level or quantitative research.

This is likely related to the underdeveloped state of basic sciences in the world, especially mathematics.

In Luo Yan's memory, although the world had the concepts of algebra and geometry, it had nothing beyond that.

"...After a few more classes, I'll teach them calculus." Luo Yan thought to himself, a playful smile appearing on his lips.

Just like that, a few more days passed.

During this time, Luo Yan continued to explain the principles of science to the "flowers" of Xuebang, opening one door to a new world for them, while patiently waiting for Professor Hector's good news, living a regular and fulfilling life.

In his spare time, he would occasionally visit his laboratory or sit alone in his meditation room, absorbing the rich "essence of heaven and earth" surrounding the Great Sage's Tower.

With the combined blessing of the dragon egg and the source power, his experience points increased at an incredible speed, as if he were riding an elevator.

Probably no player can level up faster than him.

On the other hand, the number of students who came to his class every day gradually stabilized at around 500.

Some of the students who signed up didn't actually come to the classroom, which was within his expectations. After all, not everyone has the patience to listen to those "boring theories" that have no direct relation to improving their skills; they just come to get credits.

What Luo Yan didn't expect was that, as time went on, some of the "auditors" in the back row of the classroom actually became teaching assistants from various mage towers.

Especially when he talked about the "mathematics" part, the teaching assistants, who already had a deep understanding of magic, showed unprecedented enthusiasm, even more attentive and serious than some of the prospective students.

They were beginning to realize that what the prince was speaking was an unparalleled "universal language" capable of describing the underlying laws of the world!
This does not conflict with the magic they are studying.

In fact, this is a "method" that can be used to study magic.

One day at noon, as the noon bell rang, Luo Yan enjoyed a hearty yet inexpensive lunch at the faculty and staff canteen—all you could eat for 5 copper coins.

After the meal, having nothing else to do, he went to his laboratory on his way.

Most students are eating in the cafeteria at this time.

Normally, after lunch, the students at Xuebang would choose to go to the classroom or return to their dormitory for a short rest to recharge for the afternoon's classes.

To his surprise, when he pushed open the laboratory door, he found a young woman squatting alone in the corner of the storage room, staring intently at the clutter in front of her, so much so that Luo Yan did not notice her when she walked up behind him.

Out of curiosity, Luo Yan coughed lightly and interrupted her thoughts with a gentle tone.

"What's wrong, Ilana? The noon bell has already rung. Don't you have any appetite today?"

"tutor!"

Upon hearing the sound, Ilana looked up in surprise. Her face was covered in dust, but her eyes were brighter than ever before.

"I was just about to look for you! Take a look at this!"

She proudly pulled out a personal notebook wrapped in thick leather from the bottom of a box full of discarded drawings and drafts.

The notebook's cover had no magical markings, only a name branded with a hot iron: "James WALL-E".

If you hadn't carefully examined the contents, you might have easily confused it with that pile of useless drafts.

Luo Yan raised his eyebrows slightly, took the notebook with interest, and casually flipped through it for a glance.

Meanwhile, Ilana, standing to the side, excitedly reported her discovery.

"If my guess is correct, this is the private notebook of the former owner of this laboratory. It contains no information about magic, but is instead filled with many incredibly complex mechanical diagrams and calculation formulas!"

“It looks interesting, although I can’t understand what he’s designing just by looking at these... Do you have any good ideas?” Luo Yan asked casually with a smile, but he didn’t expect that Ilana would actually give him an idea that surprised him.

"The Theory of Quantifiable Magic!"

Ilana spoke excitedly, glancing at her mentor's surprised expression, then wiped the dust off her nose with her sleeve and continued speaking rapidly.

"Mr. James mentioned in other drafts that when he was studying the design of the magic puppet, he realized that magic, as a more stable form of energy than steam power, should also have corresponding units to quantify the output power and magnitude of magic!"

"Later, this scholar embarked on a series of explorations along this line of thought, but unfortunately, due to the lack of precise measurement tools and calculation methods, many studies ended up in dead ends. It just suddenly occurred to me... Perhaps, perhaps the 'science' you mentioned in class can be the tool to solve this problem!"

As she said this, Ilana raised her head, her eyes shining brightly, like an invisible flame burning within them!
Although she didn't know what it was for, out of pure curiosity and a desire to explore, she subconsciously voiced her immature idea.

Luo Yan closed his notebook, and his gaze toward Ilana was no longer one of surprise, but rather one of genuine delight and admiration.

“Incredible…” Youyou muttered softly beside him, looking at her Demon King in surprise, “Why can you always discover ‘legends’?”

"Perhaps... it's because I have a keen eye for observation."

Luo Yan sighed inwardly, then gently placed the notebook in Ilana's hand.

He never expected that the seeds he planted would germinate so quickly, and that a tender sprout would already be emerging from the soil.

Perhaps Tauf or the players of the Great Tomb could do it faster or even better than her, but he still intended for the people of this world to walk this necessary path to enlightenment on their own.

Some things cannot be replaced by external souls.

Moreover, this clue itself was discovered by the people of this world.

“Ilana, your observation and judgment are very keen.” Luo Yan’s voice was full of praise as he looked into her slightly immature eyes. “You’re right. Although… the Tower of the Great Sage believes that Mr. James Wally’s research lacks practical value, and that inscriptions and runes are enough to make the puppet move, there is no need to do anything extra, in my opinion, he is an explorer who is at the forefront of the times.”

"The value of this notebook may be greater than we imagine."

He paused, then his voice became serious.

"From today onwards, your task will no longer be tidying up clutter—"

Ilana held her breath, watching Prince Colin nervously, half in disbelief at her ears, and half in delight.

“You are the person who knows these studies best right now, and I need you to study this notebook,” Luo Yan said, word by word. “It’s not just the notebook; I need you to organize all of Mr. James Wally’s research and continue along the path he didn’t finish or even gave up on.”

At this point, Luo Yan smiled, precisely dispelling her concerns about her identity and qualifications.

"Don't worry about not having enough qualifications or skills. After listening to so many of my lessons, your starting line is no lower than others... Where magic is needed, I will arrange for a teaching assistant to help you, or I can do it myself."

"Your Highness, this, this is too..." Ilana exclaimed, but before she could finish speaking, she suddenly realized that she had used the wrong form of address.

But would the Demon King care about that?
“I am not Your Highness. Call me mentor or teacher. Regardless of what other mentors and professors may think, at least to me, scholarship is scholarship. Before the truth, every soul is equal. You don’t need to be concerned with formalities about status or hierarchy. Just tell me what you have seen and what it is!”

Luo Yan smiled slightly, looking at the excited Ilana who was almost breathless, and announced Prince Colin's decision in an inspiring tone—

"Starting today, the theory of quantifiable magic will be the first research topic in the 'Magic Science' laboratory!"

Just as he had placed the tip in Corgi's hand, he placed an enormous and radiant "magic crystal" in the hand of a promising magic apprentice.

The future achievements of this seed may exceed his imagination.

(End of this chapter)