The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 368 Colin, Shining Like the Sun
The Tower of the Great Sage, Lower Library.

Towering bookshelves, like rows of silent giants, guard thousands upon thousands of volumes of knowledge. The air is filled with the unique scent of old parchment mixed with ink, and polished, floating stone slabs wind their way through slender ladders, carrying heavy volumes of books.

Here, even the slightest footsteps are amplified infinitely, and the only allowed background sound is the scratching of a quill pen across paper.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye, and Finn, who was new to the school, had already fully adapted to life there.

At this moment, he was studying together with his senior, Kurs, at a large oak table. However, Kurs was clearly distracted, as if he was expecting someone else, not him.

Finn put down his book, sighed softly, and whispered to Kurs beside him, "Speaking of which, I haven't seen Ilana much lately. Ever since she went to Professor Colin's lab, it seems like she spends all her time there..."

Upon hearing Ilana's name, Kurs' ears perked up, while Finn seemed oblivious, only looking on with envy.

"But to be honest, I'm really happy for her. She's found something she's passionate about so quickly and is even able to participate in cutting-edge magical research."

Kurs was immediately displeased upon hearing this.

He looked up from his book, let out a disdainful snort, leaned close to Finn, and whispered sourly in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Don't be so naive. That Prince Colin may not be after Ilana's abilities; he's probably after something else."

"Something else...?" Finn looked completely innocent, utterly baffled by the deeper meaning. "What else could it be?"

Seeing his clueless look, Kurs was too embarrassed to explain further, and simply waved his hand impatiently, giving a perfunctory reply.

"You will understand later."

Finn tilted his head, indicating that he did not understand.

He was still young and from the countryside, so how could he possibly guess what the prince from the holy city was thinking?

Quite by chance, this conversation was overheard by Skye, who was looking through documents nearby.

A mocking smirk curled at the corner of his mouth as he glanced disdainfully at the hopeless, self-important fool.

If Prince Colin were truly so easily corrupted, I wouldn't have needed to go through so much trouble "preparing lessons." This apprentice, who appeared out of nowhere, is nothing more than projecting all his own filthy thoughts onto someone else.

Such people are everywhere in Xuebang, self-important yet unrealistic, attributing their inability to stand out entirely to a lack of recognition, when in fact they are not even as good as a single hair of Minos, whom they had disposed of... His dear junior was really just unlucky.

It doesn't even take a single gold coin to bribe such a fool; a vague promise is enough.

But... why bribe an idiot?
Give the fools a promise that will never be kept, and let them continue to live in their distant dreams. Compared to some virtual realm that was only discovered in the last fifty years, the endless stream of apprentices and cannon fodder is the fuel that has kept the Great Sage's Tower alive until now.

And those who served as fuel were not innocent either; if they didn't burn in the Academy, they would have burned on the front lines or elsewhere. All the suffering they endured in this life was simply the retribution for the choices they made in their past lives.

Skeyen unconsciously clenched the pages of the book between his fingers, then suddenly gasped in surprise. He didn't know why, but he found himself subconsciously defending Prince Colin.

He would never normally pay any attention to this kind of person.

A bead of cold sweat slid down his cheek. He quickly regained his composure and focused his attention back on the homework in his hands.

In just a few seconds, he quickly found a reasonable explanation for this inexplicable emotion—

That prince was Professor Arist's target, and also his own, while a stray dog ​​barking indiscriminately at his target only annoyed him.

Well, that must be the case.

Sgein continued to immerse himself in the exploration of science, feeling that he had vaguely grasped some of the mysteries of this doctrine.

Science is not actually a school of thought, nor a theory or axiom.

It is a way of thinking.

This idea can be used to study light and sound, and of course, to explore the mysteries of magic and the spiritual realm.

It's like a lens.

Through it, you can not only see the world clearly, but also see yourself clearly...

At that moment, Skyein was unaware that a ray of light called "reason" had already pierced through the barrier he had built and shone into his heart, which was shrouded in shadow.

And that prince is like the sun, radiating light...

……

Over the past two months, it's not just the new recruits who have just joined the Tower of Great Sages who have gotten back on track, but also His Highness Colin and his apprentices.

Although most professors thought the prince was just playing around, those who actually listened to his lectures did not think so, and more and more teaching assistants and even junior tutors began to realize the importance of "science".

Especially after he talked about calculus and geometry, some mentors who were engaged in research on magic theory and enchanting techniques were overjoyed and sent invitations to this "unorthodox" prince for academic exchanges.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that some people just want to get closer to His Highness the Prince, since everyone knows that he is about to obtain the virtual realm resources approved by the council.

With the support of two professors, this matter is almost a foregone conclusion; the only question is when the resources will be available.

It's very difficult for a mentor without their own team to monopolize the resources of a virtual realm. Building a good relationship with Prince Colin now might allow them to get a share later.

Luo Yan readily accepted the numerous invitations for academic exchanges that poured in. Regardless of whether the other party had ulterior motives, it was exactly what he wanted.

He came to the school specifically to absorb the magical knowledge here.

This knowledge is not only stored in the library's collection, but even more so in the minds of those professors.

The deal to exchange some rudimentary scientific principles for the core theories of the legal school is simply too good to be true.

Moreover, in this process, he can sow the seeds of ideas in the minds of the magicians of the Academy, while exploring the application of scientific theories in magical research.

Because they won three times, it's called a win-win situation.

Since Luo Yan focused his work on classroom teaching and academic exchanges, he adopted a hands-off approach to the laboratory.

Aside from overseeing the research topics, he delegated most of the daily management work to his apprentices.

And these young men and women from ordinary backgrounds did not disappoint him. With their solid practical skills, they were more creative than he had imagined. They truly deserved to be called the "Kings of Exams" because they stood out from tens of thousands of people in the exam.

Of course, things don't always go smoothly.

For example, right now, they've encountered a little "trouble".

The dim sunset gradually sank into the snowfield, and the busy "Magic Science" laboratory had been operating busily all day.

Jamie, Ram, and several other apprentices were gathered around an experimental table, sighing and agonizing over a tiny gear salvaged from the remains of a puppet, completely baffled.

“No good,” Ram frowned, put down the magnifying glass, and sighed, “The inscriptions are completely illegible. I really don’t know how Mr. James managed to carve them on there…”

To continue the task taught to them by their mentor, Colin, they must decipher the inscriptions on the gears before they can proceed with the analysis.

However, it is unclear whether the gentleman used magical powers or hired a skilled dwarven craftsman, but he was able to carve the inscriptions on the inner wall of the gear so clearly that they could not see what was written on it.

“I remember Professor Colin saying in class,” Jamie scratched his head and said softly, “that it seems to be because different colors of light can’t converge at the same point when they pass through a lens. But… we all understand the principle, so how do we solve it?”

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

Just then, Ilana, who was passing by, overheard their discussion and, after a moment of contemplation, suddenly spoke up.

"I... have a preliminary idea."

The moment she heard those words, everyone's eyes were drawn to her.

Ilana hesitated for a moment, then continued uncertainly, "My mentor said the problem lies in how the light 'passes through' the lens. So... what if we don't let the light pass through?"

"No... go through?" Jamie stared at her blankly, asking in confusion, "Then how will we see the inscriptions on it?"

His Highness Colin had already explained to them in class that the reason they could see objects was because the light reflected from those objects entered their eyes.

This also means that Ilana's proposal is completely contradictory... They have to let the light shine through a magnifying glass to see the inscriptions engraved on the gears.

however--

The moment he thought that, his understanding, which had formed in less than a few seconds, was overturned.

“Use reflection!” Ilana said seriously, looking at Jamie and Ram who were stunned, and continued with bright eyes, “Look, when light shines on this polished brass instrument, it reflects back, right? If… we can find a concave, polished surface as smooth as a mirror to focus the light, and then use a small, flat mirror to reflect the focused light into our eyes… wouldn’t that solve the problem?”

This idea struck like a bolt of lightning, shattering everyone's preconceived notions. They had never imagined that "magnification" could be achieved through "reflection."

“A curved mirror…” Ram murmured to himself, “My father made similar ornaments, but polishing them to the level you described is probably not an easy task.” “But I think this method is worth a try!” Jamie looked at Ram and said excitedly, “And… I think it can also be used in future research. Who knows, we might even be able to use this tool to achieve microscopic carving!”

"Yeah... I still have a whole bunch of gears with inscriptions that I can't even make out!"

"Let's do it, brothers!"

"Oh oh oh!"

The apprentices started chattering amongst themselves. Even Ram, who had initially been skeptical, gradually softened his doubts and joined in, wanting to give it a try.

With a clear direction for solving the problem, the children from artisan families immediately burst forth with great enthusiasm.

They found the right materials and started making them with a clanging and clattering sound.

Hard work pays off.

After several failures, they actually managed to create a simple "reflective observation instrument"!
When everyone saw clearly for the first time every fine, hair-like inscription on the miniature gear, they all cheered with delight.

At that moment, they were unaware that, besides deciphering the inscriptions on the gears, they had inadvertently done something truly remarkable—

The approach they used to solve the problem was based on the technical principles of more sophisticated optical instruments such as reflecting telescopes and microscopes.

These magic apprentices almost created these two groundbreaking tools!

"Ilana, you're so... clever!" Jamie exclaimed sincerely. "I would never have thought of using a lens like that!"

“Yes, yes,” Ram’s face was also full of admiration, her cheeks as red as apples, “I thought I definitely couldn’t do it, but I didn’t expect it to be so easy in practice…”

Faced with her companions' praise, Ilana's usually aloof face showed a rare hint of embarrassment as she spoke in a very soft voice.

"I just happened to remember what our mentor taught us. And... thanks to everyone's perseverance, this is not my achievement alone."

After saying that, she hurriedly returned to her workstation and frantically resumed the work she had fallen behind on, hiding the blush creeping up her ears.

Watching Ilana's retreating figure, Ram's eyes were filled with longing. He couldn't help but whisper to Jamie beside him, "I never imagined that Ilana, who seems so cold, could actually be shy sometimes..."

Jamie nodded blankly, but didn't say anything. The young men standing beside him did the same, their faces unconsciously turning red…

……

The next morning.

When Luo Yan learned that his apprentice had actually created a prototype of a reflecting telescope, he was both shocked and gratified.

In addition to recognizing these smart and hardworking young men and women, he immediately started a brand new project in his laboratory—encouraging his apprentices to design a telescope that could see farther.

This thing has great potential in both navigation and astronomy, and the Imperial Naval Academy might even become interested in it.

At that time, the school of thought called "science" might even gain the support of the Imperial Officers' faction and shine even brighter on this desolate snowfield!
However, this is still a long way off.

The research on improving the telescope is currently being led by Jamie and Ram, while Ilana remains diligently engrossed in James WALL-E's notebook.

Incidentally, aside from her crucial role in inventing the "reflective observatory," her progress over the past two months has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Especially after mastering the powerful mathematical tool of "calculus"!

Many of the complex calculations in her notes that were originally obscure and difficult to understand, requiring a lot of detours to solve, she can now solve with ease.

Furthermore, she was able to reverse the process, using a simpler formula to optimize Mr. James's derivation and correct several flaws caused by outdated calculation methods.

but--

Just as Jamie and Ram encountered their own bottlenecks, when she followed in the footsteps of her predecessors to the end of the road, difficulties finally descended upon her.

Especially as her research delved deeper into areas that even Mr. James had not yet conquered, she felt an unprecedented sense of strain.

Every problem she faced was one for which there was no precedent to follow, and every step of her exploration felt like walking alone through a thick fog.

She put down the quill pen, gently rubbing her throbbing temples, a deep weariness showing on her usually cool face.

Just then, a gentle voice sounded behind her.

"In trouble?"

Ilana turned around in surprise and found that Prince Colin had somehow appeared behind her, looking with interest at the equations spread out on the table.

“Professor…” she stood up somewhat shyly, blushing and speaking timidly, “Yes, Mr. James encountered a problem here about the limit of a multivariable function. Although you mentioned it in class, you didn’t go into detail. I tried… but I still can’t figure it out.”

Luo Yan nodded knowingly, and after thinking for a moment, he took out a brand new book from his storage ring and handed it to her.

This was copied by Youyou for him. He didn't ask how it was copied, but it seems the players played a role.

Ilana took the book with a puzzled look, and saw several words she had never seen before written in the Imperial Common Language on the cover—

Higher Algebra?

Looking at Ilana's bewildered expression, Luo Yan smiled and said.

“Calculus is just the foundation of advanced mathematics. What I teach in class is just the tip of the iceberg, after all, I have to cater to those who don’t understand. But you have an unexpected talent for mathematics, and I think it’s time to give you this book… perhaps it can be of some help to you.”

Upon hearing this, Ilana was stunned.

Her expression shifted from surprise to excitement and emotion. She reached out a trembling hand, took the heavy book, and hugged it to her chest.

For her, it was not only new knowledge, but also a weighty recognition!
Feeling the lingering warmth on the book's cover, Ilana looked up at Prince Colin's face and spoke with unprecedented seriousness.

"Mentor...I will definitely take good care of it!"

She swears!
She will dedicate her life to defending her mentor's "science"!
Seeing the overly excited magic apprentice, Luo Yan laughed and waved his hand, indicating that she didn't need to be so nervous.

"It's just a book. I have plenty of them here. I'd rather you wear it out from frequenting it than keep it on the shelf."

He paused for a moment, then adopted a slightly more serious tone before continuing.

"...Good luck. I hope that once you understand it, you can teach it to the other apprentices in the lab."

"If I am no longer here one day, I will have to rely on you to spread the teachings I left behind."

The spark of enlightenment has been ignited; as for when it will become a prairie fire, that depends on the fate of the people here.

As the Demon King, his only responsibility was to start the fire.

However, they were lucky, because His Majesty the Demon King did not just start fires in one place, but fanned the flames all over the world.

When the flames soar into the sky, their era will begin.

"Ok!"

I hope that day will come later...

Clutching the book "Higher Algebra" tightly, Ilana felt a mix of excitement, reluctance, surging emotions, and many other feelings.

After hesitating for a long time, she finally couldn't help but ask the question that had been nagging at her.

"Mentor, where did you acquire such profound knowledge? Was it from the continent of Gana? Or the Holy City?"

She actually longed to follow in the footsteps of this prince more than a magician who had abandoned his own doctrine!
That longing is like a sunflower's yearning to face the sun.

Faced with those eyes filled with curiosity, admiration, and even a hint of longing, Luo Yan did not answer directly.

"I'm not as great as you think."

He turned and looked out the window at the cluster of mage towers standing amidst the clouds and mist, and spoke softly in a distant and humble tone.

"I am merely standing on the shoulders of giants."

He'd wanted to show off like this for a long time.

He finally got his chance.

(End of this chapter)