My physics masters couldn't possibly be grand mages.

"Monra and Rosaro have been arguing for twenty years, and I never expected you to provide the answer."

Meredith, sitting next to Einstein, spoke as Einstein used his knife and fork to transfer a piece of lamb chop to his plate.

Einstein raised his eyebrows. "What are you arguing about?"

"The nature of light," Meredith said, "Rosaro believed that light is a wave mediated by 'ether,' while Monra believed that light is composed of tiny particles moving at high speeds."

"What do you think light is?"

"Didn't you say that light is a wave?"

Einstein looked calmly at Meredith.

"Light is a wave, but it is also a particle."

His tone was flat, as if he were stating something obvious.

Meredith seemed not to understand what Einstein meant and frowned.

"What?"

Einstein didn't reply; he simply picked up a lamb chop and started eating it.

Meredith fell silent. He didn't care about Einstein's reaction, after all, Einstein really had no obligation to answer his questions.

"This isn't my topic." Meredith picked up his wine glass and took a sip. "But Monra and Rosaro should be interested in it. If they come back, they'll probably come looking for you."

Einstein stopped what he was doing. "Is he a professor at the university?"

Meredith turned to look at the throne on the high platform behind him, the seat he had longed to sit on for over a hundred years, but had never been able to.

"In the past, either Gaius or Monla hosted these banquets. Rosaro never liked attending these occasions, but if either of them wasn't there, she usually hosted. You're not so lucky today; neither of them is here."

No, it was just good luck, Einstein thought.

But he didn't speak; he simply stared at the thrones behind him.

Even if there is no one on it, the mere sight of that throne-like, solemn seat, set against the backdrop of the mythical stained-glass windows tens of meters high, is enough to awe people.

.....

When I came out of the auditorium, it was completely dark.

The distant buildings were only outlines visible in the fog, like a painting blurred by water. Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the clouds, turning the fog silvery-white.

Meredith led them through the forest in the night to a villa standing on a gentle slope.

Meredith pushed open the courtyard gate and handed over the key.

"This is your house."

Upon entering, you'll find yourself in the foyer. To the left is a curved staircase with wrought iron handrails adorned with vines and flowers.

When they stepped on it, Char paused for a moment.

The stairs are moving.

It doesn't sway; it moves like a living thing, its entire arc slightly twisting a few degrees, as if adjusting its posture to make it more comfortable to step on.

Meredith didn't turn her head. "This house is old; it has its own ideas. You'll get used to it."

Char glanced at Einstein. The old man remained calm and continued climbing. The stairs remained stationary.

Passing through the foyer leads to the living room. It features a deep red carpet, a dark green velvet sofa, and a white marble fireplace.

The floor-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view of the valley.

"This window is nice," Einstein said.

Meredith stood in the doorway: "Upstairs are the bedrooms and study. The original owner of this building was a retired professor."

He paused.

"Before he left, he said that he could occasionally hear footsteps in the building at night, but he had never been able to find out who it was."

He said this in a very flat tone, as if he were saying that the heating wasn't working well.

"What do you think it is?" Xia asked.

"It might be a ghost."

Oh, it was just a ghost!

Why the hell are you talking like a cat?!

Xia thought to himself, but what was most painful was that he couldn't even show too much shock.

"If you want to eat something, write it down on a piece of paper, put it in this fireplace and burn it, then knock on the fireplace three times, and the food will appear on the table in a while."

Meredith pointed to the fireplace. Then, he waved his hand, and two silver badges appeared on the table.

"This is the most important thing for you in the Tower of Truth. You can use it by inputting your mental energy; it will help you connect to the internal network of the Tower of Truth."

It has many functions; besides storing points, it includes almost everything needed for activities within the Tower of Truth, such as course inquiries, point-based quest inquiries, and purchasing magical items.

After a pause, he turned his gaze to Xia Ya.

"Formal courses for new students will begin in ten days. The knowledge of a single magician cannot compare to the systematic teaching of full-time teachers in the school, which is why even the most prestigious families with a long lineage send their children here to study."

Therefore, I suggest your students also attend. Before that, your students should ideally inscribe two Truth Runes.

"May I listen in?" Einstein asked.

"Sure, if you don't think it's a waste of time."

"There will be a practical exam at the Tower of Truth in two months. The top performers will receive rewards, which will vary each time."

Besides a large amount of points, there are usually opportunities to enter advanced function rooms for free, as well as spots in sixth-tier archmage courses. However, the last few points will be reset to zero.

He glanced at Xia.

"I hope your students will achieve good results there."

After saying that, he nodded, turned around, and left.

The door closed.

The living room quieted down.

Einstein walked to the window and opened it. A gust of wind blew in, carrying the scent of leaves and earth.

“This place,” he said, “is better than Princeton. Princeton’s winters are too cold.”

Char didn't reply. There was a faint chirping of insects outside the window.

Einstein turned around and leaned against the windowsill.

"The newspapers say Meredith is a candidate for the sixth throne, so there must already be five people who have obtained the throne."

"Is it safe to talk here?" Xia asked in a low voice, glancing at the door.

Einstein calmly sat down on the sofa.

"At least we weren't exposed just now." He paused. "I'm still a sixth-tier player."

Xia understood what Einstein meant, and he said with a solemn expression.

"According to this theory, there might be five mages stronger than Meredith. We'll encounter these people sooner or later while we're in the Tower of Truth."

"We were lucky to get past Meredith, but fate won't always be on our side; it's only a matter of time before we're exposed."

"Is it very dangerous over there in 2072?" Einstein asked.

Xia nodded and said, "Various monsters roam freely, and eeriness is everywhere. It's not much safer than here."

"Before we flee over there, we'd better have the ability to protect ourselves," Einstein murmured.

"My cooldown's over, want to call again?" Xia asked.

"Is it possible to take a trip in just two days?"

Char thought for a moment and said, "Rather than a 'cooldown,' I think it's more like achieving some kind of 'achievement,' which unlocks the next travel. Entering the Tower of Truth is one such achievement."

Einstein stroked his chin. "No rush. We have too many choices. Everyone has their own expertise. We need to figure out which area we need to master before we can select the right people."

Xia nodded, clearly agreeing with his statement.