—Today's four-chapter dump: the third chapter goes up at nine PM, and the fourth at eleven-thirty.
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For others, this issue and the next made no difference—as long as the paper could be published in the Monthly Archanist Journal, a publication of considerable influence, that was enough. But Lucian had rushed to submit his paper on the periodic table at the start of the month precisely so he'd have ample time to shop it around, ensuring it would be seen by the majority of Archanists in the upcoming issue.
So Lucian took a slight breath and made one last attempt: "Mr. Woods, could it still be included in this issue of the Monthly Archanist Journal? Even if it's placed toward the back?"
"No, Evans. We've already sent out acceptance notices to the other Archanists." Woods smiled but refused firmly. His fondness for Lucian and his slight regard for the young man's future were simply not enough to warrant paying a higher price—after all, Lucian was still only a First-Tier Archanist who had yet to truly demonstrate any jaw-dropping or noteworthy achievements in Arcane Magic.
Lucian kept his back straight and maintained his smile. "Mr. Woods, if you skip past the first few atomic weight figures I haven't yet been able to verify through experimentation, you'll find that the atomic weights for the later elements are exactly as I predicted from their periodic properties—wrong in precisely the way I indicated. And I've conducted the most recent measurements using two to three different methods, with all my experimental data appended to the paper."
Woods reached out with his right hand, flipped the paper on the desk to its final pages, and skimmed through them before shaking his head. "Evans, this proves nothing—even if your later measurements happen to be correct, it only shows that your paper is closer to the truth, not that it equals the truth. As for the atomic weights of the first few elements, I can assure you those are simply your erroneous guesses."
In truth, he still didn't find anything particularly worth taking seriously.
"Perhaps there are some as-yet-unknown reasons that make these elements difficult to measure accurately using our current methods. Why are you so certain I'm wrong, rather than some other explanation?" Though Lucian was itching to introduce the concept of isotopes, he ultimately held back, hinting at it only obliquely.
Isotopes were elements with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons—their properties were so similar that a moment's inattention could lead to them being confused with one another. Lucian didn't dare casually toss out such a "guess" before the Magic Council, whose understanding of elements was still stuck at the atomic level. That might be even more dangerous than being watched by the Hand of Paleness.
Woods smiled silently. "Evans, you are a First-Tier Archanist. The lowest-ranked among those who have re-measured these atomic weights with various methods in recent years is a Fifth-Tier Archanist."
He didn't finish the sentence, but the implication was crystal clear—who any reasonable person would choose to believe was obvious. This wasn't something that could be bluffed away with talk of "unknown reasons."
"Mr. Woods, I'm giving up on having my paper included in the next issue of the Monthly Archanist Journal. I maintain that my paper is correct." Lucian gazed quietly at the paper on the desk, then after a moment rose and bowed, holding his black top hat over his left chest in gratitude for Woods's goodwill.
Woods wasn't angry—he had seen too many stubborn young people who refused to concede defeat. He stood as well and said, "Evans, if in the end you still can't find a journal willing to publish it, my door will always be open to you."
Once he had committed to something, he wouldn't abandon it halfway.
Lucian put on his hat, picked up his paper, and expressed his thanks once more. "Thank you, Mr. Woods. Just let me be stubborn for these last few days. Even if I end up battered and bruised, I'll have no one to blame but myself."
There was still one path open to Lucian—risk taking the Hallen Crown Ring to the Hallen Royal Court of Magic and the Elemental Will to seek help. After all, the Hand of Paleness already suspected his connection to the Professor! Of course, doing so might cause the danger he faced to undergo a qualitative change.
Lucian, who had grown slightly taller, cut a more commanding figure. Paired with his black top hat, long coat, and the resolute expression on his face, he left a deep impression on Woods. What a determined young man!
…………
More than ten days ago.
Fourteenth floor of the Allendel Magic Tower, in one of the exclusive lounges of the Affairs Committee.
Rogerio gazed at the paper in his hands, unable to suppress a laugh as he shook his head. "Young people really are brimming with the spirit to challenge authority—reckless, bold, and utterly fearless."
No matter how confident he was, and no matter how much he trusted the undead Adol's ability to hide and tail someone, he still didn't dare let it follow Lucian through the magic tower at Council headquarters. So he had no idea what exactly Lucian had done in the Wizard Management Department—until he learned that Lucian had received a rejection letter from the Elements journal. Only then did Rogerio realize that Lucian had submitted yet another paper, which he then went to the "Fundamental Archanic Library" to retrieve.
After skimming through it, Rogerio couldn't keep reading. One of the measurers for the Terminus element was him, and he had used different methods for his measurements—backed up by corroborating data from several equally authoritative high-tier Archanists. He had never once suspected that his own work could be wrong.
He set the paper down casually, tapping the table as he pondered how to make Lucian appear before the mid-level wizards of the Elemental Will of his own accord—thereby advancing the situation and allowing him to observe the changes.
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Before heading to what Natasha had described as "the Allendel branch of the Hallen Royal Bank—the tallest bank in the world," Lucian returned first to the Douglas Magic Academy. Once he produced the Hallen Crown Ring, there would be no turning back, and he likely wouldn't be able to return for some time. He needed to brief Headmaster Donald, K, and his other friends and apprentices beforehand.
"Lucian, did the journal accept your paper?" He had barely stepped foot back in the academy before Rock, Jerome, and K came looking for him together, fresh from lunch.