https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-720-Lanchi-s-Military-Experimentation/12585169/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-722-Lanchi-s-Road-to-Building-His-Empire/12585188/
Chapter 721: Lanchi's Plan of Acknowledgement
Chapter 721: Lanchi's Plan of Acknowledgement
The man exuded an air of dignified elegance, befitting a venerable professor, despite his youthful appearance. He was dressed in a tailored gray pinstripe suit, with a deep brown silk tie at his collar, and a knee-length coat of a similar hue hanging on a hat rack in the corner of the classroom.
Stepping away from the glass window, adorned with elegant calligraphy, he returned to his lectern. Many students remained transfixed by the window, captivated by the mesmerizing beauty of the rows and diagrams formed by the graceful script, regardless of the meaning it conveyed.
"Over the past century, the rapid advancements in magical engineering have not merely represented a step forward, but the gradual unveiling of a new way of understanding the world. Someone has opened a door for us, and we are peering through the crack, glimpsing a hidden world within our own—a world filled with energy and contradictions, a world that some may find difficult to accept."
Standing at the podium, he addressed the multitude of students seated in the lecture hall-like classroom.
The chiming of the Elliot Tower bells reverberated through the air and mist, creating ripples that failed to distract the students from their focused state.
"Magical engineering is like a musical score. The key is not 'whether you can read the score' but 'whether you can hear the music.' Can you hear it?"
He tapped the podium, his gaze sweeping across the students as if challenging each one individually.
"I can."
A brief hush fell over the classroom, followed by numerous students nodding slightly, their eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
As Lanchi's lecture progressed:
"Professor, where can we find the fuel?"
The question came from a vertically-pupiled young woman who seemed to exude an air of nobility. Her manner of speaking first and then raising her hand could be described as rather eager.
From the start, she had been furiously scribbling calculations on her notepad, and she had immediately arrived at this significant question, voicing it without hesitation.
However, Lanchi was accustomed to a free-flowing classroom environment and did not mind the student's impulsiveness.
Among the students were not only humans but also a small number of beastmen.
The unified Kreise Empire was formed from three territories: the Cyros Empire, which was predominantly human; the Elsay Holy Domain, home to a small number of elven and rare races; and the Wincy Free Federation, which included beastman lords.
Even after unification, humans remained the majority, but one could occasionally spot Kreise citizens with beastly features or pointed ears on the streets and among the nobility.
For example, Bianca, who was bestowed the title of the twelfth Military God and the seat of Cat's Eye, was a cat person, and Ryan, the ninth Military God with the seat of Amethyst, possessed the bloodline of the griffin tribe.
"It's out of the question to use the Kreise Empire's military energy sources for civilian purposes."
Before Lanchi could respond, the other students in the classroom had already begun pondering the issue.
"While this theory initially sounds full of potential and innovation, the difficulty of realizing it is akin to trying to stuff a dragon into a cabinet."
"Is it really feasible?"
Most of them listened intently while their hands continued to scribble calculations. Soon, they realized the crux of the problem: where could they find the superior energy source and raw materials capable of producing the unique explosions described?
Without solving this issue, the entire concept would remain purely theoretical.
Talicia's curiosity mirrored Lanchi's thoughts.
The principle behind Lanchi's explosion involved a composite attribute of 【Fire】and 【Seal】, which also incorporated the characteristics of the sealing system—
Sealing techniques that incurred no cost often required a medium.
Otherwise, the caster would undoubtedly suffer severe backlash.
And the best skeletal mediums were usually associated with regenerative abilities, capable of counteracting the cost of sealing techniques.
Since they didn't have access to the highest-grade recyclable material, 【Pride of the Wolf King】, they would need to find a suitable substitute.
However, it wasn't impossible for the students of St. Kreise Abbey to procure pink-grade regenerative materials with sealing affinity within the Kreise Empire, especially with the resources their families could bring to bear. And if the material itself possessed sealing adaptability, the resulting explosive would be even more potent.
Of course, the more critical aspects were technology, tuning, and consumables.
"We will make it happen. Don't you think that if we can develop a new energy source, it will become an equally great topic of study?"
Lanchi's expression remained unchanged as he stood at the finish line, gazing at the students with assurance.
"A new energy source?"
"A new energy source suitable for military-grade applications..."
"To compress the density to such an extent, we can't just go looking for a bunch of epic-level magic devices to refine, can we?"
A chorus of voices echoed through the classroom, and there was even laughter when epic-level magic devices were mentioned.
"After all, if one could truly find an epic-level magic device, who would blow it up?"
"If we could find something to replace these small, high-density energy sources that rival epic-level magic devices, that in itself might be an even greater topic of research than the new bomb."
"For the current Kreise Empire, if such an energy source existed, Professor Landy would likely be invited to serve as an advisor in the Empire's Weapons and Equipment Department instead of standing here teaching."
"Of course, that's another project currently in the works. It's not a lecture but rather a research endeavor within the institute. I will only be taking on a small number of students with a profound understanding of [Alchemy] to assist me."
Lanchi merely assured them, "You don't have to worry about the energy source. I will directly provide the results of this research to you. Within a month, I will distribute the energy in a granular, liquid, and crystalline form for your experiments. It will likely appear as a red substance."
A tumultuous stir arose from the students, all of whom were in their senior years. They looked at each other in astonishment.
Professor Landy's research was always ahead of its time, and it seemed as though he was studying the creations of the gods. His words left them unsure if he was being truthful or had gone mad.
You damn well know this isn't civilian magic engineering; it's pure military engineering for the empire!
"Where did you get this energy source from?"
Talicia had no idea what Lanchi was referring to.
She understood the concept of high-performance bombs, having witnessed Lanchi's enthusiasm as he progressed from first-tier to sixth-tier explosions. It seemed as though he lived to study bombs.
But this so-called divine energy source was something she had never heard of, even as Lanchi's most beloved and revered student.
Eventually, Allied assassin Unity, whom they had met on the Brierda Magic-Powered Train, would come looking for him. If she were to learn about the magical engineering principles he was teaching at St. Kreise Abbey, she would undoubtedly seek him out.
"Have you ever heard of the Philosopher's Stone, Tata?" Lanchi asked her.
"What is that?" Talicia replied telepathically.
"The Philosopher's Stone is an extremely powerful alchemical artifact that can ignore the fundamental rule of alchemy—equivalent exchange. It allows an alchemist to create or transmute matter without providing equal value, thus defying the laws of alchemy. The creation process of the Philosopher's Stone involves the use of a large number of human lives, which makes it highly controversial from a moral standpoint." Lanchi explained.
"Does such a thing truly exist...?" Talicia recalled a similar concept in demon folklore, but it was merely a rumor, and she had neither seen it nor knew the secret formula.
According to Lanchi, even if the Philosopher's Stone did exist, it couldn't violate the principles of alchemy. The transmutation rate would be extremely low, requiring a nation's worth of sacrifices to create a stone with the power to destroy a nation.
"It exists," Lanchi affirmed.
"How do you know?" Talicia asked.
"..." Lanchi fell silent.
"..." Talicia also remained silent, her thoughts racing.
You little rascal, do you have the formula?!
"Using humans for the refinement process is indeed morally questionable," Lanchi continued earnestly, "but there is one species that is different. They feed on human blood, and their very existence is akin to the process of creating the Philosopher's Stone. Using them for this purpose could be seen as confiscating illegal gains."
"With the modern technology provided by the Nakalis Institute, myself, and the Great Poet, the demon prodigy, Lady True Night Kyries Mod, has nearly created a prototype. However, we still need to capture enough vampires to refine them into the Philosopher's Stone."
Back in the Demon King's City, the capture of the Fourth Ancestor, Eduardo, and the Tenth Ancestor, Ulysses, proved futile due to their immense power. Their blood was challenging to refine into energy. Instead, it was the blood of Gregory, the Count they captured in the Land of Eternal Night with Sigree, that was more suitable for creating a semi-finished Philosopher's Stone.
With no vampires to capture in the Kingdom of Hutton, Lanchi's research project had stalled until his arrival in the Kreise Empire. Now, he could finally make progress.
"What kind of forbidden things are you messing with?!" Talicia exclaimed.
"Rest assured, Tata. When I publish the results of my research in the Allied journals, I will acknowledge you. After all, the subsequent work will require your assistance as a modern demon prodigy to perfect it."
"You're not acknowledging me; you're slandering me!" she retorted, feeling the urge to report this human.
If Lanchi were to include her name in his publications, she would have to confront him about it.
During the Demon Holy War, it was rare for demons to consider using large numbers of live humans for alchemical refinement to create concentrated energy sources.
However, high-level vampires were naturally the result of consuming countless humans, making them immortal beings imbued with biological energy several times that of a human.
The commotion in the large classroom on the fourth floor of Elliot Tower continued for a while before Professor Landy spoke again.
"While ensuring the course objectives, I may include some content not covered in the original curriculum. Of course, these parts are entirely optional, and won't be part of the assessment. All are welcome to audit the class; it's an open learning environment."
He looked at the students,
"Regarding the new energy source, I'll probably disclose its principles once the technology is mature. I won't keep it a secret; I will certainly hand it over to the nation. And the reason I stand here is to impart knowledge to you. The future of the Kreise Empire cannot rely on any single person, but on every one of us, be it me, you, or all of us together."
To include one's own in-depth magic engineering content in a course undoubtedly meant that the instructor had reached the pinnacle of their field.
Even though the students below the stage were skeptical about the new energy source, they couldn't help but feel that the professor was probably quite capable, as they gazed at the content on the glass that they couldn't comprehend or digest in a short time.
"Interesting."
A clear voice rang out inconspicuously from the right side of the classroom, where the noble students were seated.
Hearing this, Elsa Washington, who was intently listening to the lecture with the group of commoner students on the left, felt a twitch in her earlobes.
She quickly disguised it skillfully and glanced at the distant noble girl.
The girl who caught her gaze had azure eyes and purple hair. Her skin was so fair that it seemed transparent, and her exquisite features resembled a craftsman's artwork, with a touch of boyish charm that captivated Elsa instantly.
As if sensing her stare, the purple-haired girl with azure eyes looked towards Elsa Washington.
"Ursula, please don't mess with my brother," Elsa pleaded silently with her lips, her eyes conveying her worry.
She looked back at the lectern, where her brother, Professor Landy, stood, feeling a sense of strangeness mixed with mystery.
She never imagined that she and her brother would be reunited as students at St. Kreise Abbey.
"What do you mean, I'm messing with your brother?" Ursula pretended to be angry, but her lips curved in a mischievous smile, and she even narrowed her eyes playfully.
"..."
Elsa stopped staring at the far right side of the classroom, unwilling to waste time on a true noble.
Ursula Roland.
The Roland family, to which she belonged, was one of the most prestigious families in the Santa Empire. As the sister of Ryan Roland, the current Marquis and the ninth Military God with the Amethyst seat, Ursula had the reputation of a griffin princess, possessing both beauty and talent.
As a newly enrolled student at St. Kreise Abbey's Magic Engineering College, Ursula Roland quickly became well-known for her noble background, breathtaking beauty, and exceptional talent. However, geniuses were often untamable, and this almost perfect girl always did eccentric things. For instance, she often acted on a whim, seemingly unconcerned about maintaining her grace or the reputation of her family.
She seemed to have a talent for provoking her brother, Ryan, but he never paid her any mind.
In the eyes of the teachers at St. Kreise Abbey, Ursula Roland was like a live bomb, and if she ever felt that she couldn't please everyone, she would try to displease everyone instead.
And with her brother, Ryan, being the ninth Military God and a Marquis, no one dared to retaliate against her.
When it was announced that the instructor was the newly arrived and relatively unknown Landy Washington, Ursula's curious smile had already made the other students uneasy.
It was no surprise that she took an interest in Elsa's brother, as they were both among the few lower-year students in this Level 4 course, and they had known each other for a long time, with Elsa being an object of Ursula's fascination.
"Goddess, please take some of my merit points and give them to my brother," Elsa whispered, praying fervently to the Goddess of Fate, hoping that her good deeds and charitable actions would convince the Goddess to protect her brother from Ursula's antics.
(End of Chapter)
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