Chapter 170: Lances Avant-Garde Work of Art

Chapter 170: Lance's Avant-Garde Work of Art

Majestic and solemn red brick and stone buildings stood tall. They bore the wisdom and engineering secrets left behind by the history of the Sages' College. Two people were walking along the school's deep, winding pathways, moving down a route that was becoming increasingly familiar.

A stream by the roadside flowed like a string of liquid amber. It danced lightly over pebbles, creating a melodious sound. The water mirrored the trees awakened by the morning light. Their emerald foliage swayed gracefully on the transparent surface, whispering of tranquility.

Noel had initially found the university to be bewilderingly complex and had been unable to navigate the maze-like grounds to reach his destination. However, guided by Luviselle, who knew the campus well, he soon passed several key landmarks. They would likely reach Gela Memorial Plaza any moment now.

Noel sighed, reflecting on his own shortcomings. "To be honest, I've been a failure as both a father and an educator. I was so preoccupied with my company that I neglected him, letting him grow up without much guidance. Before I knew it, every time I saw him, he had transformed into someone I didn't recognize."

He hadn't expected Lance to turn out so impressively. On the surface, he had seemed like a young master wasting his days away. In reality, he possessed talents and a capacity for hard work that had gone unnoticed by everyone else.

Perhaps it was all because he had met Miss Tali. According to Hans and Francine, a drunken Lance had managed to bag a pigeon a certain night and had even stumbled, quite by accident, into a temple of the Goddess of Fate.

From that moment on, Lance had turned over a new leaf. Perhaps the lad had fallen in love after encountering a mysterious, beautiful woman and realized he needed to better himself to win her favor.

Although Noel had only spent a few days in South Vantina during his last visit home, and had missed his chance to meet the Miss Tali the servants spoke of, he resolved that if he ever encountered her, he would express his sincere gratitude for the care she had shown his foolish son. He would even try to play matchmaker between the boy and the young woman who had captured his heart.

It was a pity she was a bit on the older side though. She was likely several years Lance's senior. Still, if his son liked her, Noel wouldn't object.

"You haven't seen him for nearly half a year. Have you wondered what he was like all this time?" Luviselle asked as she took notes in a small notebook, starting an impromptu interview with Noel. As a reporter, she was always ready for her next story.

Noel lifted his gaze slightly toward the distance. Across the water, a field of flowers bloomed with fiery brilliance. They were a part of the systematic botanical garden meticulously cultivated by the College of Alchemy, and it was a fertile ground for bioengineering education and research.

He said with a smile, "If I had to guess, he's likely realized by now that a man must work hard and build a career to be worthy of the sweetest woman he wishes to see. If only the lad's academic grades were a bit better, then I could finally set my mind at ease."

Given that the Sages' College specialized in practical magic, Noel was actually quite concerned about Lance's current campus life.

He was well aware of Lance's magical aptitude, or lack thereof. When Francine, a battle maid from their household skilled in magic, had tried to teach him, he had been completely hopeless. After a full month of instruction, he still hadn't managed to cast a simple Tier 1 Fireball spell.

To put it in Francine's tactful words: Even if Lance did manage to master Fireball, his magical output was so weak that it would amount to nothing more than a magical cigarette lighter.

Luviselle nodded confidently. "You can rest assured."

She decided it would be best to let Lance show his academic achievements to his father himself, ensuring the greatest possible impact.

She then asked solicitously, "Is there anything else you wish for?"

Noel thought for a moment. As if he was offering a prayer to the Goddess, he said, "Our family has always been devout followers of the Goddess of Fate, yet Lance was the only one who never believed in the gods from a young age... I used to hope so much that he would work in the church and get along well with the clergy. What a harmonious scene that would have been."

Luviselle remarked with a smile, "Then you are in for a treat today."

After passing along the tree-shaded path, they arrived near Gela Memorial Plaza. The clock face high atop the tower leisurely pointed to nine-thirty. The massive open-air screen, cradled by surrounding academic buildings, was broadcasting scenes from the Shadow Realm challenge currently underway to the entire campus.

On this weekend day, the school was more vibrant and energetic than ever before. A tide of enthusiastic clamor surged across the broad stone-stepped plaza. Students packed the tiered seating, and the surrounding walkways were equally crowded. Passersby, drawn by the lively atmosphere, stopped in their tracks, their eyes fixed on the colossal screen.

The broadcast on the giant screen had shifted to a close-up of the Shadow Realm dungeon where Lance was located. It was the sanctuary on the ground level of Lichten's Castle.

Sunlight streamed down from the stained-glass dome at the very pinnacle of the castle. It was a picturesque sight where a golden veil flowed onto the marble floor, illuminating the magnificent, dark, stone-carved walls.

A colossal pipe organ, standing nearly five stories tall, dominated the entire rear wall. Its pipes were a blend of upright rigidity and elegant curves, and they were bathed in golden light, revealing rich, understated wood tones. Their arrangement and layering exuded an indescribable sense of sacred solemnity. As the light danced through the air of the sanctuary, it cast Lance's silhouette into sharp, brilliant relief.

Even as he stood on the dias, merely smiling at the scene before him, there was a silent eloquence to his presence. It was as if he were guiding people out of the fog and toward the shores of truth. He was dressed in a meticulously tailored suit, so he looked as though he were hosting a press conference.

Finally, Lance's voice rang out. He spoke as if he was giving a speech to the crowd gathered before the screen. "Your career is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. Today, we are going to make history together."

At that moment, three members of the clergy wheeled out a square wooden coffin. It was two meters by two meters in dimension, and featured an iron core encased in brown oak.

It came to rest in the center of the sanctuary. Adorned with intricate carvings and painted motifs, it exuded the artistic flair of a mysterious realm. The surface depicted deities and various symbolic patterns in deep, rich hues, yet the lines remained crisp and clear. It was a testament to the artisan's superb craftsmanship.

His voice steady and composed, Lance continued, "Design is not just what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works."

The scene shifted. With the clergy assisting in the presentation, the camera zoomed in on the coffin they had placed in the church. Now people could see that there were actually two coffins in the giant square, positioned side-by-side, pressed tightly against one another.

However, the two shared a single sliding lid between them. The vampires lying inside had been mummified and completely immobilized. They could not move so much as a single finger, save for the two straws inserted into their mouths.

The priest intoned, "Your mortal flesh may have turned to dust, but your spirit shall never vanish. Just as the pyramids stand eternal beneath the scorching sun, your existence remains forever etched in our memories. I pray that your soul shines eternally under the protection of the Sun God."

First, the lid of the left-hand side of the coffin was closed, shielding Viscount Augustine. This left Count Palokas, on the right-hand side, fully exposed to the sunlight streaming through the glass dome.

At that moment, the mummy of "Pharaoh" Palokas began blowing furiously into a straw. Driven by a pneumatic mechanism built into the coffin, the lid gradually slid toward the right. Once the right-hand side was fully covered, the airflow channel connected to Palokas's straw was simultaneously blocked.

Meanwhile, the "Undead Zombie" Augustine, who was lying on the left-hand side, found his entire body exposed to the sun as the lid shifted away. He began to thrash in agony and immediately blew into his own straw, struggling to pull the lid back to his side.

Consequently, the lid slid back toward the left. At that point, the left airflow channel was blocked while the right one opened. Palokas, now able to blow into the straw again, began to shift the lid back to the right.

As sunlight bathed these two ancient mummies in the coffin, the rays seemed to breathe new life into them. Golden hues danced across the wood, breaking up the original somber tones and making the patterns appear vivid and radiant, while the silence of the sanctuary was pierced by faint, guttural hissing.

Thus, Augustine and Palokas, now undead zombie and pharaoh mummy, lay in the coffins, side by side, and endlessly fought for possession of the lid. On the screen, Lance smiled and spread his hands as he introduced this new device.

"This is the new Solar Powered Infinite Merit Machine developed by our company. You only need to capture two vampires and have them constantly assist one another by passing sunlight back and forth. The operator accumulates merits while simultaneously generating pure, natural energy. This protects the environment and prevents global warming."

***

An eerie silence hung in the air of Gela Memorial Plaza. For this era, Lance's design concepts were simply a bit too far ahead of their time.