Throne of Magical Arcana

Inside the Kingdom of Electromagnetism, Brook had already stopped writing. Looking at the wave function on the paper attentively, he found it so elegant and concise, as if all the mysteries in the microworld were contained in it.

He did not suspect that his deduction was wrong, because the wave function, if solved, would yield a series of discontinuous solutions, or quantized solutions, which matched the data of a few experiments. Besides, he had the feedback from the real world. His broken and solidified cognitive world was rejuvenated, as if it would sprout and grow again very soon.

“Matrix mechanics, based on the perspective of particles and discontinuity, can solve many problems in the new alchemy. The wave function that is based on the perspective of waves and continuity looks promising, too. Are particles and waves unified on a higher level, like Lucien said? The microscopic particles such as electrons and photons are objects whose specific image we cannot construct accurately yet. We can only describe them with their qualities that can be determined, even though the qualities are so self-contradictory.”

Looking at the formulas on his paper, Brook thought about the question that was of paramount importance for him. To really grasp the wave-particle duality and resolve the nature of electromagnetic waves with it was his hope to reshape his cognitive world or even make one step further.

After the twists and turns and the mind-boggling experiment of electron diffraction, he more or less agreed Lucien’s explanation on the nature of the electron from a higher level, not sticking to the wave theory anymore.

Ding. The bell rang from his desk. Brook was suddenly back to himself. After a flash of light in his eyes, he heard Oliver’s voice. “Brook, you have finished the construction of the wave function of the electron, too?”

“Yes. Have you?” Brook guessed Oliver’s achievement from his tone of excitement and confusion.

Hearing Brook’s reply, Oliver smiled, “So, we completed it almost at the same time. That explains why the feedback of the real world was not as much as I imagined. A classic equation that definitely ranks on the top in the microworld did not help me break the current obstacles and touch the gate of top legendary. How is it possible?”

He sounded apparently relieved. The feedback from the real world almost made him suspicious of the importance, or completeness, of the equation.

Generally speaking, it was hard to decide if a theory was absolutely correct based on the feedback of the real world, because there would be feedback as long as it was closer to the truth than previously. Also, when confirming the correctness of a theory with the feedback of the real world, the cognitive world would also change accordingly. Therefore, when one tried a few contradictory theories, their head might be blown up if their attempt was closest to the truth the first time.

Oliver was suspicious this time because the feedback was much less than what he experienced in the past.

“Perhaps it is weakened for other reasons, too… We both have made an analogy based on the classic theories, before we simply construct an equation of electron waves without bothering the arcana significance and logic. It’s not until then that we turn back to confirm the correctness and look for the specific arcana significance. Therefore, before we give a full arcana explanation on the wave function, the feedback of the real world is probably reduced accordingly.” Brook analyzed the reason. He was rather satisfied about the wave function, but he was also very calm.

Oliver chuckled. “What more arcana significance can it have? Electrons are waves. Orbits and energy levels are just changes of vibrations. But of course, we cannot rush into any conclusion when we do not have any proof. We have to resolve the problems in the new alchemy as well as those about the hydrogen model with the wave function, and we have to find out what quality of the electron wave function represents.”

He was very excited, but he did not immediately claim that his wave equation was more correct and closer to the truth than Lucien’s matrix mechanics.

“Since we inferred it independently almost at the same time, should we call the equation the Oliver-Brook equation?” Oliver proposed.

Brook frowned but then replied, “That’s not a problem.”

It was mainly because he remembered what ‘News of the World’ teased about such a way of naming: your name is my first name, and my name is your last name. He somehow felt that it was weird.

After the conversation was over, Brook tapped the table. “Matrix mechanics from the perspective of particles can also solve the problems in the new alchemy. It has also been extrapolated to a broader domain… Does it mean that the arcana significance of the wave function is different from that of regular waves?…”

“Regarding the wave function, I should write a letter to Fernando, Hathaway, Hellen, Vicente and, well, Lucien.”

He did not mention Douglas because he believed that Oliver would definitely write to him. He also believed that Lucien, who had proposed ‘wave-particle duality’, wouldn’t find the wave function unacceptable.

……

Even though he had seen the picture of the cosmos, Lucien stuck to his original attitude in arcana studies and based everything on experiment data and observations. Since he had a broader vision than the other arcanists did, why should he take risks recklessly? Also, more importantly, such studies were also a process of learning and grasping. Lucien did not want to be at a loss if he did not have any references in the future.

His pocket watch ticked, reminding him that the dinner time had come. Natasha looked very vigorous now that her concerns were gone. She walked in with two letters. “Lucien, letters from Mr. Brook and Mr. Oliver. It seems that they have made new progress.”

After her job as a queen was over, Natasha often worked as Lucien’s ‘secretary’ by helping him deliver letters and fetch experiment materials. Therefore, she could conclude many things based on the thickness of the envelope. However, Lucien often forbade her from entering the laboratory when he did the exacting experiments, because the accidents she caused were still fresh to him!

After opening the letter, Lucien smiled when he read the beginning.

“What’s up? Is there something wrong with Mr. Brook’s achievement?” Natasha scratched her chin and asked curiously. She hadn’t reached the level to understand the paper on the wave function yet and merely made the deduction based on Lucien’s countenance.

Lucien leaned back against the chair. Natasha put her hands on his forehead and massaged him, helping him to relax.

“Gold knights are truly strong.” Lucien made fun of her.

Natasha raised her eyebrow. “I’m not using my full strength yet, or your brain would’ve been crumbled, spraying red blood and white brains everywhere.”

“…Can we not talk about such a tasty subject in such a warm moment?” Lucien’s lips twitched.

Natasha laughed. “As the wife of the Headcrusher, I believe that it is a regular subject. Right, you didn’t answer my question. Is there something wrong with Mr. Brook’s result?”

“No. It’s a real great achievement.” Said Lucien sincerely.

……

A while after the exploration in the World of Souls, Douglas summoned the Highest Council for a meeting, ready to discuss the relevant issues.

Earlier, the reports that Fernando, Lucien and he submitted all intentionally left out the specific way that Thanos and Viken became a demigod. They merely said that Thanos and Viken turned into demigods by gathering faith and transforming into primeval devils through special magic circles without describing the details that they knew.

It was because they were worried that somebody in the Highest Council would walk on the disastrous path of primeval devils again. Therefore, the secret was kept to the three of them and would not be publicized to the Highest Council until Douglas or somebody else became a demigod on the path of arcana. By then, a bright road would be ahead of everyone. It was believed that few people would choose such a problematic approach. Even if they did, a demigod would be able to suppress them easily.

Lucien came early out of his habit, but the conference was empty and Klaus was nowhere to be seen. Generally speaking, he was the one who came earliest.

Watching that, Lucien sighed and felt gloomy.

After he sat for a while, grey-haired Raventi walked in. After Lucien proposed matrix mechanics and resolved many problems in the new alchemy, he finally became the new Lord of Elements through a ritual without any delay. Since the legendary class overlapped Hathaway’s, he had a similar legendary title, ‘Element Tide’.

“Congratulates, Mr. Raventi.” Lucien rose and said.

Raventi nodded in greetings. “Without the changes you brought forth, I couldn’t have become a legend so soon.”

“Nobody can help a sorcerer who is unwilling to work and study to become legendary.” Lucien subtly expressed his admiration.

Raventi shook his head. “I’m more glad at the microscopic world and the mysteries of matter that you bring than my own advancement.”

As the members of the Highest Council came, the focus of the discussion was moved on to the Oliver-Brook Wave Equation.

At this moment, Brook and Oliver, who had been talking on their way, walked in.

Douglas rose with a smile. “Congratulations on your groundbreaking achievement.”

Brook said as calmly as before. “There’s still a lot of work to do. Until we construct with the wave equation a new alchemy system that is different from what matrix mechanics presents, it is not exactly groundbreaking.”

“In any case, it is a landmark in the studies of the microworld.” Chelsea, the Moon Scholar, said excitedly. Having been tortured by the monstrous matrix mechanics for months, she couldn’t have been more excited to get an answer from the wave equation that she was familiar with. “I’ve been studying the equation for days, hoping to figure out its everything.”

Fernando also murmured. “Your research results are not half bad.”

“Hehe. I also believe that it will provide a familiar, classic, concise and easy-to-understand system of new alchemy for the arcanists, as opposed to the complicated, enormous and abstruse matrix mechanics.” Said Oliver with a smile. “Lucien, I’m not saying that your matrix mechanics is wrong, but it is too close to pure mathematics. It lacks real arcana significance and cannot let people learn it easily. It is said that 99% of the sorcerers in the Holt Magic College are cursing matrix mechanics.”

“Also, the nature of everything is waves.”

After the wave function appeared, the wave theory and the particle theory seemed to be at loggerheads again, but thanks to the idea that Lucien proposed earlier, the debate did not immediately begin. Hathaway and the rest of them did not say anything.

Sensing the look from a lot of people, Lucien smiled. “I have one question about the wave function. What exactly is its arcana significance?”

“It is the distribution function of electrons, as waves, in space. As for why electrons behave as particles, I have an idea and I will illustrate it with a paper later.” Said Oliver confidently and optimistically. “Lucien, do you have any other questions?”

Lucien smiled and said, “Not for now.”