Chapter 140: 76. Kasio’s Silver Mirror
The quiet ticking of a pendulum echoed through the spacious conference room. Every evening after the meetings, Saint Nali University arranged different-sized banquets, so their family members were currently waiting in the banquet hall below for the conclusion of the meeting above.
Jasmine sat next to Professor Fisher, opening her notebook with a “hey, hey.” She glanced at the opposing side, where the anti-magic scholars were eager to go, looking like they were well-prepared. In contrast, on Fisher’s side, besides him and herself, there were only a few teachers from the Magic Academy, including Roger and Selina.
Since the theory was proposed by Fisher, the two professors only came to support Saint Nali University and prevent the situation from becoming one-sided.
Seeing Professor Fisher’s calm demeanor, Jasmine gently slapped her own cheek, trying to adopt a similarly composed expression to avoid losing face to the others.
As a result, the sound of the slap was a bit loud, causing both Fisher and Roger to turn their attention to her, puzzled as to why this student was suddenly slapping her own face.
It was perfect; she escaped the scrutiny of Shivali’s scholars only to become embarrassed under the gaze of her own professors. Jasmine’s face flushed a bit, and she lowered her head, appearing scared of their inquiries.
Fortunately, Professor Fisher seemed to be used to it. He ignored Jasmine’s silly antics and spread out his notes, preparing for the upcoming debate.
In fact, a strictly academic forum doesn’t have rigorous formats; essentially, each side speaks freely, treating it like a conversation. However, with many from Shivali present and only Fisher on their side, Principal Ken and Prince Losang, who was seated nearby, would preside over the order to keep the debate from descending into chaos.
The scholars from Shivali would take turns presenting arguments, followed by responses from Fisher.
Such academic debates don’t require convincing the Shivali scholars; regardless of their belief, Fisher only needed to provide answers and explanations, and the recorders would relay the dialogue to those waiting outside for the results.
“The meeting officially begins,” Ken declared.
Clearing his throat, Ken signaled the recorders nearby. There were two recorders, one from Shivali and one from Nali, each documenting the meeting contents in their respective texts.
“Scholars from Shivali, Argument One.”
As Ken looked toward the scholars from Shivali, a scholar on the left stood up, adjusted the monocle under his eye, and addressed Fisher, saying, “In your paper, Mr. Fisher, the proof method chosen posits a universal magic with the so-called ‘soul’ as the ring head to validate the existence of the soul. After conducting experiments on our side, I wonder if there’s a possibility that the ring head of your magic is not the soul but points to the ‘Magical Circuit’ instead?”
Ken then looked toward Fisher, waiting for the scholar to sit before Fisher stood up, tearing a page from his notes.
“Alright, then let’s change the magic we use for proof. We will first change the ring head from [soul] to [source], and then rewrite the main ring structure as [magic] plus [object specification].”
Fisher held the pen, layering the main ring structure using a peculiar linkage method, allowing him to exclude other sources of magic and lock the source of the ring head onto a single individual. This method, writing according to human magical construct habits, would not typically yield results; Fisher took inspiration from the magic of demons.
By disrupting the ordered structure into chaos, he was able to lock onto a singular object’s magic source from the complex world.
While this writing style had little use in everyday situations, it could be used in the unique context of theoretical proof. Since the main ring was entirely filled with the effect of the locked object, adding additional effects would make the main ring extremely cumbersome, requiring a significant amount of magic, and the effects would be poor.
After completing the magic, Fisher handed the paper to the questioning scholar. Upon receiving it, he noticed that the magic rune he had just activated brightly illuminated his magical circuits.
“Although this doesn’t utilize a magic with [Magical Circuit] as the ring head, the exclusion and locking method can simulate such a magic. You will find that the experience differs entirely from my designed soul magic, which points to another object hidden within the body, encompassing the magical circuit as well as other objects.”
The scholar frowned, considering the answer before bowing to Fisher and sitting down.
Ken adjusted his elegant beard and tapped the small bell beside him. One of the recorders approached the recently seated scholar, quickly documenting the magic rune Fisher had written down.
“Scholars from Shivali, Argument Two.”
Ken spoke again, and another scholar stood up.
Jasmine watched as Professor Fisher calmly debated with the scholar, occasionally questioning the logical flaws presented by the opposing side, slowly guiding the stubborn anti-magic scholars of Shivali toward her way of thinking.
The scholars from Shivali, who were not standing, whispered among themselves, seemingly exchanging opinions and arguments while discussing the feasibility of Fisher’s validating logic. But over time, as long as Fisher’s prove method could not be disproven with counterexamples, every argument could be refuted by Fisher.
“May I ask, Mr. Fisher, how do you explain the average age reduction caused by learning magic?”
“The age reduction does not conflict with the idea that magic stems from the soul, and I even speculate that the reduction in lifespan is, to some extent, related to the soul.”
“On what basis do you say there’s a connection between the soul and the body’s age reduction?”
“I cannot prove it at this moment; it might be validated by me or other eminent scholars in future studies. But let me remind you, you have strayed from our debate’s topic; please provide evidence that magic does not stem from the soul.”
As the scholar was rendered speechless and sat down upon being debated, the whispering among the Shivali side intensified. Ken adjusted his beard and rang the bell again.
“Scholars from Shivali, Argument Twelve. Is there anyone else?”
The conversation continued on the other side, and Jasmine was filled with admiration for Professor Fisher, who so effortlessly debated so many scholars without losing ground.
As she watched Fisher, he suddenly turned to look at her. She didn’t react in time and accidentally met his gaze, startling her into looking away at her notebook, but she couldn’t help sneaking another glance at Professor Fisher, her behavior reminiscent of a not-so-smart little animal.
Prince Losang glanced at the increasingly quiet scholars on his side, showing no other expressions but an appreciative look toward Fisher.
Meanwhile, Roger and Selina were discussing what to eat for dinner later.
“If that’s the case, we’ll pause the meeting process and resume in the afternoon,” Ken had just removed his glasses, wanting to temporarily halt the meeting and allow the Shivali scholars a chance to regroup.
However, before he finished speaking, an elderly scholar from the Shivali delegation suddenly raised his hand, directing his gaze toward Fisher across the table, saying,
“Mr. Fisher, according to your theory, the source of released magic lies in the magical circuits of the soul, correct?”
“Correct.”
“Then, how would you explain the phenomenon if a lifeless object could release magic?”
“Lifeless object? Are you referring to an item inscribed with magic on-site?”
Fisher furrowed his brow and asked.
The elder nodded slowly, standing up to address the surrounding scholars and the prince, bowing as he spoke.
“Before coming to Nali, we sought a sacred relic from the Santo Church in Cardu in the name of the Shivali royal family. As you all know, relics are lifeless objects made from various magic materials, but this relic can inscribe magic in front of people. Please follow us to where the relic is stored for a closer look.”
So they had sought a relic from Cardu that could release magic?
If that relic truly was lifeless, how could it possibly release magic?
Fisher glanced at Prince Losang, who smiled at him, looking quite expectant.
Ken surveyed the room and rose as well, saying, “Then, let us all go take a look.”
“Please come this way.”
The people in the conference room followed the leading Shivali scholar, exiting the room and walking through the quiet corridor outside. Several attendants bowed their heads, and faint voices could be heard from the banquet hall below, where the family members of the Shivali scholars were waiting.
Fisher gazed out the window; the sunlight outside shone brightly, yet he felt the sky seemed somewhat gloomy. Ahead, a brown-haired attendant stood with bowed head, waiting for the crowd to move.
Prince Losang, however, noticed a young girl named Carlo standing by the road, his gaze lingering on the fair neck exposed by her uniform, unmoving.
So she was one of the attendants here?
Seemingly aware of someone watching her, Carlo gently lifted her head and met the curious gaze of Losang, momentarily stunned before hastily lowering her head.
After a long time, once Prince Losang had passed by, she slowly looked up at his sturdy figure.
“Right here.”
The group paused in front of a room as the Shivali scholar opened the door, revealing a small box covered by black gauze within the room, beside which stood four quiet attendants from Cardu, seemingly guarding the item.
“Please present the relic from the Santo Church of Cardu to everyone.”
The Cardu representatives nodded and slowly removed the black veil from the box, then unlocked its clasp. A faint scent of the church’s incense wafted into the air.
In the sight of all, a small, ancient mirror stood quietly on a stand, its surface shimmering as if it were a lake under moonlight, quickly radiating ripples as the light shone upon it.
“Everyone, this is the holy relic we requested from the Cardu Church, named [Kasio’s Silver Mirror]. It can randomly inscribe a magic spell ranging from one ring to eight rings for the user without requiring any cost…”
As he spoke, the scholar looked proudly at Fisher, who was examining the silver mirror, and asked, “Mr. Fisher, according to your theory, how would you explain this phenomenon?”
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(The End of this Chapter)
