Chapter 82: The Debate of Hierarchy

Lia’s response was simple and direct.

A brief note was sent to the editorial department of “The Debate of Truth.”

Within the missive, a single line.

“I accept Master Balthazar’s invitation to debate. The time and place shall be determined by you.”

It was signed Lia.

The moment this news broke, the entire magical community of the royal capital erupted into a frenzy.

This was, after all, a public debate initiated by a Seven-Ring Archmage, renowned for half a century, against an apprentice who had yet to even graduate!

Such an event was unprecedented in the kingdom’s history.

Whispers and discussions rapidly spread between the mage towers and the taverns.

“Have you heard? That young girl named Lia actually dared to accept the challenge!”

“She must be mad, mustn’t she? That’s Master Balthazar! A living monument of the Elemental School!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. I’ve seen Miss Lia’s Periodic Table of Elements, and the ordered beauty it contains is nothing short of miraculous!”

“Miraculous? I call it arrogance! Can elements truly be measured by something as crude as weight? Divine hierarchy is the very foundation of magic!”

The mages throughout the royal capital swiftly divided into two distinct factions.

On one side, the Hierarchical Faction, steadfastly upholding tradition and advocating for the theory of Divine Hierarchy.

And on the other, the Periodic Faction, captivated by the elegant truth of the Periodic Table, embracing it as their guiding principle.

These two factions clashed fiercely on every occasion, from hushed arguments in libraries to heated debates in alchemy shops, filling the air with palpable tension.

In fact, two hot-tempered Four-Ring Mages even came to blows in a tavern over the question of “whether gold’s nobility stemmed from its intrinsic spirituality or its stable, unreactive external properties,” ultimately being dragged away by the patrolling arcane guards.

The entire royal capital was steeped in a feverish atmosphere, as if a storm was brewing.

Everyone eagerly awaited the impending debate of the century, which seemed poised to determine the future trajectory of elemental studies.

This was a clash of ideologies, a battle of the ages that would shape the Elemental School’s path for centuries to come.

Within the mage tower, however, the atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

Adèle paced restlessly back and forth in the room, ceaselessly muttering to herself.

“‘What if… what if we lose the debate? The Theoretical Council will then…'”

“Adèle.”

Lia looked up from a pile of documents, interrupting Adèle’s anxious monologue.

“Do you believe that truth can transform into falsehood simply because it lacks widespread support?”

Adèle was momentarily stunned.

“Of course not.”

“Then there’s your answer.” Lia lowered her head once more, resuming her writing and sketching on the parchment. “I am merely going to present a fact; there’s nothing to be nervous about.”

On the morning of the debate, as Lia changed into her simple apprentice robes, preparing to leave, Klein called out to her.

He said nothing, simply pressing a small, warm vial into her hand.

“Don’t let your voice hinder your thoughts.”

Lia accepted the vial, then looked up at Klein, her gaze meeting his deep blue eyes, which were filled with encouragement.

A sense of calm settled over Lia; she tightened her grip on the vial and nodded.

***

The day of the debate arrived as scheduled.

The venue was the Central Grand Auditorium of the Royal Magical Association.

This hall was typically reserved for ceremonies of the highest order, such as the conferment of the Nine-Ring Archmage title.

Today, however, it had been exceptionally opened for an academic debate.

Rumor had it that an Archmage named Horace had vehemently insisted on it, and due to his power and status, no one dared to raise any objections.

The auditorium was filled to capacity.

Nearly all the prominent high-ranking mages of the royal capital were present.

In the most conspicuous seats at the front, Horace was eagerly whispering to his wife, Eleonora, a look of undisguised amusement on his face.

Eleonora’s gaze, however, remained fixed on the auditorium’s entrance, her eyes alight with curiosity and anticipation.

Not far away, on the other side, Laplace was murmuring into a communication crystal ball, seemingly preoccupied with remotely directing some intricate experiment at the observatory.

Meanwhile, Master Alchemist Lavoisier, accompanied by all his apprentices, occupied a small section of the observers’ gallery, holding aloft hand-drawn Periodic Tables of Elements as if on a pilgrimage.

Klang—

A resonant bell chime echoed throughout the auditorium, reverberating through every soul present.

The debate officially commenced.

Under the gaze of countless eyes, the two protagonists slowly ascended the central platform from the aisles on either side of the auditorium.

On one side stood Balthazar, clad in magnificent Seven-Ring Archmage robes.

His expression was stern, his gaze sharp, and his demeanor composed, with powerful magical fluctuations emanating from his entire being, akin to an unyielding peak.

On the other side stood Lia, dressed in simple apprentice robes.

Although she appeared to be barely half the height of the podium, the violet emblem she wore commanded the respect of every high-ranking mage present.

A ripple of whispers spread through the audience below.

Balthazar observed Lia across from him, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes—admiration, yes, but far more regret.

“Miss Lia,” he began, his voice amplified by an arcane array, reverberating throughout the auditorium. “I must concede that you are a rare genius, yet even genius can, regrettably, stray onto a misguided path.”

Without allowing Lia a chance to respond, he turned directly to the audience and commenced his impassioned address.

“Esteemed colleagues, for what purpose do we study elements? Is it not to gain a profound understanding of magic, to master power? And the fount of that power lies precisely in the inherent divine order of the elements!”

“I implore all of you present to search your hearts! Why is it that, despite expending the same spiritual energy, the cleansing power of light spells invariably rises above the mire? Why do you pour your heart and soul, even arcane enchantments, into gold and mithril, while base lead possesses not even a fraction of their worth?”

“There is only one answer! It is because elements themselves possess a hierarchy!”

He abruptly raised his hand, and a sliver of pure gold, gleaming faintly from a ring, materialized in his palm.

“Behold! Gold! Why is it capable of embodying eternity and protection, perfectly bearing intricate protective arrays? While, Miss Lia, that contemptible mercury is fit only for the most malevolent curses and…”

He withdrew the gold, his voice growing ever more resonant.

“Because gold’s hierarchy stems from the purest Aether, while mercury is but a foul precipitate! This is the very essence of magic! We mages commune with the elements, not weigh inanimate objects!”

His voice resonated with power and conviction, prompting many mages of the Hierarchical Faction in the audience to nod in agreement, their expressions affirming his words.

Balthazar’s tone abruptly shifted, and he sharply pointed his arm towards Lia.

“Yet Miss Lia’s Periodic Table of Elements attempts to measure sacred elements using the crude physical metric of atomic weight! It conflates noble gold with base mercury, and places phosphorus, the creator of light, alongside arsenic, the constituent of deadly poison!”

“This is a trampling of order! A desecration of magic itself! It will lead countless young mages down a perilous, misguided path!”

As Balthazar concluded his address, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

After the host gestured for silence, their gaze turned to Lia.

“Miss Lia, you may now begin to present your propositions.”

Lia approached the podium, needing to stand on her tiptoes just to reach the crystal amplifier.

She cleared her throat, and the entire auditorium instantly fell silent, every eye in the room fixed upon her.

Lia’s gaze swept over Balthazar as she calmly posed a question.

“Master Balthazar, before I begin my exposition, I wish to ask you a fundamental question, to ensure I have not misinterpreted the essence of your theory.”

Balthazar nodded readily. “Please proceed.”

“Your pyramid model, with its distinct hierarchy and impeccable order, is quite clear. What I wish to confirm is whether this hierarchical order is absolute. For instance, can a base element, positioned at the very bottom of the pyramid, combine with another base element to form a new substance, thereby ascending to the middle, or even higher, tiers of the pyramid?”

The moment this question was posed, Horace’s eyes lit up, and a knowing smile, anticipating a spectacle, spread across his face.

Balthazar’s brow furrowed slightly; he sensed a hidden trap within the question, yet the foundation of his theory could not be shaken.

To concede that hierarchy could be arbitrarily transcended would render his entire pyramid model meaningless.

To admit that lower-tier elements could synthesize higher-tier ones would undermine the very foundation of his pyramid model.

“Certainly not,” he replied in a deep voice, his tone firm. “The order of hierarchy is the cornerstone of the world, absolute and unyielding! Baseness shall forever remain base, as immutable as the sun’s rise and set.”

“Excellent.”

Lia nodded, appearing thoroughly satisfied with the answer.

She then turned to face the entire assembly.

“Then, my statement is quite simple.”

“Master Balthazar’s theory is incorrect.”

With that single sentence, the entire auditorium erupted into an uproar.

“Silence!” the host quickly called out, attempting to restore order. Lia, however, ignored the commotion and continued, “I do not require lengthy discourse; a single, universally known fact will suffice to prove my point.”

“Common salt, or sodium chloride, is a substance we consume daily. It is stable in nature and vital to life. According to Master Balthazar’s theory, it should, at the very least, occupy a middle tier within the hierarchical pyramid, considered a neutral or beneficial substance, correct?”

Balthazar offered no reply, yet he did not refute her.

Lia extended two fingers.

“But what, precisely, are the two elements that comprise common salt?”

Her voice abruptly turned cold.

“Firstly, there is chlorine: a yellowish-green, highly toxic gas. Within your hierarchy, it is undoubtedly base and malevolent.”

“Secondly, there is sodium: an extremely unstable metal that reacts violently and explosively upon contact with water. In your hierarchy, it is undoubtedly base and volatile.”

Lia’s voice reverberated through the now-silent auditorium.

“Now, Master Balthazar, I ask you to explain.”

“How do a highly toxic element and an intensely volatile element combine to give birth to a beneficial substance?”

“Within your pyramid, how do these two base elements transcend their divine hierarchy to form a higher-tier entity?”

“Where, then, is your order?”

Balthazar’s complexion instantly turned exceedingly grim.

He opened his mouth, but found himself utterly speechless.

He had never considered the problem from this perspective.

Lia allowed him no respite. She turned to the host, her voice clear and resonant.

“A debate of words, ultimately, remains hollow.”

“I propose we conduct a live demonstration here and now.”

From her spatial ring, she retrieved an alchemical container, sealed with special materials, and gently placed it upon the podium.

All eyes in the hall were drawn to it.

Lia surveyed the audience, a confident curve gracing her lips, her voice reaching every corner of the auditorium.

“I shall now, before everyone present, synthesize one of the most widely acknowledged pure and noble substances using two elements that, in Master Balthazar’s theory, occupy the lowest, most debased positions.”

She paused, then spoke each word with resounding clarity.

“I shall synthesize diamonds from coal dust.”