Chapter 165: A Challenge from the Old Guard

The streets of the night market were filled with the mixed aroma of grease and spices.

The stall selling grilled skewers was tucked away in the corner of a small alley. The owner was a big, bearded man, deftly flipping the meat skewers on the grill, occasionally sprinkling a handful of red powder on them.

“Two beef skewers, two mushroom skewers, and that…” Lia pointed to a skewer of suspicious-looking dark red meat. “What’s that?”

“Grilled lobster tail. You’ve got a good eye, little lady. This stuff is very nourishing,” the stall owner grinned, revealing two rows of smoke-yellowed teeth.

“One skewer of that.”

Lia didn’t hesitate.

“She can’t eat that,” Klein’s voice came from the side. He reached out and pressed down on Lia’s finger.

“Why not?” Lia looked up, unconvinced.

“Ingredients of unknown origin, and the preparation method is too crude.” Klein frowned, looking at the sizzling meat skewer over the charcoal fire with a scrutinizing gaze.

“That’s your occupational hazard,” Lia muttered under her breath. “Life needs a little uncertainty to be exciting.”

“You already have enough uncertainty,” Klein insisted. “Change it to chicken.”

In the end, after Lia’s reasoned arguments and Klein’s refusal to budge, they bought a pile of chicken, beef, and mushrooms.

The only compromise was that Lia successfully got the stall owner to sprinkle a double dose of chili powder on her skewers.

The two found a quiet corner and leaned against an old wall.

Lia eagerly took a large bite of a beef skewer and was instantly choked by the spiciness, coughing violently.

“Cough, cough! So spicy!” Tears were welling up in her eyes.

Her lips quickly became swollen.

Klein handed her a bottle of water.

Lia took a few big gulps before she could catch her breath, her tongue a little numb.

“So, this is the excitement you were looking for?” Klein looked at her sorry state, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“You don’t understand,” Lia said, trying to save face. “This is a carnival of the taste buds.”

She carefully took another small bite. This time, she was more used to it. After the spiciness, came the charred aroma of the meat and the fragrance of the spices.

“Delicious,” she said indistinctly.

Klein didn’t say anything, just quietly ate his own un-spiced skewers, his movements as elegant as if he were enjoying a royal banquet.

Lia ate quickly, finishing her portion in no time.

She looked at the remaining skewer of mushrooms in Klein’s hand, her eyes shining.

Klein noticed her gaze and silently handed the skewer over.

“Aren’t you eating it?” Lia asked.

“I’m full.”

Lia took it without any guilt and nibbled on it in small bites.

The night wind blew, carrying a hint of coolness.

The people on the street gradually thinned out, leaving only the faint sound of singing from a distant tavern.

“Adèle must be very happy today,” Lia said suddenly.

“Mmm,” Klein replied. “She can finally enjoy a night without being disturbed.”

“You sound a little regretful.”

“No,” Klein answered quickly.

Lia chuckled softly and finished the last mushroom.

“Thanks for the mushroom,” she said.

“You’re welcome.”

“And thank you for coming with me to watch that boring play.”

“That play was indeed very boring,” Klein agreed. “But the way you were scared wasn’t boring.”

Lia’s cheeks began to heat up again.

“That was… that was an immersive experience!” she said stubbornly.

Klein didn’t continue the topic. He stood up straight and held out his hand.

“Let’s go back, it’s getting late.”

Lia placed her hand in his palm and used his support to stand up.

The two walked side by side on the empty street, their shadows stretched long under the dim magical lights.

Back at the mage tower, the main hall was pitch black.

Adèle was clearly already asleep.

Klein raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The fire in the fireplace ignited automatically, illuminating the entire space.

Lia kicked off her shoes and threw herself into the soft sofa.

“I’ve decided,” she said, stretching lazily. “From now on, one day a week will be an academic rest day.”

“Alright,” Klein took off his coat and hung it on the rack. “As long as you don’t get any sudden inspirations on that day and write some paper that will send the Magic Association into a frenzy.”

“I can’t promise that,” Lia blinked slyly.

The crystal ball on the table suddenly lit up, emitting a soft white light.

Klein answered the communication.

Samuel’s tired face appeared in the sphere, the background being the president’s office at the Magic Association.

“Good evening, Klein, Your Excellency Lia,” Samuel’s voice sounded a little weak. “Sorry to bother you so late.”

“Is something wrong?” Klein asked.

“A little something,” Samuel rubbed his temples. “About the recent particle and wave dispute. Things are getting out of control. I need you to step in and mediate.”

“Let them argue,” Lia’s voice came from the sofa. “Debate is good for intellectual progress.”

“But they’ve escalated from debate to brawling,” Samuel said with a bitter smile.

“This afternoon, two professors from the optics and acoustics departments got into a fight in the corridor over a diffraction problem. Both ended up in the medical department.”

“That intense?” Lia was a little surprised.

“That’s not the most important thing,” Samuel’s expression turned serious. “The Royal Academy of Sciences in the capital has sent an invitation. In half a month, they will hold a special seminar on the ‘fundamental composition of matter’.”

“The Royal Academy of Sciences?” Klein’s brow furrowed slightly.

“That’s not a subordinate institution of the Magic Association, but an academic organization under the royal family. Most of its members are old-fashioned scholars who value tradition.”

“Yes,” Samuel nodded. “They specifically invited you and Her Excellency Lia. And, the host of this seminar is Master Laurent.”

“Laurent?” Lia was unfamiliar with the name.

“Laurent Ville,” Klein explained. “A Ninth Circle Archmage specializing in optics, one of the honorary elders of the Magic Association, and the current president of the Royal Academy of Sciences. He is the staunchest defender of ‘classical magic theory’.”

Lia understood immediately.

The traditional powers were about to launch a counterattack.

“What does he want?” Lia asked.

“Who knows?” Samuel sighed.

“The invitation says it’s to ‘clarify misunderstandings, unify thought, and prevent magical theory from heading towards a dangerous nihilism.’ Judging by the tone, it doesn’t sound like he’s coming to make friends.”

“He’s coming with ill intentions,” Lia hit the nail on the head.

“That’s about it,” Samuel’s expression was grave.

“Laurent’s authority in the field of optics is unparalleled, and his supporters are spread throughout the upper echelons of the magical world. If he publicly opposes your theories at the seminar, it will cause a lot of trouble.”

“Trouble has never been in short supply,” Klein’s tone was flat.

“This is different,” Samuel emphasized. “This is about politics. Your theories have already begun to affect the resource allocation and status of various schools. Laurent and his followers feel threatened.”

Lia sat up from the sofa and walked to the desk.

“So, are we going or not?” she looked at Klein.

“Has the invitation been sent?” Klein asked Samuel.

“It will be delivered to the mage tower first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Then we’ll go,” Klein’s answer was without hesitation.

“Are you sure?” Samuel was a little worried. “This is clearly a trap set for you.”

“If I don’t go, they’ll say I’m afraid,” Klein’s gaze was cold. “I am never afraid of any challenge, whether it’s academic, or otherwise.”

Lia looked at his determined profile, and something in her heart stirred.

This man, who usually seemed indifferent to everything, was incredibly proud deep down.

“Alright,” Samuel, seeing that he couldn’t persuade him, had to compromise. “I’ll have the Association make preparations. You two be careful as well. That Laurent, his methods are not very honorable.”

The communication was cut, and the crystal ball went dark.

The room was quiet again.

“You don’t seem worried at all,” Lia said, walking to Klein’s side.

“Why should I be worried?” Klein asked in return. “The truth is on our side.”

“But they have power.”

“Power cannot change facts.” Klein looked at her. “That Laurent, I know him. A fossilized old fool who has dedicated his life to defending that long-outdated aether theory.”

“Aether?” Lia was sensitive to this word.

“A substance he believes fills the entire universe and serves as the medium for the propagation of light and electromagnetic waves,” Klein’s tone carried a hint of disdain.

“He values that thing more than his own life. And our theory completely negates the existence of the aether.”

“So we’ve dug up his ancestral grave,” Lia understood. “Then he’ll definitely have to fight us to the death.”

She suddenly started laughing.

“What are you laughing at?”

“I was just thinking, what kind of expression that master of optics will have when he discovers that the light he is so proud of is actually nothing like his aether.”

A dangerous light flickered in Lia’s eyes.

Klein looked at her and laughed along with her.

“I look forward to your new theory,” he said.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms.

“Get some rest,” he whispered in her ear. “In a week, we’ll go and teach those old fossils another lesson.”

Lia leaned against him, smelling his cool, pleasant scent, and suddenly felt that this “Hongmen Banquet” had also become a performance worth looking forward to.

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