Chapter 237: Spacetime Ripples

After reviewing the first batch of research proposals that had arrived like a blizzard, Lia never went back.

She announced that unless someone proposed a topic of the caliber of “proving matter is not composed of miniature universes,” no one was to disturb her.

Master Horace expressed his understanding and, with an expression of weary resignation, handed over all the paperwork to his newly appointed subordinates.

From that day on, Lia and Klein never again set foot in that meeting room specifically used to filter “academic trash.”

The mage tower completely regained its former tranquility.

“I feel like we’ve handed a hot potato to Master Horace,” Lia muttered, slumped on the sofa and kicking her legs in an unladylike manner while chewing on a sweet wand candy.

Klein was nearby organizing a bookshelf; he paused for a moment before placing a copy of Advanced Magical Geometry back in its spot.

“He was the one who took the initiative to accept it.”

“Even if you say that, I still feel a bit guilty,” Lia said indistinctly. “After all, I’m the one who invented this ‘Research Proposal System’.”

“So, do you want to go back and help him now?”

“Forget that.” Lia sat up straight immediately. “I have no desire to be buried under parchment for the rest of my life. I’d rather go discuss aerodynamics with someone.”

The corners of Klein’s mouth twitched upward slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

He sat down beside Lia and plucked the nearly bitten-through wand candy from her mouth.

“Stop eating; it’s almost lunchtime.”

***

Days flowed smoothly in this leisurely atmosphere.

Over at the High-Energy Particle Institute, everything had fallen into a routine under the leadership of Masters Horace and Laplace.

Although most proposals were still wild and impractical, there were always a few that flickered with sparks of genius, making every experiment worth anticipating.

The mages of the capital gradually grew accustomed to this new model; they stopped complaining and started seriously studying mathematics and physics, attempting to write qualified proposals that could pass the review.

For a time, the borrowing rate for mathematical and physical texts in the Royal Library actually surpassed that of the unique copies of high-level spells.

In the blink of an eye, the heat of late summer faded, and the cool breath of autumn arrived quietly.

This also heralded the arrival of the annual enrollment season for the National Magic Academy.

As the youngest and most prestigious honorary professor in the academy’s history, Lia naturally received an invitation to the freshman opening ceremony.

“Do I have to go?” Lia looked at the gilded invitation with a face full of resistance.

“You have to.” Augustus, who had brought the invitation, ruthlessly rejected her request.

“You are the face of the academy, Lia. You have no idea how many children applied to the magic academy just for your name.”

“You must attend, and as one of the three performance mentors, you need to show the freshmen a little something.”

“Why me?”

“Because among the other two, one is the Chief Instructor of the Battle Mage Academy and the other is a Seventh-Circle Master of the Evocation Department. I need a representative of the Theoretical School to showcase our academy’s depth.”

Augustus winked. “And you, you are the synonym for ‘depth’.”

Lia sighed, feeling as though she had fallen into another pit.

***

On the day of the opening ceremony, the Grand Auditorium of the National Magic Academy was a sea of people.

Thousands of freshmen, brimming with youth and dreams, wore brand-new apprentice robes, looking at this hall of knowledge with curiosity and respect.

Their parents and relatives crowded into the observer seats in the back, their faces filled with pride and anticipation.

Lia and Klein sat in the VIP seats on the rostrum.

Looking at the tender faces below, she momentarily recalled the scene when she first arrived here.

Back then, all she thought about was how to avoid being expelled and how to reclaim her family property from her cheap uncle.

Who could have imagined that in just over two years, she would transform from an apprentice into an honorary professor sitting on the rostrum?

“It feels a bit surreal,” Lia whispered to Klein.

“You’ll get used to it the more you sit here.” Klein’s gaze fell on her, his tone flat. “Besides, you belong here.”

The ceremony proceeded according to plan.

After Principal Augustus delivered a welcoming speech full of passion and authority, the most exciting segment finally arrived—the mentor magic demonstration.

“Every year, we invite three outstanding mentors to showcase the miracles of magic for our new children,” Augustus’s voice rang through the auditorium via the amplification array.

“This is both a welcome and an inspiration. I hope you can find your future direction within it.”

The first to take the stage was the Chief Instructor of the Battle Mage Academy, Master Graves.

He was a Sixth-Circle mage as burly as a bear, specializing in the earth element.

Without any superfluous words, he gave a low roar and slammed his hands onto the ground.

“Sixth-Circle Spell: Unmoving Stone Citadel!”

Rumble!

The entire auditorium floor shook violently as four incredibly thick stone walls rose from the ground.

They closed together in mid-air, instantly forming an airtight stone fortress that enveloped the entire podium area.

Immediately afterward, complex runes emerged on the surface of the fortress, radiating an indestructible aura.

The freshmen let out a collective gasp; the sheer sense of power and visual impact made the eyes of countless hot-blooded youths sparkle.

Master Graves roared again, and the stone fortress disintegrated with a crash, turning into a cloud of dust.

He stood atop the restored podium.

“If you want to learn the art of a real man, come to the Battle Mage Academy!” he shouted in a gravelly voice before striding off the stage.

The second to appear was a female Seventh-Circle mage from the Evocation Department, Professor Evelyn.

She smiled and gave a slight bow before tapping her staff lightly.

“Light and Shadow Concerto.”

In an instant, the light in the entire auditorium seemed to come alive.

Countless points of light gathered, weaving into various forms in the air.

At times it was a soaring gryphon, at times a galloping steed, and at times a blooming sea of violets.

The light and shadows transformed vividly, as if a real world were unfolding before everyone’s eyes.

Finally, all the light and shadows merged into a brilliant river of stars, flowing slowly around the top of the auditorium, breathtakingly beautiful.

The freshmen watched, utterly enthralled, especially the girls, whose eyes were full of longing.

“Magic is not only power; it is also art,” Professor Evelyn’s voice was gentle and melodious.

***

After two distinct but equally brilliant performances, it was finally Lia’s turn.

When the master of ceremonies announced the name “Professor Lia Farrien,” the entire hall fell silent for a moment before erupting into thunderous applause.

Whether they were freshmen, seniors, or even the academy’s professors, all focused their gaze on this miraculous girl.

They wanted to see what kind of world-shaking magic this person—who had single-handedly ignited several physics revolutions and made the word “physics” resound through the kingdom—would display.

Lia walked calmly onto the podium, Klein’s gaze following her the whole way.

Once she stood steady on the podium, she quietly extended a single finger.

“What I want to show everyone is a possibility of spacetime itself.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly reached everyone’s ears.

Lia closed her eyes, and a vast amount of mental power surged forth, beginning to construct an extremely complex magical model in front of her.

This model was not composed of traditional elemental runes, but of countless differential equations describing gravitational fields and light paths.

This was a manifestation of her deeper understanding of spacetime theory after multiple Recollections of Truth.

An invisible singularity formed at her fingertip.

It possessed no actual mass, yet under Lia’s mental control, it perfectly simulated the spatial distortion effects generated by a massive weight.

“Spacetime Ripples.”

Lia softly spoke the name of this self-created spell.

In the next second, an unbelievable sight occurred.

With Lia’s body as the center, the background behind her—the auditorium walls, the river of stars on the dome, the distant windows—began to distort strangely.

Light no longer traveled in straight lines but curved like water flowing through an invisible lens.

The students standing below were shocked to find that they could see the scenery “behind” Lia.

The back wall of the auditorium seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand, stretched toward the sides, and wrapped around to Lia’s front.

Immediately after, an even more fantastical scene appeared.

On either side of Lia’s body, two identical “Lias” composed of distorted light appeared.

These two ethereal images were exactly like her, down to the most subtle expressions.

It was as if spacetime had folded around her, forming two projections from different angles.

The entire auditorium was silent; everyone was stunned by this sight beyond imagination.

This had completely exceeded their understanding of magic.

There were no elemental fluctuations, no energy explosions, only the distortion of light and space.

This wasn’t magic at all; this was a miracle!

On the rostrum, an Archmage who was researching spacetime stood up excitedly, his lips trembling slightly.

He understood. This was the gravitational lensing effect!

It was a phenomenon Lia had predicted in her papers!

She had actually used magic to realize it!

Augustus also narrowed his eyes, his deep gaze filled with shock.

Maintaining the spell, Lia slowly raised her head, and the three “hers” looked toward the freshmen below simultaneously.

“The world is more wondrous than you imagine. Elements are just its surface; at the deeper foundation, rigorous and harmonious laws govern everything.”

“Understand them, embrace them, and you will master power beyond your imagination.”

Having said that, she withdrew her mental power.

The invisible singularity at her fingertip dissipated, all the distorted light instantly returned to normal, and the two ethereal images vanished.

It was as if everything that had just shaken their hearts was merely an illusion.

Lia gave a slight bow to the audience. After a long silence, thunderous applause erupted again, more passionate than any before, lasting for a long time.

She stepped off the podium and returned to Klein’s side.

“Well performed.” Klein handed her a cup of warm water.

“I half-expected someone’s head to explode on the spot,” Lia whispered as she took the cup.

“Fortunately, it seems the freshmen’s foundational perceptions are quite solid.”

Klein looked at her, a hint of a smile in his blue eyes.

“They just haven’t had time to understand it yet. Once they start studying your theories, the beds at St. Mungo’s might actually become scarce.”

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