Chapter 104: The Unspoken Keystone

The two flowers Eleonora had given her were ultimately placed by Lia into two separate crystal vases.

The white ‘Pure Gratitude’ blossom she set on her desk, facing the window, where it could bathe in the earliest morning light each day.

The delicate pink ‘Unspoken Affection’ bloom, however, she placed in a corner by her bedside—a spot not overly conspicuous, yet one she would always glimpse before sleep and upon waking.

Time flowed by imperceptibly.

The academic world, not just in the Royal Capital but throughout the entire kingdom, surged forward at a nearly feverish pace.

The publication schedule for The Theory of Arcane Arts was reluctantly changed from a monthly to a bi-monthly release, and eventually, special supplementary issues dedicated to specific fields even began to appear.

The long-dormant Elemental School reached the zenith of its prestige. With the aid of spectrographic devices, two more elements, possessing extremely unstable properties, were successfully captured and verified.

They were named ‘Ai,’ found below manganese on the periodic table, and ‘Po,’ situated between beryllium and polonium. The blanks on Lia’s original treasure map were being filled in at a visible rate.

Meanwhile, the fervor for the Electromagnetism School swept through the entire circle of high-ranking mages.

Following Faraday’s On the Quantitative Laws of Steady Current Magnetic Fields, new theories emerged like spring rain.

A mathematician named Gauss, building upon Coulomb’s Law, introduced the concept of ‘electric flux’ and published On the Intrinsic Connections of Electrostatics, summarizing the relationship between charge and electric fields with a concise formula.

Subsequently, in the study of magnetic fields, it was discovered that magnetic field lines are always closed, and isolated magnetic poles could never be found.

This discovery was summarized in A Discussion on the Nature of Magnetic Poles, becoming a new cornerstone in the field of electromagnetism.

Faraday, too, did not cease his endeavors.

He further generalized his earlier formula for steady current magnetic fields to more universal scenarios, writing The Magnetic Field Loop Law, which perfectly linked the magnetic field of a closed circuit with the current passing through it via an integral formula.

Without exception, all these newly published papers, in their opening introductions, listed Lia Farrien and Klein as the originators of the theories and the inspirers of their insights.

The Magic Association even hailed Lia’s original treatise, On the Principle of the Unity of Celestial and Terrestrial Object Motion, and her foundational work on Calculus as monumental achievements she had ushered in.

Yet, Lia herself, at the heart of this storm, led an uncommonly tranquil life.

She heeded Eleonora’s advice and listened to the voice within her own heart.

She no longer compelled herself to ponder theories capable of overturning the world, nor did she feel overwhelmed by external scrutiny.

She began to truly enjoy life.

She would spend an entire afternoon curled on the sofa with Adèle, reading an utterly unsubstantial knight novel.

On days with pleasant weather, she would take strolls by the Royal Academy’s lake, watching the enchanted birds, imbued with mages’ magic, trace colorful halos through the air.

Her body was undergoing subtle transformations.

The girl reflected in the mirror had grown several more centimeters, and Adèle’s formerly oversized mage robe now fit her quite well.

Her slender waist and the nascent curves of her chest all signified her growth into a true young woman.

The deep blue gown, named ‘Serene Starry Sky,’ was finally taken out and worn.

When she first put it on, she felt a touch of awkwardness.

But as she moved through the mage tower in it, she noticed that when Klein saw her, there was only a fleeting moment of surprise, his gaze lingering for just an instant with no superfluous reaction.

With that, her discomfort quietly dissipated.

She gradually grew accustomed to this body, and to the gaze that invariably fell upon her.

This afternoon, Lia was poring over the previous issue of The Theory of Arcane Arts in her study, which featured Faraday’s paper on The Magnetic Field Loop Law.

She read with intense concentration, her finger tracing the elegant integral formula on the page.

The study door opened, and Klein entered.

He had shed his outdoor mage robe, wearing only a simple shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his well-defined forearms.

He seemed to have just finished a complex experiment, a faint, scorched scent from magic smelting still clinging to him.

“Returned?” Lia asked without lifting her head.

“Mhm.” Klein walked over and settled into the chair opposite her, pouring himself a glass of water.

He observed Lia’s focused expression before asking, “What are your thoughts on Faraday’s paper?”

This type of conversation had become their new normal over the past month.

Whenever a new theory emerged, Klein would always find time to ask for her opinion.

Initially, Lia had been somewhat evasive, but as these instances increased, they returned to their original, most comfortable dynamic: that of equal, pure academic collaborators.

“His ideas are quite ingenious,” Lia said, looking up and turning The Theory of Arcane Arts towards Klein.

“Using a loop integral to describe the relationship between magnetic fields and current is far more universally applicable than his previous simple inverse-proportion formula.”

“Merely universally applicable?” Klein noted the reservation in her tone.

“This law is perfect,” Lia said, her finger tapping lightly on the tabletop, “but it only applies to one specific scenario.”

“Steady currents,” Klein instantly grasped her meaning.

“Precisely,” Lia nodded. “This formula doesn’t account for situations where the electric field changes. Shouldn’t a changing electric field, much like a changing magnetic field, be capable of inducing some new kind of force field?”

Her question was like a pebble cast into a still lake.

Klein’s movements stilled.

He gazed at Lia, at her clear eyes that seemed to penetrate all truths.

Electricity generating magnetism, magnetism generating electricity.

They had already constructed the bridge connecting these two worlds.

Yet, Lia was now telling him that this bridge still lacked a keystone.

A changing electric field…

Countless formulas and models flashed through Klein’s mind as he strove to capture the fleeting spark of inspiration.

“Are you suggesting…” he began, his voice a little dry, “that a changing electric field can also produce a magnetic field?”

“Why not?” Lia countered. “If moving magnetism can generate electricity, then for the sake of symmetry, moving electricity—that is, a changing electric field—should logically also generate magnetism.”

“Don’t you think this aligns with the harmony and unity that the world ought to possess?”

Harmony and unity.

Klein savored these words.

He recalled Lia’s initial laws of motion, which, with a few simple formulas, had unified the mechanics of both celestial and terrestrial bodies.

This seemingly simple conjecture of symmetry, when spoken by Lia, carried an undeniable magic.

“I understand.”

Klein rose to his feet, the bewilderment in his eyes swept away, replaced by a flame of exploration. That fire blazed in his gaze, causing his entire being to radiate a compelling aura.

“I will endeavor to find it.”

He strode quickly towards the door, but halfway there, he paused, turning to look at Lia.

His gaze drifted from her clear eyes to the neckline of her gown.

“The dress suits you well.”

With that, he departed the study in haste, not waiting for Lia’s reply, leaving behind only a somewhat tall and straight silhouette and the lingering words suspended in the air.

Lia stood rooted to the spot.

She lowered her gaze to the deep blue gown she wore, the silver threads along its hem reflecting a soft glow in the afternoon sun.

Instinctively, she smoothed out non-existent creases on the skirt, the cool, silken touch of starlight silk registering on her fingertips.

A familiar warmth, once again, began an uncontrollable ascent from her neck, swiftly coloring her earlobes crimson and spreading across her entire face. She raised a hand to touch her cheek; it felt rather hot.

‘It really is…’ she murmured softly, burying her face in The Theory of Arcane Arts, which still carried the scent of ink, attempting to cool her flushed cheeks with its icy formulas.

Only this time, her lips curved upward in an involuntary smile, forming an arc she herself hadn’t noticed.