Was it an unpublished manuscript left behind by some Alchemy Master? Or perhaps a cutting-edge hypothesis from a magical journal?
Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, Lucien calmly gave his answer.
"'Instant Speech' draws heavily upon the Muggle world's 'internet' system."
The internet?
Many wizards looked bewildered, while the expressions of a small number of students darkened visibly the moment they heard the word "Muggle."
The traditional belief that Muggle things were inferior and wizarding blood superior existed throughout magical societies across the world.
How could they accept that a magical creation praised by numerous Alchemy Masters, one capable of changing an era, had actually been inspired by something they considered inferior and backward?
However, when those indignant students instinctively looked towards the judges' panel, hoping to see the masters display the same disdain or dissatisfaction, they were disappointed.
There was not the slightest trace of contempt on the faces of the Alchemy Masters.
On the contrary, after an initial flash of surprise, the admiration and anticipation already present in their eyes grew even brighter.
It was the excitement of discovering a rare treasure, a pure appreciation for wisdom and innovation that transcended prejudice.
Lucien paid no attention to the slight commotion below and continued explaining in a clear voice, carefully translating Muggle concepts into metaphors that wizards could understand.
"In the Muggle 'internet,' the information being transmitted, whether text, images, or sound, is divided into countless 'data packets'... Each 'packet' is marked with a destination 'address,' and then they travel like a flock of the fastest and most knowledgeable owls, each taking a different route towards the destination... Finally, once all the 'packets' arrive, they are precisely reassembled into the original complete information..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the judges, who were listening intently.
"Of course, 'Instant Speech' uses magical methods to reproduce and improve upon this process... For example, Alchemy and Runes are used to 'divide' and 'mark' information... Existing basic magic from the wizarding world, such as Connection Charms, Revealing Charms, and Voice-Transmission Charms, are then used to construct stable 'routes' and 'reassembly' mechanisms... These specific methods rely upon the vast body of knowledge left behind by generations of wizards before us..."
As he continued, the expressions of the students below gradually shifted from confusion to complete bewilderment.
They had only half-understood the Muggle concepts to begin with, and now that those ideas had been mixed together with magical principles and Alchemy terminology, they felt as though their heads had been stuffed full of writhing Venomous Tentacula, buzzing so loudly that they could no longer follow his reasoning at all.
The scene at the judges' table, however, was entirely different.
The masters listened with complete concentration, occasionally nodding in sudden understanding or falling into deep thought. Their gazes towards Lucien had grown so intense that they almost seemed to shine, as though they were examining a priceless treasure.
To possess such extraordinary talent and such solid foundations at so young an age was already remarkable.
Even rarer was his ability to break through conventional ways of thinking, actively draw inspiration from the completely different Muggle world, and then adapt, integrate, and surpass those ideas through magic.
That kind of vision and breadth of mind impressed them far more than alchemical skill alone.
The moment Lucien finished speaking, Lance, the alchemist wearing the single crystal monocle, leaned forward eagerly and spoke before anyone else could.
"Grafton," he said, his voice slightly abrupt from his impatience, "do you already have a teacher in Alchemy? I mean someone who has truly taken you on as a successor, someone who personally guides you and passes down their legacy... a master?"
Lance's question seemed to voice the shared thoughts of all the Alchemy Masters present.
A genius could certainly grow through their own efforts, but Alchemy was a profound and difficult discipline that demanded an enormous accumulation of knowledge and countless rounds of trial and error. Without a renowned teacher to offer guidance at critical moments, it was difficult to imagine someone so young reaching such heights.
Several gazes fell upon Lucien with almost tangible weight, probing, curious, expectant, and even carrying a deeply hidden longing.
Only Nicolas, the moment he heard the question, let his gaze drift towards Lance.
His brow furrowed ever so slightly.
Why did the expression on this fellow's face look... familiar?
Wait, could he actually be interested in taking his student?
Lucien glanced subtly at his teacher and caught the way Nicolas was sizing Lance up.
An appropriate mixture of apology and firmness appeared on his face as he replied,
"Mr. Lance, yes, I do have a master in the field of Alchemy." Lucien's tone was sincere and respectful. "He was the one who truly led me into the world of Alchemy and unreservedly taught me countless precious things. He is the most important mentor I have had on my path as an alchemist."
"However, my master prefers a quiet life and does not wish to be disturbed. So please forgive me for being unable to reveal his name."
As soon as he finished speaking, the last trace of expectation on Lance's face disappeared, replaced by obvious regret.
He slowly leaned back in his chair and let out a faint, almost inaudible sigh.
The expressions of the other white-haired masters nearby were much the same. Their eyes showed a complicated mixture of envy, regret, and even a hint of jealousy towards the unknown old fellow who had somehow been lucky enough to find such a student.
Nicolas took all of this in, and one of his eyelids twitched.
So they really were trying to steal his apprentice!
And more than one of them had the same idea!
Fortunately, no one questioned Lucien's explanation, nor was anyone tactless enough to keep pressing him.
Alchemists and Potion Masters had never been short of eccentrics. Some wizards would disappear into remote mountains or forests and spend their entire lives researching their craft, seeking neither fame nor fortune even until death, though such cases were relatively rare.
What the alchemists present found outrageous was this: how had some recluse who wanted nothing to do with the world managed to find a successor like Lucien?
Someone like him should have been impossible to find even if you searched with a lantern.
It was as though Merlin himself had dropped a pie straight into that man's cauldron.
Could living in the wilderness really cause a child with this kind of talent and character to simply appear?
Amid their chaotic thoughts, no one spoke for a moment, causing the atmosphere to become subtly awkward.
It was Madame Maxime who broke the brief silence.
"Hehe, it seems that once 'Instant Speech' becomes widespread, the owls responsible for delivering mail in the wizarding world may have to retire early."
She made a harmless joke and naturally steered the conversation back on track.
"Speaking of which, Lucien, since 'Instant Speech' draws inspiration from the Muggle 'internet', does it also have some kind of central hub? Something responsible for receiving, processing, and distributing those... 'data packets'?"
Hearing this, the corners of Lucien's mouth curved slightly.
The truly important topic had finally arrived.
"Yes, Madame. In my complete vision, it should indeed be possible to establish a distributed 'Magical Communication Hub' in the future."
"At present, the direct point-to-point connection used by 'Instant Speech' is heavily affected by distance and by the magical environment surrounding both users, especially when transmitting complex audio and images in real time... Establishing dedicated magical hubs would greatly optimise the transmission routes and improve the efficiency and stability of information flow."
"Of course," he continued candidly, "from a technical standpoint, there are two main ways to achieve wide-range, near-zero-latency communication for 'Instant Speech' in the future."
"One is the method I just mentioned, building an external network of Magical Communication Hubs."
"The other is to continuously optimise the alchemical core and rune arrays of the 'Instant Speech' device itself, strengthening its magical processing capabilities and its ability to establish long-distance connections."
The latter would require a relatively longer research and development cycle, and the final results were uncertain.
The former demanded considerable resources and coordination across different regions, but once established, the improvement in performance would be immediate and scalable.
In Lucien's mind, there were still six months remaining on the loan for the Emerald Tablet fragment.
Only by optimising and perfecting the transnational, and eventually even global, communication capabilities of Instant Speech within that period could he maximise its popularity and sales.
Ideally, he wanted to involve the Ministries of Magic of different countries in jointly constructing a communications infrastructure for the wizarding world.
This Alchemical Tournament was also an excellent opportunity for demonstration and promotion.
Even if not the entire world, at the very least, the attention of the whole European wizarding world was focused here.
Moreover, the prestigious Alchemy Masters sitting on the judges' panel possessed considerable influence in their respective countries and within the international magical community.
If he could win them over first, there would undoubtedly be far less resistance when it came time to seek cooperation from the various Ministries of Magic.
At the same time, Lucien had already decided to push forward the testing and early construction of the Magical Communication Hub network without neglecting his research into optimising the Instant Speech device itself.
Whichever of the two paths achieved a major breakthrough first would be a victory for him.
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