—
After his less-than-pleasant experience with Dean Reponse de Salm, Gustave still couldn't help feeling annoyed by her. What bothered him most was how easily she became offended whenever chivalric virtue was treated lightly.
He could deduce that she had earned her position not through connections, but through an almost frightening level of diligence and dedication. She had shaped Cintran aristocrats into both knights and scholars so effectively that even the castle guards resembled trained soldiers from his Earth—or the Impera Brigade of the Nilfgaardian Empire.
Yet this understanding didn't change the fact that she punished the entire class simply because she was fed up with hearing Yennefer's name repeated again and again in Dandelion's catchy songs, and with hearing her long-lived magic treated lightly.
Still, he knew this irritation came from his underdeveloped prefrontal cortex, which was stuck somewhere between a toddler's spoiled, whiny phase and a teenager's emo, fragile-ego phase. So he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he accepted the feeling as it was and moved on to the next class.
And this time, the class wasn't just a waste of time. He actually learned something new—from geomancy to alchemy—until the noon break, when he became Ciri's playmate. He learned many things that blended science and magic, because in this world, normal non-magical phenomena from his Earth became magical simply due to the presence of the Power.
For example, there was a geomancy professor who taught him about ley lines and their elemental properties.
For example, Earth-element ley lines could be found in areas of unusually lush plant growth, nutrient-rich soil, twisted and gnarled trees warped by strong electromagnetic fields—similar to bonsai-bending techniques—and unusual rock formations created by seismic vibrations, much like natural Chladni patterns.
Meditating at such a place could make someone feel as though they could survive one or two stab wounds without dying. Gustave guessed this came from a strong magnetic field, strengthened by prolonged exposure to the ley line, which might clamp a wound shut and compress the cardiac tissue just enough to keep a person alive.
Air-element ley lines, on the other hand, could be found where dust devils formed—regions where hot air rapidly rose through cooler air due to uneven ground heating. They also manifested within cirrus clouds painted across the sky when that hot, dust-devil air ascended, causing water vapor to freeze into ice crystals. The most recognizable sign, however, was the smell of ozone—a classic indicator of electrical activity in the clouds.
Meditating at such a place could improve reaction speed, sharpen mental clarity, and reduce fatigue, giving someone the stamina to keep going on a battlefield.
He guessed this came from the constant micro-pressure currents forcing faster diaphragmatic and cardiovascular adjustments, as well as the elevated oxygen levels and dense negative ions in the ley line's fresh air—effects made many times stronger by the presence of the Power.
Fire-element ley lines appeared where vegetation had withered and the ground felt unnaturally hot from lingering infrared heat. They also manifested in areas with shimmering heat-haze, like the one above iron-rich stone or basalt mine. The clearest sign, however, was the harsh refraction of sunlight off strange, reflective dust carried through the air.
Meditating at such a place could make someone able to lift heavy objects and drive a sword forward with far greater force than normal.
He guessed this came from subtle heat flows that stimulated the body's metabolic and neural systems—causing faster blood circulation, heightened adrenaline output, and strengthened muscles through heat-shock proteins, which reinforced muscle fibers and prevented tearing under intense stress.
As for the last one in the basic curriculum, Water-element ley lines appeared in areas with extremely high humidity, where the surrounding atmosphere was saturated with water vapor.
They could also be identified by unnatural water currents caused by magnetohydrodynamic forces acting on mineral-rich fluids—water containing dissolved metals or salts that responded to electromagnetic fields. The clearest sign, however, was extreme tidal activity driven by pressure fluctuations from underground tectonic plates.
Meditating at such a place could allow someone to heal quickly, with recent wounds or injuries closing as if they were brand new.
He guessed this came from mineral-rich fluids passing through multiple geological layers in rapid succession, allowing the ley line to absorb numerous regenerative properties from various chemical elements. When amplified by the Power, these properties stimulated fibroblasts to rebuild tissue, supporting rapid clot formation and accelerated healing.
As for why he called this the basic curriculum, it was because—just as he had suspected—he was scheduled for a private session with Fritjof, the Vaedermakar of Skellige who appeared in the Witcher 3 side quest Practicum in Advanced Alchemy, right after finishing the geomancy class.
Fritjof was the one teaching him about mixed-element ley lines and the foundational alchemical knowledge of this world—knowledge he possessed partly thanks to his friendship with the Grandmaster alchemist Gremist.
Mixed-element ley lines, as the name suggested, were simply ley lines where multiple elements were blended together.
However, most of the ones found in the wild consisted of only two mixed elements; three-element ley lines were extremely rare, and fully mixed ley lines—so stable and balanced that they became the foundations of magic academies—were one-in-a-million phenomena.
That was why only druids who specialized in weather manipulation, like the Vaedermakar, were capable of handling them and drawing the Power from them. For someone without magical ability, such places would appear to be nothing more than beautiful panoramic landscapes, with nothing visibly magical about them.
But because the private session now delved into the realm of true magical power and knowledge, Gustave was being taught by Fritjof how to draw the Power from two-element mixed ley lines—knowledge that blended philosophy, artistic discipline, and science.
Even though people of this world, like Fritjof, lacked the sophisticated terminology of modern Earth, they had already grasped many of the same concepts. For example, they described atoms as "very thin dust bouncing around everywhere."
They already understood the principles of science and the laws of the world, making the study of magic feel like opening a window into the science of his Earth—a science that would otherwise remain purely theoretical or metaphysical.
They even understood the planet's geomagnetic field and how to harness it to terraform a planet—a frighteningly advanced idea.
As for why he said they were capable of terraforming a planet, even though they currently could only terraform patches of land, it was because examples were already shown in the myths surrounding the creation of Skellige Isle itself.
An archipelago built in the middle of the ocean, where hot air congregated, yet the land was covered in snow, hinted strongly that Fritjof's homeland was far from ordinary.
Coupled with passages in Heroes of Skellige: Grymmdjarr, where An Craite ancestors were said to have fished mountains out of the bottom of the sea, Gustave realized that, in the age of Hemdall and his children—before they achieved godhood—they already possessed a form of planetary engineering knowledge, applied through their magic.
This magic, unlike that in most fantasy worlds he had read about or known, was deeply attuned to scientific knowledge. Gustave once again felt his self-image as a protagonist of an era burst like a deflated balloon, realizing that his modern knowledge was not a one-way ticket to godhood but merely a modest starter booster pack.
Using his [Recall] ability to retrieve relevant passages that had slipped from his mind, he confirmed that the books already hinted at these scientific principles: casting a heating spell could make someone nauseous, or casting certain spells produced the smell of ozone in the air—O₃, literally—indicating a clear understanding of scientific principles.
Even testing magical talent—as in the original timeline, when Ciri was given this world's version of an IQ test by Yennefer—demonstrated that even the psychology department was already aware of how to measure someone's intelligence, much like on his Earth.
"What's the matter, lad? Why are you feeling so down?"
Shaking his head, he replied to Fritjof, who was puffing on his pipe, "No, Master Fritjof. Gustave just feels down because I feel like my knowledge is not enough."
Chuckling at the toddler already thinking like his older self, Fritjof shook his head, took a long puff, and prepared to cheer the boy up, seeing that he still had a bright future ahead.
"What? You're two, three now? Why do you feel so down? You have a gift, like that chubby boy I saw when I visited my friend in Kovir. Vigilord—is that his name? I don't remember. Or is it Vonabord? No, no, that's not quite right. Ah, maybe Voldermob. Hmm… no, still not right…"
Looking at Fritjof incredulously, seeing that the old man wanted to cheer him up but kept getting lost in thought, Gustave chuckled to himself, his mood improving somewhat at the old man's antics.
Thinking that, unlike those mages who could master only a single field of scientific knowledge, he possessed a broad range of disciplines that gave him an edge over the rest, Gustave recovered slightly and nudged Fritjof to continue the lesson, now moving on to the alchemy portion of the tutoring schedule.
"Master Fritjof, you mentioned the effect of celandine on wounds. It's one of the substances that reduces inflammation from injury or infection, correct?"
"Ah yes, celandine. In the roots of that flower, there is a mixture that acts as a gentle guide for your body. When your blood or life essence begins to overreact to an injury, this mixture tells your essence to calm down, reducing swelling and pain, and helping the wound feel less hot and irritated."
Translating "mixture composition" as a chemical compound—in this case, chelidonine—and "essence of life" as the organism's cells, he continued to listen to the rest of Fritjof's explanation, which had already entered the realm of metaphysical science—the very thing he had been waiting for.
"When it comes into contact with the Aer element, it can increase the flow of blood carrying that Aer throughout the body. Not only that, but the Aer—the sustenance composition carried by the blood—can rapidly reach the wounded muscles. This is connected to the other composition I mentioned before, thus accelerating vitality regeneration."
"Just like Swallow potions," Gustave remarked.
"You are right, little lad. Just like the Swallow potions of those Witchers."
After translating Aer from the Scholar Language version of his world's scholarly terminology—which referred to diatomic gases, noble gases, or atmospheric gases as a whole—he understood that magic in this world could enhance compounds like chelidonine or other anti-inflammatory agents in celandine when these compounds reacted with the gases.
The result was an amplification of their inherent properties, creating a new effect that was already within the realm of logic—in this case, rapid regeneration.
This made him eager to dig deeper into how air could enhance anti-inflammatory agents, transforming them from mere swelling reducers into something capable of true regeneration—a miracle by the standards of his Earth.
However, he knew that without a full understanding of the magical sciences—which might already touch upon dark matter or other mystical, science-fiction-like forces—he would not find the answer just yet.
So, he just focused on the knowledge at hand: a combination of speculative philosophy, proto-scientific chemistry, and mysticism, effectively piecing together elements from different scientific systems to achieve magical results. Or, as the people of this world called this method of puzzle-piecing, alchemy.
—
References may break immersion. Just go ahead to the next chapter.
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References
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The geomancy reference can be found in the Tome of Chaos. I just expanded on it and explained it scientifically.
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Yes. Ozone, as in O₃, appears in the book whenever a sorcerer casts a spell.
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"The penetrating smell of ozone, created by the curses, didn't overpower the scent of lilac and gooseberries."
"Yennefer straightened her thigh, waved her foot toward the charging wagons of the Barefield constabulary, and shouted a spell. The air crackled and emitted the smell of ozone."
"And the smell of ozone; the scent of magic."
—
Ozone was first studied in 1840 by the German-Swiss chemist Christian Friedrich Schönbein in the early modern era. This meant that similar compounds in the periodic table had already been named using scientific terminology, just like in the 19th century.
—
The IQ test is not directly stated, but from the series of tests Yennefer gave Ciri, it is clear that something similar is happening. Considering that "chaos, art, and science" are part of the magic of this world, intelligence is one of the traits a sorcerer needs to cast spells effectively. I tried to avoid the "mana" nonsense, where magic happens just by waving a hand, and instead wanted to show in this fanfic that magic also involves science, just as the books suggest.
—
"And what will it involve? What are these tests? And why…"
"I have already explained. If you haven't understood, that's too bad. I have no intention of polishing your perception or improving your intelligence. I can examine a sensible girl just as well as a foolish one."
—
"Congratulations. You've passed the preliminary test of perspicacity. And now for the real test. Concentrate, please. Look: there are four pine trees in this picture. Each one has a different number of branches. Draw a fifth to fit in with the other four and to fit in this space here."
"Pine trees are silly," decreed Ciri, sticking out her tongue and drawing a slightly crooked tree with her charcoal. "And boring! I don't understand what pine trees have to do with magic! Lady Yennefer! You promised to answer my questions!"
"Unfortunately," sighed the magician, picking up the sheet of paper and critically examining the drawing, "I think I'm going to regret that promise. What do pine trees have in common with magic? Nothing. But you've drawn it correctly and on time. In truth, excellent for a beginner."
—
Pine trees have no correlation with magic, but the correct drawing does. This drawing test is similar to the psychological Thematic Apperception Test, which implies that psychological science already plays a role in determining who can wield magic.
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"No. I rarely laugh. I really need a good reason to laugh. Concentrate on the next page, Surprise. There are rows of stars, circles, crosses, and triangles drawn on it, with a different number of each shape in each row. Think and answer: how many stars should be in the last row?"
"Stars are silly!"
"How many?"
"Three!"
—
This passage directly indicates that IQ is needed to wield magic in this world, as this is essentially a Figural Series Test, a standard IQ assessment.
After these, many more tests were given to Ciri, showing that Aretuza already uses a form of psychological science to determine whether someone is suited to wield magic—a practice that requires in-depth study and long-term research.
—
After apples, pine trees, stars, fishes, and houses came the turn of labyrinths, through which she had to quickly find a path; wavy lines; blots resembling squashed cockroaches; and mosaics that made her cross-eyed and dizzy. Then there was a shining ball on a string that she had to stare at for a long time. Watching it was as dull as dishwater, and Ciri kept falling asleep. Yennefer, surprisingly, did not care, even though a few days earlier she had scolded her grimly for napping over one of the cockroach blots.
Poring over the tests made her neck and back ache, and day by day the pain grew worse. She missed movement and fresh air, and, being honest, she immediately told Yennefer. The magician took it in stride, as if she had been expecting this.
For the next two days, they ran through the park, jumped over ditches and fences under the amused or pitying eyes of the priestesses and novices. They exercised and practiced balance walking along the top of the wall encircling the orchard and farm buildings. Unlike the training in Kaer Morhen, these exercises with Yennefer were always accompanied by theory. The magician taught Ciri how to breathe, guiding the movement of her chest and diaphragm with firm pressure from her hand. She explained the rules of movement, how muscles and bones work, and demonstrated how to rest, release tension, and relax.
—
And look at that—there's evidence they also study human anatomy, something I just realized while rereading this passage carefully.
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But because I knew too, Gustave is the one who focuses heavily on science—very different from the rest of the sorcerers, some of whom rely on intuition, and some on mere chance—this next passage explains it:
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"Magic" – Yennefer, her eyes fixed on the sky above the hills, rested her hands on the pommel of her saddle – "is, in some people's opinion, the embodiment of Chaos. It is a key capable of opening the forbidden door. The door behind which lurk nightmares, fear and unimaginable horrors, behind which enemies hide and wait, destructive powers, the forces of pure Evil capable of annihilating not only the one who opens the door but with them the entire world. And since there is no lack of those who try to open the door, someone, at some point, is going to make a mistake and then the destruction of the world will be forejudged and inevitable. Magic is, therefore, the revenge and the weapon of Chaos. The fact that, following the Conjunction of the Spheres, people have learned to use magic, is the curse and undoing of the world. The undoing of mankind. And that's how it is, Ciri. Those who believe that magic is Chaos are not mistaken."
"Magic," Yennefer continued after a while, "is, in some people's opinion, art. Great, elitist art, capable of creating beautiful and extraordinary things. Magic is a talent granted to only a chosen few. Others, deprived of talent, can only look at the results of the artists' works with admiration and envy, can admire the finished work while feeling that without these creations and without this talent the world would be a poorer place. The fact that, following the Conjunction of the Spheres, some chosen few discovered talent and magic within themselves, the fact that they found Art within themselves, is the blessing of beauty. And that's how it is. Those who believe that magic is art are also right."
"There are also those according to whom magic is a science. In order to master it, talent and innate ability alone are not enough. Years of keen study and arduous work are essential; endurance and self-discipline are necessary. Magic acquired like this is knowledge, learning, the limits of which are constantly stretched by enlightened and vigorous minds, by experience, experiments and practice. Magic acquired in such a way is progress. It is the plough, the loom, the watermill, the smelting furnace, the winch and the pulley. It is progress, evolution, change. It is constant movement. Upwards. Towards improvement. Towards the stars. The fact that following the Conjunction of the Spheres we discovered magic will, one day, allow us to reach the stars. Dismount, Ciri."
—
And yes, they will, Yennefer—they will. In this fanfic, Gustave will reach the stars… creating civilizations that span and spread even across many universes.