Chapter 112
Obviously they couldn't just start a wind here, maybe they would cause damage and be investigated by the Oversight Committee.
"I have an idea!" Sylas suddenly moved excitedly, sticking it onto her body.
Xerath had to step back, "What new idea do you have?"
"I thought that the sand was hard to dig because it's fluid. If I wet the sand, it won't be like that anymore. But who can dig it? Can I ask Virgil for help?"
Xerath thought for a moment, "Sure. You can go find him, but he will ask you for money."
"Hmm, that seems reasonable, but I don't have any money..." A dark shade fell over the little girl's face.
"Do you still have money left from last semester?"
"Yes... Can I use it?"
"Why can't we use it? What do you think are the hidden rules inside?"
"Hmm... I think the right to use this money automatically expires after going home. It's like, because the twins spend all their pocket money before going home."
Xerath couldn't help but laugh again. "Your friends are really funny. You can use this money without asking for my advice, but of course, I'll still inquire, just in case you get deceived."
Deception is an unfair behavior, and the archmage hates unfair behaviors.
"But I didn't bring it with me. Can you lend it to me?"
Xerath tucked her hair behind her ear and softly said, "Of course you can, will you repay me?"
Yes!
"Do you want to take a nap?"
The little girl shook her head vigorously, but a yawn betrayed her. Xerath sent her back to sleep, maybe because her attitude was too good, she took advantage of it and was unwilling to go back, even holding onto Xerath's arm tightly.
"I will stay with you. It must be tiring for you to be alone. Since we both feel tired when we're apart, why don't you let me stay?"
"No, go back and sleep. I will walk you back." Xerath stood up, reluctantly pulling the fur off Sylas. Sylas stood up, clinging to her shoulders, looking at her with sadness and wanting to resist. But Xerath held her and led her towards the tent, guiding her by the shoulders, forcing her to enter the tent.
The little girl slowly dragged herself into the tent. Xerath stood at the entrance of the tent, but after a while, there was no sound. She sighed and slowly walked back to the campfire, looking up at the stars.
For an archmage, it is necessary to know the directions through constellations (which archmage would complain about knowing too much?). Looking at the stars is a very enjoyable and time-consuming method. The water lord turned into a reclining chair, and Xerath lay down decisively, resting her hands behind her head, slowly picturing the shapes of the constellations in her mind.
"Teacher, I have a few more ideas." The adorable little girl popped her head out of the tent, holding the opening with both hands, unintentionally squeezing her hands together, her eyes shining brightly.
Hyectra floated slowly with Xerath and said, turning her face to the side, "Still not ready to sleep? What new ideas do you have?"
"I have thought of several possible crystalline shapes that could be found beneath the sand." She eagerly demonstrated some water orbs that she manipulated with spells. Besides the bulging shapes, she didn't forget about the tubular and concave shapes, roughly categorizing and providing equations to calculate their shapes. Finally, she expressed her frustration, saying, "If only there were more measuring tools available."
Throughout this process, Xerath quietly watched her, a mysterious smile on her lips, and when she felt dejected, she patted her shoulder.
"You can't figure out every single bump and depression, remember? A properly rough model can simplify the workload and help you think about the big picture."
"Oh..."
"I really like you... Your thoughts are impressive. You can apply everything you have learned, which is amazing. It's a state that I aspire to." Xerath didn't seem like she was lying, she had a smile on her face. The curve at the corner of her eyes made her more persuasive. There were faded sparks in her bright eyes, and it drove away her disappointment.
She became visibly happy at a rapid speed. However, Xerath added, "You have to prove that you can use these well, and you have to wait until your measurement report is completed."
But Sylas had already received praise and was so happy that her face turned red. She looked particularly radiant in the light of the fire. No matter how difficult the tasks ahead were, it couldn't stop her. She was even eager to know when it would be dawn, asking such a question impatiently.
Having a passion for thinking was indeed a quality that researchers appreciate. The archmage couldn't bear to scold her and felt it was not appropriate to send her back to sleep. So, he let her diverge in her thinking. With no one to hold her back, Sylas's thoughts became even more scattered due to fatigue. One moment, she speculated that the crystallized Earth Child would have the ability to refract Holy Light spells; another moment, she guessed that the dragon bones would grow into arcane monsters once crystalized. She also thought about using a wind shield and "bouncing off" with the wind, saying, "Maybe we can even pass through the dragon bones together!"
Every time she said something, Xerath nodded in agreement. Seeing her speaking while kneeling made her uncomfortable, so Xerath even lifted the fur and asked her to lie down together.
The starlight shone brightly, casting a silver glow all over the ground. The fire in Xerath's eyes became even more radiant. She accompanied Sylas as they continued to expand their discussion, straying further and further from the main topic. However, their drowsiness also drifted further away.
"I, too, didn't believe in the 'principle of flesh rejection' and put my hand into the crack of elements. But even if you could penetrate it, you couldn't truly go inside. At most, you can only push through the barrier between the different worlds. Just like when Leunen first came out, it squeezed through that 'barrier' from the inside and finally came out on its own."
"So, we didn't really open the barrier, we only made that layer of the barrier very thin? Why? Does the 'barrier' recognize the elements on its own? How does it actually work? For example, does it have small enough holes on top for elemental creatures formed by the gathering of elements to pass through?"
"This is one hypothesis, and another hypothesis is that the unknown substance that forms a barrier only allows magic and elements to pass through. The tiny particles of the unknown substance have a strong repulsion towards any other substances other than magic and elements, so the remaining substances cannot pass through. This hypothesis can explain why the stronger the elemental power, the more difficult it is to pass through the elemental barrier: relatively powerful elemental creatures have the ability to absorb elements themselves, and there is repulsion between this absorption force and the tiny particles that make up the barrier. However, the truth is still unknown, and no one even knows how to verify it."
"Actually, we don't know anything at all..." grumbled the little beast discontentedly. "Although there are many seemingly reasonable hypotheses, if you delve deeper, nothing can really be confirmed. Do we really have a way to uncover all the secrets of the mortal realm?"
Xerath remained silent, but looked at her with a meaningful gaze.
Sylas pouted. "...I know, we can only ever come close to the truth, but never truly know it. But teacher, I heard a very pessimistic idea at school."
"Tell me about it?"
"Hmm...what we believe to be true is actually just because we believe it exists, without any evidence to prove it. We think a certain theory can explain a certain phenomenon, but in reality, it cannot be proven. We cannot use theories derived from known experiences to prove the known experiences themselves. It's a circular and futile process...Omniscience and omnipotence are things for gods."
Xerath chuckled softly. "Don't doubt yourself or believe in foolish believers of gods. First, I hope both of us can understand that everything in the world is governed by certain great laws, hmm?"
"Hmm." She nodded, suddenly remembering that afternoon when she lay in Xerath's arms, feeling the storm, a certain "great law" right in front of her, proclaiming its existence deafeningly.
"'God' is nothing more than a crude model that people generalize these laws during irrational times. The model will become more and more accurate in order to simply and effectively explain all related phenomena. It constantly revises itself due to newly emerging, difficult-to-explain phenomena and contradictions, so we can infinitely approach the truth." The archmage took the chance to preach, sitting up even lying on her side and facing Sylas. The water sphere above her vibrated up and down due to her movement. Sylas felt her and turned to face her, taking the opportunity to hold her hand.
The archmage spoke seriously and also held her hand. When she talked about important things, she would shake her hand a little. Sylas wanted to laugh, but laughing wouldn't please the archmage. She had to listen to her carefully and understand what she meant.
"'Getting closer and closer' is not unknowable. Phenomena are endless. As long as time exists, new phenomena will keep happening and entering our knowledge and understanding. There is no limit to knowledge. But based on our experience, we can refine our understanding of 'laws' more and more precisely."
"It's a bit like when we make a small object using plaster. Although it can't be exactly the same, it is similar to a certain extent, which allows people to understand what it is, like a stool? It has four short legs, a short but wide seat, and a fringe around it. It can make people who see it understand that it's a stool. Do you get that feeling?"
"Very similar." The archmage smiled with satisfaction. She has always liked Sylas like this.
Thinking and making connections can make people excited, but it doesn't mean that we can keep burning our brains endlessly. It will make us more tired. Sylas yawned one after another. Xerath saw that she wanted to sleep but forced herself to stay awake and chat with her. She couldn't help but wrap the fur around Sylas tightly and softly said, "Let's stop here for today."
"But aren't you tired?" Before she finished asking this question, her voice was distorted by a yawn.
Xerath smiled and didn't answer. "Here's a goodnight kiss for you. Sleep, okay? You need to stay awake for work tomorrow." As she spoke, she also yawned and amused herself.
