Electromagnetic Induction Isn't Magic Induction, Aaaah!

"Master Tesla!" Downs bowed again and again in excitement.

"I'm not your master yet. Also, just call me Lein from now on." Lein waved casually.

"No! Whether Master acknowledges it or not, you are my master—the Tesla Archmage." Downs's kowtowing was impeccably meticulous.

Honestly, Lein felt pretty good about it.

Suddenly, being a Science and Engineering Dog didn't seem so miserable.

If he hadn't transmigrated, he probably would have started earning a monthly salary of three thousand at a young age right after graduation.

Cough cough!

He was getting sidetracked.

As a transmigrator, when it came to taking on a disciple, the first thing that came to mind was that he'd probably need to give the boy nine years of compulsory education first, then thoughtfully gift him a whole box of Five-Year Exam, Three-Year Simulation.

But desperate times called for desperate measures. For the sake of money, he'd just give Downs a Crash Course.

First, he needed to protect himself.

Lein repeatedly stressed, "Remember! I'm only teaching you [knowledge]. As for whether you can learn it..."

Downs stubbornly replied, "Ancient mages are one in ten thousand. If... if I truly lack the talent, then I'll accept it."

Lein raised his right Index Finger with utmost seriousness. "One semester! I'll only give you one semester—that is, half a year. If you still can't learn it by then..."

Downs's heart turned cold. He couldn't help recalling the stories sung by bards about mages taking disciples—testing their aptitude, and if the candidate lacked talent, they were immediately sent packing. How could they be as kind as his master, who was even giving him half a year?

Sure enough, Master still thinks highly of me!

Downs nodded heavily and declared resolutely, "If I make no progress within half a year, I will leave on my own and no longer disturb Master's cultivation."

Good! This kid could be fooled!

Lein finally smiled.

He didn't want to be a swindler, but there were too many foolish Natives in this other world who insisted on giving him money. So he'd teach Downs physics.

If Downs learned physics but couldn't comprehend magic, what did that have to do with Lein?

At that thought, Lein no longer felt burdened by guilt.

With that, Lein clasped his hands behind his back and turned to leave. Downs immediately followed at his heels. "Master, when will you teach me Lightning Magic?"

Lein glanced at the sky. "It's getting late. Let's rest for the night and talk tomorrow morning. Oh, right. Can you cook?"

"Uh, I can."

It would have been an utterly ordinary exchange, but when Downs followed Lein around a corner and arrived before Lein's house, young Downs was stunned.

For the first time in his life, Downs saw an electric light. "Master, this is..."

Lein froze.

Looking at the fervent temporary fool of a disciple before him, Lein realized he was going to have trouble explaining himself again.

There were three treasures for transmigrators: cement, glass, and soap.

As long as one had sufficient materials and understood the principles, all three could be made by hand.

Glass was simply plant ash mixed with sand, placed in a heat-resistant container in the proper ratio and fired at high temperatures to produce molten glass.

The Blacksmith Shop happened to have tungsten, so Lein drew it into tungsten wire, paired it with glass, made a crude tungsten-filament light bulb, and connected it to alternating current generated by a waterwheel. That was how he got this flickering bulb.

Lein had failed at least several hundred times in the process.

To the Natives, this was undoubtedly magic.

Looking at the electric light hanging from the roof of the little tiled house, Downs asked, "Master, is this lightning too?"

"It's electricity, that's right!"

"Where does the electricity come from?"

Lein paused and pointed at the waterwheel in the distance. "This is hydroelectric power generation, or [hydropower] for short."

This time, it was Downs's turn to be dumbfounded.

The moment Lein saw Downs's expression, he knew things might go wrong. He immediately insisted, "Don't overthink it! This is [science] too!"

The speaker had intent, and the listener found meaning!

"Science?"

"That's right! This is one application of electricity after Electromagnetic induction generates electrical power."

Lein had clearly spoken with such certainty, leaving no room for doubt, but for some reason, Downs heard something entirely different:

I get it! Master is the kind of person who talks tough but has a soft heart!

He said he wouldn't take a disciple, yet didn't he still accept me?

He said he was teaching [science], but his magic lessons had already begun!

Master was clearly saying—lightning is everywhere; the key is [induction]!

Master, I understand!

Meanwhile, seeing Downs looking greatly inspired yet somewhat lost in his own thoughts, Lein felt utterly awkward. If he knew that the Electromagnetic induction he had mentioned had been reduced to mere [induction], he would probably slap this foolish disciple to death on behalf of God Tesla, Nikola Tesla.

Still somewhat doubtful, Lein pressed, "What did you understand?"

"Induction!" Downs answered loudly.

Lein was a little uncertain, but he added, "All right, then. Tomorrow, I'll show you an electromagnetic coil."

Downs blinked. He couldn't understand [magnetic] or [coil], but that didn't stop his imagination from running wild:

Tomorrow?

Didn't that mean Master's test had already begun, and the outcome would be decided tonight!?

Downs's heart tightened.

After he began cooking, Downs was a little absentminded.

After all, he didn't have much time left...

As a former Knight Apprentice, Downs was no stranger to doing Odd jobs. That was how knights were trained. Children began following knights at a young age, doing miscellaneous chores. Only when the knight had time would they instruct apprentices in martial skills and teach them the spirit of knighthood. Once apprentices grew up, they became knight retainers and followed knights into battle.

Only after receiving a lord's recognition or becoming a professional could one advance into a true knight.

Downs nimbly helped start the fire and cook, while nervously answering all sorts of questions Master had about the outside world. If nothing else, Downs was absolutely certain that Master had truly lived in seclusion for a very long time and knew nothing about the outside world.

His admiration for Master deepened even further.

After dinner, he still couldn't hold himself back. "Master, what exactly is this [Electromagnetic induction] of yours?"

Lein answered casually, "First, you need a magnet. Magnets can produce a magnetic field. Although magnetic force is invisible and intangible, it truly exists."

As Lein spoke, he pulled out a lodestone and demonstrated the 'divine skill' of a magnet attracting an iron block.

But in Downs's mind, the scene became something entirely different: Master was reminding me again that before lightning can be seen, it already exists in every corner of heaven and earth. Invisible and intangible, yet it truly exists!?

Lein rotated a U-shaped magnet around a bundle of small coils as he said, "First, form a closed [circuit]. Then, as long as the magnet rotates quickly enough, the changing magnetic field can generate electricity."

Downs's eyes widened. Oh! Master meant that I needed to become some kind of 'magnet,' spinning rapidly without pause and drawing in the hidden electricity around me. As long as this magnet—me—spun fast enough, I could produce electricity visible to the naked eye.

Seeing Downs looking a little possessed, Lein felt somewhat sorry for him. "All right, all right. Teaching you science is for tomorrow. Get some sleep first."

Late at night, Downs couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned, muttering the word 'induction' from time to time.

The little tiled house was only seven or eight Square meters and belonged to a half-collapsed building. With only that much space for two people to sleep in, how could Lein possibly fail to notice his simple-minded disciple's condition?

There were many ways to help someone sleep.

Perhaps counting sheep, but at a time like this, another method was needed.

"Downs, don't think too much. Empty your mind. Sleep!"

Master's words drifted over, and Downs jolted.

Master never spoke carelessly. Every word and every syllable surely carried profound and mysterious meaning. Even at a time like this, Master was guiding me!

Empty my mind?

That's it!

I was too nervous. My mind was filled with the word [induction], and as a result, I couldn't sense anything at all.

I should follow Master's instructions, empty my mind, think of nothing, and sense the outside world.

Everything was silent in the distance. There were neither insects chirping nor birds singing.

Only the faint rumble of thunder from the horizon, along with the rustling sound of the wind.

Beyond the pounding of his own heartbeat, there was another sound that transcended sound itself.

Wind and thunder were merely appearances.

Their true forms were smaller, more elusive.

Yet their movement definitely existed.

So faint! So subtle!

Downs was absolutely certain that he had truly heard the sound of Wind and Thunder that was not the sound of Wind and Thunder.

Could it be...

Was this the legendary [Wind Element Induction]!?

Downs's heart leaped with joy.