Much like the similar seminars Rainer had attended on Earth, Mercury Plain's academic conference followed a roughly similar process: important figures gave opening speeches, then everyone presented their research findings. However, Rainer heard the mages beside him discussing how several authorities had yet to arrive.
"Is Lord Stanien not coming this time? And I don't think I've seen Lord Penzance either."
"I heard they're both conducting experiments. It seems they've made some major breakthrough."
"Could they have discovered the laws governing the elements?"
"Who knows? But Lord Stanien's paper in this issue of Alchemy truly gave me a great deal of inspiration."
For some reason, the originally bright weather turned gloomy. Early summer showers always arrived without warning, and by the time two mages had finished presenting their papers, a fine rain was already falling outside the windows.
On the podium, a mage was explaining his paper. It concerned elemental transformations. He had discovered that after certain elements were stored for long periods, impurities from another element would appear within them. He had researched this phenomenon, and although he had yet to uncover the truth, he had achieved some results.
Rainer listened carefully to the paper while jotting down his thoughts in the corresponding places on the conference program.
These were all cutting-edge findings in Alchemy, and they greatly helped him understand this world. Rainer's focused demeanor earned some appreciation from the mages around him. After all, much of the conference content was obscure and difficult for mages who emphasized practical combat while lacking theoretical foundations. Yet Rainer did not scratch his head in confusion; instead, he seemed to absorb the material quickly.
Just as that mage finished his explanation and the next one prepared to take the stage, the doors to the conference hall were pushed open. As the