Alchemy Brings "Happiness"
"Space?"
Upon hearing Lucien's words, a special guest judge wearing a monocle on the judging panel instinctively asked a question in return.
He glanced around the hall he was in. Beauxbatons ' palace was known for its grandeur and magnificence, and this hall, used for important occasions, was especially spacious, easily accommodating thousands of people at once.
This contestant, who looks remarkably young, actually said he needs more "space"?
Lucien met the slightly curious gaze and nodded gently.
"Yes. My alchemical creation is named ' Instant Whisper '."
He picked up one of the hardcover books and showed it to the judges.
Its core function is to enable remote, real-time communication between users. It can transmit written text, voice, and synchronized images.
On the judging panel, the backs of several alchemy masters seemed to straighten imperceptibly.
"In terms of effective range, within a county, clear and synchronized transmission of images and sound can be guaranteed. If the range is expanded to a country, or even for cross-border communications..."
"Therefore, in order to better demonstrate the function and ultimate effect of ' Instant Whisper,' I wonder if any judge would be willing to temporarily assist me in using Apparition to travel to a designated location that is far enough away? We need to create a real distance."
Quiet.
After Lucien finished his presentation, he put down his book and waited for a response.
A tense silence fell over the judges' panel; no one immediately offered a comment or began a discussion.
The potential inherent in the idea itself, and the self-assured confidence in the boy's tone, seemed to require them some time to process.
It was Nicolas, using the alias "Antoine Fair," who broke the silence first.
Instead of asking about the complex principles of rune arrays or magical coupling, he asked a seemingly simpler question:
"Lucien, your ' Instant Whisper '... what were the production costs? From a technical standpoint, is it feasible for widespread adoption?"
This question instantly snapped the other judges out of their immersion in the technical principles.
Yes, even the most outstanding alchemical work, if it can only serve as an expensive miracle in a laboratory or a plaything for a very few powerful people, will ultimately have limited significance.
All eyes, filled with new scrutiny and deeper expectations, were focused on Lucien.
Lucien was prepared for this and answered questions about the core materials, the difficulty of replicating the runes, and the approximate time required in a calm tone. Although the figures he gave were still high, they did not reach the Astronomy numbers that were utterly hopeless.
More importantly, he clearly explained that there is room for optimization and simplification in several key aspects.
"I believe that Alchemy shouldn't just be a secret within towers, or a mere pursuit of power." Lucien's voice echoed in the hall, carrying a clarity of understanding beyond his years. "It should be key to improving the lives of all wizards. Therefore, in developing ' Instant Whisper,' I put more thought into simplifying the production process and reducing the cost of the base version. Of course, correspondingly, the basic version's communication functions, such as image resolution and stability over long distances, will be limited. Finding a better balance between cost and performance is a direction I'm continuously trying to improve..."
A teenager stands before top Alchemy, showcasing not only a creation that could revolutionize communication, but also proposing ideas about "universal access," "cost," and "improving lives."
The seasoned Alchemy fell into a deeper silence, their hearts filled with turmoil.
It's not that they don't understand these things; on the contrary, it's precisely because they've immersed themselves in them their entire lives that they understand their difficulties and preciousness.
Many of the magical artifacts researched and created by Alchemy have long been integrated into the daily lives of wizards.
This is why they see more clearly than most wizards how astonishingly fast the same "daily routine" is developing in the Muggle world.
Take communication as an example: wizards still rely on owls to travel day and night, while Muggle have invented the telephone that can reach you in an instant, and have even begun exploring the so-called "Internet".
Muggle science and technology seem to be under an acceleration spell. The way and speed of information transmission, the speed and convenience of daily travel, can see new breakthroughs almost every few months. In just a few years, it is enough to significantly change the lives of ordinary people.
What about the Wizarding World?
The spread of Alchemy is too slow!
Those truly talented young wizards often yearn for profound and powerful magic, and crave personal strength and glory.
Very few people are willing to settle down and endure loneliness to research how to make an Lumos less strenuous, a Preservation Charm last longer, or communication more convenient.
However, Alchemy itself places almost demanding requirements on a wizard's talent, patience, and creativity.
For these elders who have immersed themselves in Alchemy for decades or even centuries, while the powerful and mysterious magic is certainly fascinating, they also firmly believe deep down that what can truly bring about change in the Wizarding World and happiness to more ordinary wizards is Alchemy!