Do You Have a Master?
Sitting in the center of the judges' panel, Madame Maxime took in the relaxed and pleased smile on Nicolas's face, and a knowing smile crept onto her lips as well.
She was naturally aware of Antoine Fore's true identity.
As the host, she personally confirmed the invitations to each special judge.
At that moment, she could clearly see in Nicolas's eyes the pride and honor he felt for Lucien, his student and successor.
Maxime bowed slightly, his wand lightly tapping across his book of Instant Whisper, leaving a reply:
[When I first met Lucien, I had a premonition that this child would change the Wizarding World in the future. I just never imagined that this "future" would become "the present." It's too fast...]
After finishing writing, she raised her head again, her gaze falling on Lucien was standing alone in the center of the display stand.
The warm sunlight streamed into the hall through the window, enveloping him and making his dark golden hair gleam.
Faced with this scene worthy of being recorded in history, the young man stood tall and straight, his dark green eyes still showing composure and calmness.
Maxime's admiration deepened. She cleared her throat, and a loud, elegant voice rang out in the hall, silencing all the whispers:
"Lucien Grafton, your ' Instant Whisper ' is undoubtedly a masterpiece. I'm curious, and I believe many of you here are also wondering, how did you come up with such a... genius idea? What was its source of inspiration?"
As soon as the words were spoken, not only did the professors and judges who were fiddling with the Instant Whisper immediately stop what they were doing and look up, but even the contestants and student audience members who had been eagerly waiting below the stage instantly held their breath.
Truly the center of attention.
Lucien met all eyes, gave a slight bow, and spoke with his usual calm and composed tone:
"Thank you for your praise, Madame Maxime. Actually, this idea didn't come from nothing at all. Like many inventions, I stood on the shoulders of Giant, drawing on and integrating the wisdom of those who came before me."
Shoulders of Giant?
These words immediately piqued the curiosity of everyone present—judges, professors, and students alike.
Is it an unpublished manuscript by a master alchemist? Or a cutting-edge hypothesis from a magical journal?
Under the expectant gaze of everyone, Lucien calmly gave his answer:
"Instant Whisper" largely draws inspiration from the Muggle world's "Internet" system.
Internet?
Many wizards looked bewildered, while the faces of a small number of students visibly darkened the moment they heard the word "Muggle."
The "traditional" concept of despising Muggle things and venerating wizarding bloodlines exists in the Wizarding World of various countries.
How could they accept that a magical creation praised by numerous alchemy masters and capable of changing the world was inspired by what they considered "inferior" and "backward" Muggle gadgets?
However, when these disgruntled students instinctively turned their gaze to the judges' panel, hoping to see the masters also display disdain or dissatisfaction, they were disappointed.
Far from showing any disdain, the alchemists' expressions, after their initial slight surprise, revealed an even more fervent and bright admiration and anticipation in their eyes.
It was the excitement of discovering a rare treasure, a pure appreciation of wisdom and innovation that transcended prejudice.
Lucien ignored the subtle commotion below the stage and continued explaining in a clear voice, carefully translating Muggle terminology into metaphors that wizards could understand:
In the Muggle's "Internet," any message to be sent—whether text, image, or sound—is broken into countless "data packets"... Each "packet" is marked with a destination "address," and then, like a flock of the most astute and navigable owls, they each find different paths to their destination... Finally, after all the "packets" arrive at their destination, they are precisely reassembled to restore the complete message...
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the judges who were listening intently.
"Of course, ' Instant Whisper ' uses magical means to replicate and improve upon... For example, using alchemy and runes to 'segment' and 'mark' information... Utilizing existing basic magic in the wizarding world such as association spells, revealing spells, and telepathic spells to construct stable 'paths' and 'recombination' mechanisms... These specific implementations rely on the knowledge and wealth left to us by countless wizards of the past..."
As he spoke, the students' eyes gradually turned to a deeper sense of confusion and blankness.
The Muggle concept was already half-understood, and now with a bunch of magical principles and Alchemy terms mixed in, they felt like their heads were filled with a swirling mass of Venomous Tentacula, buzzing and completely unable to keep up with their train of thought.
But the scene on the judges' panel was completely different.
The masters listened intently, sometimes nodding in sudden realization, sometimes lost in thought, their eyes burning with fervor as they looked at Lucien as if he were a precious gem.
So young, yet possessing such extraordinary talent and solid foundation; even more remarkable is the ability to break down conceptual barriers, actively drawing upon vastly different ways of thinking from the Muggle world, learning from them, integrating them, and transcending them...
Such vision and breadth of mind are far more appealing to them than mere alchemical skills.
As soon as Lucien finished his introduction, Lance, the Alchemy wearing a monocle, leaned forward impatiently and asked a crucial question that had been lingering in the minds of the masters for a long time:
"Grafton," his voice was somewhat abrupt with urgency, "Do you have a teacher in the field of Alchemy? I mean, the kind of master who passes on their mantle, who gives you true guidance?"