Heart Surging
Inside the hall, Lucien's voice was clear and steady, depicting the future vision connected by "Instant Whisper".
The young students listened intently, their minds conjuring up an image: each person holding a thin book, and with a mere thought, they could instantly send their words, voice, and even the scene they were witnessing to a friend far away.
They can talk and share their lives across vast plains, towering mountains, and even boundless oceans, without any hindrance and almost simultaneously...
The players who had just been competing against Lucien were now lost in their own thoughts. Some were silent with awe, some were excited by the inspiration, and some were thrilled by the sight of a wider world.
Phoebe stood in the crowd, her gaze involuntarily following the figure on the stage.
Lucien was calmly explaining his ideas, sunlight streaming through the tall windows, casting a faint golden glow around him.
How do boys and girls become attracted to each other?
Is it her outstanding appearance, sharp mind, unique personality, dazzling achievements, or that indescribable "feeling"?
Phoebe was momentarily unsure whether the captivating light emanating from Lucien was the warm sunlight streaming in from the window, the boy's own charisma and confidence, or perhaps...
Was it the shimmering light that had been quietly ignited in her own eyes?
On the other side, Riemann quietly watched Lucien being watched, listened to, and highly praised by a group of illustrious figures, and a strong sense of envy and longing surged in his chest.
After spending this time together, regardless of age, academy, or bloodline, Riemann had already overlooked these things he used to care about in Lucien.
Slytherin admire ambition and strength, and are only captivated by true power and glory.
At this moment, several vivid memories inexplicably flashed through Riemann's mind: the first time he displayed his magical talent in front of his family as a child, the time he wrote to his mother after receiving his Hogwarts acceptance letter and being sorted into Slytherin, the first time he formally studied Selwyn Family Alchemy with his father...
Every time, he heard a similar sentence:
"Be proud of your talent, be proud of your lineage, and then go and pursue the glory that belongs to you!"
For more than a decade, Riemann had repeatedly asked himself: What, then, is true glory?
Is it the praise and adulation of others? Or is it one's own pride and nobility?
Riemann raised his head, his gaze once again fixed on Lucien on the stage—the boy had brought out a creation that could change the lives of many and was depicting an even grander future.
Leave your mark on the world with the value you create and drive the entire era forward!
Those who are honored should be like this!
On the judges' panel, the eyes of several Alchemy gleamed; they saw far more than just a winning entry.
"There is great potential..." Professor Laurent murmured to himself. Technical difficulties can be overcome, and funds can be raised. The key lies in popularizing alchemy.
Alchemy is not only a profound skill for exploring mysteries, but also something that penetrates the fabric of a wizard's life, solving problems and bringing convenience.
Wizards can and should actively learn from and absorb the excellent ideas of Muggle development, and then use their unique magical means to transform, elevate, and internalize them as a driving force for the advancement of the Wizarding World!
Continuous learning, constant creation, and innovation in magical techniques, along with using alchemical products to improve life and drive social progress—this is the right path for the Wizarding World to maintain its vitality and even lead the times.
Conversely, if we continue to scoff at everything non-magical and remain stagnant, then being left behind by the times is probably only a matter of time.
Or rather, in some areas, wizards have fallen behind.
This thought made the expressions of the older alchemy masters become more serious.
For example, the most direct means of causing harm.
The most powerful offensive magic of wizards is naturally the Avada Kedavra, which kills instantly and is undefendable.
But what percentage of the total number of wizards can successfully cast this spell and fully unleash its power in actual combat?
And what about Muggle?
Even the most basic firearms, with just a single bullet, are enough to take a life—whether it's Muggle or a careless wizard.
But even a child can learn to pull the trigger on these guns!
Moreover, there are the Muggle's methods of mass destruction: machine guns, artillery, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and even—those destructive weapons that steal the power of the sun...
Several older wizards had heard or witnessed Grindelwald's Prophecy from many years ago: Muggle, with their technology and weapons, would take war to an unprecedented level, making it more brutal and violent.
Just over a decade after that Prophecy, the tragic scene Prophecy was actually repeated on the Europe continent, and even worse!
Wizards are far fewer in number than Muggle and have always relied on hiding and magic to protect themselves.
Even in the past, when Muggle technology was far less advanced than it is today, wizards had to hide their existence!
So what about now?
In an era where Muggle probes can peer into the deep sea and the starry sky, and weapons can instantly destroy cities, is the hidden veil of the magical world even more fragile than wizards are willing to admit?
At this moment, Lucien's "Instant Whisper" seemed to them to be more than just a communication tool.
It's more like a symbol, a revelation: if the magical world doesn't want to fall behind or even fall into crisis, it must open its eyes, embrace change, and direct the creativity of magic towards learning, progress, and connection.