"By feel?" Luowu, who had been staring out the window, finally turned his head. Although he still avoided looking at their faces, he could not resist a jab. "Magic is a rigorous discipline, not pancake batter you can spread evenly by feel."
No one in the Meeting Room spoke again.
Hans lowered his head, his fists clenched tight. Shame burned his cheeks like fire.
"No... the circuit works!"
A trembling yet stubborn voice broke the silence.
Miri took a step forward. Though facing these important figures made her tremble uncontrollably, she still pointed at the fabric.
"I tested it." Miri took the Magic Crystal Shard from her pocket. "My magical power may be weak, but I could feel it flowing from one end to the other... the circuit is closed! It really works!"
Valerius rubbed his brow, looking at Miri with the weary resignation of an expert facing a layperson.
"Young lady," Valerius sighed, "do you know how many apprentices are injured every year by circuits that 'work' like this? It looks fine now, but if a fully qualified mage pours magical power into it, those nodes could overload, rupture, or even explode."
That possibility lay completely beyond Hans and Miri's understanding-they knew nothing about magical backlash.
Apparently, they were another pair of dreamers chasing the impossible.
Tristan sighed, preparing to cross the name off his list.
"Wait."
A voice suddenly rang out.
Veylin stood. He recognized the couple who ran the mobile food cart; he had personally approved the husband's designation as an "outstanding consultant."
These two were workers as well as dreamers. Whatever the outcome, they deserved to see the evaluation through to the end.
"Theory isn't necessarily one hundred percent accurate. I put more faith in one principle-practice is the sole criterion for testing truth."
Then Veylin