I Pioneered Scientific Magic

Chapter 385: The Demon Stone and the Electron Theory of Elements

"The Demon Stone?" Upon hearing this term, Lord Lynn became immediately interested, curious as he inquired, "Do you know why it's called that?"

The aged miner dared not conceal and promptly began explaining.

This peculiar ore was unearthed from a mine within the royal domain. Initially, the land's owner had purchased nearby mountain ranges to mine copper. Yet, within this particular mountain, they stumbled upon peculiar crystalline-like ores.

Furthermore, they discovered curious creatures emitting luminescence. These creatures seemed to feed on this ore, excreting a substance that appeared silvery-white, lustrous akin to silver ore but notably heavier.

The owner swiftly realized the wealth potential in this mountain, organizing a large workforce to excavate. They hired a sculptor to fashion these naturally crystalline ores into jewelry.

As for that silvery-white unknown metal, it was sold at a high price to intrigued nobles and wealthy merchants!

However, the good times didn't last. After some time working in the mine, some of the miners fell victim to a malignant ailment. They inexplicably grew dizzy, weak, experienced difficulty breathing, and even began shedding skin, leading to ulcers.

Initially dismissive upon reports from the guards, the mine owner thought it was the laborers attempting to shirk work. It wasn't until several nobles who purchased the ore jewelry displayed similar symptoms that an investigation by the church revealed the severity of the issue.

Unfortunately, it was too late. Soon after, the church sealed off the mine. Subsequently, rumors within the capital arose claiming that these peculiar ores were cursed by evil wizards. The mine owner, accused of conspiring with cultists of dark gods and practicing sorcery to harm nobles, was bound to a stake and burned alive...

Upon hearing the miner's account, Lord Lynn found himself increasingly intrigued by the stone before him. He could discern it lacked any magical response, likely a natural creation.

Yet, the moniker "Demon Stone" prompted Lord Lynn to be cautious. Instead of handling it directly, he opted to use the Mage Hand spell to lift it.

"Wizard, sir, what about this..." The old miner, noticing a slight change in Lord Lynn's expression, nervously spoke, somewhat worried that presenting this malevolent object might displease him.

If not for the irresistibly tempting reward, he wouldn't have risked it!

"You've done well. Here are fifty Imperial coins. Take them!" Lord Lynn smiled, and with a thought, gleaming gold coins flew out, stacking neatly on the table.

To encourage the capital's residents to bring forth valuable items, Lord Lynn immediately offered the highest reward—a whopping fifty Imperial coins!

"Thank you, great Wizard. Your generosity outshines the stars..."

Seeing the pile of coins, the old miner knelt in excitement, repeatedly kowtowing to express admiration and gratitude. Eventually, with Lord Lynn's permission, he tremblingly swept all the coins into his pockets.

Behind him, the capital's residents, queuing up, observed in envy as one piece of "Demon Stone" exchanged hands for dozens of gold coins. They marveled at the wizards' integrity.

Giving away such a large sum so readily!

For the past two days, over a hundred individuals had presented various rare items, all of which were declined. It led them to suspect that these wizards were deliberately teasing them.

Now, the reality proved they just hadn't found the right items; these wizards were willing to take even a Demon Stone!

"For now, Yasos, you'll be in charge here. If you discover any new elements, send word to me!" Lord Lynn solemnly reminded before hastily departing with this "Demon Stone."

Truth be told, if possible, Lord Lynn would have preferred to privately research it. Obtaining a Morning Star Medal with a thorough study of a new element would be effortless!

However, considering the rumors surrounding the Demon Stone, Lord Lynn shelved that notion and opted for reporting. It was the safest course.

...

Meanwhile, within the capital's estate, Lynn was perusing today's magical news. The headline on the front page caught her eye.

"Thunder is the ultimate answer to all magic—A discourse on the internal structure of elements!"

"Not bad. Have they discovered the existence of electrons within elements?" Lynn inwardly praised. In just a couple of days, after overcoming the barrier of indivisible atoms, the wizards' imagination and creativity were quickly kindled.

The author of this paper was none other than Anthony. Although his atomic electrolysis experiment failed, it yielded unexpected gains. For instance, it validated that when two atoms were extremely close, a repulsive force was generated, akin to the repulsion between like poles of magnets. Hence, Anthony boldly speculated: atoms contain electricity within!

He even proposed the corresponding "Elemental Purple Fruit" model.

The Purple Fruit was a specialty of the Hadralata Kingdom, a substance resembling a pomegranate filled with internal granules.

According to Anthony's hypothesis, positive and negative charges, akin to Purple Fruit, permeate atoms. Most elements possess a positive charge in the inner layer and a negative charge in the outer layer, leading to repulsion when close.

Some elements, conversely, have the opposite structure—negative charge on the outer layer and positive charge on the inner layer. This allows them to combine, producing light, heat, or even flames...

The entire article spanned thousands of words, occupying the entire page. Lynn found it fascinating, despite the conclusion being incorrect. The deductive process and imaginative leaps were incredibly intriguing, capable of explaining certain phenomena to a certain extent.

For instance, Anthony believed that elements were in perpetual motion due to the mutual gravitational attraction, causing them to draw close, but the repulsive force kept them apart, creating a constant back-and-forth effect.

Just as Lynn prepared to scan the paper for other novel theories, she saw Elok rushing in from outside the courtyard.

"What's wrong? Has something happened?" Seeing Elok's anxious demeanor, Lynn immediately set aside the newspaper, her expression turning serious as she inquired.

"Dean Lynn... it's the elements... it's a new element!" Elok gasped for breath, his face brimming with excitement. "Today, while gathering peculiar items, Lord Lynn discovered a piece called the Demon Stone. Upon testing, it seems to be a new element previously unrecorded."

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