Felipe's pale, gloomy face instantly turned grave. In his mind, the "Professor" was the enemy who deserved the most attention — a truly formidable opponent who had shaken the arrogant confidence of even him, an elemental mage more unfathomable than Larry, and quite possibly the first among their generation of young prodigies to step into the realm of high-ranking magicians.
His tone low and solemn, he asked: "Council Member Rogerio, has the Professor returned to Alent?"
Rogerio smiled, but instead of answering directly, he raised another matter: "Originally, in the next issue of *Arcane Magic* to be published the day after tomorrow, my paper on electromagnetic interference with souls in necromantic magic was scheduled to be the lead article — an unprecedented honor. But the day before yesterday, the editor-in-chief of *Arcane Magic*, Mr. Alangarde, made a special trip to Heidler City to personally apologize to me. My paper can only be placed second."
Felipe was a man who knew how to hold his composure. He did not press for news about the "Professor." His sickly face flickered with confusion and then understanding: "Whose new Archanist paper is it?"
"Yes." Rogerio nodded with a touch of regret. "His Excellency the Storm Dominator's."
Hearing that name, even the perpetually gloomy Felipe betrayed a hint of fear. For beyond that Grand Archanist's achievements in the Arcane and magic domains, he was equally renowned for his explosive temper and aberrant personality. No one dared present him with a flawed magical theory or construction process, because he would mercilessly mock and tear it apart regardless of the other party's rank. That overwhelming, storm-like presence was something even the legendary magicians on the Supreme Council found difficult to endure.
"Was His Excellency Barista's Archanist research paper submitted only recently? Otherwise, Mr. Alangarde wouldn't have placed your paper first and informed you of it, Council Member Rogerio." Felipe took a keen interest in the latest developments in Arcane and magic research — this was an era in which failure to keep learning meant falling behind.
Rogerio poured himself a glass of plain water and held it in his hands: "I was curious too, so I went to the Alent Fundamental Arcane Library specifically to look up this paper that had just passed review. It's about the application of electromagnetic waves — quite pioneering, showcasing the potential applications of electromagnetic waves across various magical domains. You'll be able to read it the day after tomorrow. It's a paper not to be missed."
"Of course, what I wanted to tell you wasn't a recommendation of that paper, but rather that in His Excellency the Storm Dominator's paper, he mentions that he drew inspiration from another paper. Driven by curiosity and a spirit of learning, I followed the citation and found that unpublished paper in the library — a small experiment on high-frequency sound waves."
Felipe said nothing, listening with focused intensity.
"The author of that paper is Lucian… Evans… X." Rogerio smiled. "If it were just that name, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. But he has no official Archanist rank, which set me thinking. So I went and checked when he joined the Magic Council — it was a week ago. In other words, more than three months after you returned, Felipe, he arrived in Alent."
Felipe furrowed his brow slightly: "Council Member Rogerio, are you suggesting that's the great musician? But couldn't it just be a coincidence of names?"
In the former Wilfred territory, the simultaneous appearance of the Professor and the great musician had led the "Pale Hand," upon discovering this fact, to connect the two — just as Viscount Karlanderia had — believing that Natasha had asked the Professor to escort Lucian along the way. So hearing this name, and recalling that the topic of conversation was the Professor, Felipe naturally made the connection to the great musician.
"The damaged ring, the seven-element alloy, the connection to the great musician and Her Royal Highness Natasha — could we boldly speculate that what the Professor showed Viscount Karlanderia was the Holme Crown Ring 'Mo'?" Rogerio, like all gentlemen who enjoyed showing off their erudition, pivoted the topic once more. "Let's reconsider: when did the Professor first appear? It was when a certain magic apprentice tested the great musician Mr. Evans. The Silver White Horn kidnapping plot was foiled by the Professor — and who benefited? The great musician Mr. Evans."
He addressed Natasha as "Your Highness" not because of her title as Countess of Violet, but because of her blood relation to a certain exalted figure.
Felipe considered this carefully: "Council Member Rogerio, you believe their connection is tighter than we previously guessed?"
"Why wouldn't it be? A musician, seduced by an evil mage, falls and enters into a close relationship. If the Elemental Will hadn't been pulling strings behind the scenes, why would Lucian Evans — without ever having held a single concert, relying only on an incomplete *Fate Symphony* — become Her Royal Highness Natasha's music advisor?" Rogerio clasped his hands together. "After that, Mr. Evans quickly won Her Highness's favor through his own talent, and deepened his ties to the Elemental Will and the Holme Royal Magic Court. Perhaps this was the Elemental Will's intention all along! And they used our plans to their own ends!"
Felipe nodded slightly: "That makes sense, but something feels off." He and Rogerio seemed to know certain secrets.
"There's always a way to sort things out." Rogerio shook his head dismissively and continued: "Her Royal Highness Natasha is reportedly going to enter a monastery for three years of ascetic training. So our great musician has seized the opportunity to come to Alent for a formal magical education, to advance his rank as quickly as possible in preparation for future changes."
Felipe stroked his chin with his left hand — the one missing a finger: "But these are all your speculations, Council Member Rogerio. There's no proof that the Lucian Evans who published the paper is the same as the great musician."
"Heh heh, yes, it's all speculation. At the very least, that paper doesn't conflict in the slightest with the abilities, the standards, or the ancient mage heritage of Lucian Evans X — one can only say he possesses truly exceptional Arcane talent." Rogerio suddenly laughed. "But don't forget, I met that great musician in Altor. So I paid a visit to the Douglas Magic Academy, and confirmed what I suspected."
Then, with a tone of certainty, he declared: "He is definitely the Professor's prized student! Through him, we can unmask the Professor's true identity!"