After finishing the article the Witch had recorded in a state of excitement and trembling, Lucian felt the same indescribable sense of awe. In truth, after transmigrating over and discovering this was a world with both Divine Arts and Arcane Magic, he had harbored some of those very same questions himself—but he had been held back by his lack of knowledge and his meager understanding of magic, so the doubts had quickly faded away.
Now, these ten grand questions that pointed directly at the origins and laws of the world made Lucian believe that if he could figure out the answers, he should be able to see through the true nature of reality, understand why he had been able to transmigrate, and find a way back home.
"This Grand Archanist named Douglas—even if he hasn't thoroughly answered any of these ten questions yet, the mere fact that his research has made some progress on them means his power must be extraordinary, enough to rival the ancient legendary mages he mentions at the start of his article."
"There's the *Arcane* journal, and the strange mage the Witch encountered—so places exist in this world where one can study magic in relative safety. But it all seems rather peculiar; even a journal has appeared."
"What kind of power and status does a Grand Archanist hold in the world of mages?"
…
Lucian's mind raced with associations drawn from the Witch's diary and this article. The more he thought, the more excited he became, yearning to encounter that strange mage at once and travel to a place where he could safely learn magic. Then, once he had grown powerful enough, he would return to Altor and secretly help John's family.
Of everything that excited him, what Lucian anticipated most—and found most puzzling—were two questions:
"Are earth, fire, wind, and water truly the fundamental elements? If they are, in what form and by what laws do they compose such a splendid world? And if they aren't, then what are they? What should the actual elements of magic be?"
"Why does this world have a sun and a silver moon? Why do they rise and fall each day, and what force maintains their motion? These things in the material world that seem perfectly normal—if we ask a few more *whys*, we discover that the principles behind them are things we don't actually understand. Are these principles, laws, and knowledge connected to magic? Can they be combined with magic? Could they help us explore the essence of the magical world?"
In Lucian's view, if the first question turned out to mean that earth, fire, wind, and water were not the fundamental elements, and if the answer to the second question was that the laws of the material world could be applied to and combined with magic, then it meant that the bulk of knowledge he had accumulated over the past decade-plus—and a great deal of what filled the library—could prove useful when it came to learning and practicing magic.
If he could put that knowledge to use, how great an effect might it have? Lucian hadn't yet delved deep into the world of mages, so he could only speculate to himself: "At the very least, in recent weeks I've already seen things resembling silver, copper, and iron—so 'elements' very likely do exist. And apart from magic and Divine Arts, nothing in everyday life has so far violated the laws of physics."
"But once you add spiritual power, the soul, and bizarrely powerful magical creatures into the mix, this world gives me an impression that is both familiar and strange compared to Earth."
A thought suddenly flashed through Lucian's mind: "If that's the case, then the reason certain books in the library can't be opened may not be what I originally assumed. That's worth questioning."
After being swept up in elation for a long while, with all manner of thoughts flooding through his mind, Lucian gradually calmed down. Having matured considerably, he understood that the most important thing right now was to study magic in a grounded, practical manner—not to indulge in empty speculation or chase after things that couldn't yet be verified.
In any world, staying grounded was a quality worth having.
Putting his scattered thoughts aside, Lucian turned to the last page of the Witch's notes:
"After completing my meditation and experiments, I often think of him. A well-read and elegant gentleman—he was always so captivating."
…
"He told me he had come to Altor to carry out a major, secret mission. If everything went well, perhaps in a few months he could take me away—to the headquarters of the Continental Magic Parliament, that paradise of mages."
"Tonight, he invited me to meet him in the cemetery in Adrang District."
There, the Witch's Magic Notes abruptly ended. The rest was nothing but blank parchment. It seemed she and her mage friend had been ambushed by the Church's Night Watch.
"I wonder if that mage managed to escape?" Lucian thought with a touch of worry. He was Lucian's only lead to finding the Continental Magic Parliament—the other legendary mages rumored to be hiding in Altor gave him no clue where to even begin looking.
He took several long, deep breaths, sweeping away the starlike constellation of thoughts in his mind until his head returned to a state of clarity and calm. He was ready to attempt Meditation and see whether he could learn magic.
Following the instructions in the Magic Notes, Lucian maintained a gentle, unhurried rhythm of breathing—letting his mind drift outward, then slowly drawing it back, drifting out again, drawing it back again, until he entered a state that was nearly ethereal, nearly blank.