The Lord Demon King is Unfathomable!

Chapter 1228 - 364: Light Can Be Dissected! (Part 3)

The shelves were not filled with books, but rather small trinkets from behind the Void Realm, including unknown metallic creations and the bones of exotic beasts.

The heavy, dark carpet absorbed all sounds, and the air was filled with the expensive and intoxicating scent of incense.

Skein stood respectfully before the desk, reporting to Professor Arist, who was seated comfortably in the large-backed chair, about all that had occurred during the day.

He recounted in a succinct and emotionless tone every detail from Prince Colin's class—from the rainbow refracted through the prism, to the tricks of pinhole imaging, and finally to the passionate discourse and three bizarre questions.

Arist listened quietly, his long fingers gently tapping the tabletop, his gaze behind the glasses deep and serene.

Once Skein finished his report, the professor from the Source Magic School let out a deep and disdainful chuckle.

"Interesting."

His judgment of Colin became more certain—that he was merely a showman who delighted in captivating audiences and enjoying mortal adulation.

For his first lecture at the Academic State, he did not showcase his vast knowledge to attract truly capable mentors; instead, he performed tricks for the apprentices.

What could be accomplished with a single spell was instead done with a myriad of props. Wasn't this just the act of a clown?

Especially the name of this course, actually called something as ridiculous as "Science."

Creating a school of thought at the Academic State isn't simply throwing out a sensational and undefined concept and then teaching a few classes to apprentices.

While mocking, Arist inadvertently pondered how Hector Rain, that stubborn old man, worked so hard to help Colin acquire the "Void Realm," probably recognizing this prince's superficial nature.

After all, a showy individual would soon tire of tedious theoretical study, and when Colin discarded his "toys" from boredom, they naturally would fall into Hector's hands.

If nothing went wrong.

Thinking of this, a deeper curve appeared at the corner of Arist's mouth.

He could actually lend a hand to Hector at the council.

After all, with Hector's status and capabilities, he wouldn't be able to keep hold of the treasures anyway. Ultimately, those toys abandoned by Prince Colin would still end up in his possession.

Who would complain about having too many Void Realm Resources?

"Professor," Skein asked cautiously, seeing him in a good mood, "Regarding the three questions posed by his Highness... could there be a deeper meaning that we failed to discern? Could you please enlighten your loyal servant?"

Arist glanced at him contemptuously, as if looking at a child asking a foolish question.

He removed his monocle and carefully wiped it with a silk handkerchief, speaking indifferently.

"When the aurora appears at night, the sky turns green. Water freezes when it's cold enough, naturally becoming ice. Steel heated to its melting point is just soft molten metal, isn't it?"

He put his glasses back on, his amiable gaze tinged with sarcasm. "Do you need me to teach you such simple questions?"

"No, of course not, Professor." Skein quickly lowered his head, answering humbly, "I just wanted to ensure your plan was unbreakable..."

Arist waved his hand, "Go now, there's no need to report such trivial matters to me. I'm not interested in his 'game.' Come to me with more noteworthy information or new developments."

"Yes, Professor."

Skein bowed and silently exited the study, closing the door behind him for Mr. Arist.

His expression was respectful, yet for the first time, he felt a subtle doubt towards Professor Arist's seemingly unbreakable answers.

Is it really that simple?

Whether it's the three questions or his Highness...

The seed of doubt, like a tiny sprout, fell into the well-groomed garden of authority and obedience within his heart.

Night fell, and the dormitory area of the Academic State was ablaze with lights.

The three odd questions posed by Prince Colin stirred unpredictable storms in the hearts of all the students like three magic curses.

In the eight-bed dormitory of the preparatory students, the noise almost lifted the roof.

The youths gathered in groups of three or five, fiercely debating why "the sky is green," with countless wild guesses emerging one after another.

They hadn't attended Prince Colin's class, but still heard about these three strange questions from other students.

"That's a credit..." said the freckled youth wistfully, "I wish I'd heard about this class earlier."

"Yeah, a pity," the well-off young man chuckled, casting a discreet glance towards Barrett, but didn't say anything.

He didn't blame the fellow for not telling them, since they weren't really familiar. Conversely, if any good things happened in the future, he and others wouldn't include this guy either.

Because they didn't know each other well.

Unaware of the dorm's discussions, Barrett focused intently at a small, book-filled desk, deep in meditation.

As a loyal follower and former teammate of Prince Colin, he believed that his Highness's questions were not mere rhetoric but riddles containing a "unique answer."

Following the most straightforward logic, he began deciphering them one by one.

Why is the sky green?

This is easy to solve!

In the Extreme North, or during weather changes, green auroras appear in the sky. This is the evidence for 'the sky is green'!

He'd already seen auroras many times on the way to the Tower of Great Sage!

As for why water is ice?

This too is easy to answer; on the vast snowy plains, icy water is everywhere.

His only dilemma was why steel is soft.

His father was a blacksmith, so he well knew iron could be melted into liquid metal, but calling 'molten metal' steel was akin to pointing at a deer and calling it a horse, wasn't it?

This problem puzzled him for a long time until, before the dormitory lights went out, he quickly penned a six-thousand-word paper, logically proving that steel is soft.

Looking at his laborious work, Barrett breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a hint of pride for his "quick wit."

This credit was as good as his!

Meanwhile, in another bustling dormitory tower, Ilana was similarly sitting at a small desk, pondering.

Staring at the blank paper, she hesitated to write, as the three questions circled her mind like ghosts, refusing to leave.

As a clear-minded realist, she instinctively felt that things were not so simple. The intelligence Prince Colin displayed in class wasn't that of someone who'd toy with students using brainteasers. These seemingly absurd questions must hide deeper logic behind them.

But what could it be?

No matter how hard she meditated, she couldn't find the answer. Finally, she sighed lightly, writing down her reply.

[Dear Master Colin:

The sky can be green, but that doesn't mean the sky is green. Water can freeze into ice, but that doesn't mean water is ice. Steel will soften under the flame's burn, but we wouldn't call it steel... perhaps you meant molten metal?

This may not be the answer you had in mind, but forgive this student's limited ability; it's the only solution I could think of after pondering for a long time.]

After writing the final word, Ilana exhaled as if she'd laid down a heavy burden.

She knew that such a response filled with philosophical thought rather than factual assertion might not earn her that "free" credit.

But...

What does it matter?

Soon, the dormitory lights were going out.

The roommates ceased their conversations, and she too climbed into bed, snugging into the fragrant and soft covers.

However, long after closing her eyes, she still couldn't fall asleep.

Because a familiar yet distant voice kept echoing in her mind, even invading her dreams—

"That's not the 'only' path to becoming a legend, nor is it an eternal truth..."

"Do what you excel at to the extreme, and you can also become a legend!"