Chapter 11
In fact, I had only just learned that Teacher Mei Lin was the main person in charge of the Mana Reactor. Therefore, when she turned her head to look at her former teacher—who was also the person dedicated to abolishing the reactor—her expression was filled with complexity.
“Professor Einstein, you’ve… come as well?”
Professor Einstein stroked his beard and gave her a kind smile, then turned that same kind gaze to me. “Lady Saintess, my eyes are old and blurry. I actually failed to recognize you last night.”
“I-It’s alright,” I said quickly.
“Professor Einstein, magical scientist of the White Tower, did you just say the Mana Reactor has a hidden danger?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The technology of using air to conduct magic power for wireless transmission is not mature. It will lead to disaster.”
“But Professor, although it is still a developing field, at this current stage, we can control it!” Sister Mei Lin argued forcefully.
“The fact is, it already lost control last night.”
Mei Lin wanted to speak but hesitated. After a moment, she said, still unreconciled, “That was an accident with less than a one-in-ten-thousand chance of happening…”
“Professor Einstein, the smog… the miasma… how can it be treated?” Tristina asked hurriedly.
I could tell that what Tristina cared about most was the environmental pollution in the Royal Capital.
“Your Majesty, if you wish to treat the miasma, I propose—abolishing the Mana Reactor.”
“Absolutely not—! Once the Mana Reactor is abolished, the level of civilization will regress by at least thirty years!” Teacher Mei Lin blurted out, her reaction one of extreme resistance.
“Civilization regressing thirty years—?” I wasn’t even born thirty years ago. If there were no Mana Reactor to transmit magic power to the Magic-Crystals… then wouldn’t that mean… cooking fires won’t light, there’s no hot water for bathing, and we can only use candles at night? We’d have to chop wood for fire when it’s cold. That… that’s more than just thirty years of regression, isn’t it?
“Before the Mana Reactor, what did humans rely on to supply magic energy?” Lian Qi asked.
“Large-capacity magic-storage crystals, and… using human bodies to charge them. But the efficiency of using human bodies is too low. A Tier-1 mage’s magic power is just enough to light a single lightbulb,” Teacher Mei Lin replied.
“Using human bodies for charging was abolished by my father, the King, many years ago because it was too inhumane.” Tristina then said to Professor Einstein, “I understand your point about abolishing the reactor. But for the miasma pollution currently blanketing the capital, and the public panic over the leak crisis… could these be resolved by relocating the Mana Reactor?”
“Your Majesty, the Mana Reactor’s transmission range suffers from diminishing returns,” Professor Einstein replied.
“Oh? Is that so?” Tristina blinked in surprise.
Lian Qi and I also learned something new.
“Building the Mana Reactor in its current location was the result of comprehensive consideration. It can cover the entire kingdom,” Teacher Mei Lin added.
“Meaning… it can’t be moved too far away?” I said, pressing a fingertip to my lips in thought.
“Your Majesty, if it must be relocated, I have a proposal.” Teacher Mei Lin said. “We could build three Mana Reactors around the kingdom in an equilateral triangle formation. Their magic coverage ranges would then overlap in the central-most region of the kingdom, like a tri-color pattern. In that case, the effect of triple magic coverage would be the best.”
The throne hall fell into a brief, deathly silence. I felt that… Einstein was advocating for abolishing the reactor, while Teacher Mei Lin was advocating for building three more… they were completely at odds.
“I see. As long as the reactors are built far away from towns, they won’t arouse the public’s anger. But the problem is… building just one costs so, so much money, and yet you’re saying to build three…” Tristina sighed.
“Your Majesty, this is a project that will benefit generations to come. And it will also benefit neighboring countries. You could join with the rulers of neighboring countries to discuss the issue of funding.”
“Your Majesty, I cannot agree.”
Professor Einstein paced forward with his hands behind his back, until he was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Teacher Mei Lin. “My advocacy for abolishing the Mana Reactor is not merely because it has safety hazards. Even the miasma is not the most serious issue.”
“What do you mean?”
“The most serious consequence… is the greenhouse effect.”
Tristina, sitting on the throne, froze slightly. “The… greenhouse effect!?”
I wasn’t unfamiliar with the term “greenhouse effect.” I had heard it from the mouth of that girl—Luoluoxi—who claimed to be a member of the Druid organization.
Unexpectedly, this time, it was actually coming from the mouth of such an authoritative figure as Professor Einstein.
Professor Einstein nodded. “Yes. The magic power produces a type of greenhouse gas during consumption. This gas causes the continent’s climate to warm, thereby triggering a greenhouse effect. The permafrost is gradually melting. You must have heard about this, Your Majesty, haven’t you?”
“Of course… I’ve heard. It’s said that prehistoric monsters will emerge from the ice after it thaws? Aren’t the adventurers dealing with them?” Tristina’s tone sounded a little nervous.
“Your Majesty, right now, the permafrost is only thawing gradually in small, scattered areas, so the adventurers can still manage. Once it thaws on a large scale, even dispatching the kingdom’s armies will be of no use.”
“You must be joking—?”
“Your Majesty, I am not joking in the slightest. According to the ancient records of the elves, what is sealed within the permafrost… is the Dragon-kin that ruled this world tens of millions of years ago.”
“The Dragon-kin—.” An unsettling atmosphere enveloped the throne hall, as if countless dragons were beating their wings, flying past overhead. Even Teacher Mei Lin fell silent.
“Your Majesty, once the permafrost melts, the Dragon-kin will extinguish humanity and rule the world once more. In recent decades, humanity has grown accustomed to the Mana Reactor supplying magic for daily life, acting as if magic is inexhaustible. This has resulted in humanity’s excessive squandering of magic power. Therefore, I implore you to seriously consider the matter of abolishing the Mana Reactor.”
Tristina’s face was deathly pale. “But… as you said, humanity is already accustomed to the Mana Reactor supplying magic for daily life. If it suddenly disappeared, how would they adapt… unless a replacement energy source appears.”
“On that, you can rest assured. Because I have already found an energy source to replace magic power. It is currently in the experimental stage,” Professor Einstein said.
I couldn’t help but be surprised. An energy source that could replace magic… really exists?
I then heard Professor Einstein continue: “I have used this new energy replacement as a pilot program to create a society in the outskirts of the capital. I’ve named it ‘Nature’s Home,’ and I welcome all of you to inspect it at any time.”
“Nature’s Home?”
Lian Qi frowned, staring at Professor Einstein.
“Judging by the name… could it be that you are a member of the Druid organization?”