Chapter 5 Tutor Hilton
Hilton did not care about Fowls’ doubts, or that he was expecting the questions, he continued his long speech.
"It seems that the basic requirements for performing magic are to recite chanting and to make gestures. These actions should have two functions. One is to activate the caster’s brainwaves and modulate the wave frequency so that it can resonate with some specific particles..."
"The second is to set the trajectory, moving mode and intensity of the particles. Although the strength of the caster’s own spiritual power surely is an important factor in determining the power of magic, the constraints from the spell modules are obviously the most critical."
He was correct. A zero-level wizard, even if he has super powerful spirit, cannot cast any nine-level magic spells.
The level of magic directly determines the upper limit of the corresponding magic power.
"So I think, to crack the mysteries of magic spells and gestures, you should start from two things: First, find some magic that resonates with particles in the same way, such as fire, ice, electricity, light. Then do some research about their activating-the-resonance part, find the pattern, and get the secret of the spell."
"Next, find different types of magic that have similar functions or operations. Compare the different parts of the spell contents, find the rule..."
OMG, this old guy really is a genius!
Fowls looked at the old guy with no more arrogance as a young master to a servant, "For the magic classification, there are actually two completely different theoretical systems in the magic world."
"One is the elemental classification. It classifies magic into water, fire, ice, wind, electricity, earth, light, darkness, life, death..."
"The other is the academic classification that categorizes magic into nine schools - the Transfiguration, the Defense, the Possession, the Illusion, the Necromancers, the Transformers, the Charms, the Arithmancy, and the General."
“For a long time, the wizards have been arguing over the two classification methods and still have no conclusions. They prefer to name themselves with their own supporting classification system. So there is the Fire wizards, the Water wizards, and also the Transfiguration man, and the Illusion man."
"These titles are not unchangeable. Wizards can learn one type of magic spells and afterwards study another type of spells. But the wizards have been fighting for the classification for thousands of years. Naturally, there should be a reason for it..."
"Elemental classification helps the wizard to be sensitive to the controllable elements. Since it is always the repeating operation of one element, practice could make the casters perfect. However, the spells are more difficult practices. To have distinctive magic effects, the spells have to be quite different."
"Academic classification thus makes it much easier for the wizards to memorize the spells. The magic spells are more similar within the same school. But those wizards often fail in practice trying to link their spiritual power to the magic elements’ intensity."
"Plus, the magic from a single school usually has similar effects, either attacking, or defending, or disrupting the enemy... So the magic abilities of the school wizards are often incomprehensive. It will be struggling for a single wizard to handle complicated fights…"
"…Unless, he teams up with wizards from different schools. This team could have both offensive and defensive skills, which will be superior to those of an elemental wizards team. So, there is no sure winner of the two classification systems."
"I’ve been inside the magic world too long that I couldn’t see this through. But now since you reminded me as an outsider, I think I just realized something… something related to the basis to that longest dispute in the magic world. I really benefited a lot. Hilton, thank you!"
Fowls checked through all the magic world news in his body’s memory, and cautiously said so to Hilton, then thanked with a deep bow. He behaved with the standard aristocratic etiquette.
"You are welcome!" Old Hilton waved his hand, "Just, could you please do it again? Show me the spell and the gesture one more time, please."
At the same time, the old man started to bite his finger tips and think out loud, "The letters certainly have no special magic power. Same spell with different pronunciation ways or volumes, or anything that could affect caster’s voice should have different magic effects. The most important thing is the frequency fluctuation. Right?"
“If we can record some audio samples of the spells, we can perform Fourier transforms on the base sound waves of each person's unique voice, then... We may get a simplified version of the magic spell?”
"And for those gestures, everyone can move around their limbs. The symbolic meaning of the moves is probably greater than the actual effect. If we track all samples’ moving patterns, we can build a 3D model with the data, then maybe...we can find out another rule?"
The old man was talking to himself, referring to signal analysis and data modeling, which were subjects from another universe. No one in this world would understand the experiments he mentioned. But not Fowls…
Ding! Ding! Ding! Hilton’s words had ringed dozens of bells in Fowls’ mind!
For a moment, Fowls felt ecstatic about his own brainstorming.
After Hilton’s statements, in Fowls’ mind, he deserves more than some scientific awards from the previous universe. He is such a god-like hero in this universe!
Perhaps Fowls could do a lot better in memorizing, coding, logics, or data analysis than this old man. The experiments Hilton just mentioned, he couldn’t have it done effectively without Fowls’ support on sample collections and machine learning (if computers work the same way in this world). Fowls was confident about his skills.
When it comes to creativity, such as exploring the new fields in nature and science, or creative views of theoretical innovations, the old man out-ranged others, including Fowls, so much more. At least Fowls never had thought about analyzing one universe with experiments designed from another universe.
It will absolutely work. The disciplines of physics, chemistry and biology may change completely from universe to universe, but...the mathematics is universal in all universes.
This old man, Fowls should never let him go. He should keep Hilton around, so that he could crack the mysteries of the world as soon as possible. Fowls started to imagine gaining magic power in a really fast way.
Fowls glanced at Hilton, as if he was looking at his laid-golden-eggs goose, "I don’t care that if you are crazy or pretend to be sick, I think what you just said is really interesting."
"How about this, I will take care of your food and living place. You can stay here with no labor work for as long as you want. I just need you to do one thing; you have to teach me everything you know about that type of knowledge, everything, okay?"
Actually Fowls couldn’t be more familiar with the knowledge. But unlike old Hilton, he would never show the fact to others.
He needed a reasonable “tutor” for the knowledge he already knew. This was also the purpose of keeping Hilton in the house. As for how Hilton could hide from other suspected people, that was his own business. Fowls can try to protect him. If he fails, there is nothing to lose for Fowls.
Worst case, the old man would get killed…
In addition to the tutor purpose, Fowls hoped to inspire the old man of the true meaning of the cross-trip after the days they live and work together. After that, he might offer to help invent the glass, toothpaste, steel and iron making.
Because of the basic laws of this new universe, those things may not be easy to make. The black powder - if make it the same way as the previous universe with one sulfur, two dinitrogen and three charcoal - would not be a lethal weapon anymore.
It’s the same for technologies like papermaking and printing. According to Fowls' memory, there is no ink in the world that can be mass-produced.
Paper here is not hard enough for handwriting and mass printing, or soft enough for toilet use. The idea of making a fortune by selling toilet paper is undoubtedly a dream.
No ink and no paper. It seems that being a media tycoon from a newspaper office is also a dream...
There are two inventions that are relatively easy and possible to do. One is textile machine from the beginning time of capitalism, and the other is steam engine from the industrial revolution.
Due to the unknown power of magic, whether a high-power steam engine is worth inventing needs rethink... But textile machine is undoubtedly a low-tech and easy-to-operate tool.
Money is still important in this universe!
Not only the competition for family inheritance rights requires money, the development of textile machine prototypes, the collection of cotton-like wool raw materials, the construction of the textile factory, and the recruitment of workers, also need tons of money!
Although Fowls didn't know exactly how much, the start-up fund of twenty gold coins is definitely not enough.
Also, the treatment of his injuries needs money. Learning multiple types of magic to avoid getting injured in the future needs money too. The Wizard Union is no charity; he needs to pay for the research.
A zero-level magic spell costs twenty silver coins. Higher the magic level, higher the tuition. Although the Medici family has its own magic tower, the former owner of the body who was obsessed with magic had spent most expenses on learning magic spells, purchasing casting materials, borrowing notes from other wizards, and consulting magic masters...
Perhaps wizards really need talent. Old Fowls practiced magic days and night, and spent much more than other apprentices. Still he was just a second-level wizard capable of two first-level spells. He may just have no talent for magic.
Fowls stopped thinking more, and watched Hilton.
The old man finally answered “yes” to the offer.
At this moment, Swaydi stepped across the courtyard and entered the room, greeting cheerfully: “Master Fowls, Uncle Hilton, what’s up?"
Chapter 5 Tutor Hilton
Hilton did not care about Fowls’ doubts, or that he was expecting the questions, he continued his long speech.
"It seems that the basic requirements for performing magic are to recite chanting and to make gestures. These actions should have two functions. One is to activate the caster’s brainwaves and modulate the wave frequency so that it can resonate with some specific particles..."
"The second is to set the trajectory, moving mode and intensity of the particles. Although the strength of the caster’s own spiritual power surely is an important factor in determining the power of magic, the constraints from the spell modules are obviously the most critical."
He was correct. A zero-level wizard, even if he has super powerful spirit, cannot cast any nine-level magic spells.
The level of magic directly determines the upper limit of the corresponding magic power.
"So I think, to crack the mysteries of magic spells and gestures, you should start from two things: First, find some magic that resonates with particles in the same way, such as fire, ice, electricity, light. Then do some research about their activating-the-resonance part, find the pattern, and get the secret of the spell."
"Next, find different types of magic that have similar functions or operations. Compare the different parts of the spell contents, find the rule..."
OMG, this old guy really is a genius!
Fowls looked at the old guy with no more arrogance as a young master to a servant, "For the magic classification, there are actually two completely different theoretical systems in the magic world."
"One is the elemental classification. It classifies magic into water, fire, ice, wind, electricity, earth, light, darkness, life, death..."
"The other is the academic classification that categorizes magic into nine schools - the Transfiguration, the Defense, the Possession, the Illusion, the Necromancers, the Transformers, the Charms, the Arithmancy, and the General."
“For a long time, the wizards have been arguing over the two classification methods and still have no conclusions. They prefer to name themselves with their own supporting classification system. So there is the Fire wizards, the Water wizards, and also the Transfiguration man, and the Illusion man."
"These titles are not unchangeable. Wizards can learn one type of magic spells and afterwards study another type of spells. But the wizards have been fighting for the classification for thousands of years. Naturally, there should be a reason for it..."
"Elemental classification helps the wizard to be sensitive to the controllable elements. Since it is always the repeating operation of one element, practice could make the casters perfect. However, the spells are more difficult practices. To have distinctive magic effects, the spells have to be quite different."
"Academic classification thus makes it much easier for the wizards to memorize the spells. The magic spells are more similar within the same school. But those wizards often fail in practice trying to link their spiritual power to the magic elements’ intensity."
"Plus, the magic from a single school usually has similar effects, either attacking, or defending, or disrupting the enemy... So the magic abilities of the school wizards are often incomprehensive. It will be struggling for a single wizard to handle complicated fights…"
"…Unless, he teams up with wizards from different schools. This team could have both offensive and defensive skills, which will be superior to those of an elemental wizards team. So, there is no sure winner of the two classification systems."
"I’ve been inside the magic world too long that I couldn’t see this through. But now since you reminded me as an outsider, I think I just realized something… something related to the basis to that longest dispute in the magic world. I really benefited a lot. Hilton, thank you!"
Fowls checked through all the magic world news in his body’s memory, and cautiously said so to Hilton, then thanked with a deep bow. He behaved with the standard aristocratic etiquette.
"You are welcome!" Old Hilton waved his hand, "Just, could you please do it again? Show me the spell and the gesture one more time, please."
At the same time, the old man started to bite his finger tips and think out loud, "The letters certainly have no special magic power. Same spell with different pronunciation ways or volumes, or anything that could affect caster’s voice should have different magic effects. The most important thing is the frequency fluctuation. Right?"
“If we can record some audio samples of the spells, we can perform Fourier transforms on the base sound waves of each person's unique voice, then... We may get a simplified version of the magic spell?”
"And for those gestures, everyone can move around their limbs. The symbolic meaning of the moves is probably greater than the actual effect. If we track all samples’ moving patterns, we can build a 3D model with the data, then maybe...we can find out another rule?"
The old man was talking to himself, referring to signal analysis and data modeling, which were subjects from another universe. No one in this world would understand the experiments he mentioned. But not Fowls…
Ding! Ding! Ding! Hilton’s words had ringed dozens of bells in Fowls’ mind!
For a moment, Fowls felt ecstatic about his own brainstorming.
After Hilton’s statements, in Fowls’ mind, he deserves more than some scientific awards from the previous universe. He is such a god-like hero in this universe!
Perhaps Fowls could do a lot better in memorizing, coding, logics, or data analysis than this old man. The experiments Hilton just mentioned, he couldn’t have it done effectively without Fowls’ support on sample collections and machine learning (if computers work the same way in this world). Fowls was confident about his skills.
When it comes to creativity, such as exploring the new fields in nature and science, or creative views of theoretical innovations, the old man out-ranged others, including Fowls, so much more. At least Fowls never had thought about analyzing one universe with experiments designed from another universe.
It will absolutely work. The disciplines of physics, chemistry and biology may change completely from universe to universe, but...the mathematics is universal in all universes.
This old man, Fowls should never let him go. He should keep Hilton around, so that he could crack the mysteries of the world as soon as possible. Fowls started to imagine gaining magic power in a really fast way.
Fowls glanced at Hilton, as if he was looking at his laid-golden-eggs goose, "I don’t care that if you are crazy or pretend to be sick, I think what you just said is really interesting."
"How about this, I will take care of your food and living place. You can stay here with no labor work for as long as you want. I just need you to do one thing; you have to teach me everything you know about that type of knowledge, everything, okay?"
Actually Fowls couldn’t be more familiar with the knowledge. But unlike old Hilton, he would never show the fact to others.
He needed a reasonable “tutor” for the knowledge he already knew. This was also the purpose of keeping Hilton in the house. As for how Hilton could hide from other suspected people, that was his own business. Fowls can try to protect him. If he fails, there is nothing to lose for Fowls.
Worst case, the old man would get killed…
In addition to the tutor purpose, Fowls hoped to inspire the old man of the true meaning of the cross-trip after the days they live and work together. After that, he might offer to help invent the glass, toothpaste, steel and iron making.
Because of the basic laws of this new universe, those things may not be easy to make. The black powder - if make it the same way as the previous universe with one sulfur, two dinitrogen and three charcoal - would not be a lethal weapon anymore.
It’s the same for technologies like papermaking and printing. According to Fowls' memory, there is no ink in the world that can be mass-produced.
Paper here is not hard enough for handwriting and mass printing, or soft enough for toilet use. The idea of making a fortune by selling toilet paper is undoubtedly a dream.
No ink and no paper. It seems that being a media tycoon from a newspaper office is also a dream...
There are two inventions that are relatively easy and possible to do. One is textile machine from the beginning time of capitalism, and the other is steam engine from the industrial revolution.
Due to the unknown power of magic, whether a high-power steam engine is worth inventing needs rethink... But textile machine is undoubtedly a low-tech and easy-to-operate tool.
Money is still important in this universe!
Not only the competition for family inheritance rights requires money, the development of textile machine prototypes, the collection of cotton-like wool raw materials, the construction of the textile factory, and the recruitment of workers, also need tons of money!
Although Fowls didn't know exactly how much, the start-up fund of twenty gold coins is definitely not enough.
Also, the treatment of his injuries needs money. Learning multiple types of magic to avoid getting injured in the future needs money too. The Wizard Union is no charity; he needs to pay for the research.
A zero-level magic spell costs twenty silver coins. Higher the magic level, higher the tuition. Although the Medici family has its own magic tower, the former owner of the body who was obsessed with magic had spent most expenses on learning magic spells, purchasing casting materials, borrowing notes from other wizards, and consulting magic masters...
Perhaps wizards really need talent. Old Fowls practiced magic days and night, and spent much more than other apprentices. Still he was just a second-level wizard capable of two first-level spells. He may just have no talent for magic.
Fowls stopped thinking more, and watched Hilton.
The old man finally answered “yes” to the offer.
At this moment, Swaydi stepped across the courtyard and entered the room, greeting cheerfully: “Master Fowls, Uncle Hilton, what’s up?"
