Chapter 398: Testing the Nuclear Magic!
"Lord Lynn, if these two new elements are so dangerous, why didn't you mention it earlier?" Sanchez couldn't help but ask with a tinge of complaint in his tone.
"I believe hastily defining a new element without rigorous experimental verification is highly inappropriate behavior," Lynn shrugged. If he had claimed the Demon Stone, right after getting it, was a radioactive element emitting strong radiation, it would have sounded too fake.
The assembly of lawmakers present couldn't help but feel a sense of post-fear, their gazes toward Raphael filled with distrust. They remembered someone who previously wanted to make radium into fluorescent paint for the walls of the capital.
To the extent that some started suspecting Raphael might be a mole sent by the Holy Church! This was on the brink of undermining the entire council from within!
"I'm not—I didn't..." Raphael struggled to explain, but thankfully, Lynn stepped in to reassure.
"Don't worry, everyone. Although radium in the Demon Stone is highly radioactive, the quantity is limited within each piece, divided into over twenty parts. Brief contact won't cause harm," he explained. Lynn had already confirmed this, and wizards had robust bodies with magical abilities providing some radiation isolation, which is why he hadn't rushed to warn earlier.
However, prolonged exposure without protection would be suicidal!
"Master Raphael, you might want to change that outfit soon," Lynn remarked, eyeing the fluorescent yellow-green robe. It took courage to directly apply highly radioactive radium onto clothing!
Raphael glanced at the listless and horrifying-looking mice in the cage nearby, chuckling wryly. "There should be a way to treat injuries caused by this radioactive radiation, right?"
He had been wearing the same clothes all day, unlike others. Over the past few days, he had been dealing with alpha particles to study radium's self-luminous properties. He was likely affected..."If treated early, it can be resolved. It's mostly cell damage or cancer," Lynn reassured.
This type of radiation-induced systemic damage was challenging to treat with technology alone. It required a healing chamber for full-body restoration, as the various aftereffects could torment a person to death.
On the magical side, it was easier. A grand wizard well-versed in shaping should be capable of dealing with the mutated cells. Coupled with magical potions enabling limb regeneration, as long as it wasn't a full-body cancerous state, they could save the individual.
But it would be an ordeal, unavoidably painful!
With Lynn's explanation, Raphael finally sighed in relief, grateful for the possibility of being saved...
However, this also meant his plan of profiting from radium-infused paint had to be forcefully scrapped...
"So, how should we protect ourselves from this radioactive element?" Victorio inquired since they needed to research this new element, making contact unavoidable.
"Elements with higher density generally have strong radiation resistance, like lead!" Lynn reminded.
Lead, with an atomic number of 82 and a density of 11.3437 grams per cubic centimeter, was the heaviest non-radioactive element by atomic weight. It was commonly used on a large scale for radiation protection due to its abundance and characteristics.
Lynn also reminded the lawmakers present to prioritize safety while conducting their research...
Although radiation wasn't incurable for wizards, it took a hefty price to heal it. Raphael could speak so casually because he was a grand wizard with abundant resources.
...
The magical discussion went on until four in the morning, nearly ten hours in total!
Yet, the lawmakers exiting the meeting were surprisingly energized. Whether it was the magical star claiming to defeat the Holy Church or the incredibly intricate starry orbit-based elemental model, both were explosive revelations that quickly spread through their discussions.
Undoubtedly, magic was entering a new era from today onwards. Lynn had proven with facts that elements weren't the most fundamental substance constituting everything.
Elements could not only be further divided but their shapes weren't necessarily spherical, contrary to mainstream theoretical beliefs.
The alpha particles forming atomic nuclei and electrons became the new primordial substances in the eyes of many wizards.
Soon, they would understand what these so-called alpha particles were and harness the true power of the elements!
Wizards specialized in combat, not part of the discussions, regretted missing this historical moment as they listened to their colleagues' enthusiastic discussions about the intricacies of the new elemental structure theory.
However, this 'widespread' dissemination and discussion were restricted to official wizards only. It was wartime, and maintaining the secrecy of such critical information was paramount.
The surge in magical research prompted more wizards to dive into experiments. If it weren't for the wizards investigating uranium mines, finding a substantial amount of Demon Stones and uranium ores again, they might not have had enough to distribute.
The citizens of the capital quickly noticed a large volume of seawater continuously transported from a port a hundred miles away, and the price of lead ore skyrocketed...
Imperial spies lurking in the shadows were utterly perplexed by this strange occurrence. Lead ore was understandable; according to their gathered intelligence, it was used to manufacture firearm ammunition. It was normal for consumption to increase due to wartime. But transporting so much seawater from a distant place and then decomposing it, looking for the so-called thorium element, that left them puzzled...
Through the joint efforts of over a thousand official wizards in the entire council, Lynn's three major issues were quickly resolved.
On the evening of the fifth day, Lynn, having completed the grand nuclear explosion model, took several councilors to a mined-out underground area for a test detonation.
For safety, they only used the lowest critical mass.
No one knew exactly what happened, but that day, the entire mine collapsed, causing a strong earthquake felt even tens of kilometers away in the capital.
Rumors spread within the city; some panicked citizens even believed it was divine punishment, the wrath of the gods!
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