Adam was silent for a moment and asked, "So, can I conduct research on electricity by myself in my current laboratory?"
"Of course, what you do in your lab is none of our business. However, we will not provide any support for your additional projects relating to electricity. Hence, you need to purchase materials and equipment at their original price," Mage Erin explained.
Adam sighed a breath of relief. He knows that his experiments don't require any large-scale instruments, so it won't be too much of a burden on his savings. If all goes well and he receives approval from Mage Erin, only then could he carry out more esoteric experiments.
The benefits of being a laboratory owner were great. Had he not chosen to establish a laboratory back then, his problem right now would be incredibly difficult to solve.
He returned to the laboratory, and James and Frank happily accepted the result. In this case, the laboratory remains the same, while Adam could carry out his new research.
Adam hired an alchemy puppet to construct a new room in the laboratory.
This room would be entirely constructed of metal that can be used as a good conductor, and this metal is called mithril. Not only does it have excellent plasticity, it is also very suitable for most energy and is able to conduct electricity with a low loss.
However, this adds another dent to his account.
The following days were calm, and James and Frank didn't feel anything different for the next few days.
They entered the new room to check on Adam, and found him sitting inside performing some operations they couldn't understand.
"What is he doing? Why is he rubbing glass with cloth and rubber with fur?" James wondered.
Frank couldn't explain it either. The study of elemental magic should also be accompanied with elemental phenomena, which is also the reason why there are so many accidents occurring in laboratories pertaining to elemental research. However, he couldn't feel any elements in Adam's lab.
They didn't know what Adam was doing, but Adam continued this monotonous process for two full months. All kinds of fabrics and furs were scattered around the room, and Adam continued to rub at the glass rod day and night with no rest.
Within two months, Adam discovered that his previous idea was too simple and the theory could be used even without any knowledge. For example, he could state a lot of basic formulas and theorems about electricity, but this world wouldn't understand it. He needs to incorporate magic into it, only then would it allow the world to recognise the knowledge expressed by him.
And Adam confirmed this solely by attempting to generate electricity via friction.
After another two months, Adam finally came up with a conclusion after developing a thick, experimental report: In an environment rich with ether, electricity generated with friction still exists. Hence, the existence of ether is in a state of being used without being stimulated by mental power. What affects the element is the secondary energy formed after the interaction between the caster's mental force and the surrounding ether.
Meanwhile, the devil was living an incredibly comfortable life. After swallowing a huge amount of negative energy, they have obtained a more physical form, thus feeling like a creature of flesh and blood. They followed Elliott to various places of interest almost every day. Ordinary apprentices wouldn't be able to tell that they are a devil, and mages know that they are owned by Adam. As long as they don't cause any trouble, the mages would pay them no mind. Occasionally, the devil would return to Adam, reminding him of their presence. However, it seems that Adam had completely forgotten about his devil.
"Master, it's been almost five months," the devil looked at the experiment with disdain. "What is the point of this? Great. We learnt that friction can produce electricity. Ground-breaking. Now what? It is useless."
"Not produce," Adam corrected. "It's the transfer of charges."
The devil sneered and started to smoke a cigarette. "Alright! But you still can't tell me what's the use of this 'electricity'. It is useless."
Instead of arguing with the devil, Adam removed a few materials from his portable space and made two simple Leiden jars, which stores electrical charges. He summoned James and Frank into the room.
"Dispel your psychic barriers, then hold these bottles and face the devil."
The devil felt bad for sneering at their master, but they couldn't help but have disdain towards the experiment. The two then got into position.
With a slight crackling sound, an electric blast shot out from the Leiden jar, hitting the devil. The devil was stunned, not expecting the blast. However, it did not cause any damage to them.
James and Frank were equally astonished. They never thought of using this method to apply the elements, and they were incredibly excited.
"How's the progress, Adam?"
Adam's eyes flashed and bound the devil in place and ordered the two, "Go on, don't stop."
Bursts of electricity shot out continuously -- the devil was reluctant, but soon found that the electricity had no effect on them.
This continued on for another two days, and Adam watched the electricity sparked obsessively.
On the third day, Adam stopped the experiment and gestured for the three to leave without a single word. The three were exhausted and hurried out of the laboratory, collapsing on the table.
"What is Adam trying to do?" James wondered.
"He did manage to generate electricity, but..." Frank trailed off, not wanting to make a fool of himself.
"Bah. You know how he is. I'll take my leave first," the devil pouted, rushing out the laboratory.
Adam sat in front of the recording instrument and obsessively rewatched the experiment over and over again.
Three days later, Adam used the strongest burst of electricity that he could conjure at this stage. One after another, electricity sparked and burst through the room, circulating throughout the well-conducted room.
The crackling electricity destroyed all the instruments in the room as it bounced off the walls.
Adam let down his psychic barriers and let the electricity course through him. Even though it hurt, he was close to making a breakthrough.
James and Frank could hear the commotion from outside, and they could feel that the magic within the room was more than what a normal apprentice could handle. Adam could die if he stayed in the room!
True to their thoughts, the alarm sounded.
Frank held the door handle with his mechanical arm, but the second he touched the door handle, he was flung back by a strong electrical current.
James looked at Frank's burnt mechanical hand and stepped back. He could only look at the door with worry.
"If this goes on, the laboratory might collapse!" James said anxiously.
The laboratory was then shrouded in a blood-red light, and James' eyes widened.
"Damn it!" he cursed and pulled Frank up, carrying him out of the laboratory. He couldn't save Adam.
Meanwhile, in the room, Adam was covered in bruises and electrical burns, but he remained in a daze, staring at the electrical currents coursing through the room.
Adam closed his eyes, letting his psychic power interact with the surrounding ether. Magic coursed through his body, and using his psychic power, he began to inscribe runes in thin air.
The runes were extremely difficult, but were laced with a natural beauty. Adam quickened his pace as the electricity bombarded his body, and finally, he successfully constructed a set of runes and it entered his soul.
Adam didn't let his finger down. With a single snap, the electricity dissipated into nothingness.
The harsh sirens and red light stopped.