𖹭 Chapter 2 𖹭
‘…Wait, making aluminum? Does that even make sense?’
Yujin thought of aluminum when he heard the Magic Tower’s request, but soon shook his head.
Of course, aluminum satisfied both conditions the Magic Tower wanted.
First, compatibility with the lightning element.
Aluminum’s conductivity is about 60% of copper, which is commonly used for wires on Earth. And this rule seemed to work in this world as well.
Metals like copper and gold had good compatibility with the lightning element, so they were widely used in magic tools and artifacts. Because of that, they were very valuable and expensive among mages.
In other words:
“Compatibility with the lightning element = conductivity.”
So aluminum, which also had high conductivity close to gold, could be expected to work well with the lightning element.
And also—
‘They said a metal as light as paper…’
Aluminum has a density of 2.7 g/cm³, which is more than twice that of paper (about 1.2 g/cm³).
But there was an important factor.
‘Paper in this world is thick and expensive.’
Papermaking in this world wasn’t primitive, but it was still poor in quality and costly.
The fibers weren’t finely processed, so the paper was rough and thick.
Even though people used the phrase “light as paper,” the paper here was actually heavier and rougher than modern paper.
On top of that, aluminum is more than three times lighter than copper, and even on Earth, it is considered a light metal used in many fields.
So—
“If I can make aluminum, it will perfectly match both conditions.”
But—
‘That’s only possible with Earth’s science…’
The process of making aluminum could be summarized into two main steps: the Bayer process and the Hall-Héroult process.
The Bayer process involved crushing bauxite, reacting it with sodium hydroxide under high pressure, producing sodium aluminate, filtering it, crystallizing it, and then heating it to get aluminum oxide.
This part could be managed somehow.
Crushing could be done at a blacksmith. Materials could be obtained using the Magnus family name. High-temperature furnaces were also used in alchemy, so borrowing one was possible.
The real problem was—
‘Electrolysis… that’s the issue.’
The Hall-Héroult process required electrolysis to turn aluminum oxide into aluminum.
And that was the biggest problem.
“Can electrolysis even work here?”
Even if he could find substitutes for other materials, electrolysis itself was uncertain.
From what Yujin knew, electrolysis had never been attempted in alchemy.
He wasn’t even sure if the concept of “ions” existed in this world.
This world had magic. Basic atomic theory itself might not even exist.
‘This might be impossible…’
Just as he thought that—
—Have you even tried before saying that?
For a moment, he felt like he heard a voice.
“…Professor?”
He looked around, but no one was there.
‘Damn it… even after dying and reincarnating, I’m still hearing things.’
He sighed.
Back in graduate school, his advisor always made him do impossible experiments.
Whenever he doubted—
“Are we really doing this? It doesn’t seem like it’ll work…”
She would always reply:
“Have you tried it first? Try it and bring results.”
Most of the time, she was right—it failed.
But sometimes, very rarely, it worked.
‘…Yeah. Some things you only know after trying.’
Even if she was terrible—
“That’s the mindset of an experimental scientist.”
‘Let’s try it.’
To test aluminum refining, Yujin first set up a simple electrolysis experiment.
He needed to know whether it was even possible.
If not, he would have to use a more traditional chemical method.
He chose the simplest experiment: electrolysis of saltwater.
If you put graphite electrodes into saltwater and apply voltage, chlorine gas forms at the anode and hydrogen gas at the cathode.
You can confirm it by bubbles and smell.
‘But applying voltage is the problem…’
In this world, lightning was considered a magical element.
The concept of “voltage” might not even exist.
‘Still… I have to try.’
He replaced voltage with a basic lightning magic spell.
‘Not sure if this will work…’
He inserted the electrodes.
“Please work…”
He activated the magic stone.
Crackle.
Electricity flowed through the wires.
And—
“….”
Nothing happened.
The current flowed, but no gas formed.
The lightning simply spread through the water and disappeared.
“Ha…”
Yujin sighed.
“Of course it wouldn’t be that easy…”
He went outside for some air.
The workshop was far from the busy streets, but the surroundings were nice.
There was a small garden and a stream nearby.
‘Nice view…’
For a moment, he felt peaceful.
“I wish I could just live here forever…”
But—
“If this place fails, I fail too.”
If he couldn’t succeed, he would have to take responsibility.
And that likely meant death.
He looked at the flowing stream.
‘…Flowing?’
Something clicked in his mind.
‘Water flows because of potential energy difference.’
It was basic physics.
Energy moves from high to low.
That’s why water flows.
And electricity works the same way.
“Current flows because of potential difference.”
But lightning magic didn’t work like that.
It forced charges to move without potential difference.
That’s why electrolysis failed.
“I need to create a potential difference.”
Normally, magic couldn’t do that.
But—
Magic had no limits. Only the mage did.
“Magic depends on how you understand the world.”
‘…Then I’ll try.’
Yujin closed his eyes.
He imagined:
Left hand — high potential
Right hand — low potential
He visualized charges moving between them.
Then he combined lightning magic with force-field control.
After focusing deeply—
Crackle.
Electric current began to flow.
Yujin opened his eyes.
“It works.”
A faint current flowed between his hands.
It was weak—but real.
“This is a completely new magic system.”
Only he could do this.
‘Now… electrolysis.’
He rushed back and repeated the experiment.
Slowly—
“…It works!”
Bubbles formed.
A chlorine smell spread.
“Electrolysis is working!”
There was no hesitation now.
Yujin quickly listed materials.
“Workshop Master Edgar.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Prepare these materials immediately…”
A few days later.
‘Ugh… I’m dying…’
Edgar dragged himself to work.
The past few days had been exhausting.
They borrowed a high-pressure furnace.
They built a strange device called an electrolytic cell.
They spent almost all their money.
“We used everything… for something we don’t even understand.”
But—
‘It doesn’t matter. This workshop is doomed anyway.’
Unless a miracle happened, it would shut down.
And Yujin had no backing.
So nothing would change.
‘Unless… something impossible happens.’
Like creating a metal—
“As light as paper and compatible with lightning.”
‘Yeah… impossible.’
He entered the workshop.
“…Young Master?”
Yujin looked exhausted.
“I stayed up all night.”
He was holding a silver metal chunk.
“…What is that?”
“Try holding it.”
Yujin tossed it.
Edgar caught it.
Thunk.
“…Huh?”
He blinked.
Lifted it again.
“…What?”
His confusion grew.
“A metal this light… exists?”
It felt—
“As light as paper.”
