Greetings, Mister Principal

Chapter 44: The Truth Comes to Light

Hearing Piram's words, Leslie nodded, then looked at Antoine.

"Mr. Antoine, tell me what your signature looks like."

Nodding, Antoine said immediately.

"My signature is not just a name, but a set of secret code."

He glanced at Reiner. This encryption method was first proposed by Reiner after communicating with Antoine. Although it was very complicated, it could avoid the signature damage caused by the reconstruction of the spell.

This encryption method involved the composition of the alchemy magic circle.

It was known that the alchemy magic circle consisted of runes, spell models, and magic nodes that represented the effects of spells. Generally speaking, the hidden signatures of the mages were placed in the runes, and certain combinations of runes and numbers were used to specify the signatures, but this encryption method would be destroyed due to the reconstruction of the spell.

To understand it simply, these runes were just a string of characters that expressed a specific meaning, but if the thief fully understood the role of each rune, then similar runes could be used to replace it, just like imitating an article. In this way, the signature was naturally impossible to take effect.

As for leaving the signature on the spell model, it was very difficult. Most spell models were very strict, and a slight error would lead to something completely different. Therefore, only some special spell models would have the author's signature on them. As for spell models were the same, it would not prove its originality.

The magic node, which was the energy supply part of the alchemy magic circle, was complementary to the spell model, but some of it could be changed according to specific requirements. Of course, this could also be reconstructed, destroying most of the signatures.

Unless one had special means to add things that people couldn't perceive in the alchemy magic circle, it would be difficult to escape the baptism of reconstruction.

Therefore, after completely reconstructing Antoine's alchemy circle, Piram believed that apart from the functions of the alchemy magic circle in his hand was the same as Antoine's. The rest was completely different, and Antoine was absolutely impossible to leave any signatures.

So even if Antoine seemed calm and relaxed, Piram didn't panic at all until Antoine started to explain.

First of all, he sorted all the magic runes and text, and then starting from the first one, he marked it with an eight-digit serial number, but this was not the serial number of 123456, but a binary number. For example, the number 1 at the beginning was defined as 00000001, and the first letter at the beginning was 00001011.

Binary was not Reiner's first creation in this world. As early as decades ago, this method of counting was invented by William Saxon, a great master in the study of Law of nature, but it has not had any practical effect.

After changing from text to 101 binary number, Antoine chose his name as a signature, converted it into a binary number, and then choose a number as the encryption key.

The next step was the most crucial. Reiner and Antoine chose a complex but unique formula and used Antoine's name and the number they had chosen to work out a result. This result was separated by eight digits and translated back into words, and then they had an encrypted word.

This word would not appear in the alchemy magic circle as the core part, because most people would give priority to refactoring the core spells. Antoine hid it in the details of the alchemy magic circle in various ways. It had been encrypted, and the arrangement presented had no specific meaning, so it was easy to be overlooked.

Leslie and Sheila quickly began investigating the alchemy magic circle. Less than a quarter of an hour later, they found three such hidden signatures in the alchemy circle.

"Wait, Officers, these runes are very commonly used, maybe he is just trying his luck."

Piram was a little anxious at this time, no one would care about runes that didn't seem to have an order and was unimportant, because most people set their signatures only in the core part of the spell.

"No, it's not luck."

Reiner finally spoke. He glanced at the encrypted word and said.

"Why do we use a troublesome encryption method instead of simply replacing a few letters, because this is a means to verify the creator, and under this specific order, the seemingly chaotic runes will also become meaningful."

He asked Antoine to project the complicated calculation in mid-air and then said.

"Mr. Antoine said just now that this encryption method used his name and a number to work out the result, and this number was the side length of the spell model."

Spell models were complex geometries, but the side length of each model was fixed and couldn't be changed.

Antoine used his name and the number in the calculation formula. Soon, he got a string of binary numbers. After he transformed them. It was exactly the one found in Piram's alchemy magic circle.

"It's impossible, you must be lying!"

Piram was already a little panicked, he took a step back, shaking his head violently.

"We have done one more step when designing the formula, that is, if you reverse this calculation formula, you will be able to work out the original word that was used in this formula."

Reiner said, while Antoine waved his arm, the meaningless words were used in the calculation formula and quickly worked out a name.

It was Antoine.

"So, the evidence is clear, Mr. Piram, it seems you did steal the magical achievements of others."

Leslie said, looking at Piram coldly.

Stealing the magical achievements of others was a very serious crime for a mage. The lightest punishment was to be deprived of all magic ranks and work in a wild demiplane for fifty years, and this could not be reduced by any connections or money, Piram of course knew about this as well.

Because of this, fear instantly enveloped his heart.

"In addition, Mr. Piram, I don't remember that it was mentioned in all the newspapers that Sanderson attacked Alchemy workshop with powerful explosives last night, right?"

Spreading his hands, Leslie smiled triumphantly.

"Antoine, you set me up!"

Piram's complexion changed. He didn't expect Antoine and Reiner to use such complicated and unprecedented means to deal with himself. This was no longer something Piram could prevent.

Panicked, he raised his left hand and cast out a fireball, aiming at Antoine. At the same time, a ball of green acid was thrown at Reiner.

This was an attack launched with magic items, and there was no warning, Leslie and others had no time to stop it.

In front of Antoine, Sheila's gloves glowed brightly. Isaris's Iron Wall collided with the fiery ball of fire, causing this Officer to move back several steps before stopping.

On Reiner's side, he kept moving back, but his speed was still slower than the acid attack.

At this moment, Claire stretched out her hand. There was a silver pendant in her hand. From the pendant, a transparent barrier appeared, blocking the progress of the acid.

Both attacks were blocked, but Piram had already escaped a considerable distance, and just when Reiner thought Piram was going to run away, Leslie moved.

He raised his right hand, and the musket in his hand was immediately fired, but what was ejected from the muzzle was not a spark, but a light.

The light hit Piram's back straight. The mage staggered before falling to the ground. Then he stopped moving