Your Student Is Impressive (5)
Zernya stepped into the lab brimming with confidence. What awaited her was a grand and beautiful structure: a spherical steel chamber, wires tangled like noodles in a bowl, a supercomputer linking every kind of control device imaginable—coolers, transformers, and more. On top of that, various pieces of equipment that would easily cost tens of millions of credits each. It was overwhelming just to look at.
“Whoa, look at the size. It’s enormous.”
Zernya was stunned. I was impressed.
“The interior of the sphere is an empty cavity. We have to put a person inside, after all. We paid close attention to the dimensions on multiple levels.”
“You placed the frequency generator over there?”
“Correct. Want a closer look?”
“If you’ll excuse me. Wow—with this configuration you could raise the Q-factor nicely. The application of 4D Macrocomb technology is innovative too.”
The two of us continued the vlog. Once the technical jargon started flying, the viewers grew more and more lost.
I knew the woman speaking with me was a professor. Since I wouldn’t be able to give a proper answer, anyone who wanted to ask questions had to go to her.
Taking advantage of the moment when we paused filming, Zernya approached Professor Stranov. After exchanging belated greetings, she received an explanation about the massive device.
“It is resonance equipment designed to confine Outer Deities. The underlying principle is similar to a laser. The difference is that it traps the waves of an Outer Deity rather than light.”
Zernya tilted her head.
“If you simply keep confining it, the waves will accumulate and eventually explode, won’t they?”
“Exactly. That is the problem.”
“Then how can you confine an Outer Deity at all? It’s questionable whether any ordinary mirror could withstand an Outer Deity’s light pressure in the first place… Is there a solution?”
The question carried a generous spoonful of bluntness. Truthfully, Zernya wanted to show me. This is the level of my insight. Even a non-specialist like me can point out flaws.
“Oh ho.”
Professor Stranov’s expression turned enigmatic.
“An excellent question.”
She grinned. In that instant Zernya realized her mistake. The professor was looking her up and down and literally licking her lips.
“Once that single issue is resolved, the resonator will be effectively complete. In most of the theory, Rheinlant has already done the heavy lifting. Naturally we intend to solve this remaining problem in collaboration with him as well.”
“Which means…”
“Precisely. Rheinlant’s contribution is enormous. Even if I designed the concept, building the complete theoretical foundation is not something just anyone can do. I plan to list him as first author.”
If successful, another shiny line would be added to my academic record. Zernya’s stomach twisted. Still, now was not the time to dwell on it.
“Miss Adelbein.”
I need to escape.
“Are you interested in our laboratory as well?”
Right now.
“I-I’m from a different department.”
The professor advanced on the retreating Zernya with a sly smile.
“Different department? That’s no obstacle. We cover a wide range of topics related to Outer Deities. We accept students from many fields. We even have a friend here who completed medical school as an undergraduate. How about it?”
“No, no, no?”
She kept backpedaling until—thud—her spine met the wall.
I’m screwed. No way out.
Cold sweat trickled down her back. The professor’s expression had grown positively voluptuous. Damn it, I shouldn’t have shown off. Regret crashed over her. I had warned her to watch her mouth. The avatar had explicitly told her that if she was a mere mortal she should stay humble. Yet here she was, still tripping over her own tongue and paying for it. In a strange corner of her mind she found herself replaying all the advice she had received.
“Professor, the equipment is fully set up. Could you come take a look?”
The person who rescued Zernya from the corner was, ironically, me. At my single sentence Professor Stranov blinked as if her soul had been snatched away, then began inspecting the equipment in a daze.
A huge crystal had instruments plastered all over it. It looked fascinating. Zernya couldn’t restrain herself and jumped in.
“What is that?”
“Are you curious too, Miss Adelbein?”
“Ah, no. I was just…”
“It is the raw material for the mirror that will be installed inside the resonator. We processed the crystal obtained after defeating a Darwin-type avatar. It is extremely expensive, you know?”
Stranov placed special stress on the words “extremely expensive.” Zernya turned away and smacked her lips. I must have lost my mind!
“So why exactly are we doing this?”
I’m not curious. I’m definitely not asking.
“The swordsman who fought the avatar died in battle, and the Constellation clung to this crystal. Much like an Outer Deity possessing an object.”
“Hey, wait. Then isn’t this insanely rare?”
“It is. However—”
“Something like this should be sold for a fortune. Do you have zero business sense?”
“Shut—!!”
“Kyaaaaah!!”
It worked.
The stellar fragment, ‘Fragment of Purity,’ awakens from deep slumber.
A woman appeared. Golden hair that rippled like waves. Sapphire eyes that sparkled like jewels. Parts of her body were wrapped in pale violet silk, and three pairs of sky-blue plasma wings danced in the air.
I turned to look at Zernya behind me. Her eyes had lost focus. The Constellation corresponding to Virgo was famous in the novel for her beauty—so much so that she could charm even women.
I swallowed hard and looked back. There lay the crystal, now cleansed of its impurity after the Constellation had departed.
“Professor, we did it!”
I high-fived Professor Stranov. Zernya’s expression grew twice as vacant.
“Rasela? Rasela! Where has my master gone…?”
Virgo—or more precisely, the fragment of Virgo—looked around in panic.
“Your master is dead.”
— ‘Fragment of Purity’ is confused.
“Yes. While fighting a Darwin-type avatar.”
When I told her the plain truth, the Constellation’s face turned deathly pale. After sobbing for a moment she regained her composure and changed her tone.
“He was a good master, but there is nothing to be done. It has happened several times before. Now I must find a new contractor. The invasion of the Outer Deities must be stopped. Ah, of course this body is merely a fragment. Not the main entity. Therefore, to wield my full power…”
It was ridiculously long. I tuned it out and turned my attention back to the crystal.
“Professor, anyway, we did it!”
“So you woke me because you desire a contract, yes? First, a condition. I accept only those who are pure and chaste as my master…”
“We removed the impurity!”
“A-accept… what?”
“Now we can build the resonator!”
“Hey. Did you just call me an impurity? Right now? To me? To the purest and most chaste being in the universe? Wait, come here and talk to me… Where are you going!”
This was thrilling. In about a week we should be able to finish it. One more paper would raise my profile even further and prove I was an all-rounder versed in both theory and experiment. That alone would let me secure massive research funding. The graviton bomb was truly within reach.
‘Fragment of Purity’ uses <Attention Concentration>.
My research-addled mind was abruptly yanked toward the Constellation. The eyes of Professor Stranov, Zernya, the other graduate students, and myself all snapped to the fragment of Virgo.
“Good. Now you are ready to listen. I shall examine those among you who wish to become my contractor…”
It felt like aggro had been pulled. Unpleasant.
— 1000 Fron has been paid.
— The ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ dispels the <Attention Concentration> effect.
Good. That should do it.
“Hey! You there! Are you not listening to me?”
I was now able to resume my research alone. First I needed to re-analyze the material properties. If the optical characteristics had changed because the Constellation had left, that would be its own problem.
“Listen to me!”
Eventually the Constellation descended right in front of me. At this point it was impossible to ignore her.
“You. Do you wish to become my contractor?”
“Not interested.”
“…At least it is clear you are a virgin.”
Did she really just say that to someone’s face?
“Are you actually a Constellation?”
“A fragment of one. And I place extreme importance on a contractor’s sexual history. I possess numerous skills that convert a pure and noble heart into Ether.”
In the novel she had only been described as “dying alongside the swordsman,” so I had simply thought, Oh, I see, and moved on. But this Constellation was far more abnormal than I had imagined.
“Still, you appear to have the clearest eyes here. Let me take a look.”
Virgo stared intently into my pupils. After a few seconds she spoke.
“No good. Disqualified.”
“Huh?”
“Your body is clean, yet your heart is not. How can there be a man so black and filthy?”
I licked my cracking lips. Had she detected the Outer God thoughts inside my head? No, probably not. Cartesia was exceptionally good at concealment. Unless it was Rustilla’s Mind’s Eye, it should be undetectable.
I waited in cold sweat for the Constellation to pass. Virgo moved on to Professor Stranov and the graduate students.
“Disqualified. Disqualified.”
For all sorts of reasons none of them qualified. One was already married, another harbored impure thoughts. After screening people in this swordsman-like fashion, everyone except one person had been eliminated.
“Finally, only you remain.”
Zernya. Virgo approached her.