The First Thesis (1)
Direct Message
[Rustila: Tonight was nice. See you tomorrow.]
[Professor: The discussion today was good. Let’s continue tomorrow.]
After spending a quiet evening with Rustila and Professor Feynman, I was on my way back to the dorm when two police officers appeared.
“Hey, you there!”
“Huh?” Before I could react, handcuffs snapped around my wrists.
“Idel von Rheinland. You are under arrest on suspicion of colluding with Outer Deities.”
How on earth had things come to this? Colluding with Outer Deities? Me? It was absurd. Even though I had barely begun, I was fighting tooth and nail to drive every last one of them out of this universe. I was unequivocally on humanity’s side.
While I was busy sorting through excuses in my head, a sharp sound rang out.
Thud! Detective Terence slammed his palm on the desk.
“It’s been a while, Idel.”
“Good evening, Detective.”
Detective Terence. A capable space police officer who had risen through the ranks while dealing with the troublemaking Idel since childhood. He had been in the violent crimes unit until my sudden appearance bumped him over to the juvenile division. To think I would cross paths with him again. Was this a silver lining?
The detective lit a cigarette, sighed, and spoke.
“……You hit someone again, didn’t you, Idel.”
“No?”
“What do you think that accomplishes?”
“I didn’t hit anyone.”
“What exactly do you gain from this?”
Honestly, could the man just listen when someone spoke? Damn it. Of course he wouldn’t. The speaker was Idel, after all. While I clicked my tongue inwardly, Detective Terence got to the point.
“Anyway, Idel, the reason I called you in today is because the investigation turned up evidence linking you to a Laplace-type Outer Deity.”
“……Excuse me? Me?”
“Yes, you. Among the gear you used during the midterms, every single one of your opponents except one collapsed after only a few exchanges, correct?”
I nodded. I had used the Caliper of Wisdom to briefly pummel them and siphon off a massive amount of practical points.
“Losing consciousness after receiving a large shock inside virtual reality…… It’s not as though hologram shock doesn’t exist. The hospital tests all came back with that diagnosis. It’s not exactly a rare symptom, either.”
“Right. So then……”
“Still, something felt off. Central Government contacted us. They told us to investigate you, even if only a little.”
And the conclusion had been reached.
“Only one place. A large quantity of Laplace-type Fron was detected in Capsule 54, where you knocked out five people in a single strike.”
I mulled over the words for a moment, then nodded. I roughly understood what had happened. Laplace’s forces? It wasn’t me. Even if I had borrowed Cartesia’s power, any Fron that remained should have been of the Descartes type. In other words, another Outer Deity besides Cartesia had intruded into that space.
“From now on, you’ll have to answer my questions.”
“Understood.”
Whatever the case, there was only one thing I needed to do right now: cooperate with the investigation in good faith.
The investigation dragged on for over a week. Thanks to that, I couldn’t go to school at all. It wasn’t as though I minded missing classes I already knew by heart, but eating at the police station wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience.
“Bear with the inconvenience. If an Outer Deity really is dwelling inside you, letting you out would be far more dangerous.”
For the sake of public order and the safety of the many, even basic human rights had been restricted. I couldn’t leave freely, couldn’t speak freely, couldn’t move freely. For the first three days or so, I had apparently been kept locked up exactly as I was. After a few more days, the investigation finally seemed to loosen up.
“No signs of madness at all.”
“Could it be a long incubation period?”
“Even at the longest, it’s normal to have a seizure at least once a week. Haven’t you heard what the doctors said?”
Various voices drifted in from beyond the door. The most noteworthy remark came at the end.
“Even after the psychiatric evaluation, all readings were normal. No residual Fron was detected, either……”
Scientific results had come in. The steel door creaked open, and light poured inside.
“Idel, it’s all over now.”
“Can I go back to school?”
“Yes. You’ll be under surveillance, but you should be able to return to a normal life. I’ll do my best.”
A faint trace of guilt and bitterness showed on Detective Terence’s face. He seemed to think he had been barking up the wrong tree. In conclusion, it hadn’t been entirely the wrong tree. After all, I had made a contract with Cartesia. I had even used her abilities during the midterms. Still, thanks to the Descartes-type forces’ characteristic of leaving behind almost no residual Fron, I had been confident I would get through this without issue. I had simply tripped over an unexpected obstacle.
— ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ is lost in thought.
[“A Laplace bastard, huh. Now that I think about it, there was one insect that interfered when you fought that silver-haired brat.”]
“……?”
[“A filthy lot that makes their servants work without compensation. They don’t even have the basics for amusement. Tch.”]
Cartesia clicked her tongue. My expression went blank. I remembered what had happened at the very end of my fight with Zernya. That sudden message that had appeared on the status window: “Lose.” I had assumed it was something Cartesia had done and reacted on reflex. I had thought there was only one Outer Deity in that place. Cartesia must have known about it. Then why hadn’t she told me?
[“Why would I have to tell you something like that?”]
I was an idiot for even asking. In any case, I was released due to insufficient evidence.
“Gather your electronics and whatever else you need and get out. There are people waiting for you outside, so you’d better hurry.”
People waiting outside?
“Young Master.”
“Oppa!”
“Idel…!”
Sonia, Seti, and Rustila. The three girls I could never grow tired of seeing came running. Seti was the first to throw herself into my arms, while Rustila let out a sigh, her eyes glistening with tears. Sonia watched the two of them and shrugged from behind.
“Hic, I-I really thought you were going to prison……”
“Idel. Thank goodness. Since you’re cleared of all charges……”
All I could think was how sorry I was for worrying them. Sonia was an android, so there was no need to read her psychological state separately. Still, to think that even Seti, not just Rustila, already knew I had contracted with Cartesia. In a way, it sent a chill down my spine. If something ever happened, I would have to protect these two. Seti was family, and I thought of Rustila as family too.
“Young Master.”
After calming the two sobbing girls, I turned my gaze. Sonia approached slowly, her hands neatly folded in front of her.
“I was worried.”
“……”
“As expected, I should maintain 24-hour surveillance……”
“Idel! Is Idel here!”
A man’s voice cut through Sonia’s words. My head turned stiffly, like a broken spring. Across the hallway stood someone with a worried expression.
“P-Professor?”
“Student.”
Professor Feynman was there.
“Professor!”
“Student!”
I finished comforting Seti and Rustila and ran toward the professor. We embraced each other and wept openly.
“My student! I thought you had disappeared for good!”
“Me too! Thank you for coming, Professor…! Is my thesis topic safe?!”
“Of course! Who would take it? It’s research only Idel can do!”
Being investigated for a week at the Southern Galactic Police Station because of an Outer Deity was something I would remember for a long time. It had let me confirm the professor’s genuine regard for me.
Before long, I organized the DMs I had exchanged with the professor. Apparently thinking I had gone missing, he had sent nearly a hundred messages the very next day. He had even called an ambulance, convinced I had collapsed.
“Thank goodness. What would have happened if a talent like you had gone mad or died? It would have been a tremendous loss for humanity.”
“Come on, even so, that’s a bit much……”
“Now then, no more idle thoughts. You have to go back to school. You have class tomorrow, right? We can finish the discussion later. For today, get some proper rest.”
“Yes. I’ll do that……”
Wait a second. What was I saying? Didn’t the academy have a grade-skipping system? I had clearly been planning to make use of it. If a first-year student achieved outstanding results, they were given the opportunity to proceed directly to the college level. However, those “outstanding results” didn’t only mean scoring high on promotion exams. The Ministry of Education could also select students for advancement to college at its discretion. For example, a high school student who had written an SCI-level paper as first author.
“Professor.”
I looked at the professor and spoke.
“Please mark this week as medical leave. In the meantime, it would be good to catch up on the discussions we missed.”
“……Are you sure that’s all right?”
“Of course.”
“Very well. Let’s do that.”
And so, after declaring to Seti and Rustila that I would be skipping school next week as well, I followed the professor.
After Idel and Professor Feynman had left, Detective Terence cleared his throat awkwardly. Rustila and Seti, who had been sobbing moments ago, stared blankly, their faces dazed.
“……We were so worried, too.”
“Who was that person?”
Rustila didn’t know Professor Feynman, but Seti had a vague idea. That man was going to be Idel’s academic advisor. She had heard he was heading to the physics department at college. She had thought it was just a joke. But that level of closeness. That warmth. An atmosphere more familial than Seti herself. A distance more friendly than Rustila. For some reason, irritation welled up inside the two girls.
“Please don’t be too angry.”
Sonia placed her hands on their shoulders and comforted them.
“Young Master cares for both of you deeply. You can tell just by looking into his eyes.”
“…Sonia.”
“He probably followed the professor because there was something he needed to do. Something very important.”
Sonia turned her head to meet Rustila’s gaze. White eyes and aquamarine eyes met. With her usual dignified and upright expression, Rustila unconsciously swallowed. Seti slowly turned her head and asked,
“Sonia. Aren’t you upset?”
Sonia smiled faintly and met Seti’s eyes as well. She answered in her usual deadpan tone.
“Such emotions are a luxury for an android.”
“……”
“Besides.”
Sonia gazed down the hallway where Idel and Professor Feynman had disappeared and let out a quiet breath.
“In any case, I am with Young Master……”