Chapter 17
Chapter 17
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Rune Duty and Runaway Magic
-----------------------------------------------------------------
17
1
"Frick shall deliver three loaves of bread to Deong...."
I deciphered the runes inscribed on the paper.
It wasn't even arranged in a magic circle—just a simple recorded sentence.
No need to find specific combinations, so as long as you're familiar with the runes of the appropriate era, interpretation is straightforward.
Of course, rune magic falls under the realm of decryption, but simple rune language is more about interpretation.
Plus, if the content being interpreted is just a simple judgment like this, you can even figure out unknown runes from the surrounding context.
Naturally, interpreting runes isn't something I particularly want to do.
Especially not in Edmund's lab.
Is there anything more horrifying than this?
-What can you do? You were the one who set the conditions.
I know that.
I never thought he'd actually accept entry to the forbidden library as a condition.
How serious are you about turning me into a grad student... Edmund....
-You're serious too, aren't you? Wanting to get into the forbidden library.
Deathwise is right.
I'm dead serious about escaping the grad student route.
Dealing with the forbidden book is serious business too, so no loss there.
-...You're really planning to dispose of it?
Of course.
Holding onto something like that gains me nothing.
-Think about it a bit more....
"Your rune translation is impressively good...."
Deathwise's words were overlaid by Clara's voice.
I glanced to the side, where Clara—having shed her human appearance and become half-zombie—was staring hollow-eyed at the piled-up papers and translation materials.
"I'm still sorely lacking. This is just a minor trick."
"Is that so...?"
"Of course. I can only handle basic translations."
"I see...."
What the hell happened in the meantime?
Clara's language skills have deteriorated.
"Uh, are you okay?"
"Yes? Of course I'm okay...?"
She doesn't look okay at all.
She seems like a different person.
"...More importantly, Clara, you're in the middle of your master's program, right?"
I abruptly changed the subject with a sharp drift.
I'm being treated like an undergrad research assistant, but Clara is an actual TA.
More precisely, she's rolling as a TA while in her master's program.
"Yes. I've still got a ways to go before completion... I have to write a thesis too... So I need to build up experience translating runes like this...."
"A thesis... Is there a specific reason you chose runes for your master's?"
Clara's eyes suddenly lit up with enthusiasm.
"Runes contain the essence of technology discovered in a long-declined civilization, right? Not just their function, but their meaning is hidden too. Uncovering that... it's purely enjoyable."
The joy of discovering knowledge.
The fact that she can say that so earnestly means Clara must be a model student too.
Of course, someone who purely loves academia would be pursuing a master's.
"Above all, runes are... so round and crooked, they're cute, aren't they...?"
"...."
Correction: Clara isn't normal either.
Her eyes, which had been sparkling with zeal moments ago, suddenly went dead.
That abyss is definitely a dangerous one to peer into.
"Ah... back to work... time... deadline...."
Without even checking the clock, she seemed to realize the danger and dropped her gaze back to the papers.
Seeing her like that, I couldn't bring myself to say "hang in there...."
I just vowed never to go to grad school....
Doing rune translations in Edmund's office is purely the price for forbidden library access.
I've already secured the entry pass, so no need to put my heart and soul into the translations.
As the saying goes:
If you can get away with half-assing it, do so.
Pouring effort in would just draw more attention from Edmund, so better to keep it mediocre.
Let's see.
All the translations are simple sentences.
This one... "Went to Valero"?
It's that graffiti people always leave in places that say not to write anything when you're on vacation.
With such simple translations, your mind starts to wander halfway through.
Especially when you've decided to half-ass it—impossible to concentrate.
Like a seasoned pianist pondering dinner menus while playing.
As I translated half-heartedly, all sorts of stray thoughts bubbled up.
The first one: what's coming up next.
It's about time for other events to unfold.
Of course, that's not for me to handle.
For a moderately peaceful and comfortable life, I need to step back, and Leon needs to take center stage.
Handing Leon the holy sword would make it even more certain.
I did promise to go sword shopping together next time... but there's no time.
Cramming it into the weekend feels tight, and wandering around on weekdays risks my attendance record.
Missing just three days means expulsion.
I can miss up to two, but it's hardly leisurely.
Damn, the real biggest issue is scheduling.
"Theo...!?"
Clara's urgent voice made me turn.
For some reason, she looked stunned, pointing at me with trembling hands.
"H-How... did you do that...?"
"Do what?"
"That...?"
The conversation wasn't connecting.
Puzzled, I followed her fingertip.
There sat a huge stack of papers.
All of it was the rune translation material assigned to me.
"Ah."
Lost in other thoughts, I forgot to half-ass it subconsciously.
If it had been hard, my hands would have stopped on their own, but it was too easy—lost focus and finished way too fast.
Multitasking honed from part-time jobs kicking in at a time like this.
"A whole day's worth...."
"...."
And at the worst possible moment.
My vision blurred, but spilled water can't be gathered.
No taking it back.
"...Can you keep it a secret?"
"I couldn't possibly...."
I asked lightly, but Clara shook her head.
Her eyes, swirling with abyss, stared blankly at the stack of translated materials in front of me.
"If Theo helps... I could definitely escape this endless cycle of translations...."
"...Um?"
"I could stop the consecutive all-nighters, maybe even go home...? Return to a life with evenings... At the very least, stop living in the lab with a sleeping bag...!"
Madness—this is pure madness.
What the hell did they make her do to break her this badly?
Instinct screamed no, but then the lab door opened smoothly.
"Hoo."
Clara flinched at the light exclamation.
Edmund, entering his own lab, looked at me and smiled warmly.
His neatly combed bangs felt chilling today.
Like a rabbit before a smiling tiger.
"Finishing two days' worth in half a day—impressive as expected."
Clara just said it was one day's worth?
No way... Edmund assigns two days' worth, but you're supposed to finish in one? Some insane schedule?
Chills rose instinctively, my body shivering.
Regardless, Edmund stroked his chin and added,
"Your ability is sufficient, so I can assign you other tasks."
"Wh-What other tasks...?"
Clara asked in a trembling voice.
Deep despair was already etched on her face.
Clearly, not rune translation—something entirely different.
"Professor, I'm here for research collaboration. Anything more difficult than this would be beyond me, I think."
"No, you're fine. If you can't handle it, just report back. Head to the Magic Research Society on the second floor east wing of the main building."
If only words got through like that.
But the opponent wouldn't listen, so I pressed my forehead inwardly.
Of all things, the Magic Research Society.
Society...?
2
"I just wanna nap with Choco in the dorm...."
On the way to the second floor main building, Magic Research Society corridor, I couldn't help muttering.
This is all my fate.
No, tracing it back, Choco's the culprit.
But what sin did the raccoon commit?
No matter how I think, Choco isn't a normal raccoon....
Anyway, the problem is the Magic Research Society.
Exactly as named: a society where Esterro Academy professors and research students studying magic gather.
Yes, a society.
And lately, the Magic Research Society has been researching rune magic, with Edmund as the real power behind it.
A professor who's the big shot in a society personally sending an undergrad research assistant there.
No need to explain how horrifying this situation is.
On top of that, the next incident unfolds at the Magic Research Society.
I didn't want to approach even normally, let alone now.
"Worst case...."
Hide until the incident blows over, let Leon handle it decently, then say I got caught up and came back?
Edmund won't let that slide quietly.
No choice—finish Edmund's errand quickly before the incident erupts and bolt.
Leave the aftermath to Leon.
So, best to handle it as fast as possible.
Thus, I opened the door to the Magic Research Society... and red sparks flew near my cheek.
Mana, swollen as if about to burst, formed a barrier-like shape filling the room.
The Magic Research Society's space is vast.
Packed with all sorts of equipment, the room's center featured a stone slab etched with a glowing rune barrier circle.
White-robed people bustled around the slab frantically, but the barrier's expansion wouldn't stop.
Panicked, they asked each other what to do, but no answers came.
Even those refusing to shirk responsibility racked their brains, but sadly, couldn't solve it.
Of course—this explodes even in the original story.
The Magic Research Society Runaway Incident's basic outline: a rune magic experiment in the society goes berserk in an unexpected accident.
In short, a bomb timer ticking right in front of me.
Can't half-ass Edmund's task and leave like this.
Can't just stand by idly either... so with a sigh, I grabbed a chisel from the tool chest.
"Student! What are you doing! It's dangerous!"
"Restricted area—non-personnel out immediately!"
"Professor Edmund sent me."
Someone spotted me and shouted, but I used Edmund as a shield and ignored them.
Explaining the situation, discussing solutions, following procedure—too slow.
I strode forward and stood before the slab.
Rune magic from before the 8th century: triple magic circle format, detailing magic type, target, and conditions respectively.
Simplified rune magic.
Decryption difficulty accordingly low.
Inevitably, magic power and range relatively weak and narrow, but excessive energy used for activation broke the balance, causing runaway.
Then just expand it.
Adjusting power is riskier—fixing range is quicker and stabler.
Finished decryption, then used the chisel to add new rune characters to the circle specifying range.
As I carved, the expanded barrier stretched further.
Sparks crackling in the air died down, stabilizing soon after.
As the runaway energy calmed, everyone looked around, then rushed to check various readings.
"Professor Edmund sent you?"
"Yes."
One who seemed the person in charge approached, hand extended.
I shook it, and he pumped it vigorously up and down.
"Professor Edmund mentioned finding a promising talent recently... It was true. Deciphering the slab's runes in an instant and handling it perfectly—how'd you do it?"
"Simple mana oversupply. Adjusting power or range fixes it. I modified the range this time."
"Impressive! Not just decryption—you calculated mana and barrier range correlation?"
"...Just saw this rune before, so I winged it. Got lucky."
I muddled through appropriately.
Even if unavoidable, no thanks to more attention.
Especially not stamping my face with society folks.
"Even luck in an emergency like this isn't easy—well done."
Clap, clap, clap.
Someone applauded leisurely.
My gaze turned involuntarily to that subtly grating voice.
Height similar to mine, but slimmer overall build.
Sky-blue hair swept back on one side, covering one eye.
Unmoving lips and indifferent voice polite yet emotionless.
I stared at him blankly for a moment.
Hearing that grating voice and distinctive tone, his name came unbidden.
His name: Jaist.
The villain who's going to cause a massive incident at Esterro Academy in the future.