Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Episode 54
While I was searching for Professor Aira's location with [Contemplation] fully activated,
the communication device connected to Tenebris began blinking and ringing.
“What’s this?”
Did they have some important information? Or were they trying to negotiate with me?
I should probably answer it.
“What is it?”
–Prince Oz?
It was Lucia.
Was she the only one in charge of this crystal ball?
Perhaps each member was assigned one.
“Ah, Lucia. Glad to see you’re safe.”
–I’m not sure about ‘safe,’ but…
Lucia grumbled, her voice laced with exhaustion. Had something else happened?
–By the way, Prince Oz, what was that excuse you gave after we’d already come up with a story?
“…I didn't expect Noah to set such an elaborate trap.”
–Even so, using a birthday present as an excuse…wasn't that a bit too careless, even for you?
Did she think I was some kind of superhuman? I was only human.
That was the best I could come up with at the time.
“Did you already hear about it?”
–Baekyang contacted me in a panic…
Baekyang was quite the chatterbox. Well, her usual behavior suggested as much.
“So, you want to coordinate our stories?”
–Well, that’s part of it…but Prince Oz, you do know when Noah’s birthday is, right…?
“June 12th.”
–That’s a relief. Have you decided on a gift yet?
“Hmm…”
That’s true. It would be better to prepare in advance.
So, what would Eleanor like?
Eleanor’s image was closer to a mischievous child than a refined young lady.
Then…
“…A glow-in-the-dark dinosaur?”
–Are you crazy?!
“Honestly, don’t you think she’d like it?”
–Well, that’s…
The fact that she couldn’t deny it meant Lucia probably agreed.
Honestly, it did fit her image, right?
–N-No, absolutely not. Noah would kill you.
“Alright, I’ll think about it.”
–…You’re not seriously considering that, are you?
“I said I’d think about it, so hang up.”
–Wai…
Just in time. I’d finally located Professor Aira with [Contemplation].
I had a headache, so I was glad I found her quickly.
“Hmm…”
She wasn't in the faculty room or the staff dorms. Even on the weekend, she was busy with her research.
I clutched my throbbing head and headed towards Professor Aira's location.
I could have rested a bit, but it was best to handle this quickly.
Professor Aira’s lab had a strange atmosphere.
A sense of despair and gloom permeated the air… like a graduate student’s lab during a massive, overwhelming project.
“Is my [Contemplation] malfunctioning?”
Why was I seeing such things?
–No… This isn’t right! This isn’t enough! It won’t satisfy him!
I could hear Professor Aira’s desperate cries from inside.
The Professor I knew was a beautiful woman with a mysterious aura, always smiling and uttering cryptic remarks…
What could possibly be driving her to this state?
–At this rate, I’ll be dragged back to Spellerge… I need results that will satisfy Oz…
I had a vague idea.
But I didn't know where things had started to go wrong.
Was it because I unintentionally tormented her during the interview? Or because I observed her with [Contemplation] during every lecture?
Or perhaps it was because Tia, after seeing the exam paper she’d painstakingly prepared, sighed and summoned her to her office.
Honestly, it could be all of the above.
“Hmm…”
I didn’t want to open the door, but I had no choice.
I would have preferred to ask another professor, but I hadn't interacted with any of them.
The time it would take to convince another professor would be the same as convincing the researchers from outside.
“Knock, knock…”
–W-Who is it?!
I knocked and announced my presence, and Professor Aira reacted as if she’d been startled.
“Professor Aira? May I come in for a moment?”
After a moment, the door cracked open, revealing a beautiful woman with light blue hair and a witch’s hat, looking utterly exhausted. Professor Aira peeked out cautiously, her eyes filled with suspicion.
“Oz… uh, Oz?”
“Just call me Oz.”
“Your Highness…”
What was with the “Your Highness”?
She’d never called me that before.
“W-What brings you here? I believe there’s still some time before the loan repayment deadline…”
I felt like I'd been hit in the head with a hammer.
I finally understood why she was so wary and afraid of me.
The Magic Kingdom of Spellerge.
As its name suggested, it was a nation focused on the development of mages.
At its core was the Council of Elders.
This council, composed solely of elder mages capable of wielding ultimate magic and above, was the heart of Spellerge.
Oz, as a wielder of ultimate magic and the [Successor of the Mage King], was also a member of the Council of Elders.
And one of the many tasks the Council of Elders undertook was…
“Are your results unsatisfactory?”
“J-Just a little longer! If you give me a little more time…!”
…funding research for talented mages.
It was called “funding,” but it was practically a loan. If they didn't produce results, they paid a heavy price.
“May I take a look at your research data…?”
“…Yes?”
She was so troublesome.
Before I could even finish, Professor Aira’s eyes filled with tears, and her face turned pale.
Her anxiety was so severe that I had to choose my words carefully.
“Please calm down. First, let’s dispel the mana you’ve channeled into your staff.”
“Ah…”
Was she planning to attack me with magic if things went south?
Was everyone around me crazy? This life was exhausting.
“I’m offering to help with your research, Professor Aira, not audit you.”
“You’re trying to trick me into another debt with those sweet words!”
“…”
“You’re going to tell me I'm a talented individual! That if I just had more funding, I would definitely produce results! You think I don’t see through your tricks?!”
“This is insane…”
This was paranoia.
“…I’m not offering financial assistance.”
First, I needed to calm her down.
How could we even have a conversation otherwise?
Fortunately, Professor Aira seemed simple-minded, so some flattery should suffice.
“You’re going to force me to buy some expensive magic tool, aren't you?”
“No.”
“Then you’ll lend me some related books and charge me a fortune for them, right?”
“No.”
“Then…”
“Let’s just drop the money talk, shall we?”
Those Council of Elders bastards were pure evil.
They did all of that?
The victims were one thing, but the people who did this to her…what kind of monsters were they?
Tricking a naive mage…what were they even trying to achieve?
Was this how the Council of Elders created their slaves?
“Th-Then…you’ll really help me?”
“…”
Wasn’t this atmosphere a bit strange?
Why was she looking at me like I was some kind of divine savior?
I had a feeling this would become troublesome.
“Of course, I’m not helping you for free.”
“H-How much?”
“Please, can we stop talking about money…”
Why was she so obsessed with money? It was suffocating.
I didn't want to see the fallen form of a working adult corrupted by reality anymore.
“May I come in and talk?”
“Ah…yes.”
Professor Aira opened the door and gestured for me to enter.
I told her to relax, but this level of deference felt excessive.
Professor Aira's private lab was beyond my imagination.
The sheer amount of magical catalysts, tools, and scattered documents made my head spin.
“Perhaps you should tidy up a bit.”
“I-I did…”
Liar.
If she truly believed that, she wouldn't have lowered her head like that.
She would have argued defiantly that this was her way of organizing, that she knew where everything was.
“Then…”
I picked up one of the scattered documents.
My goal was to coax her into taking me to the lab where the “Outer Being” was held, but I needed to gain her trust first.
I might not be able to use advanced magic yet, but Oz’s knowledge hadn’t disappeared.
“This is…”
As I scanned the document, Professor Aira watched me nervously from the side.
The image of her from the game was long gone. Now she just looked like a frightened hamster.
“An extension of the material covered in the midterm exam.”
A method to combine low and intermediate magic to achieve the power of advanced magic.
Come to think of it, my ultimate move, [Mage’s Gearwheel], was inspired by her knowledge, wasn’t it?
I had originally planned to offer some light advice and move on, but I changed my mind.
“This is a worthwhile topic.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Leaving aside Professor Aira's tense reaction, the research itself wasn’t bad.
“Perhaps they weren't exaggerating when they called you a talented individual…”
“What?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Was it really just paranoia?
Considering she was working at Scientia, her abilities were already proven.
Professor Aira’s research clearly had value.
“I find this research topic quite intriguing.”
“T-To think you would praise my research so highly…I’m honored.”
There was a huge difference between intermediate and advanced magic. It was like asking someone who was learning to paint to sculpt; it would naturally be difficult.
That's why I was stuck at intermediate magic and couldn’t use advanced magic.
Her research topic would help bridge that gap.
“It might not be cost-effective, but from an educational standpoint, it would interest both the Council of Elders and the Headmaster.”
Naturally, linking numerous magic formulas like this required a significant amount of mana.
It wasn't practical in actual combat. But for educational purposes, it was fine.
“…The Headmaster, too?”
“Yes.”
Tia was the closest thing to a perfect being, but she wasn't perfect.
She couldn't devise methods that ordinary people could use.
That's why she didn’t teach any classes herself, even though Scientia was established to impart the knowledge of dragons.
She couldn’t teach anyone who wasn't a genius on par with her.
What was as natural as breathing for her wasn't the same for us.
“My research has that much value…?”
“Have some confidence.”
“I knew it! I wasn’t wrong! I’m a genius!”
“Perhaps a little less confidence would be preferable…but you seem happy, so it’s fine.”
Professor Aira’s energy visibly returned.
Seeing such extreme mood swings, I wondered if she needed therapy.
Professor Aira Merlin, with her volatile emotions, began excitedly explaining her research to Oz, who had acknowledged her.
“The purpose of this research isn’t just this!”
“Ah, yes.”
Oz looked bewildered, unable to keep up with her enthusiasm.
This would never end at this rate.
Oz decided to interrupt her, for the sake of his own objective.
“Please calm down for a moment, Professor Aira. Don’t we have something else to address first?”
Flinch!
Professor Aira, who had been excitedly chattering just moments ago, suddenly became anxious again.
“Is it about the money…?”
“…Haven’t I told you countless times that it’s not about money?”
Money made the world go round. At least, that’s what Aira believed deep down.
But he said it wasn’t about money?
“I’m talking about establishing a stronger foundation of trust.”
“Th-Then… C-Could it be?!”
Professor Aira’s eyes widened in shock as she considered the implications of Oz’s words.
A bond of trust stronger than money… there could only be one possibility.
‘Yes… Even back in my school days, I was too engrossed in my studies and research to date… no, I chose not to date.’
She was confident in her appearance.
And she was indeed popular.
She was young, talented, and her unique aura made her an object of admiration for many.
Aira closed her eyes tightly as she watched Oz slowly reach out to her.
‘Ah, but I’m a professor, and Oz is a student…’
What should she do about this immoral relationship?
As Aira wrestled with a mix of guilt and anticipation, a voice suddenly rang out, making her eyes snap open.
–Ah, ah, can you hear me? This is a general announcement for magic professors Aira Merlin, Prudence Loa, and Crossell Varian.
Her rationality returned.
Her narrow world expanded again, and she began to hear sounds she hadn't noticed before.
–If you’re interested in participating in my research project, please come to the following location…
Unfortunately, what she hoped for didn’t happen.
Aira shuddered as she watched Oz's hand, which had been reaching towards her, pass right by her and adjust the blinking crystal ball behind her.
“First, let’s see how we can resolve Headmaster Tia’s request.”
“…”
Her innocent heart shattered.
But Oz, oblivious to her feelings, continued in a purely business-like manner.
“Can you do it?”
“Ah, yes. I can, but I’m a little…incapacitated right now.”
I want to die.
Aira couldn’t bring herself to say those words and just mumbled instead.
She cursed herself for harboring such baseless desires, even for a moment.
“It shouldn’t take too long.”
“It’s not about the time, it’s…”
“Have some confidence. I believe in your abilities, Professor Aira.”
“Yes…I’ll try my best.”
She secretly shed a tear.
When Oz first offered to help with her research, she thought her savior had finally arrived, but reality was still cruel.