Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Research (3)
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Rose was boosting Anersen's ego in the most natural way possible. Whether it was intentional or just her genuine respect shining through, I couldn't tell.
But the important thing was that it worked on him.
Anersen despised people who only cared about the commercial value of magic tools and ignored their underlying principles. So, he was bound to be weak to flattery like this.
"...Then, what if we incorporate a crossover circuit there? What result would that yield?"
It definitely had an effect. Anersen's stiff demeanor softened noticeably.
Rose, either oblivious or reveling in it, continued her explanation with enthusiasm.
"Using my crossover circuit allows us to direct the flow in the desired direction. Like this..."
Rose raised her hand to demonstrate, then paused. Anersen, catching on, pulled a pencil from his pocket and handed it to her.
"Here, use this."
"Thank you. As I was saying—"
Scribble scribble.
Rose's hand danced across the blueprint like the wind, drawing intricate lines.
"Here, the concentrated mana converges at the center of the circuit. Especially if we adjust the angle in this part..."
"Hold on."
Anersen's previously lax gaze sharpened taut. Even though Rose hadn't finished, he seemed to have grasped something.
"That's it. Why didn't I think of a crossover circuit?"
He shifted in his seat and dove into the blueprint.
"I was trying to perfect it through formulas alone. For the sake of completion."
"It was already perfect. It just lacked one thing."
"If we do that..."
Anersen's busy hand stopped.
"...It completes."
He picked up the blueprint, shuddering.
"The blueprint for mana reversal."
The problem that had plagued him for so long was solved. This was a monumental achievement that could advance magic tool research by decades.
In the original story, it had taken him much longer to reach this point. But today, thanks to me orchestrating this meeting with Rose, we'd shaved off an enormous amount of time.
And that wasn't all.
"As expected of you, Sir Anersen!"
The very person who'd solved it was giving all the credit to Anersen.
Clap clap clap.
With a purely beaming smile.
"..."
Anersen fiddled silently with his glasses—a habit when deep in thought.
"...Earlier,"
Finally, he spoke slowly.
"You called it your crossover circuit."
"...Ah."
Rose flinched and covered her mouth. She glanced cautiously between me and Anersen before speaking carefully.
"Can you promise me one thing? I'd prefer today's discussion not spread outside."
"I promise."
"I trust you, Sir Anersen, so I'll tell you the truth. That paper from the Academy conference..."
Rose swallowed hard and confessed.
"I wrote it."
"That bastard Albert!"
Anersen shot to his feet.
"And then strutting around like he'd invented the century's breakthrough!"
"By the time I found out, it had already been published under the professor's name..."
"That damned thief!"
Anersen looked ready to storm the Academy right then and there.
"No wonder something felt off!"
Anersen paced as he stood.
"For something Albert wrote, the paper was too polished. The guy has no writing skills, so he always came to me for edits."
He pressed his forehead and let out a deep sigh from the pit of his stomach. Relief at knowing the truth mixed with utter disgust on his face.
Thud.
Anersen sank back onto the sofa and stared at Rose.
"So that paper was ultimately your work, Madam?"
"He said he'd refine it a bit, so I gave it to him, but I never expected..."
"Refine? More like he dressed it up as his own. Not the first time, either."
Rose tilted her head.
"You seem to know Professor Albert well?"
"Know him? Hah."
Anersen scratched his head furiously, making his already wild hair stand even taller.
"We're both Academy alumni. Classmates."
"Huh? But the professor never mentioned knowing you."
"We weren't exactly on great terms."
Displeasure spread across Anersen's face.
"That nasty habit of stealing others' work—he did it back in school days, too. Still hasn't changed."
He added bitterly.
"It's a shame the Academy doesn't screen for personality when hiring professors. If they did, that creep would've been out long ago."
"Well... Academy professors aren't exactly known for great personalities."
Rose nodded cautiously, her face lighting up like she was dying to hear more. She looked thrilled that someone else was bashing her professor for her.
"Um, could you tell me more about Professor Albert?"
"What, the time he got caught sneaking into my room? Or when he 'accidentally' spilled ink on my research notes?"
"Could you please tell me both?"
"Alright, it was our senior year at the Academy. The research we were doing then..."
Rose hung on Anersen's every word, barely breathing. If she had a pen and notebook, she'd have been taking notes.
Who knew she'd find this entertaining.
It hit me anew just how much she'd struggled at the Academy.
Maybe her stellar grades in magic studies weren't widely known because professors like Albert had sabotaged her to curb her talent.
Always getting taken advantage of everywhere.
Used by her half-sister in the Vicander family, exploited by professors at the Academy. Was it habit, or was she just too kind? Hard to say.
But really, how was it all her fault?
It's those bastards who expertly target people's weaknesses.
To avoid scum like that, you had to be more ruthless than them or overwhelmingly stronger. No one knew that better than I did.
"...So I rewrote it all. Pulled two all-nighters."
"As expected, you had it all in your head."
After wrapping up the conversation with Rose,
Thud thud.
Anersen slammed the papers onto the desk to straighten them.
"Now I understand why Your Excellency is building a lab for Madam. Someone with this talent deserves full support. That crossover circuit you developed is truly fascinating."
Anersen scanned Rose up and down again, as if amazed.
"Better than any of my three apprentices, even."
For a man stingy with praise, that was huge. Normally, he barely treated anyone besides himself as human.
"Y-You're too kind."
Rose squirmed, then bowed her head deeply. The praise right in her face clearly embarrassed her.
"Madam, if I may."
Anersen stared piercingly at Rose and suddenly asked.
"Would you consider becoming my apprentice?"
His eyes gleamed like a predator spotting prey.
"You'd handle lodging at the castle anyway, no issue. Just come to my lab at set times. I'd like your help with a few unfinished projects."
"M-Me, as y-your... apprentice?"
Rose jumped, stammering in shock.
Anersen handpicked his apprentices from the Academy's top graduates. Becoming one meant recognition of your magic talent and a wide-open future.
"Sir Anersen's... apprentice..."
At the kingdom's top magic scholar's bold offer, Rose's eyes spun. Anersen kept tempting her.
"Too good to waste under a thief like Albert. Bet he sabotaged you early because he saw your talent. Can't stand anyone better than him."
"Professor Albert..."
"That won't happen in my lab. This research is largely your contribution. I'll list you as co-author."
"Me, as co-author? You're serious?"
"Without you, we wouldn't have finished on time. Then Your Excellency might've cut my funding... Ahem. Anyway."
Anersen smacked his lips, eyeing Rose. Desperation to claim a worthy apprentice burned in his gaze.
Watching him, I thought,
Has he lost his mind?
Daring to poach right in front of me? My wife, no less?
Of course, I'd half-expected this. In the original, Rose did become his apprentice.
'Will this work? I've organized it by topic and year.'
'I set your favorite drink nearby for easy access. Fixed it so it won't spill.'
Once she learned of Anersen's lab in the territory, original Rose worked tirelessly to get in.
Her talent couldn't be hidden, so she quickly won him over and became his apprentice.
Everyone in magic studies dreams of learning under Anersen.
'Can't even grasp this basic stuff? Is he even human?'
'Finish it by tonight, no excuses. Can't? Make it happen!'
But only up close did she realize Anersen was a sun that burned himself out.
Rose was the same. Worked like a dog under him, endured harsh times. Yet she persevered.
'Here, I can research His Excellency's poison antidote.'
Though contract-married, Dane didn't actively support her. Just didn't treat her coldly in public.
Entering Anersen's lab was her only choice.
That's why I didn't like this offer from Anersen.
Go through all that suffering again?
I knew exactly what original Rose went through. I'd dragged him here precisely to prevent that.