The Monster Scholar
An elderly gentleman with grey hair slicked back and round glasses perched on his nose was answering a phone call.
It was a quiet morning—ordinarily a time he would have spent luxuriating in his day off to the strains of classical music. But not today.
"Mr. James Tyner, did you receive the letter I sent? I dispatched it via teleport express."
"Yes, I'm looking at it right now…."
An anonymous letter that had been sent to the publisher had left him with a great many thoughts.
"Well now."
The contents of the letter were astonishing.
It was material that analyzed monsters in exhaustive detail—from their skeletal structure and musculature all the way to their behavior and habits.
It even reconstructed the missing portions of fossils that have yet to be discovered, and did so splendidly.
The skeletal sketches were remarkable.
Very little had been uncovered about monsters thus far. From the outset they were beings that had lived in an utterly different environment, different at the root from the life of the Intermediate Realm.
Yet the materials before his eyes filled in those missing links with clean, lucid explanations. The way the ecology of the Demon Realm interacted with monster behavior fit together so perfectly it left nothing to be desired.
Moreover, the antique handwriting and the neat, meticulous sketches only heightened the materials' credibility. One could readily believe they were an academic paper sent by some reclusive monster scholar hidden away from the world.
No—surely that was the case. This had to be the contents of a journal belonging to a veteran who had rolled and tumbled through the field of monster studies.
"This is… a highly persuasive hypothesis. The name of the person who sent it…"
"The sender's name is 'Luke Irushi,' it seems. No return address was written."
"…Luke Irushi, you say?"
Luke Irushi was the name of a mage who had existed only in fairy tales—the one who could come and go from the Demon Realm almost as if it were his own home. Consequently, among monster scholars the name "Luke Irushi" had become a common pseudonym used whenever one wished to present a hypothesis to the academic world without revealing one's true identity.
"What is your assessment, Professor?"
The publisher's editor asked. James Tyner hummed thoughtfully and lowered his head.
"The conception is extremely persuasive, but… supporting evidence is lacking. For the moment… it appears to be a most interesting hypothesis."
"Is that so?"
It was the truth. There were no holes in the idea itself, yet without evidence the academic world would never accept it. In particular the explanation concerning Zephyr was so alien that there were far too many points difficult to believe. Besides, he himself had experience excavating Zephyr fossils, and thus knew full well the results of behavioral reconstruction analysis.
And yet…
James's gaze fixed upon the illustration of a Zephyr covered in moss, without a single hair. He was a monster scholar. If his heart did not race upon seeing such an intriguing hypothesis, he would scarcely be worthy of the title.
I ought to verify this once more.
James Tyner picked up his outdoor clothes.
Yes, it had been coincidence.
That he had risen at once upon receiving the letter and decided he must go to the museum. Yet that they had arrived at the same museum at the same time was pure chance. Still, the fact that this was the largest monster museum in the country, and the only one that preserved the original Zephyr fossil, might have raised the odds a fraction.
And James could not help but be astonished.
That a child so small could so clearly illuminate the unrevealed portions of monster academia. That information of the past, lost three thousand years ago in the "Forgotten Battle," had been reconstructed inside this little child's mind…
It was a difficult fact to accept, yet the intellectual level he had grasped through conversation was not something a mere ten-year-old could possess.
Intellectual level alone, however, could not prove that she had written the materials herself. Thus Luke was now rewriting several of the sentences that had appeared in the materials onto a memo sheet, so that the handwriting might be compared.
Scratch, scratch. The sound of the pen tip scraping across the paper ceased. Luke set the pen down upon the table and held the memo out to James.
"There. Will you believe me now?"
James took the memo Luke offered and nodded with an expression of profound surprise. The antique handwriting matched that of the materials perfectly. That such clean, orderly penmanship could come from a child's hand…
"So it isn't material you copied from somewhere?"
"Just how much further do you mean to insult me?"
Luke's expression turned cold. James cleared his throat with a couple of awkward coughs and averted his gaze.
"It would seem you truly are that 'Luke Irushi.'"
He had expected the figure of an elderly scholar of advanced years, yet the reality was utterly different. She looked clever enough, but she was only ten years old. The moment James first saw the child he had formed a hypothesis: that some renowned scholar who might be called "Luke Irushi" stood behind her and had taught her. Yet the child insisted she had written the materials herself, and James had demanded she prove it.
Having demonstrated her identity through handwriting right before his eyes, further refutation was difficult. In particular, her earlier claims regarding Zephyr matched the materials he had received with perfect exactness. It was a hypothesis he had never encountered before; the possibility that she had copied it from somewhere could safely be dismissed.
Then had this girl truly written those materials…?
"You really were that 'Luke Irushi'…"
Now it became clear why she had used a pseudonym. Presenting herself to the academic world in the form of a ten-year-old girl would only have invited ridicule. The depth and persuasiveness of the materials would have been forgotten entirely. Far better, then, to send the materials anonymously; they would have commanded far greater trust that way. Indeed, when one did not know who had written them, had they not possessed tremendous persuasive power?
James resolved not to deceive himself. This child was ten years old, and she had persuaded him with her materials. That was an unchanging fact.
"How did you research those materials?"
"Why, through observation and analysis, of course."
"Hmm… observation and analysis."
If true, it was observational ability of the highest order. To be able to form conjectures of this caliber from fossils and currently known materials alone was a splendid talent for a monster scholar—no, for an archaeologist. Whether this would remain mere speculation or be accepted by the academic world as established theory was still too early to declare, yet if the claim were proven true, monster studies might well enter an entirely new phase.
Why monsters had behaved in ways completely mismatched to the form and design of their bodies. Why traces of fur had been discovered on monsters that, by design, required none. Why the internal organs of monsters possessing the characteristics of carnivores had resembled those of herbivores…
If the case of Zephyr truly matched the facts Luke had conjectured, receiving the Drak Award would scarcely be sufficient.
"So, what exactly happened with Luke?"
Yerna remained wedged between Luke and James, still thoroughly bewildered. She understood that some conversation concerning monsters had taken place… but what on earth could a monster scholar have to discuss with Luke?
Even hearing it from the side I don't really get it. Did Luke do something amazing again?
And what materials had she sent, exactly? Monster sketches?
She does draw monsters awfully well, but…
Enough to warrant a private audience with a monster scholar?
"So what is all this about?"
"So, what happened?"
Yerna and Daiton were still completely at a loss. James decided to spare a little attention for the two who seemed left out.
"You said you were this child's guardian? Her daughter? Are the two of you a couple?"
Elf, human, beastman—what a peculiar family situation, James thought as he asked. Yerna grew conspicuously flustered and waved her hands.
"D-daughter? No! Guardian—I'm the guardian!"
Daiton, equally flustered, cried out as well.
"Th-that's right. No—not that we're a couple! Yerna is the guardian. I'm still—no, just a workplace colleague!"
"Still?"
"I misspoke!"
"Is that true? Was it really that remarkable?"
What Luke had sent had apparently not been some ordinary fan letter. Yerna, who had been unable to see the contents, was astonished. The sight of Luke diligently scribbling away, pressing the letters firmly onto the paper, had been truly adorable. She had been curious about the contents and asked to be shown them later—how disappointing it had been when Luke said she had gone and put it in the mailbox all by herself.
I thought at best it would be something childish, like how much she liked some monster or other…
Her expectations, it seemed, had been wildly off the mark.
"Yes. That is correct. This is an entirely new perspective, completely different from what has existed until now. Materials concerning the ecology of the Demon Realm have no choice but to rely wholly upon imagination. There are scarcely any materials remaining, after all."
"I see…"
"And regarding the ecology of the Demon Realm and the principles of monster behavior, the opinions this child has advanced are extremely persuasive."
"Ah…"
"And if this is later proven true, the academic world may well be overturned. She might even receive the Drak Award."
"What?!"
"It is that tremendous a discovery. When one considers the countless butterfly effects that will branch out from this hypothesis, it cannot be otherwise."
James's eyes sparkled like a child's. It was the expression of a scholar whose heart had caught fire with passion. Restoring the countless materials and history that had vanished after the "Forgotten Battle" three thousand years ago was the fervent wish of innumerable scholars. Yerna was not unaware of that either. But to this extent?
"Luke, just what did you do?"
"I merely asserted the facts."
Luke shrugged. There was not a shred of worry in her expression—only utter confidence, as though it were an undoubted truth.
"So then, Luke Irushi—was that truly your real name? Not a pseudonym?"
"Indeed it is. Did I not say so from the very beginning?"
James shot a glance toward Yerna. She nodded with a troubled look, confirming that it was so. Whether the name the child remembered was genuine or not, her identity had in fact been established that way at present.
"I understand. Luke Irushi. What I wish to propose is this."
James spoke.
"I should like to invite you to my research laboratory. How does that sound?"
"Oho—me, to your research laboratory?"
An archaeologist's research laboratory? This was rather appealing. She might even obtain some clue regarding her own body.
"First, let us exchange contact information."
It took Luke less than a second to draw her phone from her pocket and hold it out.
"Haha! What a straightforward personality."
After they had exchanged contacts and Luke checked her phone, she suddenly lifted her head and spoke.
"Ah—there are two things I wish to ask. James, do you know aught of cat-form monsters?"
"Cat? Well now, no such monster has ever been discovered… Is that also some speculation with a basis behind it?"
Luke shook her head. Regarding that matter she possessed no proof materials whatsoever beyond memory. There was no method save recovering her memories.
"Hmm. If not, then very well. The second question is this."
"What is it?"
"Does the Drak Award count toward award history at the Academy?"
"……?"
What sort of question was this child asking? In place of the speechless James, Daiton answered in a dazed voice.
"The Drak Award is a worldwide prize. Anyone who receives it becomes known across the entire world."
It was a global award bestowed by the Drak Foundation—which received sponsorship from the whole world—upon those who achieved high academic accomplishments. Whether some individual academy recognized it as award history or not was utterly meaningless.
"Hmm. Is that so?"
Then it meant recognition came with the award alone. External award history was said to be better the more one had… so she might as well begin with one.
Seeing Luke's refreshed expression, James broke out in a cold sweat. Asking whether the Drak Award counted as Academy award history—it was the most insane thing he had ever heard in his life.
Just what has this country's entrance examination system become…
James could only lament the child's way of looking at things.
Serena watched Shirud trudging back alone with a dejected expression and asked worriedly, wondering if something had gone wrong.
"Oh my, why are you coming back by yourself? Did you make some kind of mistake?"
"Luke went off alone."
"What? Why?"
"Said she had something to talk about with the monster scholar. Went off with her guardian. I figured it wouldn't be any fun even if I tagged along, so I came back."
"I… see?"
Serena let out a sigh. So it had been the failure she had half expected. She had arranged the outing to help the two grow a little closer, yet Luke had simply gone off saying she needed to talk with a monster scholar…
Apparently she liked monsters even more than expected.