Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Calculus and the Everglow Villa
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Weekend morning.
Magic Survey School laboratory.
Normally, I'd be kicking back at the dorm without a second thought, but today was different.
Scritch-scratch.
The sound of a quill racing across parchment echoed through the lab.
Right now, I was jotting down the fundamentals of Calculus.
"Trickier than I expected."
This was meant to be a paper for publication, but at its core, it had to serve as an educational document.
Covering both scopes fully was no easy task.
Educational materials could tolerate misconceptions for quicker understanding, but a paper couldn't.
Still, thanks to Excel, I didn't have to lift a finger myself—a real blessing.
Scritch-scratch.
Who'd have thought a busted chair and some clock parts could make for such a handy friend?
I was deep into drafting the paper when...
Creeeak.
The lab door swung open.
My visitor was, predictably, Giuseppe.
"...What brings you here on the weekend, junior?"
"Needed a place to work."
"I see."
It sounded casual enough, but the truth was anything but.
Giuseppe's eyes were locked on the paper Excel was scribbling away at.
"What's this one about? An expanded version of that last assignment?"
"Assignment...?"
Had Giuseppe assigned me homework?
"You already forgot? I'm talking about Lord Valerius's 'Things Impossible with Magic' assignment."
"Oh."
Right, that.
There'd been too much going on during that class to hand it in properly.
'Should've given it right after escaping that tortoise magic?'
What if I had?
Let's imagine.
-'Dolloren's disciple. How did you overtake the tortoise?'
-'No idea, but here's that assignment I forgot earlier.'
-'...'
...Yeah, that would've come off as total bragging.
Good call holding off.
I answered Giuseppe.
"Afraid not. That's for later, after I've published a bunch of other papers first."
"Planning that far ahead already? Impressive."
"Thanks..."
I scratched my head awkwardly.
Giuseppe's surprise compliments never got easier to handle.
He pointed at Excel and asked.
"So what's that one working on, then?"
"Hmm..."
Tough call.
Should I level with Giuseppe?
By contract, the fact that I invented Calculus had to stay secret.
But the only one bound by the NDA was Valerius.
If I wanted, I could spill the truth to anyone.
That's when—knock knock knock.
A knock at the door.
"..."
"..."
Giuseppe and I exchanged glances.
First things first: cover Excel.
I left that to Giuseppe and headed to the door.
"Who is it?"
-"...Gwendolyn Everglow of the Flame Element Magic School. Is Isaac Uphills here, by chance?"
"..."
...Why's she looking for me?
And how does she even know I'm here?
I cleared my throat and tried to sound like someone else.
"No one by that name here."
-"You're not Isaac Uphills, are you?"
"Nope. Howard here."
-"..."
Her voice went quiet for a moment.
-"If you're going to play it that way... I guess I'll have to impose."
"...I told you, Howard Walowitz."
-"I know about the magic you showed in that special lecture."
"..."
Damn. Dropping that bomb.
After confirming Excel was hidden, I let Gwendolyn in.
She gave Giuseppe a quick nod, then turned to me.
She bowed her head.
"Sorry for the blackmail."
"..."
Cleaner apology than I'd expected.
No "unintentionally" or "had no choice"—just straight-up sincerity. Rare these days.
I asked her.
"So, what's the reason for the visit?"
"Remember that magic from the special lecture?"
Of course. Calculus magic.
First time I'd used it purely on its own, without blending into other spells.
"I spent days and nights combing through every secret tome in my family library, but nothing like it anywhere. You developed it first, didn't you, Isaac?"
"..."
She figured it out that fast. Sharp one.
Most mages are blind outside their specialty, clueless about others' spells.
I glanced at Giuseppe.
"..."
"..."
He was pretending not to listen, but his ears were perked right up.
Curious about my "first developed magic," huh? I'll fill him in later.
Gwendolyn stepped closer.
"Mind if I ask a favor?"
What's she laying the groundwork for?
"...Let's hear it."
"Could you teach me that lecture magic?"
"...Pardon?"
"Please. It's driving me crazy."
"..."
Never saw that request coming.
Then I heard Giuseppe mutter from behind.
"The Everglow lady bowing her head... Live long enough, you see everything."
...That's all?
I glanced over, and noticed Gwendolyn's face looked pretty haggard.
She wasn't like that last class, so her story about ransacking the family archive checked out.
Getting this obsessed with a field outside your research? Doomed as a grad student.
Though types like her make the best scholars when they hit big.
I let out a small sigh.
"I can teach you. But there are conditions."
I'd tell Senior Giuseppe for free, but not her.
"Payment? What do you want? Money? Magic materials?"
"You seem well-respected. Could you keep the special lecture attendees quiet?"
Just need rumors contained until Valerius publishes.
After that, his authority shuts it down.
Gwendolyn answered instantly.
"Already handled."
"...Huh?"
"Apologies, but I looked into your habits. They say you hate standing out. Right?"
"Yes."
"So I kept it hush for now. Was that a problem?"
"...No."
Scratch that about grad students being unfit. She won't get on any professor's bad side.
"Then, one more favor."
"Sure."
"Be my paper's beta tester."
"Beta... tester?"
I carefully pulled out the Calculus draft, mindful of Excel's secret.
"Read it, mark every confusing part, and bring it back."
"...Not teaching directly?"
"Nope. Need data on what mages grasp and what they don't."
She signed the NDA, naturally.
And from that day, my peaceful routine shattered.
Gwendolyn was an incredibly diligent beta tester.
One day, while Liam and I were eating breakfast at the cafeteria.
Gwendolyn appeared out of nowhere and said to Liam.
"Sorry, but could you give us the room? I need to talk to Isaac alone."
"...Pardon?"
Liam shot me a glare that screamed betrayal.
"..."
"..."
'You're really doing me like this?'
But the NDA left no choice.
Liam stepped away, and she leaned in, glancing around before whispering.
"Why's differentiability imply continuity?"
"..."
Another afternoon, I was reading in the library.
Gwendolyn slipped out from behind a bookshelf and told a nearby grad student librarian.
"Librarian, mind heading to another section for a bit?"
"Huh?"
"Please."
The librarian looked baffled.
That time, it was about L'Hôpital's rule.
"At this rate, she'll hound me weekends too..."
No thanks.
Next day, I declared to Gwendolyn.
"If you're gonna keep this up, just block off a full day to ask everything."
"Whoa... Was just about to suggest that."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Heard some weird rumor about the school lab."
Gwendolyn twirled a strand of red hair around her finger.
"Hm. Got it."
"...Not curious what the rumor is?"
"Nah."
No interest in gossip.
Better use the time to sleep.
"..."
"..."
Too curt? A silence fell.
She asked.
"So, when and where?"
"Outside the Magic Tower for secrecy."
"...Got the perfect spot."
"Where?"
"My family villa."
"Whoa."
Nice countryside pension with a view, probably.
Impressive.
"But if we're using the villa, weekends only."
Pass.
No way I'm wasting my precious weekends.
"...Not a fan?"
"Yeah."
"..."
My refusal left her speechless.
She'd assumed I'd jump at it.
"Hmm... Let's make a deal, then."
"Deal?"
"Yes. Tell me what you want in exchange for your weekend."
"...Why so eager?"
Forced labor? Human trafficking?
Nah, couldn't be...
She shook her head firmly at my words.
"You made it but don't realize? Calculus is a turning point for magic."
Oh. Inflection point.
Using the concept in real life? She must've been blown away.
She continued.
"I'm getting one-on-one lessons in that theory. Of course I'd give it my all."
"Hmm..."
Fair. Calculus isn't life-essential, but its applications are endless.
Even my spells rely on it everywhere.
World info is continuously macroscopic, after all.
'Need a beta tester anyway. Win-win.'
I pondered.
Didn't know her wealth, but nobles have baseline support.
I went for my most pressing need.
"Fine. From now on, buy every book I request—except forbidden tomes—no questions asked."
Giuseppe would grab magic books if I asked.
But saving school funds is smart.
Magic books ain't cheap.
"Fair trade, right?"
"..."
Gwendolyn's face twisted oddly at my demand.
Disappointed? Baffled? Complicated mix.
"...That's it?"
"Yeah?"
"No regrets?"
Regrets?
Why would I?
I replied confidently.
"Nope. Magic books are a steal."
And that weekend, I regretted it to my bones.
Gwendolyn's villa wasn't some pension.
It was more like a fortress—or a palace.
It hugged an entire lake like a private garden, with dozens of servants and guards bustling about.
The building itself matched the size of a whole Magic Tower annex.
Only then did her words click.
"If I'd known she was this loaded, I'd have asked for more..."