Chapter 31
Chapter 31
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Magic Tower Genius Hides Physics
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The weather had turned sharply cold, so I pulled my collar tight.
Winter was right around the corner.
My first semester at the Magic Tower was drawing to a close.
The [Calculus] storm that had swept through the Tower had now settled into everyday life, absorbed into the research of each school.
Munch munch.
I chewed on my sandwich while gazing out the research room window at the scenery.
A hefty slab of fatty BBQ beef nestled inside a baguette.
I'd paid extra at the market for delivery.
Money really is the best.
Giuseppe sat beside me.
He was eating the sandwich I'd made, too.
Flash.
His eyes lit up.
"This is delicious."
"Right?"
I knew Giuseppe would appreciate my aesthetic.
Freshly sourced bread and meat from the market, plus a dash of my homemade dried chili.
I watched him sweat as he ate the sandwich in the early winter chill.
'Come to think of it, what happened with Senior Giuseppe's thesis?'
My own degree thesis wasn't due until next semester, so I had time.
But what about Giuseppe?
I asked him.
"Senior, speaking of which, how's the doctoral thesis coming along?"
Giuseppe let out a groan at my question.
His face bore the deep anguish of a perennial PhD candidate.
"As if it could be going well. I've been stuck in place for years."
"Mind if I ask what the topic is?"
"Nothing good will come of knowing..."
"I promise I won't say let's research it together. Just tell me, just tell me."
"Hmmm..."
Giuseppe awkwardly pushed his worn research notebook toward me, his face flushed.
"Up until now, each school in the Magic Tower has used its own units to denote mana force quantities."
"Yeah."
It was maddening, but that was reality.
Not only was there no unification of units, there wasn't even a proper system in place.
The measurement standards for magic were on par with the arbitrary foot unit, roughly based on some guy's foot size.
I got it.
Magic was a black box whose inner workings no one understood, so standardizing measurements must have been tough.
Or more likely, they never even considered it necessary.
Giuseppe continued.
"That's why I wanted to devise a natural unit for mana force—one with a clear, unmistakable marker. I saw it as the duty of the 'Magic Survey School.'"
"Better than the School Head's assignment of 'knowing the end of the world.'"
"Heh heh heh. You joke well."
Giuseppe chuckled.
What? That wasn't a joke.
How do you explore without a map or compass?
All fields of knowledge advance through 'measurement' and 'surveying.'
Those become the yardsticks for all future research.
So Giuseppe's project was profoundly important.
That said...
'Researching it here seems a bit too hardcore...'
The scientific level in this world was... kinda warped.
Like alchemy had overdeveloped without a periodic table? They were making all sorts of steels without knowing iron's physical properties.
And now, devising a 'natural unit' for 'mana force' in that state...
Tough project.
'Still, with magic in this world, it might be worth a shot?'
Even without knowing the principles, trial and error might snag something eventually.
"How far along is the research?"
"I've outlined the prerequisites for this study."
Giuseppe went on.
"Ultimate affinity to commune with mana force itself."
"Transcendent mana force quantity to endure countless rebounds."
"And control reaching the realm of gods to manipulate and observe those minute particles."
Fancy words, but it boiled down to affinity, mana force quantity, and control.
The pinnacle of a mage's three talents.
Giuseppe murmured, staring into space.
"Affinity was Professor Dolloren's domain... but no mage exists with the other two."
"My control is high. Why not ask me?"
"Hm? Wasn't that a measurement error back then?"
"..."
Oh right.
I'd brushed it off as a 'measurement error' during the aptitude test.
To help my senior, I should clear up this misunderstanding soon.
Giuseppe sighed and turned back to his ancient tome.
But my thoughts kept going.
'Mana force quantity and control...'
Control, I'll handle.
Mana force quantity...
Couldn't Anna Uphills take that role?
'Maybe it's not impossible after all.'
I'll test her when she comes.
Tap. Tap tap. Tap tap.
Rhythmic knocking.
Anna's signal.
"Come in."
-"Yes."
The door opened, and Anna and the nun entered the research room.
"Sorry to come so often... but I don't get this."
Lately, I'd been reviewing Anna's Magic University entrance exam subjects.
It had been a few weeks now.
"No need to apologize. Let me see."
"This one. Imperial history."
"...Sorry, I don't know that well either. Just memorize it."
"..."
Ahem.
But I was covering math, magic, philosophy, and natural philosophy just fine.
(Natural philosophy being science here. Latest theory? Law of inertia.)
The nun bowed to me as soon as she saw me.
"We keep imposing on you. What are we to do, Sir Isaac?"
"It's fine. Anna's so smart, it's rewarding to teach her."
Really.
At this rate, she might actually pass the March exam next year...
I sent the nun off and sat Anna in a chair.
She was struggling with past Magic University entrance exam problems.
"Hold on. Before we do problems, let's run a test first."
"Huh? What kind?"
I pulled out the magic aptitude tester Giuseppe had used.
Anna stiffened for a moment—maybe recalling Malakai—but trusted me and placed her hand on it obediently.
The result was astonishing.
Giuseppe's jaw dropped.
"Good heavens..."
"As expected."
Anna's mana force quantity was top-tier.
I calmed the excited Giuseppe and asked Anna.
"Anna, how old are you?"
"Thirteen."
Older than I thought.
Probably stunted growth from not eating properly while wandering as a war orphan.
I should send some money to the orphanage for a meat party next time.
Giuseppe freaked out.
"Thirteen, even? She still has room to grow!"
"She could help with your research, right, Senior?"
"By adulthood... yeah, she might."
Was it all the hardship?
Giuseppe teared up and approached Anna.
I understood.
A breakthrough for his decade-plus project...
But Anna hid behind me.
Giuseppe looked hurt as he glanced at me.
"..."
"..."
Nothing to say.
Kids hate beards.
Especially girls that age...
I told Anna.
"Little sis. That uncle over there has devoted his life to a research project and really needs your help."
"...Me?"
"Yeah. Nothing dangerous—just lend him a bit of your power after you grow up. Not for free, of course. He'll cover your living expenses for... say, 20 years as payment. Sound good?"
Anna pondered briefly, then replied clearly.
"Sure. But write up a contract later. I don't trust verbal promises."
"..."
Anna... didn't you trust my word?
Saying that might shatter Giuseppe's world.
I pretended not to notice and continued the lesson.
Afterward, I decided to walk her back to the orphanage.
Today, we'd go through the hallway instead of the lobby.
The lobby had an Imperial commendation poster for the Malakai subjugation right in the center.
They'd bragged it was penned by the Princess herself and told everyone to see it...
'Not now.'
I'll check it alone later.
Anna said.
"Huh? Not going through the lobby today? It'll be less fun."
"Less fun? What do you mean?"
"People step aside when they see big bro Isaac. It's pretty fun to watch."
"...Don't get hooked on stuff like that. It'll cause trouble later."
"Okay."
Then someone blocked the hallway ahead.
"Well, if it isn't Isaac Uphills."
"..."
A silver-haired man in flashy noble attire.
Never seen him before.
"What? Move."
"I'm Kaien Winterheart of the Bloodline Inheritance Magic School. Legitimate heir of House Winterheart."
"..."
Who asked?
What do you want?
"Fine, Winterheart. Move aside."
"Nah."
"..."
Classic punk.
If we'd met in an alley, I'd have zapped him and walked on.
Kaien checked for witnesses and said to me.
"So, does the name you got hiding behind Her Highness's skirts feel that good?"
"..."
"Feels great now, huh? Don't get the wrong idea. Her Highness has no interest in trash like you. You're just a pawn."
Too bad, but I felt zero emotion.
"Pawn? Isn't that obvious? The Princess is my client, not a friend."
"..."
Grind.
Kaien ground his teeth.
He jerked his chin at Anna beside me.
"And what's with the kid? Experiment material? Using orphans makes you no different from that blood mage Malakai."
"..."
I observed Kaien for a moment.
He was holding a graduation thesis.
Ah, so that's why the provocation.
Just another grad student jealous of a fellow grad student.
Tsk.
Worry about your own thesis.
I told him.
"Feels good, doesn't it?"
"What...?"
"I get it. Opportunities like this don't come often. People who get ignored usually pounce the moment they can ignore someone else."
"Ho... How dare you, you commoner...!!"
Oops, pissed him off.
I took Anna's hand and brushed past him.
F=ma
Pretended not to notice and bumped his shoulder midway.
Thud.
"Gah!"
Kaien slammed into the wall.
I'd used magic, but it looked like a pure accident.
No evidence.
As we left the Magic Tower, Anna mumbled with her head down.
"Um... bro. Sorry you got weird insults because of me."
"Heh heh..."
Knew it.
I crouched to meet her eyes.
"Little sis. Don't worry about it. For real."
"...Still."
"And don't make a sad face in front of jerks like that."
Anna tilted her head.
I continued.
"If you look pitiful, it just eggs them on. They'll think their attacks landed and go wild."
"Then... what face should I make?"
"Think smile."
Anna fidgeted, then gave a small smile.
Quick learner.
Still...
Sometimes you just can't smile.
'Never mention the perp's name in front of a victim.'
Time for a spanking, Kaien Winterheart.
As the semester ended, thesis defenses were held in the order papers were submitted.
While later mages trembled, Kaien Winterheart brimmed with confidence.
Innate mana force.
Outstanding lineage.
Powerful school.
...Though its influence had weakened lately without [Calculus] utility, that was temporary.
At least, that's what Kaien believed.
[Calculus] was overhyped bubble.
'Isaac Uphills... if not for that guy, it wouldn't have come to this.'
The School Head spoke.
"Bring in the attacker."
At those words, Kaien puffed out his chest proudly.
The attacker was Giuseppe Garneri of the Magic Survey School.
A mediocre stuck in the rundown annex for over a decade without a doctorate.
Rumors of recent progress, but so what?
'I'd have finished a doctorate in five years.'
Kaien worried he might not even understand the thesis and ask dumb questions.
The door opened.
But contrary to expectations, it wasn't some frail old PhD student who emerged.
"...What?"
"Why is that researcher here?"
All eyes in the conference room locked onto the man entering through the door.
The Princess's knight.
The capital's hero.
Disciple of Dolloren and Valerius.
Isaac Uphills was walking in as the thesis attacker.