Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Magic Tower Genius Hides Physics
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I'm late. I'm so late.
Cold sweat dripped down the coachman's back.
Clatter clatter.
The carriage rocked precariously on the dirt road as it hurtled along at top speed.
The coachman muttered under his breath.
"If I don't make it by tonight, I'll have to pay the penalty fee..."
It was a contract to transport goods from the eastern region to the capital. He'd done it multiple times before, so he was confident.
But whether it was good luck or bad, he'd spotted griffon tracks along the way.
To avoid death, he had to keep an eye on the skies and drive carefully, which naturally slowed him down.
A curse slipped from the coachman's lips.
"If it weren't for that damn wasteland mountain, I wouldn't be in this mess..."
That mountain blocked the fastest route to the capital like a hulking obstacle.
It was a bald, useless lump with not a single tree to chop down—just an eyesore blocking the path. Because of it, he had to take a half-day detour...
From the coachman's perspective, right on the verge of paying that penalty, it was natural to resent it.
"Who says magic can't blow it away...?"
Just as he emerged from the forest path and came face-to-face with the wasteland mountain...
The coachman doubted his own eyes.
The entire mountain was gone.
"..."
He couldn't even speak.
Was it an illusion? He pinched the inside of his thigh hard.
It hurt.
Not an illusion.
"Gods above... what have I just seen...?"
The coachman glanced around, wondering if he'd taken a wrong turn.
But the surrounding terrain was unmistakably familiar.
He stared blankly at the vanished mountain.
It looked as if a giant had scooped out the peak with a shovel—the heart of the range was hollowed into a vast plain.
And in the center of that basin stood something even stranger.
"Is that... a dome?"
Like an overturned bowl, a massive hemispherical mound of earth dominated the middle of the basin.
It was such an unreal sight that he could've believed it was carved by the gods themselves.
"What in the world... happened here?"
The coachman couldn't even begin to comprehend it.
Fear washed over him.
But at the same time, the matter of that 'penalty fee' spurred him onward.
Crossing this new plain would save him a good half day.
"...Screw it."
The coachman steered the carriage toward the freshly made flatland.
Back when Isaac was still unconscious.
Even without him stirring, rumors about Isaac had already spread throughout the capital.
Especially among the Magic Tower's graduate students.
"Hey, did you hear? Rumors about Isaac Uphills' thesis defense."
"...That guy seems to get a new rumor every week. Got anything about someone else?"
"This one's real. It's insane."
"Come on... if it's not interesting, you're dead."
"So here's the thing..."
And so, one grad student heard a story straight out of myth.
Isaac's master's thesis defense had made an entire mountain vanish, his opponent was School Head Dolloren herself, and Isaac had beaten her to claim his degree...
"..."
"What do you think? Crazy, right?"
"...Isn't that just a baseless rumor? We all know Uphills is a super rookie, but that's not it."
Dolloren was an archmage.
Even battling her in a thesis defense was astonishing—let alone winning?
No way that happened.
"But the rumor is super detailed. They say a weird dome appeared right in the spot where the mountain vanished."
"Did you check it out yourself?"
"Nah. That's why I'm telling you. If you've got time, wanna go see it together?"
"...We'd probably just be wasting our time."
At that moment, a wind elemental magic researcher in the corner spoke up.
"The defense did happen there, at least."
All eyes turned to her.
"We hauled desks there for the defense prep. All night long."
"Ah..."
No one could outright dismiss the testimony laced with the grad students' sweat and toil.
With that, they set out from the Magic Tower to check out the 'mysterious dome.'
In a salon somewhere in the capital.
While the master's students headed out to see the dome, the school heads were deep in thought.
They were all witnesses to Isaac's thesis defense.
"What if... what if that absolute zero is still lingering inside the dome?"
"..."
"..."
Silence fell at one school head's words.
They couldn't forget the sight within the isolation field.
That pitch-black space, sliced from the world, held the power to shatter reality just by existing.
Fortunately, the supernova named Isaac Uphills had sacrificed himself to seal it within layers of domes...
But that calamity might still be alive and breathing inside.
"We should do something about it."
"Got a plan?"
"Hmm... nothing solid comes to mind. How do you even dispose of something like that?"
Then, the Sound Magic School Head spoke up as if struck by a brilliant idea.
"We don't need to. It won't be a problem."
"Got evidence?"
"Think about it. If that dangerous magic was still in there, do you think the Dean would just sit idly by?"
"No, she wouldn't."
If so, the Dean would've dug up one of Dolloren's old theses as an excuse for a re-examination and forced an empirical defense.
The Dean was more than capable of that.
The other school heads nodded at the Sound Magic School Head's logic.
It made sense.
The Dean's silence meant the capital was safe.
Just as everyone relaxed, one school head tilted his head.
He spoke.
"Hold on. That's a bit off."
"What's the issue?"
"If that's the case... does that mean Isaac Uphills, who just got his master's, overwhelmed the magic of Dolloren, a former archmage?"
"..."
The absolute zero had vanished, but the dome remained.
If that was true, the defense results could be interpreted that way.
The same time, Magic Tower 49th floor, Dean's office.
Dean Magarta was sharing tea with Princess Isolde for the first time in a while.
"So in the end, the absolute zero vanished, leaving only the massive dome."
The Dean replied to the princess's words.
"Yes. If it had been the other way around, I would've dueled Dolloren myself to erase that domain."
"...Good thing I won't have to see isolation fields three times a day."
The princess continued.
"So, does that mean our Uphills has reached archmage level?"
"..."
A certain word stuck in the Dean's mind at the princess's question.
'Our Uphills? All researchers technically belong to the Magic Tower...'
The princess tilted her head at the Dean, who paused mid-sip.
"Something wrong?"
"No. Just thinking for a moment."
The Dean continued.
"Even though Researcher Uphills earned his degree, the true victor that day was School Head Dolloren."
"Is that so... What a shame."
"Can't be helped. Uphills still can't create an isolation field on his own."
The isolation field Isaac Uphills had deployed that day was 'layered' onto Dolloren's—not built from scratch.
The fact that a dome remained in reality instead of absolute zero was because absolute zero was a miracle possible only within the isolation field.
Tsk.
The princess smacked her lips.
The Dean chuckled softly at her.
"No need to look so disappointed. Uphills will be an archmage within ten years."
"How am I supposed to wait ten years? It's already torture..."
She shot up from her seat.
Princess Isolde declared.
"No, I can't stand it. I need to see Isaac right now."
"As much as I'd like that, the boy still hasn't woken up."
"Damn it. If it weren't for that madwoman Dolloren..."
"Uphills collapsed due to his own mistakes."
"..."
The princess knew that much.
"You weren't exactly idle back then either, Dean. Now you're changing your tune?"
The Dean froze mid-sip.
"..."
"..."
The gazes of the two powerhouses clashed.
Moments later, the Dean spoke.
"Your Highness. The Wind Elemental Magic Conference is in a few days. Doesn't the boy need time to rest until then?"
"Oh. I lacked consideration..."
And so, the princess's meeting with Isaac was postponed.
For Isaac's rest.
...However, despite their consideration, Isaac only regained consciousness the day before the conference.
The next day.
I was back at the suburban villa where the exam committee had convened.
'This place feels oddly familiar.'
I lightly stretched ahead of my keynote speech.
The rebound from the isolation field lingered, so I couldn't use magic yet, but I felt more confident than ever.
Standing beside me was Archmage Lord Valerius.
I'd realized it during the battle with Dolloren.
Just how incredible archmages were.
I said to Valerius.
"Thank you, always."
"What's that out of nowhere? Nervous, Dolloren's disciple?"
"No, not at all. Laura polished the speech script, so I just need to read it."
"Let me see."
I handed the keynote script to Valerius.
"Oh, not bad. Especially the opening line—it's striking."
"I insisted on adding that one."
"...You've got a subtle literary talent too, Dolloren's disciple."
Moments later, at the announcer's call, I stepped up to the podium.
I scanned the seminar room.
A bunch of capital Magic Tower figures, led by the school heads.
And several professors I'd indebted myself to during the 'exam committee.'
They all watched my face in silence.
For a mere master's holder to keep so many professors waiting.
It felt like the omnipotence I'd sensed when first using the isolation field.
Toward them, I uttered the opening line.
-"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
The speech went smoothly.
Clap clap clap clap!
That applause was proof.
Sure, some probably opposed my theory, but no one would voice it openly now.
At this moment, the 'Ideal Gas Magic School' had officially become independent.
As my presentation ended, a familiar face approached.
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
It was Professor Gedric, the exam committee chair. He continued.
"Fits us perfectly now that we no longer fear rebound. From a poem?"
"...Something a friend told me."
"Impressive fellow."
I nodded silently.
He certainly was impressive.
The man who'd served four terms as U.S. President, after all.
"By the way, I said we'd meet after you got your master's, but I didn't expect it this soon."
"Next time, say we'll meet after my doctorate. Then it might happen."
"..."
Gedric fell silent at my joke.
Oof. Bomb failed.
Gedric seemed deep in thought before speaking.
"...You don't even need to say it; it feels inevitable."
"Pardon?"
Right then, the other 'Ideal Gas Magic' supporters—minus Gedric—swarmed in.
"How've you been, Uphills?"
"Heard you got your master's! Congratulations!"
All sturdy folks with voices to match.
My ears were ringing.
Afterward came chats with the professors.
Not mundane stuff like 'what does your son do' or spouse talk—just fun academic discussions.
The western Magic Tower faction planned to research 'weather prediction' going forward.
'That's hell ahead...'
I silently prayed for their souls.
The southern group aimed to improve wind magic efficiency under 'ideal gas' conditions.
The most orthodox path, so I cheered them on.
"So, what about the eastern faction?"
"Recruiting new students."
"Pardon?"
"We're advertising that even those in poor health can join our school now."
Rearing the next generation...
Important, sure.
Once the research talk wound down, things quieted.
Then Gedric said to me.
"Actually, there's one proposal I'd like to make."
"Research collaboration? I'm pretty tied up now, but if you could wait..."
"No, not that."
The mood turned serious.
I glanced around.
All the professors looked bright.
This couldn't be...
Gedric continued.
"We intend to nominate you as the founding School Head of the 'Ideal Gas Magic School.'"
"...Me?"
Impossible.
The minimum requirement for school head was senior professor, which I didn't meet yet.
Gedric replied.
"Of course it's impossible now, so we've decided to leave the position vacant until you qualify."
The surrounding professors nodded at Gedric's words.
He added.
"We've all agreed on this."