Chapter 79

Chapter 79

From Cosmic Rascal to Professor.

Episode 79: From Now On, This Is My Laboratory (2).

Rustila hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in six weeks. Ever since the tragedy in Celestine, and with her vacation starting, she found herself practically confined to her home. She could leave, but only with permission and always accompanied by an android—whether she was eating, washing, or sleeping. If she dared step out without Zermel or Verdia at her side, her parents would scold her relentlessly.

“Miss, please hand me the knife,” Zermel, one of the personal androids, requested as he expertly sliced the steak. Beside him, another android, Risha, was checking the soup’s temperature.

“Ah.” Rustila barely noticed as a piece of bread was slipped into her absentmindedly open mouth. Verdia, setting down the fork, inquired, “Does it suit your taste?”

“Yes, no,” Rustila muttered ambiguously.

“I apologize, Miss. We understand our presence might seem overbearing.”

“Then—”

“But given the recent incident, it’s prudent to be cautious.”

Verdia was right. Rustila, the sole heir to her family, had nearly lost her life in an attack by an Incarnate, and other students had not been so fortunate. Her parents’ protective measures were understandable. Rustila knew this, yet—

“Miss, please try this,” Zermel offered, presenting a perfectly cut piece of steak. Accepting it like a fledgling, Rustila fought back tears. She was seventeen—too old to cry, she reminded herself. Besides, showing weakness would surely displease Aidel.

Knock, knock, knock. “Rustila, may I come in?” It was her father, Lloyd Kersil. Lloyd sat beside her, placing a file folder and a tablet PC on the table.

“Are you alright?”

“…….”

“The situation with the Reinhardt siblings is tragic. But don’t be disheartened. It would upset your mother.”

Lloyd’s tone was gentler than usual, a change brought about by his pride in Rustila’s handling of the Celestine Incident.

“Your daughter possesses talents in ‘Polyphonic Swordsmanship’ and ‘Body Manifestation’ that mark her as a genius among geniuses. By the time she graduates from the academy, she will be of EX-class and, by college graduation, a Great Omega.”

“Rustila’s father, mother,” the recruiters said, their tone awkward after the recent incident, “please allow us to train her. We guarantee she will become the finest inspector in the Federation.”

Just last week, two Great Omega-level inspectors had visited, bowing deeply before them. They proclaimed Rustila a once-in-100,000-years prodigy, asserting it would be a universal tragedy if she did not join the military. Her parents had wanted her to pursue law, considering the dangers of being an inspector, but Rustila had fiercely resisted. Her natural talent for combat, though a blessing, felt like a curse.

“Rustila, look at this.” Lloyd noticed her picking at her food and handed her a tablet. “You remember the students from the Celestine incident, right? I just came back from handling their life insurance claims. The public insurance agents tried to wriggle out of their responsibilities.”

“Is that so.”

“They blamed the school entirely, which isn’t right. It’s like they’re pouring salt on the families’ wounds.”

“Is that so.”

“It’s not just the Outer Gods we need to worry about. Sometimes, our own people turn against us. It’s up to legal professionals to hold such people accountable.”

“Is that so.”

Rustila’s response was distant, her eyes glazed over, seemingly uninterested in her father’s words. Why bother with legalities when the whims of the Outer Gods could disrupt lives so easily? With a mere gesture, Ceti was hospitalized, and with one accusation, Aidel was imprisoned. It all seemed futile. Her shoulders slumped in despair.

“…Thank you for the meal.” Rustila left the table mechanically and returned to her room. The androids tucked her in as she began to weep quietly. The loss of her friend and her freedom weighed heavily on her. Forbidden from even touching a wooden sword, she felt trapped in her own home. Death seemed like a preferable escape.

The ‘God of Purity and Perseverance’ offers comfort.

Time blurred as she lay under the moonlight, tears dried on her swollen cheeks, her heart heavier than before.

“Ceti, Aidel, Aidel…” Once someone was sent to Alcatraz, it was like a life sentence. While she could still visit Ceti at the Holy Spirit Hospital House, Aidel was beyond her reach. “I miss you, Aidel,” she whispered to the moon, praying for just one chance to see her friend again.

And then, it actually happened.

“Huh?” Rustila blinked, suddenly realizing she had arrived at the Alcatraz planetary system.

“Please disembark,” came a blunt voice. She looked up to see Sonia, the android maid dedicated to Aidel, standing beside her. The situation had escalated quickly. Just the day before, Rustila received an email from Sonia while she was in tears:

I have looked into it, and it seems a meeting with Master Aidel is possible.

Driven by desperation, Rustila staged a dramatic scene the very next day.

“Miss, please come down!”

During an early morning walk with only Verdia, her guardian, Rustila had climbed a zelkova tree in the backyard. It was a rash attempt to leverage her life for a chance to travel to Alcatraz.

“If you don’t let me go to Alcatraz, I’ll die here.”

She was deadly serious. Aidel was the only one who had recognized her talent in swordsmanship when no one else did. Her feelings for him were intense and conflicted, a source of both immense joy when around and profound despair when absent.

“I understand! I’ll let you go! I’ll help you sneak out, so come down!”

Verdia, finally relenting, agreed to help. Along with Sonia, they facilitated Rustila’s journey. And then, she was finally there.

“Aidel…!” Rustila’s heart leaped at the sight of him. She sprinted forward and flung herself into his arms.

“I missed you.”

“Oh, uh…” Aidel stuttered, caught off guard as Rustila clung tightly to him. He awkwardly tried to manage the papers he was holding. Sonia, observing the scene, gritted her teeth and made a show of smoothing her hair in frustration.

“I missed you, I missed you,” Rustila repeated, her voice filled with emotion. Aidel, ever the intellectual, seemed out of his depth but eventually set his papers down to gently pat Rustila’s back and head, his touch cautious and unfamiliar.

“Hehe, well now,” Officer Weisel, observing the reunion, chuckled and rubbed his philtrum.

Aidel gently patted Rustila’s back until her sobs subsided. Her delicate nature made her prone to tears, and as a result, it had been six hours since he last checked his messages from Professor Feynman.

Aidel, are you okay?

Is something wrong?

Student?

Student?

Student?

If you’re okay, just type any letter.

Are you sleeping?

You’re not asleep, right?

▶(Voice Message)

Aidel stared at the monitor, struggling to find the right words. How could he possibly explain the situation? More importantly, when should he explain it? The delay had already stretched over half a day. He had almost forgotten what he was supposed to be doing. He hesitated to even click on the last voice message.

Turning his head, Aidel saw Rustila, now quiet, wrapped in the blanket he had draped over her.

‘This girl is crazy! Crazy! Crazy!’ he thought, replaying the earlier incident in his mind. The simple act of a hug had spiraled into something monumental by Rustila’s standards. He imagined her parents’ furious scolding and the absurd notion that this might somehow affect her future prospects of marriage.

Oblivious to Rustila mentally berating herself under the blanket, Aidel checked her Pron level.

Rustila Kersil: 580/1500

Note: Decreasing

The Pron level was critical: if it exceeded 50% of the maximum value, the individual began contemplating suicide. When Aidel first met Rustila, her level was around 750—a dangerously close call. Thankfully, her proximity to Aidel triggered a special buff that significantly reduced this value.

“But until when is visiting time?” Verdia inquired, breaking into his thoughts.

Aidel responded, “There isn’t such a thing.”

“?”

“I work here.”

“Please, get beaten up a bit.” With an almost possessed fervor, Sonia pummeled Aidel. If Rustila hadn’t intervened just in time, Aidel might have rolled his eyes and fainted.

“Do you realize how many people are worried about you? But instead of planning your exit after your treatment, you’ve practically become a permanent fixture here?”

“Yeah, this place has essentially become my lab.”

“Ha, really. Ha.” Sonia brushed her face, causing the headband she was wearing to slip down.

“Aren’t the guards supposed to step in when you start acting up in the control room?”

“As long as we meet our quotas, they tend to keep their distance. The lab atmosphere is top-notch. A+.” Aidel gave a thumbs up, only stopping his jest when Sonia playfully smacked him again. Then, his demeanor shifted to a more serious tone as he turned to face Rustila and the two androids.

“I need a favor from you.”

“What is it?” Unlike the two androids, who seemed perplexed, Rustila was genuinely eager to hear Aidel out. Having been protected by Aidel in her pursuit of her own dreams, she felt a deep responsibility to support him in return.

Aidel took a deep breath before making his request. “Become a graduate student.”

Rustila’s mind reeled at the suggestion.