Ch.113Your Student Was Awesome (5)

Eidel entered with confidence.

What awaited her was a large and beautiful structure.

A spherical steel chamber, wires tangled like noodles, a supercomputer connecting all sorts of control devices including coolers and transformers. Plus various other equipment that would cost tens of millions of credits each.

Just looking at it was overwhelming.

“Wow, look at the size. It’s enormous.”

Zernya was shocked, while Eidel was impressed.

“The inside of the sphere is a hollow cavity. That’s because we need to put a person inside. We paid special attention to the size in many ways.”

“Did you place the frequency generator over there?”

“That’s right. Would you like to see it?”

“Excuse me. Wow, setting it up like this would increase the Q-factor. The application of 4D Macrocomb technology is also innovative.”

The two continued their vlog. As technical terms started appearing, things became increasingly confusing.

I knew that woman talking with Eidel was a professor. Since Eidel wouldn’t give proper answers, I’d have to ask that person if I wanted to know anything.

Impulsively, Zernya approached Professor Stranov when the two paused their filming. After exchanging belated greetings, she received an explanation about that enormous device.

“It’s resonance equipment that confines outer gods. The principle itself is similar to a laser. The difference is that it confines the waves of outer gods rather than light.”

Zernya tilted her head.

“If you just keep confining them, wouldn’t the waves build up and eventually burst?”

“That’s right. That’s the problem.”

“Then doesn’t that mean you can’t confine outer gods? I’m also doubtful whether any ordinary mirror could withstand the maddening pressure of outer gods… Do you have a solution?”

It was a question mixed with a spoonful of curtness.

In truth, Zernya wanted to show Eidel. This is the level of my insight. Even a non-specialist like me can point this out.

“Oh.”

Professor Stranov’s expression became peculiar.

“That’s a good question.”

Then she smiled.

At that moment, Zernya realized she had made a mistake.

Professor Stranov was licking her lips while looking at Zernya.

“Once that issue is resolved, the resonator is essentially complete. Mr. Rheinland has done most of the theoretical work. Of course, we’re trying to solve this problem in collaboration with Mr. Rheinland as well.”

“That means…”

“Yes. Mr. Rheinland’s contribution is enormous. Even if I came up with the conceptual design, developing the theoretical framework isn’t something just anyone can do. I’ll probably include him as the first author.”

If successful, this would add another achievement to Eidel’s credentials.

It made her blood boil.

But now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.

“Miss Adelbein.”

She needed to escape.

“Are you also interested in our laboratory?”

Right now.

“I, I’m from a different department.”

As Zernya backed away, the professor approached with a sly expression.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re from a different department. We deal with various topics related to outer gods. We accept students from many departments. There’s even someone in our lab who studied medicine as an undergraduate. What do you think?”

“No, no, no?”

She continued to back away.

Then, thud.

Her back hit the wall.

She was trapped. There was no way out. Cold sweat ran down her face. The professor’s expression was intense.

Damn, I shouldn’t have shown off.

She suddenly regretted it. Eidel had warned her to watch her words. She had been told by an avatar to be humble as a mortal and not to act up. Yet she still misused her tongue and got herself into this trouble.

She was recalling all the advice she’d received in this strange situation.

“Professor, I’ve finished setting up the equipment. Could you come take a look?”

Ironically, it was Eidel who rescued Zernya from her predicament. At his words, Stranov seemed entranced and began checking the equipment with him.

It was a large crystal with various instruments attached to it.

It looked intriguing.

Zernya couldn’t resist joining them.

“What is this?”

“Is Miss Adelbein curious too?”

“Ah, no. I…”

“It’s the raw material for the mirror to be installed inside the resonator. It’s a crystal obtained by processing a remnant from defeating a Darwin-type avatar. It’s extremely expensive?”

Stranov put particular emphasis on “expensive?” Zernya turned around and smacked her lips repeatedly. What was I thinking!

“So why are we doing this?”

I’m not curious. I absolutely won’t ask.

“When the knight fighting the avatar died, a constellation got stuck to this crystal. Just like how an outer god incarnates into objects.”

“Hey, wait. Isn’t that extremely rare then?”

“Yeah. But.”

“Shouldn’t you sell something like this for a high price? Do you have no sense of money?”

“Gah─!!”

Zernya squinted and covered her ears.

She was startled. It was almost the first time she’d seen Eidel angry.

“This is just an impurity. It’s waste that lowers the quality factor.”

“You said there’s a constellation inside?!”

“Constellation or whatever, it interferes with the research. We have no choice but to remove it.”

It was an argument completely devoid of respect for constellations. Zernya was dumbfounded and thought for a moment.

Could he actually be an outer god too?

It was quite a reasonable inference.

“So to solve this problem, we decided to apply alternating vibrations to the entire crystal using a high-speed terahertz wave generator. Just enough not to destroy the crystal’s physical properties.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We’re waking it up with an electric shock.”

Zernya folded her arms and snorted.

“What nonsense. How could that possibly work?”

[“Kyaaaah!!”]

It worked.

***

As the electrical vibrations were applied, part of the crystal’s boundary began to crack, and plasma energy rose like steam through the gaps. The steam formed a cluster and awakened with a woman’s scream.

[— The constellation fragment, ‘Fragment of Purity’ awakens from deep slumber.]

Virgo, one of the twelve zodiac constellations, the God of Purity and Love.

She revealed herself.

[“Ow ow ow… W-what’s going on…?”]

Golden hair flowing like waves. Sapphire blue eyes sparkling like jewels. Parts of her body were wrapped in lavender silk, and three pairs of sky-blue plasma wings danced in the air.

I turned around to look at Zernya. Her eyes were unfocused.

Virgo, the constellation corresponding to the Virgo zodiac sign, was famous for her beauty even in novels. She was said to charm even women.

I turned back and gulped. There was the crystal, now free of impurities after the constellation had escaped.

“Professor, we did it!”

I high-fived Professor Stranov.

Zernya’s expression became twice as dumbfounded.

[“Rasella? Rasella! Where did my master go…?”]

Virgo—or more precisely, the Fragment of Virgo—looked around in confusion.

“Your master is dead.”

[“…Dead?”]

[— ‘Fragment of Purity’ is shocked.]

“Yes. While fighting a Darwin-type avatar.”

When I told her the truth, the constellation’s face turned pale. Afterward, Virgo sobbed for a while, then collected herself and changed her tone.

[“She was a good master, but now there’s nothing I can do. This has happened before. Now I need to find a new contractor. We must stop the invasion of outer gods. Of course, this body is just a fragment, not the main body. So to fully use my power…”]

This is dragging on forever.

I half-listened and turned my attention back to the crystal.

“Professor, we did it anyway!”

[“Yes, you woke me up, so you want a contract, right? First, I have conditions. I only accept pure and innocent people as my masters…”]

“We removed the impurity!”

[“I-I accept… What?”]

“Now we can build the resonator!”

[“Hey, did you just call me an impurity? Just now? To me? To me, the purest and most innocent being in this universe? Come over here and let’s talk… Where are you going!”]

I’m excited. We should be able to complete it in about a week. With another paper under my belt, my recognition will grow, and it will prove that I’m an all-rounder proficient in both theory and experimentation.

That alone will help secure plenty of research funding.

The development of the graviton bomb is truly not far off.

[“Oh, really! Are you crazy? How dare you ignore my words?”]

[— ‘Fragment of Purity’ uses <Focus Attention>.]

My mind, absorbed in research, was suddenly pulled toward the constellation. Not just me, but Professor Stranov, Zernya, and the other graduate students all had their attention focused on the Fragment of Virgo.

[“Yes, now you’re ready to listen to me. Now I’ll examine those of you who want to become my contractors…”]

This feels like someone’s trying to grab my attention, and I don’t like it.

[— 1000 Fron has been paid.]

[— The ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ cancels the effect of <Focus Attention>.]

Good. That should do it.

[“Hey! You there! Aren’t you listening to me properly?”]

At least I could resume my research alone. First, I need to reanalyze the physical properties. If the optical characteristics have changed because the constellation left, that would be a problem in itself.

[“Listen to me!”]

Finally, the constellation descended right in front of me.

Now I really can’t ignore her.

[“You, are you interested in becoming my contractor?”]

“No, I’m not.”

[“…Well, at least you’re definitely a virgin.”]

Really? She’s saying this to my face?

“Are you really a constellation?”

[“A fragment of a constellation. And I place great importance on my contractor’s sexual experience. I have lots of skills that convert pure and noble hearts into aether.”]

In the novel, it only mentioned that she ‘died with the knight,’ so I just accepted it and moved on.

This constellation is more abnormal than I imagined.

[“Still, you have the clearest eyes here, let me see…”]

Virgo began to stare intently into my eyes.

And after a few seconds.

[“This won’t work. You’re out.”]

“What?”

[“Your body is clean, but your heart isn’t. How can someone be so dark and dirty?”]

I moistened my cracked lips with saliva. Could she have detected the outer god farm in my head?

No, that can’t be it. Cartesia is too good at hiding. Unless it’s something like Rustila’s <Mind’s Eye>, it shouldn’t be detectable.

I waited for the constellation to pass by while sweating nervously.

Virgo then approached Stranov and the graduate students.

[“Rejected, rejected.”]

Everyone failed to become her contractor for various reasons. Some were already married, others had impure thoughts.

After conducting her examination and filtering people out, eventually only one person remained.

[“Finally, only you’re left.”]

Zernya.

Virgo approached her.