Ch.115Your Student Was Awesome (7)

Something that should never have been created was created.

[Constellation Confinement Phenomenon Using Quantum Gravity Resonator]

The title alone is terrifying.

Looking inside, it’s far more serious.

I’ve roughly written down the method to take down a constellation, from principle to conclusion. If published as is, it would be classified as a religious banned book before publication approval could even be granted.

I crumpled the paper mid-revision and threw it into the trash can. Score.

“Let’s not make this into a paper.”

“Why not?”

“I think I might get stabbed by someone from the Holy Spirit Church.”

The Holy Spirit Church is a religious organization that reveres constellations like gods.

If we were to announce that we had kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured a constellation, we’d immediately become their target.

Dealing with foreign press was already overwhelming enough; I didn’t want to end up being carved up by extremist religious fanatics.

I stood up from my seat for no particular reason.

As I walked, I stopped in front of the resonator. From beyond the wall, I could hear faint but distinct wailing.

It’s too dark in here. Help me. Please get me out.

It was a pitiful sound, like a child trapped in an elevator.

“Just get it out quickly. Before things get worse.”

The curt remark came from Zernya.

I nodded and turned around.

“Professor.”

“I understand.”

After making thorough preparations, I released the decompression device.

With a hissing sound, the structure split in half. Soft plasma leaked through the gap.

Following that, sparks stretched out in intense trajectories.

Waves transformed into particles, and the phenomenon became a constellation.

Click.

Thud.

Virgo emerged slowly, gripping the edge of the entrance.

Her eyes were hollow as if pierced through, and her complexion was as blue as if she had cholera.

Naturally, the constellation was in a very angry state.

[“H-how dare you repay kindness with enmity. I-I cannot forgive this.”]

And so we were severely scolded.

Professor Stranov, the project leader, bowed his head in apology, while the person who suggested trapping the constellation received an electric massage. It was more bearable than expected, ha, ha, ha, haaaaaaa.

[“This place is too disgusting to stay in. Just give me one crystal fragment. I’ll settle in there and leave. How about it? That’ll do, right?”]

I broke off a piece of the remaining crystal and handed it over. Virgo complained about the cramped quarters before entering it. Except for that crystal fragment, the rest was clean without impurities.

As soon as she settled in, the crystal disappeared with a “poof.”

“What a shame. We could have done more research with that.”

“She left because of you. What’s wrong with your head?”

I scratched my head.

Anyway, with the problematic element gone, we could now proceed with our proper research.

All that remained was to pull all-nighters.

***

The resonator to trap foreign gods was created more easily than anticipated.

The experience of trapping a constellation helped. Having done it once, everyone became proficient the second time around.

When errors occurred in theoretical calculations, Eidel would work on the computer day and night. After witnessing this for two weeks straight, Zernya began to feel something.

Defeat? Humiliation?

No.

Something similar, but slightly different.

Here, she could only play the role of an observer. An ambiguous position, neither a graduate student nor an intern. Meanwhile, Eidel was in a position of responsibility, generating ideas and implementing them.

Let’s set aside whether this would be possible in other research labs. Let’s also put aside the fact that Eidel is an untouchable genius.

That face.

The expression of happiness while creating, modifying, and measuring something without any compensation. Watching Eidel’s face like that, something welled up inside her.

Zernya, who had somehow become a drink shuttle, asked Eidel while handing over black coffee.

“Why are you working so hard? Will you die without research?”

“Yeah.”

She flinched, her body trembling. It was a reflexive movement.

“I’m a corpse without this.”

“What a strange thing to say. How can someone live only doing this? I could never do it, even if I died.”

She knew that Eidel had published a paper in <Universe>. But at that time, she felt nothing special about it.

Ghostwriting papers was a common form of corruption. Zernya herself had used connections during her middle school days to slip her name onto a college paper. It was research misconduct.

So back then, she thought Eidel had done the same thing.

“Ha, haah.”

Zernya stepped back with an unpleasant shudder.

Her heart was pounding. It felt like a dinosaur was rampaging inside her body. This had been happening frequently lately.

Why am I here? Why am I wasting precious time?

Next semester’s studies. Practical training. Building strong academic connections with Professor Rheinland to pave the way for a medical career.

Why am I not doing any of that and instead just watching this person’s research?

I just don’t know. I wanted to hang around for no reason. I wanted to see the troubled look on their face while picking fights occasionally.

How much time had passed?

“Rheinland, let’s take a break.”

It was Professor Stranov.

She placed cookies on the desk. They were chocolate chip cookies with chocolate on top of a nicely browned base. The savory aroma stimulated the sense of smell.

“Thank you, Professor.”

“How do you feel after continuing your research? Do you like this lab?”

“Yes, I like it very much.”

Eidel turned his head and looked at the equipment.

“Huk, heok, heoook.”

“There he goes again.”

Stranov laughed softly.

“Those cookies, I baked them myself. Would you like to taste one and see if they turned out well?”

Eidel bit into the cookie with a dazed expression. The crisp texture resonated as sound. At that moment, Eidel’s eyes widened.

“This is…”

“It’s a fortune cookie. Would you like to open the contents?”

Eidel carefully opened the rolled paper. Zernya stood behind him on tiptoes. There were incomprehensible characters lined up.

“It’s a DOI. Professor, is this…”

“It’s the next research topic.”

“Wow… May I search for it?”

“Of course!”

Eidel hurriedly opened a search window. After entering the number written on the note into the Scalar search site, a noticeable phrase appeared at the top.

[Contribution: Beyond the Horizon of Graviton Discovery]

“Wow.”

“After this research is done, I want to try discovering gravitons. It might be difficult, but it’s research I’ve always wanted to do. This could really take a long time.”

Zernya felt a chill. Both Eidel and Professor Stranov had looks in their eyes that weren’t quite sane.

“Rheinland.”

“Yes, yes, Professor.”

“Will you continue to work with me?”

It was a sweet as honey and warm as sunlight. Almost like a devil’s whisper. Zernya saw it. Eidel’s cheekbones were rising as if they might tear.

Already fallen.

Nevertheless, Stranov continued her offensive.

“Stay in my lab. I’ll quickly give you a master’s, no, a doctorate. You deserve to be recognized as an independent researcher. Look at you now. You’re playing an important role in this research.”

“Professor.”

“Salary? I’ll pay you plenty. Research funds? If you have a project you want to do, just say the word. I can do it on the same scale as now, no, even bigger.”

“Professor…”

“So, Eidel.”

With a thud, Professor Stranov placed her hand on the desk. Eidel shrank into the corner. Zernya was inwardly shocked.

A moment of silence.

Professor Stranov’s subtle gaze and Eidel’s wandering eyes met precisely.

Eidel was the first to speak.

“I-I’ll do it.”

“What did you say?”

“I’ll do it. I’ll join your lab, Professor.”

“Are, are you serious?”

“Yes, I promise!”

“Wait! Please wait a moment!”

Professor Stranov rushed out like a flying butterfly and brought back a thick document. They pinky-promised and completed the document by stamping it.

The name of the document was ‘Employment Contract.’

She took it one step further.

“Vlog, let’s film a vlog. We’re having an early welcome party for Eidel joining the lab! Is that okay? Well…!”

And so began the wild party.

They filmed videos, took pictures, and put their arms around lab colleagues.

Zernya was an outsider to this scene. Stranov approached her with a sly smile.

“So, Miss Adelbein. Doesn’t Rheinland look truly happy right now?”

Zernya said nothing.

Even during the celebration, Eidel didn’t stop researching. No, the resonator production actually gained speed.

The party continued until late at night.

***

[Eidel]

[Is it still difficult for you to come this week?]

[I’d like to see my student’s face after such a long time]

Looking at the DM with no reply, Professor Feynman sighed. He pushed the messenger away and focused on his paper.

The graviton discovery paper he was currently writing.

Progress was not going well.

Of course.

There’s no way to extract experimental data in a theoretical research lab.

“Eidel…”

He said he would have time when summer vacation approached, but in the end, he couldn’t be seen even after two weeks.

In this situation, research slowed down, and the budget hit rock bottom. The only thing to rely on was the FR model completed under Eidel’s leadership.

If Eidel had been by his side during these difficult times, they could have written proposals to the government and supported each other.

It was summer. But it was cold. Feynman put on his coat.

“Wait, who set the air conditioner to 18 degrees?”

It became hot again.

That’s when it happened.

“Extra! Extra!”

A young woman entered the lab making a commotion. It was Sophia, a reporter from the Interstellar Daily.

Sliding as if on ice, she shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Hoeeee—!!”

“Alright, I get it, did you find something?”

“Of course!”

Sophia explained the situation with a twitching corner of her mouth.

“Actually, I’ve been secretly following Mr. Rheinland for some time! Of course, using my <Stealth> skill to avoid detection, I’ve learned everything! Every! Single! Move! He makes!”

“Okay, okay…”

“Now, look at this!”

Swoosh. The long group desk was covered with photos. The person in the photo lineup was Eidel, and.

“Isn’t this Professor Stranov?”

Feynman, who had been absentmindedly reading a paper, got up and approached. His expression hardened as he scanned the photos.

“This, this is.”

Eidel taking the shuttle. Eidel heading to Iryuel Academy. Eidel meeting Professor Stranov.

Eidel researching with her. Eidel eating meals with her. And.

A stolen graduate student.

“Mr. Rheinland has been interning at Professor Stranov’s lab at Iryuel Academy. From then until now, continuously. Your deduction was correct, Professor Feynman!”

“T-that.”

“He was quite actively leading the research? They were making something round, but I couldn’t understand much about it. It was difficult. But he was clearly playing an important role… Professor? Professor!”

Feynman collapsed on the spot.

Yes, this is a dream. A dream.

A very unlucky…

“Professor, there’s an email from Professor Stranov?”