Ch.165Dating is Like Writing a Thesis (3)

I pushed the table aside and laid out paper and pen.

I organized my thoughts by listing words and formulas. Virgo descended beside me.

[“…Graviton bomb?”]

“It’s a device that induces the evaporation of black holes.”

I showed her a design drawn with my crude artistic skills.

“Just as when a star dies, its constellation disappears, when a black hole evaporates, outer gods can no longer affect our universe.”

[“So this device induces that evaporation. It’s complex.”]

Virgo showed great interest in my drawing.

[“Is this possible?”]

“With enough time and budget, yes.”

[“How much time?”]

I spread my fingers as I spoke.

“I can build it in about 8 years.”

8 years.

That wasn’t just a random number.

It was the value calculated assuming I’d use all government support and Rheinland family assets. Of course, I’d have to devote all my efforts to the research process itself.

I quickly explained just the essentials.

“With advanced printing assembly technology and warp technology, we can build a planetary-scale particle accelerator if we have enough money. The experiments will take some time, but once we get the direction right, everything else will go smoothly.”

Virgo remained silent, looking dazed.

Surprisingly, it was Rustila who raised an objection.

“Eidel, if you build something like that, the outer gods will target you.”

“I have barriers and resonators. I’m planning to research and build devices that can contain even Darwin’s Legion.”

“What about Laplace’s Forces?”

“…That’s the problem.”

Rustila gently placed her hand on my shoulder.

“Eidel, you’ll die at this rate.”

“From overwork?”

“This isn’t the time to worry about overwork. What will you do if an outer god targets you directly? And if the Aether barrier breaks…!”

Rustila raised her voice, uncharacteristically.

“If the constellation is right, you’ll be the first to die when something happens. Eidel! I never, ever want to see you die. So don’t try to shoulder everything alone…”

She looked like she was about to cry. Maybe it was the alcohol. I was starting to feel melancholic too, caught up in the atmosphere. Though there was really no need for that.

Rustila went somewhere. A few minutes later, she returned, having changed into neat clothes. If her previous outfit had been bewitching, now she looked more pure.

“What are you trying to do?”

“I’ll make a contract.”

“Are you serious?”

Rustila looked up at Virgo. Her confident attitude seemed to confuse Virgo instead.

“You’re going to continue your research anyway, even if I try to stop you. So, I should protect you…”

“…Rustila.”

“To protect you, I need to become stronger.”

Something tickled deep in my chest, then rose like steam, creating a boiling sensation.

Honestly, I was moved. A little… no, very much.

“Eidel.”

She didn’t continue. Rustila lightly touched my shoulder and stood before Virgo.

After hesitating, Virgo finally bestowed the blessing of the stars with a willing expression.

The Milky Way floated around the living room. A spectacular aurora-like scene spread out like a sandy beach. Eventually, the starlight burrowed into Rustila’s embrace.

The contract was formed.

Rustila, clenching and unclenching her fists, let out a gasp. She breathed shallowly and raised the Milky Way in her hands. The flow of Aether was so vivid it was visible to the naked eye.

I was quite surprised. That was liquefied Aether in a hyperdense state. It was by no means a common phenomenon.

[“How unpleasant. To reach such a level after contracting with just one fragment. In a way, it’s interesting. Very interesting.”]

Even Cartesia had to comment on it.

“Eidel.”

Rustila turned around after completing the contract. She was smiling with the corners of her lips raised.

“Hurry up and write that paper.”

She was smiling through her tears.

***

In the end, the confession fizzled out. But I couldn’t say we’d returned to our previous relationship as mere acquaintances.

We’d confirmed each other’s feelings, even if we hadn’t spoken them aloud. The evidence manifested in two major ways.

First, Rustila followed me around constantly.

The ostensible reason was protection.

As long as it wasn’t for immoral reasons, meetings, conversations, contact—anything was fine. A light handshake wasn’t a problem.

“You two get along well.”

Professor Feynman chuckled as he passed by.

That’s right.

We were now in the college research lab.

The reason we were here even though the semester hadn’t started was obvious. For research. This is where the second piece of evidence emerged.

“I want to co-write the paper with you.”

When I heard those words, I thought my heart would burst.

Rustila’s statement was close to an indirect answer. I want to be with you longer. Since we couldn’t officially date, she used research as an excuse to stick with me.

“I’d like to be the second author on a paper where you’re the first author. Like last time.”

The second author is listed right next to the first author. And Rustila had the ability to be a second author. The constellation characteristics she possessed were useful in many ways.

“Want to write together again this time?”

“R-really? Is that okay?”

“It’ll finish faster that way, right?”

Rustila chuckled at my response.

“I’d like that.”

She meant she liked writing papers, not me. I absolutely, absolutely shouldn’t misunderstand.

[— The ‘Fragment of Purity’ is staring blankly.]

There’s such a thing as academic romance. Virgo twisted her body as she watched us cleverly exploit the loopholes in the contract.

As planned, the next research topic was crystals. The ones obtained from capturing outer gods from Darwin’s Legion. It was also where the Fragment of Purity had been imprisoned.

[“My other fragments will also be trapped in crystals.”]

“You don’t know the details?”

[“Normally, fragments should be able to communicate with each other, but they can’t. Some unknown shielding is blocking communication.”]

Rustila would need to collect three more fragments to fully utilize Virgo’s power. For the future, we needed to find and recover them as quickly as possible.

[“There are three main fragments. Sacrifice, Devotion, and Love. Gather them for me. Given the circumstances, they’re likely trapped in crystals throughout the southern region.”]

I recalled when I first made the resonator. I had used the crystal containing Virgo’s fragment.

I set an intermediate goal.

“You want to go to the southern region?”

The next day, I visited Professor Stranov. When I explained the situation, her expression darkened.

“We went there together before, Professor. We found the Virgo fragment there too, right?”

“That’s true. But now…”

Professor Stranov hesitated. She fiddled with her wedding ring or rubbed her lower abdomen as she swallowed.

“…Actually, we’ve recovered almost all the crystals from the planets inside. What you’re looking for is likely to be outside the Aether Belt.”

That was not good news.

The professor, not wanting to lose her graduate student, pleaded earnestly.

“Eidel, you must never go beyond the Aether Belt, no matter what. It’s like hell out there.”

“I won’t go.”

Stranov emphasized this point several more times. Of course, I repeatedly answered that I had no intention of going that far.

“Could you purchase some crystals for me instead?”

“That’s no problem.”

The next day, various crystals were delivered to the lab. I gathered senior graduate students and conducted a simple analysis.

“…Why are you supervising us?”

“The professor told me to.”

When I said that, the work proceeded magically fast.

They all had defects that made them unsuitable for resonator or trap research. As expected.

I needed to change their physical properties.

“Is it my turn now?”

Rustila stepped forward, rubbing her hands. With each breath she took, the lab air circulated with Aether. Liquid Aether formed droplets at her fingertips.

Rustila picked up a pink crystal and began to infuse it with Virgo’s unique wavelength.

“Nngh.”

It wasn’t easy.

Rustila failed dozens of times. Changing crystal properties was a new field. Even Virgo, who had been confident at first, showed signs of fatigue after repeatedly entering and exiting crystals.

[“…This is harder than I thought. I thought I could just go in and out once.”]

I pulled out a tissue and handed it to Rustila. She wiped her sweat and tried again.

She was still in the lab, not having left, by the time I returned from my winter session classes.

“You should take breaks… What’s this?”

The lab was stuffy. Failed stones were piled on the desk. Rustila was sitting in a chair, catching her breath. She didn’t look well.

[“Aether depletion.”]

Cartesia cackled and jeered.

[“Who told her to overexert herself like that? Youngster. I hope you don’t act so beyond your capacity. If you do, there’s no point in me sticking around here. You know? You should know your own strength… Damn it, what’s that?”]

At that moment, the Aether mist cleared.

Rustila took a deep breath and exhaled again. Her complexion, which had been pale, returned to normal.

It was a strange phenomenon.

Rustila looked at me and greeted me casually.

“Eidel, you’re back?”

“You… that was Aether depletion just now, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Rustila nodded as if it were nothing. I rubbed my forehead as I approached her.

“Why are you pushing yourself so hard?”

“I’m not.”

“You just said that was depletion!”

“It’s fine. It refills quickly.”

It was puzzling, but since Rustila said she was fine, I let it go for now. She immediately picked up another crystal.

“Oh, I’ve done this one. This one too. Ah, this one too…”

She was busily looking for crystals whose properties hadn’t been changed yet. There were none.

I tore open the delivery box. None there either.

“…Looks like we’ve used them all.”

We were in trouble.

***

Several more days passed. Eidel was diligently preparing for early graduation by taking winter session courses.

Meanwhile, Rustila came to the college early to research methods of placing appropriate amounts of Aether in the right configuration within crystals.

It was a tedious process, but rewarding.

Detailed control of spiritual power was an essential condition for becoming a high-level swordsman. While helping Eidel, she could also enhance her own capabilities. It was killing two birds with one stone.

However, the failures continued.

“I’ve ordered more crystals. 5 tons, they say. I felt bad asking the professor repeatedly, so I had Seti place the order.”

What might Seti be doing now?

What might her parents be doing?

All sorts of stray thoughts came to mind.

This wouldn’t do. She needed to focus.

“If it’s too hard, you can help again after the semester starts…”

“I-I’m fine.”

Eidel raised his hand to stop her, but that hand never touched Rustila’s shoulder.

– Once you start something, you should see it through. I find people who are persistent and never give up so admirable.

Those words Eidel had said that day came back like a curse.

A fact anyone might forget: Rustila’s first background star is Vega. Vega’s alternate name is the “God of Purity and Resolve.”

As befitting the star that first chose her, Rustila possessed definite resolve.

She would do it.

She would do it.

If it didn’t work, she would make it work.

And that was the moment.

“Ah…!”

The crystal, which had been a pale blue, turned white.

It was flawless and very neat. It felt harder than before when held, and slightly heavier.

Rustila clearly remembered the sensation she had just experienced.

She picked up another crystal from the same vein. And changed its properties using the same method.

It also turned white.

***

[Development of a New Production Method for Quantum Gravity Resonator Mirrors]

[Eidel von Rheinland, Rustila Kersil / Kallis Stranov]

Rustila collapsed onto the desk with a sense of liberation and exhaustion.

Her name was right next to Eidel’s. And everyone who read the paper would read them together.

Why did that alone give her such a thrilling sensation?

The weather was cold. Beads of sweat evaporated into the air, stealing heat and making her spine feel cool. Perhaps from overexertion, her body felt chilly as if she had caught a cold.

“Good job, Rustila.”

Eidel smiled and covered her with a blanket.

Virgo couldn’t say anything as she watched the two flirting. Everything was wholesome. There was nothing that violated the “restrictions.”

Well, what’s good is good.

And so, the new semester was approaching.