Ch.298Ph.D (3)

I don’t wish to become his wife. Even the Rheinland surname was too much for Ireh, who came from a frontier planet.

Instead, I thought I could remain as his office wife for life.

It made sense, since we shared the same field of study.

The job market for physics, especially particle theory, is narrow. Nine out of ten graduates must abandon hopes of working in their field. Most available positions are limited to professors or researchers.

That’s right.

If I could reach the upper echelons of the industry, I could continue to be with Eidel.

Discussing theories together, writing papers together.

Could there be a more wholesome and satisfying relationship?

I wouldn’t even need to worry about Zernya and Rustila. It was truly killing two birds with one stone.

“This way, please.”

After being guided to the table, I ordered from the menu. It was quite expensive, but Eidel told me to order whatever I wanted. After hesitating, I chose the cheapest option.

While waiting, I casually brought up a topic.

“Do you have your paper with you right now?”

“Of course I do. Why?”

“I’d like to ask you a few things.”

As expected, Eidel’s eyes sparkled like crystals when I said this.

“You’re welcome anytime. What are you curious about?”

“Nothing special, just wondering if my thoughts are correct.”

The topic Ireh brought up was about the Aether Belt.

If gravitons decay into aether and pron, then according to conservation of momentum, the two particles must move in opposite directions.

If so, when gravitons in a certain space all decay simultaneously, one particle should gather outward while the other should gather inward.

Assuming that prons concentrate in the galactic core and aether in the outer galaxy, this would explain the current aether-pron distribution in the Federation galaxy.

“That’s a sharp deduction.”

Eidel smiled after hearing my argument.

“This theory certainly explains perfectly why outer gods inhabit black holes and why the Aether Belt exists.”

That’s not all.

By simultaneously applying the CP violation phenomenon, we could also prove why pron levels are high in border zones.

“This essentially solves a series of cosmological challenges that have remained unsolved until now.”

Ireh felt a thrill at Eidel’s affirmation. It was the sense of achievement from having her deductions confirmed.

“I think we could publish another paper with this.”

“Then you should do it right away. Before someone else takes it!”

“Yes, but this isn’t something I should do.”

Eidel pointed at Ireh.

“Ireh, you should make this your first thesis topic when you enter graduate school.”

“Me…? You’re not going to do it?”

“It’s an interesting topic, but it’s far removed from graviton bomb development. I can produce achievements in other areas, so I’ll leave this part to you. It will definitely help your career.”

I’ll leave it to you.

It will help your career.

Eidel’s words pointed to a single possibility.

“…del.”

“Yes?”

“Do you really think you can get a professorship by next year?”

Tap, tap, Eidel drummed his fingers on the table and shifted his gaze.

“I have to make it happen somehow.”

“I really hope you do. That’s the only way I can… work under you.”

“…”

“Why are you looking at me like that? You promised before.”

“No… it just feels new somehow.”

Eidel’s face brightened. He poured wine into a glass and declared confidently.

“I will definitely secure the position next year. I’ll take full responsibility for bringing you along, Ireh. So don’t worry.”

“…Okay.”

Taking full responsibility for me—could there be any happier words?

Thinking about this, I couldn’t help but laugh. Somehow, I seemed to be becoming more like Eidel.

“Your order is ready.”

“Thank you. Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

“Many things. The second one is…”

The heated discussion continued until the end of the meal.

This was enough for me. Being able to talk with Eidel without interference from other women, laughing together, and feeling strong satisfaction and happiness.

It wasn’t a lie; it really was like that. Ireh believed this was the perfect position for her.

However, she was overlooking one fact.

She wasn’t the only woman by Eidel’s side right now.

[— Warning: The God of Wisdom and Curiosity shows discomfort toward you.]

[— The God of Wisdom and Curiosity uses <Faint> on the God of Patience and Integrity.]

[— Pron resistance weakened (+50%), additional mental damage (+25%) from Descartes’ Forces attacks.]

“Ugh!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Suddenly, my head…”

In the middle of cutting meat, my vision blurred. It felt like my mind was thrown across the galaxy while my body remained here.

Ireh’s consciousness, wandering like a sailboat in a distant world, momentarily touched a space and then broke away.

[“Insolent woman.”]

A warning voice pierced my ear.

Ireh pressed her temples firmly against the stabbing, aching pain.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah… just a moment.”

Fortunately, the pain subsided quickly.

Ireh organized her thoughts. The outer god that had just attacked her was the God of Wisdom and Curiosity, Cartesia.

Strange. Even though it was an outer god, Cartesia had been a neutral entity that never caused significant harm to humanity in any iteration.

Why would such a being suddenly harm her like this?

Ireh could only wonder about this unprovoked attack.

***

[“Our mental bodies are made of massive prons. That’s why we’re vulnerable to aether. Just like you humans are vulnerable to antimatter.”]

Why? Cartesia had suddenly become more talkative.

Unlike usual, Cartesia was specifically pointing out the weaknesses of its own kind. This was practically revealing classified information.

There was so much new information that I had to concentrate. She raised her voice, changing her intonation.

[“Use this information for creating that weapon. It will surely yield interesting results.”]

I couldn’t understand the constant information sharing. Was she asking to be killed quickly since I had earned my doctorate and had sufficient ability?

Even so, I was worried. Even if I made a graviton bomb, I wasn’t sure if I could fire it at Cartesia.

We’ve been together for five years already. That’s more than enough time to form an attachment. It would be right to part ways for humanity’s safety, but well, I’m not sure.

“Phew.”

“Are you still dizzy?”

“I told you I’m fine.”

I supported Ireh as we left the restaurant. She kept staggering, making me think that all her accumulated fatigue had hit her at once.

After letting Ireh rest on a bench, I received a call from Seti.

[Hey, did you get it?]

“…I did. From now on, call me Doctor.”

[Oh, Doctor.]

I heard chuckling over the phone.

[Is this really the same rascal Eidel I knew? You’ve changed so much. You really never know where life will take you.]

“By the way, did you make the Sonia dummy?”

[Somehow. I made it identical in every detail, so absolutely no one will notice. I’ll send it to you soon, so give it to the government people when they arrive.]

After this, Seti and I discussed various things. Most were about money and degrees. Seti also asked for academic advice.

Apparently, some professors were trying to persuade him, suggesting that a master’s degree would be enough.

So I advised him to go for a doctorate.

I’m a good brother.

After hanging up, I checked on Ireh’s condition.

“Are you still feeling queasy? Should we go to the hospital?”

“I’m much better now. I’m fine. I don’t think we need to go to the hospital.”

“That’s good. Let’s buy a headache pill just in case. And you don’t have to do the maid cosplay anymore.”

“…Right.”

After giving Ireh a headache pill, I laid her down on the lab’s cot. She said she was fine, but resting well at times like this prevents major illness.

[— ‘Surging Rage’ wants to talk to you.]

Ah, this one again.

Surging Rage, also known as Iron Fortress Sturm.

Since capturing the Saint, Sturm had been trying to contact me more frequently. Of course, I didn’t accept.

[— The God of Wisdom and Curiosity blocks external messages.]

When one outer god already occupies your mind, no other outer god’s irregular polyhedron can form without the resident god’s permission.

Therefore, it’s difficult to have a conversation. Dual contracts are also impossible without the territorial outer god’s permission.

In such cases, outer gods sometimes dispatch avatar bodies.

“Hello?”

Just like now.

My head turned at the mechanical, alien voice. A girl was sitting by the window with her legs crossed.

She had an overall dark, rigid appearance. She wore a flagpole on her back and held trumpets in both hands. Her impression was like steel.

“You’ve been ignoring my messages, so I came to find you in person!”

The girl smiled brightly and raised her trumpet.

Toot toot toot.

With each floating musical note, the girl’s form leaped. From the window to inside the lab. From inside the lab right in front of me.

She had stopped time and teleported.

A chill ran down my spine.

“…Matonica.”

“Oh? You know my name?”

Of course I do.

This one is a named entity. An avatar body that fought on par with Phosphorus, who burned Sonia. A terrifying monster that manipulates time through sound.

“Just as Lord Sturm said~! You recognized me immediately and even knew my name. You know that’s impossible through causality.”

Matonica approached me, slithering.

Click.

Ireh, who had suddenly risen, pointed her gun at the avatar.

“…Get away from Eidel right now.”

“Whoa, whoa, calm down. I didn’t come to fight. Just to talk for a moment.”

Matonica is strong. She’s on a completely different level from those who fall with a single slash from an Omega-class swordsman. Realistically, we’d lose in a direct confrontation.

The only fortunate thing is that, unlike Darwin’s forces, Maxwell’s forces can be negotiated with.

But conversely:

“Just because it’s not beneficial to your kind doesn’t mean you have to be hostile. Aren’t we all part of nature? Let’s respect each other and resolve this through dialogue.”

They specialize in behind-the-scenes manipulation and betrayal.

I quickly organized my thoughts.

Fighting here means losing.

No, before losing, the lab would be destroyed. I’d rather become impotent for life than see my lab destroyed.

So dialogue was the only answer.

“What do you want?”

“I just told you, didn’t I? Our Lord Sturm personally sent you messages, but you didn’t respond. Is it because of that half-baked moron parasitizing your head?”

“Half-baked moron?”

“Cartesia, of course~!”

Matonica changed her expression. Her tone dropped significantly.

“The woman abandoned even by her own kind.”

“Sorry, but my patron is not a half-baked moron. Could you stop this pointless provocation and get to the point?”

“My, my, listen to how harshly you speak.”

Starting a conversation with slander—this is why Maxwell’s forces are difficult to deal with. You need to stay more alert than with Darwin’s forces.

“Anyway, prepare to receive Lord Sturm. You took the human we were raising, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“The Saint, I mean the Saint.”

“The Saint? Ah… that terrorist? I couldn’t understand because you called her something different. So I can assume you were the ones interfering with my research?”

“Look at you talking back.”

Matonica snorted.

“Let me clarify the proposal. First, have a conversation with our Holy One, along with the woman behind you. Then return the Saint to the Manus planetary system.”

“And if I refuse?”

“A terrible calamity will befall you.”

Tooooot.

As Matonica blew her trumpet, her figure vanished.

I remained seated and sighed.

Calamity, she says.

I’ve already endured all sorts of hardships. I didn’t know what would happen, but I was confident I could withstand anything.

I informed Sonia and Rustila of this before trouble arose. And under their protection, I waited near a military base for my degree certificate to be issued.

However, even after half a year, I never reached my graduation ceremony.

“…Time.”

It was being rewound at regular intervals.