Ch.324I’ll Become a Professor (2)

I’ll organize the situation.

I asked Ireh to wait while I worked on other research.

And Ireh wrote a paper in just 2-3 weeks.

What’s going on?

Was Ireh always this brilliant?

Or has she been secretly researching on her own for a long time?

“Huh, huuh.”

No matter how deeply I think about it, the result remains the same.

That’s right.

I’ve been scooped.

“…Phew.”

I take a deep breath.

Calm down. Even if I’ve lost time, it’s only about two weeks at most. When you get scooped, you typically lose a year without breaking a sweat.

“Ha, look at this woman?”

“Cartesia, there’s no need to get so angry.”

“You don’t understand, youngster. What that woman is after is…”

“I can just write another paper.”

Cartesia paused.

“Ahem, ahem, that’s right, youngster. Even if we lost the first move, the time you and I spent discussing isn’t going anywhere.”

Cartesia, who had been circling around, gently landed on my lap. Naturally, I ended up supporting her knees and back. A princess carry position.

“Now, youngster. What shall we do next?”

“We’ve pretty much finished all the theoretical research. For now, we can only wait for the government to contact us.”

No sooner had I spoken than my mailbox vibrated.

It was an electronic document stamped with the official government mark.

[To Dr. Rheinland.]

[After reviewing the design blueprints you sent, the Ministry of Science and Technology has determined that they are worth considering as a national project.]

“It worked.”

“What did?”

“The graviton bomb design blueprints I worked on with Ireh before. They passed. There might be some issues, but this gives us hope… Cartesia?”

Cartesia’s eyes turned menacing.

“How dare.”

She thumped my head with her tentacles.

“I was the one who taught you the basic design, so why are you sharing the credit with that woman?”

The weight behind her tentacles was considerable. It hurts.

“That black-haired girl, I don’t like her. I should dip her in nitric acid.”

“Don’t do that.”

Dealing with her grumbling was a job in itself.

Just then, new emails arrived.

Two this time.

One from Ireh, the other from the Physics Department at Stellarium Academy.

After debating which to open first, I clicked on the email from the Physics Department.

[Notice to Dr. Eidel von Rheinland.]

[We plan to hire a new full-time faculty member (Assistant Professor) for our Physics Department this year. The recruitment field is cosmology and high-energy physics. If you are interested, please apply. Thank you.]

“Oh, youngster. Are you finally going to become a professor or something?”

I’m trembling.

To think that I, who was kidnapped when receiving my doctorate, could now challenge for a professorship in this world.

It was then that two more emails arrived.

Ding!

Ding!

[From Callisto Academy to Dr. Rheinland.]

[Notice of New Faculty Recruitment at Iryuel Academy]

The timing is perfect.

Three physics professor positions available in one year.

“Youngster?”

Tears blur my vision.

“Why are you suddenly crying? Are you crazy?”

“Is this heaven…?”

I told you, Senior Lee Taeyeon. There are worlds where you can make a living specializing in particle theory.

“Resume, CV… I need to prepare them now.”

I had completely forgotten to update them all this time.

Even so, since it’s a faculty appointment, the competition will be fierce. To beat them and be called “Professor,” I would need to scrape together all my research, existing and non-existing, for my resume.

In that sense, being scooped by Ireh on the folding theory was quite regrettable.

“Ah, right. Ireh.”

I finally checked her email. My reply was already 20 minutes late because I was reading the recruitment notices.

[Eidel, can we meet now?]

I hurriedly sent a reply.

[I’m sorry. It seems difficult today.]

It takes a lot of time to gather career history, supporting documents, and other materials for a resume. If I don’t start moving now, it will be harder later.

Cartesia raised the corner of her mouth.

“Kuk kuk.”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Nothing. It’s just funny.”

Cartesia, nestled in my arms, tilted her head and arched her eyebrows.

“Let’s see you struggle a bit.”

***

I waited 20 minutes after sending the email.

And the reply I received was:

[I’m sorry. It seems difficult today.]

Crack, Ireh bit her fingernails.

All kinds of thoughts ran through her mind.

She had successfully published a paper the day before yesterday that she had been working on for some time. It was smooth sailing thanks to Professor Feynman’s help.

So far, so good.

The problem was now.

There’s no way that Eidel, who used to read papers even during meals at Alcatraz Prison, wouldn’t have noticed her published paper.

Therefore, in Ireh’s eyes, Eidel’s reply looked like this:

[I don’t want to see the face of someone who stole my research.]

Her heart sank.

‘No, that can’t be it.’

Ireh knew that Eidel had only recently started researching the same theory as her.

Even so, it was just 2 weeks.

So it wasn’t that severe of a scoop.

“He just didn’t see it. He must have something else going on.”

Trying to deny it, she scanned her mailbox.

Quite a few physicists had sent her notes.

I read your recent paper well, I know you’re graduating from college soon as a junior, how about joining our lab, this and that part could have been refined better, looking forward to your future, and so on.

Most were fishing lines cast by professors wanting graduate students.

None of that mattered.

She didn’t want to bite unless the bait was thrown by Eidel von Rheinland.

[“You’ve been thoroughly influenced by that Rheinland fellow.”]

The background voice, Altair, clicked his tongue.

“Now… what should I do?”

[“Send another email. Ask when he might have time.”]

She did as Altair suggested. But this time, there was no reply even after an hour.

Ding!

Ireh, who had been sucking her fingers, buried her face in the monitor.

[I’m not sure. At least for the time being, it’s difficult.]

Difficult for the time being.

Perhaps, from now on, forever, for life, it seemed like he was saying it would be difficult.

And understandably so. Not just from another lab, but from the same research lab, she had picked the same research topic and completed the paper first without proper communication.

An attitude that a collaborative researcher should never have.

She had been inconsiderate.

“Ah, haha. Ahahaha.”

She thought he would be pleased with her growth. She expected it would appeal to him. She believed she could annoy Cartesia and reclaim her position as Eidel’s first research partner.

But.

All she got in return was a short reply.

She had been shortsighted.

“Ah, haha, hahahaha, aaaaargh!”

What have I done?

***

Things suddenly got busy as I prepared simultaneously for the professor appointment and discussions with the government for the production of the graviton bomb. Somehow, except for the honeymoon, there hasn’t been a single moment to rest.

Nevertheless.

[Me: Have you eaten?]

I’m still in touch with my wives from time to time.

[Rusti: Yes]

[Zernya: Not yet]

[Zernya: Another patient came in so I hav]

Creating a group chat and reporting to each other has become part of our routine. Since I can’t see my wives often, this is the only way to express affection.

Also, since both my wives work as a soldier and a doctor, they couldn’t take care of the child. Naturally, childcare became the responsibility of me, Sonia, and the other androids.

“Uttaya.”

“Tattaya.”

“Lucia, no. Daddy is going to be a professor at Stellarium.”

If I’m going to be a professor, my alma mater, where Professor Feynman and Ireh are, is the best choice. Of course, if I get rejected, I’ll have to bow and go to another academy.

Stellarium, Callisto, Iryuel.

I prepared my resume and submitted it to these three places first.

The procedure for recruiting full-time faculty members at universities, including Stellarium, is largely classified into three categories.

Document screening.

Evaluation of research achievements and teaching ability.

And interview evaluation.

Private institutions might have separate interviews with the foundation, but all three academies are direct institutions under the Federal Department of Education. So, pass.

[Applicant statistics.]

Stellarium Physics Department.

Number of full-time faculty members to be hired: 1.

Applicants: 56.

Competition ratio: 56 to 1.

I’m going crazy. All fifty-six people here are likely to have basic doctoral degrees and outstanding research achievements. Of course, since it’s an assistant professor appointment, they’re all probably fresh PhDs.

Anyway, it’s clear there are no dummy applicants.

Senior Lee Taeyeon, you might have been right. The job market for particle theory is incredibly narrow…

It was then that a new email arrived.

Ding!

[Eidel, can we meet today?]

It was Ireh.

I’m sorry, but I have to decline today as well.

[I need to be on a business trip to the north for the entire week. I’m sorry, I won’t be able to meet this week either.]

Ding, an immediate reply.

[Hey, did you see my paper?]

Ireh’s paper, huh.

Of course, I devoured every corner of it.

It was delicious.

[You wrote it well. Honestly, I was surprised. You accomplished this much on your own while I wasn’t aware. I wish you the best for your next research.]

Although it feels like the paper I was working on was stolen, conversely, it means that Ireh and I are researching exactly the same field, and that we have something in common as researchers.

Even if something were to happen to me, she would be perfect to take over.

Thinking that way, this paper also looks lovely.

I kissed Ireh’s freshly printed paper.

“Yoohoo.”

“This youngster is at it again.”

“Try to match my current mood.”

“I don’t need to peek into your mind to know. You’re desperate to make that black-haired girl your slave, aren’t you? How wicked.”

“Hey, not a slave. A graduate student.”

“Same difference.”

I won’t let Ireh go to any other professor.

I will become a professor and take her as my student.

I boarded the shuttle heading north with Ireh’s paper in hand, hoping that her theory would solve the critical point issues previously identified in the graviton bomb design.