Ch.338Setting Up a Laboratory (4)

# Northern Laniakea Planetary System.

In the capital, the center of politics, arguments were breaking out almost daily.

If one had to pick the number one battleground, it would undoubtedly be the Central Assembly.

“You’re going to pour thousands of trillions into research? Are you insane?”

“You crazy bastards! Last time you said it would be limited to a hundred trillion at most!”

“Do you have money to burn? If that’s the case, shouldn’t you first consider increasing support funds for foreign disaster victims?”

Eastern Union Party members unanimously condemned the government’s unilateral passage of the bill. Other parties, including the Western Republican Party, joined in, raising their voices.

“If you pour all the budget into gravity bombs or whatever, how are we supposed to address people’s livelihoods?”

“Respected citizens, look at what the country is doing! The state is trying to abandon you!”

“Don’t you even know what should come first, you who were elected by the people’s votes? You ignorant fools!”

Rumors spread that the government had traded people’s livelihoods for research funds. Support for the administration in the western and eastern regions began to plummet sharply.

And the government’s response was as follows:

– Regrettable.

One day later. The Federal President and Prime Minister’s Office proceeded to appoint Eidel von Rheinland as the chief director of the Gravity Bomb Project.

Additionally, as the government budget allocation was passed with the consent of the majority Federal Party and National Defense Party, the assembly transformed into a scene of chaos.

“We condemn the government’s unilateral decision!”

“Overthrow the dictatorial regime!”

“Resign!”

“You should resign first!”

“Hey, just impeach them all!”

“Do you think impeachment is child’s play?”

“Huh, what? Pull that guy out! Pull him out now!”

The people’s assembly.

An assembly where democracy flies around like dandelion seeds.

An assembly where eggs and tomatoes are thrown, and members one after another use martial arts techniques, proudly coming out as martial artists!

Today too, the assembly was peaceful.

***

[Please stop the gravity bomb research.]

[Crazy bastard]

[Enjoying sucking up taxpayers’ money for your research? Are you enjoying it, you son of a bitch?]

[Reply. Or you’re dead.]

[Research lab contact inquiry]

[Rheinland<<<<<historically overrated family]

[(Blocked message)]

I finally became the chief director of the Gravity Bomb Research Team. The aftermath was considerable. My inbox was a mess.

[Subject: Research Lab Contact Inquiry]

[I want to blow up your lab, Professor. Can I visit?]

“Heh heh.”

To trample on my pure heart like this. How cruel.

“Sonia.”

“Yes, young master.”

“You manage my inbox for a while. Gather all those who cross the line and hand them over to Kristin.”

“You mean Kristin Heresset? Your academy classmate and one of Mezulen’s closest friends.”

“That’s right.”

Kristin became a lawyer as in the original story. Somehow we lost touch, but she’s still working hard behind the scenes. This time, I plan to handle things with her help.

“No leniency?”

“Process them according to the law.”

“You’re going to get cursed at a lot. They’ll say you’re suing ordinary citizens and taking what little money they have.”

“If they don’t have money, they shouldn’t have sent emails like this. Right?”

I tapped the screen and laughed.

“And what’s wrong with getting cursed at a bit? They’re volunteering to provide research funds. Do you think I’d just sit here with a sour face looking at the people who sent these?”

“I suppose not. You seem to be enjoying it, actually.”

“Tell them to send more. The more people attack me, the sooner the research will be completed.”

Sonia broke into a silent laugh. Originally, she had been quite angry after opening my inbox. Her face looked prettier now that her frown had disappeared.

“As expected, young master, your way of thinking is different. I admire that.”

“Anyway, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes, I’ll extract as much as I can from them.”

While Sonia handled that matter, I went back and forth between the government and corporations. It was to finalize the construction date for the gravity cannon.

The government had approved, and most corporations had also given the OK sign. The corporations unanimously stated that they sensed something ominous in the recent attacks by foreign gods.

Therefore, there was no disagreement about the production itself. The momentum was on my side.

“Chairman Stranov, I look forward to working with you.”

“Likewise, I look forward to working with you.”

I finished my conversation with Bell Stranov, the chairman of Megacorp Stronium.

“So I should prioritize investment in Iryuel Academy?”

“Yes. We’re going to build four gravity cannons in total. I’ll entrust the production and protection of the western turret to Stronium.”

“What about the other three?”

“I’ll directly oversee the southern turret, the government will handle the northern one, and the Leblen family will support the eastern one.”

Chairman Stranov nodded.

“It sounds like you’re planning to use the Rheinland family fortune.”

“I have to. If it can shorten the time.”

“I appreciate your sincerity. We’ll also need to move more diligently.”

After saying goodbye to Chairman Stranov, I returned to the south.

Sonia, who should have been on standby in the professor’s office, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was a post-it note stuck to the desk.

[Going on a business trip to the Heresset family. – (ㆆㅅㆆ)b]

It seems she’s already gone to handle the matter. That’s Sonia for you. So quick.

The next moment, I had a realization.

“Ah, but this is a problem.”

“Why?”

“I was supposed to meet Seti next.”

Ireh tilted her head.

“What’s the problem?”

“Seti is at the Rheinland main residence now. She said she’s busy with management, so if I want to see her, I should come home. So I need to go home, but…”

Since the day Ireh and I were kicked out, I hadn’t returned home. I was extremely busy with work, and above all, I didn’t have the face to see my wives.

It would be better if I could go alone, but that wasn’t possible either.

In the week since becoming the chief director of the Gravity Bomb project, there had been three assassination attempts.

Rustila, Sonia, Ireh. To avoid dying like a dog, I had to stay with at least one of them at all times.

And right now, only one of them was by my side.

“…Sister.”

“Ah.”

Ireh stammered.

“I-it should be fine, right? It’s a weekday so Rustila and Zernya won’t be there, and if we sneak in and out…”

“Sister?”

“…Huh?”

Ireh’s complexion turned deathly pale. Then it quickly turned as red as a ripe persimmon.

“W-wait. That’s not what I meant!”

“Sister.”

“Really! Believe me!”

Ireh’s voice echoed louder and louder through the office, then gradually faded. Ireh slumped like a dried squid.

“There’s no other way. Let’s go.”

Back home after a long time.

***

At the Rheinland main residence, there was no one except Seti and a few androids. Both wives seemed to have gone out to work.

I met with Seti and told her the truth.

“You might squander the family fortune?”

“Maybe?”

“What do you mean maybe? Do you want to die?”

Seti raised her fist. Her threatening ‘I’ll crush you!’ pose looked pathetic rather than intimidating.

“Seti, I’m the head of the Rheinland family.”

“You may be the head, but I manage the money. And that fortune isn’t even something you accumulated.”

“Little sister.”

“What.”

“I’ve done some things, you know. Can’t you help me out properly in the name of saving the world?”

Seti remained silent for a long time. At that moment, a constellation holding scales and currency appeared above her head.

“It might be better to become a beggar… than for the universe to disappear…”

“Leti, just stay still for a moment.”

“…But, destruction is certain.”

Seti slapped her knee.

“I still have a bright future ahead. But I think Laplace and other foreign gods will all come before I die. Money or cryptocurrency probably won’t mean much then…”

Physical assets, physical assets. Real assets. Seti muttered repeatedly.

“You said you persuaded Stronium?”

“Yeah.”

“Let me hear the logic you used to persuade that conglomerate.”

I made a V-sign with my fingers.

“There are two reasons why companies should invest in this research. First, when Laplace arrives, without the gravity bomb, the destruction of the universe is certain. Second, the technology to fire gravity bombs is equivalent to the technology to obtain energy from black holes.”

“I understand the first point. Explain the second one in detail.”

“You know about nuclear fusion, right?”

“Who do you think I am, an idiot? It’s the method of generating energy by merging atomic nuclei, right? It’s environmentally friendly and also the source of power for constellations.”

“I’m suggesting we apply the same principle to foreign gods.”

I drew a rough diagram on the electronic board. Creating a tiny black hole with a particle accelerator and fusing it with another in a very short time to create a larger black hole.

When two black holes meet, mass defect occurs, and the defected mass is converted into energy.

“Mathematically, it’s an almost complete theory. We just couldn’t do it until now because of technological limitations.”

“That alone doesn’t seem worth investing in. Wouldn’t creating black holes with particle accelerators consume more electricity?”

“Even considering that, the yield is high. I told you, the theory has been developed for a long time.”

“Hmm.”

Seti let out a high-pitched hum.

“High risk, high return. If we fail, we lose all the money and face destruction by foreign gods. If we succeed, we defeat the foreign gods, achieve world peace, and gain even more wealth than we have now… Well, I’ve made my decision.”

Seti sat back down and clapped her hands.

“What the heck, I’ll bet everything on you, brother.”

“Phew.”

“First, make a prototype or mockup. Check how much it costs and give me an estimate. If it’s within a level I can handle, I might provide more support.”

“Really?”

“Do I look like someone who’s been fooled all her life?”

Seti ruffled my hair and giggled.

With this, I had secured about 80% of the funding. The next thing I needed was manpower.

Not just the physics department, but professors from the natural sciences and engineering departments, graduate students under them, and researchers from national research institutes were all at my disposal.

There shouldn’t be a shortage of manpower.

But still.

It would be disappointing if the friends who played major roles in the previous cycle were missing.

Research funds include personnel expenses, and personnel expenses reflect a person’s public value.

And I knew three protagonists who could be employed cheaply.

“Sister, I need to make some calls. It might take a while, so would you mind waiting in the living room?”

“Oh, okay.”

Ireh sat on the living room sofa. I went into the bedroom where Cartesia was. Dozens of tentacles wrapped around me.

[— The ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ is curious about what has been happening.]

“Youngster.”

“Sorry, but let’s talk after I finish this work.”

“Is it important?”

“It’s related to the gravity bomb.”

“Well, I guess it can’t be helped then.”

I immediately sent a message.

[Group Chat]

[‘Eidel’ has invited ‘Welton’, ‘Mathers’, ‘Mezulen’.]

[Welton: ?]

[Welton: What’s this?]