Ch.44Oh, yeah, it’s you, Oppa (1)

[The Development of Graviton Bombs is classified into four major stages.]

[1. Discovery of Gravitons]

[2. Understanding Gravitational Field-Aether Theory]

[3. Manufacturing Containers and Specialized Detonators for the Bomb]

[4. Test Launch]

Reading a paper written by a foreign god. It feels different.

Still, it’s written in an easy-to-understand way. Should I say this is fitting for the God of Wisdom and Curiosity?

[— The ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ feels pleased with your assessment.]

Anyway.

[The first stage is the discovery of gravitons.]

A difficult topic from the start.

In an era where warp technology has been commercialized. Even in such an era, gravitons have not been discovered.

In an age of advanced space civilization, one might ask: why haven’t physicists discovered gravitons yet?

To put it simply, there’s no money for it.

The cost of running a particle accelerator once could provide three meals a day to children in Africa.

And when they discovered the Higgs particle, only science freaks were excited about it.

They say it’s useless once discovered! That it just eats up a ton of money!

This is the hardship faced by those in basic science.

[There’s a tip for discovering gravitons. It’s to deposit ‘Black Spheres’ onto experimental equipment.]

[‘Black Spheres’ are monster eggs created by a foreign god of Maxwell’s Forces. They’re black and round.]

[They have the property of accelerating supersymmetric particles. Design your accelerator with this property in mind. You’ll be able to save costs.]

“Oh…”

I inwardly rejoiced.

The monster we encountered belongs to Maxwell.

In other words, some foreign god from Maxwell is aiming to infiltrate Stellarium.

Black Spheres are probably scattered all over the planet.

That’s actually good.

Let’s turn this crisis into an opportunity.

Let’s find all the Black Spheres before they “hatch” and turn them into unfertilized eggs.

But how do I find them?

[Notice: Use Wisdom’s Calipers to find them]

Come to think of it, I have the calipers.

Cartesia’s calipers have two functions.

One is combat.

The other is measurement.

The target of measurement is up to me.

[Measurement Target: Black Sphere / Measured Distance: 8.23m]

I didn’t expect much when I set it, but there was one nearby.

The area in front of the cave is a barren field.

I turned my head to look behind.

“What’s inside the cave?” Zernya asked.

“Seems like something.”

The inside of the cave, extending deep like a snake’s stomach, was so dark that I couldn’t see an inch ahead.

I need something like a torch.

No choice.

I used the calipers as a metal skewer and stirred the bonfire. A burning tumbleweed got caught on the blade of the calipers. I rolled it up like cotton candy.

“What are you doing?”

“Fireball.”

[“…?”]

[— The ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ is greatly perplexed.]

I discovered another new function of the calipers.

Perfect as a torch.

[— The ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ wails in despair.]

Cartesia, the calipers you gave me are awesome.

Though the material is clearly metal, the handle part wasn’t hot, suggesting low thermal conductivity. With a satisfied smile, I stepped into the cave. The curious Lieutenant Zernya followed me.

I walked, holding the torch to drive away the darkness.

[Measured Distance: 1.34m]

I can see it.

In the darkness, there was a sphere that ‘shone’ darker than the darkness itself.

Should I say it’s like a snow-white black hole?

For a moment, I was curious about the composition of that object, but I soon shook my head.

Condensed matter isn’t my specialty. It wasn’t an urgent research topic either.

Let’s have another friend research this in graduate school later.

Yes, that’s good. That’s division of labor.

I took one more step forward, and only then was I convinced that the fist-sized gem before my eyes was a Black Sphere.

Lucky me.

I picked up the Black Sphere that was tucked away in a corner and showed it to Zernya.

“What is it? A black pearl? It’s pretty.”

“Don’t touch it.”

I quickly pulled it back before Zernya’s hand could reach it. She almost got consumed by madness.

“How stingy.”

Zernya clicked her tongue. Tsk.

Come to think of it, Zernya has a setting where she collects jewelry and rare colored stones.

As expected of a noble family’s daughter, she goes crazy for gems.

“Hey, shine the torch over here.”

Zernya ordered me. She looked around the cave floor, searching for other black pearls.

“…There’s none.”

Unfortunately, what I got was all there was.

Zernya clicked her tongue again.

The reason Zernya contracted with a foreign god was because of this hobby. How could she resist something shiny and fascinating?

Wait a minute.

Maybe I can use this personality trait to draw her in as an ally.

“It’s not like it’ll wear out, right? Just let me see it.”

“Want to touch it?”

“Are your ears broken?”

She frowned and looked up at me.

If I use the calipers here, I can get the following results:

Figure 1. Zernya’s height: 155cm.

Figure 2. Eidel’s height: 180cm.

Figure 3. Height at which Eidel is holding the black pearl: about 175cm.

“…”

Zernya used ‘Hug Me’!

Standing on her tiptoes, Zernya stretched her hands in various directions. Her struggling appearance was quite cute.

Soon, the child Zernya, frustrated by the height difference, drooped her shoulders and returned to her spot.

“Fine. What am I doing?”

I timed my provocation perfectly.

“If you beat me in the midterm, I’ll give it to you.”

Whip, Zernya turned back. Her eyes were sparkling like a burning comet.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“No backing out.”

Zernya smiled slyly. I bit my lip desperately to hold back my laughter.

Meanwhile, Rustila had been making strange moans with her legs together and her head buried since earlier.

“Ughhhh…”

What’s wrong with her now?

I wanted to understand her psychological state, but unfortunately, I had no Pron left. I’m broke after paying the paper viewing fee.

“…Hmm.”

Zernya, who had been glancing at Rustila, leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

Yes, they must both be tired.

Let’s let them rest a bit.

We can’t go out through the storm anyway. I’ve lost my electronic devices, so I can’t contact the school.

I feel sorry for my sister who’s waiting, but it seems we’ll have to sleep here tonight.

“Hey.”

“What?”

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

Ah, right.

Of course, I’m not sleeping.

I have to read the paper.

***

Zernya, staring at the blazing bonfire, bit her lip.

Thump, thump, thump.

Her heartbeat was distinctly audible.

She had been like this since waking up in the cave until now.

Hypothermia? Arrhythmia?

It could also be simple palpitations or pulsatile tinnitus.

Why would she, who exercises diligently and eats three meals a day, have such symptoms?

Even with all her medical knowledge, she couldn’t figure it out.

Zernya suddenly looked at Eidel.

Eidel, finding something amusing, would occasionally smile eerily or chuckle while staring into space.

She thought he was just crazy.

But he was the top student.

A rival she must surpass.

Come to think of it, maybe her heart was pounding because of him.

Yes, it’s inferiority.

Because Eidel is the top student. Because she’s the second.

She couldn’t easily accept that fact, so she was angry and couldn’t stand it.

‘He said he’d give me that black pearl if I win in the midterm.’

Zernya, who loved jewelry, had a deep knowledge of minerals, even earning a Jewelry Master certification.

The black pearl Eidel picked up clearly had immense value.

It would feel great to add it to her collection.

‘I will definitely win.’

The corners of Zernya’s mouth curved into a smile.

***

What’s important is the mindset to continue even when broken. The teachers diligently carried out their duties despite their mental strain.

They tallied the deceased and searched for the missing.

Around 10 PM, abnormal weather occurred. Heavy rain poured all night.

They launched rockets with gas to reduce rainfall, but it wasn’t enough.

“It’s the work of a foreign god. It’s the work of a foreign god…”

Seti muttered.

Kendra, the homeroom teacher, gently placed her hand on Seti’s shoulder and said:

“Seti, it’ll be alright.”

“Teacher…”

“It hasn’t even been a day yet. I’m sure they’re all alive.”

A life born from a contract marriage. No one loved her, no one was friendly to her.

Seti didn’t want to lose her friend Rustila, whom she had gained amidst all this.

Moreover, the same went for Eidel.

Most of the old grudges had been washed away. She wanted to remember the kindness of the recent months rather than the hatred of the past few years.

The thought of losing such a brother was terrifying.

“I report. We found strangely damaged forest traces from the aforementioned clearing where the monster appeared to about 1km in the north-northwest direction.”

Kendra stood up abruptly and asked:

“Is it the path the monster took?”

“The path itself was heavily damaged due to the sudden downpour, but based on the testimonies of students and inspectors, it’s almost certain.”

“Are you searching?”

“Yes. There was a cliff about 50 meters high at the end. Due to thick fog and the risk of landslides, we couldn’t dare go down, but… instead, we found this.”

The search team member pulled out a Plasma Sword covered in dirt and moss.

“Ah…”

Seti’s pupils trembled finely.

“Upon investigation, Rustila Kersil’s Aether reaction was detected.”

Seti slid off the chair.

“Seti? Seti! Don’t faint! Excuse me, couldn’t you see what was below the cliff? Like a lake or something?”

“The visibility was very poor due to the heavy rain. It seems impossible to explore below the cliff unless the rain stops or better equipment is used.”

Impossible.

Seti’s most hated word.

If something is impossible, shouldn’t one make it possible?

The rescue worker’s businesslike tone, without any emotional fluctuation, felt detestable.

“Sister, brother…”

Rustila. She had followed her since childhood. She likes her.

Eidel. She had just, just started to like him again.

So please, come back.

Time passes. The rain gradually thins. The team launches three helicopters.

As dawn breaks, the waiting room is empty. Seti rubbed her face, curled up, sighed…

She’s hungry and even sleepy. But she couldn’t fall asleep.

How much time had she killed like that?

When she came to her senses, there was something right in front of her.

It was a golden shining stone.

It had a skewed and twisted shape. It didn’t seem like an ordinary mineral.

That’s not what’s important right now.

Why did such a thing suddenly appear before her?

Seti cautiously backed away from the stone. The next moment, a giggling voice played in her head.

Someone inside her mind shouted. Pick up that stone right now. Then she could confirm whether her sister and brother were alive.

That voice was as warm and sweet as cotton candy, and finally, Seti slowly reached out.

And at that moment, the waiting room door opened, and three people entered.