Ch.78From Now On, This Is My Laboratory (1)

Immediately after Cartesia left, the outer god Sapaul followed her.

Cartesia was parasitizing a boy’s brain.

‘He looks like an ordinary human.’

The boy appeared peaceful.

‘He seems too normal for someone supposedly tormented by an outer god.’

There was even a sense of comfort in the way the boy elegantly sipped coffee while tapping on his keyboard.

His pumpkin-like eyes stared at the monitor without the slightest tremor.

Curious about what he was looking at, Sapaul discovered it was academic papers.

‘Reading papers here? In this prison painted with madness and desolation?’

Sapaul snickered.

However.

The moment he confirmed the content of the papers the boy was reading, the smile vanished from his face.

[On the Similarities Between Quantum Gravity Theory and the Singularity of Aether]

[On the Possible Existence of Aether Monopoles]

[(Review Paper) Recent Research Trends on Methods for Manipulating and Repairing the Aether Belt]

Every single one contained the word “aether.”

– H-he’s going to kill us all with a graviton bomb! I was trying to stop things before they got out of hand!

‘Populus, was what he said actually true?’

At first, Sapaul hadn’t believed it.

Even if the boy was searching for such papers, he would have dismissed it. How could a lower species possibly understand gravity and aether?

But with the exiled Cartesia as his backer, everything became more complicated.

At the very least, this boy needed to be tested.

“What the hell is wrong with this thing?”

Sapaul injected pron into the monitor the boy was watching. Injection refers to any act of interfering with another dimension through pron.

The aether concentration was so thick that this amount of pron couldn’t transform the monitor into a monster.

However, it was enough to force the computer to shut down.

“No, fuck! My paper!!!!!!”

After rebooting his computer, the boy pounded his desk as he stared at his lost data.

“……”

Sapaul lurked in ghost form, snickering. There were few things as entertaining as observing the contorted face of a lower being.

But then.

“Are you from Maxwell’s side?”

“…!”

The boy was staring directly at him. His yellow eyes flickered with anger.

It was an incredible display of spirit.

Sapaul unconsciously backed away.

‘Did I just… get intimidated by a lower being?’

But that wasn’t the end.

“Sapaul.”

“…!”

“Steel that flows like earth—that’s your epithet as an outer god, isn’t it? I know everything about your identity and weaknesses.”

A chill ran down arms that didn’t even exist.

“When I make a graviton bomb, you’ll be the first one I dip in it.”

Graviton bomb.

Upon hearing those words, Sapaul fled back to his main vessel, a black-haired, black-eyed girl.

‘W-what was that?’

His nonexistent heart was pounding.

‘How could he see me? No… more importantly, how did he know my true name?’

This turned suspicion into certainty. Populus had been right.

Sapaul quickly hacked into the prison database to dig up information about the boy.

Finding his name wasn’t difficult.

Eidel von Rheinland.

‘I’ll need to keep an eye on him.’

***

“Fuck.”

I was in a very bad mood right now.

A Maxwell-aligned outer god had suddenly appeared, fried my computer’s hard drive, and disappeared.

Thanks to that, the second paper I was writing was completely lost.

Knock knock knock.

“I’m coming in.”

It was Instructor Weisel. Next to him was a middle-aged man whose hair was just beginning to gray.

“Pay your respects. This is Director John Whitewood, the head of our Alcatraz.”

Surprised by the sudden appearance of the prison director, I smoothed my expression and bowed my head.

“Pleased to meet you, Director.”

“Yes. Are you Eidel von Rheinland?”

“Huh? Yes.”

Why would someone as important as the prison director come here?

I felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

He stepped forward and suddenly took my hand.

“Student Eidel.”

“Yes.”

“Congratulations on your recovery from madness.”

“Yes.”

“From now on, I’d like you to work as an assistant to the prison guards.”

“What?”

And that’s how I came to take off my prisoner’s uniform.

***

John Whitewood, Director of Alcatraz Prison No. 3.

The prison where he worked was constantly suffering from the chronic disease of administrative paralysis.

<The Last Bastion of Human Reason Controlling Madness>

The words were grandiose, but in reality, it was merely a hideout for wistful middle managers caught between outer gods and the administration.

People who worked in such places typically became physically and mentally exhausted, and Director John was no exception.

While fighting against madness and steadily accumulating overtime…

‘A miracle happened.’

The director recalled a memory from one day.

Reports that always came in late suddenly arrived on time, and they were exceptionally well-organized.

‘There wasn’t even a flaw in the details.’

Clean sentences.

Accurate calculations.

Even outstanding document preparation skills.

‘In civil service, this would be senior official-level administrative ability, and in academia, at least a PhD holder.’

Just as they say a brave man wins a beautiful woman…

A brave superior gains a competent subordinate.

It didn’t take long for the prison director to investigate and discover the identity of this capable talent.

That’s how he acquired Eidel, an administrative genius.

“With no signs of madness for over six weeks, I’d say that’s a pass. If nothing else comes up, I’ll promise you a decent salary grade and position until I leave this place.”

The reason for not exploiting him without pay was simple.

This student was the young master of the Rheinland family, counted among the top ten in the Federation.

Creating this kind of psychological debt could lead to connections later on.

“Um, Director.”

“Hmm. Go ahead.”

“Would it be alright if I got new equipment here?”

Eidel pointed at the computer.

“It’s been running slow lately, making document preparation quite difficult.”

“Hmm, about that.”

Director John nodded.

The budget was tight, but it was fine. A single computer could be covered from his personal funds.

The benefits of recruiting such talent far outweighed the costs.

“Don’t worry about the price. Just pick whatever you want.”

However, at this moment, Director John didn’t know…

That his prison would soon be transformed into a research laboratory…

***

“Yay.”

I hummed a tune as I changed from prisoner’s uniform to guard’s uniform.

Prisoner number 888888? No, from now on, I’m Eidel, assistant to the prison guards.

I even shifted to administrative work, leaving plenty of time to write papers.

John Whitewood, is he a god?

Anyway, since the director said I could buy as much equipment as I wanted, I might as well get the good stuff.

[“What if he asks you to pay him back later?”]

Then I’ll just pay with my family fortune.

[“That’s completely unfilial.”]

“…?”

Something about the voice sounds subtly different.

It’s not Cartesia.

Then I heard the sound of a collar jingling. The outer god who had been conversing with me coughed and exhaled heavily. Soon her voice disappeared and another voice emerged.

[“I’m sorry. That was my slave speaking. Please don’t mind the unfilial comment.”]

[— The God of Wisdom and Curiosity bows his head.]

Don’t tell me Cartesia… captured Populus and imprisoned him in my head?

This is maddening.

I sighed, holding my head.

Anyway, it was time to set up the computer.

For reference, when I was on Earth, I was a big fan of products from a subsidiary called “Alienware.”

“Ah, this would be good.”

First, four monitors to maximize the effect of “parallel thinking.”

Since my next paper topic will require complex simulations, I should also get a good graphics card…

The most important thing is to order a case with a fifth-generation AI-dedicated plug.

“Hmm.”

I probably don’t need to worry about the price tag.

What’s most important right now is preparing against outer god hacking.

If I think about it simply, installing a third-generation android would be enough. That way, even if I can’t block an outer god’s attack, I can at least automatically back up programs to an external server.

But buying the package would cost an absurd amount of money.

So what should I do?

The solution is always close at hand.

I immediately opened my email and began writing.

***

[So, this is why you called me?]

On the day when all the computer parts arrived and I installed the AI application.

I got thoroughly scolded by the maid android who accessed my computer.

[Not only did you spend nearly 100 million on computer purchases, but you had the prison director pay for it out of his own pocket?]

“Yep.”

[Are you insane?]

Sonia.

Reunited after several weeks, she was as cold-blooded as ever.

Since she was inside the computer, I was fortunate not to get physically hit, but her harsh words remained the same.

[What did the director say?]

“He said it was fine.”

Of course, he froze for about two minutes after seeing the invoice, but soon nodded with a smile. Good man.

[Why on earth did you spend 100 million on a computer?]

“Graphics cards are quite expensive.”

[What exactly are you trying to do that requires so much GPU… This won’t do. Should I come there in person to discipline you, young master?]

“No way. I’m still technically a prisoner.”

[Stop lying.]

I flinched.

[Let me tell you the results of my analysis based on the database accumulated in my artificial neural network. Young master, you are currently in a mental state where you could be released without issue.]

“Hmm.”

Sharp.

How did she know?

Sonia continued.

[So the fact that you got permission from the laboratory director to buy a computer is obvious. He released you, and in return, he wants to establish connections with the Rheinland family. Or perhaps he saw some use in you and formed a symbiotic relationship… something like that, right?]

A sigh came through the speaker.

[…This is not the time to be leisurely staying there.]

As if I wanted to be here.

I half-listened to Sonia’s words while opening my email. It’s about time I shared my new ideas with Professor Feynman.

[Stop doing other things and listen to me.]

“I am listening while doing this.”

[This isn’t something we can discuss in passing.]

She forcibly increased the speaker volume and said:

[Lady Rustila is in danger.]